Posted: 7/15/2013 4:45:58 AM EDT
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Anyone here hunt things other than deer and turkey? I'm not super stoked about deer and am basically stuck with public lands, anyone have tips for places to find other huntable species? Like right now, legal species are squirrel, groundhog, and coyote. I need things to do when I have days off or weekends since no one at home wants to leave the couch.
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I you have the right shotgun, there is a lot of wing shooting opportunity here.
Dove, Teal, Ducks, Geese, Quail. An 870 express with synthetic stock would work well enough for those things. Set yourself up with a bow and you now have MONTH's of hunting opportunity that can feed the household for many, many meals. If I had more time I would go after the waterfowl and quail a little more. |
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Learn to like deer. j/k 
Others pretty much covered it. small game like squirrels and rabbit, or bird hunting. I see more of them while out anyway, just can't justify a whole deer for myself, plenty more people enjoy deer hunting more so I can go out when you don't have to dress up like a traffic cone. I've got the 22 in the car for any opportunities, unfortunately I am mostly in St. Louis county all week and when I get out on the weekends I must be in the wrong places lol. |
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I see more of them while out anyway, just can't justify a whole deer for myself, plenty more people enjoy deer hunting more so I can go out when you don't have to dress up like a traffic cone. I've got the 22 in the car for any opportunities, unfortunately I am mostly in St. Louis county all week and when I get out on the weekends I must be in the wrong places lol. I will recommend deer as well. Instead of a firearm try it with a bow. Totally different experience. You might see them plenty now and be able to walk up on them rather easily, wait until September.....they change. You bump a deer now it goes a hundred yards, bump one once the leaves start turning and chances are you won't see it again that day. On the + side you can hunt whitetail from September 15-January 15 with a bow with the only closing in that timeframe being the rifle season. Also no orange required when there are no firearms seasons running. |
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......On the + side you can hunt whitetail from September 15-January 15 with a bow with the only closing in that timeframe being the rifle season. Also no orange required when there are no firearms seasons running. Actually, you can still use any legal archery method during the firearms portion of the season. You just have to wear orange while you do it. From the MDC website: Methods allowed during all portions of the firearms deer season, except the alternative methods portion:
Centerfire pistols, revolvers or rifles using expanding-type bullets. Legal ammunition includes lead bullets, copper bullets and bullets made of other material designed to expand. Shotguns (including .410) with slugs only Air-powered guns, .40 caliber or larger, charged only from an external high compression power source (external hand pump, air tank, or air compressor) Muzzleloading or cap-and-ball firearms, .40 caliber or larger and capable of firing only a single projectile at one discharge; in-lines and scopes are allowed. Multiple-barreled muzzleloading or cap-and-ball firearms and/or muzzleloading or cap-and-ball handguns, including revolvers, .40 caliber or larger, are allowed and may be carried in addition to a muzzleloading or cap-and-ball rifle. Longbows, compound bows or recurve bows of any draw weight; hand-held string releasing devices, illuminated sights, scopes and quickpoint sights are allowed. Crossbows Atlatls, which are defined as a rod or narrow board-like device used to launch, through a throwing motion of the arm, a dart 5 to 8 feet long |
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Quoted: Quoted: Learn to like deer. j/k Others pretty much covered it. small game like squirrels and rabbit, or bird hunting. I see more of them while out anyway, just can't justify a whole deer for myself, plenty more people enjoy deer hunting more so I can go out when you don't have to dress up like a traffic cone. I've got the 22 in the car for any opportunities, unfortunately I am mostly in St. Louis county all week and when I get out on the weekends I must be in the wrong places lol. You can donate the deer and write it off as a charitable donation. Just take your deer to a processor (Lots of them around STL. I've used Mateker's off Tesson Ferry a few times http://www.matekers.com/) You pay for the processing and tell them to donate it to a food pantry. Keep your receipts for tax time. Alternatively, you could pick up the meat, cherry pick what you want, and take the rest to the shelter/pantry yourself. Just get a receipt from the shelter in case the IRS is still around this spring... There is rabbit, squirrel, and coyote hunting in the Busch conservation area, but I believe they are restricted to "multiple projectile weapons only" due to the proximity to populated areas. You have to drive 1-1/2 hrs outside of STL to get to any conservation areas that let you rifle hunt for coyotes or squirrels. |
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Here we are talking deer when he specified ANYTHING but that and Turkey....
Sorry 'bout that. 
( It's just that we know you will get there eventually. And that's a good thing.  )
Go to the Missouri Department of Conservation's site and search for local conservation areas. ( You have probably already done this. ) Two CA's which come to mind which may not be hit in the 'off' season are: BK Leach and Marias Temp Clare (or Clair.. Can't remember exactly.) These CA's are better known for waterfowling so check out their squirrel and Dove opportunities. I have had great bow hunts for deer at BK Leach and remember seeing a decent number of squirrels. Marias Temp Clare has fun dove hunting, but IIRC the first few days you have to get drawn in to hunt. There are other rules there, like non-toxic shot, so make the call to Busch Wildlife for guideance. If they aren't managing those areas, they can give you the contact info of those who do. ***************************************************************** BTW, if you want to know your draw length for a bow... Stand up straight. Hold your arms out like Jesus on a cross, but horizontal to the ground and positioned in a neutral position. ( Not pulled back or pressed forward. ) Have someone measure middle finger-tip to middle finger-tip. Take that measurement and divide by 2.5. I have a 27" draw length but you are a bit taller, so I'm thinking you will have a draw length of 29" or longer. Just throwing it out there. 
