Missouri retirement

[Dave Lay]

gonna be 3-4 years away but hoping I can retire in a few years and strongly thinking of Northern Missouri. Probably n of hwy 36, I have hunted there some and really like the area and its people, I have family in KC, not to mention the hunting for me anyway,  sure beats what I have available here at home. Im also trying to escape the heat and humidity some, I know it gets as hot there as here in Arkansas but this humidity is getting really old...any suggestions on areas that might be a reasonable driving distance to good public hunting as well as fishing ??   any thoughts would be appreciated... you can just post here or PM if ya'd rather    thanks Dave

[kennym]

Dave, I live 12 miles N of Hwy 36 on Hwy 5, last time I tallied, I think it was 20 some thousand acres within 50 miles.

A couple are bow only areas or partial.

120 miles to KC, 112 to Hannibal or St Joe.

We have humidity too tho....  :D

[Dave Lay]

thanks Kenny thats one of the reasons i really like that area, hope to get back up there this fall........

[Jeff Strubberg]

Moving to Missouri to escape humidity?  Afraid you might be disappointed there...

I don't think you'll be disappointed by the hunting or the people, though.

[Keb]

Dude go to iowa and retire, you can hunt mo over the counter after you kill a iowa giant!!!!!!!!

[Shaun]

There are no deer in Iowa

[grouseshooter002]

Shaun,
Now    javascript:void(0) that's down right funny, that is.

[IndianaBowman]

I too am looking at Mizzou! I have been looking at Lake of the Ozarks waterfront property. What's your thoughts on the area?

[TRAP]

I'd retire in Iowa and hunt MO with OTC tags. Rural Iowa is just like rural North Missouri. Good folks. Maybe not as much public land.

Trap

[macbow]

Indiana, the only down fall to LOZ is it can be pretty crowded.
Have several friend,that opted for property and homes off the lake. A lot quieter.
LOZ is a,beautiful lake but it's like going to the city on the weekend.

[Keb]

Truman lake might be ok, but it's corp owned,no lake front prop, but lots of water and land

[TommyBoy]

Fountain Grove is very good, but can get alot of traffic.  Lake Paho is good too - not as big of deer, but plenty of them - good camping too. Go to the Missouri Department of Conservation website - they have a great interactive map of all the locations.  There is alot in that part of Missouri.  I usually hunt up around Princeton on private ground and camp at Lake Paho.

[Ryan Rothhaar]

Dave - I'm not planning to live there, but did a bunch of research in No Mo last year prior to buying my farm there.  I'd go N-central - say centered around Mercer County - if I had my druthers.  You are far enough away from the bigger cities that property is less expensive for one thing - (and I think No Mo recreational ground is a bargain right now) - I know, it has went up alot, but still cheap relative to the rest of the Midwest.  If I was going to retire there I'd try to pick up some land as well as looking at the public ground.  

Keep in mind the effects on hunting from the CWD control zone area - who knows how that will turn out long-term for the deer - but it is something to think about.  I hunted 3 years in Macon County on a friend's private ground which had moderate archery pressure and extremely heavy gun pressure.  Still, in a 2 week hunt pre-gun season during the rut I felt you'd have a really good chance at killing a 3 1/2 or 4 1/2 yr old buck - say 130-140 class - every year.  That place is the next section over from ground zero in the CWD thing and I wouldn't go back for a few years 'till the dust settles.

Decent deer hunting there.  Not like low pressure private ground in Iowa, but unless you know someone you aren't getting on low pressure private ground in Iowa.  Plus good recreational ground is 2X more expensive up there.

I haven't spent much summer time in NoMo, but plenty at Dad's place in SE Iowa...and I don't think you will be escaping any humidity unless it gets above 100% where you are from!  

Good luck with your search!

R

[8Crow]

I wouldn't overlook the Mark Twain (lake) area either.  Beautiful country, lots of public land around the lake, great fishing, great waterfowling and very few people.

Call me paranoid, but the recent CWD issues in north-central MO have me pretty concerned.  The news as of late has looked ok, but I've never heard of a case where CWD was ever truly eradicated.  Our family farm is in Howard county, so really only one county separating us from the CWD area.

[joekeith]

Move to Missouri to get away from the humidity  

[Burnsie]

I'm thinking the high country of New Mexico

[Dave Lay]

I dunno  its like a dang Jungle here its so dang humid.. but if I can ever retire at least I wont have to work in it 10 hours every day.. Ryan, thanks that's what I was thinking about Iowa, its a great thought to live as a resident and hunt OTC Missouri but Im not sure I could secure a place to hunt in Iowa and Mo. has a lot of public land with very quality hunting.. compared to here anyway.. but worth a serious thought    thanks for the input that helps a lot

[Dave Lay]

Originally posted by Burnsie:
I'm thinking the high country of New Mexico

yea me too !! we just wanna try to stay fairly close to my daughter in KC...

[Doc Nock]

Ever read the F&G website for NM and AZ?

You have to "draw" for even small game. I know one guy claimed he was there for 4 yrs and never drew but a squirrel tag!        

[Wind D Ranch]

Take a look at the St. Joseph area.  St. Joseph has all the shopping you'll likely need plus a nice hospital, which can be an advantage to retired folks.  An hour will get you to KC to take the Mrs to those special events.  When deer aren't in season, you have the Missouri river full of fish to chase with bow or rod.
Lots of nice places in Missouri.  I'm not retired yet but I moved here for that purpose.
Good luck.