# Missouri state land(Mark Twain national forest)



## outdoor101 (May 15, 2012)

Going to make a trip down there next bow season the last week of October can anyone give me references on a place to stay campground, cabin anything close to the hunting grounds. Any info or help would be much appreciated 1st time doing a out of state hunt. Thanks 

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## johnhunter247 (Mar 12, 2011)

Any reason why your choosing that area? The northern part of Missouri is the best hunting. I know several Missouri residents that live down around that area and they all go north to hunt. There are some good areas in northern Missouri open to public hunting. I would be looking in the northern counties along the Iowa border. The closer to the Iowa border the better. Look online around the Kirksville area. I’ve seen some really good public land bucks south of there. But you can’t go wrong anywhere along the Iowa border. 


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## lreigler (Dec 23, 2009)

Missouri pressure seems to have exploded this year. I had multiple friends leave early due to pressure the first week of November. I’d attribute the access to information and the hunting public’s production to it. Many, many guys giving it a try.


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## whitetail&walleye (Dec 13, 2017)

lreigler said:


> Missouri pressure seems to have exploded this year. I had multiple friends leave early due to pressure the first week of November. I’d attribute the access to information and the hunting public’s production to it. Many, many guys giving it a try.


I know one area that gets hit hard. Same one that was in a magazine 15 years ago. 

There are some smaller pieces that see little to no pressure. Just have to do some homework and some boots on the ground. 

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## outdoor101 (May 15, 2012)

johnhunter247 said:


> Any reason why your choosing that area? The northern part of Missouri is the best hunting. I know several Missouri residents that live down around that area and they all go north to hunt. There are some good areas in northern Missouri open to public hunting. I would be looking in the northern counties along the Iowa border. The closer to the Iowa border the better. Look online around the Kirksville area. I’ve seen some really good public land bucks south of there. But you can’t go wrong anywhere along the Iowa border.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I have heard good things to the north but I also heard the south Iowa had a big loss in EHD. But I was interested in the mark twain area bc it's so big I have a better chance of getting away from people but I'm open to any area just trying to do what I can from the internet. Once I decided on a area I'm taking a drive down this spring to do some scouting. This is all new to me but I can walk and read a compass and that will go along ways 

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## outdoor101 (May 15, 2012)

lreigler said:


> Missouri pressure seems to have exploded this year. I had multiple friends leave early due to pressure the first week of November. I’d attribute the access to information and the hunting public’s production to it. Many, many guys giving it a try.


Good thing I'm going in October...

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## steelyspeed (Apr 10, 2016)

Hunting Public has taken a couple nice deer in Missouri the last couple years. I’m sure that hasn’t helped.


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## whitetail&walleye (Dec 13, 2017)

steelyspeed said:


> Hunting Public has taken a couple nice deer in Missouri the last couple years. I’m sure that hasn’t helped.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Michigan Sportsman


I believe they hunt more west and south

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## thill (Aug 23, 2006)

I scouted and hunted MO public land this Nov very close to the IA border and I saw a lot of MI plates. I talked to one MI hunter who said many guys from his group left early because of the pressure. They had one buck between them. I didn't see any deer while in a tree, but I bumped a few while scouting for a spot. 

The guys on the Hunting Public make it look very easy to fill a tag on public land in MO and just about all other states, but keep in mind they have been doing it for years and they work as a team. Imagine hunting while 3 other guys are out scouting for you!


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## Big Ben (Feb 21, 2008)

lreigler said:


> Missouri pressure seems to have exploded this year. I had multiple friends leave early due to pressure the first week of November. I’d attribute the access to information and the hunting public’s production to it. Many, many guys giving it a try.


I hunted MO public close to Iowa once....never again LOL!!


