Hunting early muzzleloader in KS this Monday and was curious where you guys are seeing the big bucks. Have alfalfa and milo as food sources. Last year they were off the alfalfa and in milo. But this year the season starts about 10 days later.

Are the big bucks staging before coming out to food sources now?

Are mornings any good? Nights seem to be the best this time of year.

Any ideas or thoughts would be very much appreciated!

Thanks Everyone!

I would set up in a spot between feeding areas and bedding areas in the morning. Tough to shoot one lying asleep in bed.

i took 2 kids out last weekend for their first deer. we saw 2 bucks still in velvet, but i know some have been out of velvet for atleast 3 weeks.

to tell you where you should hunt is almost impossible without a scout. it sounds like you have got them figured out better than you think, just go with your gut feeling and if you are wrong well do what the rest of us do (trial and error). i don't think your bucks are doing anything else differently than last year unless the foodsources have changed locations or something.

as for mornings and nights, that all depends on how you can hunt your land, some land has to be hunted in the evenings cause you are hunting the foodsources, other land can be hunted in the morning cause you can sneak in behind the food twards the bedding.

i am sure you will do good. i will be taking 2 more youngsters out for their first deer this weekend, i can update you with what i see at that point. i will say that we did watch manybucks and does walking through the open at 6:00 in the evening as they were going to the fields. one deer was shot at 6:30 in the afternoon and the other was shot 2 hours after sun up as a buck was walking back to his bed.

where in kansas are you hunting?

good luck!

I would say in this early season to try and sit over a water spot that is maybe located between food and the bedding area. My cameras have picked up pictures of deer all day long on our place. I have some pics of three different bucks that are probably in the high 130 to low 140 range and they are standing in the shade just off a bean field at 230 in the afternoon so I think location is more important then what time you sit. If you are in the spot they will come by. I'm down in SE Kansas near Chanute.

AN

x2 buckrogers

last year at this time, they were heavy into the milo. the 30 minutes before dark and after daylight were always the best. it all depends on the timing and at what stage the crops are in their development.

any acorns in your area? bucks are hitting them hard right now