Missouri is pretty good for most everything. Two major cities as well, taxes aren't too bad either compared to Ill. fees and flat tax.
Arkansas isn't bad either. 2nd choice and somewhat warmer year round. Watch for ice storms, freezing rain though.
Deer just as big as Iowa, some upland hunting, turkeys are everywhere, and the fishing is good for walleye, bass, hybrids, and trout. Friendly folks in the state as well. Find a college town and settle in. Bass Pro is in Springfield and a fun place to go before the season starts. Three Cabelas in the state as well.
May not be the best state for variety, but it is centrally based if you want to fly somewhere to hunt as well.
http://mdc.mo.gov/hunt/what.htm Wildlife
From waterfowl to majestic whitetails, Missouri offers hunters a variety of game to pursue nearly year round. Check the Seasons Calendar to see current and upcoming seasons, and always consult season-specific regulations booklets and the Wildlife Code for detailed information before you go afield.
Deer and Turkey
Deer hunting begins with the archery season in the early fall and extends into January. The firearms deer season is divided into five portions and begins in October. In addition to the main November segment, there are portions designated for urban counties, youth hunters, muzzleloaders, and antlerless deer. You can also enter a drawing to participate in a managed hunt at a selected location.
The fall archery turkey season coincides with the archery deer season, and there is also a fall firearms turkey season in October. Missouri’s spring turkey season usually occurs in April, and you can draw to enter managed spring turkey hunts in selected areas.
The specific dates and regulations are set in summer and are published in the Fall Deer & Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information booklet. You can purchase deer and turkey hunting permits beginning July 1.
Waterfowl
Waterfowl season begins when ducks and geese are migrating in the fall. The season start is staggered between zones, with the northern zone of the state opening earlier than the middle and southern zones.
The specific dates and regulations are set in summer and are published in the Waterfowl Hunting Digest. You can purchase waterfowl hunting permits beginning July 1.
You can apply for a reservation at one of sixteen MDC-managed waterfowl areas and check the hunting conditions online before you go.
Small Game
Many other game birds and mammals can be hunted during designated seasons. If there isn’t a season listed for a species, then hunting is not permitted for it. See the Summary of Missouri Hunting & Trapping Regulations booklet for more information.
Check the Migratory Bird Hunting Digest for special information on doves, teal, woodcock, and other migratory birds.
Trapping
Many mammal species may be trapped during the fall and winter furbearer seasons. If you want to use cable restraint, you must take a cable restraint-training course and have a permit to use that device. Check the Summary of Missouri Hunting & Trapping Regulations booklet for more information.
Missouri is blessed with more than a million acres of surface water, and most of it provides great fishing. Fly fish for trout in a spring-fed Ozark stream or trotline for monster catfish on Missouri’s Big Rivers. Our waters hold ancient paddlefish and sturgeon, ferocious muskies, wary bass and tasty bluegill, crappie and walleye. More than 200 different fish species live here, and 40 of them are the targets of anglers.
So many kinds of fish live in Missouri because our biogeography gives us so many different kinds of water areas. The prairies of the Great Plains and forests of the eastern United States meet in Missouri. Also, the Mississippi and Missouri rivers meet in the Show-me State. Some fish species are specialists, inhabiting only one type of stream, but some fish species are generalists and thus are widespread in the state. In addition to fish, Missouri’s waters are home to diverse species of mussels and crayfish, some unique to Missouri.
Topic: the best state to move to for trad hunting?? (Read 1803 times)
