December 2002

30 Dec

Via email: We found three coveys our first day and only bagged two birds, but had 8 to10 good points in half a day so the hunt was a success. The coveys were tough ones as they seemed to melt away after the covey flush. Finding that many in such a short time we anticipated getting enough for a picture the next day, but didn't. It was not for lack of birds! Typically my hunting partner, who will remain nameless but you know who he is, missed just about every shot. The one with her next to the tree was a single and he finally made a great shot and she made a great retrieve. The one on the edge of the field, my dog on honor, was a 15 bird plus covey and I was caught with the camera in my hand and he got another one. Overall the hunting was just fine with enough points to keep the dogs motivated.

More upland reports have been sent in recently with the most number of quail coveys in one day being 7, most days range between 2 and 5. The best pheasant hunting days are tied between several resident and non-resident hunters at limits on 4 out of five days with some of the no limit days being less than a full day's hunt at either the arrival or departure day.

Other observations include bad hunting days due to high winds, limited to no hunting pressure and of course most speak of the good dog work on birds that hold.

Another hunter party that realizes a picture of their dog is as enjoyable as a limit of quail again not for lack of birds, but for other reasons sent in this photos.

We have set February 15, 2003 as the date for the price increase for future members. This is an artificial increase to slow down application rates.

27 Dec

Upland hunting summary of recent reports from several resident and non-resident hunters range from not finding many birds, to finding plenty of quail and a few pheasants, to finding many pheasant and few quail. It is interesting to hear sometimes highly variable reports from the same region during a relatively short period of time.

In general hunters are finding huntable populations in many areas without any one area being better or worst than the other. Most agree that hunting is better this year than last and not as good as it was during the middle 90's. The common observations also include the general upland habitat is good with some single farms suffering from the bulldozer and others having perfect quail cover and food habitat and no quail to be found.

Bluestem quality for pheasant hunting has suffered from the summer drought and the easy to hunt concentrations of pheasants the grass typically holds are dispersed to more varied habitat areas. Even with this disadvantage most hunters report they are able to bag a limit of roosters any day they want to hunt them. It is the quail hunters that look forward to the day when 6-8 coveys before lunch frequently occurred. Although the quail hunters in the photo above sent in by Kevin Connell shows a satisfied quail hunting party.

23 Dec

Brittany found 21 December in Kansas, Atchison County. A landowner confirmed that the dog didn't belong to any of the locals and that it had been wandering the property for at least a week. It's a male Brittany about 5-7 years old of standard size and orange coloring with a red collar, no tags, no microchip, friendly, well-behaved and aside from being a bit thin seems healthy. Contact Jim Gosnell jim-gos@swbell.net

21 Dec

Kenny Dyes debuts with his first web page of a trophy whitetail from hunting with his Association. A very nice archery harvest of a good sized animal.

16 Dec

Want to see a big deer? take a look at the Joe Favre Whitetail.

10 Dec

This is a post script to the live buck photo below. That picture just happens to come from a property recommended to two first year Association members from the east coast that scouted and rejected that property for lack of deer habitat. The picture was taken the day before the opener as another hunter we recommended that property to was going to hang a stand.

5 Dec

Long range for a small camera and fading light, a big buck shows a nice rack even at this distance.

Bird hunters continue to find more birds than last year. With the dry summer and fall we have had to date projecting another dry spring to come, next year's upland hunting should be all the better.

Kenneth Ellis wrote: "This is a picture from my first pheasant hunt on MAHA land. This was an enjoyable hunt due to the great dog work and lots of roosters."

It is always good to see that a first year Association hunter can find a good hunt on his first trip.

1 Dec

A couple of nice, live, photos from Harry Orienstien, first showing what it was like at not being able to collect his decoys as the flights kept wanting to come in. Clear sky, the right kind of weather, lots of geese all making for a good hunt.

Harry also "shot" several turkey during the fall season. He was shooting through the screen (cause of the grainy photos) of his blind, a hunting tool not too widely employed during the fall.

This tom was one of the average beards he spotted. He was neither able to get on film or in his truck the toms with the longest beards he was able to hunt. However, he had plenty of opportunity to fill his tags.