Kansas dream hunt
Whitetail Deer
Hello fellow members of Bowsite.com. I am a recent addition to the site and I look forward to talking with you. I am 51 and I live in southern Wisconsin and have been hunting since I was 10. I have hunted in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois and Iowa. This coming season I would LOVE to add Kansas to the list of states hunted. I am looking here for any recommendations you may have for areas of Kansas to concentrate on, any specific leases or reasonably priced outfitters that would provide a decent chance at a 160"+ buck. I know very little about Kansas other than seeing the great hunts on tv. I definitely prefer to do things myself (i.e. - prefer lease vs. outfitter), however, with me living in Wisconsin (12+ hour drive) I'm not sure how realistic it is for me to be able to do everything myself. Ideally I'd find someone who has a place somewhat set up that is looking for a serious QDM hunter to help out and would only shoot something that was big / very mature. If anyone knows anyone I should contact or has a place themselves please get a hold of me with any details. Your assistance is much appreciated. Thanks again.
Greg
I will say this, unless you lease or find an outfitter your chances of a 160" deer on public are not great. I just did a hunt there, I got lucky and met some nice folks and got permission to hunt some great private ground. I did see some giants on WIHA and actually blew an opportunity on a 150" 8pt. but that is not the norm. I did kill a 160" plus deer but it was on the private ground. I plan on going every year now to the are I hunted. Lots of great WIHA areas, but you have to have time to check them out and figure things out. I did nothing but drive around and put a lot of boot leather on the ground the first 4 days I was out there. Talk to locals where you are staying, you would be surprised at what you may step in to. Also do a ton of research, remember it is not always best to hunt where everyone is shooting giant bucks, the over looked counties without what seems like the best deer habitat can be good. Shawn
I know an outfitter in south central Kansas I work with but he is not a sponsor, so I don't think I am to mention his name or number. I wish I could great guy to work with. Sorry and good luck
Your best bet is to do your homework and find a reasonable outfitter. Picking up a lease and figuring it out is probably going to take more time than you are wanting. Just to make one thing clear though, just because the guys on TV are killing "kansas giants" doesn't mean that they are everywhere. As a kansas resident i will say that we are privileged and have great deer but i think some people believe Kansas 160s are like South Dakota pheasants! Not the case! I know guys that have lived in Kansas their entire lives and are yet to put their hands on a 160". Good luck on your hunt and it sounds like you need to team up with deerman! He's got it figured out!!!
I don't want anybody to team up with. I will say that you can do it by yourself. I will also say that compared to hunting in NY, it is much easier to figure out where to set up in the mid-west. I also think I was extremely lucky to have met the right people. It also helps to hunt the right time, I had from the end of Oct. until Thanksgiving to hunt. I killed my buck the 15th. or 16th day I was there. I also about killed myself hunting and scouting, setting stands sun up to sun down every day. If you do it yourself, you gotta want it bad. People laugh but by the 3rd day there, I had 9 stands hung, 2 pop up blinds set and brushed in, plus 2 other natural ground blinds as well. I also was not scared to get down out of my tree, strip down to my underwear and move a stand maybe 150 yards to where the action was. Shawn
Your chances at a 160" buck are slim, outfitter or not, great ground or not and without doubt there are fewer of them every year. They are here but you will work for them and will need some luck to have a crack at one, regardless. I put about 200 hours in stand this last season and didn't even see a 160" buck. If you want a 160" and you don't have the time to scout/hunt an entire season it would be best to hire a reputable proven outfitter and break out 6-10 thousand. Good luck.
I would say shoot for 150" buck and you will get into some great options.
160" is a BIG deer and probably less than 1% of deer taken break that mark.
Also, just use the Outfitter tool above and you will have some great options!
I can also say, don't be discouraged. You need a positive attitude, but as has been said 160" deer even on a hunt you pay 4-6 grand on, is not assured. I have a bud who went the last two years, each with an outfitter. Total cost for each hunt about $5500. He killed a 180" buck the first year and this year he killed nothing, never saw a buck over 120"s. I will disagree about it taking a whole season to figure out a lease or what not. I hunted one 2400 acre area and it took me all of a day scouting and setting stands to figure out what the deer were doing. Try that on 2400 acres in NY. Shawn
160 is a tall order as others have said. Locating one is tough, much less killing him. Hope for a 150. He'll look like a 160 when you see him anyway. And if something bigger walks by consider yourself very fortunate. Manage your expectations and you'll set yourself up for a happier ending.
