I’m looking to head out of state next fall on a tight budget DIY bow hunt and wondering if any of you guys have any suggestions for a cool hunt. I’m just starting to do some research and have found that Missouri has several large tracts of public land after looking at maps of the Northern most portion of the state. Do any of you guys have any experience hunting around there?
Thanks in advance for your input 
I’ve never personally hunted northern Missouri but hunted alot in southern Iowa just across the border in Jefferson and Vanburen counties. The timber runs thick and in alot of big tracts, many acres of trees and IDEAL bowhunting ground. Id say below those two counties would be a good choice. I don’t know too much about outfitters but in that area I don’t think youd need one for a do it yourself hunt. Motels should be reasonable for a weekly rate. I know those two Iowa counties are loaded with deer and southern Iowa is where they allow highpowered rifles, the rest of the state they don’t. The reason why is to keep the deer herds in check. Northen Missouri would be no diffrent and I think anywhere in that area would be a good choice. The counties west of there In Iowa is also heavily timbered with a very good deer population and I know just below those counties in Missouri its very heavily wooded but don’t know alot about them but in my personal opinion would also be another good choice.
I would say bring up google earth and look at the whole northen area from easten to central Missouri and look for areas around towns where a motel might be, I think they would be a good choice. Maybe get intouch with some of the motels in the area through Mapquest and ask for the numbers of any sporting goods stores or baitshops and get thier input, they would know of the deer shot this season. Thats how I would arrange my hunt shooting in the dark for the first time, Doing it this way and hunting I know you would see deer, hunt the areas near riverbottoms, good luck.
thanks for the great info! Looking at the deer densities of Southern Iowa kind of brought me to looking at Northern Missouri since it seems to be cheaper and easier to get a tag there.
pm
SD. Lots of great public land along the Missouri river the Black Hills with all the national forest. The hills will offer glimpses of elk and mountain lions. Both areas have a mixture of whitetail and mule deer. Over the counter tags. $195.00 for any deer tag, $80.00 for an addition two antlerless tags.
If your not stuck on Missouri I would highly recommend SD. I just got back from a hunt that sounds very similar to what you are looking at; DIY, archery, public land, very tight budget, never been there before. We hunted the black hills and I was able to harvest a buck a day and a half into the hunt. There were two of us and with diesel, tags, food, and lodging we each spent under 500. Public land around the missouri river is good I hear as well. Have a friend who harvest a 160 class whitetail off pub land in that area this year. Good luck!
What is DIY ???? 
Quote:
What is DIY ????
Do it yourself
got it thanks, I’m a little behind this text talk.
I looked up the Iowa non res rates and holy moly,
My niece just got a job in Iowa and she mentioned us coming down for a hunt next year, but man i don’t know if a deer is worth $400+ 
just for the license
What is the deal with needing a bowhunter’s certification course in SD? Would a non-resident who been a long-time bowhunter need to pass a certification course in order to buy an archery tag in SD?
Quote:
got it thanks, I’m a little behind this text talk.
I looked up the Iowa non res rates and holy moly,
My niece just got a job in Iowa and she mentioned us coming down for a hunt next year, but man i don’t know if a deer is worth $400+
When I started hunting Iowa it was $150.00 but if you have the right land it’s worth the $460.00 to shoot a hog and a doe I look at it this way I love going out west hunting and them tags cost about $160.00 but by the time you get out west and pay for everything you have way more into it than $460.00 
It suchs paying big $ to play but it’s worth it if you have some great land
I’m not sure what zone she is in but I will let you know it’s not easy getting a tag the 1st yr…. It takes us 2 to 3 yrs to get a bow tag in our zone
No
Quote:
No
NO Learn to talk Lil G 
Quote:
What is the deal with needing a bowhunter’s certification course in SD? Would a non-resident who been a long-time bowhunter need to pass a certification course in order to buy an archery tag in SD?
It’s not required if you provide a previous year archery big game license. So as long as you can show you had an archery tag in your home state, you are good to go.
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
