Weather for Pheasant Hunting in Kansas

Sometimes hunters will say that it is just too warm to hunt pheasants. Or, at times, pheasant hunters complain that it’s so cold and dry that they are walking past and missing some birds. Let the pheasant hunting weather dictate the speed at which you and your companions hunt a field. A simple rule to follow is this: the colder it is, the slower pheasant hunters should walk through a field. Assuming the walk is against the wind, of course.

A successful European Driven Tower Shoot.

On cold days, we know the pheasants sit tight and don’t want to fly up quickly. That is, of course, a significant advantage to humans—to get close enough for a shot within range—and to dogs—to allow them to flush or point those birds hunkering down in the tall CRP grasses. So, walk slowly on bitter cold days and even zigzag a little, as you pay close attention to your dog. And, the stronger the wind is (20-30 mph+), the slower a hunter should creep as the pheasants will have a harder time hearing the footsteps of hunters. Stop frequently as well. Wait and watch Rover work for a minute. Stopping can confuse the pheasants because they’ve lost the sense of the location of the enemy. This leads to a pleasant flush, shot and retrieve, perhaps all within 20 yards of you.

Conversely, warm days often mean feeding days for pheasants. They spend longer in the grain fields on high pressure days because a high always precedes a low (storms-a-comin’) in weather patterns. So, don’t dilly-dally. Cover the ground well, but at a good pace. Pheasants often prefer running over flying, so hunters could be “pushing” them down the rows of stubble, which may require a steady walking pace to move into shotgun range. Finally, warm days may cause birds to run out the sides of the field. Hunters on the edges of draws should be alert. No day is too warm or too cold. Just adjust how you approach pheasant hunting, and you will enjoy the day.