KANSAS TROPHY WHITETAILS
$5750 RIFLE OR MUZZLELOADER
$5000 6 DAY ARCHERY
This northeastern Kansas whitetail hunt takes place in one of the top producing Boone and Crockett counties and has produced some exceptional bucks. The outfitter has over 25,000 private acres including 11 miles of river bottom and maintains an extensive feeding program that has paid off big dividends.
Prior to 2022 hunters were able to draw their whitetail tag with a 90% success rate, but due to the increased number of hunter applications the draw odds have lowered to about 50% or as low as 30% for a group if you do not have any preference points so hunters should purchase a preference point before the mid-April deadline.
2022 September muzzleloader season produced 3 bucks for 6 hunters, best buck went 167 down to low 150’s, 2 really good bucks were missed. November archery had 17 hunters tag 8 bucks including a 181, 180 and a 173. First rifle season hadn’t started at press time.
2021 started in September with 5 muzzleloader hunters killing a 181 and a 150 inch buck and a buck was missed. November archery produced 7 bucks for 16 hunters including 2 over 170, 2 at 158, 157, 148, 145 8 point and a cool old knurly buck in the 130’s. 2 deer were hit and lost. First rifle season went 4 for 7, including a 195, 156, 145 eight point and a small buck. Second rifle finished 6 for 8 and all 6 bucks grossed in the 150’s.
5 day Kansas muzzleloader hunt is $5,750, 6 day archery is $5,000 and 5 day rifle hunts are $5,750. Hunt includes 2×1 guide service, lodge accommodations and meals. Hunters fly into Kansas City and rent a car. Draw deadline mid-April. Limited 2023 openings due to repeat clientele. HCU’s Bob Wodzisz has been to this property. Hunt WDK565. WDK565 Hunt Photos.
IOWA WHITETAILS $4800
BOW/6 DAYS OR GUN/5 DAYS
PRIVATE FARMS
This southcentral Iowa hunt takes place on private farms located in Zone 5. This is a small operation that takes a low number of deer hunters annually considering the large number of farms they have available to hunt. Archery hunters use both lock-on stands and some ladder stands. They also have some blinds built on stilts for gun hunters.
They normally run two archery hunts starting in early November. First gun hunt starts the first Saturday in December, second gun starts the second Saturday and late muzzleloader is December 26 to January 10.
The outfitter will increase his minimum gross score on a mainframe 10 point to 150 inch and mainframe 8 point to 140 inches with a penalty fine of $1,000, which maintains a high trophy quality hunt. No charge if it is an old cull buck.
2022 archery finished with 17 archers crippling 3 bucks, passing on 3 good bucks early and killing 2 penalty bucks.
2021 archery finished with 25 bow hunters tagging 12 bucks, including 3 penalty bucks. Overall average was 153 gross points and top buck went 185 inches.
2021 first gun went 5 for 5, best buck grossed 151 and a penalty buck was taken. Second gun was 2 for 3, both in the 140’s, along with one wounded and lost buck. Late muzzleloader had 16 hunters tag 6 bucks with the top 3 grossing 165, 156 and 151. One cull buck was also taken and one hit and lost buck and a miss.
Archery hunts are 6 days and gun is 5 days at $4,800 plus 5 percent tax. Archers arrive Saturday, hunt Sunday to Friday and leave Saturday. A new lodge was built in 2022 for accommodations.
Draw deadline is June 1 and it normally takes 3 or 4 preference points to draw the archery tag and 1 or 2 points to draw a gun tag. GO TO WWW.GOOUTDOORSIOWA.COM THE MONTH OF MAY TO ACQUIRE YOUR PREFERENCE POINT FOR $52, you do not have to name a unit or weapon of choice. 2023 is booked full, book now for 2024. HCU’s Scott Steinkruger has hunted with this outfitter. Hunt WD799. WD799 Hunt Photos.
SASKATCHEWAN MONSTER
WHITETAILS $6700
This area has a combined 4 outfitter units totaling over 500 square miles hunted only by this one outfitter. He is allocated over 120 whitetail tags, but normally only takes about 45 deer hunters per year. He has two superb main lodges along with two comfortable outpost camps. Baiting is allowed and they normally use heated Double Bull blinds, fiberglass elevated box blinds and some treestands on bait sites. Stands are accessed by side by side UTV’s often off old logging roads. This outfit also runs archery and early muzzleloader hunts.
