IOWA
Pheasant: Oct. 31 - Jan. 10, three roosters daily, 12 possession. Quail Oct. 31 - Jan. 31, eight daily, 16 possession. Shooting hours for both 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. DNR biologist Todd Bogenschutz says, "I expect last season's bag to be 400,000 and 20,000 pheasant and quail respectively. We had a much milder winter in 2008-09 and expect better over-winter hen survival. We expect populations in the eastern and southern thirds of Iowa to remain below normal in 2009. March was wet and cool -- less than ideal for upland birds; hopefully this trend will not continue into April and May nesting season." Bogenschutz adds, "Iowa has very good public lands in northern half of the state for pheasants, but with high corn prices over 200 square miles [143,000 acres] of private CRP were plowed up last fall with another 185 square miles to be plowed up this fall." Non resident license ($80.50) and habitat stamp ($11.50). Licenses available online https://www4.wildlifelicense.com/ia/start.php. Maps available at http://www.iowadnr.com/wildlife/wmamaps/pubhunt.html and http://programs.iowadnr.com/ims/website/recreation/viewer.htm and the Iowa Sportsman's Atlas is $21.95 at http://www.sportsmanatlas.com/. DNR's roadside counts are the best tool for hunters looking for areas to bird hunt. Check http://www..iowadnr.com/wildlife/app/roadside/ for roadside counts.

KANSAS
For regulations see www.kdwp.state.ks.us. Walk-in-hunting acreage tops one million acres across the state. Printed copies are at most license vendors, KDWP regional offices or by calling the KDWP operations headquarters (620) 672-5911. Non-resident annual small game license $72.15 (under 16 $37.15).Pheasant population was strong last fall in central, northcentral, and northwest Kansas; fair in southcentral Kansas; and generally poor in southwest Kansas. A fairly mild and dry winter and early spring could result in a late green-up and hamper production in some areas. Kansas had fair to good quail numbers throughout much of central Kansas last fall and even up into far northwest Kansas. Quail poor in the eastern 1⁄3 of the state and far southwest Kansas. Quail made it through the relatively mild winter without much weather-related mortality. In 2007 pheasant harvest was around 880,000 birds and the quail harvest was around 475,000. Last year pheasant harvest was around 800,000 and quail around 550,000.

KENTUCKY
Winter ice storms across KY produced harsh conditions for bobwhites, especially in the western portion of the state, although the ice didn't stay on the ground long enough to dramatically reduce bobwhite numbers. In return, the ice damage created many acres of suitable bobwhite habitat by opening forest canopies and creating brushy areas across much of the landscape. Peabody Wildlife Management Area in Muhlenberg and Ohio Counties continues to be the best option for public land hunting in KY. Season dates: November 1-14, 2009; November 16 - February 10, 2010 (eastern zone) November 16 - February 10 (western zone). Website is http://www.fw.ky.gov/.

MICHIGAN
Web site http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/ Limited three week season on pheasants and quail October through early November; one-month season December/January for much of the southeastern part of the state. Non-resident permit $69, three-day $30. Check Hunting Access Program for private land open to hunting.

MINNESOTA
Pheasants Oct . 11 - Jan 3, two roosters daily, six possession. Web site: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/hunting/pheasant/index.html) Farmland Wildlife Program leader Bill Penning says, "We lost more CRP in 2008 and the winter was pretty rough in some areas but we had pretty good carry-over throughout much of the state. If we have a good spring we should have plenty of birds. There will be areas with localized population depressions so watch for the August Roadside Count map which will be posted on the DNR web site in early September. The 2007 harvest was 655,000 birds, the highest since 1964. A very preliminary guess is that 2009 harvest will be around 500,000 birds."