A few great articles from member Mohuntenfool

by Mark L. Nash

Amanda Orrell, of Humansville Mo. has always looked forward to trips to the check-in station during deer season. It's a family affair with Amanda, her Dad, Mom and Brother going to get their deer checked. The family enjoys showing their deer off as well as seeing other hunter's deer “, it’s an exciting part of the hunt,” says Amanda,” I look forward to seeing the deer.” The family has made it a tradition to get Butterfinger candy bars and a soda to celebrate the moment. The checking station attendant attaches a plastic tag to the back leg of the deer after it has been checked. Amanda has kept the tags as a trophy of the hunt; she has hung them from a rope in her room. Starting with 2005 there will be no more trips to the check station, and no more plastic tags in Missouri. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is adopting a tele-check system for deer and turkey across the board starting in the fall of 2005.

The Missouri Conservation department first started using check-in stations in 1951. Their have been check-in stations in existence every year since then except 1954, and 1959-61. In 1959-1961 the MDC used mail-in checking. As recently as 2004 their were 383 checking stations in Missouri. Checking stations have checked deer harvested with bow and gun as well as turkeys harvested in the spring and fall. The MDC has used check-in stations to keep track of game harvest and collect biological data. Check-in stations were also a way of making hunter's accountable. In recent years the MDC checked for CWD in select counties at check stations across the state.

The reasons for switching to the tele-check system are two-fold. Use of the tele-check system will be more convenient for hunters. The total savings in gasoline alone to hunters will be considerable. With the use of cell phones now days, checking deer will be considerably quicker and easier. Switching to the tele-check system is a cost saving measure form the MDC as well. “The tele-check system is a more fiscally responsible way of checking deer,” says Lonnie Hanson, the MDC's chief deer biologist. In 2003 MDC paid out $471 thousand dollars in fees to check stations across the state. When you add cost associated with administrative fees and agent's time tending to check stations, the total bill for 2003 was approximately $712 thousand dollars. With the total harvest the last few years being close to 300, 00 the number of deer checked is considerable.

There are concerns with the new system, include reporting rates of hunter's and hunter violations. The MDC feels that hunter's that violate will do so anyway The MDC had been using test group to experimenting with the tele-check system the last couple of deer seasons. The MDC has used test groups to determine how well the tele-check system might work the last couple of years. A test group of 5,000 hunters were recruited into the study; ½ were instructed to check at a normal check station ½ were instructed to tele-check. Both groups of hunters’ in the test group reported deer and turkey at the same rate which was somewhat higher than all other hunters’ not in the study. Being satisfied that hunter's could be counted on to use the tele-check system, the MDC decided to initiate the tele-check system across the board in the fall of 2005.

An informal survey of hunters on Missouri Whitetails .com revealed that although some hunter's looked forward to the convenience of the tele-check system many expressed regret that check stations will no longer be in existence. Many hunters will miss the camaraderie they experienced at check-in stations. Hunter's enjoyed seeing other hunter's deer and sharing story's with them. Many hunter's expressed concern that poaching will increase as well. Many hunters' expressed concern for the welfare of mom and pop convenience stores that ran check stations across the state. These stores relied on an increase in sales as hunter's checking deer bought gasoline, supplies and refreshments. It’s hoped that these stores will become creative and resort to such tactics as big buck contest to lure hunters into their stores and maintain some of the checking traditions.

The 2005 season is the beginning of a new era for Missouri hunters. The trips to the check station that Amanda so looked forward to will end. Modern day deer hunter's can check deer on-line, or with use of a cell-phone. Missouri hunters will have to adopt new hunting traditions.

Mark L. Nash

If there is one thing that Norma Essex has learned in 40-plus years of deer hunting, it is that patience and perseverance usually pay off. The Cedar county Missouri native has been chasing deer around the southwest Missouri County since the first legalized hunting season back in 1959. Since that first season there has only been two years that she hasn’t killed a deer; many years she has taken more than one. Before 1959 she traveled with her Husband Joe to hunt in Camdenton County in northern Missouri. In fact her hunting experiences dated back before that when she would accompany her father, and grandfather, on hunts in Camdenton County. She didn’t hunt on those trips but the urge to do so began to grow from those early days as she accompanied the elder Burns’ on those early hunts.

