2026-27 Kansas NR Hunting / April Draw info.

[Iowa.guy.7mmMag]

Hello Everyone,
The whitetail draw in Kansas is in April every year and it will be here before you know it so don't forget to put in your application and to make it easier, I started this thread to ask any questions you need answered so myself or the other people on Rokslide can help answer any questions. I've been in just about every unit in Eastern Kansas especially between Kansas City and Wichita.

I hunt with a handful of out of state guys every year and they always have 3 new questions every year.

I wish back in the day when I was struggling to find out-of-state hunting opportunities that someone would have reached out to help me with processes and info, but we didn't have all this back in the day. We are talking about general information and not giving away any secret spots.

If you want to talk about specific areas to hunt or specific unit destinations, then DM me so you don't get yelled at lol.

I live in South Central Iowa and hunt Eastern Kansas every other year as a Non-Resident and I'm killing big whitetails in Iowa every year and Kansas every other - both states are awesome every year. I have a house in Kansas which makes it easier and I lease 5 farms every year in Kansas - I been in Kansas working and hunting for about 17 years and have alot of knowledge of the areas / draw processes.

If you're in Eastern Kansas then I know a few good outfitters in my area, and they are 4500.00 to 5500.00 for 5-day hunts and there are leasing opportunities in Kansas if you have a couple of hunters to go in on that type of deal which is more work on your end but might be a better deal in the end with more time to hunt. Let me know if I can help.

 

[JJ1179]

Great thread. I may be looking into Kansas this year myself.

 

[Long Cut]

Following as well. I’m sitting on 2 points & will be hunting Kansas or Illinois this year.

 

[Iowa.guy.7mmMag]

I found out the other day that if you do the early muzzleloader season hunt which is 2nd half of September 13 days and you don't tag out you get to hunt the regular rifle season another 13 days, but you have to use your muzzleloader - well I have a 400 yard muzzleloader and that will cover most fields on my leases so that's 26 days with a gun in your hand that's a long time to get it done. Plus, you could be somewhere else in November bowhunting. Man, if I could ever give up the bow season down there, I would really just probably do the Muzzie hunt. I hardly ever see anyone around during that September it's a little warm but 13 days that means 13 afternoon hunts lol.

 

[Chromeslayer]

Got 2 points.. goin for early muzzleloader this sept

 

[Dos Perros]

I found out the other day that if you do the early muzzleloader season hunt which is 2nd half of September 13 days and you don't tag out you get to hunt the regular rifle season another 13 days, but you have to use your muzzleloader - well I have a 400 yard muzzleloader and that will cover most fields on my leases so that's 26 days with a gun in your hand that's a long time to get it done. Plus, you could be somewhere else in November bowhunting. Man, if I could ever give up the bow season down there, I would really just probably do the Muzzie hunt. I hardly ever see anyone around during that September it's a little warm but 13 days that means 13 afternoon hunts lol.

Believe the rifle season is 12 days. Opens on a Wednesday and closes Sunday.

 

[3855WIN]

any idea what the true draw odds are for archery? Published odds appear to lump all forms of hunting together.

 

[Iowa.guy.7mmMag]

Where I'm at it just went to where you have to have 1 point to draw and this is eastern Kansas. I think in every unit that I checked when I look at the draw stats everyone drew if they had one point going into the lottery and that's the way I plan my hunts - I'm looking 2 years in advance and making my plan of what I'm going to hunt and where.
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I am guaranteed a tag when I have one point so I plan for every other year and I don't even try to hunt the off year when I don't have a point going into the lottery. It makes that easier when you live and get to hunt Iowa every year. So, I hunt Iowa every year and then I hunt Iowa and Kansas every other year. It's about a 50% draw odd if you don't have a point in most units and that's not bad comparing that to other states.
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Throw in a New Mexico Elk hunt and a New Mexico Antelope hunt randomly whenever I can fit them in and it's a hard life. LMAO
.

 

[gjs4]

Are there any KS savvy folks on here? Asking to understand the three areas of the state-west, central, east- having only hunted the east before. What is it like hunting the smoky hills, the flint hills etc. Thank you

 

[Muleyczy]

Where I'm at it just went to where you have to have 1 point to draw and this is eastern Kansas. I think in every unit that I checked when I look at the draw stats everyone drew if they had one point going into the lottery and that's the way I plan my hunts - I'm looking 2 years in advance and making my plan of what I'm going to hunt and where.
.
I am guaranteed a tag when I have one point so I plan for every other year and I don't even try to hunt the off year when I don't have a point going into the lottery. It makes that easier when you live and get to hunt Iowa every year. So, I hunt Iowa every year and then I hunt Iowa and Kansas every other year. It's about a 50% draw odd if you don't have a point in most units and that's not bad comparing that to other states.
.
Throw in a New Mexico Elk hunt and a New Mexico Antelope hunt randomly whenever I can fit them in and it's a hard life. LMAO
.

So a guy with 15 points should be able to draw anywhere in Kansas?…asking for a friend

 

[Iowa.guy.7mmMag]

So a guy with 15 points should be able to draw anywhere in Kansas?…asking for a friend

Wow and yes 15 points should get your friend a tag - just a dumb question why would he waste money buying 13 more points than needed in any unit lol

 

[Iowa.guy.7mmMag]

Are there any KS savvy folks on here? Asking to understand the three areas of the state-west, central, east- having only hunted the east before. What is it like hunting the smoky hills, the flint hills etc. Thank you

I am close enough to the flint hills to have drove through it 10 times and it is wide open seems like it would be hard to hunt but if you found a creek system running through those wide open plains then you would probably be on a great funnel system. I haven't hunted the western part and as far as the east side it would be like hunting Iowa or Illinois hang a bunch of stands in the timber / creek bottoms/ field edges / pinch points and spend as much of November as you can in them.

 

[Iowa.guy.7mmMag]

Posting a couple bucks from last season that I'll be chasing this year in Kansas

 

[mlevimadden]

I grew up in Western Kansas and still make it back a couple times a year. The deer population in the western half of the state is really hurting the last couple years compared to the Eastern side. The mule deer population especially has significantly dropped. If I was applying for a NR whitetail tag, I'd be going for the East.