| About HabitatKansas turkey habitat in the eastern part of Kansas is comparable to western Missouri with timbered creek bottoms, ridges, crp grass and cropland that supports large turkey populations. Traveling west in Kansas the habitat becomes more open and the turkeys are concentrated in smaller pockets around the creek bottoms. The flocks are spotty, but the number of birds is very impressive, especially in the remote areas of central and western Kansas where there is very little human activity. ComparisonThe success rate with our spring wild turkey hunters in Kansas is higher than Missouri, despite an overall lower population of turkeys. Many Kansas hunters attribute the high success ratio to less hunting pressure combined with the the Kansas regulations allowing to harvest two birds in one day. Compared to Missouri turkey hunts it would seem Kansas with its two species of birds, long 6 weeks season and all day hunting where two birds in one day may be harvested would make Kansas the destination of choice over that of Missouri. The contrary is the way it is and probably so do to the many magazine articles written about the nation wide superiority of Missouri turkey hunting. ScoutingThe turkeys in Kansas seem to roam a larger range, which makes their patterns and roosting areas harder to pin down. A flock may be seen in one area one day, but the next day might be 2 miles down the creek.
ChoicesOver the years, many of our self guided Kansas turkey hunters have had the opportunity to harvest 2 toms at the same time during the early phase of the season, which is a new dilemma to the hunter that has never hunted a state where 2 birds may be harvested in one day at the same time. Choosing to do so makes for a great memory and the end of the season. Harvesting one tom early and then being selective for a big bird for the second may leave that second tag unfilled. PatternsKansas turkey hunting does allow for a greater distinction in turkey behavior through the spring breeding season not possible in Iowa or Missouri with their short season length. During the early phase of the Kansas season the primary feeding areas are overgrown stubble fields, green wheat and pasture. Burning pasture in Kansas is common during the month of April, which can be an advantage as well as a temporary disadvantage to the turkey hunter. If the field or pasture is burned it takes a couple of days or a fresh rain for the birds to return to the fields. Fresh green sprouts from burned pastures attract turkeys to feed along with the dead bugs left behind from the burn. As the breeding season progresses the flocks slowly start to break up and move to the pastures, crp and crop fields surrounding the creek bottoms for the hens to lay eggs and nest. This changing Kansas pattern continues up to the late part of the season when the turkeys are split between hens on nest and toms forming bachelor flocks. This reduced behavior pattern consistency then opens more of a challenge due to our large lease land holdings. MAHA do it yourself hunters have an abundance of private lease land acreage in multiple regions of Kansas to hunt both eastern and Rio Grande turkeys. Once the birds make their move from the timbered creek bottoms to more open terrain with smaller patches of timber the early hot spot is now a late part of the season cold spot. Along with changing movement during this later phase of the season the birds seem to respond to a call and come to decoys more frequently than the early phase of the season. Add to this the dynamic most turkey hunters, especially in Kansas, are early part of the season hunters anxious for a hunt. Late season sees far less hunter pressure in Kansas as most have had their fill of both Kansas and Missouri turkey season by this point. Missouri turkey season traditionally ends the 1st week of May and the majority of our hunters have either tagged out or switched gears for the fishing season. The last couple weeks of May is a time when the gobblers aren’t very vocal, but are own the prowl looking for hens, especially mid-day and mid-afternoon. Many of our Kansas hunters have used this phase of the season to just get out and unexpectedly find their selves coming home with 2 good birds in the bag. Kansas spring turkey hunting with MAHA is a long season, with a lot of land and a lot of Eastern and Rio Grande turkey hunting opportunity.
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