Backcountry Whitetail Hunting in the Midwest

[GunsAreFun]

Everyone has their priorities. Right now, with an infant that doesn’t sleep well and a wife that works a lot, making it out for ~10 days out west is just not feasible. The wife would probably let me go, but I’d feel guilty and don’t want to make the trip with that weighing on me.

I still need to quench this thirst for some backcountry hunting though. Being in Missouri, there are a few large tracts of publicly accessible lands that can get you a mile or two from any road. Some of these are accessible by hiking and others can be reached only by boat or canoe/kayak and are landlocked by private land otherwise. Does anybody take advantage of similar opportunities in their home state for whitetail hunting as kind of a poor man’s backcountry hunt?

It’s hard finding like minded people around here. Most want to sleep in a fancy “deer camp”, which definitely can be a blast, but it’s not necessarily my style.

 

[Tim B.]

I have plans to do some backcountry turkey hunting next year in Mo. for deer i hunt the river islands and stay on a houseboat, run jon boat to the islands

 

[willfrye027]

Yes, here in Virginia we have a ton of backcountry. Deer numbers are low, but age class structure is better. Planning a boat-in adventure this fall with the wife. Last two years we were backpacking into areas, but killed deer on the hike in and just took them back to the car from there lol. My profile pic is her deer from last years aborted pack-in.

 

[Pezboat]

I hike in, up, and over bluffs in MN. All public land. Typically, 1-3 miles. But it’s always a day/afternoon hunt. One spot I hunt has a bike trial through it, so I’ve biked back a few miles. I get some pretty hilarious looks from the hardcore bikers all in their spandex. Probably not too often they see a guy in camo riding his bike with a stand, sticks, and a bow on his back. But the guys who stopped and talked with me were genuinely curious about what I was doing and very nice.

 

[Burnt Reynolds]

While not in the midwest, I find in my neck of the woods there's a lot of overlooked country simply because hunters won't venture more than a quarter mile from their truck. I've scouted several great hunting areas that are damn near right around the corner from my house relative to "western hunting distances" and it's been a great way for me to get short hunts when there's gaps in my schedule that allow for it. Kids and all that in my house too - I get it, you're doing it right...

 

[LIWolverine]

Definitely possible. I’ll be doing much more of that this year. I’m in central Arkansas and went into the Buffalo River area this last year. I plan to hit the Leatherwood wilderness this year. It’s pretty easy to get away from people in the hills. It’s tough work but worth it if only for the experience. This was an over nighter canoe trip this winter. And a nice AR public land mountain deer

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[GunsAreFun]

The Buffalo is a real gem, especially the Buffalo Wilderness Area. Most beautiful river of the many Ozark streams I’ve visited.

I have a nice fishing kayak, but actually just bought a beater Old Town 169 from a coworker to use for hunting because it is rated for like 1400#’s. I’m looking at a couple different areas around Wappapello Lake where one can camp on islands or along the Current or Eleven Point Rivers.

 

[Drenalin]

I'm planning to do the same thing as the OP here in east TN, which is why I joined Rokslide. I'm hoping to get out west to hunt in the next couple of years, maybe on OTC cow/doe tags for elk/mule deer. In the meantime, I'm going to ease into backcountry hunting in the Appalachians for whitetail and black bear. I've scouted some areas that are 3-5 miles deep that look promising. I've done the hike in before dark and back out after dark thing, but I imagine it'll be a lot more efficient to just go in and stay awhile, maybe 3-7 days depending on how long I can get away. It should be a lot more fun too, especially when my kids are old enough to come along.

 

[Smallie]

How many days are you looking to camp? I might have something that would interest if you are looking for a float/camp/hunt opportunity in the Midwest. Inbox me if you're interested in that.

 

[ethan]

Absolutely! I'd say 95% of my hunts are in areas where the only way to get out an animal is on your back. I pack in a few hang on stands before season and hunt a lot with a LW hand climber. If i'm going in for several days I usually hunt from my hang on's, sometimes on the ground. I only bow hunt so i'm usually in a tree. It's a great way to get away from 99.9% of hunters and hunt undisturbed deer. I've gotten to the point where I don't much care to hunt any other way. If I'm going in with my climber I carry it in a grab it on a Kifaru Eastern Ruck, but use to strap it directly to my frame before I picked up this bag.

