FroMan

Can't remember if I posted this already in here or not. Perhaps I have. Anyways, a lot has happened since then.

I'm finally moved into the apartment and would like to bowhunt somewhere. I talked to some guys today and one of them told me that hunting on public land here in MO s a nightmare. Anyone need a bowhunting buddy or no someone who'd let an out of state, married, college student, bowhunt some private land?

Sad I know...figure asking never hurts anything.

MO_Bowhnter

I go to school in Rolla right up highway 44. I haven't run into many people bowhunting around here. A few here and there but no where near a nightmare. Down there it might be different because of the large population and probably not very many good spots to hunt deer with the rocky soil.

Angus74

Im from Salem, not far from Rolla, and like MO BOWHUNTER said, its not bad at all bowhunting on public land, but the deer are a little more pressured, but you dont have much trouble from other hunters.You may have to walk a little farther into the woods to get into less pressured areas, but not a nightmare by any means, I hunt mostly private land, but Id say you wouldnt drive all the way up here to hunt. Good luck.

hcurt

I have hunted MO all my life and I don't think the public land is bad at all during bow hunting. It is crazy in some areas during rifle season but not bow. I answered your other post and told you I am from Joplin about 1 hour away. You have public land near you but going north will get you into bigger deer. Good luck.

Wooddust

Id suggest you contact the NWTF Chapter Pres in Springfield. I know many newcomers to areas have made great hunting contacts that way.

ddejong

I have been hunting MO for several years and the public land can be pretty crowded during the opening gun season, but that is the case for most of the state. During the bowseason I have had little problems in the Mark Twain Forest area. Like always the key is getting off the road as far as possible and do as much scouting as you can.

Good luck!