So looking at doing a Kansas whitetail hunt next yr with my teenage son and sure are a lot of outfitters. Anybody have a good experience with one with good deer?

The majority of the nice bucks are taken during Kansas bow season. If you are gun hunting go to another state or pray for cold weather.

I took a 140 buck in southeastern KS but I'm not recommending the outfitter.

I went with Midwest outfitters once, but 70 degree days only produced one buck in camp for the first week in December (Not blaming the outfitter for weather) the one buck did score 167.

I had a telephone conversation with the owner of Blue River Whitetails. You would do well to talk with him, he seemed very flexible and had hunts from a camp or motel, and has been in business a long time.
Happy Hunting

Interesting and hadn't thought about that. Yes this would be rifle. He s killed deer before but not a good deer and just wanted to do a hunt where he d have a good chance at that 150 plus deer and have an "outfitter" experience w the food and comradery. Im in Colorado so thought Kansas would be convenient.

Try Hickory Creek Outfitters in McCune, KS. I haven't deer hunted there but I did hunt turkeys with them for 3 years. They are a family run business. Good home cooking meals, nice lodges----they have 2. Give them a look------If you call ask for Adam Bennett---he kind of runs the outfitting business----Adam Bennett is his Dad. They do have a website. If you talk to them---tell them that Colorado Bob says "Hi"

Heck, I live here, and no experience with an oufitter but even I think it would be fun to hunt with McMillan Outfitting.

https://mcmillanoutfitting.com/book-a-hunt/

Ya I agree and watch that show all the time but may be priced outside my comfort zone for a whitetail

Who did BobinNH outfit with in KS?

Anyone know?

I live about 30 miles from McCune and I do not know of Hickory Creek outfitters, but here’s my take. While I’m sure there are pockets of tremendous deer in this area, in general, extreme southeast Kansas is not the big buck country that people think about when they talk about monster whitetails. If I were you, I would look into north central and northeast Kansas. Maybe east of Salina and north of I-70. Especially if you’re far enough north that you would be traveling I-70 anyway. That is what I consider big buck country. We never had outfitters in this county until about 10 years ago. Several came in at the same time and started leasing ground. They’ve all packed up and left in the last few years.

He didn't hunt with an outfitter.
It's private ground owned by a good friend.

Raptor,

I've never hunted with an outfit in KS but I have a handful of friends/acquaintances that have. To a man, the one's that spent the least amount of money had the worst experiences - ie, there are plenty of folks with a half section of land with mediocre habitat that are willing to take your money.

Also, 150" plus animal is still a tall task - not unattainable by any means, just be realistic. The folks that can consistently put hunters on those sorts of deer will be running a lot of ground so a fair amount of that ground will likely be leased - that takes some spending to renew leases each year.

Thanks for all the info. Sent a couple of emails out and very early stages of planning so keep the opinions coming. Not looking for a "cheap" hunt but don't want to spend money just to spend it either

Raptor - didn't mean to imply you're looking for the cheapest way, simply just a word of caution.

Each year there are plenty of guys staying at the motel we stay (in KS) that are plenty disgruntled sitting in a pasture watching does, fawns and dinks feed at a corn pile and not much else.

Get hold of Jeremy Gugelmeyer with Sage Brush Hunts
http://www.sagebrushhunts.com/
He lives in Kansas.

Yeah, that'd be a good one. Finding the quality you seek shouldn't be an issue from what I've seen.

"Thats odd, thought surely you'd have seen a big one there, nobody has hunted that stand all season....."

I hunted with Lil Toledo Lodge quite a few years back. Booked through a guy in Colordao that filed bankruptcy right before season and took everyones money. Lil Toledo honored my hunt and only at the fees I had paid the booker before hand, class act on that regard.
Enjoyed the hunt, no big buck taken but took a buck. Great food and accommodations, folks were nice too..

wytex, I was going to mention Lil Toledo as my friend (prior to passing) was the head guide there.
They're rather spendy which is why I didn't offer them up. Spent some time coyote hunting with him on a lot of that ground too - great deer habitat.

I had a friend who guided at Lil Toledo 15-20 years ago. He mostly did bird hunts though. I’ve been there several times, definitely have really nice facilities. They’re in a good spot there along the river bottoms. Back when my friend was there, a well known hunting tv show host shot a 170” buck in the ass from 300 yards. Took half a day to find it. I’m betting that part didn’t make the tv show.

Speaking of great facilities in SE Kansas, I’m sure they are really expensive, but Flint Oak would be a great place to hunt. If you’re in southern Colorado where you would be traveling on US 50/400 to get to Kansas and would like an unrivaled lodge and atmosphere, check it out. I shoot there once a year for a fundraiser, awesome place.

I'm a sporting clays shooter and have seem flint oak but never shot there. Real nice i here. I would be coming from Denver so don't have to be in Southern part of the state. Can anybody confirm the earlier post about best deer being in the northern part of the state? And is rifle season in Dec really that tough to hunt? I know there is youth season on September but sure seems ike it would be hot and movement limited to real early and real late

At times in my life I have lived in several different locales in KS.
I think the largest numbers and some very respectable deer come from the north eastern part of the state. .
I have a friend from PA who archery hunts on public land around the reservoirs in north east KS.
He has killed several over 150 inch.
A youth on a NE area youth hunt just took a potential state record ( 40 points ) this year.
Can't help with an outfitter though.
Ravenwood lodge 800-656-2454 just south west of Topeka might be able to point you to an outfitter.
Good luck.

Raptor, let me help bring some clarity to my earlier post. My post rut December rifle season experience is limited to only two trips. The first trip was warm and slow but turned cold the last two days and I finally got a buck. The second trip was warm and slow and I ate tag soup.

Now, my feeling is if the December weather is normal or cold, the odds would go way up to probably about 30% success for bucks over 150. Hopefully some more experienced people will join the thread.

Also, your private message feature is not working, some people may give you a tip about a honey hole place thru a PM and may would not want to broadcast it on the open board.

Ya I'm relatively new here and the pm function says its not available for my member status but so far no go in getting it to work and don't know how or who to talk to about fixing it which is a bummer

[email protected]

Hey, Raptor17, if the experience of an outfitter guided hunt is your goal, then I get it, but don't rule out a DIY hunt. Kansas has over a million acres enrolled in the walk-in hunting program (WIHA), and lots of open hunting on Corps of Engineer land too.

Heck, a DIY hunt may even be a better bonding experience with your son. Just puttin' it out there.

Feel free to PM me, if you want ideas. I'm not a guide, but my boys and I kill a lot of Kansas deer.

McMillans 2020 rate is $7,000 for A 7 Day hunt(I believe the time frame is correct, that’s definitely the price...)

I would hunt a Saskatchewan bruiser and keep $2500 in my pocket before I bought Tom a new lease.. that said there are likely much fairer priced KS hunts.

Ya I agree w you on that. Looks like a fun guy but thats pretty steep for kansas

I would be interested in that for sure. Had issues w my pm and emailed webmaster but will see if I can get it to work

I've hunted Kansas since the early '90s . Northeast , southeast, north central and northwest. Currently hunting firearms in northwestern kansas . The December rifle season can be feast or famine depending on the weather and hunting pressure. A 150" deer is very possible anywhere in the state . As a DIY hunter you will likely look at alot of deer before you find one . A quality outfitter will increase your chances . I can't reccomend one because I don't use them . I would try to steer clear of outfitters that host any of the tv hunters as the average client wont be put on the better leases.


Chris