Hunting News

Archery and youth harvests see increases

Archery and youth harvests see increases

By Missouri Department of Conservation

Deer hunters in Missouri harvested 176,604 deer during the November portion of firearms deer season, Nov. 14-24. Of the 176,604 deer harvested, 95,654 were antlered bucks, 16,045 were button bucks, and 64,905 were does.

Top harvest counties were Howell with 3,496 deer harvested, Franklin with 3,409, and Texas with 3,374.
In 2019 hunters checked 179,960 deer during the November portion of firearms deer season with 91,917 being antlered bucks, 17,330 being button bucks, and 70,713 being does.

Young hunters ages 6 through 15 harvested 3,899 deer during Missouri’s late youth portion of the 2020 deer hunting season, Nov. 27-29. Of the 3,899 deer harvested, 1,433 were antlered bucks, 520 were button bucks, and 1,946 were does.

Top counties for the late youth portion were Osage with 90 deer harvested, Pike with 87, and Franklin with 72. Last year’s harvest total for the late youth portion was 1,950 with 771 being antlered bucks, 204 button bucks, and 975 does.

“The total for this year’s late youth portion is the highest on record,” said Jason Isabelle, cervid program supervisor. “Great weather contributed to an impressive harvest total for this year’s late youth portion of firearms deer season.”

Isabelle added that during shorter portions of firearms deer season, weather has an especially important effect on harvest.

For current ongoing preliminary harvest totals by season, county, and type of deer, visit the MDC website.

For harvest summaries from past years are available here.

MDC reported three firearms-related hunting incidents during the November portion of the firearms deer season with all being non-fatal and self-inflicted.

Archery deer season resumed Nov. 25 and runs through Jan. 15, 2021. The antlerless portion of firearms deer season runs Dec. 4-6 followed by the alternative methods portion Dec. 26 through Jan. 5, 2021.

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