Missouri Hunt Stories 2008

[mqqse]

Anyone notice the lack of acorns this year?  I've heard reports that there are plenty in the northern part of the state, but central is absolutely nil.  Am I alone in this observation?

[Curtis Haden]

Tons of acorns here in south central.  We had hardly any white oak acorns last year, but all varieties seem to be producing good this year.

[kctreeman]

Tons of acorns here in kansas city. persimmontrees are just loaded too. Make note of locations now and may want to visit them later this year. Seen a huge deer the other night in the rain. couldn't see it's rack but I know it's body was huge.  Had to check tracks to confirm it was a deer and not livestock.  Hope to find out for sure next week when I try that area again.

[BMOELLER]

I haven't seen persimmon one since I moved back to missouri 5 years ago.  I used to see them when I hunted my uncles place south of Rolla. (too bad he sold it)  Acorns however are like John says EVERYWHERE.  The other evening stepped outside and there were 3 does under the big Burr Oak next to the drive way.  I can't even walk under that tree without slipping (they are like walking on marbles)

[non-typical]

We had a few white oak acorns early on and a TON of persimmons this year. The last couple of weeks when I walk past some of the persimmon patches it smells like vinegar from the fermenting fruit.

Got my first archery double last Saturday when I took at big doe at just over 30 yards then tagged the little one that was running with her a minute later as it passed right underneath my stand. I passed on hunting Sunday evening cause I have 3 deer quartered out in our chill box freezer waiting to be packaged. I told my wife a goal of mine has always been to fill our freezer with venison using a longbow and I'm about there. Don't know if that means I've "arrived" or not but it brings a measure of satisfaction and confidence. Hopefully with the colder weather here now the bucks will begin to move around. Seeing just a few new scrapes although the rubs have been apparent for several weeks.

[kennym]

Rattled in a 10 pt tonite,wasn't quite what I was lookin for(g2 and g3 plumb broke off left side),so he walked. Rattled again 30 min later,button and a doe came from diff directions and met up 20 yds in front of me,button got free pass,as did the doe,she was nervous and stompin and I figured at 20 she would duck it or be a bad shot. Saw bout a dozen deer and 5 turkeys,overall a great evenin'!!  

[bowhunterfrompast]

Had a ton of acorns last year from oak in the back yard but none this year ( ? )

[John3]

acorns are thick here. The hickory nuts are the heaviest I've ever seen. Persimmons trees and the apples/cherry ect.ect. are bent over with the weight... Never seen such a mast crop as this year.

[mqqse]

Had a good hunt this morning, even though it was short.  Light frost on the ground and very still.  Noticed movement about 8am to my right and had a doe walk almost to my stand, which I was prepared to take until I heard a light grunting.  I couldn't pin point it at first, but realized it was directly behind me.  Doe walks off and I can hear stuff breaking behind me so I ease my head around the tree and see a nice 10pt.  He was working the ground looking for scent but wouldn't come closer.  He finally took off after the doe once she was out of sight. Hopefully I'll have a similar story with a better ending to tell later this weekend.  If you're not in the woods right now, get there!

[swp]

Missed a doe this morning....forgot to bend at the waist. DOH!

[kctreeman]

Heading out this motning for a half day hunt close to p hill.  Had some close calls friday with Tommy boy. /had a compound buddy with me yesterday. He missed one completly. great guy still looking for his fitsy bow kill. maybe in the next couple hours I can get him on one.

[Charlie Lamb]

Hunted up near Shelbina during the week. Saw 8 but no bucks... all came by at warp speed thanks to a hunting partner with the brains of a turnip!

Lots of white oaks acorns.

Heading out in a few minutes to hunt my own property for the very first time.

[fireman_3311]

I had a good hunt yesterday evening, wearin me ghillie, hunting along a field edge with the west wind...Saw 4 does, had a beautiful shot at the biggest one at about 16-18 yds, and let her walk!!!!  Don't know WHAT I was thinkin...lol.

[BMOELLER]

Got to meet another Tradgang member Ryan Angelo (RLA) and his wife Mary who also shoots a recurve.  They made the drive from S.W.Missouri to some public land north of K.C.  Also got reaquainted with Dave Poore whom I met last year at the same area. Dave also shoots a recurve.  Hopefully Dave will log in to Tradgang and be a member.

I arrived before first light and was starting to get suited up when Dave was pulling into the parking lot.  We both talked a few minutes to see where we were going so nobody would mess the other up.  That was when I remembered meeting him last year.  Dave said he had a stand on a ridge to the east and that was where I was going to hunt on the ground, so I decided to go further down the same ridge approx. 200-300yds.  I went in and sat on a blow down about 30yds into the woods from the food plot.   At about 7:50 I was taking a drink of water when along the food plot a 4pt was running towards and behind me.  He must have hit my trail when he slammed on the breaks and started sniffing the ground, and started following my trail.  He came within 10yrds and decided something wasn't right and went back the way he came.  About 9:45 decided to take a look below the ridge.  Found several heavily used trails and thick brush going up the other ridge and a cut corn field at the end of the two ridges.  That is were I would hunt in the afternoon.

Back at the parking lot Dave was already there and we compared notes.  Dave saw nothing.  Ryan and Mary got back and we talked to them.  Dave began to show us photos of deer from his trail cams that are at the area.  Ryan and Mary went to town to get some lunch, and  Dave and I went and hung another stand for later use.  I went to town for some grubb and came back for the evening hunt.

