Missouri Deer Bow Season

I have to admit, I'm not much of a bow hunter, the last two deer I took were with a .44 mag with a 10.5 inch barrel. I love hunting with a handgun, and I am working on my bow skills. Last year I had an elbow injury, I got a waiver from the Missouri Department of Conservation to allow me to use a crossbow.

I'm not one to claim disability, but I disagree with Missouri's stance that a crossbow is a firearm. Since I could hardly pull a bow I figured, what the heck at least I can use a crossbow.

I arrowed two deer, but I never found either one of them, My grandson Cody helped me track one of them, but when the blood trail ran out we had no idea where to look. I hate to leave a wounded animal, but sometimes it happens and you just cannot find the poor creature you injured.

This year I intend to practice up a bit more, hopefully refining my skills. But I watched those arrows hit vital parts last year, not being an experienced bow hunter I was quite surprised that those deer did not fall where we could find them.

I was hunting in densely forested areas, with massive undergrowth that prevented access to some areas. This year I plan to do a bit more ground work and hopefully I will be able to track them.

One of them jumped a railroad track, while waiting for her to bleed out a freight train came by; by the time it passed, there was no sign of the deer.

I'm not a trophy hunter, I hunt for meat. I prefer young deer, does, and tender venison.

I have several places I can go, unfortunately some of them are far too popular and I have to compete with many other hunters.

I've placed some salt licks in a few out of the way places, we will see what happens this year.

PS click on the ads, I need the money!

Missouri Turkey Season 2009

Off to a bleak start, I was out scouting Saturday with my grandson Cody, Not only did we not see any, we couldn't even to get them to talk to us. I tried everything from mouth reeds to squawk boxes. Since it wasn't season yet I even pulled out the electronic turkey call.

We had a lot of rain to contend with and I got soaked, so we gave up and went to Swopes Drive In in Rich Hill, MO for a peanut butter shake. On the way beck we did see one hen out in a field off Highway V.

The Missouri Conservation Department is predicting a bleak year for turkey hunters.
They are blaming the weather, seems the late freezes and flooding, over the last several years has decreased the turkey population in Missouri, Kansas and Arkansas. Several other states have had similar problems. I guess they haven't got the message from Al Gore about the whole global warming thing.

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission says the spring Turkey season may be slow. The leading cause for the lower number of turkeys is poor weather during the reproductive times. According to experts at the AGFC it may take several years for the turkey numbers to get back to pre-2008 levels

"Conservative seasons and improved gobbler survival in 2007 increased
the 2008 spring turkey harvest. However, preliminary brood surveys do
not bode well for the 2009 and 2010 seasons." AFGC 2007-08 Annual Harvest Report.

hunters will probably have to work a little harder to harvest the birds they use to just sit and call in. Better practice up on your turnkey calling skills.