I'm just north of KC... almost between KC and St. Joseph and there is plenty of public land to use... It usually isn't too crowded during archery season, but Katie bar the door when rifle season opens! My brother routinely knocks down 135-150 inch deer each year at his place just south of St. Joe. I'm 30 min east and have a little harder time finding the bigguns, but I do have some 135+ on the wall. If you get out on the rural route, your neighbors will be your new best friends.... you can't find better folks than midwest farm folk.