Southeast Kansas

[TN Bucknasty]

I just got myself a lease near Fredonia, KS. It is comprised of a draws and creek bottoms leading from higher pasture country down to crop land. Looks textbook with good funnels and the layout looks pretty good to me although the country is a heck of a lot more open than what I'm used to in TN. Anyone have an opinion on the area?

[Rhino]

Everything is more open in KS than what I'm used to here is MS. Sounds like you won't have a problem finding some great spots to hunt on that property. I've hunted ~30 miles SW of there and ~50 miles NE of there in the past. That part of the state has big mature bucks. I think Tim Andrus has been hunting somewhere around there too.

Be prepared to use hang on stands. Finding trees to use climbers in the right spot are few and far between. Also, when it comes to the best time to pick for rutting bucks there, I prefer the 10 to 15 day period starting around Nov. 12th. Everything depends on weather though. It's been my experience that warm weather shuts down deer movement there. Expect to hunt during windy days. That's the norm for Kansas & wind doesn't really affect deer movement much at all there.

[SE_KSBowhunter]

Rhino is right, definately a lot of big mature deer in the area. There are a lot of crops in the area scattered with small wood lots and tree lines. Key in on the river bottoms if you have any in your lease. And yes, leave your climbers at home! The weather is pretty unpredictable that time of year, we have hunted during November with 80 degree temps but also had it in the 20's and snowing, seems to change almost instantly from one day to the next.

Our ground is in Neosho County, just east of where you will be. Tim has hunted here with me the past few years and is coming back this November.

[TN Bucknasty]

What would you consider the most common wind direction during November? I would assume it comes from the west alot. Also, how much of a draw are the few oaks that I saw here and there.

Have ya'll had any good luck hunting in your areas with a bow?

Thanks for the info. I'm about to come unglued waiting to finally get to hunt the Midwest.

[SE_KSBowhunter]

The wind kind of depends on what the weather is doing. If it is still warm, the wind will typically be from the south to southwest. If it is colder by then, it will typically be from the north to northwest. I only hunt with a bow, your chances of seeing a mature buck are far greater during bow season in my opinion, you just have to get him in range. Our rifle season doesn't open until the first week in December so most of the heavy rutting activity is over by then. The first two to three weeks in November is when I have had the best luck on our farm.

[Rhino]

Like SE_KSBowhunter the only time I hunt Kansas is with a bow. Never hunted there with a firearm. Had good luck and bad luck...that's bowhunting. Put a 175 1/8 net typical 5x5 on the wall, that I officially entered in B&C and P&Y. Missed another bigun last year that broke my heart. I usually see and have shot opportunities at P&Y class bucks. Knowing what the potential is for the area though I won't turn an arrow loose on a buck in KS just because he's P&Y. I want some more of those BIG mature bucks.

As for the oaks they are dropped out by the time I get there. I time my trips to KS to coincide with rutting activity so I focus my hunting efforts on spots to take advantage of that.