The decline in upland birds-

[Tom Kat]

As a young man, I took pheasant hunting for granted. My grandfather owned over 2,000 acres of farm ground in NE Kansas, I could pretty much go out and shoot pheasants, quail, and Prairie Chickens any time I wanted too. They were always easy to find.

As I got older, my cousin Mike inhierented the farm. He is an upland fanatic, and actively managed the farm for bird production. At this time, farming practices in Kansas were changing. All fence rows were cleared out, plum thickets went away, and most importantly, the CRP program ended when I was in my early 40's.

That killed our little deal, and in meant traveling to the western part of the state. This is a bird I shot a couple years ago in western Kansas. We have had a long drought and some really poor hatches since then. Things here will never be what they once were, and its a shame.

[Tom Kat]

These were shot on public ground, and took some effort to say the least. It didnt hurt to have Mikes excellent pack of dogs with us.

[Rick in Oregon]

KT, sorry to hear of the changing ways. Seems to be going on everywhere.

Some of my most treasured memories were pheasant and duck hunting with my dad in the Sacramento valley in the 60's. Hearing a big rooster cackling as he flushed always gives a guy an adrenaline rush. The next best thing in regard to bird hunting (for me) is hunting chuckars, or Hungarian Partridge here. Steep slopes covered in rocks and sagebrush, they break in one's, two's, sometimes 20 or more at a time. Wild stuff, quick shooting.

You've got some very nice birds shown there. I'm thinking dinner was spectacular!

[Tom Kat]

Thank you Rick. Pheasant is one of the better game birds a guy can eat.