More than 193K deer harvested during MO November firearms deer season
(KBSI) – Over 11,000 deer have been harvested this hunting season, and now people are looking to process that meat.
Deer hunters in Missouri harvested 193,669 deer during the November portion of firearms deer season from November 11-21.
Missouri Department of Conservation, Certified Wildlife Biologist, Jason Isabelle says there’s been a decline in active hunters.
Isabelle says, “Our peak year was about a decade ago, you know we have about 45,000 fewer deer hunters then we did about a decade ago, and that’s not unique to Missouri, and that’s happening all across the country.”
But even with those declining numbers, hunters still need a place to process all that deer meat.
New regulations have butcher shops deciding not to take part in the process.
“I think it’s a way of life, I think you’re born and raised with it.” Says, Weasy, who manages Ron’s Butcher Shop located in Oak Ridge, says they have no worries in job security because they’ve chosen to process for local hunters.
She adds, “Here we’re diversified, so we’re lucky enough that we can work them in, speed’s not our worry, we take one deer at a time.”
Hunting is a survivor’s sport, with inflation at every corner, putting food on the table is something every family is working for, some harder than others.
“The more you can eat off the land, the better off you are, I think it’s just going back to our roots of that’s how you survive.” Says, Weasy.
Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) shows 193,669 deer harvested, 105,614 were antlered bucks, 16,081 were button bucks, and 71,974 were does.
The top harvest counties were Franklin with 4,289 deer harvested, Texas with 4,208, and Howell with 3,749.
This year’s harvest total was 3% lower than last year and 2% higher than the previous five-year average.
Tap here for more harvest information from past years.
Deer hunting continues in Missouri with the new Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) firearms portion running Nov. 22-26 in CWD Management Zone counties. Hunters will be able to use any unfilled firearms deer hunting permits during the CWD portion and must abide by the statewide limit of one antlered deer during the firearms deer season, all portions combined. Hunters must also abide by county-specific firearms antlerless permit numbers. CWD testing is not required during the CWD portion, but voluntary CWD testing is available.
Archery deer hunting resumes Nov. 22 through Jan. 15, 2024. The late youth portion runs Nov. 24-26. The late antlerless portion of firearms deer season runs Dec. 2-10 in open counties and the alternative methods portion will occur Dec. 23 through Jan. 2, 2024.
Tap here for more information on Missouri deer hunting from MDC’s 2023 Fall Deer and Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information booklet. It is also available where hunting permits are sold.
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