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

[kscreekguy]

I live in Kansas, fun hunting. One day would like to try Iowa. But, I still have lots of state to explore.

 

[shooterrdy]

Iowa if land access is available, harder to draw the tag and KS is overrun with hunters

 

[Roofer1]

Iowa, late muzzleloader. Reference pic

 

[IAMike304]

For me. . .IA. . . ( I live here now). I have not hunted IL, but spent quite a few years in KS hunting private and public. Bothunted IA for the first time in 2014 and bought a house here the very next year. Doesnt compare to anywhere else.

There is a LOT of hunting in IA that is just as good as KS and better than anywhere else in the country without needing 3-5 pts(archery). Most just dont put in the work to find it, as they want to hit the zone 4-6 tag.

 

[Hunters]

Iowa! I just love the country there

 

[Gobbler36]

Don’t know where you live but I’d throw Kentucky in the mix also as a good state that has consistently produced some big deer and has some good public access

 

[hunter1981]

I have only hunted Illinois out of the 3. But from watching videos online, I would pick Iowa.

 

[Kurts86]

Having lived in Kansas and Illinois I would definitely take Kansas out of the 2.

Illinois is either really locked down on private access and the public land is overrun during the bow seasons. I’ve never lived anywhere like northern Illinois where the reward for hard work hunting on public land has so little pay off.

Kansas has the advantage that there are so few people outside of eastern edge of the state that you can find lower pressured spots and KDPW does a great job with public/private access.

I don’t have experience with Iowa but I really enjoy hunting Northern Missouri and understand Southern Iowa to be even better with lower pressure.

 

[Vtbowhunter3]

Have hunted Kansas and Iowa. Iowa for me all day long!!!


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[iowawhitetailnut]

I live in Iowa and have archery, shotgun, and late muzzie hunted for many years. EHD has been rough the past several years. Deer numbers are much lower than several years back. There are pockets that have high deer densities, but they tend to be the highly managed areas where very few deer are harvested. I have been fortunate to take 2 booners in my years, but have not even seen a booner for at least 10 years now.

 

[westward_archer]

Iowa. draw for most areas. Less people. Better managed deer.


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[beforethehunt]

How about public land opportunity in each state? Hunted ks public but not iowa


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[ksteinthor]

I always go for the success rate of catching a reindeer but fees are an issue as well, Greenland being the expensive case but provides a great hunt, hits the spot for me. Try out Iowa.

 

[Clay Courington]

Illinois is Super expensive to hunt, so choosing between the remaining two I would pick Kansas for the fact that it's easier to draw.

 

[Trial153]

Hunted Iowa and KS several times, and have friends that hunt western IL every year because they own farms there.

There is no best. They all will produce excellent bucks. The best state is the one that YOU have access to the best ground with as little year to year pressure as possible.

 

[Biggie]

Grew up in a poor deer hunting area of IA and currently live in KS. IA gets my vote for an archery hunt. KS wildlife areas are a zoo during the rut. WIHAs generally have less deer pressure but you also have to contend with upland hunters. That being said 3 of my 4 best bucks have came from KS, but only one with a bow. The quality is here but nothing compares to the sheer number of deer in IA, even on public. If KS limited tags to the extent IA did it would be a toss up between the two.

 

[beforethehunt]

Grew up in a poor deer hunting area of IA and currently live in KS. IA gets my vote for an archery hunt. KS wildlife areas are a zoo during the rut. WIHAs generally have less deer pressure but you also have to contend with upland hunters. That being said 3 of my 4 best bucks have came from KS, but only one with a bow. The quality is here but nothing compares to the sheer number of deer in IA, even on public. If KS limited tags to the extent IA did it would be a toss up between the two.

That’s what I have heard from others. There isn’t much public on iowa which is the downside to iowa


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[Cspraggins]

Kansas before Illinois just because I like the option of hunting hardwoods and open country.

 

[jrbarnes9972]

IA. Hands down the best archery state for big whitetail. The late, and shot shotgun season really leads itself to bow hunters

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[beforethehunt]

I live in Iowa and have archery, shotgun, and late muzzie hunted for many years. EHD has been rough the past several years. Deer numbers are much lower than several years back. There are pockets that have high deer densities, but they tend to be the highly managed areas where very few deer are harvested. I have been fortunate to take 2 booners in my years, but have not even seen a booner for at least 10 years now.

What part of iowa are you in?


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