Scouting
To scout will mean filtering out the dinks and even when picking that "hot spot" it does not always turn out hot. The below are pictures from the stand on one of those long days.
We offer private lease land deer hunting for the self guided hunter. A simple statement that means more that all who hunt with us may hunt as they desire.
When it comes to trophy Whitetail Deer hunting, it all begins with scouting. Another simple statement we bring to the front as recognition that do it yourself deer hunting begin at this point rather than opposed to a guide service that leads the hunter by the hand.
We offer this discussion as only a means to set the balance between the Association and the hunter as to the relation between these two entities in terms of scouting as the beginning point of a deer hunt.
Deer scouting is in two forms.
The first is that which all trophy deer hunters seek for themselves and that is to conduct their own deer scouting. The second approach to MAHA deer scouting is that conducted by the staff through their 12 months a year boots on the ground first hand experience with the land, talking to landowners and tracking from year to year trophy whitetail production within the limited area of Missouri, Iowa and Kansas.
This second aspect of our deer scouting provides the jump start necessary for the whitetail hunter to get within the right habitat for his hunting style without having to do extensive research and then find land access. That jump start is for the first year member. After that first season most will have defined an area they want to concentrate within and will continue to work those leases.
The most common approach to deer scouting is dovetailing it with a combination scouting and turkey hunt. Deer scouting while on a spring turkey hunt before the foliage cuts visibility, no bugs/ticks, cool and not cold weather makes for a more fruitful experience.
While scrapes will be difficult to find due to weather erasing their presence, rubs and trails as well as the great find of sheds provide much to the behavior and movement patterns. Combining such a spring turkey hunt and scout trip with that of fall hunting gains a far greater appreciation of deer movement than simply that gained from a week fall hunt.
We take for granted that all deer hunters have agreement and disagreement on whitetail deer habitat, behavior, scouting and deer hunting. Hunters are simply diverse in their backgrounds, previous experience and flooded by a wealth of experts advocating many before "unknown deer hunting secrets". We do not promote ourselves as hunt or wildlife experts. We stick to what our objective is and that is private land leases for the do it yourself hunter. In that same regard we do seek land that is productive. To that end, while this website and many others on whitetail deer promote the pictures of trophy racks, we understand the importance of the doe as well. This picture has much value.
Deer hunt preparation need not be limited to the spring.
Summer long through early fall deer scouting allows for a wide window of time to get in as much boots on the ground time before the season. This time should be spent not just finding the habitat of preference, food sources, water sources, trail canalizing and bedding areas, but also the preparation of tree stands to include hanging of the stands well before the first hunt.
By this means the hunter creates additional options for every hunting spot by establishing multiple trees stand locations giving flexibility to maneuvering in on a deer with the minimum of effort rather than having to take the time during a hunt to cut tree stands and shooting lanes.
Ground blinds are permitted. The natural blind of tree limbs combined with a camouflage clothing or that of a commercial blind is fine. Just as with tree stands, blinds are left in the field at the hunter's own risk.
All the text provided by us and the many hunter accounts spread throughout the website provide one underlying theme that we started this discussion with. All concern execution of the hunt. We are not experts, we are not deer hunter trainers, we do not offer deer hunting techniques other than as illustrations of what has worked for many first time MAHA members deer hunting our land in Kansas, Iowa or Missouri. What we offer is the hunt itself, that is all.
For those that want to enjoy their own self guided deer hunt, hunt private lease land and do so on their schedule throughout any part of the season in Kansas, Missouri and Iowa that is what we offer. It all starts with scouting and we encourage all to scout.