Check out Mid America Hunting Association. I've been very pleased with my hunts on private ground through the years with them. I've taken a 140, a 152 and a 158 and I have seen some giants, including a 180+ nontypical that walked by 15 minutes after I shot the 158. It's DIY, but access to over 100K acres of private ground. They also have land in Missouri and Iowa. They have a one time fee of something like $1700, so it sure beats an outfitter, and you can hunt the following years for $1200. They have locations all over the state so you can choose your unit.
Like Deerman said, it doesn't take long to figure out what the deer are doing. It's been the easiest hunting I've ever had in terms of figuring out the movement. The only trick is being there when the big one walks by.
Good luck in your hunt.
23feetup Xtreme hunts is a sponsor and we still have a few rut hunts available for the first two weeks of nov. we offer 5 day guided hunts with lodging and meals in southeast Kansas. I will offer you the 10% bs discount also. Pm for more info.
23feetup Xtreme hunts is a sponsor and we still have a few rut hunts available for the first two weeks of nov. we offer 5 day guided hunts with lodging and meals in southeast Kansas. I will offer you the 10% bs discount also. Pm for more info.
I have to agree with Deeerman. It is much easier to figure out KS deer than NY deer. I hunt two sections (640acres each) in KS and know where the deer will be. In NY I have 12 acres and never seem to be in the right spot.
Shawn, 160-plus?
Was that field-dressed or live weight? :-)
23 - there are a lot of variables to consider.
One is if you're comfortable sitting over a pile of corn, which is often your best bet if you're only thinking score. If so, the first few days of the season can be best. I could kill bigger deer on our food plots that time of the year, most years, but can't imagine not hunting the rut.
Also, Kansas is a state with a lot of variables as per terrain. Sooooooooo many times somebody gets on here that's hunted one spot, then acts like they're an expert for the entire state.
That's like having a bad experience in New York City and thinking the entire state is like that.
Our farm in northeast Kansas is as steep and timbered as much of the Ozarks with six kinds of oaks, persimmons, other natural foods and miles of big timber. What it's like in northwest Kansas is nothing like what we have around there, or in much of southeast Kansas.
Generally, the further west you go the easier the deer are to patten because there's far less cover, and far less hunting pressure...no matter what others tell you.
Parts of western Kansas, especially southwestern Kansas had some major die-offs from drought and disease a few years ago. Some of our best outfitters are only taking about 25% the normal number of hunters as they wait for the number of mature bucks to increase.
An honest 160, one that tapes that, is a tall order, especially with one trip in mind.
I can recommend a few outfitters who often put clients on great deer, but I only know of one that averages in the 160s. You can e-mail me if you'd like, [email protected].
Hope your trip pans out for you. Treat our resources, our landowners and our hunters with respect and you'll be more than welcome.
Deerman seems to do pretty well around Norton Kansas, you might want to look up that area as it seems pretty easy to get permission to hunt around there.
First off, you need to draw a tag. That's not a guarantee to get one every year. Mostly its an every-other-year deal for the area I hunt-but KS is worth the wait! Between two hunters, killing a dozen or so bucks-we've killed 1 "160 deer. We are both very experienced and have good ground we're hunting. We usually bring home a pair of "130-145ish deer every year we go and have a great time. Are there bigger deer around that area? Yes. But they are rare birds. Good luck and shoot straight!
Fuzz
Writer my deer grossed over 160". He dress 233#s!Sorry but it did, was measured by an official scorer. I was lucky but also felt I put in my time and figured out the properties I was hunting. When I killed my buck there were 2 bigger in the same Milo field as well. Matt, Thanks for that and where do you hunt? You seem to do well too. It may just be me, but I never seem to have trouble getting private ground. Lots of good folks in Kansas and as shown here some not so good, just like everywhere. I really like the state and feel it is one of the better states too hunt in. I have hunted several mid-west states the last ten years and I found Kansas to have some of the nicest folks around! I agree with Writer just treat the land and people with respect and follow the game laws and you will be more than welcome. Even if he baited me too post this pic. :) Shawn
No offense deerman, but you haven't needed much bait to post that pic :)
You've now officially eclipsed Jack Harris's and Bowme2's records for most Bowsite posts of a single buck :)
I was thiunking the same thing Bake but about two months ago, lol
Bake...we gotta meet sometime.
I'll buy the first beer.
Shawn..still don't see it, but can't prove you wrong. It's bigger than the buck I didn't kill this year, or last year, but I have more pride in the 170s mule deer I helped my son get in 2014 or the 80-inch buck I spent most of my fall helping a 13-year-old get with a perfect shot.
And I did shoot enough wild pheasants and quail to make your setter run away from home and move to Kansas.
We all hunt for different reasons, and wanting different results.
You learned the secret of getting to be friends with the right person in an area, treating them well, and they'll help open a lot of doors...and thankfully, you didn't offer any of them a bottle of wine.
As per where Matt hunts, it would be easier to list where he doesn't hunt.
