https://mdc.mo.gov/contact-engage/public-commenting-opportunities/turkey-regulation-changes
More non-resident discrimination.....take time to read the entire article. This is a feel good and nothing more. Non residents account for 8-9% of hunters and 10-13% of harvest. Those harvesting a second gobbler is biologically insignificant.
Thanks for posting. I gave my 2 cents worth in the survey.
Yep me too!
Making it a single bird for non res. would suck for me anyway! I can see it for public but if one has access why not let them shoot two, one and one or two on private?
I generally killed one and one, but the past two seasons all were on private.
With MO. season structure it is set up in favor of the resident already!
I have such a convenient way to hunt there, public or private I hope they do not limit me to one bird!
It's much easier to justify the out of state license fees and travel expenses for two birds instead of just one. MO will hurt their own pocket book with this measure.
Mo doesn't care about tag sales its just a drop in the bucket to the 1/8 cent sales tax income.
Half the experience and half the birds should be half the money.
Their own turkey hunters who hunt out of state will suffer as a result too. Because other states and hunters in other states will take notice and eventually respond with non-resident restrictions too. We've been watching this exact same thing play out for years.
Non-residents everywhere might as well be prepared for a future pricing structure of ~$300 for a single bird.
Missouri resident here. Obviously this isn't being proposed because of low turkey population, although it isn't what it used to be. Interesting stats, I hadn't seen before, but they didn't surprise me. Our one bird the first week has always made the nonresidents tend to show up the first weekend, then plan on staying until at least through the following Monday in hopes of filling both tags, exactly what the nonresidents survey shows.
Also the increase in the percentage of nonresidents is not surprising. We still have over the counter tags and a 2 bird limit. I'm not one of those hunters who have complained about nonresidents. That would certainly be hypocritical of me, even though I don't travel nearly as extensively as many do.
As for the remark that us Missouri hunters need to be careful because of retribution from other states, folks, we're late to the party. What I guess to be one of, if not the most common destination for our hunters is Kansas. Now one bird limit, limited draw. I wasn't able to hunt there this past Spring for only the second time in 30 years. Nebraska has limited numbers of tags as well. Oklahoma is one bird statewide. Mississippi has limited nonresidents to a draw for the first 2 weeks of the season, and I believe Arkansas is now one bird?
I also don't hunt all public anymore, and the area I live in is not a prime target for most people coming in from out of state anyway, but if I lived in the national forest counties closer to the border of Arkansas, I might be upset too.
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Neill after all that I can't figure if you are for or against the proposal?
Quote from: 3bailey3 on October 31, 2025, 05:27:37 PMNeill after all that I can't figure if you are for or against the proposal?
Sorry, I guess I didn't make it plain. I'm against it, while still understanding why some might favor it. What I have a problem with, truthfully, is people who promote restrictions on nonresidents just "because" even if it really doesn't affect them one way or the other.
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That is a great reply Neill and I so agree! I have hunted with a outfiffer the last 3 years but it is across from some public, In those 3 years I have only seen one resident hunting that public! It's a small tract but I have heard birds in there!
I told my wife years ago that I planned on hunting Missouri as long as my health allowed. I'll be 74 this spring and it will be my 40th consecutive non resident hunt. My log tells me that I've taken 2 gobblers about 50% of my hunts, and I've been shutout a couple times. Some years ago I wrote the conservation department when they raised the non-resident fees to $145. What I got then was a response that many Missouri residents don't feel that's enough.
I missed the comment period but I will be writing to Laura Conlee, the regulations committee chair. This proposal is so shortsighted from the economic and social standpoint. I hate to think of the thousands of dollars I've spent on my Missouri trips. I treasure the enduring friendships I've made with both locals and other non residents. Some of those friends partake in our Wisconsin turkey camp. Unlike the Missouri bureaucrats, we welcome our friends.
Missouri may as well print "Missouri-You're Not Welcome Here" on the non resident tags.
I fell in love with Missouri the moment I stepped foot in the Mark Twain as a 34 year old. I think 40 trips is a good number.
I can take a hint.
Will someone please post results when this is voted on.