I've been looking into making a trip up there and hunting the northeast corner of the state. Does anyone have any experience doing this on public lands? I'm considering pulling my boat up there to get to better hunting spots if I need to.

I hunted a little spot of public land in that area last season , but only for one evening hunt. Looked great!! Lots of sign everywhere. It was late in the season (muzzle loader) but from what I could see it was a very good place during the rut. Can't remember the name but I will figure it out and get back to ya.

It is called .....
Locust Creek Conservation Area and from what I was told by locals there, it has been one of the best public hunting areas in the state for several years. Probably crowded during the rut ,especially on weekends but it sure looked good.

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And also I forgot to mention it is bucks only there. Or it was last year anyway.

I'll give you coordinates to several trees up there if you want em. I've been twice and killed my largest buck to date up there. We prolly will never go back just because it takes to long to get there.

I'll take all the help I can get and thanks for the info Firefighter Bill. Bill collector, how long did you hunt and where. I was thinking of going early-mid November.

We hunt private land in North Central Missouri so I can't give any advice on public land but I can tell you not to wait until the middle of November unless you're planning to fight the crowds to rifle hunt. The rifle season will be open then and the woods will be crawling with people. The past few years bucks have been locked down by the rifle opener. If archery hunting, I'd go the last week of October or first week in November but anytime from the middle of October to the rifle opener can be good. I killed my biggest Missouri archery buck, chasing does, on October 13.

Good info PRB. Rifle season opens on Nov 15th. I was thinking more along the lines of first few days of Nov.

Both trips we were there for 9 days around the first week of November. We hunted Indian Hills. If I ever go back, it will be for the MZ loader season. It seems like the bucks are just getting right about the time we pack up to leave. Last year I had to be out of my stand at 8:30 to be back to the truck in time to get back and check out of the hotel. I was watching a giant 8 dog a doe all over a corn field and I really believe I could have stalked to within bow range of him from where I was.

Are yall staying in a camper or hotel?

I don't know yet, probably a hotel. My buddy has a camper but I dont think We'd want to drag it way up there. I'm really wanting to take one with a bow, I've heard the public areas get crowded during gun season.

I see the majority of the bucks cruising from October 1st through the first week of November.

The private land we hunt is a few miles west of Indian Hills. I've never hunted it but have driven through it during archery season. It didn't look to have alot of pressure during the week the times I've been on it.

We have close to 100 archery only Conservation Areas if you did not know also.