A Guide to the Unofficial Kansas Upland Grand Slam

A German Wirehaired Pointer retrieves a pheasant in tall grass.

Frank Loncarich has been a wildlife biologist for over 20…

Tips from a biologist for achieving Kansas’ Grand Slam and hunting bobwhite, pheasants, and prairie chickens across the plains.

Kansas’ reputation as a classic upland hunting state has long been known. Bobwhite quail hunting here is legendary during boom years and remains solid during average years. While pheasant hunting in Kansas has decreased over the last few years due to habitat loss, the state is still consistently among the top three to four states for roosters. Additionally, Kansas is the country’s top greater prairie chicken state, providing great opportunities to harvest the charismatic grassland dweller.

A chance to harvest these three species on a single trip, maybe even on a single walk, makes Kansas a special place to hunt in the fall. Here are a few tips to help you plan your attempt at the Kansas Grand Slam.

Bobwhite Quail Hunting in Kansas

Bobwhites are found statewide in Kansas. This gamebird’s habitat includes anywhere native herbaceous plants and low-growing, shrubby cover coexist.

Southeastern Kansas

The southeastern portion of Kansas was once the go-to area for great quail hunting. I hunted there frequently in the ’90s and routinely had 10-covey days. But times have changed since then. Fescue and tree encroachment led to substantial population declines in the eastern portion of that region. Nevertheless, good populations still occur in the Flint Hills.

Publicly accessible land is hard to come by in southeast Kansas, so finding accessible birds can be challenging. Consider introducing yourself to a few private landowners before the season begins, and they may give you access to hunt their lands for quail.

Southwestern Kansas

Southwest Kansas has long been one of the best regions for bobwhites. It has large expanses of native prairies and good interspersion of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) grass fields in a largely agricultural landscape.

This region is similar to western Oklahoma and the Texas panhandle because it’s subject to periodic droughts. Drought years suppress populations, though birds can still be found. But when the rains come after a drought, quail populations boom, and hunting in southwestern Kansas can be world-class.

Many acres are enrolled in the state Walk-in Hunting Access (WIHA) here, giving the average hunter access to spectacular bird numbers when the conditions are right.

North-Central Kansas

The most consistent region for high-quality quail hunting is the north-central tier of counties from about Salina to Hays. This region still experiences boom-bust cycles, but less dramatic than in southwestern Kansas. That means populations tend to hold steady but are still capable of reaching excellent levels. This region includes native prairie intermixed with shrubs, CRP grassland, and agricultural fields. Throw in large amounts of publicly accessible land, and you have a recipe for outstanding quail hunting.

Ring-necked Pheasant Hunting in Kansas

While pheasants can be hunted statewide in Kansas, the best populations occur in the western two-thirds of the state. Ringnecks prefer thick cover near agricultural food sources during hunting season. Tall native grass plantings, cattail sloughs, weedy old homesteads, and dense hedgerows are prime places to look for birds as long as they are within a half-mile of a harvested grain field or fallow fields. Native grassland pastures in north-central Kansas can also hold birds, especially those with light grazing pressure.

While CRP grasslands have declined over the last several years, plenty remain to be found, especially in southwest and northwest Kansas. These regions routinely hold the largest number of birds in the state, and there is plenty of WIHA access here, too. North-central Kansas also has good pheasant populations with decent amounts of CRP and WIHA. The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) also manages several large public wildlife management areas in this region. These areas surround large reservoirs, and many offer places that take hard work to access, providing chances for less pressured birds.

Greater Prairie Chicken Hunting in Kansas

While not as widely spread across the state as bobwhites or pheasants, greater prairie chickens can still be found and hunted across a wide swath of Kansas. In fact, Kansas is home to the largest greater prairie chicken population in the country. It’s a destination for hunters seeking to chase these truly special birds. Personally, I hold prairie chickens in the highest regard for their sense of wildness and the beautiful places hunting these birds takes me.

Flint Hills

Eastern Kansas’ Flint Hills region was heralded as the prairie chicken epicenter due to the vast native tallgrass prairies there. While good numbers of birds can still be found, populations in the Flint Hills have declined long-term due to range management practices reducing the amount of good nesting cover. Also, the Flint Hills has very little state-managed public land or WIHA access. That said, I’ve had success knocking on doors to gain access, and good hunting can still be found in America’s largest expanse of tallgrass prairie.

Smoky Hills

The best ecoregion in the state to hunt greater prairie chickens is the Smoky Hills in north-central Kansas. A beautiful landscape that is a mix of large tracts of native prairies and crop fields of wheat, soybeans, and corn, the Smoky Hills have seen a stable to increasing population of prairie chickens over the past two decades. Private land access here can be good, especially during the early prairie chicken season, and a decent amount of WIHA exists.

Much of the WIHA in north-central Kansas is thick CRP grassland better suited for pheasants, but there are tracts of native prairie enrolled in WIHA that offer good hunting. Prairie chickens prefer shorter grass than pheasants, and native pastures offer the grass height and density that chickens need.

Western Kansas

Northwest Kansas has recently seen an increase in prairie chicken numbers, offering good but limited opportunities to harvest birds. Due to lower amounts of rainfall, the CRP in this region does not grow as thick as in other parts of the state. Chickens have taken advantage of the short, sparse CRP here, which has expanded and increased bird numbers.

Lesser prairie chickens, a federally protected species, have also taken advantage of western Kansas’s CRP and expanded their range north. To reduce the potential for accidental harvest, the KDWP has closed much of northwest Kansas to prairie chicken hunting. You can view KDWP’s map here. But where western lands are open, hunters can find birds in CRP grasslands and native pastures.

A pheasant is photographed on a tailgate next to a dog.

Planning Your Kansas Grand Slam

Kansas provides great upland game bird opportunities. It’s one of only two states that offer the bobwhite-pheasant-greater prairie chicken mixed bag in the country. (Nebraska is the other). Although at least one bird species offers great upland hunting opportunities across the state, if I were going after my grand slam, especially to get it done on one trip, I would choose the north-central region of Kansas.

This area offers the greatest opportunity to find all these birds in close proximity and excellent public access. Locate good grassland habitat that includes a mix of low-growing shrubby cover near harvested grain food sources. In habitat like this, you stand an excellent chance of finding pheasants and quail on the same walk. If the cover is short enough, you might even jump prairie chickens.

To specifically target chickens, hunt native grass pastures, walk ridge lines on calm days, and lee sides of slopes when the wind blows. Also, watch for chickens flying from grasslands to feed in harvested crop fields in the mornings and evenings. Locate the fields the birds are using, keep a close eye on the exact place they enter the field, and seek permission to pass shoot prairie chickens on subsequent days. This type of chicken hunting offers exciting shooting and is often the best way to consistently harvest birds, especially late in the season.

Mixed-Bag Hunts Are Something Special

Hunters seeking to complete Kansas’ upland bird Grand Slam have ample access and many areas to target each species individually. But what’s extra cool is the ability to earn the slam on a single hunt. There’s just something about coming home with a mixed bag. The excitement of not knowing what will flush next adds something special to an already great experience. Kansas offers excellent opportunities for great mixed-bag hunts, which is just one reason Kansas is such an iconic upland destination.

For some extra fun, challenge yourself. Can you get the slam on the same day? What about the same walk? However you go about it, just give it a try!