Note: 2016 was the first operating year for MDL, and it was conducted with both Fully Guided and Semi-Guided hunts, mostly during pre-rut and rut (trickle rut).
Shot Opportunity: 100% (debatable; calculated by # of mature bucks within bow range divided by number of hunters on fully guided hunts)
Biggest Buck Seen Overall: 190-200" buck, Zone 6, by hunter from NY in a three-person group, no shot presented, was running after doe about 60-100yds away and behind stand.
Biggest Buck Shot Opportunity: 165" Non-Typical, Zone 6, by hunter from FL.
Biggest Buck Shot & Recovered: 165" Non-Typical, Zone 6, by hunter from FL.
Largest Wounded Buck: 155-160" Typical, Zone 6, by hunter from LA
Number of wounded bucks: 2
Number of misses: 0 (known)
Number of hunters: 7 (excluding semi-guided or DIY bowhunters)
Number of shot opportunities on mature whitetails: 7+
Number of blown encounters: 2
Summary: We did very well considering it was our first year in operation with little to no known hunting experience on the farms or history with the deer on the farms and the trickle rut. We had at least one, if not two, semi-guided/DIY bowhunters who did not fare well on their hunt, but the reasoning behind such is unknown (stand selection, scent control, deer movement, moon phases, weather, etc.)