I'm blessed to own land in Ks. and I have watched the explosion of nonresident hunters which is fine, the numbers really increased around Covid I think due to Canada closing down for a couple of years. But with the draw system and at best getting drawn every other year it has caused a decline in loyalty to an outfitter and outfitter to hunter which is causing a RAPID decline in the number of quality bucks being taken, way too many 130 - 140" young deer being harvested because "the amount of money I spent I'm not going home empty handed" and outfitters allowing it since they don't have the annual repeat customers they used to have but still want to make their money. IT IS a problem and will continue to have a negative effect on the herd. In the last few years I have been approached by several landowners who are fed up with TV hunters, outfitters and sub leasers due to several reasons, mainly lack of respect for the ground and harvesting sub par bucks hopefully this is a trend that will help the herd in the not to distant future. For those of you who are looking for leases expand your search to "door knocking" don't fall for the sub leasing game. To those that have drawn, good luck and be patient.
The group I'm in has been hunting with the same outfitter for about 20 years. Ive only made the trip a few times but the core of the group has been going for a long time. Ive missed drawing a few times since 2012 and the quality of deer has been up and down in that time. But there have been some true monsters killed, with one over 200" The quality of deer has been on the rise for the last two years after a few down years since I last hunted this area.
Hoping the trend continues this year.
I did hunt one time in SE Kansas about 4 years ago and i saw what you are talking about. It was a hunt provided by one of my subcontractors to a bunch of Alabama guys. Deer quality was poor and the Alabama guys started shooting small deer. One was a 10 pt that had antlers about as big as my finger. I saw two mature deer and neither was impressive. The nicest one I couldn't get a shot and the other had a trash rack so I decided to pass. The biggest deer killed was a 9 pt that might score 140 if you stretched the tape but the other deer killed i would have passed even if I saw them in Alabama. The outfitter claimed quality was down due to a several years drought, but i suspect poor management was a big factor. I don't think that guy is in business anymore.
