Kansas Public Land 2015

[ROCK88]

I am going and have somewhat of a plan but really needing some more pointers and really anything that might be helpfull. looking at the walk in areas that are scattered around the state. anyone with experience or plans to go back this year?

areas
time
places to stay
how to hunt
how are the crowds
deer popluation
what type of stand
any bad experiences to avoid



this trip is not for the kill but for the experience.

[wes122984]

tagging for info

[Hughiam]

I used to hunt Kansas in the Lovewell Resevoir area. There is a walk in area there. I don't want to say there was a hunter in every tree, but pretty close. And it didn't matter if you had hung a stand, they would hang one in a tree 20 feet from you.

We did see some deer and my partner shot a 180" deer while walking into his stand. He went back this year and said the EHD had knocked the big deer down considerably. He has many P&Y and B&C sized deer with a bow, so it wasn't a case of him not knowing how to hunt.

I quit going after we got pulled over for spotlighting(its legal in Kansas as long as you don't have any weapons in the car). The GW was a total newbie and did a felony stop on us with guns drawn.

He was the same GW that had stopped by our cabin earlier and spoke to us. He knew it was me as I had a huge decal on the back window with my taxidermy business name on it.

I let him have it after he put his gun up, and his superior and said I wasn't coming back.

[ROCK88]

ttp

[jshouse]

tagging for info

[cummalonger]

Yes sir I'm stationed at fort Riley in Kansas and hunt all the walk in areas around Milford lake and have hunted out into a lot of the other ones taken some really nice deer best time is around the end of muzzloader season if your hunting with a bow to the opening of gun season

[perfectstorm]

tagged

[sqiggy]

I quit going after we got pulled over for spotlighting(its legal in Kansas as long as you don't have any weapons in the car).

You sure about that? Where I hunt, the locals say you can't spotlight deer. They say there is a law that you can't harass wildlife and spotlighting is considered harassment.

[DavidH44]

I went this last year. I tried to choose an area that had several walk in properties but was away from any of the bigger cities. I studied google earth a lot before going and on a lot of the properties you can see deer trails, I hit those properties first.

I went on a 2 day scout trip in late October. I scouted about 10 properties and did not see another hunter. I killed a doe that trip. I went back in early November, trying to time the rut. The motel I stayed at had several hunters from several different states. I made sure to get to the property I wanted to hunt early for my first morning hunt. I killed a buck at 930 my first morning. It was my first buck so I wasn't waiting on a giant or anything.

I believe it is a gentleman's rule that if a vehicle is parked in front of a wiha, than it is theirs to hunt.

You can leave a treestand up for 14 days past the seasons end. A pop up blind needs to be taken down after each hunt. The eastern half of the state has more trees if you prefer hunting from a tree.

[Hughiam]

You sure about that? Where I hunt, the locals say you can't spotlight deer. They say there is a law that you can't harass wildlife and spotlighting is considered harassment.

Yes I'm sure in fact when the GW was at our cabin we told him we were going shining.

[DFA]

That's crazy Hughiam. I've been looking at going myself

[ForEverlast]

Have been going for the last 12 years EHD did knock the population down by about 60% in some areas so it has been tough the last 2 years but I would say the rebound in the population has begun, I know the area he is speaking of Loveall walkin and it is a good area but that area is one that has been hit hard by EHD, all ground is Kansas can be good given the right situation and there is some very good walkin ground but you must apply for a unit and once drawn you will have to hone in on certain walk-in ground and game plan from there, not sure what unit to tell you to put in for given I am not familiar with all and how EHD has effected each but the opportunity is there to score on a big deer in walk-in ground again given the stars align and old moss back comes strolling thru, big bucks are not behind every tree in KS and one must consider the success rate of archery in KS I would say is 30% at best and to score on a 170+ probably 5% but always a chance and low fence, legit hunting at its best...

[ROCK88]

thanks for responses

ttt

[Ksbowhunter]

If it's giants ur looking for, go to western Kansas. More wiha there too

[COUNTRY BOY]

Hugh I think I was around there about the time y'all were leaving and heard about that
Small world man. With that being said Kansas is proposing a tag increase for next season Jan 1 415 for a tag and 95 for a license. There are some good Wiha areas you just have to look the local hunters don't like the guys from Texas or Louisiana there was a big poaching incident there with a not so legit outfitter so those guys really messed things up for all of us EHD hit Kansas HARD I talked to some guys from Nebraska and they were hit a few years before Kansas was hit they told us that it took them nearly 8 years to recover to decent hunting. It's been 3 now plan on finding lodging early if your going to plan on going anytime in November that's when opening weekend for pheasant season starts also. I was stationed at Riley too at one point CummaLonger there are some great places to hunt around there pm me maybe I can help ya out a bit. Most people you meet are friendly to hunters and the gentlmans agreement sometimes is the case...sometimes. If your looking to go just find what fits your taste and enjoy the experience of hunting new ground. Some doors will get slammed in your face some can lead to the best ground you could hope to ever hunt dosnt hurt to ask. I hope this long post helps some and good luck in your adventures