i know its early but if your like me your thinking aobut your options. are you going to hunt the drought states or expand your horizons to new places. i am not going to hunt drought states myself. so i plan on 1500 miles one way at least and still researching my options

Hopefuly going back to Montana. They had a hard winter but at least they have moisture

Still debating whether to try to get back in on my Rolling Plains bird lease, find a new one, or not get one. I think our group is putting it together again but I haven't followed up because I don't know if I want to throw away a couple grand. I'm pretty certain the bird hunting is pretty much a write off this yr. That money might be better spent on a better duck boat, a deer lease, or an AR-15. On the other hand, the years I don't get a lease I really miss just having a place to go...even if the hunting isn't good. Will probably go on a buddy's annual pheasant trip to KS if I'm invited...but that's mostly a social event. No travel plans otherwise...but my wife told me if I can find another job somewhere else she'll move...thinking about taking her up on it & moving somewhere that's less crowded, hot, and expensive...and closer to free hunting.

NSTRA, day hunts, and a few invites. I'll buy a lease if I can find a good one, which will let me take my Gator off the road.

Hunt Fort Hood, and travel north and west to find wild birds.

Have you gotten your JR pup yet? Ask Wes if it can do NSTRA. You can do several within a couple of hours.

He will be ready at the end of this month. I believe he is going to be more of a wild bird dog than a trialer but I will sure give him a shot at it!

I checked the drought monitor and the area in Kansas we normally hunt looks as bad as North West Texas. I have an invite to go back down to Raymondville, but based on this map, it looks like unless they get a tropical storm or three, it will be rough as well. Might have to line up a South Dakota or Nebraska trip.

http://www.drought.unl.edu/dm/DM_state.htm?TX,S

Going to the OK panhandle for pheasants. As long as i shoot A bird, it will be a success....since i've never even SEEN a pheasant in person.

http://www.drought.unl.edu/dm/DM_state.htm?TX,S

Fixed that link for you to make it clickable.

And here is Kansas. One area of Kansas I have hunted before is actually looking good on this map. Maybe I should head to northern Kansas this season....

http://www.drought.unl.edu/dm/DM_state.htm?KS,HP

As far as I know, our group will head out for the KS opener and also the TX opener. Get to hunt about 6-7 days for pheasant season. Even if the hunting is not what it has been in the past, it's still worth the trip to work the dogs and be around the fellas.

Probably do a couple of pen raised bird hunts & see what we have on our place in Oklahoma. I dont get enough time off to drive 1500 miles one way, If I did that it would be one hunt & that's it. Maybe when I retire but for now, I'll have to take what I can get closer to home.

Just just going to wait and see what the season brings. Take the dog to NSTRA. If I get time try to put a AKC JR Hunt title on him.
Won't do a lot of long distance traveling but would like to at least do a week hunt in December.

This will be my first season with my dogs so I plan to do a few hunts by myself to get him started with no distractions. Maybe later in the year I would like to drive to SW Kansas to try some pheasants.

Wont be getting on a lease this year so I plan to really hit up the local preserve. Maybe make some hunts to N Tx for pheasant for the first time.

well, I'm about to take the plunge on the lease again...last yr I averaged a covey every 2 hours...This May they got 0.16" of rain, and the average is 4"

Someone talk me out of it.