DRAW IS OVER WHATS NEXT.
Contributors to this thread:Kansas
From: Slate
01-Jun-18
For everyone who Drew a Kansas whitetail tag what’s next. I already set cameras and did all my stand work. Will get my first pictures come August. Anyone else have to set properties up.
From: Thornton
01-Jun-18
I saw a lot of bucks last year and never put a camera out. This year I think my farmer is planting corn, so visibility will be very limiting for evening camera shots. I wi be placing several cameras away from the woods so I don't spook the summer bucks.
From: Trax
01-Jun-18
Anyone know when we can expect license and tag to come in the mail?
I'm in a different situation, unable to get to Kansas anytime before I actually hunt. I have two tracts of private land at my disposal, with nobody else hunting there. I'm not paying anything by the way. One tract is only 35 acres, but it adjoins a few thousand of difficult to access public land. At least access anywhere near this land. The land is well across from where others can access so very private. The other tract a working farm, fairly large piece with dry creek beds and brushy draws mingled among crops. I have it to myself. I have no idea what to expect but have been told by my local contact that big bucks are present and accounted for. My contact lives there and has shown me pics of big bucks shot in neighboring properties but says this particular one is the best around. Long story, but he knows the owner well and got me on it.
Still have to decide if it's week one or week two in November.....
From: Shawn
01-Jun-18
Nothing, I do not have the luxury of going out a head of time and placing cameras and I myself don't like to use them. Maybe to inventory the deer but not pattern them like most guys do. I will get out there around Halloween and scout and set stands for the first couple days and do some late afternoon sits those days. Than I will hit it hard around Nov 2nd. and hunt everyday til around the 20th unless I kill a good one before then. If I kill one earlier enough I will head to Nebraska and hunt a week or so until their gun season opens. Should be a good year and the two farms I hunt always have several good bucks on them. I can't wait!!! Shawn
From: Slate
01-Jun-18
Trax a lot of guys say week 2 I have had good luck both weeks and I believe mid June for tag. I just started using cameras last year. I just check them August, then again just before I hunt in October and then put them back out after I hunt and look again in May. I don’t use them to pattern deer but just to get inventory also. That’s pretty nice Shawn hopefully you get to Nebraska
From: Shawn
01-Jun-18
Thanks I have had that same hope for 3 or 4 years now but I seem not to kill my Kansas bucks until after Veterans Day. Sometimes I think maybe I should hunt Nebraska first from Halloween til Veterans day than head to Kansas but than i come to my senses!! LOL! Shawn
From: Thornton
04-Jun-18
I did some good, old fashioned scouting this evening. Saw deer everywhere in Greenwood County.
From: Thornton
04-Jun-18
From: Thornton
04-Jun-18
From: BODYMAN
04-Jun-18
its funny how much a buck can change by winter time
From: Slate
04-Jun-18
Some good pics James
From: Matte
04-Jun-18
Not much will be done till third week of October. Maybe scout a little for youth season but in my parts the bucks are on the MIA poster till that time in October then magically they start to appear one by one. Anyone's guess where the big ones come from and I am sure some other Hunter is wondering where they went to.
From: Slate
04-Jun-18
Yea Matt it is crazy how they just appear out of nowhere. I guess that’s why we love hunting them so much.
From: Kansasclipper
05-Jun-18
I see the big one's all summer long, they tend to disappear and go nocturnal when Tom, Dick, and Harry hit the woods in the fall and the idiots start driving the roads non stop.
From: Slate
05-Jun-18
You me and everyone else are those Tom dick and Harry’s. Unless you are hunting from the window of your house.
From: Matte
05-Jun-18
The deer are going to do what the deer are going to do. Finding a shooters might get most excited some not so much. I like spending time with the kids and friends not shopping for new furniture. This may be the difference why I always enjoy hunting with zero dissappointment.
From: Shawn
05-Jun-18
The thing about Kansas is the bucks can make big moves. In the Northeast if a buck travels more than a mile or so its rare even during the rut. Some do and may travel a few miles from their home range but I have seen bucks in Kansas go 3 miles in 35 to 40 minutes ecsp that first part of Nov when they are out looking for those first does and than again later on when they are looking for the last does. Shawn
From: Slate
06-Jun-18
Your right Shawn they can make big moves.
From: Shawn
06-Jun-18
Got my tags and license today in the mail. Only one set of tags this year and my license was sent along with it. I cannot wait!! Shawn
From: Slate
06-Jun-18
Me to I’m like a little kid waiting for Christmas
From: CtonAUFan
06-Jun-18
I envy the guys (and gals) that can get out to Kansas and set cameras ahead of time. Fortunately I use an outfitter that takes care of that, and forwards pictures form time to time. Very helpful! I received my tags and license yesterday, and now just praying for October 29 to get here!!
