[lopester59]

The kill always seems to be pretty consistent over the years, weather permitting. In 2021 we had a terrible archery season until a storm hit 2 days before gun season.. Deer just didn't move. 2022 deer movement was great and it seemed like there were more bucks then normal. We had so many buck pictures on our trail cameras. I've already started my scouting for next year.

 

[lopester59]

I didn't kill a whitetail for the first time in 25+ years, but still had a great season.

Archery number is down, I guess one more year of crossbows not decimating the deer herd....

You don't always have to kill a buck to enjoy yourself in the woods. After I kill a buck, I'll continue to archery hunt until gun season. I will shoot a doe but I'm really there to see the activity in the woods and be there for those in camp that might need assistance in getting a deer out of the woods. I like to record bucks as they search and chase does.

 

[lopester59]

Not that I’d ever move away, I love Missouri. I just saw way too many electric mountain bikes and ground blinds everywhere on public land. Why don’t I just stop being poor?

I found a spot on NF last fall that was loaded with deer and never saw another hunter. I know there are a group of gun hunters that hunt the area very hard but I had it to myself during the two weeks before the firearm's season. I scouted it a week ago and there were still active scrapes. I found several heavily used trails and some single beds. I jumped 3 does. I may have a honey hole.

 

[lopester59]

Booner does😁

if you think the mdc deer population guess is accurate???? Population seemed to conveniently jump in size in just a couple years, was it make hunters believe there are more deer so they push though refs to kill more……,seems the deer pop was 1.2 a couple years ago with nofall off in harvest numbers and now it is 1.4?

I would imagine that guessing accurately is very difficult. Especially when it is done statewide. Any estimate is only going to be as accurate as the data. We could debate this issue forever and never know how accurate it is.