re: Whitetail deer "Dream" hunt question.

Oh and go when the river is high. January is a good time or wait until the rut is on and the river is rising.

Don't take this the wrong way, I am not trying to come off as "that guy" but I have hunted whitetails from Canada to Texas, SC. etc. I grew up hunting on Giles Island when I was a kid before it was a commercial place.

This is my 10-second summary:

Texas is like shooting deer in a pen, sometimes literally and sometimes figuratively. But it always felt like being at a theme park. Everyone wins a prize.

Canada is boring as it can be. The local outfitter will rent out the local motel, and you will be one of 24 guys hunting that week. You take a 1 hour snow mobile trip to a metal lock on stand where you freeze your arse off watching a pile of oats and alfalfa hay for 12 straight hours. I went to a very reputable, high priced place. But most guys killed a 125-135" deer and were happy. I did not see a 150 killed the entire week. And the guides routinely added 10 inches to the deer that guys killed. They went home thinking they had a 140 when they really had a 130. Most people don't know the difference.

Giles Island would be a great experience. First class place, first class people. But the actual success rate on 140 or better deer is relatively low.

I have been to three places in Illinois and they were all over rated.

Pretty much the only place I would go for a real, fair chase, good chance at a 150-160" deer is Kansas. There are several reputable outfitters. Focus on South Central and West Kansas. (JB Outfitters is a good one but there are many good ones.)

The hunt I would do is the early season muzzleloader. Its in late Sept and the big bucks are still going to the Alfalfa and corn fields. They haven't been bothered yet. Also, make a deal with the outfitter to where if you don't tag out Sept muzzleloader you can come back for the Dec season at no charge. This usually isn't a problem. They will want you to do this as opposed to being pressured to shoot a borderline deer at the end of your Sept hunt.

The key to this is that it is beautiful, open terrritory. You will stay entertained seeing 20-30 deer and 3-7 racked bucks per day. I have killed a 145 (my mistake), a 152 and a 171 in four trips out there. The only trip I didn't kill a big one was when I saw a 170 deer on my first hunt and held out for him the rest of the time and passed up two deer about 150.

For me, that is the best experience for the money. Hope this was some help.

Same here. Alberta or saskatchawan deer are huge, their body's and antlers. I also love the dark chocolate horns. In your price range maybe check out whitetail heaven in Kentucky, a lot of places in Texas will do no kill then you don't pay full price. I'd also look into Kansas or Illinois.

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Do you have pics of the 152 and 171? Good advice.

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I have struggled to put pics up on this site. I have a photobucket account but I guess that isn't supported here? I am technology handicapped.

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If you notice they don't have any whitetail pictures after 2010. When I came through Edmonton airport out of 15 hunters only 2 of us had kills. Everyone talked about the lack of size they were seeing. I wouldn't go up there until 2016. The outfitter I used will have a bumper crop of big bucks then. I believe me and Ole Geauxt is going then.

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over the last 5 years there have been some bad outbreaks of disease in Nebraska, SD, Montana, and up into Canada. I know of several ranches that were seeing hundreds of whitetails and almost no mule deer 8-10 years ago. The whitetails had run the mule deer out.

But then the whitetails almost all died out. Now the mulies are coming back strong. Some of these places are very borderline for whitetails and you can expect population fluctuations. Which is why I focus on Kansas, Missouri, etc. Seems to be more stable and easier to get to.

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Had credibility up until now.

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Ok

click the direct link on photobucket.

Post reply here, click on img button ---> paste link into that field.

hit submit

ETA: who is your KS outfitter?

I wonder if some of yall have even been to a lodge.

Virtually nobody guarantees kills.

What a lot of outfitters guarantee is OPPORTUNITY to kill.

If you don't have an opportunity to shoot a lot of outfitters will allow either a free or discounted trip the nest season or later in the same season.

Apple Creek Ranch

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All hunts require a non-refundable 50% deposit when booked (if you cancel your hunt or do not harvest an animal your deposit can be used or transferred to a future hunt) . The remaining balance is due after a successful harvest.

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