Moving to MO - Advice?

[Uplandhunter75]

Hi guys,

 

I'm not a frequent poster here, but I read everyday and I've learned more about NJ hunting and fishing from the site over the past few years than I can really explain. Very thankful for that. With that being said, next week I will be moving to Missouri, which I cant express how excited I am about. I feel like I'm about to be "free" (financially and legally). I've been doing tons of research on MO game species, public land, MO fishing, ect - however I feel like I've barley scratched the surface and really won't learn until I'm there on the ground checking it out myself.

I'm curious if anyone has any advice for a sportsman moving to MO? I can't wait for turkey, trying to catch my first Blue cat, trying to track down a wild quail (although like it seems everywhere.. wild game birds are down), the Ozark trout areas - but just wondering if YOU were moving to MO is a week what would be some of the first things you would do?

I'll be living just outside STL - but I plan to be traveling checking out areas all over the state.

Thanks in advance!

[Stewey]

My advice, don't look back or come back 

[BowhunterNJ]

All I can say is enjoy!  You'll figure out the MO hunting world, no worries!  If you can figure out how to hunt in the confines of NJ, MO will be much easier and less stress!

[Live to Hunt]

Good luck 🍀 

[Silver Belly62]

Good luck and enjoy !

[stratocaster]

Like the song from Boston.......Don't look back.......there is nothing left here but a dead carcass with maggots and parasites and vultures....I envy your move to a state where you can actually breathe without the foot of gov't on your neck and crotch.   The deer hunting is so much better, the bucks are titanic in antler and body compared with the runts we have here, fishing is awesome.  

[_X7]

Its a huge state in comparison with a lot of varying terrain. Don't expect to see as many deer as you see here, but there are some good ones and you do have a bit more room to hunt them. A lot of public ground and the tags are over the counter. Turkey hunting used to be second to none and probably still is.

 

Edited July 12, 2018 by _X7

[Mr12gauge]

It's pronounced "misery".

[Nanuk]

Good Luck !!! Don’t look back, it’s all part of the adventure ..... I’m jealous 

[Zipper]

Check out Dr Grant Woods on Growing deer.com  He's doing great things with wildlife habitat in the Ozarks. 

[Uplandhunter75]

Thanks everybody! I certainly don't plan to look back! My girlfriend and I both got job opportunities out there due to our current company. The plan is for Missouri to be our "starter-non-NJ-state" due to the job opportunities we received, but the ultimate plan is to end up in TN in ~3 years and I'd like to set down roots there.  This this is the first step in that journey!  Our house is a 5 minute walk from the Mississippi, and a public 20 port outdoor gun range is a 5 minute drive away.. $2 per hour for use. The more I look, the more I'm just amazed at the stark differences in hunting and fishing opportunities, state regulations and laws, and just general freedom.

I appreciate everyone's well wishes! If I manage to catch m blue cat I intend  to catch the first week there I will post a photo!

[Luknikk]

Where in Missouri. I moved here in April. There's lots of open land. Two areas by me ones 1500 acres the other is 10,000 acres. Yes you'll be free. This is a contitutional carry state. You don't need a CCW. But I still got mine because I work in Missouri and Kansas.  Also joined the uscca for 30.00 a month incase I ever need to defend myself they provide 1.5 million in lawyer fees plus many other benefits.   Where in Missouri are you moving to..

[Uplandhunter75]

28 minutes ago, Luknikk said:

Where in Missouri. I moved here in April. There's lots of open land. Two areas by me ones 1500 acres the other is 10,000 acres. Yes you'll be free. This is a contitutional carry state. You don't need a CCW. But I still got mine because I work in Missouri and Kansas.  Also joined the uscca for 30.00 a month incase I ever need to defend myself they provide 1.5 million in lawyer fees plus many other benefits.   Where in Missouri are you moving to..

I'm about 10 minutes south of the southern border of STL. So I'm close to the city, and understand I'm going to still be doing some driving to get out of the more populated areas. But from my visits, its nothing like directly outside of NYC like I live currently lol.

How did you find the process for establishing residency? My plan is to hit the DMV the first couple days were there and get my license and registration switched. Scoured the DMV website but I'm sure I'm going to screw something up when I arrive. Really I want to do it ASAP so I can get hunting and fishing licenses as a resident. Any info you could share on that would be really helpful! feel free to PM me.

[CatchinDeers243]

Good luck!!! Start putting in for Iowa preference points. It’s your next door neighbor and I have never hunted MO but Iowa was a deer hunters paradise. It takes 3-4 years to draw a bow tag so start sooner rather than later!

[Uplandhunter75]

12 minutes ago, CatchinDeers243 said:

Good luck!!! Start putting in for Iowa preference points. It’s your next door neighbor and I have never hunted MO but Iowa was a deer hunters paradise. It takes 3-4 years to draw a bow tag so start sooner rather than later!

I'll look into that! My first out of state trip this year will certainly be driving west to either Nebraska or Kansas this  fall for a Pheasant/Upland bird hunt. Been chasing pheasants thrown out of a box since I was 12 years old here in NJ, always been a dream of mine to take a trip to some of those states out west where you have a shot at wild birds with sustaining populations