philip_grubaugh

has anyone else seen the new plan in missouri to introduce people into the outdoors. i was reading today and saw that they are allowing someone without a hunters safety card can hunt for two years as long as they are with a hunter ed certified person over the age of 21. i dont know not that big of deal i was just wondering if anyone else has heard anything. oh and they still have to buy some special tag. what do ya'll think

GTOHunter

I haven't heard about that change?It doesn't take much to pass the Hunter Safety Course...my Daughter was 11 when she took the test and passed it the first time,I took the test also and made 100 %.I didn't have to have the Hunter Safety Class because of my age but if I wanted to take a Youth Hunting I had to take it then.

We are having a MDC meeting thursday evening in our home town to discuss different changes in the 2008 Deer Season like extending or changing the Rifle Deer Season,making the BowSeason a little longer,possibly making the Youth Deer Season a little longer,AR (Antler Restrictions/Point Limits),Moving the "Doe Only" Season and what ever elsethey want our opinions on!I'll come back on here after I attend the meeting and let you know what was discussed!

Rory/MO

i havent heard about that one either!!

philip_grubaugh

yeah know that they are having meetings about changing seasons around in 2009. they just had one here at basspro in springfield. i wasn't able to attend. i wish that i could have tho. every opinion matters ya kno

nwMOgsp

The proposed regulation changes are listed on their site, along with a video of the presentation they give at the meetings. There is also a place to comment on the proposed changes. They are really trying to increase the harvest of does in many areas of the state (especially in the north west), and are looking to try season changes to make it happen. They are also looking at the point restrictions again - and it looks like it will be on a county by county basis as it is now. If you deer hunt in Missouri you should either go to one of the meetings or get on their web site and view the regulations and comment.

Jason

johnnybravoo77

Michigan has this rule. Its called an apprentice hunting license. Same regs, must be with someone 21+ who has completed hunters safety, and be hunting the same thing.

GTOHunter

Thanks for the info Jason....I also heard you could go on the MDC Web Site and voice your opinions about the new regulations!So if anyone from here in MO. can't attend their local meetings you can let your comments and opinions be known.They also list when & where the other meeting will be held all over Missouri so you could possibly attend one close to where you can drive to.

Ours will be held at the Perry Park Center tonight Jan 24 from 7-9 PM.

GTOHunter

Issue #1 Keep or expand the 4-Point Antler Restriction.

They are talking about using the 4-Point Antler Restriction on a County to County basis.Based on Hunter response and biological results from the pilot study,they will decide whether to expand the antler restrictions regulations to other counties or abandon it for the 2008 deer season.

*This may start in the 2008 Deer Season?

Issue #2 Season Timing

Move the anterless portion of the firearms deer season into October,so anterless deer could be taken before the November portion. (This may only be for Northern Mo., since we don't have that season here is southeast Mo.?)

Set the opening of the November portion of Firearm Season on the weekend before Thanksgiving. (Several guys weren't very happy with that decision)

Move the muzzleloader portion to late December.

*Note:If implemented,these changes would not go into effect until the 2009 Season to give Hunters enoughadvanced notice to set vacations.

Several otherquestions were askedby the Audience like extending the Youth Season,Baiting issues,needing more Conservation Agents in the field to inforce the laws,high prices of hunting other states like Illinois,Iowa and Kansasand why Missouri's out of state tags were so cheap and need to be raised in price!There were Pro's and Con's of having the Antler Restrictions in our County.Some people complained of having low numbers of Deer while others had too many deers (Does) in their area's.After the meeting I talked to a Conservation Agent and suggested that they have a Web Site where Land Owners can ask Hunters to help in shooting Doe's off their properties....the idea of it sounds great but the legality of having someone go and hunt on someone else's property and following their rules and guide lines may not work?


List of the next MDC meetings:

Jan 28,Waynesville Middle School,Parker Fine Arts Building,1001 Historic 66 West,Waynesville.

Feb. 4,Marshall High School Little Theater,805 S Miami Ave.,Marshall

Feb.5, Burr Oak Woods Nature Center,1401 N.W. Park Road,Blue Springs

Feb.6, State Fair Community College,2503 W. 16th St., Sedalia

Feb.7, St. George Catholic Church Basement,611 E. Main,Linn

Feb. 11, West Plains Civic Center,110 St. Louis St.,West Plains

nwMOgsp

Did any of you guys make it to the meetings or at least comment on the departments web site? I think they had some very well thought out arguments, and seemed to be well received at the meeting I attended, but I didn't completely agree with their ideas. But, that doesn't make me right, that is why they held the meetings, to let us voice our opinions. I don't particularly like the idea of the early doe season, but that doesn't mean I won't take part in it if they make the change. The one part of their reasoning that I do agree with is that the herd in the NW part of the state needs to be reduced in size. There are way too many vehicular collisions - all you have to do is look at the front of my car to see that.

Jason

DTC

As a bow hunterI would love to see rifle season moved back. That would give you an extra week or so to hunt the rut. I don't like the idea of the early doe season. That just takes away from the bowhunter AGAIN. The give us the Sept 15th opener and now theywe will get a month before the rifle hunters cut loose on thedoes with unlimited doe tags. Makes no sense to me.