The Missouri antlerless portion of the fall firearms deer season was held from December 6 through the 8th. Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) shows that hunters in Missouri harvest over 10,000 deer, and almost 4,000 more deer during this portion of deer season than they did last year.
Antlerless Deer Season
Deer season is quickly drawing to a close; youths have had their chance to bring down some deer and so have older hunters- using whatever method they prefer to harvest their big buck.
On December 6, Missouri opened its antlerless portion of fall firearms deer season, December 8 was the last day of that portion of deer season. Hunters all across Missouri toughed out the cold front to sit out and wait for their antlerless deer to come along this past weekend.
MDC’s preliminary data reports that 10,567 [1] antlerless deer were harvested during this portion, which is almost 4,000 more than what was harvested in 2018s antlerless part of the fall firearms deer season. Last year Missouri managed to check-in 6,645 [2] antlerless deer in the antlerless portion.
This year the numbers are much bigger than last year, and the counties with the most deer harvested are Callaway County with 396 deer harvested, Pike County with 303, and Osage County with 301. Oregon County was a little bit farther behind, checking in a total of 120 deer during this portion.
Archery Season
Deer season isn’t over yet. However, archery season will continue through January 15, 2020, and the alternative methods portion will begin on December 28 and continue through until January 7, 2020, so if you haven’t brought down a deer yet, there’s still a chance.
Notes:
- ^“Telecheck Harvest Numbers.” 9 Dec. 2019, extra.mdc.mo.gov/widgets/harvest_table. (go back ↩)
- ^“Deer Harvest Summary 2017–2018.” MDC Hunting and Fishing, 9 Dec. 2019, huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/species/deer/deer-harvest-reports/deer-harvest-summaries/deer-harvest-summary-2017. (go back ↩)
