MDC to implement additional deer-hunting days in some locales

Missouri deer hunters in several counties will have some extra time to hunt with firearms this year.

The Missouri Department of Conservation has opened two new hunting seasons, one antlerless season prior to the traditional November hunt, and one immediately after, to help control the deer population and specifically reduce chronic wasting disease.

Cape Girardeau, Perry and Bollinger counties are among most of the counties in Missouri where it will be legal to hunt antlerless deer with various firearms from Friday, Oct. 6, through Sunday, Oct. 8. Most of the counties from Scott County south to the Arkansas border are ineligible for the extra hunting season.

A second new season, called the CWD Portion, is set for Wednesday, Nov. 22, through Sunday, Nov. 26. Perry and Bollinger counties are eligible for the CWD hunting season. All other counties in the Southeast Missourian coverage area are ineligible to hunt during the CWD portion.

The Missouri Department of Conservation said the CWD Portion is timed during the end of the rut (mating) season. In the CWD Portion, unlike the new early season, hunters may kill an antlered deer.

"So basically what this is, in the counties where there are larger deer populations and higher numbers of deer densities, the antlerless seasons are used as a tool to kind of curb that population issue and to keep the population numbers at a good level," said Rachel Webster, a Missouri Department of Conservation agent. "So that's just a biological tool we use to reduce disease death and deer getting hit by cars. The early season is for hunters itching to get their rifles out while the weather is nice to get some meat in the freezer."

She said surveys are conducted county by county to get estimates on deer population. The MDC also analyzes deer harvest numbers to get a sense of deer population trends.

The CWD Portion will act just like the regular November firearms season in counties where chronic waste disease is more concentrated.

Bow season for deer begins Friday, Sept. 15, and runs through Friday, Nov. 10, then picks up again from Wednesday, Nov. 22, through Monday, Jan. 15. Webster said rifle hunters are required to wear hunter orange, even though the new season overlaps with bow season.

Check www.mdc.mo.gov for complete regulations.