Waterfowl Hunting
Waterfowl hunting within Mid-America Hunting Association is primarily on natural wetlands in the Lower Missouri River Basin. Hunts are on private land that have been enhanced by the Association with in/out flow water level controls, bottom leveling, permanent blind installation and food plots.
Association Waterfowl Area & Wetlands Statistics:
833 acres floodable Wetlands
22 permanent blinds
14 lakes, meaning other than enhanced wetlands
8,100 acres of crop stubble on a variety of waters for field sets or combination wet/dry sets
The Association wetlands in addition to permanent duck blind areas has other wetland areas designated for layout duck boat or wade-in hunting. Still more land resources in terms of grain field crop acreage is available for those wanting small to large decoy spreads.
Hunters supply their own blinds for other than permanent blind areas. For all waterfowl hunting hunters must supply their own decoys, calling skills and dogs. Hunters may hunt anytime during the entire season. All may pick and choose where to hunt from day to day.
This is wild duck and goose hunting requiring compliance to all state and federal migratory bird hunting regulations.
Where To Hunt
We settle the question of where to hunt. For waterfowl it is the region of the highest concentration of waterfowl. This is in the Lower Missouri River Basin that covers north Missouri, southern Iowa and eastern Kansas. That is the macro location.
The micro for ducks is to hunt the historic market flyways. For goose it is a matter of migration reporting and snow line.
In our case of not operating a hunting lodge and limitations of driving distance to that lodge this Association can make the entire state available to its hunters where to hunt. In this approach when it comes to spending money we do so where we get the most return for the hunter. Then the Association makes abundant private land available to insure all may hunt any day during the season free of the public wetlands hunter mentality or competition.
Missouri Waterfowl Hunting
The focus of our waterfowl hunting through wetlands management is in Missouri. Missouri has the "lowest" of the lowlands or the best of the Lower Missouri River basin. The result is much standing and moving water both natural and manmade. These wetlands are surrounded by corn and soybean predominate farming crop fields. That combined with its mid-way point in the Mississippi Flyway with our temperate weather makes for fair to good migration layover.
Missouri is further distinctive in waterfowl hunting real estate. It is one of the rare places in the world where any land that is flooded or can be flooded in the north central, northwest or southwest central watersheds is prime real estate. These lands bring the highest value compare to anything but the best city commercial real estate.
Association Private Missouri Wetlands Locations
Click the wetlands text locations to review aerials of that wetlands and water level blind pictures.
Kansas Waterfowl Hunting
Our Kansas duck hunting is primarily combination field and wet sets or wet sets on farm ponds. This farm pond hunting can cover several acres of surface water. These are not the common stock ponds found in a farm yard. These are larger structures away from buildings commonly surrounded by crop fields.
This Kansas waterfowl hunting is primarily in eastern Kansas both north and south. It is the region where the Central Lowlands, the geographic name for what we locally call the Lower Missouri River Basin extends west out of Missouri into Kansas.
For the new to the Association waterfowl hunter it appears past experience shows it better to start with our Missouri waterfowl hunting areas. Then later after gaining first hand experience with local migration patterns to flex over to Kansas. This would be as much as for a good hunt as to gain the extra motivation that comes with new spots.
Read some more about our Kansas Duck Hunting.
Value
The value is all may have a choice. A choice of where and when to waterfowl hunt. And the choice of how to duck or goose hunt. Taking advantage of this value is up to the hunter.
Some of those advantages include using a lay out boat during middle and late season when the ducks are more educated about permanent blinds. Or, those with dogs find that hunting the wade-in, layout and permanent duck blinds to maximize their dog work. Add to that field sets for goose hunting rounds out the maximum most could expect of their dogs.
For those with dogs that want to go beyond waterfowl hunting we also have upland bird hunting. Kansas fall turkey, pheasant and quail in Missouri and Kansas are available to hunt.
All of that hunting so far has proven to require more energy than we have had any hunter make full use of. That is especially so within one season. The advantage of the upland bird hunting is just one more option should we have a bad duck season.
