# 2017 Kansas



## Kennybks (Mar 29, 2010)

I know there's a few guys who either just returned, or are are still in Kansas, as I am. Feel free to post your KS hunt here.

I do this cause mine wasn't the most memorable, but for the most part, was enjoyable. I have family here, so going back isn't purely a deer hunt. I spend quite a bit of time with family and friends, there are three birthdays in the family in December.  ( I would avoid that if possible!) 

So this year my nephew took some of his buddies and their kids bow hunting. None of them are very versed, but getting kids involved is always a good thing. They did find one of the two deer.

Unfortunately their efforts really made an impact as both kids made less than stellar hits on two young bucks. Both went into our thickest deepest valley that I like to keep as a sanctuary. Spending three days combing for those deer, in conjunction with the start of rifle season all but shutdown daylight deer movement. At least adult deer.

Our typical 5k photos was but a small fraction and mainly nocturnal. The neighbors had been hunting hard and with the unseasonably warm weather, deer migrated to remote prairie no-mans' land areas.

I had a big 7 that I'd passed multiple times last year as a 4.5 yo that was now a big bodied typical 8. He was on the hit list.

There was a wide buck with tall rather skinny antlers that branched out a bit weirdly I nic-named Twiggy.

Neighbor had said there was an even bigger 8 that he believes would score over 150" as a typical 8. He'd drawn on him twice with no shot.

There were several lesser eights in various age groups that were hitting the cameras before season.

Thanksgiving morning, the day after my drive, he walks out into the pasture and grazed by our front window of the house. A beaste of a buck! 

Fast-forward to gun season. A day before season I was doing some ranch chorin' as they call it in these parts. Cutting out cedars which choke out the native grasses and degrade pasture land for grazing.

I had put on a pair of gloves from the barn that and cut wood for several hours. The next day my knuckle on left hand ring finger felt like it had a thorn in it.

It got worse. By the end of the day it hurt like hell. I couldn't make a fist. It swelled quickly. No apparent brakes in the skin.

The next morning it was twice the size and inch and a half thicker, red irritated and very painful.

I went to a local doctor who immediately said, "that looks like a brown recluse bite". He put me on antibiotics that afternoon. 

On day 5 it was peak in swelling and I was taking 4 800mg ibu just to keep in line. 

The six day it started going down but still hurt. It is still sore and not full range of motion, but I'm so glad I went in when I did.

On day 4 of the season i rushed a shot on a buck i thought was the big 8. Turns out it was one of the up'n coming younger 8s with a very impressive, but smaller racks. He was sneaking by me in low light through heavy timber and I totally messed up. I felt sick when I walked up on him and realized what I'd done.

Not that it wasn't a huge buck, just that he had a lot of potential and would have been an awesome deer in a couple of years.

I had a couple of doe tags to fill now.
My disappointment in myself really sunk in when two mornings later the huge 8 steps out 70 yards, clear shot, broadside and stares at me. My heart sunk.

I was devastated. I shook it off and regained composure, grabbed my camera, but he turned and was gone before I got a snapshot.

I've got one final morning to go before heading home Saturday, but I'm thinking I might spend it helping my BIL and nephews in getting bucks (pushing perimeters) rather than trying to fill a doe tag.

It was 13° with a 30mph NNW wind this morning. Not for the faint of heart. It was tough to sit past 9:30. Tomorrow looks cold again.

I'll post more pictures when I can. Sorry for the long read. It's my story saved excuses and bs.

Hopefully others did well despite the warm season with bad ticks, and spiders!


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## MrFysch (Feb 9, 2008)

Hey Ken ....yes I returned Sunday after a week in Kansas. Very warm conditions and lots of standing crops greeted us this year. Lots of obsticals to overcome including the full moon! One of the local outfitters got access to an adjoining piece of land where alot of the deer bed. The first 2 mornings and evenings he would park his truck on the coulies above the bedding area and release his 2 hunters to walk thru the bedding area! Unbelievable....I have said it alot and will stick by it...Michigan hunters are the best in the country. 
Anyways we had some dandies on cam and had this guy about 200 yds on Friday am...







he just wouldn't give me a great shot ..was with several other bucks and does. SATURDAY morning I was back in the same area. Was a good morning with lots of movement. Small bucks and does. Glassed the hills behind me and could see a group of bucks and does about 1200 yds grazing to me. Several good bucks we're in the group. Problem was eventually if they stayed on their course they would be downwind. Caught movement in the other direction and I could see antlers coming over the ridge. Next to his right a doe...to his left 2 more bucks. The doe was in heat and the lead buck was definitely and old buck so I decided to take him when he got close...


