November is finally here, so expect to see more hunters in Kansas fields

November is here.

In Kansas, that means most hunting seasons are about to be in full swing.

White-tailed deer are on the move. The complicated and sometimes confusing duck and goose seasons are opening up across the state this month. And pheasant and quail seasons are just around the corner.

From now until the end of November, expect most public hunting ground to be heavily trafficked by hunters. If you want a spot, get there early and don’t be surprised when someone beats you to it or tries to crowd you out.

Some hunters are territorial. Some think they are the sole owners of public land. Others have no boundaries, no common sense and seem hellbent on ruining your hunt. That’s public hunting.

Share the land. Keep your cool. Communicate. Avoid conflicts. Be ready to change your plans, and familiarize yourself with the state’s online public hunting atlas.

Kansas has very little public hunting ground compared to other states, especially within a short drive of Wichita. As a general rule, public ground is less crowded the farther you travel away from Wichita and Kansas City. Most hunters already know that, and it shows in the number of trucks you see parked at obscure walk-in hunting access properties in western Kansas.

There are no guarantees in public hunting.

— Chance Swaim

Something to think about

I am an overly obsessive and competitive person. It’s who I am.

When I hunt, I try to disconnect and just enjoy God’s creation, but it is always a struggle as I default back to who I am.

I found myself doing that in a windy and overcast sit on Sunday. I got in earlier than I usually do for an afternoon sit, figuring there would be some movement as rut nears, but there wasn’t.

So, I obsessed about things in life and went back and forth about whether or not I like my stand location. It’s a new spot I am trying on the property I hunt.

Finally, as dark approached, the skies opened for the first time all day. I love the way the sun shines through the woods at first and last light, creating long shadows from the trees and making the fall colors pop.

I decided to stop obsessing. I put my bow up and turned around to watch the beautiful sunset with the pinks and purples.

Sunrises are pretty good, but Kansas sunsets are the best.

It was made even more beautiful by the foreground being untouched Kansas prairie grass that seems to change colors. The family friends who graciously let me hunt on their land told me that it’s Kansas native grass that has never been messed with, at least not in the several generations their family has been there.

I faced the sun, which was away from the direction any deer would likely come, but I still spotted some off in the distance as they made their last light move. I also saw a nice buck in some thick stuff about 40 yards away where I had originally planned to put my stand but didn’t after straight-line winds knocked down any possible trees. That’s hunting.

I grunted at him as he walked away, but he didn’t seem to care. Not sure if he heard. Not even sure if I’m doing it right. Rattling seems hard to mess up but a YouTube search of different types of calls and scenarios makes my head spin.

Anyway, it didn’t happen. Maybe it will in the coming weeks as movement picks up. But, even if it doesn’t, this is a reminder to myself (and maybe you) to just enjoy it.

Enjoy the time in solitude, the ability to hunt and having a place to hunt. If we get lucky, that’s just a good bonus.

— Michael Stavola

Open seasons

Early or mid-season

Woodcock — Oct. 14 - Nov. 27

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

Snipe — Sept. 1 - Dec. 16

Sandhill crane season, west zone — Oct. 21 - Dec. 17

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

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

White-fronted geese — Oct. 28 - Dec. 31

Greater prairie chicken — Sept. 15 - Jan. 31, 2024

Dark geese (All species but snow, Ross’s and white-fronted) — Nov. 1 - Feb. 11, 2024

Light geese (snow and Ross’s) — Nov. 1 - Feb. 11, 2024

Squirrel — June 1 - Feb. 29, 2024

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

Closing soon

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

Rail — Sept. 1 - Nov. 9 (Thursday)

Opening soon

Pheasant and quail youth season — Nov. 4 (Saturday) - Nov. 5 (Sunday)

Ducks, Low Plains Southeast, youth/veterans/active military — Nov. 4 (Saturday) - Nov. 5 (Sunday)

Sandhill crane, Central Zone — Nov. 8 - Jan. 4, 2024

This week’s recipe

Swaim’s deer heart pho: The flavor of deer heart is hard to top. Couple it with everyone’s favorite Vietnamese soup, and you won’t be disappointed.

There are dozens of really good pho broth recipes online. Use your favorite or expedite the process by buying some from your favorite local Vietnamese restaurant. I haven’t used deer bones for this recipe yet, but I plan to this year. I’ll give that full recipe — and a review — after I try it out.

The main focus of this recipe is preparing the heart. When field dressing, put the deer heart in a zipper plastic bag for transport. At home, wash it out in the sink. Soak it in salt water overnight in the refrigerator (a couple tablespoons of salt will do). Boil it in water with half an onion and black pepper to taste until it’s tender. Then cut it into thin slices or dice it into smaller bite-sized chunks, removing any parts that aren’t muscle.

Top your noodles and bone broth with the heart meat — and any other toppings you like on your pho — and enjoy.

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