Larry and Aliyah Nellis with their management bucks

Hunting for whitetail deer here in the Northwest Missouri at East Fork Ranch is done mostly out of our Pot Belly Blinds or box blinds. The deer blinds are elevated box blinds that are very comfortable and are virtually scent free. Tree stands, ground blinds, and spot and stalk are other methods used to hunt. Our deer hunters shoot usually no more than 300 yards for rifles, 10-30 yards for bow hunters.

Guides will make final decision on bucks to ensure that only bucks that are at least 4 years old are harvested. This ensures that a buck has the opportunity to reach his full potential. Free Range hunts will be unguided unless the hunter requests a guide- which will cost $125 per day.  On the preserve hunts, the guide will judge the buck and tell the hunter what his best guestimate is for the score.  If the guide under-guesses the buck, the hunter will be required to pay what the guide guessed the buck to be.  For example, the guide guesses the buck to be 200″.  It scores 212″.  The hunter pays for a 200-210″ price – which is on the rates page.  If the guide overguesses the buck, the hunter pays for what the deer scores.  Either way we are here for the hunter.

Ultimately, the hunter makes the decision on which buck he would like to harvest.  Once the trigger is pulled, the hunt is over and the balance of the hunt will be owed.  If blood is drawn on an animal, the guide’s guess will be used as a final price on the buck if he is not found.  East Fork Ranch will go to great lengths to ensure that the hunter gets his trophy.

Hunters will stay in a first class lodge that can accommodate up to 20 hunters at a time. Check out our lodge page for more information.