Trophy Whitetail Spots Available
Whitetail Deer
Hello Bowsite Family, we still have some spots available in both Kansas and Illinois. 2017 was another good year for our clients. We are looking forward to what 2018 will bring us come November. If you are looking for a quality Whitetail bowhunt please contact us. We would love to have you in camp this year.
Our 2017 Kansas bowhunts ended with a 42% success rate on mature bucks.
50% of our bowhunters took a shot at a mature trophy whitetail.
Although our best 3 scoring bucks were only 8 pointers our average score for all bucks harvested was 144 inches.
Our 2017 Illinois bowhunters had a little tougher season, with more bucks seen but fewer in bow-range.
Our success dropped to 25 % for the first time in several seasons , but 40% took a shot at a mature whitetail.
Our best buck was an old warrior with only 9 points , but with incredible mass scored 160.
All hunts are rut hunts and are 5 full days with lodging included.
Kansas bowhunts $3200 Illinois bowhunts $2850
Please contact me for specific dates and availability.
Best regards, Scott Alberda Bow and Arrow Adventures - Bowsite Sponsor (707) 260-9678
I predict your Illinois guys are gonna have a tougher season in 2018.
I can see that you live in Illinois 1boonr and are likely speaking from experiences that you have had and also friends and family as well. We have been hunting these farms in Pike County for many many years now and have a lengthy history on those specific farms and in Pike County. With the extremely limited pressure, attention to detail and past track record we will continue to provide top quality bowhunting adventures for our clients. That being said your opinion is noted. Hope you have a great season!
Although or success rate was lower than average in 2017 , it wasn't due to lack of buck sightings. When guys are not seeing bucks they don't re-book and 10 of my 16 total spots are guys returning to hunt again in 2018. Only bowhunt our ground 3 weeks out of entire season during the rut. So hunting pressure is kept extremely low.
Very honest and impressive
"Very honest and impressive" - Bou
That's what's was thinking. If I was looking for a deer hunt, I'd much rather book with someone that tells me real numbers than give me that 100% opportunity b.s.. BNAA guy, I hope you fill your hunts and have a good season yourself.
I booked an elk hunt a few years back through BNAA. I have nothing but positive things to say about Scott. He was extremely helpful to us in all aspects.
KANSAS TAGS GO ON SALE APRIL 1st , please contact Scott ASAP if you want more details on this trophy bowhunt in the Flint Hills of Kansas. A few prime rut openings still available.
What county in the Flint Hills?
Our Ranches are in Morris County. What county are you from? Noticed you are a Kansas guy.
Scott, I also appreciate your honest response and candor. Very professional and classy. Educate me here, I've killed a pile of 120" ish whitetails over the years and that is primarily because I've hunted TX (free range only). Its always a fun hunt because of lots of deer and the expectation of success is nearly 100%. I want to kill a big whitey, of course, but I'm also impatient by nature and have a real hard time sitting still all day without action. Add in the the prospects of sitting in a cold tree, and, to date, I've been a bit turned off somewhat by Midwestern hunts. I was just kinda coming around to the idea and entertaining options when I saw your post. I must admit, while your honesty is very refreshing, those numbers are a bit discouraging. Is that typical, or was this just a hard year all around? Historically, what are average success (kill and opportunity) rates like on mature 130+ bucks? Just trying to get a grasp on realistic expectations. I'm a Western guy and not up to speed as much as I'd like on whitetails outside of TX.
Hey Nate, always happy to visit with someone about our bowhunts. In the world of fair chase trophy Whitetail with stick and string I believe that our operations do things above board in all aspects and better than many other Whitetail operations.
I truly believe that out of all of the North American species a true trophy Whitetail (IMO) is the toughest of them all to get a shot at from a wild animal fair chase stand point. Yet what is most intriguing to me about that is Whitetail is also the most prolific deer species in North America. Even Sheep and Mt. Goat (IMO) in a few ways are easier to obtain. Think about it. If you draw a premium tag or can hire a very talented and proven outfitter for Sheep or Mt. Goat and they are in a proven area, as long as weather doesn't shut the hunt down you will most likely encounter and see mature Ram's or Billy's. The problem is always getting within bow range right.
I would venture to say that most Whitetail bowhunters will never even see B&C buck in bow range in the wild, let alone get a shot opportunity in his or her entire lifetime of bowhunting. Please bare with me as I am just being honest OK, it may sound like I am trying to talk you out of a hunt with us, I promise I'm not. lol!
If I just look at our last season (2017) in Kansas and Illinois I would venture to guess that from a mature buck encounter standpoint we were among the top 20% in both States. I know MANY other outfitters in both States that didn't have near the encounters, shot opportunities or success.
