BARTON COUNTY -There have now been two full weekends of pheasant hunting in Kansas and it seems like there are mixed reviews on just how good the bird population is throughout the state.

In central Kansas and at Cheyenne Bottoms the bird numbers have been good, but there are a few complaints from hunters that the only birds they are seeing are hens.

Wildlife Biologist Charlie Swank says he does not put much stock into this complaint.

“The roosters are there. Half the hatch is male and half is female. Some of that has to do with inexperienced hunters and inexperienced dogs that don’t get a lot of chances to hunt pheasants,” said Swank.

“I talked to two hunters who were very happy and had seen a lot of birds after several years of not seeing much of anything,” he said.

Swank acknowledged he was not a supporter of mobs of people walking fields together because of the increased noise that occurs.

Hunters need to remember to be as quiet as possible, according to Swank.

“I don’t slam car doors, don’t yell at the dog and guys that hunt with me, we don’t even talk,” said Swank. “We just slip into where we are hunting and are as quiet as possible.”

Pheasant and quail season in Kansas runs through the end of January.