From: Slate
06-Jun-18
Cool David I will be out there the next day. How long you out there for
From: Shawn
06-Jun-18
I don't envy anyone who puts out cameras. I like to be surprised and trust me I have had some excellent surprises. I would not do an outfitted hunt either as that is not my bag, I like all the work that goes into finding and hunting for the sign to point me in the right direction. I will arrive Halloween and stay til around the 20th!! Lets hope for some cold weather. Last buck I shot it was 70 plus degrees and that was Nov. 14th I believe. Shawn
From: Dmac
06-Jun-18
Slate -Shawn nice posts and you guys show knowledge in the game . I congratulate you both in past hunts. Last year was first time to hunt this property . I have 400 plus acreas of what I would consider I pretty good land in Montgomery County . Last year had 30+ bucks and a handful of does . During aug ,sept and midway thru Oct. they were very patternable . I waited til cooler weather and started hunting the place nov.8 Boy was I surprised . Out of the 6 shooters on the place I could only locate one ! It was practically void of the Bucks . I have food and cover but no does . Wondering what steps to take this year . ?
From: Slate
07-Jun-18
Dmac it sounds like you have a great piece of property so that’s not the issue but I feel your pain. I didn’t see any of the shooters I had on camera while hunting my property last year also. I have been hunting for almost 30 years and I still can’t figure it out. I would definitely go back to what Shawn said these bucks cover big areas and can go anywhere. They could of bread your doe and moved on until rut was over. The best advice I can give is just make sure your hunting the wind and staying out of bedding areas just hunting the edges. Pressure is what makes a lot of deer disappear. Try and tiptoe around your property as much as possible. Having a lot of stand options is also good. These big bucks get smart. That’s one of my properties it’s a quarter and I have just about every wind direction taken care of. I won’t hunt a stand unless the wind is perfect.
From: Trax
07-Jun-18
Some great advise guys. I won't even see the land I will be hunting until I get there. Will have to quick scout and set up best I can. Never hunted out of a ground blind before but that is part of the equation, will hunt out of trees where possible. Both spots are private land with me being the only hunter so I've got that much going for me.
From: Slate
07-Jun-18
You can still make it work Trax how much time you spending out there
From: Shawn
07-Jun-18
I would think you need to have a couple food sources on the property as well. if you have some prime food than you should be able to hold some does and if you hold a couple few older does you will draw in some bucks. May not even be bucks you had on the property but like we said, bucks will travel a long ways to find either the first or last doe and any one in between. Also remember deer at least where I hunt are very receptive to calling and on certain days in Kansas it rattling can be heard a longs ways off. I myself would start trying to attract and hold some does on the property. Best of Luck!! Shawn
From: Matte
07-Jun-18
Got to have the does. One of my absolute best places holds hardly any bucks but lots of does. Every year for the past 22 years a shooter or two shows up late October. They stay till spring. In 22 years we may have killed five does off the property.
From: Slate
08-Jun-18
Matte I’m a big believer of that also. I would want to keep as many doe as possible. That’s why the hunting sucks in the state I live because you can kill way to many doe. Yea Shawn I have definitely experienced Bucks very receptive to calling during pre rut. I grunted in a good buck that was fighting with another buck. I also think this has to do with not a lot of human pressure. Not a lot of hunters calling besides me.
From: Trax
08-Jun-18
I will be there either the first or second week of November, and only for 5-6 days of actual hunting. Good to hear about being receptive to calling, pretty much call shy where I normally hunt. One tract of land I have to hunt is a big working farm and my understanding is it harbors lots of deer with big bucks seen every year in the neighborhood. The other tract is only 35 acres of private but bordering a few thousand acres of public on the hard to access side. All new to me.
From: Slate
08-Jun-18
Trax your going to be there prime time that’s working in your favor already. I use a blind also but I usually have it set up early so they get used to it. Usually have blind spots in a blind but you will figure that out. I find you have to be a lot more alert in a blind because it can happen fast not having that treestand view. Try and get some google earth images of your property. That helps a lot for planning. Most importantly don’t stress it that much it kills the enjoyment. Just try and hunt as smart as possible I’m sure it’s not your first day. Hunting wind most importantly.
