Association Membership Application

Upland bird hunting with us begins with a telephone conversation where we will discuss two central topics. These will insure a good upland bird hunting experience.

The first is to insure what we offer is what the hunter believes us to be. The second is just to double check we can work together. If we agree then the membership applicant must return an original signed release of liability/membership agreement form and payment by check or credit card. We will respond with the member's ID card, vehicle marker and online private land maps. The accompanying welcome letter will tell how to access lease land map updates on line.

Once the hunter has his maps in hand it is a lot easier to talk about where to hunt for either Bobwhite Quail or pheasant. If there is a habitat type preference that may be accommodated. Within our three state region it is more if there is a preference for more quail than pheasant or the other way on where to hunt. Habitat distinction does separate where to hunt to a greater extent.

Within all three of our states (Kansas, Missouri, Iowa) we have large regions of overlapping pheasant and quail and two quail only areas. Within each of the overlapping areas the entire pheasant and quail habitat range exists. Hunts will be over brushy draws, crop edge and tall grass all the same day or chose to concentrate within one type of habitat.

In terms of habitat distinction it is more a density by type decision than all else. In some regions we have large lease land holdings of tall prairie grass that hold pheasants hard. In other regions it is a matter of very little tall grass and mostly crop edge quail hunts. Crop edge dependent on the region may yield a pheasant as often as a covey.

In any regard of quail, pheasant or habitat preference we will recommend to the hunter where to hunt by state, county and that upland bird hunting will be to a "unit" of property. See more about recommendations and Units.

A unit currently ranges from 1,200 to 11,000 acres. The hunter would reserve one unit per day selecting at his election from several days in the larger units to a different unit each day. Any lease land within that reserved unit the hunter can select to hunt or pass dependent on the cover and food habitat and his preferences.

Upland bird hunting units also allow us to separate hunters and to manage pressure. An example of how a reservation serves to separate hunters would be anyone calling for any specific state and county and is the first to call in to make a reservation for any given day has his choice of units. The next hunter calling into reserve land for the same day and county would be given the choice of the remaining units without hunters. If all units in any one county have a party each then the gun limit per unit comes into practice.

A unit gun limit is the total number of hunters we permit within any unit given the amount of acreage and habitat quality for that unit. It is not a direct ratio of acres per hunter per day. This may equate to a larger 4,000 acre unit of less huntable habitat having a limit of 6 guns for over 600 acres per hunter to a 2,000 acre of greater cover habitat unit with a 3 gun limit or 400 acres per hunter. The point we are making here is that we are dogs hunters and know what it takes to have a good hunt. MAHA is also a business not a club with all of that title's social connotation. To both of these ends we know what it takes to have a good hunt and thoroughly understand it is only the satisfied hunter that will renew his membership. Long time Association hunters is the goal we seek.

Two high use periods occur each year and the first is the last weekend in October when Iowa season opens and Kansas and Missouri is closed. In Iowa we have a set amount of acres and a set gun limit per unit. With only that limited acreage it is not long until all lease land is booked. Not all will be able to hunt. This is an example of how we will state up front to all we are not the perfect answer to all hunters. We have limitation that we are careful not to oversell.

The next high use period is Kansas opening weekend. This is when we will get all the one weekend a year hunters to include those without dogs. Duck hunters that have had several weeks of waterfowl season will also hunt this season. In this case, it is not our land availability that is the problem to overcome as by the time Kansas opens Iowa and Missouri are open and the hunters have settled into their favorite regions. The problem is motel room availability due to limited number of motels in the rural areas and the larger number of overall opening week hunters within and without of MAHA.

In each case of the opening weekend and weeks until December comes around the typically warm weather and standing crops limit hunter success. Dog heat fatigue and far too much standing crop protective cover keeps many safe. The more dependable cooler weather comes around in early December. These two effects plus that of our limited membership and hunter pressure further enhanced by hunt interest and residency distribution makes our middle and late season to be just enjoyable. This is the time to be away from the hunter that believes success is only possible in early season. Those with the willingness to walk, shooting ability and dog power will find good dog work throughout the entire season right until the end on the last day in January.

One safety concern does exist during the Missouri. Their rifle deer season. Missouri deer tags are over the counter purchase and cheap making for a lot of deer hunters during their short firearms season. This occurs during the middle two weeks in November. During this period we shut down the upland bird hunting due to safety concerns of moving hunters and running dogs in the presence of larger numbers of deer hunters. During Iowa and Kansas gun deer seasons there are not enough tag holders due to price to close upland bird hunting. Hunters should wear large coverage of orange during any of the fire arms deer seasons.