I hate rifle season .... more than ever.

[Triton X2]

RB, the guy we hunt on has about 1500 acres and access to quite a bit more, so he could get a big chunk of change...We do try to take care of them on Christmas by giving them a gift card or something like that....not for 15oo dollars though....More like a 100 dollars...

[Warmouth]

If MDC would regulate deer the way they should, it there would be a lot more opportunities for hunters to be sure.



Also leave one farmer to kill off all of the deer he needs killed off of his place, and you'd find one mofo who would be looking for help. It wouldn't be hunting to him, it'd be a pain in the azs after a couple of years.

[RB]

Triton, I know what you mean. Years ago we had a big farm in north Mo we could hunt on for small game and quail. Every time we went my buddy's dad would give the farmer a pint of Old Crow. That worked great until the ol boy died. His son didn't drink so he charged us a couple bucks a each every time we went.

[Triton X2]

[hobiecat]

You should never trust those non-drinkin holes!

[Shawn]

As you know MoCraig, all I've needed is one tree in the right place.....

And I grew up in the middle of the Mark Twain National Forest, so that took some getting used to.


As for the guys driving around and pushing deer with their trucks...

2B, do you not own a cell phone.....that is illegal, you should have reported them.



As far as leasing goes:

I hunted public land for the first 20 years of my hunting life (see earlier statement) and took a few good bucks on it. Believe it or not, relatively little pressure for the amount of area...of course, you have to want to get to this part of the Mark Twain National Forest. Some good bucks too (if ya'll remember the 193" sheds (no spread included)...that is where they came from)I have permission to hunt about 800 acres in Carter County, 1000 in Taney County and about 1800 in Schuyler County for free, but I rarely go to those (except Taney) because I lease.

Why?

I don't mind helping build fences, knocking on doors, bringing shine, etc but that doesnt mean I will be alone in that endeavor.

If I pay for a place, I know that I am the only guy on the place. I don't have to worry about the nephew or neighbor being invited the night before the opener.

The farmer gets a little revenue (now he can buy his own shine, pay someone else to fix the fences and tell ALL the people constantly knocking on his door that he has it leased (quite frankly that is how we get some our leases, farmers tired of answering the door all fall long to someone looking to hunt). Oh yeah, and we are insured, unfortunately that is a big thing anymore..that part is too bad.

You guys always say "yep, they leased that farm my cousin used to hunt, now that public ground is going to be more crowded"

Huh?? Where in the heck do the people come from that leased, they had to hunt somewhere before....maybe it was public ground.

Now that I lease, that is one less person on the public ground, so that leaves land that we ALL pay for less crowded....not more crowded. So, I am doing myself, the farmer and YOU a favor by leasing.

Does it make it easy? NO but it makes it safer and if you put your time in, do your homework, hunt hard, etc you can make it worth it.

It is some of the best money I have spent. Just like a lot of you guys, it is what I do, so it is worth it....every penny.

[PoisonSnake]

I own property and I still wouldn't mind getting in on a good lease.



MoCraig: Most recognize the value of a CRP field with bluestem so thick you can't walk through it. But, I think what most are talking about is a 500 acre cut beanfield with little or no cover around it. It can be just plain worthless for hunting.



Dave: If you have 80 or 100 acres is in the right spot, you can be dang happy with it. Heck, most of your good bow bucks have come from behind your house. If you owned that acreage, wouldn't you be a bit happier knowing noone will come in there and develop it or sell it out from under you? But, I understand what you are saying. I need just 60 more acres and I would be happy as heck.

[BornBad]

I caint complain about the land I hunt to much. May as well say I hunt MTNF, since the private land I hunt on is adjoining to. I have seen at least 18 deer this past week in 5 days of hunting, about 4 hours each day. Of that twenty deer, one was a buck (I think). Since I am seeing deer, I am happy.

Now, with as many does as I have seen, where are the bucks? Antler restriction in Pulaski county

[Outdoorsfool]

Hey BB - Wanna do a deer relocation project? I'll swap you some bucks for some does. I'm sure MDC won't mind.

[Warmouth]

PoisonSnake said:

Dave: If you have 80 or 100 acres is in the right spot, you can be dang happy with it. Heck, most of your good bow bucks have come from behind your house. If you owned that acreage, wouldn't you be a bit happier knowing noone will come in there and develop it or sell it out from under you? But, I understand what you are saying. I need just 60 more acres and I would be happy as heck.

For gun season I really appreciate a lot of acreage. It's the one time of year I feel comfortable still hunting and doing some small drives, and that wouldn't happen if I thought for a minute that I'd be running deer off the property.

The bowhunting is another deal. I try to be as low pressure as possible, and when I'm hunting it, I do everything I can to keep the deer on their normal patterns. Also I just happen to be bowhunting one of the biggest woodlots within a mile or two. That really helps and the deer seek out these woods.

Last night a 17" 8pt came out of the woods and was heading for the road. I went around front and cut that sucker off 15-20yds from the road, and ran him back into the woods. At 5:15 with rush hour traffic, tht sucker didn't have a chance of getting across the road. He's my next year buck, so I have to look out for the sucker.

[PoisonSnake]

I hear you about the gun season deal and having a lot of acreage to hunt.

On another note, I could just kick myself in the sack for what I did or didn't do during rifle season.

[Warmouth]

Give it up, what did you not do?

[PoisonSnake]

What I didn't do was carry a gun. I had two big dudes come by me at 60 yards at 12:40pm the first day of the season.

[Warmouth]

#1. Hopefully they're still alive.
#2. Dumb move.

If you want to kill deer, use the most effective tool you can. I personally don't like bows, but with the 4 month season, I can't do anything about it but join in.