Kansas Muzzleloader & Dove Combo Hunt
Five days in mid-September. Doves in the morning, deer stands in the evening, and an early season opportunity at a mature Kansas whitetail. This is the only hunt we offer that combines morning dove hunting with afternoon and evening deer hunting on the same trip.
Two Hunts in One Trip
The appeal of September is getting two very different hunting experiences during the same five days. The mornings are spent in the dove fields, while the afternoons and evenings are dedicated to the deer hunt.
If someone in your party would rather not shoot doves in the morning, they can come along, look around the country, and simply hunt the evenings.
How the Day Runs
You wake up early, have breakfast and try to be out at sunrise. The guides typically set you up between roosting areas and feeding areas for the morning dove hunt.
After a couple of hours of dove shooting, you return to the lodge in the mid-morning for a nap or a snack. Your guides prepare the doves for lunch, giving you the chance to enjoy birds from your own hunt.
After lunch, there is time to relax before heading back out to the deer stands. We typically want hunters in their stands three to four hours before dark. With the later September sunset, dinner will be later in the evening.
An Early Opportunity at Kansas Whitetails
This hunt takes place at the opening of the Kansas deer season. The deer on our farms have not been pressured since the previous December, giving you the opportunity to hunt early season deer before they have experienced the pressure that builds later in the year.
Early season deer can still be using established patterns, making September a different style of whitetail hunting than the rut-focused archery weeks or the post-rut December rifle hunt.
Muzzleloader Deer Hunting
Muzzleloader shots typically range from 50 to 100 yards, with longer opportunities possible depending on the property and conditions.
Our farms are pre-scouted and baited before the season. Each day, your guide considers recent scouting information, wind direction, historical data, trail camera information, what you have been seeing during the hunt, and their experience with the property when deciding where to place you.
The Dove Hunt
The morning dove hunt is built around the movement between roosting and feeding areas. After the morning hunt, your guides prepare the doves for lunch at the lodge.
We do not offer a standalone dove hunt. Dove hunting is offered as part of this muzzleloader and dove combo experience.
Kansas HIP Permit for Dove Hunting
Hunters participating in the dove portion of the Kansas Muzzleloader & Dove Combo Hunt must purchase a Kansas HIP permit online. The permit costs $2.50 per hunter and is required for dove hunting.
10,000 Acres Across Kansas Deer Units 4, 7, 8, and 14
Our whitetail properties cover 10,000 acres across Kansas deer units 4, 7, 8, and 14. We lease private ground with 100% exclusivity, and properties range up to 1,200 acres. Multiple smaller parcels across the hunting units give our guides options when deer movement and conditions change.
The eastern properties feature rolling hills, open pasture, and cedar thickets. Farther west, the ground becomes flatter, with river bottoms, farmland, and CRP. The western ground also tends to provide more consistent wind conditions.
Stand Options and Daily Setup
We maintain around 100 ladder stands and 30 box blinds, along with hang-on stands and brushed-in ground blinds for situations where a different setup makes sense.
Your guide chooses your setup each morning based on the information available that day. Recent scouting, wind direction, historical data, trail camera information, your observations, and guide experience all factor into the decision.
Controlled Hunting Pressure
We typically have 8 to 12 deer hunters in a week, with two to three hunters per guide, and 50 to 70 deer hunters across the full season. Multiple properties allow us to spread hunters out and rest individual farms rather than concentrating pressure on the same ground.
Our Whitetail Standard
We have a strict 140-inch minimum for bucks. There is no additional fee for a buck that meets or exceeds the minimum. A buck scoring 130 to 139 inches carries a $500 additional fee, while a buck scoring under 130 inches carries a $1,500 additional fee.
A 140- to 170-inch deer is a more realistic expectation for this style of hunting. A 170-inch deer is not behind every tree, and a 200-inch deer is very uncommon. Larger bucks are possible, but hunters need to be comfortable passing deer and accepting the risk that comes with waiting for the right opportunity.
Recent Results
Muzzleloader & Dove Combo Rates
The hunt is five days in mid-September.
Kansas Deer Hunting Application Dates and Costs
2027 Deer Application Dates
The 2027 nonresident deer application dates have not yet been announced. The application period typically opens on April 1. For reference, the deadline for the 2026 draw was April 24, 2026.
Hunters planning a 2027 deer hunt should prepare for the application period in April and check the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) website for the confirmed dates.
