Wet and cooler weather may bring better luck as duck and geese seasons open in Kansas

The 4-plus inches of rainfall in Wichita on Wednesday was the most in a single day since at least Sept. 9, 2016.

It’s much needed and will definitely help my hunting outlook.

Last year, I killed my buck over a small watering hole in the wooded area where I hunt. The watering level looked meager last year and even worse when I set up a stand a few weeks ago.

The rain should improve the depleted pond.

Deer know where the water sources are. And even though it may look nasty to us, it doesn’t bother them. It also may be their only water source.

As the rut heats up, bucks will often pass up on eating. Some studies say a mature buck will lose up to 20% of his body weight over the next couple months as he diverts his focus from food to finding does in estrus and fighting off other bucks. So a good size buck of 200 pounds will drop to 160 pounds in just a couple months. That’s like going from a linebacker to a kicker.

Bucks may pass up on some meals, but water is something they can’t do without. Water should be something you consider in your hunting strategy.

Chasing does and fighting off other bucks will leave a buck panting for water.

That’s exactly what played out for me last year. I was doing an evening hunt on Nov. 7, 2022.

The buck showed up and started chasing a couple of does. He’d put his head down and run 10 to 15 feet after a doe a couple of times before he’d stop. He then chased off a couple smaller bucks.

All this happened within 15 yards of me, but I didn’t feel comfortable trying to get a shot off while he was running and didn’t think a grunt would stop him while he was in the thick of it.

He then walked off.

I was giddy just to see the action that close and hoped I’d have another opportunity with that buck or another deer at some point.

Then, he popped out of the cedars 20 yards from me, went to the watering hole, drank and then walked by my broadside at eight yards. I let an arrow fly. He made it 40 yards.

So, his first instinct was to breed, second was to fend off other bucks and third was to drink water.

Some hunters will put a lot of emphasis on food plots. But make sure to factor a watering source into your hunt for a mature buck. It’s especially important during this drought.

— Michael Stavola

A hard freeze is coming

The first hard freeze of the season is coming this weekend, right when big bucks should be most receptive to rattling.

My advice is to rattle hard, rattle often and work your grunt tubes. If you’re hunting from the ground, don’t be shy about stomping your feet and rustling leaves. If you’re in a treestand, you can still have luck rattling.

Combine the cold front with much-needed rain and the opening weekend of duck and geese seasons throughout much of the state and you have the ingredients for a special weekend. Let’s hope the deer cooperate.

I expect a lot of hunters will be successful this weekend and early next week, if they can tough out the cold. Saturday and Sunday will be good days to stay in the stand as long as you can. If you hunt deer near waterfowl hunters, the increased activity may push more deer your way at unexpected times.

When you shoot a buck, send us pictures. Same with ducks and geese. You can send them to cswaim@wichitaeagle.com or mstavola@wichitaeagle.com

The photos don’t have to be fancy, elaborate or even that high quality (within reason).

Here’s an example: Chance Swaim and his German short-haired pointer Zeke pose with a mixed bag of game birds (ringneck ducks, mallards and a greater prairie chicken) taken by Swaim and his dad, Buck Swaim, in eastern Kansas circa 2008.

— Chance Swaim

Open seasons

Early or mid-season

Archery deer — Sept. 11 - Dec. 31

Ducks, High Plains Unit, first segment — Oct. 7 - Dec. 31

Ducks, Low Plains Early Zone, first segment — Oct. 7 - Dec. 31

Greater Prairie Chicken — Sept. 15 - Jan. 31, 2024

Dove (mourning and whitewing) — Sept. 1 - Nov. 29

Sandhill Crane Season, west zone — Oct.. 21 - Dec. 17

Squirrel — June 1 - Feb. 29, 2024

Rabbit, exotic dove and coyote seasons are open year-round.

Closing soon

Bullfrog — July 1 - Oct. 31 (Tuesday)

Running furbearers — March 1 - Nov. 8 (a Wednesday)

Rail — Sept. 1 - Nov. 9 (a Thursday)

Opening soon

Ducks, Low Plains Late Zone, first segment — Oct. 28 (Saturday) - Dec. 31

Dark Geese (All species but Snow, Ross’ and White-fronted) — Oct. 28 (Saturday) - Oct. 29 (Sunday); Reopens Nov. 1 (Wednesday) - Feb. 11, 2024

Light Geese (snow and Ross’) — Oct. 28 (Saturday) - Oct. 29 (Sunday); Reopens Nov. 1 (Wednesday) - Feb. 11, 2024

White-fronted Geese — Oct. 28 (Saturday) - Dec. 31

This week’s recipe

Stavola’s deer tenderloin: I usually don’t butcher my own deer, but I like the idea of farm to table, so I like to remove the tenderloin myself (it’s very easy to remove and can often be done without a knife) and cook it either the day of or after a harvest.

Salt, pepper and garlic powder the tenderloin to taste

In a cast-iron skillet, saute half of a sliced white onion for a couple of minutes and then add some sliced white button mushrooms. Can cook in vegetable oil or butter. Season them if you’d like.

Cook onion until it’s fragrant but still has some crunch and mushrooms are soft. Remove from the skillet.

Cut the tenderloin thin (or cook whole. Thinning it reduces any gamey taste, which means my wife will eat it) and saute in butter.

Cook to desired temperature, but it should only need 30 seconds or less on each side.

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