Great Kansas buck deerman406. I never get tired of looking at a big mature Kansas buck !! I have a few of them on the wall myself. 23feetup, I used to look on the internet at a lot of outfitters in Kansas and see what kind of bucks people were killing on their gallery page then I would get a little knowledge of the area and hit the road stopping at farms and ranches. I would just stop in and see if I could hunt their land. A lot of no's but some great YES'S .Plus there is a lot of WIHA land open to the public. I ended up moving to Kansas ( have since moved to elk country ) and you better believe IMO there is no better place to hunt big mature bucks than Kansas !
NE and SE Kansas seem to get a lot of attention but don't over look the rest of the state. The rolling High Plains might look empty but come prime time it can really come alive !! Good luck.
Writer the mass is what makes the difference is all I can think. Yup, I am proud of the deer anything wrong with that. Busted my butt to kill him, lots of homework and lots of hunting time. I did give out some wine, but ended up buying a lot of breakfasts and dinners. I have you too thank for that, gave me some good tips. Shawn
Writer. . . . would love to meet. I don't drink, but I do own a pretty Beretta A400 that has never shot at a quail or pheasant (or much else) :) :)
The good thing about me and a shotgun is that I can't hit jack %&$#!
Come to think of it. . . I haven't been able to hit jack #@$# with any weapon for the past 14 months or so.
Seriously though, I'm always game to meet fellow Bowsiters
Bake
Yea, Bake... If you were to kill a 180" buck you'd spread the news too. Especially a 180" Oklahoma buck. ;)
All in good fun, eh?
Btw... Jack eclipsed my mark by at least 20 posts with his 120" NJ buck. Where is Jack?
Hey!! If I killed a 180" anywhere, you'd get so tired of the picture you'd quit Bowsite forever.
Fortunately, my chances of killing a 180 are between Slim and None, and Slim packed his bags a long time ago :)
And None is a target-panic, shot rushing, b_____
Let's give Jack credit, that was a true P&Y Jersey buck. I haven't seen him around in a while, but my presence has been sporadic too, so he may be around somewhere
Come on Jack! Let's see that Jersey 8 again!
Sorry for the hijack 23feetup. . . I wish I knew how to help you in your quest. With your goals, I'd personally look for outfitters with a lot of ground, and a limited number of hunters running through.
Some of these Kansas guys that have posted would probably be great resources to mine through Private Message
Norton to Hill City holds a ton of deer and Pheasants as Pheasant forever spends a ton of money on habitat in that area and the terrain is perfect. Defiantly a good spot to go and get a lot of hunting in. I have hunted up there for years for birds and deer and it is just a good area.
As far as where I hunt? I hunt all over the state and have killed deer in at least 20 different counties. Scouting Norton again this spring during Turkey season. I love walking all the draws looking for sheds while I call Turkeys. That is one of the nice things about the area it is hard for a rifle hunter to road hunt because of the hills which in turn the area holds good deer year after year.
Being from WI maybe you can offer a swap hunt to a bowsiter, that would get you in the door pretty quick.
...and always remember that H1 is SMALLEST diameter BETWEEN burr and base of browtine......js :)
Bake - "would love to meet. I don't drink"
If you lived here, and had to get lectured about your home state by so many who are tourists, you might just start... :-)
Sorry, there are no pheasants or quail left in Kansas.
Guys from New Jersey and California flew over, and later told me so.
PM me and I will give you some info about Kansas that will be helpful. I wouldn't pay an outfitter. The deer herd is down a conciderable amount though, some areas worse than others.
$540.00 for a deer sure is getting crazy. KS will have $600.00 deer tags before we know it, and they will get it.
I have lived in and hunted KS my entire life. Total years of hunting deer are 21 years. I shot a 180"s 14 years ago and was unable to find it and a mid 160"s 4 years ago. I often shoot bucks on my own farm in the 140"s or low 150"s simply because those are the biggest I see and I know if I don't shoot them, road hunters or the neighbors will .I was a licensed guide for 4 years and leased thousands of acres of prime ground. I will tell you that you are undertaking a very hard task and have a slim chance of a buck that big on one hunt. If you are set on a score that big, my advice is to find a reputable outfitter that actually owns their own ranch with a large population of booners. I have noticed in Ks, outfitters that lease tend to over hunt and move on after the property is less productive. Expect to pay $5k and up for a good hunt with big deer.
There are big bucks on public land in Kansas.I have hunted there the past three years and killed one just over 170 this past year. Luck was with me as he is the largest I've seen in Kansas. I have been willing to pass 140's and go home with a tag in my pocket. It takes a lot of research (google earth ) and boot leather, but a big deer is possible. I now have the time since retirement. I have a friend that has hunted public land in Kansas twice and has two 150's. They were killed from a tree stand in the same tree after a long walk six years apart. Find a good area and it could produce year after year.
