We're going to Missouri (St. Louis, Springfield: mortgage, homes, homeschool)

[MOforthewin]

Originally Posted by RisingAurvandil

SW MO sounds like a good fit. I lived in Newton County, just south of Joplin. Quality of life was good, as long as you can accept the caveats of lower wages. Crime is not an issue as long as you avoid those involved with methamphetamine and prescription drugs.

It is a beautiful area and well connected with I-44 and I-49. I remember there being a popular public firearms range near Neosho, and several private ranges around Joplin. And of course, Joplin is essentially in the Walmart Homeland, with Bentonville less than an hour away. Light manufacturing is a common industry in the area, so there may be some I&E prospects there.

If I was you, I would focus on Springfield and Joplin, loop up I-44 to StL, and then out on I-70 through KC. Your employment prospects will be much better in StL and KC, as they dominate manufacturing and shipping in the state. The employment situation was why I ultimately moved to StL for more professional opportunity. Thus, StL and KC are worth touring. And St. Charles is the fastest growing area in Missouri. Also worth touring.

Missouri, including the stl metro areas has a lot of nice gun range and shops to choose from.

Down here in FL there isn't a lot of good ranges on the West coast of FL like I saw in the stl area.

It seems Missouri as a whole firearms are more popular. Helps that the government of Missouri respects the right to bear arms more. Down here our Republicans passed a very anti gun bill earlier this year.

I would love to buy an echo trigger for my AR. I can't because they won't ship it to FL because it's a felony to have them in FL now even though in MISSOURI it's just fine.

Also I hate the carry laws here. I shouldn't need a permit to carry.

[Phil P]

Originally Posted by SunGrins

You didn't say when you are visiting. This would be a good time to go hiking in the Ozarks. The snakes are probably hibernating and the tick-infested woods will be more tolerable. The leaves are off the trees so you can penetrate a little easier. I always enjoyed hiking in Lake of the Ozarks State Park in the winter because of the vistas over the lake and I could see the winter birds and hawks. That's probably true at other parks as well.

Are the ticks and snakes and pests in general a big deal in the summer? Do you go romping around in the woods off a trail or is it pretty risky of getting bit by something? Would you take more precautions in the woods of Missouri than the woods of Wisconsin? That's my only other eastern state of reference where I've been out in the woods a lot.

[Arrby]

Originally Posted by Phil P

Are the ticks and snakes and pests in general a big deal in the summer? Do you go romping around in the woods off a trail or is it pretty risky of getting bit by something? Would you take more precautions in the woods of Missouri than the woods of Wisconsin?

If you go into the woods you will be bitten by ticks, mosquitoes, and chiggers unless action is taken. Deet is very effective. Personally I prefer the Ozarks to Wisconsin and the upper Midwest simply because we do not have no-see-ums. Also the mosquitoes are orders of magnitude less troublesome. Snakebite is something you almost have to work at; very few are recorded annually.

Some of the best hiking in the world is available here. I do not say that lightly nor from ignorance. However, I much prefer to hike in the fall and winter when the bugs are inactive and the leaves are off so that I can see things.

[Phil P]

Originally Posted by Arrby

If you go into the woods you will be bitten by ticks, mosquitoes, and chiggers unless action is taken. Deet is very effective. Personally I prefer the Ozarks to Wisconsin and the upper Midwest simply because we do not have no-see-ums. Also the mosquitoes are orders of magnitude less troublesome. Snakebite is something you almost have to work at; very few are recorded annually.

Some of the best hiking in the world is available here. I do not say that lightly nor from ignorance. However, I much prefer to hike in the fall and winter when the bugs are inactive and the leaves are off so that I can see things.

Awesome, thanks for the reply! That is encouraging, some bites are tolerable, but if they were frequent where every time you got bitten up going outside, it'd make the outdoors less attractive, no matter how pretty they were.

I would think the lack of lakes helps keep the bug population down.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by Arrby

If you go into the woods you will be bitten by ticks, mosquitoes, and chiggers unless action is taken. Deet is very effective. Personally I prefer the Ozarks to Wisconsin and the upper Midwest simply because we do not have no-see-ums. Also the mosquitoes are orders of magnitude less troublesome. Snakebite is something you almost have to work at; very few are recorded annually.

