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We did the Missouri scout trip

Autumnrider

Autumnrider

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 22, 2015
Messages
1,328
Location
Northeast Mississippi
We speed scouted parts of Mark Twain National Forrest this past weekend. Started just east of Fort Leonardwood and headed south toward Donaphan, MO.
Not to impressed. Not saying that the deer are not there because they are but we saw more people sign than deer.
Anyway, we decided to hunt an archery only Conservation Area that's east of Fort Leonardwood called Reform Conservation Area (CA).
Think we are going to hunt the CA during the ten day gun season, hopefully most of the bow hunters will become rifle hunters at this time.

Have any of you guys hunted this CA?
 
Dang man that don't sound to promising. I hope you find a spot. I have "friends" in Frederickstown, Mo I will see if I can hit him up for info.


Sent from my
Sit drag, Ernie's outdoors linesman belt,
At 20' up
 
I was born and raised about 12 miles out the east gate of Fort wood, that is my neck of the woods, family has killed quite a few good deer off Mark Twain. I know Sparrowhawk has hunted and does hunt Reform a fair amount (he lives around Columbia). Depend on what you are looking for, I can point you in some directions of public land to look at. It seems your looking for the first week of gun season? There are some areas where you can get away from firearms pressure, might see a guy or two parked on the road.

Thanks,
Boswell
 
ImThere and Boswell, thanks guys, any help will be nice. We picked the reform ca because of the chance to take a good deer but it's not in concrete yet...long time till next season aND anything can change.
We are in this to hunt hard but still enjoy the comerodery around the camp fire or hotel.
Any info and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Keith Lawson
 
I turkey hunted in the MTNF last season, about in the middle of the two points you mentioned. I will likely be back there again this season.

I scouted for deer as I turkey hunted(as I always do) and marked waypoints and sign as I came across really good looking areas. I almost dropped the money to go up there and rifle hunt the first two days of season this past year just on the little sign I'd found and thinking they were isolated "get away" areas.

With that being said, there's very little chance that I would go up there and hang my hat on killing a big deer. They're there, but for an outsider to go up for a few days and kill one int the forest would be an anomaly.

The rule in Missouri is always to go north of I-70 for big deer. I'm sure there are some to the south, but that's what I've always seen.

The new area you're talking about is in the middle of the population centers so I'd really think about that. Also, I know of a group that goes to North MO every year and tried to do the bow only place in gun season thing and still had hunters walking all over them.
 
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