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## steelyspeed (Apr 10, 2016)

thill said:


> I scouted and hunted MO public land this Nov very close to the IA border and I saw a lot of MI plates. I talked to one MI hunter who said many guys from his group left early because of the pressure. They had one buck between them. I didn't see any deer while in a tree, but I bumped a few while scouting for a spot.
> 
> The guys on the Hunting Public make it look very easy to fill a tag on public land in MO and just about all other states, but keep in mind they have been doing it for years and they work as a team. Imagine hunting while 3 other guys are out scouting for you!


Oh yea, definitely not discrediting those guys. They are better whitetail hunters than I will ever be 


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## lreigler (Dec 23, 2009)

steelyspeed said:


> Hunting Public has taken a couple nice deer in Missouri the last couple years. I’m sure that hasn’t helped.
> 
> right. This was my intent of the post. I’ve hunted the Sandhills region of Nebraska the past four years and firmly believe their success will lead others to the area. Not complaining about it, it just is the state of the game today.
> 
> ...


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## outdoor101 (May 15, 2012)

Yeah the hunting public group makes it look easy that's for sure. I think by going down in late October it should cut the hunting pressure in half but i wont know unless I go. I was just trying to get some honest opinions. I am doing some research on deer ridge conservation area also. If I deside to go there it would knock off a hour and half drive time. 

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## Itchin' to go (Oct 4, 2001)

Like Whitetails and Walleye said, find smaller areas to hunt. Hunting pressure has exploded since the Hunting public type shows. 10yrs ago, the first week of Nov. you’d see 3-4 trucks on 5000acres now I see 3-4 trucks per parking lot. 

#1 Aaron from THP is from Missouri, he’s been hunting those areas his whole life. #2 The show goes back and forth from Iowa to Missouri a lot. I think people see the shows and forget they’re in Iowa a lot(Missouri is not Iowa). #3 Some of those THP deer are 2.5 yr old 115” deer, but look bigger on tv and get people excited. No offense to the show, love watching. 

Avoid any areas close to major cities, and easy access from major highways. 

The other thing to look at it, is maybe avoid cwd zones, and look at counties that still have APRs in effect. 

Good luck.


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## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

Concentrate on water access areas. I hunted Chillicothe one year on private, but I could see where a guy could be by himself on some of the public areas with water access.


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## outdoor101 (May 15, 2012)

brushbuster said:


> Concentrate on water access areas. I hunted Chillicothe one year on private, but I could see where a guy could be by himself on some of the public areas with water access.


I want to stay away from the duck hunters 

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## outdoor101 (May 15, 2012)

Itchin' to go said:


> Like Whitetails and Walleye said, find smaller areas to hunt. Hunting pressure has exploded since the Hunting public type shows. 10yrs ago, the first week of Nov. you’d see 3-4 trucks on 5000acres now I see 3-4 trucks per parking lot.
> 
> #1 Aaron from THP is from Missouri, he’s been hunting those areas his whole life. #2 The show goes back and forth from Iowa to Missouri a lot. I think people see the shows and forget they’re in Iowa a lot(Missouri is not Iowa). #3 Some of those THP deer are 2.5 yr old 115” deer, but look bigger on tv and get people excited. No offense to the show, love watching.
> 
> ...


I love the show and you are correct they do make things look easy. Trust me I dont think I'm going to go down there and kill a 150" I'll be happy to even see a shooter in the stand. But on the up side I have a better chance down there then up here. I'm not to worried about the pressure I'll be heading down Halloween week. 

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## Itchin' to go (Oct 4, 2001)

Another idea along with small properties is to stay mobile. Like a camper, trailer, or tent. 

We hunted way on the west end a few yrs ago, and really wanted to find new areas, but already paid for a week at a cabin. Hard to justify paying for two different motels if you wanna move. 

I’m heading back down Monday morning for Muzzleloader. Hopefully something will be moving in this heat


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## WhiteTailHunter87 (Nov 29, 2008)

Hunted northern Missouri this November
I shot a nice 9 point. The hunting pressure was crazy also they had a youth firearm season. The deer sign was minimal I ended up hunting the bottoms along creek beds


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