It’s that time of year again! The leaves are changing color the air is getting crisper and the deer are on the move. That can only mean one thing: it’s time for deer hunting season! If you’re a Missouri hunter eagerly anticipating the start of the season here’s everything you need to know about when deer rifle season starts in the Show-Me State.
In Missouri the deer rifle season typically runs from the first Friday in November through the first Sunday in January. However this year the Missouri Department of Conservation has announced that the season will start a bit earlier on Saturday October 31st.
The early start date is due to concerns about the spread of chronic wasting disease (CWD) a fatal neurological disorder that affects deer elk and other members of the cervid family.There is no cure or prevention for CWD which is why the MDC is taking precautionary measures to help stop its spread.
One of those measures is to start the deer rifle season earlier in areas of the state that have had recent confirmed cases of CWD. Those areas include parts of Adair Bates Buchanan Caldwell Callaway Camden Carroll Chariton Clark Clinton Cooper Daviess Dekalb Gentry Grundy Harrison Howard Jackson Jasper Knox Laclede Linn Livingston Macon Mercer Monroe Morgan Newton Nodaway Osage Pettis Pike Putnam Randolph Ray Saline Schuyler Scotland Shelby Sullivan and Worth counties.
In addition to the early start date the MDC is also instituting a few other changes for the upcoming deer season. First the antlerless portion of the season will be extended in areas of the state that have had recent confirmed cases of CWD. Second the bag limit for deer will be reduced to two per hunter in those same areas.
The MDC is also encouraging hunters to take extra precautions when it comes to handling and disposing of deer carcasses. In areas where CWD has been found hunters are required to submit their deer for testing. And even in areas where CWD has not been found the MDC recommends that hunters take the following steps to help prevent the spread of the disease:
-Don’t shoot handle or eat meat from deer that look sick;
-Wear rubber or latex gloves when field-dressing deer;
-Bone out the meat from your deer;
-Minimize the handling of deer brains and spinal cords;
-Avoid consuming meat from deer that test positive for CWD;
-Have your deer processed at a USDA-inspected facility; and
-Dispose of deer carcasses properly.
For more information on deer hunting in Missouri visit the MDC website. Happy hunting!
What is the earliest date that Missouri’s rifle deer hunting season can start?
Answer 1: The earliest date that Missouri’s rifle deer hunting season can start is September 15.
How many days is Missouri’s rifle deer hunting season?
Answer 2: Missouri’s rifle deer hunting season is a minimum of 14 days.
What is the latest date that Missouri’s rifle deer hunting season can end?
Answer 3: The latest date that Missouri’s rifle deer hunting season can end is January 15.
How many deer may a hunter kill during Missouri’s rifle deer hunting season?
Answer 4: A hunter may kill a maximum of four deer during Missouri’s rifle deer hunting season.
What is the minimum caliber rifle that may be used to hunt deer during Missouri’s rifle deer hunting season?
Answer 5: The minimum caliber rifle that may be used to hunt deer during Missouri’s rifle deer hunting season is .
22.
What is the maximum caliber rifle that may be used to hunt deer during Missouri’s rifle deer hunting season?
Answer 6: The maximum caliber rifle that may be used to hunt deer during Missouri’s rifle deer hunting season is .
50.
What is the minimum age at which a person may hunt deer during Missouri’s rifle deer hunting season?
Answer 7: The minimum age at which a person may hunt deer during Missouri’s rifle deer hunting season is 11.
What is the maximum age at which a person may hunt deer during Missouri’s rifle deer hunting season?
Answer 8: There is no maximum age at which a person may hunt deer during Missouri’s rifle deer hunting season.
What is the minimum length of time that a person must have held a Missouri hunting license in order to be eligible to hunt deer during Missouri’s rifle deer hunting season?
Answer 9: The minimum length of time that a person must have held a Missouri hunting license in order to be eligible to hunt deer during Missouri’s rifle deer hunting season is 10 days.
What is the maximum number of non-resident hunters that may be in a hunting party during Missouri’s rifle deer hunting season?
Answer 10: The maximum number of non-resident hunters that may be in a hunting party during Missouri’s rifle deer hunting season is two.
What is the minimum distance that a hunter must be from a road or highway while hunting deer during Missouri’s rifle deer hunting season?
Answer 11: The minimum distance that a hunter must be from a road or highway while hunting deer during Missouri’s rifle deer hunting season is 100 yards.
What is the maximum number of deer that may be taken from a single county during Missouri’s rifle deer hunting season?
Answer 12: The maximum number of deer that may be taken from a single county during Missouri’s rifle deer hunting season is six.
What is the minimum distance that a hunter must be from a dwelling while hunting deer during Missouri’s rifle deer hunting season?
Answer 13: The minimum distance that a hunter must be from a dwelling while hunting deer during Missouri’s rifle deer hunting season is 500 yards.
What is the maximum number of deer that a single hunter may kill during Missouri’s rifle deer hunting season?
Answer 14: The maximum number of deer that a single hunter may kill during Missouri’s rifle deer hunting season is four.
How many points must a buck have on its antlers in order to be legal to harvest during Missouri’s rifle deer hunting season?
Answer 15: The minimum number of points that a buck must have on its antlers in order to be legal to harvest during Missouri’s rifle deer hunting season is four.