From: Dmac
08-Jun-18
Thanks for the tips, I'm a very firm believer in STAYING OUT of bedding areas. I've got about a 30 acre piece that's the Forbidden Zone. It's their primary bedding area and they have everything they need there. As far as food I have 150 acres of corn and 150 acres of beans, and a river as well as a couple of creeks for water. I always hunt the wind and have multiple stands for changing winds. Hopefully the Big ones didn't venture off too far or worse get shot and will return to their home again this year. Best part is that we have lot picts of the same bucks for 3 years now. Cant wait to see what it will produce this year. Will be hunting at the first of season this year and maybe that will make a difference.
From: Slate
08-Jun-18
Sounds like a great spot Dmac. Hope to see some great pictures and some good stories from you.
From: Slate
08-Jun-18
Sounds like a great spot Dmac. Hope to see some great pictures and some good stories from you.
From: Trax
08-Jun-18
Thanks Slate and Dmac seems to have a great spot. Hopefully weather cooperates, I'm told if it's warm most activity is at night. Like that all over to a degree but especially true in Kansas from what I'm told.
From: Slate
08-Jun-18
I agree Great point Trax always at the Mersey of the good old Mother Nature and the weather.
From: Dmac
08-Jun-18
Good luck guys and thanks for the input . I’m really looking forward to seeing what it produces this year. My wife and I had several opportunities last year and elected to pass on some really nice ones last year . But if you kill him at 150” that’s all he will ever be ! I’ve been fortunate to kill several nice ones in the past and want nothing more than to be there and help my wife get what she call a shit your pants buck ! Lol she did pass on this guy first day last year .
From: Dmac
08-Jun-18
And this one came into decoy
From: Trax
09-Jun-18
Really nice buck there Dmac. What times of the day seem best for buck activity and would you yourself prefer 1st or 2nd week of November?
From: Slate
09-Jun-18
Nice Dmac good for her. Your def right let them go and grow. Passing up a good buck to let him grow is success for me also no regrets and if someone else chooses to shoot him well good for them also.
From: Shawn
09-Jun-18
I kind of understand the bedding area thing but there are times when you have to get in close with a good wind nice and early and set up right on a bedding area too get those bucks coming in downwind and scent checking for hot does. If my time is limited I have a tendency to push the issue a bit more as it can't really hurt if you only have a few day to hunt. I also do not have my own ground and I am not ashamed to say that near the end of my hunt. I will shoot anything that grosses over 130"s. I never know I may not get back to Kansas for a few years and that 130 ish I pass may turn into a 150 or 160 in a year or two but I may never see him again. With your own ground you can be more selective. Shawn
From: Dmac
09-Jun-18
Trax I’ve always loved the 8-16 of November . I started my hunt the 9-12 last year and feel I caught the tail end of rut on my place
From: stealthycat
10-Jun-18
hope all the lands/permission I have isn't leased up in 3 months :(
From: writer
10-Jun-18
They were still ruttinf the first few days of rifle season last year, like most years.
From: Thornton
11-Jun-18
I've seen some huge bucks over the years on opening day rifle. Second most memorable was one I estimated to be 190" back in 2005. I watched him for ten minutes from the road. One of our hunters killed him a mile away a few days later. He ended up having 15 points and scored 186"
From: Trax
11-Jun-18
Some great stuff here guys, let's keep it going as the season gets nearer. I'm going to shoot for on the ground hunting from November 5th through 10th. My employer is going to give me a little leeway if the weather is warm, so if that happens I can push it back a bit.
From: Matte
11-Jun-18
Everybody wants cold weather. I'll take a hot day with a hot doe any day. I had two hunters who hunted their tails off till the end of a cold December last year. Not much movement compare to out warm November.
From: Slate
11-Jun-18
Yea Matte I agree the warm weather never effects success for me either. I always kill them when it’s pretty dam warm out. One reason I love hunting Kansas is because the weather is usually very nice. I am not to fond of sitting in that bitter cold stuff anymore.
From: Slate
11-Jun-18
Writer did you take that picture?
From: Shawn
11-Jun-18
I still like it cold, It does not have to be 10 degrees but highs in the upper 30's and lows around 25 degrees. It just makes the deer in general more active and I hate to sweat while on stand. Killed my 2 best Kansas bucks when it was around 25 degrees before 9am. I will say any weather in Kansas is better than any weather in NY cause of the deer in Kansas! Shawn
From: writer
11-Jun-18
Slate, thanks for noticing. Yes, took it and about 70 others. Check out who won the fight. Amazing to see his strategy.
From: Thornton
12-Jun-18
Thanksgiving Day it was 70 degrees last year and I saw three bucks with or looking for does in one pasture.
