Hunting pheasants in western Kansas and planning for next season

I enjoyed putting down the bow for a few days and picking up a shotgun.

And now I can say that I have shot a pheasant. It took three years, and more misses than I would like to admit, but I got one.

A guy at my church organizes an annual hunt in Greeley and Wallace counties. I got invited to go last season — but also tried some pheasant hunting in the Wichita area the season before that.

The guy grew up in Tribune. He calls that area “God’s Country.”

We hunt a whole day and then half the next day before heading home Saturday afternoon.

Last year, the only shot I got the first day was accidentally at a hen, which you aren’t supposed to shoot. But I missed it.

I watched as others missed a lot of pheasant but shot a few. I remember thinking, “man, these guys suck at shooting.’” I’ve learned I am just as bad, if not worse.

My opportunity came on day two, when 10 inches of snow fell in a couple of hours.

We jumped out of the truck, forgoing our blockers, after I spotted some pheasant walking along the edge of the property. They popped up. The guy to my left and right each shot one. I pulled up my gun and click. The gun wasn’t loaded.

I then missed an easy shot at a few roosters later that day.

Not sure if I got invited again because they like me or just felt like it would be weird seeing me in church after not inviting me back. It definitely isn’t because of my shooting.

However, I did get this first pheasant of the trip this year. It was my only one, as I missed multiple close calls, including one time where a guy mentioned it was close enough that I could have put a collar on it.

I’ve come to enjoy the camaraderie as much, if not more, than the hunting itself.

It’s a hoot to hear them tell old stories: like the time they sprung up more pheasants than they could shoot or reload fast enough (I am dreaming of the day that happens to me) only to shoot a couple or when a guy they say is blind (I don’t know how embellished that is) shot two guys, including our former pastor.

We got 10 birds this year.

To put in perspective how little of a return that is for our effort, I have come up with some guesstimates, using the most active guy’s step counter that measured 11 miles the first day and eight the second.

There are a dozen of us, including a guy who grew up in the area but now lives in Texas and a couple Tribune guys that the organizer grew up with.

I figured we walked a total of 115 miles, which pans out to 11.5 miles per bird.

We probably missed another 10-20 that we should have shot.

I shot around 15 rounds during the trip and have one bird to show for it. But, as one guy said, it’s way more fun to shoot and miss than not shoot at all.

Pheasant hunting itself is definitely a bit of highs and lows.

I would teeter between being over it, like after walking a two-mile draw without getting near a bird, to being amped for the next field after a couple close encounters.

The Tribune area had a lot of rain this year, which made it even more difficult. There were places we hunted last year that were waist-high in grass and weeds that were over our heads this year.

Some of those walks were treacherous, but there is definitely a different kind of beauty in God’s Country: endless fields of yellow prairie grass, with occasional red fields, uninterrupted sunrises and sunsets and one of the coolest looking birds known to man.

- Michael Stavola

Hanging it up for 2023

I hunted hard in 2023, and it paid off with an awesome Kansas buck.

While some hunters are still chasing, it’s a relief to not have to hunt through the holidays, a time better spent with family than alone in a tree.

If anyone’s wondering, my buck tastes great. My dad and I butcher our own deer, giving us control over the entire process, from field dressing until it’s on the plate.

We don’t do anything fancy. YouTube has plenty of videos showing how to do it. I highly suggest it to anyone with enough room to package and store their deer.

I’ve hunted geese a couple times since last week with no success. The flocks are large, and I can’t seem to convince them to join my three dozen decoys. My calling could use some work. Solo hunting geese is a struggle, and I’ve never been good at sounding like more than one honker.

My first child is due in January, so I’m not sure how much time I’ll have to hunt between now and next fall. I’m ready to call it for 2023.

With that in mind, here’s a checklist of activities Kansas deer hunters should do to prepare for next season:

• Store your hunting clothes and gear so you can easily find them next fall
• Practice shooting as often as your schedule allows
• Bow maintenance
• Shed hunt
• Scout
• Get permission
• Exercise
• Research
• Gear up
• Move stands
• Daydream about next year’s buck

— Chance Swaim

Pheasant nuggets

I’ve only eaten pheasant once. I saw a recipe that brined the meat in pickle juice, so I did that too. I thought it was good. Here’s what I did. If you prefer to follow a more detailed recipe, check out this pheasant brining one at Hunt Gather Cook.

• Cut up the pheasant into nuggets
• Brine the nuggets in pickle juice from a jar for at least a few hours but no more than 12
• Remove from the brine and bread them (You can use whatever type of breading you like. I usually do store-bought breading, and since pheasant is like chicken, I use a bread crumb you would typically eat with fried chicken)
• Heat vegetable oil in a pan or pot (depends on how healthy you want to be. I usually use enough in a pot to submerge the meat). For a healthier option, you can gently coat in an oil (or use no oil at all) and throw it in an air fryer
• Cook until the internal temperature is 165 degrees

Enjoy!

- Michael Stavola

This story was originally published December 21, 2023 at 1:26 PM.