The American Wildlife Association

Hunting in Arkansas

Arkansas, home of the RICE & DUCK CAPITAL OF THE WORLD, has numerous options to offer the outdoorsman. For the waterfowler, AWA's Arkansas Club has a variety of properties across East Arkansas, including White & Arkansas River Frontage, Flooded Rice, Milo, Corn, and Soybean Fields, Cypress Sloughs, Flooded Timber, Lakes and Reservoirs. Several of these properties are only a few miles from Bayou Meto & Hurricane Lake Wildlife Management Areas, which helps keep more DUCKS in the area.

QUALITY DEER can also be found on many of our Arkansas properties, most of which are in the Arkansas & White River Deltas. These highly fertile & agricultural areas provide an ample food supply and complement the Quality Buck Management Program we utilize on some of our more promising units. Minerals, cottonseed and winter wheat on our property inside the Arkansas River Levee helped produce harvested BUCKS weighing 230 to 285 lbs in 2006.

DOVE hunting opportunities are also available over strips of sunflowers and milo fields on club property.

Hunting in Colorado

Colorado has so many options when it comes to outdoor activities that you can get out and enjoy the outdoors year round. From ANTELOPE hunting in August through Turkey season in May, Colorado hunters can enjoy non stop hunting for a variety of species.

Colorado has the LARGEST ELK HERD in the country. In fact ELK numbers are so high here that the Colorado Division of Wildlife has been offering many more tags and options that allow hunters to harvest up to three ELK per season in efforts to reduce our population back to the division's objective for the population.

Colorado is not only well known for it's ELK hunting, but also its DEER hunting. Due to proper management, the number of mature WHITETAIL and MULE DEER BUCKS has increased significantly in recent years. In many areas of the state WHITETAIL and MULE DEER are thriving.

Hunting in Georgia

Georgia offers a diverse range of habitat from the coastal marshes in the southeast, to the mountainous terrain of the Appalachian Mountains in the north. Along with the variety of game and scenery, Georgia has the largest land area of any state east of the Mississippi River.

The game is plentiful and the seasons are long. There are currently over 1.2 million WHITE-TAILED DEER and 300,000 EASTERN TURKEYS in the state. Trophy bucks and long-beards are a common scene at the taxidermists. Deer season is 17 weeks long from September through January; turkey season lasts 7+ weeks every spring. The limit on deer is 12 (2 bucks and 10 doe) and turkey limit is 3 gobblers.

Along with turkey and deer, BLACK BEAR, BOBWHITE QUAIL, DUCKS, GEESE, DOVE, RABBIT, BOBCAT, and FOX are also plentiful statewide. Come hunt COYOTE and HOGS all year round to hone your shooting skills. ALLIGATOR hunting is truly a unique hunt and one every hunter should experience. Hunting for gators brings a whole new meaning to an adrenaline rush!

Georgia's fisheries offer variety and abundance. The state's freshwater species include BASS (Hybrid-Striped, Largemouth, Smallmouth, Spotted, Striped, White), CATFISH, TROUT (Brook, Brown, Rainbow) and WALLEYE. Georgia has phenomenal fishing opportunity and is still home to the WORLD RECORD Largemouth Bass (22 lbs. 4 oz.) caught by George W. Perry on June 2, 1932. There are over 4000 miles of cold water trout streams and the State hosts the largest BASS affiliate chapter in America. On the coast, saltwater fishing adds an entire new dimension. Enjoy fishing for all the species the vast Atlantic Ocean has to offer.

Many sportsmen are shocked to learn about the wonderful fish and game in Georgia. Travel to the Southeast to see for yourself. Over-the-counter tags are available for non-resident hunters and anglers at an affordable price. Please note that alligator tags are only available through a special permit draw.

Hunting in Illinois

Illinois has long been known as one of the best states to try your luck at a MONSTER TROPHY WHITETAIL. Pike County, IL has developed quite a reputation for LARGE RACKED BUCKS, but what you don't hear about are all of the trophies that come out of most all of the western and central counties in the state. The state boasts a healthy population of EASTERN WILD TURKEY living on private farm land through out the state. Although the UPLAND GAME in Illinois are not as numerous as they are in their western neighbors KS, IA, MO, SD, or NE they can be found in decent numbers that make for a great day of hunting.

Hunting in Iowa

Iowa is home to some of the best hunting in the country. With the worlds richest soils it has both the nutrients and the game management plan to produce HUGE TROPHY WHITETAILS. Iowa also has a large amount of acres in conservation reserve programs which cater to large populations of PHEASANT, QUAIL, and HUNGARIAN PARTRIDGE.

