"In the late 1990s, deer numbers began slacking off here," Hoffman said. "In February 2005, we flew over the area in a helicopter and counted only 17 deer per square mile. That just wasn't acceptable on an area like Indian Hills, where we want to see 30 to 40 deer per square mile."

Too many hunters taking too many deer from this area led to the MDC changing this area to an archery and muzzleloader only area. "We're already beginning to see more deer," Hoffman said. "Our permittee farmers are reporting more deer as well."

The MDC is currently conducting a pilot trail camera study on the area to help them estimate deer numbers there. "We will have a total of 24 trail cams on the area -- about one camera for every 160 acres -- which we think will help us estimate the deer density here," said Hoffman.

In 2006, the MDC had only six trail cameras at Indian Hills CA. The additional cameras should be a great asset in helping biologists determine deer numbers there this year.

"Using helicopters to fly over the area is very expensive and not very practical," Hoffman said. "Also, the helicopter surveys can only be done after the hunting season is over and when there is sufficient snow on the ground."

Hoffman has been surprised at what the cameras have already revealed at this conservation area. "What really surprised me is how the bigger bucks were very nocturnal from the beginning of our study," Hoffman said. "Once the slightest pressure from hunters began, they completely disappeared from our cameras. We can only guess that they moved to more remote regions of the area. We hope to learn more about this by setting out additional cameras this year."

With the elimination of centerfire firearms hunters from the area, some management goals are already being met. The formula of reduced numbers of hunters simply equals more deer. "Before the regulation change, we would have over 100 vehicles in our parking lots during the deer season," Hoffman said. "Now we are in the neighborhood of about 40. I'm really surprised at how quickly the deer numbers have responded to fewer hunters."

Indian Hills CA is a deer hunter's dream in terms of habitat, containing a mix of old fields, cropland, timber, grassland and some wetlands. "Generally speaking, we have about 1,000 acres of row crops, and another 1,000 acres of timber," Hoffman said. "The timber is scattered throughout ditches and timbered draws and offers plenty of funnels and squeeze points that put deer in front of hunters."

This method of management provides a great variety of habitat, generating a mosaic pattern of food and cover. The differing habitats at Indian Hills CA include woods, fields and some river bottom timber areas. According to Hoffman, the largest crop field at Indian Hills is about 47 acres and the smallest 5.

Blackpowder hunters will be happy to know that some public hunting areas allow only muzzleloader and archery methods as ways of taking deer.

The MDC's future plans include another aerial deer survey, which is scheduled for winter 2011, plus additional hunter attitude surveys.

Indian Hills CA is eight miles south of Memphis on state Highway 15, three and a half miles west on county Route T, and then one mile south at the area sign. For a map or more information, contact the MDC at (660) 785-2420.

EXPERT ADVICE
James Harrison of Hillsboro said that Missouri offers a lot of great places to hunt deer on public land, especially during muzzleloader season.

"The first thing I do is get a topographic map of that area I am hunting and begin my scouting on the map," he said. "I look for secluded valleys and saddles that are hard to reach," Harrison said. "Of course, finding a food source and determining a feeding pattern will go a long way in helping you fill your tag, especially at this time of year, when the deer are trying to replenish winter fat reserves after the rigors of the first rut."

Harrison cautioned that by December archers and centerfire riflemen have already hunted the deer hard. White-tailed deer are paranoid at any time of year, and in December their stress level is at an all-time high.