The whitetail deer for a time almost a stranger to Missouri
has made a remarkable comeback.
Deer were plentiful 200 years ago,
but market hunting and year round seasons almost eliminated them.
By 1930 only a few hundred deer
survived in isolated pockets in the Ozarks.
Since 1937, when the Conservation Commission was established,
protection, restocking, and short, regulated hunting seasons
have allowed the deer herd to blossom.
Missourians again have the joy of seeing deer
and the challenge of an autumn hunting season.
The deer are back.
>> Radio: And that's it for national news,
turning now to the state and local scene,
the Missouri gun deer season gets under way today
with an estimated 250,000 hunters expected to take part.
>> Some hunters plan their whole vacation around deer season,
while others make the most of a day or weekend.
Only one in five hunters actually take home a deer,
but all take home memories of the wonderful Missouri outdoors.
>> Radio: -- give some an opportunity to bring home a trophy buck.
>> Well before the season starts good deer hunters take time
to renew friendships with the man who owns the land
and seek permission to hunt.
He lets them hunt because he knows they close gates,
are careful of his fences,
don't drive vehicles through crop fields,
and are safe hunters.
Most deer hunting in Missouri takes place on private land,
and hunting opportunities dwindle
without the hospitality of rural landowners.
No hunting and posted signs are the result of poor outdoor manners.
Missourians also have about one and a half million acres of national forestland
and 200,000 of state land on which to hunt.
But whether it's public or private land, it deserves respect.
Good maps are helpful in pre-season scouting.
The hunter's chances of success increase when he understands
the features of the land around him.
Topographic maps reveal the hidden secrets of ridges, valleys, and streams.
Advanced scouting shows the location of crop fields and deer trails.
Signs of deer activity in a perspective hunting area
are easy to find if you know what to look for.
A patch of sumac may show where browsing whitetails
have nibbled seed heads from the plants.
A lot of Missouri's soil is dotted with tracks like these
leaving little doubt of deer presence.
And the clincher, a heavily used deer trail.
It tells the hunter he's found a good place
for the upcoming season.
Best of all is the spot where two trails cross.
Watch this trail from a nearby tree stand
will be an ideal location on opening morning.
Fresh droppings indicate the trail was used recently.
Scouting should been done as close as possible
to the opening of the deer season.
Bucks create scrapes with their antlers to mark their territory.
They also spar with small trees, shedding their bark
while rubbing and polishing their antlers,
and leaving their undeniable sign.
An experienced deer hunter has one more task to complete
before opening day.
Deer rifles should be sighted in just prior to the season.
Why hunt with a gun that doesn't shoot where it's aimed?
Many gun clubs and public range hold sight in days.
And while a formal range is fine, a sturdy gun rest,
a simple target, and a good safe backstop
are all that's really needed.
Good deer hunters sight in safely,
and they do it each year prior to opening day.
This is the season of change,
the time when fall eases into winter,
when deer breed,
when they are restless and when deer season begins.
To the deer hunter the outdoors is at its best.
Hunters hope for cool, windless days,
yet realize that nature often does not cooperate.
The opening day that seemed so distant suddenly arrives.
Veteran hunters dress for both comfort and safety.
Wise hunters wear at least one item of international orange;
nature has no similar color.
The color blind deer does not detect it,
but the bright orange blazes to the human eye.
For personal safety and protection of guns,
experience hunters transport their unloaded rifles in cases.
Carrying a loaded gun in a vehicle is a dangerous practice
that results in several accidents each year.
Many hunters carry only a rifle and pocket knife,
others use a small pack or rucksack to carry extra gear.
A canteen,
a rope,
a knife,
extra cartridges,
and a map.
The pack might also hold snacks or a camp stool,
and if the day warms up and you shed some clothes,
the pack's a good place to store them.
Load guns safely too.
With gun muzzles pointed in opposite directions,
there's little chance for an accident.
And there's little chance for an accident when guns
are carried safely with muzzles pointed away from other hunters.
Each hunter should know where others in the party will be,
and each hunter should stay in his territory.
Hunters should agree on a time and place to meet later in the day.
The woods are frosty and crisp early in the morning.
Wildlife, birds, squirrels, and deer are moving,
the reason for getting there before dawn.
Guns must be unloaded before climbing into a tree stand.
A rope is the best way to get guns and gear up the tree.
This should be easy, but if you're still a bit groggy
and the light's not good,
it may be the most hectic part of the entire trip.
Well, try again.
A tree stand can be a great asset.
Deer don't look for danger from above
and their sight rarely wanders above the height of a man.
A stand need not be over 12 feet high.
A good place to build one with the permission of the landowner
is on the edge of a clearing
or at a spot where two deer trails cross,
the spot deer pass in their daily routine
of feeding, watering, and resting.
The tree stand should be removed after the season.
Even a good hunter, whether on the ground
or in a tree stand, can get restless.
Don't.
The temptation to get up and walk the woods
usually is a mistake.
You picked a good stand, stay with it.
Patience is important.
For success it's almost the necessity
that a hunter be warm and comfortable.
Cold feet or a limb poking you in the back
is a distraction the hunter doesn't need.
While hunting from a tree stand is one of the most successful methods,
there are other hunters who prefer to hunt from stands on the ground
or maybe attempt to stalk their quarry.
If your stand is on the ground select a place that provides
good visibility for you but at the same time
breaks the silhouette of your body.
(whispering) Hey, that wasn't a squirrel. It's a deer! A buck! Oh, boy!
(gunshot) Good shot!
Now take it easy, wait a bit to see that he doesn't get up again.
An experienced hunter, even in the excitement,
unloads his rifle before coming down out of a tree stand.
Reloaded, a hunter should be alert in approaching the deer.
Walk toward it cautiously.
If a big buck approach from behind its head.
Slowly touch the eyeball, if there's no movement, he's yours.
Now begins the work, important work.
What is done now will determine the quality of the venison.
Deer should be bled,
then field dressed immediately after the kill.
Having the feet downhill helps.
You may have to drag it to a better spot.
Good, eatable venison needs proper dressing and cooling.
And don't forget, the deer has to be tagged.
Instructions on field dressing deer
are available from lots of places,
including a brochure from the Department of Conservation.
The carcass should be kept cool when being moved
and then allowed to hang in a cooler
for several days before butchering.
A rope may be tied around the buck's antlers
to drag it out of the woods.
Putting the front feet behind the antlers
keeps them from catching on brush.
The deer should be pulled out of the woods as gently as possible
without getting dirt or debris in the body cavity.
And the going always seems to be uphill.
Don't pull yourself into a heart attack; pull a while, rest a while.
The job sure is easier with two people.
The planning that began a month before this successful hunt
is typical of safe, conscientious sportsmen.
Good deer hunters seek permission from landowners,
handle their rifles safely,
and have respect for the game they pursue.
They are knowledgeable outdoorsmen;
they took the time to learn.
Their rewards are not only in deer hunting,
but in being a part of the Missouri outdoors.
We Missourians have a great treasure in the return of whitetails to the state.
Sportsmen have helped in this return
and with their continued support for good wildlife management
the whitetail deer's future is assured
in the Missouri outdoors.