Outfitter Spotlight: C and S Whitetails, El Dorado, Kansas
Dave Maas 08.29.16
Avid whitetail hunters normally pursue whitetails on their own, either on public land, tracts they own or lease, or private property on which they’ve received permission to hunt. However, at some point in a deer hunter’s career, they often consider an outfitted hunt.
The reason to “go guided” can be as simple as the desire to experience totally new terrain than what’s available close to home, or the chance for a true monster buck.
One whitetail-rich state on the bucket list for many deer hunters is Kansas. So where do you start your search for an outfitter? Online research is the obvious answer, but word of mouth can help you separate marketing hype from reality.
With this in mind, let me tell you about C and S Whitetails. I had the chance to pursue whitetails with a crossbow at C and S several years ago, and even though I didn’t pull the trigger on a giant, I passed on several good-size bucks, and spotted several shooters that were just out of bow range.
I recently ran across some amazing 2016 trail cams pics posted to the C and S Whitetails Facebook page (shown throughout this article), so I reached out to them for an update on their business – and the trophy bucks currently walking their properties.
“God has blessed us with a spectacular year with ample rainfall and mild temperatures,” said C and S Owner Chad Onek. “Great crops and great bucks go hand-in-hand. On our farms we have several thousand acres of agriculture between alfalfa, corn, and soybeans. With all the rain this spring and summer, the fields are thriving and the bucks have had one of the best years of antler growth we have ever witnessed. With blackpowder and disabled veteran season around the corner, I’m sure we’re going to have some happy customers.”
“As our neighbors start pressuring deer and the rut kicks in, even more bucks will show their faces,” he explained. “Our property is located in what is known as the Flint Hills region of the United States. This is some of the most fertile grazing land for cattle found anywhere in the world, and it turns out whitetail deer do very well on it also! Every farm and ranch that we hunt has grass, trees and agricultural land on them. The full creeks and rivers, in addition to the abundant crops and native grasses, have us stoked about the upcoming deer season.”
Chad and his family are in their 10th season operating C and S Whitetails. “We are really evolving as an outfitter into the next level trying to be better deer and habitat managers,” Chad said. “It truly is a team effort between the customers and our staff that enables us to produce big bucks consistently. It’s not easy to pass up a 3-year-old 5×5. We are proud of our customers that really understand that trophy deer management is a team effort.”
C and S Whitetails is a member of QDMA (Quality Deer Management Association), and for the past 10 years Chad and his staff has managed each individual property to fit their needs.
“We have seen the direct results of our work and continuously have monster bucks on our property,” Chad said. “At C and S, we average 40 hunters per year on around 22,000 acres of land, which ensures deer are not pressured out of their primary areas. Our hunters have enjoyed an 80 percent opportunity rate over the past 5 years. Being a small outfitter, a majority of our clients are return clients who have hunted with us year after year. At this point, we are booked for 2016, but still have a few spots open for the fall of 2017. We pride ourselves on our ability to accommodate to each hunter’s needs, making it truly a hunt of a lifetime.”
For more information, visit CandSWhitetails.com or call Chad Onek at 316-323-5615.