2022 at press time 19 rifle hunters had tagged 17 bucks ranging from the 140’s to mid 160’s.
2021 was a banner year with quite a few bucks taken gross scoring in the 160’s and another 3 or 4 were in the 170’s. A tough winter die off occurred after the 2021 season.
6 day hunts are $6,700 and INCLUDES $445 deer tag and a little over $300 in tax, arrive on Sunday and depart on Saturday. Hunters fly into Saskatoon and rent a car for the 3 1/2 hour drive or from Edmonton with a 5 1/2 hour drive. Rifle hunts typically run from early November to and including the first week of December. They also offer early season archery and muzzleloader hunts. 2023 is booked full, so get on the waiting list for 2024. HCU’s Scott Steinkruger has hunted with this outfit. Hunt WD304.
WHITETAIL $4000 5 DAYS
SOUTHEAST WYOMING
WHITETAIL/PRONGHORN $5500
WHITETAIL/COW ELK COMBO $6000
This ranch located in southeastern Wyoming is known for the elk hunting and has an extensive amount of agriculture along the river bordering pinon juniper cover in the rolling hills. The property has had little to zero whitetail pressure past years resulting in mature bucks with a high age structure and deer numbers have greatly increased. This deer tag can be drawn with 0 points and there are typically left-over tags.
2022 was a little down as he only took 3 hunters and they killed 2 bucks, high 130’s and a 140. The third hunter hit a buck that was later seen.
2021 he had 3 rifle hunters tag 3 bucks, 150’s, 140’s and a high 130’s.
2020 he took 4 rifle hunters and all tagged bucks, best mid 150’s, 2 in 140’s and a high 130’s buck.
5 hunting days is only $4,000 guided 2×1 with cabin accommodations and home cooked meals. The ranch is a beautiful setting that is also home to a good number of elk.
He normally does one hunt mid-October that can be combined with antelope if the hunter draws the pronghorn tag for an additional $1,000. He also runs a late November hunt during the deer rut with the option to be combined with a cow elk for only $1,500 and there are normally left-over tags. HCU’s Bob Wodzisz has been on this ranch. Hunt WD2643.
OHIO/KENTUCKY BORDER BUCKS
$3500 BOW/SHOTGUN/MZ
Here is a small outfitter that has about 19 private farms in southwestern Ohio located in one of the top whitetail counties near the Ohio River just across the border from Kentucky. He plants food plots, has some elevated box blinds with spin feeders and plenty of ladder stands, lock-ons and pop-up ground blinds and in some situations uses Ozonics scent elimination. He takes a very limited number of hunters not overhunting his properties and continues to produce high success on quality bucks.
2022 he had a total of 12 archers kill 5 bucks and a few missed. Most bucks taken grossed in the 130’s. First shotgun/muzzleloader season they killed 1 buck for 2 hunters. Later hunts were not completed at press time.
2021 he had 19 bowhunters kill 11 bucks with 2 misses. Top 2 bucks went 160 and 150 with the majority scoring in the 140’s. First shotgun/muzzleloader season they went 1 for 4, with a 135 plus type buck. Late muzzleloader he had 2 hunters take a 138 inch 9 point and a buck in the 160’s was missed.
5 day hunts are $3,500 with accommodations either a remodeled farmhouse with 4 bedrooms or a couple cabins and hunters do their own meals. The outfitter typically puts a party in their own accommodations and sometimes archers have their own cabins.
Archery hunts are from late September to January 31. Shotgun/muzzleloader season is the first Monday after Thanksgiving. Late muzzleloader season is a 4 day hunt usually starting the first Saturday in January. Hunt WD513.
NEBRASKA WHITETAILS
ARCHERY $4250 RIFLE $4750
This Nebraska hunt produces a few bucks every year over that magical 150 inches and averages right around that 140 mark. The outfitter has an extensive protein feed program on his 100,000 private acres with 8 miles of Platte River bottom.
