Before Your Hunt
More Hunt Information
Everything to expect on your Hidden Creek Whitetail hunt — where we're headquartered, when to arrive, what's provided, stand safety, and a full gear list by weapon type. We'll go over all of this again in person at your orientation meeting when you arrive.
Headquarters & Lodging
We’re headquartered at Young’s Lodge in Callao, Missouri — all meetings, planning, and meals are served there in the event center. Hunters stay at America’s Best Value Inn in Macon, Missouri, about 14 miles from the lodge.
Arrival & Stand Assignment
Plan to be at the lodge by noon the day before your hunt. The closest airport is Kansas City, about a 2-hour drive — most hunters who fly rent a car there. If you’re flying, check your flight times against that noon arrival window.
Once you’re settled in, we’ll show you the stand you’ll be hunting the next morning. Some stands are a good distance from the drop-off point, so we use onX Hunt to mark the exact location and drop you a pin the day before — we don’t walk hunters in right before the hunt. If you don’t have onX Hunt, get it before you come, or we’ll set you up with a free 7-day trial when you arrive.
We stay in touch by cell phone text throughout your hunt. If you shoot a deer, let us know right away — if it’s wounded and out of sight, call immediately and stay in your stand rather than getting out to trail it yourself. You’ll drive your own vehicle to your stand each day, with onX showing the route, and we’ll be out making sure you get where you’re going.
After you’ve harvested your deer, we have facilities to hang it so you can skin and prep it for the trip home. We’ll field dress it and transport it to our barns, but skinning and getting it travel-ready is on you — if you’d rather not, our guides can help or do it for a fee.
Meals
- Breakfast — continental style: croissants, cereal, muffins, fruit, coffee, juice, and milk.
- Lunch — items are put out for you to build your own lunch, as much or as little as you want.
- Dinner — the big meal of the day. Our cooks take pride in fixing plenty of food and dessert for the whole camp.
Stands & Safety
We use a mix of elevated blinds, ladder stands, and ground blinds. Safety harnesses are required — make sure to bring one.
Stay in your stand. Walking out to your vehicle or the pickup location is your only option for leaving — you don’t know the hunting ground, the property lines, or where other hunters are set up. Anything you bring to the stand needs to come back out with you each day, since you may be in a different stand the next time.
Things We Can’t Control
- Trespassing — not usually an issue, but if you run into someone, let us know and we’ll handle it right away.
- Farmers working the land — they don’t always know exactly when or where we’re hunting, and they’ll come and go checking crops, fences, and livestock. The deer are used to it, and it’s not a problem.
- Weather — we always hope for cold, wind-free conditions, but we take what we get. We’ve got enough blinds and stands to work around the wind, but hunting big bucks is hunting.
Gear List
Every Hunter
Safety harness — a must-have
- Binoculars and rangefinder
- Large cooler (if driving)
- Seat cushion — a must
- Small backpack
- Headlamp or flashlight (red or green light preferred)
Rifle Hunters
- Rifle and ammo — one box should do
- Cold and cool weather gear — highs 20–50°, lows 0–30°
- Orange hat and vest required — no camo orange
- Rain gear (rain or snow)
- Insulated boots
- Shooting rest — we recommend a Primos mono pod trigger stick with Primos foot plate
Archery Hunters
- Bow and arrows
- Complete camo, scent-free outfit
- Insulated high rubber boots or hiking boots
- Rain gear, camo
Missouri License & Permit
Obtaining a Missouri Hunting Permit — mdc.mo.gov/permits
- Each year’s deer and fall turkey permits become available July 1.
- Buy in person at your local Department office or many stores that sell hunting and fishing equipment.
- Buy from your smartphone using the MO Hunting app — your permit appears in the app immediately after purchase.
- Buy by phone at 800-392-4115 (credit card, $1 surcharge) — allow 10 days for your permit to arrive by mail.
- Buy online and print at home for immediate use — note that e-Permits are not mailed.
- This list is subject to change without notice. Permit prices have been in effect since July 1, 2009.
We’ve tried to cover everything to expect and bring on your hunt here. We’ll go over it all again in more detail at your orientation meeting when you arrive. Any questions before then, feel free to call.