This a good thread and a lot of good points made. There is not an animal on this planet I love hunting more than a mature whitetail buck in November in the midwest. That being said it's way more about the whole process of the hunt for me than the actual kill. I would much rather kill a respectable 150 inch buck where I hung my own stands, did my own scouting, hung my own cams, cut my own shooting lanes, than to kill a 180 inch buck from a stand that was hung by an outfitter who had already done all of the process of the hunt for me. When the kill and inches of antler becomes more important to me than the whole process of the hunt that may be the day I give up hunting whitetails. Just my humble opinion. Best of luck to all in 2016!!!
I really appreciate everyone's input here. I do realize how big of an undertaking it is to shoot a 160" plus deer and I'm not saying that's the only deer I would shoot - a deer in the 150's is a very nice animal, however, it would be nice to know there are deer of the 160"+ caliber in the area I am hunting. And like one of the posters said - for me it is DEFINITELY about the whole process, not just the kill / score. Sitting over a bait pile does not interest me at all. Being that I know very little about Kansas any input I can get is appreciated. Has anyone hunted in / around Crawford county in the SE part of the state ? If so, I'd be interested in hearing any thoughts about this area and the trophy potential. Thanks again to everyone here.
"I would much rather kill a respectable 150 inch buck where I hung my own stands, did my own scouting, hung my own cams, cut my own shooting lanes, than to kill a 180 inch buck from a stand that was hung by an outfitter who had already done all of the process of the hunt for me. When the kill and inches of antler becomes more important to me than the whole process of the hunt that may be the day I give up hunting whitetails. Just my humble opinion." Amen, Jaeger!
"Sitting over a bait pile does not interest me at all."... 23feetup, you are my new friend, even though you don't know me. :)
23 - For years, I've maintained the 10X rule of trophy bucks.
For every ten 140s in Kansas, we have one 150, and for every ten 150s, we have a 160, and...you get the idea.
I know a lot of avid bowhunters who have never bow-killed a buck with a legitimate score of 160 whitetail...that's measured, with paperwork.
Rifle is a different story...
That includes me, but the ducks, mule deer and taking kids bowhunting keep getting in the way! I also have no desire to shoot a buck with a rifle. None.
Writer pretty darn accurate on that. I found in decent habitat you might get a 160" net animal per every 1000 acres on average when I was hunting Whitetails and accounting a 64 square mile area which is not really that big.
Do a google fly over the areas you are interested.Drive from WI and check properties out with your eyes as you drive from the north part of state to the south.
Some of the best aerials I've seen in KS I puked on the side of the road as it was all stunted/overcrowded post oaks and hedge that bifrucated at 6 feet!
Get in the truck and commit.You may find a spot far better than where you are "hunching" now....
Mike's logarithmic example really shows the problem with having a 160 mininum.I always said that you will have to pass up 10 bonafide shots on PY deer to have a bonafide shot at a 150.Then three 150's to have a legit shot at a 160. so plan on 25 or more PY deer passed up to have paid enough dues to expect a 160....
My equation is less depressing than Mike's but his may be more accurate!
If it was everyone's intention of beating me down and making me think I have no chance at a 160" buck then you have succeeded - ha ha :) I have been hunting for almost 40 years and I definitely understand how special a 160" deer is and I do appreciate everyone's honest input as to the frequency of seeing that type of animal in Kansas. Please keep sending any tips / areas of the state to focus on. I may have to get in my car and come down and knock on doors. I am just trying to get as much info ahead of time so that if I do that I can focus on some of the better areas. Thanks again - it'a always fun to discuss whitetail hunting.. P.S. - Embry - thanks, you sound like my kind of people too ! - "23feetup, you are my new friend, even though you don't know me. :)"
23....I have been on this site for a lot of years and one thing I have noticed is when it comes to Kansas whitetail hunting there is a group of residents who will tell you there are no more big mature deer in Kansas any more but some of those same guys will post up their live Kansas hunt and pass on some big bucks. If you find the right place you will find big mature deer. On the Ranch I hunt last November a 200. 168. 172. and my broken 150 where all kilied within 3 weeks of each other. My wife had a rifle tag for the same unit/ranch and never saw a mature buck. And she hunted all day hard for 7 days. Kansas is a great place big bucks or not.
Don't overlook the hunting club option... :-)
Steve, I said that's what we see on trail cams, and surveys. You're a great enough hunter you'll get a sky-high percentage of the runty 150s to come past you!
In some areas, this could be the year when the year classes missing from the 2011 and 2012 droughts come up missing.
