Changes coming for deer, turkey seasons

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reminds hunters of regulation changes for the upcoming deer and turkey hunting seasons. The changes include a new fall turkey permit, new counties in the Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Management Zone, removal of the antler-point restriction (APR) in some counties, allowing drones for tracking wounded deer and turkeys, and more.

TURKEY CHANGES

The fall turkey season is now divided into archery and firearms portions, and the harvest limit for both portions combined has been reduced from four to two birds of either sex.

Archery turkey hunting in Missouri opens Sept. 15 and runs through Nov. 15. It reopens Nov. 27 and runs through Jan. 15, 2025. Fall firearms turkey hunting runs Oct. 1 -31 in open counties.

MDC has created a new fall turkey-hunting permit so turkey permits are no longer included with an archery deer-hunting permit. Both fall firearms turkey hunters and fall archery turkey hunters must purchase this new permit to be able to harvest turkeys during fall seasons.

DEER HUNTING SEASONS AND PORTIONS

Archery deer hunting in Missouri opens Sept. 15 and runs through Nov. 15. It reopens Nov. 27 and runs through Jan. 15, 2025.

Firearms deer hunting in Missouri starts with the Early Antlerless Portion on Oct. 11-13 in open counties followed by the Early Youth Portion Nov. 2-3. The November Portion runs Nov. 16-26 followed by the CWD Portion Nov. 27 – Dec. 1 in open counties. The Late Youth Portion runs Nov. 29 – Dec. 1 followed by the Late Antlerless Portion Dec. 7-15 in open counties and then the Alternative Methods Portion Dec. 28 through Jan. 7, 2025.

NEW FOR DEER SEASON THIS YEAR

Because these counties are now in the CWD Management Zone, the antler-point restriction (APR) has been removed from Audrain, Boone, Cole, Howard, Lewis, Maries, Monroe, Osage, Phelps, Randolph, Saline, Scotland and Shelby counties.

The CWD Management Zone consists of counties where CWD has been found and those within 10 miles of where CWD has been found. The APR requires an antlered deer to have at least four points on one side to be harvested.

“Young bucks disperse from the area where they were born, often traveling many miles,” said MDC Cervid Program Supervisor Jason Isabelle. “Removing the APR in the CWD Management Zone helps to slow the spread of the disease by minimizing the chances of young bucks that have CWD from dispersing and introducing the disease to new areas.”

Isabelle added that the APR protects the segment of the deer population most likely to spread the disease to new areas. In doing so, it directly conflicts with MDC’s goals in the CWD Management Zone and what’s best for the long-term health of Missouri’s deer population.

Hunters may now fill four firearms antlerless permits in Dent, Douglas, Maries, Newton and Phelps counties. Hunters may now use archery antlerless permits in Dunklin, Mississippi, New Madrid and Pemiscot counties.

Deer hunting regulations have changed for some conservation areas.

Hunters may now use drones to track wounded deer and turkeys.

Prices for deer hunting permits have increased to keep pace with MDC’s rising costs for goods and services.

EXPANSION OF THE CWD MANAGEMENT ZONE

MDC has added the following counties to its CWD Management Zone: Audrain, Boone, Cole, Dent, Douglas, Howard, Lewis, Maries, Monroe, Newton, Osage, Phelps, Randolph, Saline, Scotland, Shannon, Shelby and Webster.

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