Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting I'm Not SKANE but I Did Hunt Kansas Last Week

This is my third year hunting the Kansas rifle season, second without an outfitter. My cousin Steve and friend Brad joined me. Steve and I arrived on Tuesday in time to do a short scout and give him a feel for the area. We kicked up one deer and decided where we wanted to set up the next morning. Brad arrived later and knew he wanted to hunt the same spot he killed in last year.
Sunrise on opening morning, frosty and cold.

Sounds like you're on your way to some great hunting.

I was hunting a thin line of trees that led into a thicket filled ravine with a pond in it. Steve was hunting a fence corner East of me and Brad was South of me over a ridge. Wind was light from the S/E. By 9:00 I had not seen anything but heard a shot from Steve's direction. I sent the boys a text asking if they had seen anything, no and no was the answer.
It was cloudy but the sun would pop out occasionally. About 9:25 the sun lit up the open hillside beyond my ravine and I saw a deer. Quick look through the binoculars confirmed it was a nice buck so down goes the binoculars and the rifle comes up on the shooting sticks. I had already ranged this hillside at 155 yards. Deer was calm and walking slow and feeding. When I got the crosshairs on him he was quartering away so I held behind the last rib and touched it off. At the shot the buck kicked and ran out of sight over the crest of the hill.
I waited about 15 minutes and headed over to track him up. No blood where we was standing but 10 or 12 steps in the direction he ran and I could see him laying in the open just beyond the hilltop.

Ten point with a broken G2 on the right side.

Used my Kimber Hunter in 6.5 Creedmoor shooting Hornaday 143 grain ELDX. I have had good luck with this load and in this case it hit where aimed and damaged the liver, one lung and top of the heart. Deer traveled less than 50 yards.

Text from the boys when they heard the shot asking if I needed help. Brad headed to the truck to get the deer cart and Steve headed my direction.. I had predicted one of us would tag out the first day.

More later, I need to go feed the dogs.

Thanks for sharing. Very cool and congrats!

We took the obligatory trophy pictures then started the field dressing chores.

Looks like a grand time. Private ground I assume?

I'm always amazed to kill a deer out is this open country.

Congratulations. That is a nice buck.

Loaded him on the cart, collected our gear and started the near mile trek back to the truck. Reminded us how old we are getting and that two of us had sugery this year.

Very nice congrats...

Back at the truck by 12:30. Do the online check in, grab a drink and sandwitch then Steve and I head to the processor and Brad heads back to the field. When Steve and I return we get a visit from the game warden. Quick check of our license and Steve heads in to hunt and I continue a pleasant conversation with the CO. Nice guy that was looking forward to a day off so he could hunt.

I stay at the truck to bring in the deer cart if anyone scores on the evening hunt. I do get some more visitors.

Awesome buck! Congrats.

The goat herd was in the pasture across the road. They had a good boy protecting them.

The sun sets on day one. Brad saw a big buck at about 100 yards but he spooked when Brad brought his gun up for a shot. He hunted his way back to the truck and saw a buck with two does within a couple hundred yards of the truck but didn't shoot him because his rack was busted up. Steve saw nothing.

Day two dawned a little warmer. Again I stayed at the truck while Brad and Steve headed in. Ten minutes after legal shooting time I hear a shot from Brad's direction. He sends me a text that he shot one at 50 yards and it ran out of sight. He would wait another 20 minutes for better tracking light. I got the cart unloaded.