Hunting has been a way of life for the mother, wife, farmer and factory worker. Her hunts have taken her to Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas and the Canadian province of British Columbia. She hunted for the first time in Colorado for deer and elk in 1963. In subsequent years she has harvested Colorado mule deer, elk and pronghorn antelope. In 1970 She harvested a mule deer doe with velvet-covered antlers in the Centennial State. The antlered doe made for a rare trophy indeed.

In 1966 Norma traveled to British Columbia with her husband Joe. They packed in to the remote back- country on horseback several miles; she subsequently harvested a large elk as well as a mountain goat. Norma confided in me that, ”if you ever want to go on a true wilderness hunting experience you must go on a pack-in hunt sometime. Norma, now 67 years old, limits most of her hunting to the pursuit of deer, turkey and occasional squirrel in Missouri. She still takes an out of state hunt for pronghorn antelope, usually in Wyoming. She has also hunted antelope in Colorado in recent years. Her husband Joe accompanies her on these hunts.

If all these accomplishments seem mind-boggling none quite compare to the buck she harvested in 1974 in Cedar county Missouri. It was a clear, sunny day with a slight breeze. It was the middle of the nine-day deer season. Only one antlered buck was legal back then and this veteran hunter wasn’t hunting just any antlered buck. “I had passed up a small buck earlier in the season already “ she recounted ”I wasn’t necessarily holding out for a record breaking buck, just a nice buck would do”, said Norma. About noon that Day Norma spotted a nice eight pointer and attempted a shot with her trusty .243. To her dismay the bullet struck a wire on a fence and deflected enough for a clean miss. Not to be discouraged Norma continued to hunt the rest of the day.

Norma’s preferred method of hunting those days was to still-hunt, but since it was dry she new that her best bet was to find a likely looking spot and remain seated. Norma picked a spot overlooking an oak ridge. Deer liked to dig in the leaves for acorns, which were abundant that year. Patience, perseverance and a dogged determination to stick to it was about to pay off. “The sun was starting to get low in the western sky” recounted Norma,” I was starting to think of starting out of there as I had a long walk out, ‘ she said, but she stuck it out and soon made out the form of a large buck making his way directly towards her. Norma found the buck in her scope as it fed on acorns. She couldn’t tell just how large the antlers were but she new they were plenty big enough. When the buck lifted his head she shot him with her .243 through the chest. The buck dropped in his tracks.

When she got her hands on the rack she could hardly believe her eyes. This was the biggest buck she had ever seen in these parts. Later, Norma with the help of Joe, had a difficult time dragging the buck under a fence as they struggled to get the deer out. The buck created quite a stir when she took it to the check-in station.

The buck was later scored at 165 and an eight. The rack has 18 scorable points. It was the first deer killed, south of the Missouri river, by a woman, and entered into the Missouri Big Bucks, which is a record keeping organization in Missouri. The buck still ranks number one in Cedar County today.

If this lady hadn’t learned to be patient and stick to it on all those subsequent hunts she may not have harvested this brute. Norma Essex is a testament to the fact that women can achieve just as much success as any man if they put their mind to it.

Turkey Hunting’s Easy Grandma

by Mark Nash

Missouri's fall firearm turkey hunting season coincides with archery season. Being a dedicated archery hunter I had never hunted turkey with a shotgun in the fall. However in the fall of 1989, I was fortunate enough to arrow my whitetail early and thereforedecided to give fall turkey hunting a shot. I packed my bags and made a four-hour drive to my grandmother’s house near Stockton, Missouri.

My plan was to hunt the turkeysthat fed in the river bottoms on my grandmother’s 500-acre farm.I awoke early to the smell of my grandmother’s fine cooking. My plan was to hunt hard all morning and then come back for lunch. After a hearty breakfast, my grandmawished me well and I headed to the river bottoms. I stood at the edge of the high cut bank of the Sac River waiting for a new day to dawn. I could hear turkeys yelping at each other farther down the river. Quickly I made my way down the riverbank until I was directly across the river from the turkeys. With a diaghram call I imitated the calls the turkeys were making as closely as I could. To my amazement, two turkeys flew across the river and lit in a tall Sycamore tree almost directly above me. I quickly drew a bead on the closest turkey and shot.

