30 Oct WaterfowlLast week we had a couple days of good rain but the results were not as promising as anticipated, especially for the Henry County area.
As of Monday, the water conditions are as follows. Linn County. Blinds 1 and 2 are huntable, but the water is close to the blinds, so lay out or portable blinds might be the way to go, especially for the # 2 area, but the amount of water is definitely huntable for two groups or parties.
On the West side of Linn A, blinds 5, 6 and 7 are huntable and looking good.
In Holt County all four blinds are huntable and looking good. Please note, when the road leading to the parking area is wet the landowner will lock the gate. The distance is over 2 miles, so four-wheelers are welcome and 2-wheel carts are recommend.
Henry A, Blairstown Lake all 3 blinds are dry with 7 acres of milo waiting for water.
Winkler's Lake Blind 1 is huntable, but the water is 10 to 15 yards from the blind. Blind 2 is not huntable.
Henry B, Fisher's Lake blind 2 is huntable, but the water level is semi-low. The same applies for blind 3. The bar-ditches in the wade-in area are full, but the pond next to the wade-in area is huntable, low.
Henry C, Thompson's Lake is the driest we've seen it in years but there is a small pool of water that might be huntable for wade-in hunting, but it's not much. We cleaned the intake, drainage ditch and removed the beaver dam blocking both of the above, which was an overdue project, so when Big Creek runs the lake has a 90% chance of filling.
Henry D, Frog's Lake Blind 1 and the wade-in area are huntable, but blind 1 is not.
Cass A is not huntable.
Cass B The irrigation lakes have been pumped down, but all are huntable.
Vernon A The irrigation Lakes are huntable but the water levels are below average.
Many of the MDC and KDWP wetlands are dry, along with many private clubs, so the water conditions of MAHA provide opportunity many waterfowlers would stand in line for, so enjoy what we have to offer under the conditions we have to work with.
27 Oct Feedback to the MembershipAs we wrap up the preparation for the seasons to come, we have taken time to assess your Association.
We sustained our memberships in the 800’s and it remains a soft 800 as we can assume more archery hunters. At the beginning of last spring turkey season, we had 841 members and currently have 837.
Last spring we had a split of 60/40 of residents to Iowa Kansas or Missouri compared to non-residents for a total membership originating from 39 states. This year the split is 56/44 with the largest increase in southern duck hunters traveling to Missouri to duck hunt. Our current membership represents 35 states.
Turnover remains highest amongst non-resident rifle deer hunters that seem to fall into two categories. The first are those that chase tags hunting wherever successfully drawn rather than always with the Association. The second generalization is the trophy room hunter that was successful the previous year did not renew this year. Archery deer and duck hunters have the lowest turnover and upland bird hunters split between the resident and non-resident with the local member having a high renewal rate while the traveling bird hunter seems to have a core regular membership almost equal to those that come and go with bird cycles. These observations reflect those of previous years reaching back to our first tracking of trends starting in 2000.
Overall, sponsorships have been steadily increasing to an inverse relationship to those entering the Association without knowing a member. Applicant rejection rates remain steady with previous years, as have been forced dismissals. The exact number of rejections we no longer track as it is a useless collection of data that served no hunt quality purpose. Membership dismissals have been for hunting without reservations and guests outside of the rules.
Membership year round feedback seems to be higher this year contributing more to the keep/delete lease listing than in the past as well as contributions to the update page and much more routine in nature hunt reports. We would like to encourage members providing feedback with the most efficient means of dong so by email. Emails allow us to share information readily and the amount of time we spend on the road does not serve note taking while on a cell phone. Topics always of interest include:
Membership suggestions for improved service have covered mostly map updating and 24/7 reservations.
