SE Kansas / NE Oklahoma / SW Missouri

[mcclinj]

I've just been informed (by the wife) that we will be visiting friends who live in Joplin, Missouri and Grove, Oklahoma over Thanksgiving. I plan on bringing my gsp pup who will be about a week shy of a year old. Any advice on public areas in the region. From what I've read, it's not as bird heavy as areas further west, but there are still some birds there. Ideally, I'd like to focus on a 2 hour circle around Joplin, but would be willing to travel further if necessary.

Thanks,

-John

[ACooper]

I would pass on that area of OK.

[displaced_texan]

I would pass on that area of OK.

Yep, especially public.

[TXShooter]

If you can get permission to hunt SE Kansas it usually holds good numbers of quail.

[Cajun Casey]

NEOK is not worth the cost of the NR license.

[CHJIII]

Talbot CA is near Joplin.

[MO_GSP]

there is a public area off 96 hwy in swmo about 45 min from Joplin not sure of the name might be Talbot or whatever that was mentioned earlier you can find info on mdc.gov its a quail emphasis area managed by mo dept of cons

[mcclinj]

Thanks everybody for the replies. From what I've been able to read, the SE region of KS is (or was traditionally) good for prairie chickens. Any opinions on this?

-John

[Coveyrise64]

Thanks everybody for the replies. From what I've been able to read, the SE region of KS is (or was traditionally) good for prairie chickens. Any opinions on this?

-John

"Was" is probably the optimum word here. The PC went the way of the bobwhite in that part of the state. Need to go furhter west and north now days.

Coveyrise64

[KATroutman]

I grew up in SEK, married a girl from the area and visit there about once per month. I run my dogs a lot out there for exercise. I have access to a lot of private land and I am not saying that the birds aren't there, but they are very few and far between. The public access is pretty poor for birds and that area had a real hard summer and a wet spring.

As for prairie chickens ... well, they are worse off than the quail. If you can get on top of the tallest hill in some of those prairie chicken areas, you will easily see why. The land has been fragmented, native grasses overrun by fescue and with all the Texans needing hay again this year and paying top dollar for it, the last stands of PC cover have likely headed to the south end of a Texas cow. I would be very surprised if you hunted for a week in SEK and moved a prairie chicken and wouldn't be that surprised if you didn't see any quail.

And to add insult to injury, some of the best places to eat in Joplin got destroyed by the tornado. Sorry to be the bummer.

[mcclinj]

Thanks Everyone,

I think I'll probably try a few of those area's in MO near Joplin and maybe one in KS just west of the Missouri border. I'm gonna try and sneak away one day and drive to the western side of the state in search of more birds.

Thanks for the help!

-John

[RoostersMom]

You can get a short-term out of state license for MO - it's not too bad. The conservation agents do a lot of patrolling in that area of MO so you're fairly likely to get checked. I've been checked twice in a 4 day period when hunting down there. Talbot is a Quail Emphasis Area (QEA) and it is managed for quail - they do a fair amount of field trialing there too. Good water and a lot of native grasses (tall and abundant). If your dog is used to hunting fencerows, you might have a bit of trouble adapting to the more open terrain. If you get a chance, stop in and talk to the area manager - Frank. He's a great guy and would be happy to point you in the right direction.