North central kansas road trip

[spoonbill]

Thanks for the reply's.  Cant wait to get out there.  Hopefully the weather and birds cooperate. Anyone ever hunt around OSBORN COUNTY?   

I haven't hunted in Osbourne county, but I know the hunting is decent in Jewell and Mitchell counties just east of there.  You can visit the world's largest ball of twine in Cawker City while you're out there. 


LOL might have to check that out.  Excuse my ignorance is that part of Kansas RIO country or can I expect Hybrids?

[spoonbill]

You got that right!!!!!

I don't even have a "one that got away" story from the couch lol.

[mudhen]

May 15th is getting a bit late...

I've hunted KS for 20 or so years..used to go in May, now we hunt closer to gun opening day...

It could be hot, buggy, stormy...

High grass/crops could be an issue...

But, if I could only hunt May 15th, north central KS is an area I would not hesitate to try...

Get on them early, and going back to roost...look for secluded bottomland areas...cattle keeping the grass down could be good...feedlot type properties with ponds could produce...

Conditions right now are early-spring like, not many leaves on the trees....mid-May could be good...


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[spoonbill]

May 15th is getting a bit late...

I've hunted KS for 20 or so years..used to go in May, now we hunt closer to gun opening day...

It could be hot, buggy, stormy...

High grass/crops could be an issue...

But, if I could only hunt May 15th, north central KS is an area I would not hesitate to try...

Get on them early, and going back to roost...look for secluded bottomland areas...cattle keeping the grass down could be good...feedlot type properties with ponds could produce...

Conditions right now are early-spring like, not many leaves on the trees....mid-May could be good...


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[/quot
Thanks for the info. Kinda going in blind never hunted anything but easterns in Louisiana and Mississippi(OTHER THAN one trip this year to south east OK).  If nothing else get a lay of the land and get an honest chance on a couple.  Would like to move my vacation up but its last min and my partner needs a little more notice to get away.

[spaightlabs]

We were planning to hunt South Central Nebraska (so just north of where you are going) this weekend, but it is gonna be 50, rainy and cold for all 4 days so we are re-scheduling for May 12th.

Birds in our area of NE are quiet all day right now, leading me to believe they are breeding but the hens aren't on the nest yet.  2 weeks from now should be much better.

[stinkpickle]

LOL might have to check that out.  Excuse my ignorance is that part of Kansas RIO country or can I expect Hybrids?

That far west, you're going to see 80-90% Rio-looking birds.  I was hunting a flock in Mitchell county a few years ago that had two longbeards, four jakes, and about ten, or so, hens.  One of the longbeards looked like an Eastern, but the other birds all looked like Rios. 

The birds in this pic were from Republic county, a couple of counties east of Osborne...
(Photobucket is acting up on me today.  I hope you can see the image.  I currently can't.)

[dirtnap]

I have been out there the last 3 years.  I have never been out there before May 15.  Some years have been better than others.  The first year we went out there was some of the best hunting I have ever seen.  Weather will be the biggest factor and how bad the property you are hunting has been beat up.

Nice you getting me fired up.  Will be nice to get out the swamp and piney woods for a change of scenery.  You going this year?

Yes sir.  Hitting KS, NE, and SD. 

[Gooserbat]

I done a similar trip couple years ago.  One of the best trips I ever had.

[spoonbill]

Birds in our area of NE are quiet all day right now, leading me to believe they are breeding but the hens aren't on the nest yet.  2 weeks from now should be much better.

that's what I'm thinking/hoping.

[spoonbill]

Anything in particular I should look out for in that area? Snakes,ticks that kind of stuff.

[honker22]

Freaking Gnats!!! I've been to that area once, on a whim like you and got pounded by monster gnats.  Thermacell and Deet and Permethrine do nothing against them.  If there is something that repels them, buy it, even if you have to sell a kidney.

[stinkpickle]

True dat!  Gnats, clouds of skeeters, and ticks can be thick that time of year. 

[Mike Honcho]

If you are trying for a true , pure blood Rio you can and will encounter hybrid birds in north Central, KS.  I have a friend with a family farm in Washington, CO and they have the hybrids there...I am guessing the further west you go from there the better chance of finding pure Rios. 

I regularly hunt pure Rios and Easterns so I wasn't hung up on the hybrid thing...I found the birds I shot there to be quite tasty!

Just a heads up. 

Honcho

[hobbes]

I'll save you half the cost, you'll have no risk, and ill provide maps to the birds my boys and I kill so you'll have them for next year............you just send me half the cost for your trip and I'll go then report back.

It's a win win. Limited investment for you and all the scouting into you'll need for next year.

If you have good weather you'll be able to kill birds. You may need to cover more ground to find willing birds but you can kill birds then.

[Copper1]

Our group of 4 Indiana guys just got back from North Central Kansas and South Central Nebraska last week. There are 14 less birds out there to chase around now. Very Good trip. We covered a lot of different public ground including WIHA and the birds worked great. An hour either side of 12 Noon was our magic hours and we killed a bunch during that time frame. Ticks were not bad but we all had Sawyers treated clothing before we went. I did have 2 latched on that I found.  Lots of different color variations on birds from Almost pure eastern looking ( Riley, Pottawottamie counties) to dang near bone white tips over in Republic county and everything in between. If you haven't been out there before and you see a sign that says " Rough Road or Unimproved Road" keep off of it after a rain!    Good luck