Few hunts demand as much focus—or deliver as much intensity—as predator hunting. Whether you’re scanning the prairie at dawn or watching through thermal optics at night, there’s nothing quite like matching wits with coyotes on open ground. At Bow Creek Ranch Outfitters, we offer guided predator hunts in western Kansas that combine skill, strategy, and access to one of the most exciting predator seasons in the country: Kansas’s thermal season.
Here’s what you can expect.
Why Predator Hunting?
Predator hunting offers more than just adrenaline. It plays a vital role in wildlife and land management. Coyotes in particular can put serious pressure on whitetail fawns, upland birds, and livestock. Hunting them responsibly helps balance the ecosystem and supports the health of the entire ranch.
At Bow Creek Ranch, we believe predator hunting should be purposeful, ethical, and exciting. That’s why we offer daytime and nighttime predator hunts—each offering its own challenge and payoff.
The Advantage of Kansas’s Thermal Season
One of the biggest draws to predator hunting in Kansas is the state’s generous night hunting season using thermal and night vision optics.
Kansas allows thermal hunting of coyotes from January 1 through March 31, a period that coincides with the peak of winter behavior. This means:
- Coyotes are active and covering ground
- Pair bonding and territory disputes make them highly responsive to calls
- Cold temperatures bring consistent movement throughout the night
At Bow Creek Ranch, we’re set up for thermal hunts during this period, with ideal terrain for scanning, stalking, and calling. You’ll hunt under vast prairie skies with minimal light pollution and long sightlines—conditions that are perfect for thermal optics.
Whether you’re bringing your own gear or need help getting set up, we’ll guide you through it. We can arrange fully guided thermal calling sessions or help you integrate night hunting into a multi-day experience.
Terrain and Calling Style
You’ll hunt a mix of open native grasslands, rolling pasture edges, creek bottoms, and broken terrain that naturally funnels predator movement. Our setups include:
- Day stands: early morning or dusk, using natural concealment and wind breaks
- Night setups: open fields and edges ideal for scanning with thermal optics
- Mobile call-and-scan approaches using high-quality electronic calls
Our guides use proven call sequences, ranging from prey distress to territorial coyote vocals, to trigger fast responses.
Gear Recommendations
For thermal and traditional hunts, we recommend:
- Day hunts: .223, .22-250, .243, or similar
- Thermal hunts: Suppressed .223 or similar with a quality thermal scope
- Shooting tripod or sticks for stability
- Camo clothing for daytime; dark layers for night
- Electronic calls (we provide for guided hunts)
- Extra batteries and SD cards for thermal units
- Rangefinder and backup lighting
If you’re new to thermal hunting, we’ll help you get up to speed. If you’re an experienced caller, we’ll give you room to run and put you on proven ground.
What’s Included
All predator hunts at Bow Creek Ranch include:
- Lodging at our on-site lodge
- Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
- Daytime or thermal-guided calling sessions
- Transportation to all hunting locations
- Field support and recovery assistance
We tailor each predator hunt to your goals—whether you’re looking for long days in the field or two-night sessions under thermal.
Booking Your Hunt
Thermal predator hunts are available January 1 through March 31, and this window fills quickly. It’s one of the best times to hunt coyotes anywhere in the country—and western Kansas is the perfect place to do it.
Call us today to discuss dates, gear, and trip details:
📞 (308) 212-0100
📧 bowcreekranchoutfitters@gmail.com
