MO. hunting hours

[saltysenior]

don't know why it's never mentioned, one can ''hunt'' turkeys without a gun anytime..

[stinkpickle]

don't know why it's never mentioned, one can ''hunt'' turkeys without a gun anytime..

True, so let's call it "shooting hours". 

[Neill_Prater]

I am a native of Missouri with 40 years of experience chasing turkeys here, and in a handful of other states. I've heard all the arguments for, and against, the 1:00 closing time. I think the last time I failed to tag out in our Spring season was some time back in the 90's, so I am perfectly capable of killing a bird before noon. That said, I love hunting other states, such as Alabama and Kansas, that allow all day hunting, and have probably bagged over 50% of my birds in both states in the afternoon.

Missouri's approach to game management has always been ultra conservative. Nothing wrong with that, especially when compared to some of the super liberal bag limits and season lengths in some states, but I, personally, think there would be no real problem if we went to all day hunting. I recall when, after years of a 2 week, one bird per week season, the regs were liberalized to allow both birds to be killed the second week, if you failed to score the first. The sky did not fall. Then, eventually, in the late 90's, if I recall correctly, our season was expanded to 3 weeks, albeit with the 1 bird the first week caveat. Many thought the sky would certainly fall when that happened, but, it didn't.

Of course, a liberalized season is going to result in a higher overall harvest. However, if the participants are all honest, we only have a 2 bird limit, no matter how long the season or daily hunting hours, so those guys that normally bag 2 birds anyway, are not going to kill any more simply because of extended hours. What it would do is allow some people, especially younger family guys and gals with little vacation time, to be able to get involved in Spring turkey hunting. It also would allow parents to be able to introduce their kids to the sport more easily, something I think we all agree is important for the future.

From what I have read most biologists agree there is no real basis, from a biological standpoint, for not allowing all day hunting. I also, personally, think the 1 bird the first week limit is a crock. It was perhaps justifiable when our spring hunting was in its infancy, but I think the idea is now archaic. The reasoning, I assume, is that it gets successful hunters out of the woods thereby reducing hunting pressure. In my opinion, allowing hunters to take the second bird as soon as possible would get more guys out of the woods sooner. Now, the first weekend, on public land, is insane in some areas because virtually every nonresident who hunts MO will show up Friday night because they don't want to hunt starting the first Monday, bag a bird and have to wait a week to hunt again. If, instead, we simply allowed a bag limit of 2, one per day, a goodly portion of those hunters would be happily back home well before the weekend ever gets here. 

[hobbes]

It's been years since I hunted MO, but my previous home state of IL is still 1 PM quitting time.  It never bothered me to quit then.  I prefer mornings anyway.  However, allowing all day hunting won't make a dimes worth of difference.   I've hunted afternoons in multiple states and killed birds then, but the majority of folks, myself included, will still prefer cool crisp mornings when you can hear the majority of birds gobbling on their own from multiple directions.

[Hooksfan]

I am a native of Missouri with 40 years of experience chasing turkeys here, and in a handful of other states. I've heard all the arguments for, and against, the 1:00 closing time. I think the last time I failed to tag out in our Spring season was some time back in the 90's, so I am perfectly capable of killing a bird before noon. That said, I love hunting other states, such as Alabama and Kansas, that allow all day hunting, and have probably bagged over 50% of my birds in both states in the afternoon.

Missouri's approach to game management has always been ultra conservative. Nothing wrong with that, especially when compared to some of the super liberal bag limits and season lengths in some states, but I, personally, think there would be no real problem if we went to all day hunting. I recall when, after years of a 2 week, one bird per week season, the regs were liberalized to allow both birds to be killed the second week, if you failed to score the first. The sky did not fall. Then, eventually, in the late 90's, if I recall correctly, our season was expanded to 3 weeks, albeit with the 1 bird the first week caveat. Many thought the sky would certainly fall when that happened, but, it didn't.

Of course, a liberalized season is going to result in a higher overall harvest. However, if the participants are all honest, we only have a 2 bird limit, no matter how long the season or daily hunting hours, so those guys that normally bag 2 birds anyway, are not going to kill any more simply because of extended hours. What it would do is allow some people, especially younger family guys and gals with little vacation time, to be able to get involved in Spring turkey hunting. It also would allow parents to be able to introduce their kids to the sport more easily, something I think we all agree is important for the future.

