I was just reading over the replies in the thread regarding which State everyone would like to hunt and I was overwhelmed at how many folks put down Kansas. I was at first very curious as to why Kansas. Of course it's my home State and I love it here but I really wondered what everyone else's reasons and motivations were and what were they based on. But then as I read on and viewed all of the other replies I realized a pattern was beginning to emerge. Illinois, Iowa, "Saskatchewan", and what really did it was "The Milk River in Montana". All of these places have one thing in common....hunting videos....Monster Bucks, Primos, Drury, Mossy Oak, Buckmaster's....you rarely if ever see these videos filmed in Oklahoma, Mississippi, Kentucky, Colorado, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Indiana, Minnesota, Tennesse...etc, etc, etc. It's commercialism of hunting at it's best. I don't know about other States but here in Kansas unless you have your own private sanctuary your chances of having access to land of old that holds monsters of old prior to the days of out-of-state guides, outfitters, and leasing hawgs then you might as well stay in your own backyard. But then I guess it was just a dreamer's wish post, but it amazed me how much affect these videos and hunting show had on viewers. If you do a study of PY & BC bucks you would find that Kansas is good but certainly not the best. But then maybe it's not the monster bucks that are the lure...perhaps it's just the pretty sunflowers (that can only be seen here and there in the "Sunflower State") Just an interesting observation.

I haven't watched many hunting videos - just found out the other day that I had the Outdoor Channel (very excited about that!)
I was kind of wondering why so many people chose Kansas myself.

I would have thought, Illinois, Ohio, Wisconsin, Indiana would be the top 4 for Deer - and Colorado would be #1 for everything else

I can agree very much with what you have said.

I Would just like the oppertunity to harvest a very large bodied deer. Something 275+ pounds.

Any where far enough up north would do it. But I said Sask. Probably from the all the Monster buck videos and shows as you said.

I could have easily said Maine or Ontario or any other place up north for that matter. But Sask. was the first place to come to mind.

Further more

IMO Ohio is the MECCA of big bucks.
It is so over looked and I am cool with that


Case in point.

Ohio is ranked 4th for P&Y entries over the past 10 years.

More than half of Ohios bow hunters use a crossbow.

So that means half of ohios bow hunters tally the # 4 ranking.

This is taken fron the Boone & Crockett website

TOP TEN WHITETAIL STATES
STATE # OF ENTRIES
1. IOWA 615
2. MINNESOTA 608
3. WISCONSIN 589
4. ILLINOIS 552
5. TEXAS 316
6. MISSOURI 285
7. KENTUCKY 279
8. KANSAS 255
9. OHIO 235
10. MICHIGAN 155

Ky isn't tops but it's top ten.
I do agree with you post though. I can definately see the commercialization of hunting and I do not believe it is a positive but that's just my $0.02

We've got good big bodied deer here in Maine but we just can't grow the racks like they do in the heartlands and in Sask.

Team Primos does alot of hunting in Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and Alabama.....just a bit of useless knowledge

Looks like us WI hunters are going to have to step it up to get "our" #1 spot back! lol.

I hear you. Now, I hunt the Milk River in Montana, and it's a vast divide between what the videos portray and what I actually see. I'm not hunting any of the exclusive private land from the videos, but...

I commonly see the Milk River forced into a class with IL, IA, KS, and Canada, and that's just really a false comparison. Someone who has hunted prime land in those other areas is going to be massively disappointed if they outlay their bucks for a pilgrimage in pursuit of Milk River bucks.

Don't get me wrong, it's solid hunting and there are some good bucks. Just remember, in that country a 3 1/2 year old is only going to score 105-125, which just doesn't compare to the scores of those midwestern bucks that can push B&C by the same age.

Dirt2...that is an interesting observation and just confirms my belief that the media and marketing are driving the sport of bowhunting more than folks know....especially the unsuspecting folks.[]

Also, most 3.5 year old bucks here are not yet mature and sporting their full potential and I would have to say most are also hovering around that 110-125 mark, although some can hit BC at that age, most don't. Those Realtime boys really love the Milk River don't they?