Reference the online map listing suggestions have included an automated email notification when maps have been updated, a more detailed breakdown of fishing ponds and linking to local lodging. These capabilities represent an enhancement to the member access of information that is already available at an administrative cost greater than the efficiency gain. This is a case where it does come down to money and we always use as a significant decision criteria of keeping the majority of funds to pay for land access. Contributing to our declination of further automation of the map listing are the current man hours compared to road days required to work contracts. There is only so much time and energy and to keep overhead costs down we will seek to continue the current simpler and less time consuming approach to online/year round map distribution.
Reference automated reservations we concluded some time ago that we would not get so lazy as to create systems where we avoid contact with the hunters. Increased automation adds to increased office system maintenance costs at no gain to hunt quality. And, contrary to what many fail to consider, are the frequent use of cell phones by members in the field modifying their hunting plans. Simply having an automated or online reservation system would never be able to replace telephone reservations. Having an online option would then create a duplication of systems requiring further processes to prevent overlap error.
Land leasing remains the same as previous years without significant issues. We will remain within the brackets of 220,000 to 240,000 acres required by our 800+membership level and limited by road miles and time. Land leasing effort continues as it always has from our dropping the less productive to pay for better habitat, landowners pulling land, deaths, land use change, land sales, bankruptcy and so on.
We have been steadily improving the year round nature of leasing since moving the member map distribution online several years ago and will continue that effort. This benefit will continue to have the associated consequence that all must check before each hunt that they do have the most current map.
Overall, MAHA has demonstrated its continuing stability and routine nature of business. Bruce Johnson has been working the wetlands in excess of 25 years. Jon Nee continues to be the owner since 1981 and plans to until reaching age 65 in 16 years when Jon Jr and, or his brother TJ take over the Association management. John Wenzel surpassed his 10 year anniversary and committed to another 16 years when he too reaches 65. And, Shaun’s pleasant telephone voice of the past three+ years we look forward to for more years to come.
24 Oct AdministrativeFall has finally arrived and all that we have been looking forward to in the outdoors is just around the corner and right on top of us.
Crop harvest is in full swing but 2/3rds to 1/2 of the crops are still in the fields so early Iowa and Missouri upland bird hunting will be tough as always, but good to get out regardless of the conditions.
Fall turkey reservations have been up and the success has been above average, but the big toms have been few and far as they are always this time of the year. Don't forget Kansas fall turkey season continues through December 31 and they are legal to harvest over dogs, which is an ideal opportunity for the meat hunter and/or frustrated spring turkey hunter.
The deer hunting has been a little on the slow side, but several nice bucks have been harvested, but the best is yet to come the next couple of weeks.
We've had pretty good precipitation the last couple of weeks, but it's just been good enough to saturate the ground so the next couple of rains will count to help fill the wetlands. Since we have rain in the forecast Wednesday and Thursday, we'll wait until Friday to give a full report on the water conditions and cross our fingers between now and then for the Henry County area.
If water remains scarce, we are seeing a lot of duck using the ponds nearby our managed wetlands and the bar ditches and mud flats that have not dried up.
Overall, land lease negotiations went smoothly this summer and fall with over 90% of our leases being renewed. All of the current maps have been updated, but the process will continue to be year around, so always check the map website for any last minute changes.
The feedback from the landowners was very impressive and we would like to thank everyone for their congenial behavior while hunting and scouting club property.
Always trust Shaun to take care of 90% of the members questions and just about all the reservations. For the most part reservation calls and questions are done in less than a minute and every so often someone calls without a property number identified throwing off the entire system placing others on hold. In all our telephone/live person reservation system works just fine and most feedback is that it is far preferable to what many experience with automated or online motel reservations.