The outfitter hunts out of 2 camps. The Island Camp has 7 miles of riverbottom with an explosive population of good whitetails. It has a remodeled ranch house and new bunkhouse for accommodations.
West Camp is located on 80 square miles in the hills for mule deer and 5 miles of riverbottom on the Platte River for whitetails. Success on mule deer has been over 80 percent and the average buck gross scores near 160 inches.
He is adding a new camp located only about 15 minutes from the Island Camp. This place has 3 miles of Platte riverbottom and both sides of the river on 2 miles. He plans on taking about 12 rifle hunters here in 2023 and there are openings.
2022 archery he took 10 bowhunters out of the Island Camp and they killed 5 with the top buck grossing in the 150’s.
Rifle season the Island Camp had 20 hunters tag 12 bucks with 4 going over 150 inches and overall averaging in the 140’s. The West Camp had 11 whitetail hunters kill 7 bucks and 2 bucks were missed. 16 mule deer hunters killed 15 muley bucks and one whitetail. Top mule deer went 186, 170’s and a 155.
2021 he ran a late September mule deer hunt for 5 archers harvesting 2 bucks in the 160’s. All hunters shot at bucks. Whitetail he had 18 archers kill 7, hit and lost 2, and several misses. Top bucks grossed in the 140’s, nothing huge. First hunt late October had high winds with bad conditions and was a bust. Next two hunts were much better with 100 percent opportunity.
Rifle season at the Island Camp over the course of two hunts finished with 17 hunters tagging 12 bucks and crippling 2. West Camp first hunt went 13 for 13, but 2 bucks should not have been shot. Second rifle hunt went 7 for 12 with 3 misses. Best bucks grossed in the 150’s.
Mule deer 14 hunters killed 11 bucks with a few misses. Unsuccessful hunters were repeats and passed. A couple bucks grossed in the 170’s and rest in 160’s.
Archery hunters typically enjoy 100 percent opportunity on 130 inch or better bucks. Rifle hunts normally run about 80 percent success on bucks averaging 140 inches. There is a $500 penalty with a 130 inch gross minimum.
5 day bowhunts are $4,250 and run October 24 to 28 and November 1 to 5.
4 day rifle whitetail hunts in mid to late November are $4,750 or mule deer is $6,500 with a 60% draw.
Nice ranch house accommodations, meals and guiding are included. Whitetail licenses are over the counter, no draw. Fly to Denver and rent a car or if you fly into North Platte, they provide airport pickup. Limited openings due to repeat hunters. HCU’s Bob Wodzisz has been to this camp. Hunt WD/MD565. WD/MD565 Hunt Photos.
SASKATCHEWAN WHITETAILS
6 HUNTING DAYS ONLY $4500
Here is an inexpensive Saskatchewan whitetail hunt where the outfitter has a 300,000 acre area that borders farmland and bush.
2022 was tough mainly due to a 2021/2022 severe winter resulting in probably a 50 percent deer loss. So far, his hunters have been 50 percent on kills and the best buck went 169 inches, second best at 155 and overall average around 145.
2021 his 8 hunters killed 8 bucks, mostly in the 150’s and 160’s, best went 169 down to smallest at 145. He started November 12 with 2 hunters, next week 3 and finished last week with 3 guys. Weather was kind of warm, but they did have snow. Deer numbers seemed a little down, but the quality has really been improving.
6 day rifle whitetail hunts from late October through November are only $4,500 plus license/tax. He has 25 heated box blinds about 8 to 12 feet off the ground. Nice two story cabin accommodations right on the lake. This is a super priced hunt and airport pickup can be arranged from Saskatoon at a cost of $400 round trip that can be divided amongst hunters. Openings for prime dates may be available for 2023. Hunt WD577. WD577 Hunt Photos.
22,500 ACRE FREE RANGE TEXAS
WHITETAIL MANAGEMENT HUNT
$2850 3 DAYS 1 BUCK 1 DOE
HOGS OR JAVELINA
This outfitter has run 15 trophy hunters on the ranch for the past 16 years along with management hunts for any mature bucks up to 8 points. They allow you one management buck, one doe, hogs or javelina if you are going to take them for meat or a mount, you cannot just shoot them and not utilize them.