From: Thornton
12-Jun-18
From: Thornton
12-Jun-18
This one was bedded with a doe
From: ksq232
12-Jun-18
Loving these pictures, fall is definitely still too far away!
From: Kansasclipper
12-Jun-18
Weather effects hunters more than deer. Deer are going to rut regardless of temperature. The moon phase and hunter pressure will effect deer movement more than a 70 degree day in November. No surprise about rutting around Thanksgiving, that has always been the best time for big bucks to be out cruising.
From: Trax
12-Jun-18
The declining daylight is what triggers hormones in does and brings about estrus. The "rut" itself is really a word for activity. Lots of variables affect activity from buck to doe ratios, human pressure, and everything in between. Temperature is one of those variables as it can affect day time activity. If does lay down and don't move much bucks often follow suit. What you hope for is for a buck to finally get up in the heat and try to make something happen or find that ripe doe. It certainly happens in any heat. But the cooler it is the more the deer are comfortable being active, more so for the does no doubt and the doe is the key part of the equation.
Hunt when you can regardless of weather. We must. But I sure do like the cooler and overcast days.
From: Kansan
15-Jun-18
The moon phase has no effect on deer activity.
From: cherney12
15-Jun-18
well that settles it
From: Kansasclipper
15-Jun-18
The moon phase does not dictate the rut but it has a lot to do with feeding activity and daylight movement. Try hunting a "red moon". The moon phase definitely influences deer movement.
From: BODYMAN
15-Jun-18
I hate hunting during a full moon daytime movement comes to a halt where i hunt except very early and right before dark They are more active at night
From: ksq232
15-Jun-18
I've had very poor luck hunting or fishing during a full moon. Except for topwater fishing for bass on a summer full moon night...
From: Kansasclipper
15-Jun-18
The "Drury's" love the red moon.
From: writer
15-Jun-18
I’ll always like dark of the moon, cold front, with some moisture, after dry, warm, windy times, somewhere around Nov. 19. May all be because I’m more comfortable and more confident, but it’s sure been productive.
From: Trax
15-Jun-18
As late as Nov 19th as your favorite time of the month...for me it's around the 5th but that's in a different state.
From: Kansasclipper
15-Jun-18
Thanksgiving for me.
From: Slate
17-Jun-18
Lol that’s a great pic Writer. Yea I like the dark moon myself but, whatever it is I’m out there giving it hell.
From: Shawn
17-Jun-18
Funny when the moon is directly over head or under foot I have seen my best deer movement mid day. Morning and evening not so much movement and that holds true where ever I am hunting. I agree the moon does not help trigger the rut but it does effect movement. Shawn
From: Matte
19-Jun-18
What's next is we better start getting some rain. It has been hot, hot, hot since the beginning of May and only seems to be getting hotter. I am now seeing corn burning up and willing even some on center pivot corners. We could be facing a year with ehd less mass and very brittle horns. So hope for some rain.
From: Slate
19-Jun-18
I hear you Matte
From: Kansasclipper
19-Jun-18
Getting rain now.
From: z hunter
20-Jun-18
Looks like 99% of Ks is going to get some.
From: Kansasclipper
20-Jun-18
Well we did not need some of that out here. Looks like Scott City was sitting under 4 feet of water. Won't be good for the pheasant hatch.
From: TwoDogs@work
20-Jun-18
I must live in the 1% that didn't. We got a sprinkle this morning. We need rain soon or farmer's will be hurting pretty bad. There some pastures that cannot be filled with cattle due to lack of water in the ponds.
From: Kansasclipper
20-Jun-18
I think alot of the wheat got washed out in several counties. We got an inch here. 70 mph winds, 3.25 inch hail, and 5 inches rain had to have totaled out the wheat. Most had not started cutting that far out west.
From: Thornton
21-Jun-18
Nothing in Eldorado. Ground was still dry when I got to the shop this morning.
From: cgoods17
21-Jun-18
getting pounded down here in SW Louisiana on the gulf coast right now... been raining all week.
From: cgoods17
21-Jun-18
getting pounded down here in SW Louisiana on the gulf coast right now... been raining all week.
From: Thornton
22-Jun-18
From: Thornton
22-Jun-18
It's raining in South America somewhere as well..,
From: Slate
22-Jun-18
Thornton your a dick but, that's pretty dam funny LOL
From: cgoods17
22-Jun-18
looks kinda spotty
From: Thornton
23-Jun-18
Finally! My soybeans might sprout!
