MDC Reminds Deer and Turkey Hunters of Changes for Fall Seasons

Jefferson City, Mo. (KFMO) - 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 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. 

As with all counties in the CWD Management Zone, grain, salt products, minerals, and other consumable products used to attract deer are prohibited year-round. 

“Feeding deer puts them in very close contact with each other, thereby increasing the rate at which CWD can spread within the population,” said Isabelle. 

CWD can be spread by direct deer-to-deer contact and when deer encounter the misfolded proteins that cause CWD after they’ve been shed in the environment by infected deer. 

“In addition to direct contact that occurs between deer at feed and mineral sites, infectious proteins can accumulate in the soil and spread CWD to other deer that contact it,” said Isabelle.

He acknowledged that deer are social animals and contact each other throughout the year. 

“Deer are social animals that are going to groom each other, be aggressive towards one another, and work licking branches and scrapes,” said Isabelle. “Clearly, we can’t stop these deer behaviors, but we can implement regulations that prevent artificial congregation of deer by humans that increases the spread of CWD in the deer population.”

Hunters within the CWD Management Zone must also follow carcass transportation regulations, which are designed to minimize the chances of hunters inadvertently introducing CWD to new areas by improperly disposing of deer carcasses.

“Deer can become infected with CWD when they contact the carcass from a CWD-positive deer,” said Isabelle. “Hunters can help reduce the spread of CWD by following the carcass transportation regulations and properly disposing of deer carcasses.”

Isabelle added that the best way for hunters to dispose of deer carcass remains is to place them in trash bags and dispose of them through trash collection or a permitted landfill, bury them at or near where the deer was harvested, or leave them on the property where the deer was harvested. 

All counties in the CWD Management Zone are open during the CWD portion of deer season.

During the Firearms November Portion opening weekend, Nov. 16-17, hunters who harvest a deer in designated CWD Management Zone counties must take the deer (or its head) on the day of harvest to a mandatory CWD sampling station. 

Learn more about CWD regulations and requirements online at mdc.mo.gov/CWD.