Hunting Sports Plus
- Thread starter greatlawn
- Start date
ness
Member
I was with them for 5 years, up until December -- I think it's a pretty good club. They've got a ton of land to hunt and strip pits to fish. You reserve a 'farm' on their online system and go hunt it. Members are required to fill out a 'game report' after they hunt listing everything they saw, shot or caught before they can reserve another farm. It's on the honor system, so a member who's got a honey hole and doesn't want to share it can easily send in a crummy report. I came to think the game reports were more trouble than they were worth. I spent a ton of time trying to glean information from them, but the layout and limitations of the reports make them far less useful than they could be. HSP are sticklers for rules, and there are lots of them. More than they need, honestly. No real complaints, I just wanted to look at other options so I talked to the guys at Mid-America Hunting.
MAHA is similar to HSP in most ways -- lots of ground, online system. But no game reports. You reserve a 'map' which is a portion of a county, and can have several properties on it. Lots of the maps have several hundred or even thousands of acres to hunt. It's nice to have options. (With HSP, you got your one farm and hoped it was good when you got there). The guys at MAHA are real friendly, helpful and come across as straight shooters. They seem to be knowledgeable about their properties, and work to find good ones that they keep for a long time. I like the guys and the way they run the business -- that's why I switched.
I'd check them both out. PM me if you'd like.
MAHA is similar to HSP in most ways -- lots of ground, online system. But no game reports. You reserve a 'map' which is a portion of a county, and can have several properties on it. Lots of the maps have several hundred or even thousands of acres to hunt. It's nice to have options. (With HSP, you got your one farm and hoped it was good when you got there). The guys at MAHA are real friendly, helpful and come across as straight shooters. They seem to be knowledgeable about their properties, and work to find good ones that they keep for a long time. I like the guys and the way they run the business -- that's why I switched.
I'd check them both out. PM me if you'd like.
ness
Member
HSP likes to make their memberships sound pretty special, and tout their value on the secondary market. Fact is, they don't sell too often -- and why should they when you can call HSP, send in a check and you've got one of those 'special' memberships right now. It's all marketing, and I get that. But it's not nearly as special as they'd like you to think.
ness
Member
Compared to WIHA and public land, you betcha.
Compared to buying/owning some acreage or getting into a lease, not so much.
If you've got access to quality private land, or the time to scout and knock on doors to get it, you're pretty fortunate. I don't have either.
It's about $1,200 a year for access to several hundred thousand acres that you have to share with the other members. So it's not exclusive use of the properties. MAHA has rules in place to make sure a single member doesn't over hunt a particular map. HSP has the game reports, so you can tell how much a property is getting reserved even if you don't trust the numbers reported.
whatsnext
Member
I feel the more I go the cheaper it is if you look at it as a cost per day.
Wingmaster
New member
The only problem that I have with the hunting clubs is that it's one price for everything. They won't customize a package for you and what you like to hunt. I don't hunt deer, ducks, or turkey, and I am not big time fisherman. So for me to pay $1200 just for upland hunting for three months a year ($100 per week) doesn't make a lot of since or me.
I have always felt the WIHA program should move closer to the hunting club model. More $ but a better product that you can choose to sign up for, or not. WIHA is great for what it is, but it costs very little and I feel that you get what you pay for. I would certainly be willing to pay a $200 - $400 per year for a better managed/organized WIHA program with quality land.
I have always felt the WIHA program should move closer to the hunting club model. More $ but a better product that you can choose to sign up for, or not. WIHA is great for what it is, but it costs very little and I feel that you get what you pay for. I would certainly be willing to pay a $200 - $400 per year for a better managed/organized WIHA program with quality land.
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ness
Member
The club signs a lease with the landowner, and the members can hunt it. I suppose the landowner can hope for a big-dollar lease from a bunch of sports, or settle for the sure thing -- a few bucks from the WIHA program.
In the middle is the club, which is probably easier to come by than the dream lease of a bunch of rich guys. I suspect the clubs keep a lot of ground in CRP that would otherwise get plowed under. I think it's a decent middle ground.
In the middle is the club, which is probably easier to come by than the dream lease of a bunch of rich guys. I suspect the clubs keep a lot of ground in CRP that would otherwise get plowed under. I think it's a decent middle ground.
MID America
I have been a member since 2007. It is the best deal I have found. The folks at MAHA have always treated me right. Some of the land is awesome some is not that great. The Missouri duck hunting is really good. I am happy with what they give me. It is not a canned hunt, you need to scout and do your research but if you are willing to burn boot leather you can do well. Much better then walk in and you don't have to worry about other folks screwing up your hunt or over hunting your best spots. Just my two cents.
Tom
I have been a member since 2007. It is the best deal I have found. The folks at MAHA have always treated me right. Some of the land is awesome some is not that great. The Missouri duck hunting is really good. I am happy with what they give me. It is not a canned hunt, you need to scout and do your research but if you are willing to burn boot leather you can do well. Much better then walk in and you don't have to worry about other folks screwing up your hunt or over hunting your best spots. Just my two cents.
Tom
carptom1
Well-known member
I guess I am late but... I too have been members of both. I preferred mid america myself. Like said i doubted the sincerity of the game reports. Mid america has good properties. After they figure out you are not hunting deer or ducks ( their bread and butter) you can massage a little discount if you act like you are leaving