Deer Hunting
Scout and Hunt Plan
Long before any deer hunter leaves home for his first MAHA deer hunting trip we will have talked in detail about his choice to hunt Kansas, Missouri or Iowa.
That first year deer hunter will have access to all Association lease land maps through the members' map website. The map website is the only means we have to ensure all members receive the same access to all maps as they are updated through the year when land contracts are renewed, added or deleted.
The fact of deer hunting lease operations is the need to stay current with the land habitat quality and landowner usage. All land will change over time and so must we we react when land is sold, farming practices change or crop ground improved by bulldozer activity. In all cases we maintain a keep and delete list through the year and add better quality acreage and drop less productive leases.
What we, Jon Nee and John Wenzel the Association partners, will do is recommend to the first year member the state, unit and property numbers that most well fit his deer hunting method (archery, rifle, muzzleloader) and habitat preference. That recommendation will be a listing of property numbers. In most cases that listing will be of far more acreage than anyone hunter will be able to cover in a single scout or hunt trip.
The hunter is then asked to secure from his favorite aerial photo website his own photos of those properties. Each hunter must secure his own aerials as deer hunters are far too particular in their photo specifications than we are willing to try and satisfy through the office. The aerials are secured through using our provided lease maps and matching them to the aerials. One aerial photo source is Terra Server.
That first year hunter at this point has the basic information to start planning where to hunt. He is asked to take all the aerials from our numbered property recommendations and rank order from first to last those properties that he most wants to hunt or scout first to last. That develops the priority of work list once he gets boots on the ground for the first time.
On subsequent scouting or hunts that same hunter is encouraged to pick up where he left off and re-scout previously visited land to update himself on movement patterns as well as to better define those movement patterns.
Deer Hunter/Member Feedback
Enclosed are pictures of last years [location deleted] bow kill (9 pt) and this years [location deleted] firearms season (10 pt). He netted 138 5/8...I've taken bigger bucks (as you know) but these are the most recent. Since 1982 I've taken 36 whitetail and 5 doe with bow and firearms. I'm looking forward to my 25th year with you. Thanks for everything. Tim H.
Many of our hunters will apply for a Kansas and an Iowa deer tag each year hoping to only drawing one and work in a combined Missouri hunt as well.
We always like to hear from members in any form.
John,
Went on a little scouting trip to [location deleted] County last week-end and saw the attached mule deer does. Latter that same day, right before dark, there was a magnificent 10 point mule deer buck in the same spot, entirely in velvet. It was too dark to get a photo, but could see real well through binoculars.....Had a great time dove hunting and Teal hunting; lots of doves and a few teal. Saw quite a few coveys and a few roosters.
Got my blood boiling. Talk to you later, Mike
Most self guided deer hunters will agree it takes a good bit of time on any one farm to fully realize the better stand locations. It has been demonstrated over many years the deer hunters with the most success scout in excess of 2,000 acres each year and typically deer hunt three or less farms through the season.
After that first hunt or scouting trip most do it yourself hunters soon develop favorite areas and return to those while continuing to develop future options. Those future options are to hunt or scout at least one new to that hunter farm each trip.
For that first year members when looking at aerial photos and working up his priority of work list for his first scouting of deer hunting trip we offer a time tested technique to enhance success. That technique is to identify all the isolated wood patches out of direct line of sight from roads and farm yards. These wood patches are evaluated by their degree of remoteness from human activity and not by size. Identify all such wood patches and list by degree of remoteness and that would be a good starting point for a priority listing of which properties to scout or hunt first.
Deer hunter confidence of a good deer hunting experience
The real confidence that the deer hunter has that he will have a good deer hunt is that first we are whitetail deer hunters ourselves and know what it takes to have a good self guided hunt.
Second, is that we want our members to renew their membership. We fully recognize the only reason anyone will renew their membership is if they have a good deer hunt they will come back - that is what we are after and that is our motivation. Our leases will stand for their own value.
The distinction of this approach is that we are a business not a hunting club. As a business, a customer service attitude is required for success. In a club interpersonal relationship predominate. While we will be friendly to all and support each deer hunter we will not become friendly to the point any one hunter would believe he has an "inside" edge.
We further have a written, within our administrative section, prohibition against gratuities. No one receives any preferential treatment over another. While some may come to see our extra effort provided to the first year member that we describe as a "jump start" as preferential, all who enter the Association receive that same jump start in terms of getting them to a lease that has proven its potential.
Proof our our commitment to our hunters are the many pictures and letters in the testimonial section and elsewhere. We take great pride in our hunters willingness to send in such pictures and hunt accounts. Each one counts as feedback we do provide what the do it yourself hunter seeks. For them to do so is recognition it takes more than money to make all things work well. As we are not at the point of harvest it is great testimony that so many hunters seek to return some of what we work so hard to provide to them. We very much appreciate each and every one of them.
Trophy deer sightings and deer sign combine into recommendations where to deer hunt.
A sample of some deer sign found during spring turkey season. A scrape in the forefront and three good size rubs in the background.
Stands & Blinds
In terms of deer hunting the central mid-west by far the most successful hunting method for those Association dedicated deer hunters that have the most recurring success is the tree stand hunter. All types of deer stands from lock-ons, climbers, ladder and such are authorized by both state and Association regulations to include screw in steps. The only tree stand we prohibit are nail in 2x4 and plywood stands.
Our deer hunters may hang as many stands as they like and as early before the season as they have time. Stands are placed at the hunter's risk of loss and while not common we are sure a stand or two are stolen occasionally. And, of course, use of a safety harness is mandatory.
Trimming back branches and removal of brush for shooting lanes is permissible, however no trees may be cut down and no chains saws brought onto Association lease land. Any limb to cut with a hand saw is fine.
Ground blinds both natural and manmade may be used. If establishing a natural blind preference to existing deadfall is recommended to support landowner relations.
Self Guided Deer Hunter/Member Feedback
Greetings everyone at the office:
Rex [last name deleted] checking in from IN. This is the start of my fourth year in the club and I am as excited as the first year. Just got back from the Sept. Muzzle option for Kansas and had a super trip. Although I did not come home with a trophy, I did see many deer and passed on 3 separate shooters, and I will tell you why.
Since being in the club, I have harvested 5 bucks from the 135 range to 162 being my largest. I have raised the bar on expectations for my shooter buck for this year because I know the habitat is holding a fair number of Boone & Crocket quality animals.
I hunted [location deleted] county, and passed on a solid 150 ten pt., two eight points in the 135-140 range looking for my next trophy in the 'Booner' class of 170 plus. Had a super trip, sighting many deer 
every night, and I got a chance to snap a picture of a small spike the last night, he was only about 15 feet away from my blind in fence row from which I was watching a water hole.
Enclosed is a picture of the squirt who eventually winded me and fled the area. I will also include pictures of the five bucks I have harvested the past three years since joining, just to give future members an idea of the quality of the bucks that are plentiful on almost every property I have hunted.
Thanks again to Shaun for being so polite and helpful on every phone call for reservations. Can't wait for the upcoming later seasons.
Rex
Thanks Rex for an article with a twist from the usual.
Deer Hunt Details
Overall, this page on our DIY deer hunts covers just some highlights that many hunters seek to find. The remainder of this website will provide a greater level of detail on each state, habitat and scouting that combined gives a good review of the deer hunting we offer. Have a good read and give us a call when ready to discuss applying for membership.
