Best state to kill a BIG whitetail - GO!

[wind gypsy]

Bid bodied or big antlered? The bucks we kill in Northern Minnesota (45 min drive from the border) are some of the biggest bodied deer in the country. Some incredible racks as well.

As far as big antlers I’d say Iowa is my top choice.

Yeah the dedicated swamp bucks don’t tend to get as big as the bucks that live in the wood lots surrounding the hundreds of thousands of acres farm land up there.

There are tons of swamps, lakes, streams around those farms as well. Lots of timber cover, plenty of water, and lots of grain/bean crops make them just monster bodied deer.

The bucks tend to hit the soybean and conola fields really hard in the evenings while the does and fawns are prone to the alfalfa/grass fields. During the rut we catch bucks chasing does out into the big alfalfa fields which makes for good stand hunting.

I prefer to follow known deer travel highways at a slow pace along the edges of wood lots near the bean fields. This is how and where I’ve seen the absolute monster bucks up there.

Sounds like NW MN you're referring to. North central and NE have a ton of opportunity and public land but less than great #s and quality. We have 170 acres surrounded by public. With some habitat improvements and food we attract quite a bit more deer traffic than surrounding land. We have it covered pretty well with trail cams and I'm not sure there is a buck on cam in the last year that I would bet on being 3 or older.

 

[EVO100517]

I've heard Kansas before, but I've had friends nab some monster's in Ohio and Missouri.

 

[neverquit]

Who care... white tail are farmed pets lolololl .

Just kidding lol

 

[bdg848]

Illinois....NOT Iowa...do not come to Iowa, waste of time. Go anywhere but Iowa.

 

[Antlergeekadam]

Iowa. Kansas. In that order

 

[Canichols424]

Kansas

 

[Hunt41]

What about Pennsylvania?? It has really improved! There is a great chance at a 100 inch whitetail nowadays.

 

[mitchp]

Iowa
Kansas
Ohio
Missouri

Damn Skippy....the buckeye baby!

 

[mitchp]

I know this is asking about states, but if you guys have never experienced a SK or AB rut hunt in Canada its pretty impressive.
These are big deer.

For sure! That's why I love watching Cody and Kelsey....well that,and Kelsey is smokin hot...lol

 

[30338]

Just bought 80 acres of treed river bottom in Kansas with milo on one side and wheat currently on the other. See if we can turn it into a good hunting spot. So to all those who said Kansas, hoping you are right.

 

[Bdjones]

Just bought 80 acres of treed river bottom in Kansas with milo on one side and wheat currently on the other. See if we can turn it into a good hunting spot. So to all those who said Kansas, hoping you are right.

What part of south Kansas? I'm from Southeast

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[30338]

I'm south of Hays on the Smoky Hill River. It was as far west as I could find what I think is good ground. I guess time will tell.

 

[Bdjones]

I'm south of Hays on the Smoky Hill River. It was as far west as I could find what I think is good ground. I guess time will tell.

I know that area down south there to I-35 grows some giants. Walnut river bottoms too.

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[Unobogus]

In Greenup, east of Effingham.

I'm just a little SE of you, by about an hour

 

[Mossyhorns51]

Wisconsin

 

[Koby_Paul]

This is my first post to RokSlide! - I have read several forums on this site and have a good friend that refers to it all the time. With that said, I have hunted several states chasing all sorts of game - but as time goes on, I feel like the best state to kill a big whitetail can change from year to year due to over-hunting, disease, etc. Now, what is your opinion on the BEST state to kill a BIG whitetail and why? Thanks!!!

Ohio!

 

[sektr]

Canada

 

[Lytro]

Big whitetail can be found just about anywhere. I'd rather hunt EVERY year in a place that tops out around 140" than only have an opportunity to hunt every 5 years for "giants".

If you're talking about a hypothetical scenario of having an abundance of managed private land to hunt in any state every year, that's a whole different story.

In order: Iowa, Wisconsin, Kansas

 

[BigPig069]

Kansas
Iowa
Illinois
Texas

 

[Pk_in_Dallas]

Big whitetail can be found just about anywhere. I'd rather hunt EVERY year in a place that tops out around 140" than only have an opportunity to hunt every 5 years for "giants".

If you're talking about a hypothetical scenario of having an abundance of managed private land to hunt in any state every year, that's a whole different story.

In order: Iowa, Wisconsin, Kansas

That’s why I go to Canada every year because you don’t have to draw a tag. Granted it’s going to cost you $5-6k with any top outfitter to hunt in the great WMU’s in either Sask or Alberta.

Kansas comes in a close 2nd. I’m a resident but even if I wasn’t you can expect to draw a tag there pretty consistently year over year. I love Kansas but it doesn’t hold a candle to Canada.

Iowa 3rd because it takes more points to draw tag consistently. Still doesn’t beat Canada because you can’t use a rifle during the rut. Iowa is on par with Canada but the bucks are much harder to kill because you have to use a bow similar to Kansas during the rut.


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