Boxed In
Cold weather has the deer on their feet at the Box Ranch. Pete Alfano of Whitetail Properties is hunting the Oklahoma side with a Winchester Model 70 and a fresh box of Deer Season XP ammunition. As the sun sets, Pete gets a first hand look at some of the Heartland’s best hunting.
America’s Heartland is full of history. Country miles square off massive sections, each with their own story to tell. The Box Ranch outside of Protection, Kansas, is no exception. As one of the oldest original ranches in the state, The Box Ranch has grown into a whitetail Mecca, where heavy tracks are made in the soft Kansas dirt…and dreams come true.
The ranch spans 9,389 acres, while crossing county and state lines. A portion of the property sits in Kansas, while the remainder holds an Oklahoma zip code. This unique layout lends itself to its very own set of challenges and unpredictable scenarios. On the Kansas side, the deer are easy to pattern, and tend to stick close to their home ranges. The Oklahoma side is dissected by the Cimarron River, where the deer roam greater distances and are harder to pin down.
Pete Alfano has owned the land for five years, and is still learning its ways. Thankfully, Pete can count on Rylan Woolfolk to manage the ranch while he’s gone. The Box Ranch is leased to cattle farmers for grazing during the green months. During hunting season, the cattle are moved off sight to make way for Winchester yielding rifle hunters.
Rylan has been keeping a close eye on the grounds all year. Trail cameras have picked up everything that his own binoculars haven’t. He’s done his homework, and knew right where to put Pete to give him the best chances of success. Pete dialed in his Model 70, in 308 Winchester that’s driving tacks on the range with Deer Season XP ammunition.
One hundred fifty inches of antler showed up in the distance. It’s time for Winchester, to join the story.
Up close with the Host:
Despite his extensive whitetail hunting and land management experience, Pete Alfano doesn’t actually come from a huge hunting family. He was raised in the big city, and didn’t find his way toward the Winchester Life until he reached his teen years. His family moved to a small town, where sports weren’t as prevalent and Pete needed a new challenge. He immersed himself in hunting videos, learning everything he could. His obsession grew. The Winchester Life, became his own.
