Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Finding The Best Missouri Waterfowl Hunting

Tags

By Erna Gutierrez


Anyone who enjoys hunting and being outdoors should consider a Missouri waterfowl hunting trip. These trips can be as short as a single day, or up to a week. It all depends on the desires and budget of the hunter. An average day's hunt with an experienced guide will run around two hundred dollars, plus tip. This is actually a very reasonable amount considering the amount of work that goes into planning a great day of hunting.

Most operations use decoys. These decoys encourage the migrating flocks of birds to come in lower and take a look. They have to be within range of the guns, which is typically thirty to fifty yards. It has been observed by the experienced guides that many of the geese are now quite aware of the use of decoys and seem to just know when they are been lured. With this in mind it is vital for every hunter to understand that there are no guarantees of success.

Decoys are an important way to get the birds to come in close. It is an extremely labor intensive job to set out and collect upwards of a thousand decoys. The minimum number to use is five hundred, and some guides use up to two thousand decoys in some places. The final number will depend on the terrain and type of birds being hunted. Each guide knows his territory like the back of his hand and will be able to provide the very best conditions.

The state of Missouri has long been associated with hunting. There are some excellent wide open spaces that are perfect for waterfowl hunting. Some people like to hunt on the state maintained reserves. They will need to make an on line application for a permit. They should be careful to take not of the times so as not to miss the application deadlines.

The wildfowl season begins in the fall and runs into the spring. Ducks and geese are migrating in the fall and the state staggers the hunt zones. The northern zones are the earliest to start, followed by the central and finally the southern areas. There are many national wildlife preserves that provide excellent hunting.

When booking a hunting trip it is essential to go over all the terms and conditions ahead of time and get a written contract. Outfitters will emphasise that there is no guarantee to the number of birds a hunter can expect to bag. Anyone who does this is misleading their clients and likely to run into problems. There is usually a maximum of six hunters to a party. If there are less than six, they group may be combined with another group.

All hunters must be aware that they are expected to dispose of their own birds. Most outfitters offer a cleaning service and the birds can be taken home to eat or donated to a charity or food bank.

A Missouri waterfowl hunting trip offers the chance to enjoy the great outdoors. The guide should be very experienced and every hunter must be willing to follow his instructions to the letter.




About the Author:




EmoticonEmoticon