SALINA, Kansas (KSN) -- At Ringneck Ranch in Mitchell County, they stock their game bird every year.
"When you come to a place like this, you'll see a lot of birds. Now whether you're good enough to shoot them or not is a different story, that's up to you," said Michael Keenum, pheasant hunter.
This year, they're seeing a sharp increase in hunters since the native bird population has been affected by this year's weather.
"When you wild bird hunt, it has a lot to do with the type of pheasants, number of birds hatched, is the terrain holding the birds, what's the weather been like," said Keenum.
"We had a lot of rain in spring time, five to 10 inches in a matter of two to three days," said Zach Miller, Ringneck Ranch manager.
The rain hit during nesting season. It wiped out a lot of the birds. The drought and heat didn't help the population either.
"Three or four years we might be able to have a good, huntable population," said Miller.
Officials at the ranch expect at least 2,400 hunters this weekend.
In Kansas, opening weekend draws up to 70,000 hunters. They spend an average of $150 a day on lodging, food and supplies.
You can visit the website for Ringneck Ranch by clicking here.
