Have you ever been hunting? I haven’t really been hunting and I want to know about the animals that are being hunted. In these next five paragraphs I’ll be telling you all about whitetail deer, geese, pheasant, bobwhite quail, and prairie chickens. I’ll be going over what happens to them after they’re killed (like do they get eaten or something like that), rules and regulations when hunting them, guns to use or other ways to kill them.

Geese
The first animal I’ll talk about is the goose. After killing the goose, you’d be able to eat it. And, according to Texas Monthly, “A wild goose, for instance, tastes like rich rare roast beef, only better.” So it tastes good, you can also put their feathers in your pillow to make it extra fluffy. But, you can only kill 6 of them per person according to state law. Canadian goose(the most common goose in our area) season is Nov 1, 2023 to Feb 11, 2024. Typically you’d use a 12 gauge shotgun as it is the most common weapon to hunt geese with. You could use any other weapon but I wouldn’t recommend using anything other than a shotgun.

Greater prairie chickens
Greater prairie chickens are wild chickens that are about the same size as normal farm chickens but are completely different in looks. The males have yellow colored eyebrows and brightly colored air sacks on the side of their neck. They taste like “distinct earthy tones with hints of beef”, says Project Upland. The daily bag limit is 2 and the possession limit is 8. You can either use a 12 gauge or a 20 gauge shotgun, but you technically could use anything you desire (as long as you use guns). Some people will also call them boomers as a nickname. Greater prairie chickens also are almost on the threatened species list.

Ring-necked pheasant
Although not native, ring-necked pheasants are the most popular game bird in Kansas along with bobwhite quail. Pheasants have white meat like chicken, but have a more complex and also subtle flavor. The bag limit per day is 4 roosters(male pheasant) and the possession limit is 16, the hunting season is November 11, 2023 to January 31, 2024. The best gun to use would be the shotgun(seems familiar). Some people might call them ditch parrots because they tend to hang out in ditches and they are fairly colorful.

Whitetail Deer
Whitetail deer, who stand about 1.7-3.9 feet tall, are native to Kansas. After they are killed, their meat is often eaten and is usually described as earthy or rich tasting. You may only kill one buck (the male) and one doe(female) per season if you have a permit. The archery season is Sep 11, 2023 Dec 31, 2023, and the rifle/gun season is Nov 29, 2023-Dec 10, 2023. Some good deer-hunting guns are 308 Winchester, the 6.5 Creedmoor, . 243 Winchester and the . 270 Winchester. You can also use crossbows and bow and arrows. When hunting these deer, make sure to aim right behind the elbow of the lead leg, which is where their lungs are at.

Bobwhite quail
Last but not least we have the Bobwhite quail, the smallest animal on my list. After killing the quail, you’d either eat it or sell it. If you do eat it, just know it tastes like a mix between chicken and duck(if you were wondering duck tastes like a “savory taste that combines sweetness with a slight gamey undertone” says Lemons for Lulu). The bag limit is 8 per day and the hunting season is Nov. 11, 2023 to Jan. 31, 2024. You can use any shotgun but a 20 gauge is typically the best out of the bunch. The ideal hunting group size is about 6 people.

So, those are some of the best hunting animals in my opinion. I didn’t put them in any specific order if you were wondering. If you think there should have been a different animal, such as rabbits, muskrats, ducks, etcetera, let me know and I might make a second part to this article. If you want any additional information, check out KDWP. This site will give you all the information you need.