Went down to the bottom of the ridge and found a fallen osage tree 20 yrds off the main trail that heads to the cut cornfield.  It was also about 40yrd from the corn and down wind.  At 545pm made a few grunts and looked up the other ridge in the brush and had a doe heading for the corn out of range.  Ten minutes later heard two deer jump in the creek behind me, but couldn't see them.  Also had some turkeys clucking close behind me, but couldn't see them either.  I waited until it was too dark in the woods to shoot and slipped up to the edge of the corn and looked out.  Nothing in the field.  

Got back to the parking lot and Dave was just getting back as well.  Dave informed me that he spotted a nice 8pt but was too far out for a shot.  Ryan and Mary reported seeing deer and I'll let them tell their story when they get back. All in all a good trip and its not common to have four trad hunters invading public land at the same time and the same parking lot.

[rg176bnc]

Had a couple of opprotunitys that just didnt come toghther on Sat.  I was on the ground when 3 older does were coming right at me.  I knew I wasnt hid good enough for deer that age.  Sure enough the first one spots me then the second one.  The second deer does an about face and runs toward the last deer.  The last deer in the bunch stands on its hind legs and wallops that deer twice on the skull!  I heard her jaws smack at 50 yards!  They left after that.

At 12:10 I had a little 8pt run 2 does by the stand. That was it for the day.

[Don Stokes]

Came up from MS last Thursday to hunt with my friends up here in MO for a few days. Started hunting Friday afternoon on my buddy's 40 acres, and grunted up a 5 pt. after I saw him at a distance (4 pts. on a side minimum in this county). He winded me and went back where he came from. A young doe came close, but turned back just short of my shooting zone. Later a good 8 pt. buck passed by too far out, and the little 5 pt. followed him. My buddy saw 13 does on the other end of the place, so next day after seeing nothing on my morning hunt, we moved my portable ladder stand to the area where all the does were seen. This 40 acres has only about 10 acres of woods, but all of the open land is planted in clover, which is nearly knee high. At 5:35 a pair of young ones passed by at 10 yards headed for the clover, and I shot the second one, a doe of about 50#. Got the lungs just right, and she piled up at about 60 yards.

This was my first deer with my "new" Dean Torges osage/hickory-backed longbow "Easy", 64" and 57# at 27". Superceder arrows with 160g. Snuffers, total weight 610g. Those Snuffers make big holes- one lung was hanging out when I found her! I'll post a picture when I get back home later this week.

[RLA]

My wife & I were hunting in northern MO this past weekend.  It was the first time we have been hunting together.  We both saw deer and a lot of sign. Unfortunately they weren't close enough for a good shot.

On our Saturday evening hunt my wife saw & videoed 6 deer.  The closest they came was over 70 yards away, so she didn't have a shot opportunity. She was excited about seeing the deer & watching a small buck chase the does around the field.

Sunday morning we were out early about 45 minutes before first light.  We both sat until 9:45 & didn't see anything.  We decided to do some more scouting & found a fence crossing coming from a standing corn field that looked like a major deer highway.  I moved my stand to the best tree I could find by that trail & planned to hunt it that evening.  We then left to eat lunch & relax.

When we returned Sunday evening there was a brutal wind that didn't let up.  It blew the blind over & the only thing that kept it from blowing across the field was the fact that it hung up on some tree branches. Once my wife tied the blind down it was very stable & barley moved. I went to my stand & was eager to try out the new location.  After 15 minutes of 40 mile an hour wind gusts, I decided that the ground blind with a backpack full of cookies, snacks & drinks, that my wife had packed, sounded like a lot more fun.  I now understand why there is a wind farm located not too far from this propery.  We didn't end up seeing anything, but it was still a nice getaway.  

I was hunting from a Gorilla Silverback treestand, used in conjunction with lone wolf climbing sticks.  It was the first time I had walked very far with the treestand & sticks.  The combination weighs about 13 pounds. It was a very comfortable & light weight set up.

My wife hunted from a Double Bull ground blind.  I have the recurve model.  Weighing in at over 20 pounds, it is not as easy to carry long distances.  But once set up, it is very nice to hunt out of & allows freedom of movement that a treestand doesn't.

We met Brian (fellow tradgang member) up there. It was cool to see 4 trad shooters and no wheel guys in one location.

Brian---After our Saturday evening hunt & a great prime rib dinner, we went back to the motel.  On CMT the movie Deliverance was playing & it's been A LONG TIME since I've seen that movie.  Now I understand --- AINTRY? This river don't go to Aintry.  Them Bear razor heads with no quiver hood didn't look to safe to me!  Hope that style of quiver wasn't to common in the 70's.

[Charlie Lamb]

"Them Bear razor heads with no quiver hood didn't look to safe to me! Hope that style of quiver wasn't to common in the 70's."

They were more common that they should have been!!
I used them myself in the Sixties and cut myself numerous times.... thankfully nothing serious.

As I recall, there were at least a half dozen different brands of the dang things.

Archery writers of the period were always warning people to be careful of the things.
   

[BMOELLER]

Glad you and the wife had a good time Ryan.  I have one of those suicide quivers that my dad used and I used it a couple years when I first started out bowhunting.

[Dave Lay]

Had a huntin see a mountian lion in the NW part of the state, we had seen its scat all week then he saw it from about 50 yds for about a full minuite..we know a local farmer who said he had seen it or another one in the past... pretty cool stuff!