2017 Ryman Gathering & Hunt: misc. questions and info

I have received a number of questions from folks planning to attend the Ryman Gathering in January. Usually if one person is wondering about something others are too so I thought I would post some answers publically. Please feel free to ask questions, I’ll answer what I can. I moved from Vermont to Kansas only 3 years ago so I am only a little ahead on the learning curve but my partner, Mike, is a lifelong midwest quail hunter and is my go-to resource for info.
Where to hunt:
Kansas leases over 1 million acres as part of its Walk In Hunter Access program. Landowners receive a modest payment plus liability protection in exchange for allowing public hunting access. There is no sign-in required and you do not contact land owners. The WIHA areas are shown on maps provided by the state and on site they have white signs indicating property boundaries. Area sizes can range from 80 acres to many hundreds of acres. Online maps: http://ksoutdoors.com/KDWPT-Info/Locations/Hunting-Fishing-Atlas/Fall-Hunting-Atlas You can order free booklets from the state plus I will have map booklets available at the Gathering.
Shooting:
*Shells/guage – smaller is good. I happen to shoot 28 ga and use 7.5 shot for quail and pheasant, #8s are fine for 20/16/12 ga. These are small birds and delicious so protect your table fare.
*Research has shown that covey winter survival is best with approx 8 birds. So if only a couple/few birds flush on the covey rise, be conservation minded, hold your shot and don’t follow up on singles. If a covey is large, say 12-15 birds, follow up on singles, it is respectful to shoot a couple and then leave the covey alone.
* Call hunting quits at 3:00. I know this is contrary to ruffed grouse ‘golden hour’ hunting but on short, cold winter days it is important that coveys be left alone after 3:00 so that they have time to get back together for the night. On the flip side, you can start early, 1/2 hour before sunrise.
Why quail:
The fun of bobs is the dogwork that they provide. Once your dogs locate/point a covey the singles will flush and scatter and (assuming there are enough birds) you can then also get dog work on those singles. So you can get a lot of action from each covey. Sometimes the birds will fly and scatter into timbered areas and you’ll swear you are grouse hunting. Other times they will scatter and fly out into tall grass. Bobs will usually hold well for points but coveys will often run until pinned. The singles that hold tight in grass can require dogs to work carefully and thoroughly to locate them.
Wind and scent:
Wind is a definite factor in Kansas for scenting. Paying close attention and approaching areas with wind direction in mind can make all the difference between getting dog work vs wild flushes or missed birds.
Weather:
January daytime averages are close to 40 degrees, nights 20. Sunny comfortable days are common. Wind is the norm: jackets w/hoods, hoodies, neck warmers, Stormy Kromer hats, etc make a big difference. If a storm happens to come in, snowfall is rarely more than a couple of inches and then often melts within a day or two.
Roads:
You will travel mostly gravel roads. Roads that have signs “No Maintainence” or “Mud/Dirt Road” may be impassable if wet, the mud gumbo gets many 4×4 trucks stuck, yet they are fine when dry. Roads are all on a grid with 1 mile between each intersection. This makes it easy to navigate and follow the WIHA maps by counting the sections/miles.