Nonresident Deer License and Permit Costs
The following are the latest published 2026 prices to help nonresident hunters budget for 2027. The 2027 fees have not yet been confirmed.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Annual nonresident hunting license | $125.00 |
| Deer draw application fee | $27.50 |
| Deer permit if successful | Included in the total below |
| Total if successful | $477.50 |
| Preference point only* | $25.00 |
* Preference point costs exclude additional processing or agent fees. The $477.50 successful adult permit total includes the application fee, while the annual hunting license is separate. Online convenience fees may also apply.
What Does the Standard Deer Permit Include?
The standard permit includes one whitetail deer of either sex and one additional antlerless whitetail deer at no extra permit cost.
If you fill your tag early and want to harvest another doe, an additional permit may be required. The additional cost quoted for this option is $250. Contact King Whitetails to confirm the applicable permit and cost before your hunt.
Your Kansas Deer Tag
Kansas is a draw state for nonresident deer hunters. Once you have booked your hunt, we help you through the deer application process one-on-one at no additional charge. We can also help you understand preference points and plan for future seasons.
What Is Included
- Guided dove and deer hunting
- Lodging at our lodge on the Smoky Hill River
- Three meals per day
- Doves prepared for lunch
- Transportation to and from the fields and deer stands
- Game retrieval
- Access to our walk-in cooler for hanging game
- One-on-one help with your Kansas deer draw application at no additional charge
- Professional post-harvest photographs for all hunts
- Taxidermy preparation
- Skull capping for deer hunts
- Cape preparation for deer hunts
Game Care and Processing
Diamond A Processing in Junction City, Kansas
King Whitetails hunters can have their deer processed at Diamond A Processing in Junction City, Kansas.
Take Your Deer Home
Diamond A offers rush processing for hunters who want their venison processed quickly and ready to take home after the hunt.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Basic processing. Includes: skinning, basic cuts, and grinding. | $180.00 |
| One-business-day rush | $360 (180 basic + $180 rush) |
| Two-business-day rush | $315 ($180 basic + $135 rush) |
| Three-business-day rush | $270 ($180 basic + $90 rush) |
Prices are from the 2026–2027 price list and are subject to change. Confirm current prices directly with Diamond A Processing.
Donate Your Deer
Through Hunters Feeding the Hungry, you can donate your deer to help provide venison to Kansas families in need. Diamond A Processing and HFH cover $105 of the $180 processing cost, leaving you to pay $75.
For additional services and information, contact Diamond A Processing at 785-223-5776 or visit diamondaprocessing.com.
What to Bring
- Light clothing suitable for warm September weather
- Insect repellent
- Plenty of water
- A shotgun for the dove hunt
- Your muzzleloader and deer hunting gear
- A large cooler for taking meat home
Hunter Orange Requirements for Kansas Deer Hunting
Kansas requires hunters to wear hunter orange, also known as blaze orange, during firearm deer seasons. The requirements include an orange hat and at least 200 square inches of orange on the upper body.
1. Wear an Orange Hat
Your hat or other headwear must have an exterior that is at least 50% bright hunter orange. The required orange must be visible from all directions.
2. Wear at Least 200 Square Inches of Orange on Your Upper Body
Hunters must wear at least 200 square inches of hunter orange on the upper half of their body, including:
At least 100 square inches visible from the front.
At least 100 square inches visible from the back.
3. Camouflage Is Allowed
Hunter camouflage is permitted as long as it meets the required orange area and visibility requirements.
Muzzleloader & Dove Combo Hunt FAQs
How long is the muzzleloader and dove combo hunt?
The 2027 hunt is 5 days in mid-September.
What does a typical day look like?
You start with breakfast and head out around sunrise for a couple of hours of dove hunting. You return to the lodge mid-morning, where the guides prepare the doves for lunch. After lunch and some downtime, you head to the deer stands three to four hours before dark.
What are typical muzzleloader shot distances?
Muzzleloader shots typically range from 50 to 100 yards, with longer opportunities possible depending on the property and conditions.
Can I skip the dove hunting?
Yes. If you do not want to shoot doves in the morning, you can come along, look around the country, and simply hunt the evenings.
Do you offer standalone dove hunts?
No. Dove hunting is offered as part of the Kansas Muzzleloader & Dove Combo Hunt.
Have more questions? Visit our complete Kansas Hunting FAQs for additional information about booking, travel, gear, and hunting with King Whitetails.
What Hunters Are Saying
Hunt the September Opener With King Whitetails
September gives you a chance to experience Kansas whitetail hunting before the season has had time to build pressure, while adding a morning dove hunt to the same trip. You get two different hunts across the same five days, with the guides handling the transition from the dove fields to the deer stands each afternoon.
Ready to plan your Kansas Muzzleloader & Dove Combo Hunt? Contact King Whitetails at 785-307-0506 to discuss available dates, the draw process, and the hunt.