Waterfowl Hunts
Duck Specifics
Goose Hunts | The Lower Missouri River Basin well known for its waterfowl habitat is composed of three large sub-basins made by the, Missouri River in the northwest, Grand River in north central and Osage River in the central west. Together they form what is commonly described as the Lower River Basin.
The combined river basin area has over 591 third order streams in addition to the rivers themselves. Definition: The smallest permanently flowing streams are first order ranging up to 12 which is considered the Amazon River. When two first order streams come together they form a second order stream and so on. That means taking the 591 third order streams listed above means there are 1182+ second order streams and 2364+ first order streams. The '+' symbol means that if a first order stream flows into a second order stream the first order stream remains a first order stream, it takes two first order streams to come together at one juncture to make a second order stream. Compare these numbers of streams to any other part of the United States to surface area and Missouri out counts per square mile any other spot for flowing water. That flowing water does equate to still water collection as well. The focus on third order streams is due to that first through third order streams are Headwater Streams, or the upper reaches of the watershed, or that area most likely to contain a higher density of wildlife area. Within this basin is the Squaw Creek management Area, a regionally well known duck and goose habitat with significant surrounding private wetlands to include Mid-America Hunting Association wetlands of flooded crop. Other nearby conservation areas include Bob Brown. This basin is the migration entry point into Missouri from the Central Flyway following the Missouri River from the north west. The Nodaway River has a watershed area of 1,820 square miles. The Nodaway River watershed is bound by the Platte River watershed to the east and the Grand River and Des Moines River watersheds to the northeast. The area is about 115 miles in length. It averages 12 miles in width. The flood plain width varies between one-half and two and one-half miles. The waterfowl value is this basin is prone to extensive flooding. That extends to benefits and consequences for the waterfowl hunter as flooding or the lack of it concentrates or diffuses migrating flocks. During warm migration weather layover it is the difference between seeing thousands of ducks to seeing hundred of thousands of ducks. Platte River watershed contains 1,633 square miles. There are 435 third order and larger streams within the watershed and major tributaries include the 102 River, Third Fork, Honey Creek, Castile Creek, and the Little Platte River.Tarkio River watershed is heavily covered my numerous streams and wetlands. This area greatly flattens allowing for numerous wetlands both of controlled water level and uncontrolled flooding. These three rivers (Nodaway, Platte, Tarkio) while separate watersheds collectively make for a significant basin that combined with the Grand River Basin in north central Missouri makes for one of the most stream congested watersheds in Missouri.
This basin covers about 1/3 or better of north central Missouri. It has 8 major tributaries and several extensive marsh areas to include the Fountain Grove Conservation Area, Swan Lake and many smaller wetlands. The Grand River Basin has an uncounted number of third order streams in excess of 1,000 making it the most extensive network of headwater streams of any of the sub-basins in Missouri. This is the basin where we have our best marsh wetlands.
While the largest river in this sub-basin is the Osage, it would be remiss not to mention the South Grand River as it has significantly more marsh lands. Since the construction of Truman Dam, flooding has increased in the lower portions of streams within the flood pool of Truman Lake. These flooded areas provide a variety of wetlands habitat supporting year round duck populations. Within the Osage Basin we exist on the western region with our best slough, flooded timber, timbered potholes and open water on crop fields. Missouri Waterfowl Areas These abundant sub-basins have not been ignored by government waterfowl conservation efforts. This map is of state and federal wetlands and conservation areas showing clearly where the government effort has been placed.
These efforts have been greatly received by hunters. To hunt a state controlled wetlands requires the hunter to appear early morning, place his name in a competitive lottery and see if he gets drawn for hunting access. This is the Missouri Department of Conservation doing what it does very well. That is, develop wildlife habitat and then manage it to prevent over pressuring the land. Those that do draw for a hunt typically have a good hunt, those that do not go home. Hence the birth of the private waterfowl wetlands as MAHA provides. MAHA Waterfowl With our Association no waterfowl hunter is ever denied the chance to hunt when he desires to hunt and do so without competition. In terms of our Missouri wetlands and waterfowl hunts no one is disappointed by the habitat or blinds. Weather and migration remain the uncontrollable elements, not waterfowl hunter on the wetlands discipline. MAHA also gives the waterfowl hunter the flexibility for choosing when and where to hunt. That added choice allows for more season long success to hunt where the ducks are rather than go somewhere and hope the ducks show up.
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Northwest Basin consists of the Tarkio, Nodaway and Platte Rivers.
Grand River Basin is the largest prairie river in Missouri that is relatively unaffected by impoundments or channelization.
Osage River Basin has 2,364 streams with a combined length of approximately 3,586 mi, of which 276 are third order or larger (1,168 miles).
