Self Guided Deer Hunts in Mid-America Hunting Association Operating in Iowa Missouri and Kansas

Self guided deer hunts begin with scouting that build towards the hunt itself. No surprise with this statement. Just our agreeing where this article and our hunts begin.

Mid-America Hunting Association self guided deer hunts provide a range of private land and season options. This is in both time and location. Amongst all the possibilities there does stand a superior approach that has gained the satisfaction of first year MAHA self guided deer hunters.

The Approach

That self guided deer hunt approach is first to receive from the MAHA staff of John Wenzel or Jon Nee their recommendations of where to deer scout or hunt. The next step is to get from the hunter's favorite aerial web site photos of the recommended leases. From those photos develop a priority of work listing of first to last farms to scout or hunt.

When selecting from aerials of first to last farms to scout many hunters look for deer habitat alone and the amount of that habitat. That being trees. The belief is that the more protective cover the better the hunting. That we agree with. What most find different is that protective cover in this region is more than trees. We would add to that analysis the additional decision criteria that type and size of habitat is not enough. The criteria of and location means as much or more.

Location More So Than Amount Of Protective Cover

Location in this regard is identification of that deer habitat that is outside direct line of observation from roads, farm yards or other human presence.

This is a quarter section. A 1/2 x 1/2 mile square. One hundred sixty ares. Its mix of grain fields and protective cover is average. Not the best or the worst in terms of deer habitat. The yellow is out of direct observation and the red area can all be easily seen form the two roads. It is by this means that narrows down where to scout.

The point of this discussion is not to teach scouting. It s an illustration that most that first look at the Association do so seeking a single deer hunting spot. The benefit the Association bring is that each may have several spots to hunt each day thereby increasing his chance of getting on a big buck.

To get to this land would be by means of the Association online map library and a telephone reservation.

The online library has all land on map sheets with each farm numbered. the hunter would make a telephone reservation to the farm of his choice for the days he wants to hunt.

Having a choice of several spots of where to hunt each day allows for the hunter to hunt his deer of choice. This is a means by which any one hunter may hunt the same spot season to season while adding a new spot or two each trip. A much better approach than selecting one farm and hope a buck shows. This is a means of building on to prior success rather than relying on past performance.

Upland bird hunters will identify many of the trophy bucks they put up while on a bird hunt. This is done so without regard as much to protective cover type or size, but to those isolated spots from human observation and presence. This one additional selection criteria will further make valuable any preliminary review of aerial photos. The next step would be to scout or plan the hunt.

Scouting

All may scout throughout the year as much land as they have time to cover.

The two Association partners who are out on the land throughout the year can give ideas based on what they have seen of where to get started.

From the time of scouting to the hunt things may change. If during scouting a favored above all other deer spots is picked it may be hunted every day that hunter has. A benefit to the Association is that hunter is not limited to just one spot. If after some time during the hunt that favored piece just is not producing that hunter may move onto another.

The process above is time consuming. The traveling deer hunter all the more pressed to make a good go of it. In that regard the first deer scouting and hunting efforts should concentrate to but one state and execute a thorough deer scout and hunt. To attempt the same level of effort in two states would more likely stretch a deer hunter too thin. Once a deer hunter has himself well established in one state then expansion to the second and subsequently to a third will maximize his flexibility. After that level of work most are hunting tow of the three states each season.

About Missouri

Missouri's state wide tags are available over the counter (online). This makes Missouri a deer hunt to break into when not hunting Kansas or Iowa.

Kansas

The challenge with Kansas deer hunting is the same as for Iowa as both are a tag draw state with tag issue not until June. This attenuates the value of late winter or spring deer scouting. Kansas applications are due in April.

Kansas does allow multiple management units to apply for on each tag application. With the Association having land in 8 deer management units all who put any of the Association's 8 units as their choice will always have a place to hunt.

As it has been for the last several years Kansas has issued more tags than applicants have applied for. What is good to know is that Kansas and Iowa gun and archery seasons overlap. It is best not to have a Kansas and an Iowa tag the same season.

Iowa

Iowa deer hunting like Kansas is by competitive draw. The distinction lies in that Iowa tags are less in number, more applicants and individual draw success rates lower than Kansas.

Iowa like Kansas has a tag application. Iowa's is in May with tag issue in June. There is plenty of time to scout from June to the hunt.

The Association's southern Iowa and northern Missouri land is in close proximity to make a two state hunt easily traveled to.

Another perspective on do it yourself deer hunting.