For youth hunters, the cost is just $10. Thats when you pounce. They will concentrate down into thicker timber/cedar trees when it gets wet and cold. Sick in Kansas..Again (Using OnX To Find Permission . Gordon Whittington talks with Steven Sprout about the trophy buck he took back in 1998 while bowhunting public land in Illinois. Hunting, fishing, horseback riding, hiking, and camping are all examples of activities that can be done on this land. While thats never a guarantee, the 15,800-acre Rathbun Wildlife Area has plenty of deer. Big, attractive pieces of public land are easy to find. I am lucky enough to have a farm in the family. I hunt those units and will be this year. Check out this Big Buck Profile segment from NAW TV: For updated deer-hunting rules and regulations, including information on seasons, bag limits and quotas, visit the KDWP website. Nor do I know how or where they like to bed. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets. 5. Whitetail Mule Deer [DVD] 2002 at the best online prices at eBay! Many hunters pass those by, but at least where I've hunted in Kansas the deer sure don't. You will find an abundance of hunting options in Kansas from September through May and . Another midwestern favorite is Missouri. TOPEKA (KSNT) - The Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission will meet in Topeka next month to discuss several topics related to fishing, hunting, camping and more. This map source includes coverage for all 104 wildlife areas in Kansas and is based on the official boundaries published by the Kansas Dept. Mostly known for pheasant hunting, some big whitetails live here, too. For those seeking action on that open-to-all-land, here are some of the public-land hunts available in each state. Hunting dates and prices may change; therefore, keep an eye out for the most current information on the official website. Checking the road for tracks revealed a group of doe tracks and at least one set of 3.5 year old+ buck tracks. Doniphan, Kansas, is home to 1,116 acres of hunting land. Most are in the southern portion of the state. The morning of the November 12th, I setup just off the county road adjacent a small wooded draw (20-30yds across) and the two track that provide access for farm equipment. It also has approximately 1,300 WMAs. After a morning of finding ample rutting buck signand no human signat my No. One solid pick is the Sugar Ridge Fish and Wildlife Area. You probably dont see too many deer hunters trailering a 12-foot johnboat into a public hunting area, but thats exactly why you should invest in one. Haynes Shelton discusses what to look for when choosing the magnification range when it comes to the scope on your deer rifle. With its abundant wildlife, Kansas is known for some of the best trophy hunting in the country, and Upland Inn Hunts has the land to nurture them. Landowners are more apt to give you the go-ahead if you have a new hunter in-tow or youre with your significant other. Mainly active at dawn/dusk then they disappear. E243:Hunting Q & A (Deer Hunting Questions, DIY Elk Answers, Best Pack, Broadhead Discussion, Property Management, Public . However, about 1/2 hour later, a real weird 2-year old buck came sniffing down the trail. Adventure awaits. If you want to hunt a large deer with a rifle or a shotguns, the hunting opportunities in Kansas are excellent. 3 bucks and one doe. Still, it doesnt see the hunting pressure many midwestern states do. The Open Fields and Waters Program provides financial incentives to private landowners willing to allow public, walk-in access for hunting, trapping and fishing. 1,575. One solid spot is the Shawnee State Forest, which offers 60,000 acres of opportunity. What is the Most Important Factor in Whitetail Nutrition? They will bed in about any cover if it's nice out. Southeastern Kansas receives twice as much rain as the western third of the state, and the steep bluffs and lush cover combined with an extensive refuge closed to hunting offer bucks lots of sanctuaries. During these 12 days, hunters who have a Firearms or Any-Season Deer Permit may pursue deer with any legal firearm, including any centerfire rifle and handgun, a gauge shotgun with slugs, muzzleloading rifles, or pistols. At 264 1/8 inches, Dale Larson's non-typical has occupied the top of the Kansas records since 1998. One Rifle to do it all Or a rifle for each occasion? Also, the 7,684-acre Marais des Cygnes Wildlife Area to the southeast is a public-land whitetail haven. Then, get out and start scouting. You must log in or register to reply here. I didnt get a great look at first, so I decided to come to full draw in case he looked better as he got closer. Bottomland and upland woods mix with wetlands and cropfields. Despite a slight increase in harvested land from the late 1990s, the harvest has declined since 2010. Join Date: Dec 2007. I used to love hunting one of these days, and its a lot of fun reminiscing about those days. Hunting areas are accessible through the Kansas Wildlife Improvement Area (WIHA). Number of deer hunters: 288,000. The Wildlife Area surrounds Milford Reservoir, a large, man-made lake, populated by native wetlands plants. Size: 12,000 acres 11/5 - 11/21 I would find the doe bedding and buck travel routes between doe bedding areas. With a variety of game species to choose from, Kansas offers hunters a unique hunting experience. Thats a bucket list deer for me. To purchase your Kansas hunting and fishing licenses, permits and boat registrations visit, . Not really Kansas advice but scouting advice in general. Oklahoma sells an annual, fiscal-year and 5-day license, so you have a choice depending on the length of your hunt. Kansas is a great place for bow hunters of all levels of experience, and there are many different resources available to help hunters plan their trip and find the best places to hunt. Hunts are sold on a first-come, first-served basis. Turkey, quail, pheasant, squirrel, Canadian goose, and rabbit are among the animals that can be hunted here. The crop info is going to be a solid help. That will likely change due to a massive uptick in people hunting Kansas and the still-growing interest on public land hunting. Check out video and photos of five different Sign up for the Field & Stream newsletter and get the latest intelligence straight to your inbox. Jphunter noticed this year that out-of-state tags are increasing in number. Your Hunting Stories, Photographs, and Questions/Answers should be posted here. Around 7 a.m. a doe and two fawns came right down the two-track, crossed the county road and jumped the fence. 