Private Land Self Guided Iowa Pheasant Hunting
Iowa pheasant hunting with this Association is across south central part of Iowa boarding Missouri. It is with in the Grand River Watershed having the combination of many brushed drainage's cutting through rolling grain crop fields. And, there are Bobwhite Quail making for a mixed bag pheasant hunt.
Three State Value
The season opens the last Saturday in October and closes in middle January. Our self guided hunts allow the hunter to hunt any time during the season. With this being the earliest of our three states it is possible to start with this early opener, move onto a Missouri quail hunt a week later. Then hunt the Kansas upland bird opener starting the second week in November covering three successive opening weeks.
For those that wish to hunt anytime during the season this earlier opener along with Missouri and Kansas gives the MAHA hunter a full 3 months of upland bird hunts. This value extends to that of Kansas provides the most tall grass and better rooster hunts. Those that also like Bobwhite Quail will find the short drive south into Missouri provides an increasing number of coveys.
The bottom line is flexibility first of where to hunt. When one state is having a bad year as all states will do the hunter is not left without resource. Traveling to Kansas will put him back into birds. The next flexibility is time as we offer the entire season for one cost. This concept of flexibility extends into being able to select from day to day the choice of habitat to hunt ranging from tall grass, brush drains and draws along with crop edge.
2010 Iowa Pheasant Hunting Land within MAHA
The map below shows where MAHA leases private land for our exclusive use.
Iowa Pheasant Hunting Details
Daily bag limit is 3 per day and 6 possession. As a fair chase organization compliance to all state and federal regulations is a must.
The one disadvantage of this earlier season opener is that it is far more likely that standing crops will be in the fields. More so during the early part of the season. This of course greatly expands the available protective cover habitat for the birds.
After crop harvest many find that combined with the cooler weather of the middle season to offer far better conditions.
Late season will find more snow ground accumulation than further south into Missouri's quail country or Kansas.
This Association has been a private land self guided hunter organization since 1965. The current ownership dates back to 1981 with the founders long past. The two partners both hunt over bird dogs of their own training. They have a good understanding of the customer service required of the traveling hunter to insure they park their truck, step out with dogs down at the right spot.
Winter weather frequently seems a point of concern. From our own direct observation of upland bird population seasonal changes we have not seen the adverse winter snowfall weather affects that concerns others. These discussion appear to originate in the Dakotas. The Dakotas with their far colder and deeper snow fall amounts show us it is not winter weather that determines bird counts. They have shown winter kill not to be as strong an indicator of subsequent hunt quality as other indicators. What the Dakotas have shown is that locality is good for the opening week type hunter. Those that want more flexibility to hunt through the season find our southern climate providing for longer periods open to hunter. See our upland bird forecast methodology and history for our region.
When it comes to us and our wild upland bird hunts it is that our land is in southern part of the state receiving less snowfall than the northern half. What winter does give us is the chance to learn more about our upland bird population through the sign they leave behind when we do get snow on the ground.
We do however agree with many others that spring rainfall during the critical hatch and brood months of May and June does directly affect the chick survival rates. This is one of several indicators we monitor to provide recommendation of where our best hunt potential will be.
This spring rainfall receives our due diligent each spring for all three states. It is one part of our upland bird forecasting elements. That in addition to our direct on the ground experience throughout the year in every region we lease land gives us a good feel as to where to recommend Association hunters hunt that includes the better land within our lease land region.
Member/hunter feedback is a big part of our organization.
All pictures on this web site are at the courtesy of our members.
This is Andrew, a hunter of versatile dogs. He covers Missouri quail; Kansas and Iowa pheasant hunting. He told us as several before have said the enjoyment is a variety of locations. A value not fully appreciated until having experienced it. The transition occurs around the third membership year with upland bird hunters traveling to different localities each trip. The explanation is to see new land.