| Window | Dates | Days |
|---|---|---|
| Window 1 | 07 NOV – 08 NOV 2026 | 2d |
| Window 2 | 14 NOV 2026 – 31 JAN 2027 | 79d |
As publishedYouth & Disability: November 7-8, 2026; Regular: November 14, 2026 - January 31, 2027
Statewide, concurrent with pheasant season.Daily bag/possession figures (8/32 regular, 8/16 youth) are from the most recently published KDWP page showing 2025-26 numbers (2026-27 regs summary not yet published), labeled prior-year reference. Season dates are the confirmed 2026-27 KDWP dates.
Bobwhite quail are far more widespread across Kansas than pheasant, with KDWP's 2025 Upland Bird Forecast reporting above-average or improving densities in most of the state's seven small game management regions. The Flint Hills are repeatedly singled out (by both KDWP's forecast and outfitter/hunting-press sourcing) as holding some of the best wild quail hunting in the country; the Smoky Hills and South Central Prairies showed the largest year-over-year gains in 2025. The Northern High Plains region is the exception, where quail remain limited to areas with suitable habitat.
Provisional: KDWP's own Upland Bird Forecast hasn't published yet. In the meantime, KDWP's upland game bird program coordinator, quoted in Quail Forever's 2026 forecast, says spring surveys for quail were "really good this year after high production last year and mild winters resulting in good carryover" (no figures released), and that the agency is "cautiously optimistic" while noting "a lot of uncertainty about fall populations." Quail Forever's own read is that numbers should come in consistent with last year or higher. The summer cut both ways: a dry early spring, then heavy, frequent rain from mid-May through June that arrived just as broods were hatching, then stretches of triple-digit heat on younger and re-nest broods. Central Kansas has been the recent hotspot and should be again, though the Salina area took some of the year's heaviest rain and may see higher chick losses. Western Kansas stayed dry longer, which could mean reduced numbers in places. Field reports range from average around Clay Center to slightly up in Mitchell and Jewell counties, good around Osborne, and more birds around Lecompton. Expect thick cover: habitat is in excellent shape across much of the state. Youth and disability season Nov 7-8, 2026; regular season Nov 14, 2026-Jan 31, 2027.
Strong spring breeding counts off a mild winter and a productive 2025, offset by poorly timed June rains and late-summer heat on young broods. Steady to slightly better, not a clear jump, pending KDWP's own figures.
Join the waitlist and tell us what you’re working on — the planner reads it first once your access opens.
Free, invite-gated, unsubscribe anytime. See what it returns