I have been in this business for a while now first as a guide, later outfitter and finally consulting based on my two prior endeavors. My good friend and business partner R.L. Foster (TCO Guide) has mentored and taught me a TON about wild fair chase Whitetails. The way he hunts his ground and clients is about as gentle and conservative as it can be done. ONLY hunting the rut and keeping numbers very limited on clients along with hunting proven areas that consistently produce quality bucks year in and year out is why he has been so successful for so long.
Sorry for all the rambling but hopefully this may answer some of your questions regarding Whitetail. In short any honest Whitetail outfitter will tell you average success varies greatly on any given year. Misses, wounds, weather and many other factors contribute. When I go out to bowhunt Whitetails in the mid west no matter where I am at I expect the success rate to be anywhere from 25 - 30% on a taxidermy bill P&Y class buck. Shot opportunity should be higher than that but varies greatly. We have had years where shot opportunity has been close to 70% but success has been about 30% due to misses and wounds. Please keep in mind that is on MATURE bucks NOT any buck.
In closing I will put our fair chase Whitetail bowhunts up against ANY in these 2 States. As far as year to year opportunities, encounters, sightings and of course success. There are operations that will take more bowhunters in a week than we will take in a season. Perhaps this is why we retain such a high percentage of repeat clients whether they are successful or not.
If you ever are considering a bowhunt that is fair chase for a true trophy Whitetail then we would love to have you join us and see for yourself what we are about. I wish you the very best of luck this season Nate and look forward to hearing all about it.
Be safe, hunt hard and shoot straight!
Best regards, Scott Alberda
Bow and Arrow Adventures
(707) 260-9678
I've hunted with Scott's outfitters in the past twice. He is a straight shooter and so was I. Two for two! Thanks dude
I’ve hunted with Scott’s partner, RL Foster and Trophy Class Outfitters, at least 10 times over the years in 4 different states. Always a quality hunt on prime whitetail property where you’re pretty assured of seeing several bucks 135” or better. These are free ranging whitetails so there are no guarantees. They are not going to walk up to you and say Shoot Me! It requires vigilance and competence with your bow among other things. Probably most important is spending as much time as possible on stand. You can’t kill them if you’re not there to see them! It’s the rut in the Midwest and you’re sitting in some of the most proven whitetail property in the country! Why would you NOT want to be on stand? I normally sit all day at least 4 of the 5 days. Have your rattling horns and grunt tube with you. Keep phone use to a bare minimum. These things have allowed me to take several trophy whitetails with TCO. My preference are the river bottoms of Kansas. I’ll be there the second week of November this year. It’s a magical time and place if you are in pursuit if trophy whitetails! Good luck.
I hunt Greenwood, Butler, and occasionally Elk and Cowley Counties in Ks. It's hard sometimes in the Flint Hills to get more than one hunter on a buck over 140"s in most areas. If you are patient though, it's not uncommon to get a 150"s.
Wait a second..... did Thornton just say that it's possible for a NR to get 150" buck with a bow in the counties he hunts? I thought he was the only one who might kill a 150" buck with his gun? According to him there are no big bucks where he hunts as they were all shot as 130" bucks by NR's on leases or with an outfitter? Different story, different day, typical Thornton. Same old hypocrite.
Quinn, not sure about the basis of your complaint, but things change as noted by Scott in this very thread. I can say this, Thornton is knowledgeable and a good guy...just my informed opinion...lol
Quinn is the only hypocrite here David. He complains about me picking up the rifle when he takes his own teenage son rifle hunting. At his son's age I was riding the school bus to my hunting spot to bowhunt. Quinn- I am blessed to own land next to an outfitter that only hunts just enough people to pay for his 6000 acre lease which is about 6 hunters. If I complain, it's about everywhere else I hunt.
Back on subject, We have had 2 bucks come off of our ranches that scored over 200. Our average buck will score mid 140's and most years we take 1 or 2 bucks over the 150 mark. That is just the facts. We have 3 openings we would like to fill with serious bowhunters. Thanks
We still have a few spots available folks. We would love to have ya come out and enjoy a week bowhunting Whitetails with us! Kansas draw is open and the deadline is April 27th. Let's go bowhunting!
Best regards, Scott Alberda
most honest review I have ever seen from an outfitter before. Sounds like you run a solid operation.
Wow, I have good whitetail hunting at home and after reading that wanted to book a hunt. To me those are encouraging numbers and sounds like straight up facts. Congrats on obviously building up a solid reputation Scott.
