Hunting News

187,967 deer taken in firearms season; 3,477 deer taken in late youth portion

187,967 deer taken in firearms season; 3,477 deer taken in late youth portion

By Missouri Department of Conservation

Preliminary data shows deer hunters in Missouri harvested 187,967 deer during the November portion of firearms deer season, Nov. 13-23. Of the 187,967 deer harvested, 101,501 were antlered bucks, 16,435 were button bucks, and 70,031 were does.

Top harvest counties were Franklin with 4,144 deer harvested, Texas with 4,050, and Howell with 3,244.

In 2020, hunters checked 177,769 deer during the November portion of firearms deer season with 96,298 being antlered bucks, 16,128 being button bucks, and 65,343 being does.

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

YOUNG HUNTERS HARVEST 3,477 DEER DURING LATE YOUTH PORTION

Preliminary data also shows young hunters ages 6 through 15 harvested 3,477 deer during the late youth portion of the 2021 deer hunting season, Nov. 26-28. Of the 3,477 deer harvested, 1,470 were antlered bucks, 383 were button bucks, and 1,624 were does.

Top counties for the late youth portion were Osage with 86 deer harvested, Franklin with 82, and Miller with 68.
Last year’s harvest total for the late youth portion was 3,967 with 1,467 being antlered bucks, 524 button bucks, and 1,976 does.

“After a breezy and cold Thanksgiving Day, we had some pleasant conditions for our young hunters to be in the woods during the three-day late youth portion,” said MDC Cervid Program Supervisor Jason Isabelle. “This year’s harvest total was the second-highest on record and nearly 20% above the five-year average.”

Click here for current ongoing preliminary harvest totals by season, county, and type of deer.

For harvest summaries from past years, click here.

Missouri’s archery deer and turkey season resumes Nov. 24 through Jan. 15, 2022. The antlerless portion of firearms deer season runs Dec. 4-12 followed by the alternative methods portion Dec. 25 through Jan. 4, 2022.

Archery deer season runs through Jan. 15, 2022. The antlerless portion of firearms deer season runs Dec. 4-12 followed by the alternative methods portion Dec. 25 through Jan. 4, 2022.

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