18 Oct Saskatchewan Hunt Report
Three of us (2 MAHA members) hunted the Quill Lakes region from 09 OCT-14 OCT. Area farmers and local hunters reported largest amount of DUCKS produced and using the area in many, many years. There was some disappointment in the Canada goose population, as locals expressed concern on lack of flocks. Snow geese as well had not arrived in good numbers and the DU biologist we talked to believe the birds are shifting migration lanes to the west and east of the Quill Lakes region, due to more Quill Lake farmers producing canola versus barley, wheat and peas. Ducks were seen in unbelievable numbers and hunting over water was productive and competition was non-existent. DU has numerous pothole projects that are open to the free-lance hunter and all had large numbers of birds, you just have to travel and scout. The downside to the trip was a large degree of the barley, wheat and pea fields were already spoken for as many US hunters have developed relationships with the local farmers over the years and have the fields booked. That said the Canadian farmer/landowner was very amicable and would tell you to come back on the next available day the field was open, but large amounts of time were spent scouting and knocking on doors for field hunting mallards and the few available snow geese. Birds decoyed well and after two days of killing a limit of birds our objective changed to hunting in as many different environments and after different species became our focus. Not to mention just savoring the Saskatchewan experience which cannot be described in written words; if you are a waterfowler you must go to the Canadian prairies at least once during your lifetime. The mental souvenirs I have from the trip are priceless. We harvested 9 different species of ducks, snow and Canada geese and Sand Hill Cranes. The cranes were fantastic table fare as well. I would hope that if Mother Nature doesn't freeze us out with one good cold front and the birds fly over us, we should expect a quality season this year in Missouri and Kansas. The ducks are being educated as we speak and still must migrate through three more states before reaching us; so concealment, calling, scouting and of course shooting should be honed. Overall we should look forward to a great season. Albert C. Stahl
17 Oct SuccessJohn and Jon,
Thanks for everything that your hunting association is. I am proud to be a member.
Andrew
Thank you Andrew for the great feedback. Congratulations on your best ever!
ScoutingJo(h)ns and Shaun, A quick note and some attached photos of 3 different bucks, all from the same trail camera I had out for a touch over a week on MAHA property in [location deleted]. As a result of some business travel of late, etc., (i.e. the usual excuses), I've had a late start on scouting but getting these have me fired up for late Oct/early Nov.
Thanks for your efforts in scouring the Midwest for ground, and as mentioned by all, the lovely and friendly voice of Shaun when making reservations is much appreciated.
Best, Jeff
Thanks Jeff for sharing your pictures and we wish you the best of luck on the big one.
15 Oct Missouri Firearms Deer ReservationsThursday was the first day to make Missouri firearms deer reservations and the phones rang straight past noon. We apologize for the inconvenience but still feel it is important that Jon coordinates all of the firearms deer reservations in person.
Please remember deer hunting reservations are final and each member has to make their own reservation.
After reviewing the reservation book there are many farms left that have not been reserved, especially some of the new small farms in North Missouri. All of the maps that have been updated are dated in the updated column on the map website. Also, Taney County has not received one reservation as of Friday morning and it's one of the most beautiful deer filled farms we have to offer with excellent camping accommodations.
If you still plan to make a reservation, make a list of several farms you would like to hunt and request them one at a time. Do not ask Shaun to go through the reservation book county by county to see where everyone is hunting. It's a busy time of the year and takes too much time.
Let's all work together for a safe and enjoyable 2006 Missouri deer season.
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This year has started out successful for me. I was able to harvest the best bow kill of my life, although in bow hunting they could probably be all classified as the best as I believe any harvest with a bow is special. The best part about this deer was seeing my preparation and number of hours spent in the field pay off. I have spent countless hours and $$ on gas over the summer and into the hunting season to pattern each of the properties I have been hunting. On this particular deer I had a trail pegged that deer were using to go to the feeding area and back to the bedding area. I waited for the right wind and proceeded to hang the stand that evening. Around 6:15pm this buck came in straight at me and directly to my tree stand. I have a had a superb early season and am ecstatic to get a deer like this in mid-Oct. Hopefully I can harvest some does now to help out the buck to doe ratio and overall numbers.
Approximately 85 to 90 percent of the hunters got their first choice, so we feel it went well despite the time it took to get through on the phones. While not getting their first choice was disappointing to some, others were more than happy with their second choice.