From: writer
23-Jun-18
Most of the area around Scott was screwed for pheasant hatch already, because of 7 months with no moisture. Flooding didn’t help. Wheat was about half done. Yields were surprising at 40-55 per acre.
From: Kansasclipper
23-Jun-18
They have been pounded by storm after storm the last month or so.
From: writer
24-Jun-18
Got another two inches the last two days. Shame, had good numbers of carry-over, but the drought probably doomed this season. The storms were more nails in the coffin. Lots of young birds in some areas southwest of Great Bend. Going to be spotty again. At least the weather hasn’t hurt the birds around where I live now...there aren’t any. :-)
From: Matte
24-Jun-18
Our place in Derby is packed with quail ad pheasants so far. We had a winter flock of Turkeys that blackend the earth to look like an oil slick but so far I have only seen one hen and one Tom this spring.
From: Kansasclipper
24-Jun-18
Scott City and Ness City got drilled again last night and it is on again today. Raining here right now. Supposed to get really bad this afternoon.
From: Ksgobbler
26-Jun-18
We desperately need rain. Cracks in the yard big enough to stick my hand in. My pond has dropped about a foot in the last couple weeks. Folks saying brome yields were 30% of normal. My native grass isn’t nearly as tall as normal.
From: ksq232
26-Jun-18
Where’s home gobbler?
From: Ksgobbler
26-Jun-18
Nw Coffey County
From: ksq232
26-Jun-18
Looks like a small little system is heading your way now, but the radar is pretty good at lying it seems.
From: ksq232
26-Jun-18
Nevermind, looks like its gonna go south of you.
From: Trax
26-Jun-18
Anyone know how the crops look and how the moisture has been in the Topeka-Lawrence area?
From: Ksgobbler
26-Jun-18
Its all went south of us. In the last year we have had 2 rains that produced runoff and a lot of nothing inbetween. Looks like nothing again today.
From: keepemsharp
26-Jun-18
Have a friend that farms a lot of ground South of Topeka. He says the corn looks surprisingly good, they do not irrigate.
From: Ksgobbler
26-Jun-18
.5” tonight with these unexpected storms. Maybe more to come. On a sad note Eureka got hit by another tornado about 1920. 2nd one in 3 years.
From: ksq232
26-Jun-18
You finally getting some rain gobbler? radar looks good up your way.
From: Ksgobbler
26-Jun-18
A little. We were in Burlington for a ballgame when it started. They got dumped on. We got scraps but I’ll take them.
From: ksq232
26-Jun-18
We’re getting some scraps down here too, radar looked good for a while, but it looks like the 30 square miles around our house has had a good dose of rain repellent. :/
From: Does
29-Jun-18
Me and my buddy just book our plane tickets. November 6-12 . Nothing to do but wait now.
From: writer
01-Jul-18
Trax- live in Lawrence. Work in Topeka. Going into this weekend rain was a about half of average year to date. Decent crops, though heat has pushed the corn too fast.
From: Ksgobbler
01-Jul-18
3.5” of rain last night. I could use a couple more days like that. Squash and zucchini plants got a bunch of blooms open overnight
From: ksq232
01-Jul-18
Awesome gobbler! About time for you guys.
From: Matte
02-Jul-18
A little rain here and there. Scouting has been fun up north.
From: JC_NFLC
02-Jul-18
Does anyone know if Manhattan area got some rain? Looked like rain might have gone just north of it.
From: Trax
03-Jul-18
Thanks writer ...
From: ksq232
05-Jul-18
Looks like rain again today in NWK, unbelievable... I wonder if that part of the state is in the lead for rainfall this year? Forget growing wheat out there, just go with corn and soybeans and become the next Nebraska/Iowa!
Btw, Matte, what a buck!!
From: Westksbowhunter
05-Jul-18
We definitely don't want more corn. It is terrible for pheasants.
From: Matte
06-Jul-18
It is the brother of these girls.
From: writer
06-Jul-18
Ksq, it’s a bull, not a buck.
From: Shawn
09-Jul-18
If that was a buck it would be a Lotta bull!! Elk grow quick in Kansas! Shawn
From: Matte
16-Jul-18
Well checked cameras yesterday on my spots along the river needless to say I am a little bit disappointed in the growth rate this year here in Central Kansas. I had several resident bucks that lived through the season and I was looking for some to grow exponentially. They have not so far. I will wait another month to if there will be any thing to get excited about.
From: ksq232
16-Jul-18
Lol, I thought it was a mule deer!!!
From: Trax
23-Aug-18
Anyone have a weather/crop report for Unit 10? Eudora area or south of Topeka area?
