Archery deer and turkey hunting becoming more popular in Missouri

Keith Skopee of Fair Play, with a doe he shot with his bow last Saturday. (Submitted photo)

Archery season has been open for nearly a month as bow hunters have been looking for a trophy buck or a big turkey.

A lot of these bow hunters used to hunt with a gun, but changed to bow for several reasons. George Rogers, a former gun hunter, said, "When you have around three months to get a deer compared to just a few days, it's easy to switch, and besides it much more of a challenge to get your deer with a bow."

Rogers had hunted with a bow years ago, but things have changed over the recent years in archery deer hunting. He said, "When I started hunting with a bow, a friend from Carrollton made my bow. It was made from Osage Orange. He also made the arrows. Now I have a compound bow and fiberglass arrows.

"I had to practice for weeks before I could be consistent in hitting a hay bale at 30 yards. It's a lot different world out there today including that you may use a crossbow during the archery season."

Motorists need to be aware that the annual rut starting this month poses a danger as the deer are more active than usual. (Photo by Ken White/Special to the Daily Mail)

It comes as no surprise that archery deer and turkey hunting in Missouri is one of the fastest growing sports. When Missouri had the first modern day archery deer season back in 1946, only 73 archers participated in the three-day, bucks only season in Crawford County. This season some 100,000 archers are after deer and more than 15,000 are forecast to be taken during the long season.

A bow hunter from Sedalia, Carl Martin, has hunted with a bow for all kinds of game. He told me that you have a real challenge when hunting with a bow and have a big handicap over gun hunters. But, by the same token, you may enjoy the hunt more. You have a long season and get to know more about the deer's habits and become a better hunter in the process.

Today is easier than ever before for the novice bow hunter to get started. There are many organized clubs across the state with members ready to help a newcomer learn more about the sport. Many of these clubs also have good field ranges to learn how to shoot and hit different targets at various distances and elevations hunters will encounter on a real hunt.

Martin said, "The key to a successful hunt is practice, practice and more practice. Practice is a lot more important to an archer than a gun hunter. You usually only get one shot so you need to make it count.

I tell first-time hunters to find a spot where they know deer are using and return there every day they hunt. Since most deer are taken within 20 to 30 yards, I suggest they measure off that distance and practice at that distance. Using a tree stand about 15 feet up is the best place I have found to hunt. Archers in Missouri have plenty of deer to pursue so the possibility of getting a shot is excellent."

In bow hunting, patience is a necessity, never mind a virtue. You might see a lot of deer, but that doesn't mean you will get a lot of shots. A gun hunter can try a long shot with a reasonable hope of success. It's not that way with the archery hunter. The deer must be within 30 yards and a kill shot is a necessity.

Crossbows like this one are legal during the deer and turkey archery season this year. (Photo by Ken White. Special to the Daily Mail)

Extra caution is needed to avoid deer/auto collisions this time of the year. During the rut, the urge to mate increases deer activity and may interfere with their normal reaction to run from approaching vehicles, increasing your chances of involvement in a deer-vehicle collision.

The 2016-17 archery season will continue through Jan. 15 with exception of being closed during the short gun season.

Harry Spencer, a Pleasant Hill archery hunter said, "The archery deer/turkey permit is the best bargain the Missouri Department of Conservation offers.

"You have a long season, you can get two deer and two turkey and have the entire state to hunt."

For more information on the fall deer and turkey hunting season, pick up a copy of the 2016 Fall Deer and Turkey Regulations booklet anywhere permits are sold.