 

[Ironmerganser]

Yep! Did my first Midwest "back country hunt" this past deer season. Sandhills of NE. Kayaked a mile across a lake to get to the back side of a spot that is land locked otherwise then hiked in another mile or so. Had an absolute BLAST!

 

[Scottyboy]

I hike in, up, and over bluffs in MN. All public land. Typically, 1-3 miles. But it’s always a day/afternoon hunt. One spot I hunt has a bike trial through it, so I’ve biked back a few miles. I get some pretty hilarious looks from the hardcore bikers all in their spandex. Probably not too often they see a guy in camo riding his bike with a stand, sticks, and a bow on his back. But the guys who stopped and talked with me were genuinely curious about what I was doing and very nice.

Bluffs as in down south by Rochester? Would be curious where you find such freedom around here.

 

[*zap*]

There are two public spots near me ( 30 minute drive, max) where I can canoe or pack in, camp and hunt for whitetail. One spot I have to leave the area I can camp in too hunt but its a short hike/canoe to where it is legal hunting and the other area its legal to camp/hunt. These are not car camping spots although free car camping is available at both of those areas....these are pack in/canoe in and then camp/hunt spots. There are a couple of other areas the same distance from me where you can car camp and then canoe from there to day hunt. Plus you could park the vehicle and canoe in and stealth camp...…if you were so inclined and went about it right you would most likely have no issues for a one nighter with no fire. I will take and post some pics of this come mid sept.

 

[Pezboat]

Bluffs as in down south by Rochester? Would be curious where you find such freedom around here.

Haven’t hunted that far south. Bluffs up along the Mississippi near Red Wing. Some chunks of the RJD are decently sized. Nothing like our west, obviously, but when you gotta walk around the private it takes a while to get to some spots.

 

[woods89]

I live in southern MO and have backpack hunted for deer and turkeys a few times over the past 5 years or so. Its a lot of fun and opportunities are definitely there. Doing a canoe based multi day hunt is on my list.
I went elk hunting in Colorado two years ago and will go again this fall. Being highly familiar with my gear from using it here was a big help.

 

[GunsAreFun]

I live in southern MO and have backpack hunted for deer and turkeys a few times over the past 5 years or so. Its a lot of fun and opportunities are definitely there. Doing a canoe based multi day hunt is on my list.
I went elk hunting in Colorado two years ago and will go again this fall. Being highly familiar with my gear from using it here was a big help.

By water is the way to go in MO it seems. I’ve google maps scouted a ton of areas and the majority of the most remote spots are along an Ozark River. If you need a partner for a float/hunt, hit me up. I can supply the canoe.

 

[Usi05]

For 25 of my 30 years I lived in Michigan’s UP. I was surrounded by miles of land that was rarely touched and always hunted in other areas.

Have decided with some folks that when we hit rifle season we will now start packing in and hunting those areas that are rarely visited. Feels like I’ve wasted so much time.

May do some of this while bow hunting lower Michigan and probably Kansas but it isn’t the same.

This will be my first year hunting out west. What the hell did I wait so long for to get into this type of hunting? Gotta make up all that time


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[woods89]

By water is the way to go in MO it seems. I’ve google maps scouted a ton of areas and the majority of the most remote spots are along an Ozark River. If you need a partner for a float/hunt, hit me up. I can supply the canoe.

My dad and brothers have float hunted for turkeys before and found out they weren't the only ones with that idea. I do think that waiting until after opener would be helpful. They just tried one river though so who knows. I've definitely been more focused on hunts that I hike into.

 

[woodson]

Definitely possible. I’ll be doing much more of that this year. I’m in central Arkansas and went into the Buffalo River area this last year. I plan to hit the Leatherwood wilderness this year. It’s pretty easy to get away from people in the hills. It’s tough work but worth it if only for the experience. This was an over nighter canoe trip this winter. And a nice AR public land mountain deer

^
I have pretty much used this method on every Mid-Missouri piece of public ground over the last 10 years with lots of success. Word to the wise, don’t try to cross even a side chute of the Missouri River in a canoe when there is ice, even if it is your favorite island.

 

[[email protected]]

My cousin has been trying pretty hard to get me to come down and hunt the mark twain I think it was, he said we could backpack in and hunt as long as we wanted. Seems odd to me to leave CO to backpack in MO though.