The EASTERN subspecies of WILD TURKEY roams in and around the states large amount of agriculture, heavy timber, and riparian forest areas, making Iowa one of the premier states to venture to for a GOBBLER of a lifetime.

With HUGE BUCKS, and GOBBLERS if trophies are what you are after you should not overlook the state of Iowa.

Hunting in Kansas

Kansas is home to some of the best hunting opportunities in the United States. The UPLAND BIRD hunting is fruitful and has a wide variety of species to chase including: GREATER and LESSER PRAIRIE CHICKEN, BOBWHITE QUAIL, SCALED QUAIL, and PHEASANT. The TURKEY populations in KS range from EASTERN to RIO GRANDE to even MERRIAM'S HYBRID in the South Western portion of the state. The largest densities of WHITETAIL roam the the Eastern half of the state. The MULE DEER reside in the Western half of KS along with PRONGHORN ANTELOPE. With the increase of Woody Expansion the MULE DEER and ANTELOPE are being pushed farther and farther towards Colorado each year, but for now Kansas is one of the leading states to harvest a Trophy WHITETAIL, MULIE, PRONGHORN, RIO GRANDE, or EASTERN. One of the best qualities that Kansas holds is the availability of game on private land. In Kansas it is not uncommon for people to go DEER hunting in the morning and evenings, and round their day out with a PHEASANT and quail hunt in the afternoon. 2007 will be that last season for nonresidents to purchase "Transferable Landowner Tags". In the past, nonresidents could either draw a tag in the lottery system or purchase a tag from a landowner. Now that they are doing away with Transferable Landowner Tags the state will be drastically increasing the amount of tags that are available to nonresidents.

Hunting in Louisiana

LOUISIANA - THE SPORTSMAN'S PARADISE

Louisiana has long been known as the Sportsman Paradise for a good reason.

From north Louisiana all the way down to the Atchafalaya Basin, Louisiana offers one of the widest varieties of hunting, fishing and outdoor opportunities available anywhere in the country. Thick, piney woods flourish with wildlife. Lush rolling hills, clear sparkling lakes abundant with BASS and TROUT and mysterious bayous fingering from the rivers. This is Louisiana. Because of our rich, swampy bayous down south and our lush, forested hills up north, Louisiana offers hunters a wide selection of game, practically all year long. The eight-month season includes DOVES, DUCKS, WILD TURKEY, DEER, TEAL, GEESE, QUAIL, RABBIT, NUTRIA and more. If you want to hunt it or fish it, we have it. You won't find a more diverse combination of hunting and fishing anywhere.

WHITETAIL DEER - Louisiana has some of the best WHITETAIL DEER hunting in the entire United States. With good nutrition, great genetics, good cover and a good statewide management program for controlling populations, Louisiana offers more deer per sq/mile than just about anywhere in the nation. With a population of more than 1,000,000 deer, between 220,000 and 250,000 are harvested annually. The Louisiana Big Game Records indicate at least eight whitetails that score upwards to 160 B&C points having been taken in the last few years. Each and every season it's not uncommon to have a few bucks taken that score in the 140 B&C class range. Also, we have bucks in our records weighing 250 to 275 pounds. One taken some years back weighed 333 pounds."

WATERFOWL - If you want a little taste of what true marsh hunting is all about, Louisiana can make your dreams come true. In the heart of the Mississippi River Delta and the southern end of the Mississippi Flyway, our hunt areas are the wintering grounds for the millions of waterfowl that migrate here each fall. Imagine yourself sitting in a blind at dawn looking out over a vast delta marsh that is filled with ducks: MALLARDS, PINTAIL, WIDGEON, GADWALL, TEAL, CANVASBACK, MOTTLED DUCKS, we've got them all and plenty of them.

For more than a century, DUCKS and GEESE migrating from Canada and the central United States have poured into southwest Louisiana to gorge themselves on surplus rice. This is the Louisiana flyway. Under it lies a half a million acres of harvest spillings and naturally downed grain. Over it migrating waterfowl have navigated the same air corridors for generations. Like salmon of the skies, they return year after year to the same fields. The Louisiana Flyway is well established and has been productive for generations of hunters. That's because each year, over fifty million ducks arrive here in a feeding-frenzy, competing for landing space.

EASTERN WILD TURKEY - The state boasts a very healthy population of WILD TURKEY across the central and northern areas of the state. TURKEY hunting in Louisiana gets better each and every year with the population moving further south every year. Louisiana's diverse terrain and habitat offer the spring turkey hunter any number of tantalizing options. The state boasts five distinct habitat regions as defined by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.

