Missouri Troubles

[Clarson757]

For the last 4-5 years, I’ve archery hunted public in Missouri. I have family there and the farm they live on butts up to public. I can hunt private. But I’ve been trying to get it done on public.

I’ve taken a doe or two each year. Saddle hunting or from the ground. Hunting usually Halloween or later in the freezing cold, soaking wet, nasty conditions.

County I hunt has point restrictions. Missed a nice 8x last year at 30 yards. My fault for not confirming the range.

This year, heading out for opening weekend mid-sept. Planning to get back in the saddle right around bedding entry/ exit points. Situated along white oaks. There is a good sized river/ creek system in the area as well.

Most of the deer I see are feeding on private food plots and grazing on acorns along the way. Should I take a different strategy early season? Hunt scrape lines and setup on thermal cover? Stick to bedding and white oaks?

I’ve got a full week to hunt and I’m determined to come out with some horns this time.

 

[SloppyJ]

I've found they're a little bit more predictable in that time frame depending on the pressure that's on them. I've had great luck hunting areas that are thicker travel corridors/pinch points. Last year I snuck out and hung a climber up on a new part of property that I had never hunted before but I knew they were working a tree line.

I climbed up it the next morning and 3 does came up from their bedding area and a buck came to check them out from the opposite direction on that tree line. I don't like looking for a tree and clanging the stand around first thing in the morning. However, during this time of the year I've had does walk underneath me while I was still climbing the tree and they didn't spook.

If you know where they're at or where they're going to be, don't be afraid to get in there with them if the wind is right. During that early season, they don't seem to be standing out in the open or lollygagging around in the fields. At least that's the case where I hunt just south of the MO line.

 

[Clarson757]

I've found they're a little bit more predictable in that time frame depending on the pressure that's on them. I've had great luck hunting areas that are thicker travel corridors/pinch points. Last year I snuck out and hung a climber up on a new part of property that I had never hunted before but I knew they were working a tree line.

I climbed up it the next morning and 3 does came up from their bedding area and a buck came to check them out from the opposite direction on that tree line. I don't like looking for a tree and clanging the stand around first thing in the morning. However, during this time of the year I've had does walk underneath me while I was still climbing the tree and they didn't spook.

If you know where they're at or where they're going to be, don't be afraid to get in there with them if the wind is right. During that early season, they don't seem to be standing out in the open or lollygagging around in the fields. At least that's the case where I hunt just south of the MO line.

Appreciate that. I agree on not seeing them in the wide open as much.

I’m unfortunately going to have to make a saddle play while I’m moving into bedding area unless I find good cover to setup a ground blind.

I have 2-3 bedding areas to hit. So if it doesn’t workout out on one, I’ll move as needed. Going to bring my recurve as well as the compound. Guess I’m a gluten for punishment.

Should I still key in on oaks and thermal cover this time of year?

 

[SloppyJ]

Appreciate that. I agree on not seeing them in the wide open as much.

I’m unfortunately going to have to make a saddle play while I’m moving into bedding area unless I find good cover to setup a ground blind.

I have 2-3 bedding areas to hit. So if it doesn’t workout out on one, I’ll move as needed. Going to bring my recurve as well as the compound. Guess I’m a gluten for punishment.

Should I still key in on oaks and thermal cover this time of year?

Hard to answer but I never discount a good stand of oak trees with acorns. It really depends on what other type of forage they have and what the weather is like. Down here we wouldn't have even got our first frost by then so there should still be plenty of stuff for them to graze on which hurts your odds IMO.

 

[Clarson757]

Hard to answer but I never discount a good stand of oak trees with acorns. It really depends on what other type of forage they have and what the weather is like. Down here we wouldn't have even got our first frost by then so there should still be plenty of stuff for them to graze on which hurts your odds IMO.

Agreed. It’ll be warm most likely. Lots of private around with food plots and acorns along the travel corridors. It’s been a tough area to hunt but I know there are several really good bucks in the area.

This is early season last year. This cam is on my saddle tree and there are 3-4 good white oaks along this trail. Bedding 15 yards t the right of the camera. Water close by too.

 

[WCB]

get close to bedding in the first good patch of oaks on their travel route. If possible set a few cameras on different oak patches and you may find a favorite. Never noticed any "scrape lines" in Sept. however a community scrape or mock scrape may work. I know a buddy that swears by them all season. Also, what kind of water kind of water source (small pond) or is there a creek with lots of access? Set up a camera...they maybe leaving bedding and hitting water before heading to the oaks.

 

[Clarson757]

get close to bedding in the first good patch of oaks on their travel route. If possible set a few cameras on different oak patches and you may find a favorite. Never noticed any "scrape lines" in Sept. however a community scrape or mock scrape may work. I know a buddy that swears by them all season. Also, what kind of water kind of water source (small pond) or is there a creek with lots of access? Set up a camera...they maybe leaving bedding and hitting water before heading to the oaks.

