2015 Kansas Whitetail (pics)

CrimsonArrow

Very Active Member
Feb 21, 2011
854
362
Minnesota
That's a good buck. My Dad and I hunted sunup to sundown from November 2-10 and never saw a buck over 3 1/2 years old. I only saw 3 fawns and 6 does. We hunted east central Kansas just south of emporia. Deer numbers and quality are way down right now, so I would have been very happy with a buck like yours.
 

BOHNTR

Very Active Member
Feb 28, 2011
651
510
Lakeside, AZ
CrimsonArrow:

I hunted in western Kansas with a buddy from P&Y. I saw quite a few deer in those parts.......including some nice mule deer. I was fortunate to be able to hunt some private land he had access to......but we also some some good ones in public walk-in areas too. That's desolate country out that way......couldn't believe it held as many deer as it did.
 

mcseal2

Veteran member
Mar 1, 2011
1,171
195
midwest
The EHD hit Kansas hard a few years back and it hasn't fully recovered, not sure it ever will. There are still giant deer but they seem more rare than they were a few years ago. At least where I hunt I see more inferior genetics now after the EHD killed so many of the mature bucks and the does got bred by what was left. With Kansas only allowing one buck tag very few management bucks ever get taken and it is starting to show. With the increased use of trail cams hunters have gotten more efficient also and more of the best bucks have been taken. Also outside the rut more of the surviving bucks over 4.5yrs old are becoming nocturnal for the most part, all the extra trips into the woods checking cameras or filling feeders equal increased intrusion on core areas. I hope to see Kansas return to what it was 5-10 years ago, but wouldn't bet that it ever does. To many factors are working against it being what it was. On the plus side above average rainfall has helped antler growth and warm weather has limited the rifle harvest so far this season. Without weather those bucks holed up after the rut don't move much in daylight hours.