WILD/FERAL HOG - populations are at an all time high and offer year-round hunting opportunities. There is no limit on WILD HOGS, and you can hunt them all year long all over the state.

DOVE hunting opportunities are also available over strips of sunflowers, bean and milo fields on club property.



SALTWATER FISHING

Southwest Louisiana is well known for having some of the finest inshore, coastal and deep sea fishing available on the Gulf Coast. The saltwater fishing opportunities in Louisiana are almost too numerous to list. There are many species of saltwater fish available inshore and all along the coast. The most sought after inshore gamefish are the SPECKLED TROUT, REDFISH and FLOUNDER. South Louisiana produces the finest REDFISH and SPECKLED TROUT fishing in the World.

Other available species include BLACK DRUM, SAND TROUT, SHEEPSHEAD, CROAKERS, and LADYFISH. In addition, there are many more gamefish species available along the Southwest Louisiana coastline or at the near shore oil platforms, including BULL REDFISH, COBIA, TRIPLETAIL, SPANISH and KING MACKEREL, POMPANO, BLUEFISH, SNAPPER, JACK CREVALLE, TARPON and SHARKS to name a few. Louisiana has some of the best deep sea fishing on the planet.

From the Calcasieu Estuary all the way east down to Port Fourchon and on to the Chandeleur Islands and all points in-between, the Louisiana coast produces some of the most exciting and memorable salt water fishing in North America. Whether you enjoy fishing in the great salt marshes, in the bays, in the brackish bayous or in the coastal waters, South Louisiana has something for everyone.

Hunting in Michigan

Estimated at more than 1.6 million, Michigan boasts one of the largest DEER herds in the U.S. The best hunting has migrated in recent years from the deep woods of the Upper Peninsula to farm country in the southern counties where the majority of AWA properties are located. Although Michigan is not particularly noted for an abundance of WORLD-CLASS WHITETAILS, one of the owners of AWA has taken 6 BUCKS that score over 160" (Pope & Young) from the state in the past 12 years; and sixteen BUCKS over the 125" P&Y minimum in that same timeframe. Club member's success ratio on DEER for the 2006 season was 140% - 40 hunters took 57 DEER (eleven BUCKS over 125").

PHEASANT, RUFFED GROUSE, BOBWHITE QUAIL, WOODCOCK, DUCKS, and GEESE provide plenty of action for the wing shooters. An over abundance of CANADA GEESE geese in recent years has prompted the addition of an early season starting September 1st and a late season ending January 29th - a five month season The TURKEY populations in Michigan counties have made a phenomenal come-back over the past several years, and flocks continue to grow with relatively little hunting pressure.

Small game is plentiful across the entire state - SQUIRRELS (fox, grey, & black), RABBITS and varying HARE are the primary targets, along with some nuisance critters like WOODCHUCK, FOX, COYOTE, and RACCOON.

FRESHWATER FISHING in Michigan is world-class. Borders on the north, east, and west are all shorelines, and the interior of the state has thousands of lakes, rivers and streams. The Michigan Out-of-Doors Television program recently aired a segment on one of AWA's properties - a large "muck-farm" that raises a variety of vegetables, and has multiple ponds for irrigation. The episode featured BASS FISHING in these ponds and canals that rivaled the renowned southern impoundments featured on nationally syndicated fishing programs. In ten minutes of air-time there was non-stop fish catching action on surface lures with BASS in the 3 to 4 pound range doing aerial acrobatics for the camera. Several BASS caught on this property have qualified for the Michigan Master Angler Certificate (21" or larger).

Licenses in Michigan are more economical than most states, and can be purchased "over the counter" by out-of-state hunters and anglers.

Hunting in Minnesota

Minnesota offers an array of hunting possibilities. The northern part of Minnesota opens its self to BEAR, ELK and MOOSE hunting. MOOSE hunting is a resident only hunt and since 1991 has been a "once-in-a-lifetime" license draw. WILD TURKEYS and DEER can be found throughout the state. TURKEY hunting has both a fall and a spring season which runs two - 5 day periods. Licenses are awarded in separate computerized preference drawings. Archery DEER season generally runs mid September through the end of the year; Muzzleloader season is a 16 day period the end of November through early December; and firearms opens in early November.

Hunting in Mississippi

MISSISSIPPI - HUNTING THE MAGNOLIA STATE

Thanks to Mississippi's responsible wildlife management programs, more than 2 million acres of wild game habitat are teeming with healthy and productive game populations.