Bedding has adjacent line of white oak where that pic above was taken. Water is a year round deep creek with several marsh/ cattail zones where I’ve also found bedding right on the water (super thick head high cover/ briars as well).

They feed on private heavily especially evenings. Few white/ red Oaks along the travel corridor onto the private. Cedar thickets also between bedding and food plots.

Private plot > bedding > water

There are some small ponds peppered throughout the private but I do not have access or knowledge if deer are hitting them or main water supply on the creek.

 

[WI Shedhead]

Only one person mentioned the wind, and no one mentioned access to the stand sights.
You’ll find 1-3 year olds will tolerate being sloppy some of the time- mature bucks never.
Find places where the wind is right for you, and almost right for him

 

[Clarson757]

Only one person mentioned the wind, and no one mentioned access to the stand sights.
You’ll find 1-3 year olds will tolerate being sloppy some of the time- mature bucks never.
Find places where the wind is right for you, and almost right for him

The wind has quite literally been harder to hunt than the deer the last few years unfortunately. I know where they are. But if the wind isn’t working for me, it’s been nearly an impossibly.

 

[Clarson757]

I’ve also been struggling with the desire to harvest a buck on short time and hunt the farm. Vs hunt the public and know that I won the chess match.

 

[MDX8277]

First 2 weeks of season is my favorite but you need to find a large green food source. Soybeans, Alfalfa, Clover, even Daikon Radishes. Easiest time to patteren bucks is early season imo. That being said. Large field oaks in October work like food plots. Deer want out of the woods at night and will feed on those field oak acorns. Couple things outside of some of the more standard answers which are also correct.

 

[Clarson757]

That’s really what I feel is the best route. Find food sources and bedding and roll. I’ve got a good idea of the public areas I normally hunt. Have had some close calls on white oaks near bedding.

Planning to checkout some creek bottom crossing areas too. Find narrow oxbows, play the wind and see if I can slip in ahead of bedding and catch them on the way to dinner.

 

[Luked]

Most of my private lands I run cameras on pretty much all year.
I have one property we do a food plot on but we mainly use the plot stand for kids and beginners.
I am normally a hunt travel areas between bedding and food.
I have one stand area that is north of our food plot but south of a betting thicket. Its always got a ton of activity. But can be a pain to get into sometimes depending on the wind.

Another area I have is similar as they travel from a pretty decent size valley to a large field above. I just got access to the property last year and didn't get to hunt it much but have had a camera there since last year. This year already I have a ton of activity in the area so far.

 

[Clarson757]

Most of my private lands I run cameras on pretty much all year.
I have one property we do a food plot on but we mainly use the plot stand for kids and beginners.
I am normally a hunt travel areas between bedding and food.
I have one stand area that is north of our food plot but south of a betting thicket. Its always got a ton of activity. But can be a pain to get into sometimes depending on the wind.

Another area I have is similar as they travel from a pretty decent size valley to a large field above. I just got access to the property last year and didn't get to hunt it much but have had a camera there since last year. This year already I have a ton of activity in the area so far.

The private my family has is about 50-60 acres but only about half that is setup to be hunted. The rest is cattle pasture (where I do see a lot of deer feeding at times).

The property has public along the backside where I’ve found some really good buck bedding. They run the fence line and come onto private to feed on winter wheat/ winter rye. Not sure what else is planted, maybe clover.

I go back and forth if I should just hunt the private because I can. Or if I’ll feel like I should try to get it done on the public for my own personal satisfaction. Since I hunt public out west exclusively, and have in MO each trip and harvested doe each year. My hunting partner told me to take advantage of the opportunity. I’ll probably do a bit of both.

 

[Luked]

I personally would never think twice about it. If its got deer on it and i can hunt it that's where I'm going public or private.

I'm not huge on hunting next to bedding areas as I have had more than once a wind that changed after I have got in the stand or saddle and it switches and can blow the whole bedding area out.
That is the main reason I hunt in the middle.
Im by no means a trophy guy and I will shoot a doe before a smaller buck. I'm a meat hunter and eat a lot of it so I'm not that picky either and like to shoot stuff.

 

[Clarson757]

I’m not picky either. Although the county I hunt in MO has point restrictions on bucks (4 points or better on one side). I have learned that the hard way about setting up close to the bedding, wind can switch in an instant. It’s happened multiple times to me out there.

I guess my debate with myself on hunting private is that I want to become a better woodsman. Although leaving deer to find deer is never the right move. I think I’ll hunt a little bit of both this trip since I have a full week. Learn some new areas and see what I turn up and hunt private a couple sets also.