Goose hunters and field duck hunters are not limited to the 8,100 acres of crop stubble on water. Field duck and goose hunts may be conducted over 90% of the over 200,000 acres of land we have within the agriculture regions of Kansas, Iowa and Missouri. This allows the waterfowl hunter to observe local flights and migration reports to go to the region where the geese are, scout out a nearby field, set a spread then work the local flights. A much better approach than picking a spot and hope the birds show up.
Waterfowl and all Migratory Bird Hunting
We start with the earliest of the seasons dove and teal. Run through the regular waterfowl season. Hunt late into spring goose. More migratory bird hunting than most waterfowl hunters have the energy to hunt.
Al who has guns to envy with what appears to be his old sweet 16.
It is common for a hand full to dove and teal hunt. Most hunt ducks the most. Hunting tapers off through late into spring goose. After a break many return for a spring turkey hunt for both Eastern and Rio Grande Turkey. Throw in a scouting trip for fall deer hunting and that carrys many through the year.
As folks settle into the Association and developed a more relaxed and tranquil approach to their hunting they actually hunt less variety and concentrate more. Once knowing the waterfowl, wetlands and dry lands are available most lose the anxiety about whether they will have a hunt. The idea becomes more just how good of a hunt it will be. Ninety percent or better of all Association hunters hunt one discipline or interest the most, dabble in a second, rarely hunting a third interest. Time and energy limiting those to what they gain the most enjoyment from.
Steve with Rocky his long time best hunting partner.
When To Hunt
Our approach is simple that for one annual fee all may hunt any time during the season. This flexibility of when to hunt additive to the value of where to hunt and by what method makes the Association a tough waterfowl hunting option to compare to others.
The strongest attribute of waterfowl hunting our Missouri, Kansas, Iowa region appears to be our migration location combined with temperate weather. This makes for good to heavy layover populations during the season.
The value of the pictures below show woodys well into the season as indicated by the snow cover and open water.
These pictures come from Association hunter Jeremy traveling in from out of state. Such traveling hunters remind us locals well just how spoiled we may be. What is normal for us to have ducks through the length of the waterfowl season is something not available in many other states.
How To Make An Association Waterfowl Hunt
The first season should be considered a break-in season.
That break-in is to try more than one wetlands, permanent duck blinds, lay out boat or field set etc., as a sampling of what works best for the hunting style most desired. In the simplest of breaking into the Association wetlands would be a daylight scouting of the blinds before any early morning attempt to find them. With each trip a reconnaissance of the wetlands, fields and lakes provides increased opportunity.
What happens over time is several subgroups of waterfowl hunters.
Many waterfowl hunters enjoy one wetlands habitat type or structure more so over that of others. These hunters will spend most of their time on that wetlands.
Some are technique oriented towards field and wet/dry sets over that of the Association's managed wetlands with permanent blinds.
Those with dogs split their time between pheasant hunting and duck hunting. A common approach is to duck hunt during lows and pheasant hunt during high pressure weather conditions.
This break-in periods should last as long as it takes to sample as much of the range of Association waterfowl hunting options as that hunter has the energy to do so. Once settling in to a a particular hunting approach be it dedication to the wetlands, pond hunts, field hunts or whatever keep that concentration through refining it for better hunts. That refinement is to weather, equipment and migration. After this niche is developed many find it enjoyable to changing their waterfowl hunting. That change is often motivated by the desire of seeing new land or responding to increasing equipment capability.
Waterfowl hunters as a group are the most social within the Association. Those that hunt the Association wetlands will meet other duck hunters at the designated wetlands parking area. That will eventually lead to conversations and that lead to getting together to share a blind, a dog or other hunt.
The buddy hunt list is another means by which to get with other Association hunters to share a hunt. The buddy list is a collection of hunter names, telephone numbers and hunt profiles. All on the list get a copy sent to them and then it is up to those on the list to call others.
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