JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) shows deer hunters in Missouri harvested 93,355 deer during opening weekend of the November portion of firearms deer season Nov. 12 and 13. Of the 93,355 deer harvested, 55,267 were antlered bucks, 7,250 were button bucks, and 30,838 were does.
Top harvest counties for opening weekend were Franklin with 2,015 deer harvested, Texas with 1,724, and Callaway with 1,692.
Last year, hunters checked 89,939 deer during opening weekend of the November portion of firearms deer season.
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/.
For harvest summaries from past years, visit mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/species/deer/deer-reports/deer-harvest-summaries.
“After a mild start to the month of November, the weather sure turned colder just in time for opening weekend,” said MDC Cervid Program Supervisor Jason Isabelle. “Although Saturday was a bit blustery, we had some good conditions, overall, for opening weekend this year and the long-term forecast looks very good at this point as well.”
The November portion of firearms deer season continues through Nov. 22. Missouri’s archery deer and turkey season resumes Nov. 23 through Jan. 15, 2023. The late youth portion of firearms season runs Nov. 25-27. The antlerless portion of firearms deer season runs Dec. 3-11 (in open counties) followed by the alternative methods portion Dec. 24 through Jan. 3, 2023.
Learn more about deer hunting in Missouri online at mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/species/deer.
Get more information about deer season and hunting regulations from MDC’s 2022 Fall Deer & Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information booklet, available where hunting permits are sold and online at mdc.mo.gov/about-us/about-regulations/fall-deer-turkey-hunting-regulations-information.