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## MrFysch (Feb 9, 2008)

Was a great hunt despite the conditions...really enjoy hunting in Kansas and learn more and get more contacts every year...young bucks like these on cam make me excited for next year


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## qdma48768 (Mar 8, 2011)

Mine in my hunting partners


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## qdma48768 (Mar 8, 2011)

Mine in my hunting partner Kansas bucks an the One that got away. Still out here the wife is rifle hunting the big one hunt trail cam got shot by the Neighbor opening day still have a couple bucks in the 160s to 170s on camera hopefully she can seal the deal the next three days


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## retired dundo (Jul 21, 2015)

Kennybks said:


> I know there's a few guys who either just returned, or are are still in Kansas, as I am. Feel free to post your KS hunt here.
> 
> I do this cause mine wasn't the most memorable, but for the most part, was enjoyable. I have family here, so going back isn't purely a deer hunt. I spend quite a bit of time with family and friends, there are three birthdays in the family in December.  ( I would avoid that if possible!)
> 
> ...


Real nice buck if that's the small one I sure would like to see the big one


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## ReelWildFun (Jan 23, 2016)

B safe on the way home Kenny


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## qdma48768 (Mar 8, 2011)

Young deer like this are y I'm already thinking of next year right MrFysch.


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## chuckinduck (May 28, 2003)

Nice story Kenny. Still a nice buck even though standards in Michigan and kansas don’t parallel one another. Sorry to hear about the hand. I saved you a few neighborhood deer to harass when you get back.


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## steelyspeed (Apr 10, 2016)

Kennybks said:


> I know there's a few guys who either just returned, or are are still in Kansas, as I am. Feel free to post your KS hunt here.
> 
> I do this cause mine wasn't the most memorable, but for the most part, was enjoyable. I have family here, so going back isn't purely a deer hunt. I spend quite a bit of time with family and friends, there are three birthdays in the family in December.  ( I would avoid that if possible!)
> 
> ...


Congrats on the great time spent with family! Do you think the buck you harvested is 3.5?


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## snortwheeze (Jul 31, 2012)

steelyspeed said:


> Congrats on the great time spent with family! Do you think the buck you harvested is 3.5?


Doubt it from looking at their pictures, I'd say a 1 1/2.. You guy's have incredible up and comer's !!!!! Congrats on your bucks !


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## Forest Meister (Mar 7, 2010)

Kennybks said:


> I know there's a few guys who either just returned, or are are still in Kansas, as I am. Feel free to post your KS hunt here.
> 
> I do this cause mine wasn't the most memorable,..................


Surely you jest? A person is bitten by a brown recluse, his hand swells up like a balloon, he has to take antibiotics and pain medication and still shoots a decent buck but says it wasn't the most memorable hunt. Holy Cow, That would be etched in my memory forever! FM


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## Kennybks (Mar 29, 2010)

steelyspeed said:


> Congrats on the great time spent with family! Do you think the buck you harvested is 3.5?


Nope, he was an up coming 2.5 yo. Unfortunately he was a victim of misidentification.


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## Kennybks (Mar 29, 2010)

snortwheeze said:


> Doubt it from looking at their pictures, I'd say a 1 1/2.. You guy's have incredible up and comer's !!!!! Congrats on your bucks !


Well jawbone molars indicated 2.5, but it was still too young to harvest.

As it happened I was the only one in our group to fill a tag. BIL missed Twiggy yesterday. Shaved the top of his shoulders. No blood. 1/2" lower and he'd have spine shot him. 

He bought a new gun this year and evidently it was shooting a bit high. They have today and tomorrow. 

Dropping my eldest off in KC MO right now. When I get home I'll transfer some of my trail cam pictures to post.

Thanks for the comments guys! I am lucky to have a family farm and a lifetime KS license. 

Over 50 years hunting Kansas, hope to get another 20 or so!


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## josheupmi (Dec 9, 2008)

Congrats Kenny, not what you wanted but family time and hunting is all that matters bud. And you can hunt Kansas every year that's great, I would live to hunt that state someday.


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## qdma48768 (Mar 8, 2011)




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## qdma48768 (Mar 8, 2011)

The wife's buck from last night


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## Kennybks (Mar 29, 2010)

qdma48768 said:


> The wife's buck from last night


Good job Aaron and team!! Awesome job!
See you on the ice!

We're just passing Ft.Wayne rt now.


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## johnhunter247 (Mar 12, 2011)

Dang Kenny! Sorry to hear about your run in with the spider. As far as the misjudgment goes I think we have all been there. It happens... I had a great season in Iowa warm weather and all. I passed more mature deer in two months than antlered bucks I have seen in Michigan in my lifetime. I am so excited for the years to come. I think my trophy walls are going to grow tremendously with way bigger bucks. The days of 120" to 140" deer being a shooter are long gone thank god! It's amazing to see what a 5 year old mature buck looks like on the hoof and see them quite frequently. My season is done for the year. I will be back in Michigan for the holidays and then habitat work on the farm will begin as the weather and leg allows. I already can't wait for spring food plot season.


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## Kennybks (Mar 29, 2010)

Here are a few of the cam pics from this year. The last three years we've not had the number of huge bucks, not sure why. It's like they just disappeared. Not a bunch of reports of CWD or TB reported in my area.

Anyway, the next few years look pretty good with plenty of 2 and 3 yo nice deer. A few 3.5 - 4.5 are still out there as well.


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