No Signs, No Safety: Why Fall Hiking in Joplin Feels Too Risky
Every September, when the leaves begin to turn and the air shifts toward crisp, my husband and I lace up our boots and head down to the valley. It’s a quiet ritual walking the creek bed beneath the bluffs, watching the oak and silver maples change color, listening for the rustle of squirrels and the hush of water over stone. That hike has always marked the start of fall for us. But this year, we’re staying home. Not because we want to. Because we have no idea if archers are in the area. Bowhunting Season Begins Without Warning Joplin’s urban bowhunting season opened on September 15th, 2025 The city ordinance allows bowhunting on private property of one acre or more with landowner permission , but it doesn’t require signage. No warnings. No alerts. No indication that privately owned wooded areas near homes, trails, and creeks may now be active hunting zones. We would rather skip the hike than risk walking into a space where arrows are flying and no one’s bee...