Mississippi Flyway Duck Hunting Keys Good ducking hunting in the central mid west has several key elements of historic micro flyways, standing water and food. No surprises that these three elements are the key to a good duck hunt. What MAHA does is apply these keys to the very specific area of Missouri where the micro flyway and water naturally exists and is enhanced with a food source, blinds and water level control to have in place the elements for a good duck hunt that is just waiting for the birds to migrate through.
The term micro flyway is used by the waterfowl experts that describe a small locality within a national flyway such as our Mississippi flyway, where a predictable local flight pattern has been established by layover and migratory birds. In Missouri these micro flyways were first documented by the market hunters and are described locally, by residents, as historic flyways where gangs of 10 gauge shooters would line up bracing their shotguns on tall shooting sticks and load trucks with dead birds. This is hard for us to imagine now but was a seasonal income for many that could not be pass on in the late 1800's and early 1900's. These micro flyways in Missouri where MAHA enhanced natural pre-existing wetlands, are are within the central rivers that compose the three sub-basins of the lower Missouri River basin where the combination of flood plain, farming and expansive standing water both natural and man made are in relative close proximity. At this point the analysis of a good wetlands is an art built from an intimate knowledge of waterfowl and local geography only possible from years of experience.
This understanding of local duck patterns can payoff well for having great waterfowl action or in the case of the local and recent land development rush of employing the WRP to build levees, sink wells and flood crop ground it can be a financial plunder. There has been over the last years several real-estate brokerages and individuals that have seen prime wetlands sell for up to $2,000 an acre and blinds that lease for $1,000/season and believe that all wetlands have that potential. The proof this is error can be seen in the length of time some wetlands have been on the market compared to others that sold quickly with competitive bidding from more than one potential buyer. Many of those that have remained on the market have done so not for lack of appearing to be good wetlands, they have remained for a lack of ducks. These same wetlands had they been built over the ridge in the next watershed probably would have achieved the intended result. The old real-estate adage "location, location, location" is as true for productive wetlands duck as for any other real-estate.
The value MAHA brings to the waterfowl hunter is we have made our mistakes, consulted others that built productive wetlands and seen a good bit of failure. The end result is a better day in the field for our hunters. We may not be great at taking pictures, but we do make good duck hunt memories for a lifetime. |
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There is a lot to this picture beyond the green heads on the rail. The open water to the front of the blind is not covered with hundreds of decoys. Low hunter pressure requires little exceptional duck hunting techniques.