Some of the most popular wild game species include Whitetail deer, Eastern wild turkey and migratory waterfowl, as well as small game species such as mourning dove, quail, squirrel and rabbit.

Mississippi consists of five state regions: The Hills, The Delta, The Pines, Capital River and the Costal Region. Many lakes, rivers, streams, reservoirs and over 100 miles of coastline allow plenty of opportunity to spend time hunting, fishing, camping or boating.

WhiteTail Deer:
Whitetail deer is, without a doubt, the most popular big-game species in Mississippi. With an estimated deer population of approximately two million, sportsmen enjoy one of the most generous bag limits in the nation. To improve the quality of the statewide deer herd, only bucks with antlers of four points or greater may be taken. Rut occurs between the end of November and the end of January, depending on the region of the state.

Wild Hogs:
Wild (or feral) hog are not considered a native wild-game species, do not have a limit and may be taken during any hunting season with the appropriate weapon allowed at that time. While some wild hogs venture into public hunting areas, most huntable populations are limited to private land. Unlike their complacent domesticated cousins, feral tuskers are generally very agile and lean and provide an exciting challenge to the sportsman who enjoys a novel hunting experience.

Eastern Wild Turkey:
Turkeys can be found on most all wilderness hunting lands throughout the state.

Bobwhite Quail:
The wild quail season in Mississippi is generously long. Bobwhite quail can be found in every section of Mississippi.

Waterfowl:
While waterfowl are hunted in every part of the state, extensive concentrations of duck and geese can be found throughout the Delta's countless acres of flooded timber, oxbow lakes and seasonally flooded agriculture fields. The Mississippi Delta provides some of the finest waterfowling in the world.

Mourning Dove:
Mourning dove season is usually divided into three spilt seasons between September/November and December/January. The seasons are also divided between northern and southern sections of the state. Please refer to state hunting regulations for exact dates. The mourning dove is the most popular game bird in Mississippi. Even though the dove is a migratory species, significant numbers of dove remain in the state year-round. Populations reach their peak during the late summer and early fall as flocks of additional migratory birds travel through the state. Excellent dove hunting can be found throughout the state, but the largest concentrations of birds will be found in the agricultural areas.

Woodcock:
Mississippi is a major wintering ground for Woodcock. Preferring dense areas of new-growth timber with thick underbrush, woodcock can be found in many areas of Mississippi, particularly near the thick river basin areas of the Delta.

Common Snipe:
Many of Mississippi's bottomland marshes and wetland areas provide a wintering home for the migratory common snipe. Snipe also use the idle rice fields as feeding areas during their time in the state. Populations are at their peak migration beginning in February as the birds gather for their migration north to breed and nest. Snipe hunting is enjoyed by many sportsmen who hunt with pointing dogs and enjoy fast wing shooting.

Gray and Fox Squirrel:
In terms of number of hunters and total harvest, squirrel are the most popular small-game species in Mississippi. Both gray and fox squirrel are abundant.

Rabbit:
Rabbit is one of the most plentiful of all small-game animals, and can be found in every county in Mississippi. As is the case of all burrowing animals, rabbits prefer areas that are not susceptible to persistent flooding and require some thick cover to serve as a refuge from natural predators. Traditional rabbit-hunting areas include elevated river and stream banks, agriculture turn-rows and heavy briar thickets in wooded areas.

Hunting in Missouri

Private Missouri farms are known for BIG BUCKS, extremely large EASTERN WILD TURKEY populations, great UPLAND game hunting, and phenomenal WATERFOWL. In the Fall Missouri has become a second home for both residents and non-residents hunters alike. Tags and licenses are all over the counter in Missouri so no one will feel left out of your hunting party because they did not draw a tag or a permit. The prices are cheap in comparison to all of the surrounding states with over the counter bow tags at around $122.00 for non-residents that allow you to take two BUCKS. There is a statewide management plan in effect that will insure trophy animals for many years to come.

Hunting in Nebraska

Nebraska is known for great hunting opportunities due to its wide variety of different game species. The state has almost every type of BIG GAME SPECIES in North America, with the exception of only a few, this makes Nebraska a hunter's paradise. Nebraska allows for a liberal amount of out-of-state WHITETAIL and TURKEY hunters with many over the counter tags available. From SHARP TAILED GROUSE to BOBWHITE QUAIL and from ANTELOPE to WHITETAILS, Nebraska has it all. Nebraska has a full month long Muzzleloader season in December which is a great time to go out there to avoid the pressure and add another DEER to the freezer. The state holds populations of EASTERN, RIO GRANDE, and MERRIAM'S TURKEYS all located in different regions of the state.

