Use Promo Code Randy for 20% off OutdoorClass

Midwest Whitetail DIY Hunt Advice

swoleymammoth

New member
Joined
Apr 24, 2020
Messages
29
Location
Utah
Hey everyone,

I'm a Utah resident interested in setting up a DIY whitetail hunt next year or possibly 2023. I'm curious if anyone has any ideas on states I should consider hunting? I'm thinking Kansas currently, I know it's a draw state but I have heard there is a good amount of public land in the western portion of the state. It's also a relatively short drive compared to some other states. Also, has anyone done an out of state public land whitetail hunt here? If so, what advice would you give to someone thinking about it? Any specific resources or information that helped you?

Thanks in advance,

Swoleymammoth
 
Hey everyone,

I'm a Utah resident interested in setting up a DIY whitetail hunt next year or possibly 2023. I'm curious if anyone has any ideas on states I should consider hunting? I'm thinking Kansas currently, I know it's a draw state but I have heard there is a good amount of public land in the western portion of the state. It's also a relatively short drive compared to some other states. Also, has anyone done an out of state public land whitetail hunt here? If so, what advice would you give to someone thinking about it? Any specific resources or information that helped you?

Thanks in advance,

Swoleymammoth
Check out "The Hunting Public" on youtube. They deer hunt everywhere, and it's all on public land. Be ready to walk further back than anyone else! Not uncommon to walk a couple miles back to hunt for the day before walking back out.
 
Make sure you know when pheasant season opens. They’ll walk all of the public in western Kansas and some other states. You also might want to hunt the week before the rut kicks off. Hunters will hit public hard during the rut. Hunt before they get there.
 
I think it depends on what you are looking for. The state, and more specifically the area within the state, you should be looking into will depend on if you want to just shoot a doe, shoot any buck or shoot a respectable buck (100"-130" range).
 
Are you looking for Mule deer or whitetails? Do you want to hunt river bottoms where stand hunting can work or open prairie lands where you can spot and stalk?
 
South East Minnesota. There are public lands. They do get busy so I doubt you wouldn't see other hunters. Check out the "Big Woods" northwest of Mabel.
 
For Kansas non resident hunters here are some bullet points of info:

Website to learn more......https://ksoutdoors.com/

Walk in Hunting map.....https://ksdot.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=a6467b7c4f714053ab63003607674413 (This can change anually, but most properties are year to year the same)

Hunter's Safety required for all ages of NR hunters

Draw is in Mid April. NR must pick a primary unit to apply for, and then list a neighboring unit as well. I think that you also get a whitetail doe tag also if you draw.

Points count for R/NR to get a mule deer (any species tag)

Looooong season....early-ish September muzzleloader season, mid September to December 31 archery, and 10 day firearms season, starts Wednesday after Thanksgiving through the next two weekends.

Archery hunters must wear required orange during both muzzleloader and firearms season.

Unlike some states, a general hunting license is required, and then a deer permit as well.

Unlike some states, tagging a deer requires the tag to be applied to the rear leg of a deer, not on antlers.

It is legal to use a tracking dog to assist in recovery of your deer. It is not legal to use a dog to hunt deer.


More west you go, greater CWD considerations. :(
 
I think it depends on what you are looking for. The state, and more specifically the area within the state, you should be looking into will depend on if you want to just shoot a doe, shoot any buck or shoot a respectable buck (100"-130" range).
I'm mostly just looking for opportunity. I've never experienced a whitetail deer hunt so I'll be happy to shoot what I can get, preferably a buck though.
 
For Kansas non resident hunters here are some bullet points of info:

Website to learn more......https://ksoutdoors.com/

Walk in Hunting map.....https://ksdot.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=a6467b7c4f714053ab63003607674413 (This can change anually, but most properties are year to year the same)

Hunter's Safety required for all ages of NR hunters

Draw is in Mid April. NR must pick a primary unit to apply for, and then list a neighboring unit as well. I think that you also get a whitetail doe tag also if you draw.

Points count for R/NR to get a mule deer (any species tag)

Looooong season....early-ish September muzzleloader season, mid September to December 31 archery, and 10 day firearms season, starts Wednesday after Thanksgiving through the next two weekends.

Archery hunters must wear required orange during both muzzleloader and firearms season.

Unlike some states, a general hunting license is required, and then a deer permit as well.

Unlike some states, tagging a deer requires the tag to be applied to the rear leg of a deer, not on antlers.

It is legal to use a tracking dog to assist in recovery of your deer. It is not legal to use a dog to hunt deer.


More west you go, greater CWD considerations. :(
Thank you! That is a ton of information, I really appreciate it.
 
Are you looking for Mule deer or whitetails? Do you want to hunt river bottoms where stand hunting can work or open prairie lands where you can spot and stalk?
I'm looking for whitetails since we don't really have any out here in Utah. Definitely looking into a tree stand hunting experience since I've never tried that out and it sounds very different to the glassing/stalking type of hunting I'm used to. Maybe I've watched too many hunting shows but it seems very interesting to me lol.
 
Also if you look into Minnesota, all of the tags are over the counter. So you could apply in a different state and if you don't luck out in the draw MN could be a back up for you.

There's a ton of public land in MN, I would focus on the central part. PM me if you want more information.
 
I'm looking for whitetails since we don't really have any out here in Utah. Definitely looking into a tree stand hunting experience since I've never tried that out and it sounds very different to the glassing/stalking type of hunting I'm used to. Maybe I've watched too many hunting shows but it seems very interesting to me lol.
Someone will disagree with me I'm sure but I say go ahead and invest in a saddle and climbing sticks. Switched over this year and it has completely changed how I hunt.

Quick example:
I set up a ladder stand on a property I received permission for this September. It looked like a great place, back in a corner of a big bean field, plenty of deer sign with several sightings. Beans are harvested from the field and suddenly the deer movement completely shifted.
Before the saddle I was intermittently using hang-on stands. Set one up in a good looking spot and had good encounters for a week.
Rut kicks in and movement shifts slightly again, this time into the bottom of a draw that I can barely see into, much less shoot. Now a hang-on can be moved but I have grown to hate holding the stand to the tree while trying to ratchet it on.

Purchased a saddle and now I pick dang near any tree I want to set up in it given the current conditions. I'm seeing deer I never would have seen if I couldn't move around
 
I'm mostly just looking for opportunity. I've never experienced a whitetail deer hunt so I'll be happy to shoot what I can get, preferably a buck though.
You have a lot of options then. You may want to look into Wyoming, Montana and Northern Idaho as those options would be closer to you, much less hunting pressure and similar results of success for shooting any buck.

If you do want to travel more, Minnesota and Wisconsin are loaded with a huge amount of public land and super high populations of deer. Most bucks you will see however are going to be 1 1/2 to 3 1/2 years old, especially on public lands.
 
Sitka Gear Turkey Tool Belt

Forum statistics

Threads
110,814
Messages
1,935,402
Members
34,888
Latest member
Jack the bear
Back
Top