Cape County to have antlerless deer season this year

EDITOR'S NOTE: The dates of the archery antlerless deer season have been corrected.

As a change to this year's hunting regulations, Cape Girardeau County has been added to the list of more than 70 counties allowing archery antlerless deer permits.

The firearms deer hunting season starts Saturday and runs through Nov. 24. The archery antlerless deer season includes two periods -- Sept. 15 until Friday and from Nov. 25 to Jan. 15.

Of the antlerless permits, only the archery variety is valid within Cape Girardeau County, though hunters can buy both archery and firearms permits from any licensed vendor.

Allowing archery antlerless deer permits gives bowhunters greater opportunities and does little to cut into the deer population.

"Overall impact is almost zero," said Steve Moore, district supervisor for the Missouri Department of Conservation.

Some hunters had assumed the archery antlerless deer permits would also cover firearms antlerless deer season, too, but the department said that's not the case. Cape Girardeau County will not have a firearms antlerless season, but permits bought here can be used elsewhere in the state.

"Most folks are just excited to have the archery [antlerless] permits this year," said Russell Duckworth, Cape Girardeau County conservation agent.

New regulations begin as suggestions from the public, conservation agents and Department of Conservation biologists who track birth rates, previous harvest numbers, road kill numbers and other data. Other states' regulations and their effects are also studied for possible implementation.

One such regulation change encouraged by the public includes a switching of muzzleloader and antlerless seasons: Muzzleloader season now runs Dec. 19 to 29 statewide, while the antlerless season is Nov. 25 to Dec. 6 in specific counties and areas.

"In recent years many hunters have complained that the muzzleloader portion occurred too soon after the November [firearms] portion, resulting in spooky deer and poor hunting," Moore said. "Consequently in 2009 the timing of these two portions is changed to address this complaint."

Duckworth said, "Muzzleloaders are glad to see a break in there. The deer have been pressured for 11 straight days, and it allows the herd to calm down."

Another change in regulations for 2009 places a restriction on the number of antler points allowed for deer taken in Ste. Genevieve County. Those deer must have at least four points on one side. The department started point restrictions in 29 northern Missouri counties in 2004. The result was older bucks were allowed to grow to larger size with higher-scoring racks.

"People see the results of bigger deer and really like it," Duckworth said.

Moore expects an excellent hunting season this year with an estimated population of 1 million deer across the state.

"The weather report looks good. Low harvest numbers won't be for a lack of deer but for a lack of hunters standing in the woods," he said.