Some of the best hiking in the world is available here. I do not say that lightly nor from ignorance. However, I much prefer to hike in the fall and winter when the bugs are inactive and the leaves are off so that I can see things.

I use a quality insect repellent good for mosquitoes and black flies in the Northwoods. They are only a problem there for a couple months out of the year because 10 months of the year see freezing temperatures regularly. That is a big difference compared to the Ozarks. The hiking possibilities are varied in both, although I prefer the much better selections of lakes up north.

[aliasfinn]

Years ago I went with some friends to Potosi to cut some firewood from their property. When we got back I had 7 or 8 ticks on me and my friends said they were loaded with them too. A few weeks later we went back down there, but this time I wrapped duct tape around the cuffs of my pant legs. When I got back in the car I took the tape off and saw 6 ticks stuck to it, but none on my body. My friends were covered with ticks. I remember my brother telling me that he thought ticks fell out of trees and that's how they ended up on your body, that tape experiment blows that theory all to hell.

[Arrby]

Originally Posted by aliasfinn

I took the tape off and saw 6 ticks stuck to it, but none on my body. My friends were covered with ticks. I remember my brother telling me that he thought ticks fell out of trees and that's how they ended up on your body

They lie in wait on tall grasses and shrubs where even the lightest contact is enough to brush them off on to you. In the late spring you can look closely at almost any low clump of vegetation and find several ticks. They do, however, get up on some higher stuff occasionally where they can brush off into your collar. This does make it seem like they drop down out of trees.

[aliasfinn]

Originally Posted by Arrby

They lie in wait on tall grasses and shrubs where even the lightest contact is enough to brush them off on to you. In the late spring you can look closely at almost any low clump of vegetation and find several ticks. They do, however, get up on some higher stuff occasionally where they can brush off into your collar. This does make it seem like they drop down out of trees.

I can remember stopping at some camp grounds once and this dog came walking up to me. He seemed friendly so I started petting him and noticed what I thought were hair balls or burrs stuck under his fur. I soon realized they were ticks, as big as marbles. They were gorged on his blood. I started to pull one off him but he yelped so I left him alone. I felt sorry for that dog.

[TRex2]

Originally Posted by Arrby

They lie in wait on tall grasses and shrubs where even the lightest contact is enough to brush them off on to you. In the late spring you can look closely at almost any low clump of vegetation and find several ticks. They do, however, get up on some higher stuff occasionally where they can brush off into your collar. This does make it seem like they drop down out of trees.

Thanks for clearing that up. You are correct that they don't drop down on you, but they can get under any piece of clothing through any loose opening. Still, Deet and duct tape are very effective.

Once you live here, you can treat your yard a couple times (spring and early summer) to break their reproductive cycle (both ticks and chiggers) and you won't have any problems for the rest of the year.

Originally Posted by aliasfinn

I can remember stopping at some camp grounds once and this dog came walking up to me. He seemed friendly so I started petting him and noticed what I thought were hair balls or burrs stuck under his fur. I soon realized they were ticks, as big as marbles. They were gorged on his blood. I started to pull one off him but he yelped so I left him alone. I felt sorry for that dog.

Sadly, if his skin was that sensitive, he was probably already infected with some pathogen.

Everyone needs to take prevention seriously for both themselves and their pets.
Stay healthy.

Oh, and to the OP: the Ozarks are a wonderful place.
I moved here (Arkansas side of the border) from Texas a year ago.

[SunGrins]

I was a tick magnet in Missouri. I'd have one of two from cutting the grass. I went backpacking and had 13 in one day. I think that day was my record. Chiggers were worse. I only encountered a few Copperheads and only one close encounter. You have to be careful where you step in rocky terrain or cliff faces. I never encountered an Ozark rattler or a Water Moccasin but not for lack of trying. I was young and immortal. Back then we didn't recognize the danger from tick bites.