Kansas deer hunting advice?

[ddavis_1313]

So I’m from Texas and this will be my first year hunting Kansas. Pulled a tag for units 8/9. North central Kansas. Looking for someone that wouldn’t mind giving a guy advice that’s new to hunting the Midwest as I’ve always hunted Texas for deer. I’m scouting walk in areas now via google maps as well as some of the WMA areas. Hoping to get some help from someone that hunts the area or has hunted the general area as to methods and tactics that will increase my odds of success. I have no clue what crops deer prefer over others up there. Nor do I know how or where they like to bed. Also not sure on how they respond to grunting and rattling. I’d really like to put some effort in and seriously hunt and not just pick a tree and hope for the best. Most of what I’m looking at is farm land type areas with creeks that border or run through it. Any and all advice is greatly appreciated. Plan is to be up there nov 5-21.


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[Headhunter]

From my experience,
I haven’t had a ton of success rattling in Kansas. They don’t seem to come in. Grunting works but I wouldn’t over do it. Doe estrus and decoys work.
Kansas is mainly farmland so focus on buffer zones between food sources and where they bed. Another option is finding a major travel corridor or locate a large concentration of does... the buck will show. Movement varies, but in deeper draws they’ll move throughout the day. If you’re close to homes/roads they seem to concentrate movement before/right after sunrise or between 3pm till last shooting light.
Let me add it can get real cold in Kansas versus Texas. I remember sitting all day in a ladder stand late season covered in 6 inches of snow in 7 degree temps plus windchill (got a doe though-bow).
Good luck

 

[jofes]

south central ks here and have never had them come into rattling except 1 1/2 year olds around nov 11th. The deer eat anything but cotton, most crops will be out by Nov so focus on travel corridors. Main thing is be mobile, Ive sat an area on one side of a creek on public and not seen more than a few doe pairs in a few days and decided to cross the creek at noon and had 3 bucks dogging a hot doe. Just got to put boots on the ground and hours in the field. Good luck.

 

[*zap*]

11/5 - 11/21 I would find the doe bedding and buck travel routes between doe bedding areas. Hunt in between bedding areas on travel routes mid day, hunt just off doe bedding early to late morning and hunt between doe bedding and food for last call. I hunt via ambush 95% of the time so calls/rattles are not part of my plan..

 

[Skerhunter]

By that time of year they have transitioned off of beans/alfalfa fields into the milo, corn, and winter wheat fields (they will still hit the beans/alfalfa, but not like corn/milo). I haven't hunted that exact area, so not for sure what the main crops will be. They will bed in about any cover if it's nice out. They will concentrate down into thicker timber/cedar trees when it gets wet and cold. Find the doe on the fields and where they are coming from, then hunt that corridor like others have stated. Sounds easy right?

 

[Ghetto]

I hunt those units and will be this year.

There is still some standing corn and freshly harvested corn during that time. I would avoid any areas with standing corn. And hunt the freshly harvested areas since that is a strategy that works for you. I like to make myself suffer a little bit and hunt travel corridors and bedding.

Alot of people focus on hedgerows or draws between food sources and bedding during that time of year with success. Sometimes the easy and obvious areas are the best and sometimes they aren’t. Just have to get to hunting and adapt.

Some areas have very low deer populations compared to what I am used to so you have to stay in the game mentally.

Staying that long you will get it figured out and have an opportunity I would think.

 

[Ghetto]

I sent you a message.

 

[ddavis_1313]

By that time of year they have transitioned off of beans/alfalfa fields into the milo, corn, and winter wheat fields (they will still hit the beans/alfalfa, but not like corn/milo). I haven't hunted that exact area, so not for sure what the main crops will be. They will bed in about any cover if it's nice out. They will concentrate down into thicker timber/cedar trees when it gets wet and cold. Find the doe on the fields and where they are coming from, then hunt that corridor like others have stated. Sounds easy right?

Yeah, real easy... lol


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[ddavis_1313]

Awesome advice so far! The crop info is going to be a solid help. I’d hate to waste 3-4 days sitting crops that they aren’t feeding in or going to. Lol. That would be a waste. I honestly don’t think I’ll have trouble killing a deer, but I’m up there for one reason, and that’s to shoot something over 150”. That’s a bucket list deer for me. I’ve killed quite a few over 130-140. But man, I’d love to break the 150 mark! Lol.


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[SneakyThunderCat]

Not really Kansas advice but scouting advice in general. YouTube Dan Infalt farm country. I'm confident he's forgotten more about deer hunting than I'll ever know. The dude goes way into depth about finding buck beds. It'll give you an idea on what to look for on a map via e scouting a new area. He has alot of content out there, and if you feel like sifting through it, I'm sure you'll find some info to help kill a nice Kansas buck. Good luck to you!

