Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk Serious Deer Talk Forum Realistic Bow Hunting Expectations in Ks

I posted about a month ago that I was headed to SE Kansas to bow hunt for a week. We had an incredible time and all 6 of us were covered up with bucks, all week long. They were chasing the entire time so it looks like we were there during the peak of the rut. Maybe not the best time to kill one with a bow, but it was exciting. I let a 140" 8 walk so I did have an opportunity at a shooter, but just not what I was after.

That being said, the biggest buck we saw was probably around 140 and we saw almost all 8's. It was crazy the amount of bucks we saw and none of them were main frame 10's. So, my question is what is a realistic expectation when hunting SE Kansas, as far as what I should expect to see, not necessary kill. With the number of mature bucks we saw (2 or 3 a day minimum between the 6 of us) I would have hoped to at least laid eyes on a 150 class or better buck, but maybe there are not as many there as I would have thought. We were in Anderson Co. which should be a prime county to hunt.

I'd be interested in hearing what the locals had to say on the subject.

My buddy's have hunted it for 3-4 years public land. It's been being 3 of them but 5 went this year. They say they've seen some studs and one killed a 160" deer last year. But they have settled for smaller 110-130" deer. That's bout as much as I know.

Settled ? What most don't understand is they get upset when you
feel the need to kill just so you won't come home without A DEER.
You go there to kill a trophy, not a deer you could kill in Alabama. Many guys have destroyed relationships and lost their invitations because of this. They have standards and rules . If you shoot a deer and can't find it your hunt is over. Most of the time they tell you what is expected as far as size. It's pretty much like this in all mid-western states. It's not for everyone, but if you want a chance at a huge whitetail you must play by the rules.They have plenty of Big bucks because they have a very limted amount of firearms season.

I have a few friends that hunt SE KS annually. I don't go every year but have been before. They usually are nearly 100% success during rut week with bow on a 130s buck. Occasionally someone will kill a 150-165", but passing a 130-140 usually leaves them empty handed by the end of the week. I shot a low 140s 8 point post-mature buck there last year. He was an old warrior, huge body, and I shot him for a 120" at 7 yards...because he was old. Turns out the huge body makes it hard to tell antler size.

Never pass on the first day what you'd shoot on the last.

What I would expect to see? Everything from 130s to 170s.

What I would go there to shoot? Nothing less than 150 or maybe even 160.

It's Kansas. I wouldn't go there to shoot a 130. Probably would pass on 140 unless it was really unique or trashy and cool. But a typical 8- or 10-point, or bigger, then I'd be looking for something truly big.

IMO going to Kansas to shoot small bucks would be like going to El Salto to catch 3-pound largemouth. But if it makes a guy happy to do that then more power to him. His money, his time, his decision.

I'd go to KS to shoot mature bucks doing what they do in the wild--fighting, chasing does, etc. If the mature buck has 8 points and scores 140, or if the mature buck has 12 points and scores 160, that's what I'm after. I wouldn't want to shoot a 150" 3.5 year old buck. Those are my goals and objectives and might differ from others.

From what I've witnessed. If you live out there and hunt your azz off, it's realistic to kill a 150-180 every year. If you are going for one week, even on the best of land, it's a shot in the dark for anything better than a 130-140 with a bow. You can't kill the big ones if you shoot a 140, but you will probably eat tag soup 75% of the time or more.

I've bow hunted public land out there 3 years. We've put arrows in deer from 135" -150". I think you can kill some bigger deer for sure but a mature 140" 8 point is a dang fine deer anywhere in the country. Me personally, I wouldn't be passing him. Especially if your only able to hunt for a limited period of time. My expectations would probably be a little different on private ground but on a 1 week trip like we typically take, if I see a mature buck that fires me up, I'm going to shoot him. My goals may change when I've killed a whole house full of 140" deer but until then, I'm going to shoot mature bucks that get me excited.

I think it would depend on whether the hunt was self done on public land or a paid private hunt. On the pay hunt, I want a serious stud, and I'm gonna do my best to get realistic parameters before I ever book it. Public?...well, I would have shot that deer you saw, BUT I sure wouldn't want to do so early in the hunt, and that's only because I wouldn't know what to expect.

I've hunted out there twice in the last 6 years. I've had 150+ deer within 100 yards both times. The first trip I took out there I killed a 172" the first morning. I saw 6 deer total that morning in three hours, two mature bucks, and that one I killed was obviously the largest. The second trip followed the EHD outbreak they had, so deer sightings were far less. I still managed to see several mature bucks, one flirting with 150" and one well over it. I drew on a 130" the last day and didn't shoot. He looked three and I just couldn't make him be four. Folks I was hunting with requested we shoot 4 year olds. I think it's a very reasonable expectation to see 140"+ deer on a trip there, and ALWAYS remember deer usually score more than you think out there. I thought the deer I shot was 155-160". Their bodies are huge. 250+ lb deer are not too uncommon if they are mature.

Also, most of the locals I talk to don't fool with anything less than 170". The guy I hunt with gets opportunities at 170" deer every year, and sometimes passes on them. He's killed a 216" and several between 165-180".

I'd shoot a 140. You could see better but a 140 is a heck of a deer.

Public land in the Mid-West is often Private farms leased to the state for public deer hunting.

I just couldn't imagine....

Tag sandwich isn't always a bad thing.
I've bow hunted KS the past 9 years and I've brought back a few tags and a few decent deer.
Not calling any of you out, but a lot of times when guys go for the first time or two, they see lots of 140" 8 points. In reality those deer are normally 120 class 8 points. After going a few times they'll come back to camp saying they saw a few 120 class 8's. A true 140" 8 is a great deer if he's mature. 155" 3 year old deer is a no no. I've let some 150's walk and kill a 140 the next day. The locals out there are all about age and not inches. I'm not sure what to say you should expect other than seeing a lot of really good looking young 8's, but patience can pay off even though it may mean bringing a tag back home occasionally.

A 140" 8 point is a big deer

Not to people in Kansas or north through the Midwest. They pass on those and look for bigger bucks. But as Jab said, most folks are looking for mature bucks and not points or scores. Because they know a 4.5 to 6 year old buck will be a true giant.

I know a couple guides out there and they tell their clients realistic expectations are 130-160. You are talking SE Kansas the further north the bigger the horns. If you were there the first week of November this year the rut was not in full swing and the smaller bucks were chasing. There are some sho nuff studs out there. If a 140 is good for you shoot it if not wait and hope for a bigger one. they are there but like everywhere else you will work for them

completely agree, that's why none of us shot anything. We all could have killed 130+ but none of us wanted to do that.

Agree about the body size and underestimating score. The "140" i saw was said to be more like 150 by the guide... still not sure I could have been off my 10", but then again, maybe I was.

I guess my "concern" was none of us saw a 150 plus (unless we really were all underestimating the score), but saw plenty of mature bucks. So either the 650 acres didn't have a huge deer on it at the time or the really big one/ ones just didn't happen to get up during the day on the 5 days we hunted.

As for further north having larger racks... I'v read that SE Kansas has as many 170-200" deer as anywhere in Ks. In fact I did some research while there in the stand and SE ks has more red counties (top B&C) than anywhere else in the state. Central southern Ks has several red counties and there was one a little north west of KC.

Bottom line, our group is just trying to make sure we are hunting a farm with good big buck potential. We've all been lucky enough to kill some good bucks in Al. and out of state, so most of us would eat our tag until we get a shot at a 150+.

I do think I screwed up on the 8 I saw... huge body, mature, huge frame... would have been 135+ in Alabama all day long. Guide gave me the green light (he had seen him the day before) but I was just skeptical.