Hello All,

I am heading up to NW Missouri for opening week of Rifle season. I will be hunting on land that I have not scouted, nor do I even know where I will be hunting until I get there. So I am walking in totally blind. My cousin is lining everything up for me (he lives there) and I don't have any GPS coordinates. I have done this once before with him, so I kind of know what to expect. I will be hunting harvested corn fields with Timber lining each side. Terrain is hilly, with walnut, oaks, and elms.

Oh...and it is post -rut. (just ending)

My plan is as follows, please feel free to make suggestions:

Arrive day before opening day and find out where I will be hunting.
Drive to location and use google earth to get an overview of the land i.e, choke points, bedding ares, trails to food, etc.
Use Windfinder app to determine wind direction.
identify prime spots based on above.
Set up a pop up blind in #1 spot.
Adjust after first day hunt depending on what I see.

I thought about using a decoy, but have never used one before.

Please feel free to make suggestions.

Don't forget your rifle and ammo, that's all I've got for you.

I'd say use a tree stand of some sort instead of a pop up blind.

Sounds like you've got it, play the wind.

A decoy can make for a very interesting hunt!!!

Sounds like you've got it covered. Good luck.

I hunted Nebraska cornfields with tree lines most my life. Tree stand in a tree line is best bet, the deer will use the tree lines as cover for traveling at first light into cornfields.band work there way back to tree lines or CRP prairie to bed down during the day. Always had succes with Alfalfa fields at dusk.

Sounds like a plan to me...hunt the wind and have fun. Post pics of your success

Cousin lives there, so he should be/have the best info I'd think. I'd prefer a tree blind just to be elevated with better visibility, but would use the pop up if that was my only option. I have hunted off the ground for years and many times with nothing but a tree to sit against, or hay bales to hide in/on. As mentioned, play the wind and you are ahead of the game .

Find a good funnel area that they use to enter the field.. id use a day to glass and scout

Hunted MO many times. Being that you are rifle hunting a pop up should be ok but my advice with that would be, sont set up close to a trail and brush it in really good. I mean really good. Dont leave any of it uncovered. I can say that it doesnt take those MO deer long to figure out that they are being shot at and they go nocturnal pretty quick once rifle season rolls around. There are some giants in MO butt hey are smart deer. Weather can be hit or miss. You should be hitting the tail end of the rut/lockdown on opening rifle.

I would try to find food and does. You find that, you find bucks. Find a trail, funnel or pinch point going to food and set up near by but not too close. I'd say at least 75 yds off the trail if possible.

Also, if your cousin is setting this hunt up, he should know the area, terrain, travel corridoors, etc.

How close ar you to a river or good creek? Crop land near cut corn has traditionally been the best that I have seen in MO but I was also hunting the Mississippi River bottoms so the NW part of the state could be different.

Thanks guys. I'm sure I can get some info from the land owners and my cousin when I get there, or at least I'm betting on it. I'm hunting a ground blind because that is what I have. will probably buy a tree stand next year; but for now, I'm hunting what I have.

Not sure on the creeks until I get there. Most of the land around town is rolling hills or levied fields. Tons of deer and tons of turkey. From what I experienced last time, a lot of the hunters around there drive deer. Meaning, they drive the county roads and farms roads to keep the deer moving once they get them started. I've never hunted that way. I'm hoping to be on am ore secluded, less pressured area where I can hunt more of the way I do down here; but I'll adjust accordingly.