Firearms deer-hunting season in MO begins Saturday, Nov. 13

(KBSI) – Firearms deer-hunting season in Missouri is from Saturday, Nov. 13 through Tuesday, Nov. 23.

The opening weekend of the November portion of firearms deer season is the most popular two days for most deer hunters in Missouri, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC).

Hunters typically harvest between a quarter to a third of the state’s total annual deer harvest during those two days. Hunters harvested nearly 300,000 (297,214 to be exact) deer during the 2020-21 deer season. About 27 percent of the total harvest or 80,744 were harvested during opening weekend in November.

MDC predicts this season’s harvest should be higher than average due to increasing deer numbers across most of the state coupled with increased firearms antlerless permit availability in a number of counties and an extension of the antlerless portion. This year the antlerless portion of firearms deer season has been extended from three to nine days.

The deer harvest total during the early youth portion of firearms season, Oct. 30-31, was similar to last year and about average for the past five years. This year’s archery season total is running behind last year’s total due to a warmer start to the season.

Sampling for Chronic Waste Disease (CWD) is required this year for hunter who harvest deer in any of the 34 counties of the CWD Management Zone on opening weekend in November. During mandatory sampling, harvested deer (or the head) must be taken to an MDC CWD mandatory sampling station on the day of harvest. Four more counties were added to the CWD Management Zone this year: Camden, Laclede, McDonald, and Pulaski.

For the 2021–2022 deer seasons, the CWD Management Zone includes Adair, Barry, Camden, Cedar, Chariton, Christian, Clark, Crawford, Franklin, Gasconade, Hickory, Howell, Jefferson, Knox, Laclede, Linn, Macon, McDonald, Mercer, Oregon, Ozark, Perry, Polk, Pulaski, Putnam, St. Charles, St. Clair, St. Francois, Ste. Genevieve, Stone, Sullivan, Taney, Warren, and Washington counties.

The CWD Management Zone includes counties within approximately 10 miles of CWD detections. Special regulations apply in these counties. There are carcass movement restrictions and prohibition on feeding in these counties.

Deer harvested within the CWD Management Zone must be reported through the Telecheck Harvest Reporting System before leaving the county of harvest.

Tap here to see more information about CWD regulations.

Providing grain, minerals, and other consumable products used to attract deer is prohibited year-round within all counties of the MDC CWD Management Zone.

Missouri’s hunter education course is required for any hunter born on or after Jan. 1, 1967. Tap here to learn more about
Hunter Education and Certification Requirement.

Missouri’s archery deer and turkey season continues through Nov. 12 and resumes Nov. 24 through Jan. 15, 2022. The November portion of firearms deer season runs Nov. 13-23 followed by the late youth portion Nov. 26-28. The antlerless portion of firearms deer season runs Dec. 4-12 followed by the alternative methods portion Dec. 25 through Jan. 4, 2022.

Tap here to learn more about deer hunting in Missouri.

Did you bag a big buck (or doe)? Send your photos with the name of the hunter, where the deer was harvested and any other details you’d like to include to news@kbsi23.com.