MDC reports 193,669 deer harvested during November portion of firearms deer season

by Joe Jerek, Missouri Department of Conservation


Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) shows that deer hunters in Missouri harvested 193,669 deer during the November portion of firearms deer season, Nov. 11-21. Of the 193,669 deer harvested, 105,614 were antlered bucks, 16,081 were button bucks, and 71,974 were does. 

Top harvest counties were Franklin with 4,289 deer harvested, Texas with 4,208, and Howell with 3,749. For current ongoing preliminary harvest totals by season, county, and type of deer, visit the MDC website at extra.mdc.mo.gov/widgets/harvest_table/.

This year’s harvest total was 3% lower than last year and 2% higher than the previous five-year average. For more harvest information from past years, visit mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/species/deer/deer-reports/deer-harvest-summaries.

New CWD Portion in Management Zone Counties
Deer hunting continues in Missouri with the new 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.

​Get more information on Missouri deer hunting from MDC’s 2023 Fall Deer and Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information booklet, available where hunting permits are sold and online at mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/species/deer.