From what I have read most biologists agree there is no real basis, from a biological standpoint, for not allowing all day hunting. I also, personally, think the 1 bird the first week limit is a crock. It was perhaps justifiable when our spring hunting was in its infancy, but I think the idea is now archaic. The reasoning, I assume, is that it gets successful hunters out of the woods thereby reducing hunting pressure. In my opinion, allowing hunters to take the second bird as soon as possible would get more guys out of the woods sooner. Now, the first weekend, on public land, is insane in some areas because virtually every nonresident who hunts MO will show up Friday night because they don't want to hunt starting the first Monday, bag a bird and have to wait a week to hunt again. If, instead, we simply allowed a bag limit of 2, one per day, a goodly portion of those hunters would be happily back home well before the weekend ever gets here.

I agree with every word you said and you managed to say it a lot nicer than I could have---which is exactly why I kept my original reply so short.

[stinkpickle]

I am a native of Missouri with 40 years of experience chasing turkeys here, and in a handful of other states. I've heard all the arguments for, and against, the 1:00 closing time. I think the last time I failed to tag out in our Spring season was some time back in the 90's, so I am perfectly capable of killing a bird before noon. That said, I love hunting other states, such as Alabama and Kansas, that allow all day hunting, and have probably bagged over 50% of my birds in both states in the afternoon.

Missouri's approach to game management has always been ultra conservative. Nothing wrong with that, especially when compared to some of the super liberal bag limits and season lengths in some states, but I, personally, think there would be no real problem if we went to all day hunting. I recall when, after years of a 2 week, one bird per week season, the regs were liberalized to allow both birds to be killed the second week, if you failed to score the first. The sky did not fall. Then, eventually, in the late 90's, if I recall correctly, our season was expanded to 3 weeks, albeit with the 1 bird the first week caveat. Many thought the sky would certainly fall when that happened, but, it didn't.

Of course, a liberalized season is going to result in a higher overall harvest. However, if the participants are all honest, we only have a 2 bird limit, no matter how long the season or daily hunting hours, so those guys that normally bag 2 birds anyway, are not going to kill any more simply because of extended hours. What it would do is allow some people, especially younger family guys and gals with little vacation time, to be able to get involved in Spring turkey hunting. It also would allow parents to be able to introduce their kids to the sport more easily, something I think we all agree is important for the future.

From what I have read most biologists agree there is no real basis, from a biological standpoint, for not allowing all day hunting. I also, personally, think the 1 bird the first week limit is a crock. It was perhaps justifiable when our spring hunting was in its infancy, but I think the idea is now archaic. The reasoning, I assume, is that it gets successful hunters out of the woods thereby reducing hunting pressure. In my opinion, allowing hunters to take the second bird as soon as possible would get more guys out of the woods sooner. Now, the first weekend, on public land, is insane in some areas because virtually every nonresident who hunts MO will show up Friday night because they don't want to hunt starting the first Monday, bag a bird and have to wait a week to hunt again. If, instead, we simply allowed a bag limit of 2, one per day, a goodly portion of those hunters would be happily back home well before the weekend ever gets here.

100% agree!

[GSLAM95]

It has been proven by many states that all day hunting has no negative impact on the hatches.  It is simply greedy to want to keep someone out of the woods in the afternoon because you prefer morning hunting.  I myself have enjoyed some very rewarding afternoon sits across the country and applaud those states who use actual scientific data in setting their hunting hrs.

[Hooksfan]

Gslam, you and Neil are both spot on with your assessment.  There is absolutely no biological reasoning behind such a conservative regulation in Missouri. The only argument that could possibly hold water would be an argument over quality of the hunt being affected,  although I don't buy that either,  especially on private.
I am a High school teacher with lots of opportunity to take kids hunting. One of my goals every year is to help someone get their first turkey. After being in Missouri for 19 years and getting to know lots of people,  the number of farms I have access to has grown significantly. Doing away with a 1 pm closure would expand the opportunity to take others greatly.
Sadly, I believe at least some of the opposition to changing it stems from greedy folks not wanting others to shoot "their" turkeys.