For the first time in nearly 30 years, pheasant hunters took to Kansas fields on the first Saturday in November.

Traditionally, the state pheasant season opens on the second Saturday in November, but the Wildlife and Parks Commission approved the change.

A new opening day was established to provide bird hunters with an additional week of hunting. The quail season opened Saturday, and the prairie chicken season will open next Saturday.

Wildlife and Parks staffers patrolling Walk-In Hunting Areas and visiting with hunters reported generally less hunting pressure compared to previous opening weekends when pheasant and quail seasons opened on the same day in most of the state.

This fall’s upland bird forecast appears to be accurate with hunting success being spotty, depending on local rainfall. Mild weather may have also hampered hunter success.

Hunters reported seeing good numbers of birds in portions of northcentral Kansas, but in areas where the drought was most severe bird numbers are down. In the northcentral and northwest regions, hunters were averaging just less than one bird each.

In the northeast, hunter numbers were down as much as 50 percent, which is to be expected since this area is known more for quail than pheasant. Reports indicate pheasant numbers may be slightly lower than last year, while quail numbers may be higher.

In the southcentral region, hunting pressure was also lighter than last year. Pheasant numbers appear to be down this year, and hunting was tough.

Many hunters from this region reported seeing good numbers of quail, which is also consistent with the fall forecast and should bode well for quail.

In the southwest, hunting pressure was lighter than last year in most areas, and hunting was spotty. In areas were timely rains fell, hunters were finding birds. In areas where drought was severe, hunting was more difficult. Average harvest was less than two birds per hunter.

For the first time in nearly 30 years, pheasant hunters took to Kansas fields on the first Saturday in November.

Traditionally, the state pheasant season opens on the second Saturday in November, but the Wildlife and Parks Commission approved the change.

A new opening day was established to provide bird hunters with an additional week of hunting. The quail season opened Saturday, and the prairie chicken season will open next Saturday.

Wildlife and Parks staffers patrolling Walk-In Hunting Areas and visiting with hunters reported generally less hunting pressure compared to previous opening weekends when pheasant and quail seasons opened on the same day in most of the state.

This fall’s upland bird forecast appears to be accurate with hunting success being spotty, depending on local rainfall. Mild weather may have also hampered hunter success.

Hunters reported seeing good numbers of birds in portions of northcentral Kansas, but in areas where the drought was most severe bird numbers are down. In the northcentral and northwest regions, hunters were averaging just less than one bird each.

In the northeast, hunter numbers were down as much as 50 percent, which is to be expected since this area is known more for quail than pheasant. Reports indicate pheasant numbers may be slightly lower than last year, while quail numbers may be higher.

In the southcentral region, hunting pressure was also lighter than last year. Pheasant numbers appear to be down this year, and hunting was tough.

Many hunters from this region reported seeing good numbers of quail, which is also consistent with the fall forecast and should bode well for quail.

In the southwest, hunting pressure was lighter than last year in most areas, and hunting was spotty. In areas were timely rains fell, hunters were finding birds. In areas where drought was severe, hunting was more difficult. Average harvest was less than two birds per hunter.