Lucky Elk Tag Draw
Kansas
Hey guys I was one of the lucky few to draw and any Elk Permit for Kansas this year. Started getting ducks in a row with what I need to be able to hut Fort Riley. Will be going down and scouting soon but any info as to where to start looking would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
2 Bowsiter's drew this year. Pretty awesome. 21 years of applying and still no tag. Best of luck to you. It's a tough hunt.
What an awesome opportunity, congrats! Again, I'd send Writer a PM...he'll start you down a good trail
A few things to know that I learned....
You will use Isportsman to check in and out of the base. On this site you will buy your access permit (put on the dash when leaving your vehicle), see what areas are open and closed, find area maps and food plot locations.
Go to the visitor's center off I-70 to get your fort access paper and register any guns (Get the 3 year registration).
It would be a good idea to get a pass to deer hunt. You could have a bachelor group of nice bucks walk 15 yards from you on opening morning. Ask me how I know.
The access points have changed in recent years. If I'm remembering right take the Old Hwy 77 Rd to Rd 2800 and enter there. You can also go in at the 2 tanks on New Hwy 77 and Rd 6800. You can also walk in from the east side of the base on Wildcat Creek Rd.
Eat at Nelson's Landing in Leonardville.
From what I observed...In July/early Sept the elk hardly ever move in the evenings. Almost everything you will see will be in the mornings. They mostly wait until dark to go to food plots then return to bed within the first 2 hrs of morning. They will be much more active the later it gets in Sept.
PERMETHRIN, PERMETHRIN, PERMETHRIN
Elk have been shot in every hunting area.
If you can find a pilot they will know all the herds.
The game wardens are very friendly and knowledgeable of the area.
If there is any flooding then be careful on some of the dips in the roads.
Don't get discouraged if you don't see any elk for several days in a row. You can do hikes for 10 miles during scouting trips and never see one. Stay positive. Bringing a friend or brother along for a couple days will help.
I can only account for scouting in July/Aug and bowhunting Sept. Bow hunting is super tough, especially when you don't see much the first 3 weeks. A game warden told me I was crazy and to buy/borrow a muzzleloader.
The hunting will be much easier in Nov, Dec.
Hope this helps.
Thanks guys. I had been applying for about 12 years. According to what I read that if I want to bowhunt I may have to wear at least an orange cap due to muzzleloader going on at the same time.
First thing Go to the fort riley isportsman page- do the tutorials and get all the permits listed under the elk hunting info page. Read everything familiarize yourself with the online map that shows the hunting areas, food plots, planned burn areas. Then Pm me your number and I can give you some areas to check out. And watch out for snakes till it gets cold!
I drew a tag several years ago for elk on fort Riley. If I could do it over I would definitely use a local guide. They know the area and the movement of the elk. Just my two cents. Ok
My son drew the once in a lifetime bull tag three years ago and killed a really nice bull with a bow. He had been putting for almost 20 years. You are out there with the gun folks and the animals learn where they can go and you cannot. It's not easy but can be done. Would like to encourage you to join the KBA, we had a hand in getting this opportunity. Good luck.
Didn’t go quite as smooth and easy for Matt’s mom when she drew, though, did it.? Some really good advice on here. You’re dealing with a very few gun elk hunters, but lots and lots of archery deer and muzzleloader hunters. Weather and open areas can be the biggest challenges, even once you find a pattern.
Always have a backup plan as I had many hunts change due to other hunters or a tank parking 50 yards away
Here are the recent stats on Fort Riley:
2018 Cow - Oct 3 of 6 - Nov 2 of 5 (one turned his tag back in) - Dec 4 of 6 (I know at least 3 of all these cows were killed in Sept.)
2018 Bull - 11 of 13
2017 Cow - 13 of 15
2017 Bull - 9 of 12
Overall, there has been about a 33% harvest rate on cow tags. That's a lot lower than what I would have figured.
Thanks for the help and support guys. I want to bow hunt but just not sure how that will go. I have bow hunted elk in 4 other states out west but it sounds like these elk my be a little tougher to pattern.
It may be different than the rest of state but when hunting with a bow during any gun season you have to wear the required amount of orange
