Current River Gobblers

[kcfishnerd]

I am wanting to head down to the current this spring to chase some long beards and catch a few trout. Does anyone have any idea how the hunting is on Cedar Grove or Sunklands CA? The wife will be joining me so hopefully we can get on some birds. Any help would be greatly appreciated

[Kicknbass]

Get ready to do a lot of walking...The birds always seem to be on the other mountain.

[kcfishnerd]

Does that mean there are not alot of birds there or are they pressured? Is there a better place to go? Sorry for all the questions but a 5 hr drive from kcmo is to far to scout. Is it even worth my time or should I concentrate on fishin? Thanks for the help!!

[fishgypsy]

Does that mean there are not alot of birds there or are they pressured? Is there a better place to go? Sorry for all the questions but a 5 hr drive from kcmo is to far to scout. Is it even worth my time or should I concentrate on fishin? Thanks for the help!!

I don't think it's that there are few of them, more that there's a lot of territory they could be in, and a lot of it looks pretty homogenous from aerial photos. I've only hunted it a few times, the one thing which was a surprise to me was how much more aerial the birds were. Instead of walking up on you they'd fly tree to tree, look over you and inspect what was going on, then come down. Not what I was used to, but a lot of fun. I'd definitely recommend some scouting if you can get down there.

[Kicknbass]

There is just a lot of territory that is difficult to access. The birds close to the access roads get hit pretty quick. In the big timber, once the birds stop gobbling, the hunting gets tough. It's not like hunting in open country were the birds get out at strut in the mid morning and they can be located by glassing. When they shut up, they disappear into the vast forest.

If you get into birds, they do come to call pretty easily, if you get positioned well. I've had some great hunts, and I've had years where I could locate the birds. But you always have the river to fall back on when the birds aren't cooperating. I keep returning for the river fishing, not the birds. The birds are a bonus.

[kcfishnerd]

Thanks for the help guys. It sound like it will be a challenge with all that timber. I have never fished the current so new water and the chance to chase some longbeards has got me giddy. It does not sound like there is a lot of pressure there in relation to the amount of land. That will be a welcome change since I have been hunting public land in Ks the past few yrs. that gets hammered. I was still able to fill both tags last yr. but the birds were pushed around quite a bit. Gobbles in the mornin and the zing of my ross reel in the evening.....can't wait. Thanks again guys and I will let you know how it turns out.