To my horror the turkey fell end-over-end into the rain-swollen river below. At this point the turkey began to float down stream. I leaned my shotgun against a tree and raced down river. Frantically I looked for a  place I could get down off the high bank to the river edge. I found a place to slide down and proceeded to wade waist deep in the river. I retrieved the turkey, which was floating quickly along.  This is where things got interesting. The riverbank was approximately 15 feet high,  and muddy. I clamored up the bank clutching the turkey, only to fall back down. I backed up and took another run at it and again slipped down. Now I got smart and pitched the turkey up on the bank. Covered with mud, I again took a run at the bank. This time I grabbed some roots and was able to hoist myself up and over the bank. After regaining my composure I gathered my turkey, a small hen, and walked up the river to retrieve my shotgun.

I walked the half-mile back to my grandma’s house. There, not an hour after I had left that morning, I knocked on the door. Grandma came to the door to find me standing there covered in mud, clutching a small turkey. ‘Turkey hunting’s easy grandma,“ I exclaimed, while she nodded in amazement. After washing myself off with a garden hose, I took a quick shower. Then I gathered my “easy” turkey, and headed for the check-in station.

by Mark L. Nash

I had anticipated the first turkey hunt with my son Jordan for some time. The day finally came when Jordan, 10 at the time, and I went turkey hunting. The plan was simple enough. We would sit, behind a blind, and with the aid of decoys try to call a gobbler to within range of Jordan’s single shot 20 gauge. A blind was, I felt, the only way to get a wary gobbler to within range without him seeing the fidgety young hunter. A pair of decoys would be helpful in keeping the turkey’s attention, as well as luring them in.

I had always preferred going out early and listening for gobblers to sound off. Upon hearing a gobbler I would move in and set up on the bird, I would then try to lure him in with seductive calling. I decided to abandon this idea when hunting with Jordan, as I didn’t think that he could sit still enough. The use of a blind with the combination of decoys and calling occasionally was, I felt, our best bet. I was concerned that Jordan would become bored easily, therefore I decided that as soon as he indicated he wanted to we would call it quits. I wanted the hunt to be an enjoyful experience for Jordan.

There was a heavy fog the morning of our hunt. We had set up in the edge of a long narrow field. As dawn approached and things began to take shape around us, we listened intently for the sound of a gobbler’s booming call. Turkeys began to sound off in the distance but nothing close. I gave some soft tree yelps and waited patiently for a response. As the sun rose higher in the eastern sky the fog began to lift. Jordan was beginning to get restless. He had listened patiently before but was now playing in the dirt and moving about more frequently.

I made out an object moving along the field’s edge in the distance. “Be still,” I whispered to Jordan. A good look with the binoculars identified a hungry coyote making his way along the field edge. The coyote was walking along with a bounce to his step he was gaining ground on our location fast. The coyote’s demeanor suddenly changed as he spied our decoys, he stopped and looked intently at them. The coyote crouched down and began slipping through the grass. ”Do you see him,” I whispered to Jordan, “Yeah, He replied, “Be still; let’s see what he does.” Jordan’s eyes where as big as saucers as he intently watched the coyote approach. The coyote quickly closed the gap to no more than 20 feet from the decoys.

From here the coyote stopped and looked intently at the decoys for several minutes. Jordan and I both held our breath as we awaited the coyote’s next move. I felt sure the coyote would realize that something was amiss about the plastic turkeys, quickly come to his senses, and exit the area. To our amazement, the coyote suddenly rushed forward hitting the decoys and sending one flying in the air a good 40 feet. The coyote, realizing his mistake, made a hasty departure. Jordan and I both looked at each other in amazement.

We searched for some time, in the tall grass, for the peg the decoy was sitting on but never found it. We never did see a turkey that day, but none- the- less we both felt rewarded for our efforts. We had made memories that were all our own. Turkey or no turkey Jordan’s first turkey hunt would be one that we will remember forever.