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[Jdhunttrapfish]

I hunted those units last year, I was there in early nov, most all the crops were gone and usually will be that time of year, doesnt make much sense to sit them as deer aren't focused on them much that time of year, sitting creeks that run to bigger blocks of woods is a good strategy as there is not alot of big chunks of woods in those units or most of kansas for that matter lol, one thing I can tell you is have a multitude of options if your hunting walk in land only, I ran into alot of people on walk ins and was hard to find one without somebody on it, most of the time they aren't big enough for two people to hunt either anyway, look for the overlooked or somewhere you can get back in aways will help as well, good luck

 

[ddavis_1313]

I hunted those units last year, I was there in early nov, most all the crops were gone and usually will be that time of year, doesnt make much sense to sit them as deer aren't focused on them much that time of year, sitting creeks that run to bigger blocks of woods is a good strategy as there is not alot of big chunks of woods in those units or most of kansas for that matter lol, one thing I can tell you is have a multitude of options if your hunting walk in land only, I ran into alot of people on walk ins and was hard to find one without somebody on it, most of the time they aren't big enough for two people to hunt either anyway, look for the overlooked or somewhere you can get back in aways will help as well, good luck

Care to share what town you were hunting close to? Just to get an idea of what the pressure is like near that area. Those 2 units are pretty big


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[Jdhunttrapfish]

I'll PM you

 

[*zap*]

Hunting food sources on public land.......so, November is the rut as we all know. There will be hunters out on the public lands....deer and small game hunters. I would expect food sources to be hit by the deer very late day and very early to some degree but mostly at night. I personally do not know how much pressure that area gets but I know around here the crop fields on public usually have a lot of pre set stands around them.

Bucks are looking for doe's. I would find the doe bedding and hunt close to that while taking into account wind and thermal flow direction. I would especially look for thick spots that are back in a ways....the next place is 'path of least resistance' between those bedding areas that the bucks will travel.

Very early morning bucks may be waiting just off the food sources to check doe's as they travel back to bedding.

If you have 3 weeks you should be able to find very good spots just by boots on the ground scouting, keeping your eyes open and seeing where the deer are and how they are getting around the area. I would be doing that by being in and set up to watch an hour before sunup. If your on a buck travel route they should be visible in very early morning.

One important thing to understand is that rubs/scrapes/sign in open areas has been made during the night for the most part and may not be worth sitting on although @ the very peak and very end bucks may be seen anywhere and at anytime.

If your hunting from a tree it would probably be best to invest in a light weight set up and be well versed @ setting it up/taking it down and be fit enough to carry it in/out daily for a few weeks. I have always found good binos very valuable.

Good luck.

 

[ddavis_1313]

Hunting food sources on public land.......so, November is the rut as we all know. There will be hunters out on the public lands....deer and small game hunters. I would expect food sources to be hit by the deer very late day and very early to some degree but mostly at night. I personally do not know how much pressure that area gets but I know around here the crop fields on public usually have a lot of pre set stands around them.

Bucks are looking for doe's. I would find the doe bedding and hunt close to that while taking into account wind and thermal flow direction. I would especially look for thick spots that are back in a ways....the next place is 'path of least resistance' between those bedding areas that the bucks will travel.

Very early morning bucks may be waiting just off the food sources to check doe's as they travel back to bedding.

If you have 3 weeks you should be able to find very good spots just by boots on the ground scouting, keeping your eyes open and seeing where the deer are and how they are getting around the area. I would be doing that by being in and set up to watch an hour before sunup. If your on a buck travel route they should be visible in very early morning.

One important thing to understand is that rubs/scrapes/sign in open areas has been made during the night for the most part and may not be worth sitting on although @ the very peak and very end bucks may be seen anywhere and at anytime.

If your hunting from a tree it would probably be best to invest in a light weight set up and be well versed @ setting it up/taking it down and be fit enough to carry it in/out daily for a few weeks. I have always found good binos very valuable.

Good luck.

All good info sir! And I have a light weight lock on lone wolf and sticks I use on public in Texas. My buddy is trying to get me to switch to saddle hunting but seems like it would be harder to shoot at distance from the angles your having off the tree. And by distance i mean more than 50 yards. It actually will be a break from Colorado elk in September. lol. I’m looking forward to some easy hiking in comparison. And I stay in the gym and use a frame pack for my camera gear and such. Although, I may get a smaller pack. My Colorado pack holds 9 days of gear. Works great for packing out meat too. Kinda sucks for a half mile hike in to a tree. Not to mention, it needs to be washed. Lots of miles and sweat on it. Need to stream line a little. Then if I kill, go get the frame pack and haul the deer out in one hike. I ain’t no two trip b**ch!




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[camelcluch]

In the same boat but in 3 and 7. Thanks to everyone for the info.

 

[skeen]

Care to share what town you were hunting close to? Just to get an idea of what the pressure is like near that area. Those 2 units are pretty big


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Huh. I hunt WIHA in Unit 9 and I've literally gone years without seeing another hunter during rifle season.

 

[greenomics]

Be careful on the roads. A lot of the east/west roads in that area are dirt and any rain or snow melt will turn them into a slick mess.

 

[Whip]

I don't know those units but don't overlook brushy draws, overgrown fields, etc. that may not have trees. Many hunters pass those by, but at least where I've hunted in Kansas the deer sure don't. Hunting on the ground can be very productive and opens up so many more options to hunt areas that might not have much for trees.

 

[Joshs74]

Look for WIHA with tree lines near crops. There will be some winter wheat coming up in spots, especially south central KS. Mainly active at dawn/dusk then they disappear.