Anyone familiar with Missouri deer hunting in late December. I was invited to go on a archery hunt in Livingston County Missouri the end of December. I assume the rut is over by then, but curious as to what kind of hunting to expect.

I have no answer for that other to say that that is the time up there to concentrate on food sources.

Food, food, food, The colder the better. The whiter the ground the better, if you have food. We will be there end of December with Muzzleloader. We will be in Sullivan county, just northeast of you.

Awesome! Thanks for the advice.

My son and I will be in Pike county then as well. As previously stated the colder the better and hunt the food.

Swampfever lives up there now. I Would send him a PM.

I agree with hitek, they will be on the food.

I have hi ted Missouri my whole life. Sometimes you'll see some 3rd round rut action that late, but it is pretty rare. Reports from my place this week were some fresh ground scrapes. But what was said earlier is correct. I'd hunt food sources. However, we had a good acorn crop this year (where I hunt) so that will have the deer scattered. But livingston county has smaller forested areas, so that will help.

If it was me I'd try to get in as close as possible to bedding areas. Your time is limited and pressure will have them moving at night. Cold weather will be your friend. And it gets pretty cold up that way.

Ill be in Illinois about that same time frame on public land. What food source would you say is most preferred? Standing corn, standing beans, turnips, or should I get on the acorn crop?

In my experience (and my friends who hunt southern Illinois) is if you can find standing beans that is 5he place to be. You can hear them stripping them out in the fields in the dark before you can see them.

Only hunted the late season in MO once, but as mentioned they were on food. Multiple bucks together with no sign of rutting when/where I hunted.

Hunted there once...that was my experience as well.

I’ve hunted on a relatives place up in Pike Co. Only have been during gun season but from what the locals have said, after the gun season food sources and weather patterns are the key to putting one on the ground. A lot of good deer running around up there so you should have fun!