The Missouri Department of Conservation has issued new regulations for this fall’s deer and turkey hunting seasons, including higher permit costs and allowing the use of drones to track injured animals.
The MDC has created a new fall turkey hunting permit that must be purchased by turkey hunters who shoot turkeys with firearms in the fall or with bows and arrows in the fall in order to hunt turkeys. Turkey hunting permits were previously included in bow and arrow hunting permits.
This new permit costs $0 for resident landowners, $14 for residents, $135 for nonresidents, $100 for nonresidents and $7 for youth (ages 6-15). A fall turkey hunting permit with firearms can be purchased on the MDC website at mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/permits/fall-firearms-turkey-hunting-permit.
The fall turkey season has also been divided into archery and firearms and the limit has been reduced from four birds to two birds of either sex. Both sections will be combined.
In addition to the new fall turkey hunting permit, the prices for deer hunting permits have been increased:
- Hunting license for archers: $0 for resident landowners, $20.50 for residents, $203.50 for non-resident landowners, $276.50 for non-resident landowners and $10.25 for youth (6-15 years)
- Permission to hunt antlerless deer with bow and arrow: $0 for resident landowners, $7.50 for residents, $26 for non-residents, $3.75 for youth (6-15 years)
- Hunting permit for deer without antlers with firearms: $0 for resident landowners, $7.50 for residents, $26 for non-residents, $3.75 for youth (6-15 years)
- Firearm hunting permit for all deer: $0 for resident landowners, $18 for residents, $203.50 for non-resident landowners, $276.50 for non-residents and $9 for youth (6-15 years)
- Managed deer hunting permit: $18 for residents, $276.50 for non-residents and $9 for youth (6-15 years)
For more information about hunting permits, visit the MDC website at mdc.mo.gov/permits/hunting-permits.
Aerial drones approved for tracking
This fall, the MDC will allow hunters to use drones to track injured deer and turkeys for the first time.
More: Is a drone different from a hunting dog or a trail camera? Missouri regulations say yes – for now
New counties added to CWD management zone
According to a press release from the MCD, Audrain, Boone, Cole, Dent, Douglas, Howard, Lewis, Maries, Monroe, Newton, Osage, Phelps, Randolph, Saline, Scotland, Shannon, Shelby and Webster counties were recently added to the Chronic-Wasting Disease Management Zone.
The use of grains, salt products, minerals and other edible products to attract deer is prohibited year-round in the CWD Management Zone.
On November 16 and 17, hunters who harvest a deer in the CWD Management Zone must bring the deer or its head to a mandatory CWD sampling station on the day of harvest. A complete list of sampling stations is available on the MDC website.
The following sampling stations are located near Springfield:
- Bolivar Fire Station No. 2 (West) at 812 S. Killingsworth Ave. in Bolivar
- Dallas County Fairgrounds on Park Drive in Buffalo
- Marshfield MODOT Facility at 333 Pin Oak Loop in Marshfield
- Seymour MODOT Facility at 455 Highway C in Seymour
- Ava City Park at 1005 Johnson Ave. in Ava
- Maintenance hangar in eastern Douglas County at 10108 Highway 95 in Drury
Counties that will remain in the CWD management zone include Adair, Barry, Barton, Bollinger, Caldwell, Camden, Carroll, Cedar, Chariton, Christian, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Crawford, Dallas, Franklin, Gasconade, Greene, Grundy, Hickory, Howell, Jasper, Jefferson, Knox, Laclede, Linn, Livingston, Macon, Madison, McDonald, Mercer, Montgomery, Oregon, Ozark, Pemiscot, Perry, Polk, Pulaski, Putnam, Ray, Ripley, Schuyler, St. Charles, St. Clair, St. Francois, Ste. Genevieve, Stone, Sullivan, Taney, Vernon, Warren and Washington counties, according to the MDC website.
Mandatory CWD sampling increases the number of tissue samples MDC can collect in a short period of time, helping MDC scientists better understand the spread and prevalence of CWD. Chronic wasting disease is a fatal, progressive neurological disease that occurs in deer, elk, and elk.
According to the MDC website, the mandatory CWS sampling process takes just a few minutes. It involves making an incision across the neck of the harvested deer to remove lymph nodes for testing. The tissue samples are then sent to an independent laboratory for testing. Hunters receive an information card that allows them to obtain free test results for their deer after the samples are processed.
Further changes
- The antler tip restriction has been lifted for Audrain, Boone, Cole, Howard, Lewis, Maries, Monroe, Osage, Phelps, Randolph, Saline, Scotland and Shelby counties.
- In Dent, Douglas, Maries, Newton and Phelps counties, deer hunters can now obtain four permits to possess firearms for antlerless deer.
- Hunters can now use archery permits in Dunklin, Mississippi, New Madrid and Pemiscot counties.
- New managed deer hunts have been added and others have been removed or modified.
- In some nature reserves, the regulations regarding deer hunting have been changed.
When is fall hunting season for deer and turkey in Missouri?
- Fall season for firearms in Turkey: 1-31 October
- Archery for deer and turkey hunting: 15 Sept.–15 Nov. and 27 Nov.–15 Jan. 2025
- Firearms: Early Antlerless Portion: 11–13 October (in open counties)
- Firearms for early youth: 2-3 November
- Firearms, November part: 16-26 November
- CWD section on firearms: 27 November – 1 December (in open counties)
- Firearms for late adolescence: 29 November – 1 December
- Firearms, later section without antlers: 7-15 December (in open counties)
- Section “Alternative Methods for Firearms”: 28 December – 7 January 2025
Greta Cross is the Springfield News-Leader’s trending reporter. She has more than five years of journalism experience covering everything from the history of the Ozarks to the LGBTQIA+ community in Springfield. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretacrossphoto. Story idea? Email her at [email protected].