Hunting in North Carolina

From the mountains to the coast, North Carolina offers a wide variety of hunting, fishing and outdoor opportunities. WHITETAIL DEER are abundant throughout the Piedmont and Coastal areas. Our state boasts two distinct BLACK BEAR populations in the mountains and along the coast. The coastal population is known across the country for both numbers and size of the bruins. We also boast one of the longest BEAR hunting seasons in the country.

The North Carolina coast is known for the variety and numbers of WATERFOWL that winter here. We have the only east coast hunting season for TUNDRA SWANS. Although overall numbers have been down, BOBWHITE QUAIL can be found by dedicated hunters.

WILD TURKEY are hunted in every NC county during the traditional spring season. A special winter, any-bird, season was added a few years ago in selected counties.

Hunting in Ohio

Ohio licenses are also over the counter, and less expensive than most states. Ohio has "come up in the world" of WHITETAIL DEER hunting in the last few years. MONSTER BUCKS are no longer a rarity in this state. Several Ohio BUCKS measuring over 200" have been highlighted in national hunting magazines since Mike Beatty's 304' world record BUCK was taken in Greene County in 2000. The world record typical BUCK taken with a crossbow (201") came from Warren County in 2004, and the largest nontypical (294") taken in the world in 2006 came from Adams county last season.

Ohio has a similar selection of birds for the wing shooters, but you can add doves to the menu. And the success of TURKEY repopulation is notable in the buckeye state also.

AWA has excellent properties in Ohio - all have food plots and habitat improvements being conducted over the next five years to make them even better.

Hunting in South Carolina

The WHITETAIL DEER is the most popular and sought after, game animal in South Carolina. We boast the longest DEER season in the country. Some areas open on August 15, providing the rare opportunity to harvest a BUCK in velvet.

There are two populations of BLACK BEAR in South Carolina, one located in the mountainous region and the other in the northern coastal plain.

WILD/FERAL HOG populations are rapidly expanding and offer year-round hunting opportunities.

The WILD TURKEY in the Palmetto State is a noteworthy conservation success story with birds harvested across the state.

While QUAIL numbers are trending down, we offer one of the best opportunities to harvest wild birds on the east coast.

Hunting in South Dakota

South Dakota is home to some of the best upland game hunting in the country. With the worlds best grassland, nesting grounds and an abundance of food South Dakota produces huge amounts of PHEASANT, SHARP TAIL GROUSE, HUNGARIAN PARTRIDGE, PRAIRIE CHICKEN and other upland game. In addition South Dakota has healthy populations of trophy WHITETAIL and MULE DEER throughout the state. South Dakota also has large populations of MERRIAM'S TURKEY in and around riparian forest areas.

Hunting in Wisconsin

“What’s amazing about Wisconsin is there aren’t any bad areas. Its 883 [B&C] entries are scattered across all but one of the state’s counties”, Joel Helmer, Ph.D. “10 Top Spots for B&C Bucks.” American Hunter. June 2007: pg 53

That article speaks the truth. With good nutrition, good genetics, good cover and a good statewide management program for controlling populations, Wisconsin is truly a place to hunt for WHITETAILS. Members of AWA enjoy these opportunities and have a chance of harvesting record book animals as well as meat for the freezer. A note for Non-residents is that tags are over-the-counter, are priced relatively well and can be awarded with anterless tags.

WHITETAILS aren’t the only game in town, however. There is an abundance of TURKEY to be had. Although still mainly by application and permit, there are now over-the-counter tags in some areas.

WATERFOWL hunting is certainly popular in Wisconsin as well. With the Mississippi River on one side of the state, Lake Michigan on the other and places like the Horicon Marsh on the interior, there are ample opportunities.

Wisconsin is a sportsman’s playground, for sure. For the outdoorsman and his family, the fun is year ‘round. AWA can give you the access to private land you desire for your outdoor passion.

Hunting in Wyoming

Wyoming is one of the best states for big game hunting in the West. Our members have consistently taken some very nice MULE DEER. The ANTELOPE hunting is the best in the country. The ELK hunting is also incredible and we continue to look to add properties in this state. We have 2 large ranches in Wyoming available for our members, one of 27,000 acre and the other over 38,000 acres! The tags in these areas are easy to draw and our success rate for DEER and ANTELOPE has been over 90% the last few years.