The ranch has some rolling hills with cedars and mesquite bottoms. Hunters do 2 sits per day and normally see 20 or so bucks per day. Accommodations is a nice doublewide house with 5 bedrooms and 3 baths with 2 hunters per room. Meals are quick cold breakfast, back for a good brunch, nap, snack, evening hunt and a late supper.
25 feeders with carpeted blinds and 7 low blinds 5 foot high, several ground blinds for bowhunters.
One management hunt first weekend of November, then strictly trophy hunts. Next management hunt is either December 20 to 22 or just after Christmas. Season ends December 31. They like to take close to 30 management deer hunters per year with success basically running near 100 percent on 8 pointers averaging in the 120’s and normally 5 or 6 in the 130’s. Deer can be quartered at the ranch or taken to a processer.
Hunters fly into San Angelo, pickup included. Hunt WDMG157.
$3000 TEXAS WHITETAIL HUNT
PRIVATE RANCH
GREAT ACCOMMODATIONS
This 1,200 acre private ranch under high fence is located in the Texas panhandle near the town of Clarendon. Arrive on a Thursday; hunt Friday, Saturday and Sunday, then depart on Monday. Three hunting days are priced very economically at $3,000 and that includes a buck of 8 or 9 points and gross scoring less than 150 Boone and Crockett inches, very nice accommodations, prepared meals and 1 on 1 guide service. Your guide will make the call on size and if he underestimates there is no additional charge to the hunter. Deer grossing from 150 up to 169 Boone and Crockett points have a trophy fee of $2,500. Top trophy bucks scoring over 170 have a $4,500 trophy fee. This ranch has limited hunting and is very brushy whereas some mature bucks are not seen all year except for during the rut. Management hunts take place from September to early December. Trophy hunts for bucks exceeding 150 inches are conducted later in November. Cull bucks, mature bucks not up to management standards, can sometimes be added at a much reduced price with the guide’s discretion.
This ranch owner only allows a very select number of hunters each year to hunt his ranch. Fantastic accommodations coupled with amazing meals along with a cold beer or a glass of fine wine at the end of the day just add to the experience.
They also offer superb inexpensive red stag hunting, along with trophy red sheep $3,000 and Sitka deer at $3,000. Texas non-resident license is $300. Hunters are met in Amarillo. Extremely limited openings, call for availability. HCU’s Scott Steinkruger and Cliff Graham have been on this ranch. Hunt WDP806. WDP806 Hunt Photos.
SOUTH OF THE BORDER
OLD MEXICO COUES DEER
If you want to take a Coues, then this is your outfitter. He is a U.S. outfitter that lives in Arizona and has run Coues and Gould’s turkey hunts in Mexico for over 20 years. Hunters are met at the Tucson Airport or if you are driving, at his home in Hereford, Arizona. Hunters are driven 2 to 5 hours across the border, depending on which ranch is to be hunted.
Archery hunts and early season rifle velvet hunts are conducted from mid-September to mid-October with ground blinds, ladder stands and trail cameras.
Rifle hunts from late November to the first week of February will include the January rut.
They typically only take up to 4 or 5 hunters at a time on any particular ranch and keep a low harvest quota per ranch to ensure future quality buck numbers.
5 day 1×1 hunts are priced at $4,500 with a trophy fee of $750 for any deer. Deer grossing 100 to 105 is $1,000, 105 to 110 is $1,250, 110 to 115 is $1,500, 115 to 120 is $2,000, 120 to 125 is $2,500, 125 to 130 is $3,000 etc. A second deer can be taken for $3,000 plus trophy fees. Cripple policy is also in effect. These prices INCLUDE ALL PAPERWORK, DOCUMENTS and assistance with your trophies upon return at port of entry. Hunters are responsible for the $28 visa. He is also an accomplished long range rifle builder and offers the use of his rifles at no additional cost.
Lodging are very clean comfortable ranch houses with hot showers, beds/linens and dining area including very good meals. Call us to speak with the outfitter on Hunt CD559.