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Here we are talking deer when he specified ANYTHING but that and Turkey.... Sorry 'bout that.
( It's just that we know you will get there eventually. And that's a good thing. )
Go to the Missouri Department of Conservation's site and search for local conservation areas. ( You have probably already done this. ) Two CA's which come to mind which may not be hit in the 'off' season are: BK Leach and Marias Temp Clare (or Clair.. Can't remember exactly.) These CA's are better known for waterfowling so check out their squirrel and Dove opportunities. I have had great bow hunts for deer at BK Leach and remember seeing a decent number of squirrels. Marias Temp Clare has fun dove hunting, but IIRC the first few days you have to get drawn in to hunt. There are other rules there, like non-toxic shot, so make the call to Busch Wildlife for guideance. If they aren't managing those areas, they can give you the contact info of those who do. ***************************************************************** BTW, if you want to know your draw length for a bow... Stand up straight. Hold your arms out like Jesus on a cross, but horizontal to the ground and positioned in a neutral position. ( Not pulled back or pressed forward. ) Have someone measure middle finger-tip to middle finger-tip. Take that measurement and divide by 2.5. I have a 27" draw length but you are a bit taller, so I'm thinking you will have a draw length of 29" or longer. Just throwing it out there. Dang!!! I've missed so much.. So I have no shotgun, nor a bow.. both are interesting ideas... I like flinging things away from me at high speeds (guess I picked the right forum eh?) I've found a few of the CAs that I like, way out off 44, and some way up in Pike County (all kinds of critters up in there) most of the time I see what I cant shoot (these damn 'song'birds that sound like car alarms are just begging to get plugged) I can write it all off as exercise, so I'm not really too bothered in the long run. As for the whole deer thing, I bet I couldn't fit one in the trunk of my Impala, I need to check with some of my buddies, maybe we can fill up his truck this upcoming season? |
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......On the + side you can hunt whitetail from September 15-January 15 with a bow with the only closing in that timeframe being the rifle season. Also no orange required when there are no firearms seasons running. Actually, you can still use any legal archery method during the firearms portion of the season. You just have to wear orange while you do it. From the MDC website: Methods allowed during all portions of the firearms deer season, except the alternative methods portion:
Centerfire pistols, revolvers or rifles using expanding-type bullets. Legal ammunition includes lead bullets, copper bullets and bullets made of other material designed to expand. Shotguns (including .410) with slugs only Air-powered guns, .40 caliber or larger, charged only from an external high compression power source (external hand pump, air tank, or air compressor) Muzzleloading or cap-and-ball firearms, .40 caliber or larger and capable of firing only a single projectile at one discharge; in-lines and scopes are allowed. Multiple-barreled muzzleloading or cap-and-ball firearms and/or muzzleloading or cap-and-ball handguns, including revolvers, .40 caliber or larger, are allowed and may be carried in addition to a muzzleloading or cap-and-ball rifle. Longbows, compound bows or recurve bows of any draw weight; hand-held string releasing devices, illuminated sights, scopes and quickpoint sights are allowed. Crossbows Atlatls, which are defined as a rod or narrow board-like device used to launch, through a throwing motion of the arm, a dart 5 to 8 feet long This requires a firearms permit though, not an archery permit. Archery permits are not valid during the November firearms portion. Fall turkey season would be another option. I am sure you have a shotgun. |
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......On the + side you can hunt whitetail from September 15-January 15 with a bow with the only closing in that timeframe being the rifle season. Also no orange required when there are no firearms seasons running. Actually, you can still use any legal archery method during the firearms portion of the season. You just have to wear orange while you do it. From the MDC website: Methods allowed during all portions of the firearms deer season, except the alternative methods portion:
Centerfire pistols, revolvers or rifles using expanding-type bullets. Legal ammunition includes lead bullets, copper bullets and bullets made of other material designed to expand. Shotguns (including .410) with slugs only Air-powered guns, .40 caliber or larger, charged only from an external high compression power source (external hand pump, air tank, or air compressor) Muzzleloading or cap-and-ball firearms, .40 caliber or larger and capable of firing only a single projectile at one discharge; in-lines and scopes are allowed. Multiple-barreled muzzleloading or cap-and-ball firearms and/or muzzleloading or cap-and-ball handguns, including revolvers, .40 caliber or larger, are allowed and may be carried in addition to a muzzleloading or cap-and-ball rifle. Longbows, compound bows or recurve bows of any draw weight; hand-held string releasing devices, illuminated sights, scopes and quickpoint sights are allowed. Crossbows Atlatls, which are defined as a rod or narrow board-like device used to launch, through a throwing motion of the arm, a dart 5 to 8 feet long This requires a firearms permit though, not an archery permit. Archery permits are not valid during the November firearms portion. Oh I'll get the tags.. it will scare away every living thing in the state lol |