Hey fellas-I was fortunate enough to finish up my grand slam a couple of years ago with an Eastern in Missouri. I have some extra time off this Spring and I'm thinking about heading back out there. Beautiful country and much different from the Merriams country I usually hunt. Anyway, I hunted around Bethany and was wondering if anybody has any idea how things are out there with bird numbers, public access, etc. Thanks in advance.
This year should be really good for numbers from what I'm seeing. Two easy winters and two nice summers in a row have helped. I had 8 hammering opening morning last year and think it will be as good or better this year. Take your pick for public spots, the online MO conservation Atlas will have all of them and you can take your time and choose what kind of land you want to hunt. You might be able to trade out a hunt on private land if you have a spot you can take a NR on your home turf.
Sounds great! Thanks for the update. I can't remember right off the name of the area we hunted last time, but I know I can still drive right to it and it held plenty of birds. I have to say though, those Easterns were stubborn. Had to work hard to get em. Thanks again, and good luck this year!!!
They will be easier up in north MO. Generally once you get South of I-70 into the hills it gets tougher to get them to commit and running and gunning will be a heck of a lot more of a leg workout. Good luck!
Good to hear number s are up we hunt south
Going to hunt Missouri this year myself. Is there anywhere in the Missouri Wildlife Department to see the harvest figures broken down to the conservation areas??
Planning to hunt near Hermann just south of I-70.... there are two areas nearby.... Daniel Boone CA and Little Lost Creek CA.... does anyone have any information about turkey populations and hunter activity in those areas? Thanks for any information you might share.
I don't have any Modoc figures to prove we are up but I work outdoors all year and spent probably 30+ days deer rifle/bowhunting this past year. That's just what my eyes tell me and lots of gobbling last spring.
They don't break harvest down that far, by county is the smallest they go. Those numbers only really tell where the most rednecks hunt, most counties will have pretty even numbers of birds until you get into high efficiency agg and the trees are all gone. Far north MO and the Bootheel will have fewer numbers just do to the nature of land use.
I'm hunting Missouri for the first time this spring. Ill be in Grundy County.
I will be in south central opening week and have been going since 1997.. It has to be the prettiest country I have ever hunted!! I hunt all public land and it usually carries a lot of birds!!
Talkem into given up!!!
I'll be making my 31st Missouri hunt this spring south of Rolla. The hunt gets tougher as I get older, but the experience of spring in the Ozarks can't be beat.
Where do you hunt meadow valley man, licking mo??
Talkem into given up!!!
Yes, east of Licking
Quote from: Meadow Valley Man on January 28, 2016, 07:10:37 PM
Yes, east of Licking
My farm is just east of Licking. Love chasing birds in Texas County!
Yes have I have to say Texas county is Awsome!!
Talkem into given up!!!
This will be year 26 for me in Texas and Shannon Counties. Lookin forward as always to getting back in the Ozarks.