1 necessity for a good public-land deer hunt is minimal pressure. Dr. James Kroll and Haynes Shelton explain why it's important to know your neighbors when operating a smaller deer property. In addition to the variety of game, Kansas also offers a variety of hunting experiences. Tuttle Creek Wildlife Area Location: northeast Kansas Size: 12,000 acres ZIP: 66411 Think of nearby Tuttle Creek as Milfords tougher By The total area available for hunting in this state is 2,525,000 acres which is almost 5.7% of the whole area of this state. I had done a lot of e-scouting prior to the trip in preparation to find the best ground. Total area available for hunting in this state is 420,000 acres which includes public hunting lands and also hunting leases. ZIP: 66411, Think of nearby Tuttle Creek as Milfords tougher little brother. After 100-plus miles of searching for a public-land spot all to myself, I finally pulled over to an access point devoid of hunters. If a deer head is submitted to KSVDL, there is a $16 fee for KSVDL to sample the head and a head dis-posal fee of $15.50. Applicants began failing to draw and leftover tags dwindled. Tuttle Creek WMA. For the past several decades, the minimum caliber of rifle cartridges has been. In the eastern half of Kansas, the number of Booners is constant. Deer hunters are all about making things easier. All Rights Reserved. The more I look at it, the more I enjoy it. Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. After a day of drying, I decided to drive some roads looking for fresh tracks. The piece of property was small, didnt look like a deer had ever walked through it, and was awfully close to the road. The permit itself is $442,50 for the adult and $117,50. This giant, widely known as "Dagger," has 31 points, an impressive 24 2/8-inch inside spread, and a long, spiraling drop tine. Whitetail hunters should note that while there are whitetail deer in just about all of the Lower 48 and parts of Canada, for the purposes of this post we are . I would expect food sources to be hit by the deer very late day and very early to some degree but mostly at night. "The deer can see a decoy for a long, long way in . Its 5,600 acres of timber, oak savannah, wetlands, and grasslands. Since the late 1990s and early 2000s, hunters have been flocking to midwestern states in pursuit of giant-bodied and -antlered deer. Sufficient daylight now illuminated the buck that that stood three yards from my tree 15 to 20 minutes earlier. Thats why you typically find a parking lot full of pickup trucks when you show up at such locations. I simply had to pick one out, and head that direction, though I had no real clue how good or bad the properties were because I had never physically been on them. The cost breakdown for those licenses in order is $142, $176 and . One of the reasons often cited for this loss is lack of access . I actually recognized the buck right away. Those who spend time on public land should understand proper rules and etiquettes. Be sure and subscribe on YOUTUBE so you can experience all the action on film! The hunter beast. Get tips from Steve Bartylla in this Hunt em Big. Whitetail deer hunting in Kansas is guided by experienced guides. He looked up at me in the tree, and thats when I made out the frame Definitely a shooter! Halstead, KS. Focus on thick, early successional habitat. That concluded a fun hunt, which resulted in my first mature buck in Kansas. When Abraham Lincoln signed the Homestead Act in 1862, settlers flocked to the state for the160 acres of free land given to those willing to claim it. Another prime choice is the Dillon Wildlife Area, which has diverse habitat and good numbers of deer. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); By entering you are agreeing to receive email newsletters from Deer & Deer Hunting and our marketing partners. Much like Ohio, Indiana was once a sleeper state, but is now becoming more mainstream. It might be known as the Sunflower State, but Kansas also grows monster bucks by the bushel. Eighteen percent hunted land they owned, and only 11 percent . The commercial guiding of hunters is not allowed on public lands owned or managed by KDWP, including Walk-in Hunting Access areas. A permit, map, and brochure are required for residents, which cost $15 each. Good luck. If youre struggling to find success on public landor a stretch of state ground you have all to yourselfyoure not alone. Ive found some of my favorite public land honey-holes on 5- to 50-acre tracts. At this point, I still cant make out the headgear, and I was trying to will the hands of the clock towards legal shooting light. In some cases, it even increases browse availability. Despite the fact more than 95 percent of the state is privately owned, there are some good options for public bowhunting. But, it reminded me of the basic rules I needed to follow to get away from the crowds by finding overlooked hunting opportunities on public land. Although this year may see changes, things appear to be stable. Regardless of the exact ownership, dig up as many of these locally-owned public lands as possible. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. Hunters and trappers must get permission before hunting or trapping on private land that is not part of a public access program, whether it is posted or not.