ROLLA— Fall firearms deer season is upon us! Many hunters are testing their skills on Mark Twain National Forest, so visitors can expect to see an increase in use across the Forest through November 23.
As you prepare for your trip to the Forest here are some tips to help make your visit safe and more enjoyable:
Everyone in the woods this time of year should wear hunter’s orange.
Let someone know where you will be going and your anticipated time of return.
Get a weather forecast for the area that you intend to visit for the length of time that you intend to stay. Check for updates frequently.
Never shoot near or across roads, trails, or bodies of water and never hunt in or near developed recreation sites.
Never shoot unless you are sure of what you are shooting at and what is beyond it.
Aside from the hunting restrictions that apply in proximity to roads, trails, recreation areas, and bodies of water, most general forest areas including Wilderness are open to hunting. It is important that hunters utilize maps and apps to ensure they are on Forest Service land and not on private property without permission.
Visit the Forest website to get a variety of maps. The Forest has Motor Vehicle Use Maps that show where motorized vehicles are authorized to travel within Mark Twain National Forest. They can be found online at www.fs.usda.gov/mtnf under “Maps and Publications” and then by going to ”Motor Vehicle Use Maps”
MVUMs can also be downloaded for free using the Avenza app. Download the app and search for “Mark Twain National Forest” to find available maps for download.
Having a good paper road map of the area you plan to visit, as a backup to your phone, is recommended as well.
There are several apps that have detailed maps and show Forest and private property boundaries. Talk to other hunters to find out what they use and download the apps and maps you need ahead of time.
Multiple uses continue across the Forest even during deer hunting season, so be respectful and courteous to other user groups.
Practice good neighbor etiquette and move past areas that are already occupied.
Give a wide berth to areas where hunters are obviously hunting or suspected of hunting.
Signs that hunters might be in the area include deer stands, vehicles parked adjacent to Forest roads, and of course, hunting camps.
Be bear aware. Bears are becoming increasingly common across the Forest. Stow your food and trash items securely. Never stow food items in tents or sleeping areas.
Implement TREAD lightly and Leave No Trace concepts to help minimize bear attractants in and near your camp. Additionally, properly dress and stow any harvested deer which includes appropriate disposal of field dressing waste.
Leave No Trace and limit cross country travel if participating in a non-motorized activities (motorized cross-country travel is not authorized).
Be Fire Wise. Never leave a campfire unattended. Make sure your fire is completely extinguished before leaving it.
For those that want to dig even deeper into available information, here are some other links to check out:
For GIS users, Forest Land & Boundary files are available to the public online at: https://usfs.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=7d2d55a5b95240c297cd049c01f9bd76
The Forest Interactive Map is a great resource to see what recreation sites are near the area you plan to visit: www.fs.fed.us/ivm.
There is more Hunting activity information on the Forest website at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/activity/mtnf/recreation/hunting.
Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has great hunting information on its website: https://mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/where-hunt-and-shoot.
Follow Mark Twain National Forest on Facebook at facebook.com/marktwainnationalforest to keep updated on prescribed fire information.
If you have questions about planned wildfire prevention or prescribed burns, please call your local Ranger District office.