If you could hunt Kansas Iowa or Illinois. Which one and why?

[SoDaky]

I hunt Ks and Illinois annually.Sadly can't do it in Iowa.

 

[P Y Buck]

I have hunted Morgan, Brown, Schyler and Greene county in Illinois over the past 10 years on leased ground. The tags are expensive in Illinois, but in my opinion it is worth the price of admission. I have never had a stand or camera stolen and harvested a booner last year, numerous P&Y bucks and a respectful 10 year old. The neighbors and town folk have been very nice and we have made some great friends.

 

[Dead eye BT]

I’d pick whichever one I could get access to the best piece of ground. That’s what it really comes down to.

 

[rootacres]

What state would you pick and why?

Iowa archery and done. You'll need 3-4 preference points to guarantee a tag. IL is a well documented state for good whitetail hunting. The problem is, everyone knows it and so do the outfitters. Not to say there aren't good outfitters but my southern IL hunt was a horror story. The deer numbers aren't as plentiful in KS but the trophy potential is there.

 

[TheGreek]

I live in IL and hunt public land in west-central Illinois and have been buying points the last few years to be able to hunt in southern Iowa in the future. IL has essentially unlimited NR archery licenses and come the rut you can see it at public spot parking lots.

 

[notradame]

I enjoy hunting in Iowa so...there goes.

 

[TSAMP]

I live and hunt SE IA. Feel free to ping me if you have any questions.

 

[Gen273]

Illinois would be third on that list for me. I have hunted Illinois several times over the last 20 years and it's not what it used to be, in my opinion.

 

[Tonycoover]

Ks

 

[gjs4]

Have been blessed to and hunted some PRIMO ground in Brown Co ILL. Very nice deer often but the number of gaggers has gone down every yr for the last 3.

Have 4 pts now- hoping zone 5 Iowa next yr if I can find a place to go and it’s worth going. Scouted private there near Albia last year. Also some good deer but nothing that made my heart skip

K’s is somewhere I haven’t been but all my buddies who have swear it’s the promised land. Most went SW


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[Lukem]

Kansas will probably wind up being like Iowa in the next decade where non residents have to wait 4 years to get drawn.

Not unless KS decides to drop their NR quota by 75% or applicant numbers quadruple. IA issues far fewer NR permits.

Nebraska has a similar lifetime license. I think they have to pay out of state price for the tag, but don’t need to buy the out of state hunting license. So that adds up over time. One of my biggest regrets is not getting one when I lived there.

Nebraska's Lifetime Small Game permit has nothing to do with buying big game permits. It doesn't allow you to buy at a resident rate, it's simply a small game license.

 

[bjfoxhoven]

Not unless KS decides to drop their NR quota by 75% or applicant numbers quadruple. IA issues far fewer NR permits.


Nebraska's Lifetime Small Game permit has nothing to do with buying big game permits. It doesn't allow you to buy at a resident rate, it's simply a small game license.

Yes I know that. Just pointing out the fact they had a lifetime hunting license. I wish I bought one because I have areas I could pheasant hunting and coyote hunt down there without buying the out of state license.

 

[Tony Trietch]

Just seeing this thread.

I have hunted all three starting back many many years ago. I think the quality of bucks comes down to the land you can hunt and how it is managed.
Maybe figure out how you want to hunt (tree stands or Spot and stalk). If I never sit in another tree the rest of my life, I will be just fine. KS is plenty open enough to spot and stalk on the ground, not so much in Iowa and IL.

I have found, hunted and killed B&C grossing bucks in IL and KS but never in Iowa. Hunting there every 4-5 years hurts your ability to learn it as well as you can in IL and KS where you can draw every year.

 

[SneakyThunderCat]

Iowa, only because I can hunt there every year! but seriously, southern Iowa during the rut is a magical place.

 

[MTCruisin']

From KDWP, and I almost didn't believe it myself: "The holders of lifetime hunting licenses are always considered Kansas residents when purchasing turkey and big game permits, regardless of where they live."

(this also includes applying for the elk draw and the firearms/muzzleloader antelope draw, as well as OTC archery antelope tags). 16th birthday present was a lifetime license, best gift I've ever been given.

I hunt Kansas every year, if I made a plan involving only those 3 I would build points in Iowa and hunt Kansas in the years I don't draw in Iowa -just because I like hunting different places. Gun to my head and only choose 1? Definitely Kansas.

 

[Eddiem0nster]

For trophy bucks, no state can touch Iowa. On a 7 day rut hunt in Nov, you could see a lifetime of monster bucks. I'm in the process of compiling my video footage from this past season. I shot my target buck day 3, and then sat in a tree in sub zero temps for days with the video camera. It was traumatizing. The video I captured is insane. All that said, 2019 did not compare to my 2014 hunt. I was within 30yds of 6-7 legit booners. Twice laid eyes on a picket fence typical 14pt that was every bit of 200'. I'm retiring to Iowa, with or without the wife.

sold ahah

 

[Rwolf]

I've hunted Kansas and Illinois. I enjoyed Illinois more because of the terrain. Kansas is too cut up and is more open. They both have monsters but i feel Kansas has been over pressured in most areas.

 

[tdhanses]

From KDWP, and I almost didn't believe it myself: "The holders of lifetime hunting licenses are always considered Kansas residents when purchasing turkey and big game permits, regardless of where they live."

Why I bought mine years ago, cost is only going up, you can also still put in for the resident only elk tags.

 

[KHNC]

Didnt IOWA have a bad year of EHD again last year? How did that affect the primo whitetail areas?

 

[Brian Fahs]

It all depends on the quality of the ground you have access to. Each state has monsters but not on every section. Big deer are usually killed on purpose not by accident even in those states.
My personal favorite is iowa but now it will take 5 years between bow hunts. Kansas can be had almost every year but the outfitters and leases know this and it really Jacks up the price to gain access there.