MISSOURI HUNTERS FALL 6,302 DEER SHORT OF STATE RECORD

Missouri deer hunters enjoyed a productive season, but fell 6,302 deer short of last year's record harvest and nearly 20,000 short of a projected kill of 200,000.

Through the 11-day season, completed last Tuesday, Missouri hunters killed 180,395 deer statewide.

Macon County led the state with 4,122 deer tagged, followed by Howell (3,805) and Boone (3,661).

The North Central area paced Missouri's nine regions with 32,576. The 10-county Southwest Region reported a state-low 8,355.

Southeast Missouri ranked eighth among the nine counties with 8,355. While the kill was low in comparison with other regions, it marked an increase of 423 deer over last year.

Cape Girardeau County conservation agent Gene Myers said weather played a significant role in keeping the statewide total below last year's record and well below the 200,000 mark.

"We had several days where we had rain and heavy winds," said Myers. "The combination held the hunting pressure down and made the deer a little spooky. It wasn't because there was a shortage of deer this year. It was more the hunting pressure. The final numbers were well below that the potential was."

Wayne County led the Southeast Region with 1,706 deer, an increase of 283 over a year ago. The remaining 12 Southeast counties: Bollinger 1,427 (-30), Butler 1,140 (+221), Perry 1,113 (-74), Madison 961 (-4), Iron 911 (+65), Stoddard 637 (+58), Cape County 626 (-60), Scott 236 (+3), Mississippi 128 (-148), New Madrid 82 (-3), Dunklin 49 (+9), Pemiscot 24 (+3).

Myers said at least 400,000 deer tags were sold statewide this season.

There were 11 nonfatal hunting accidents reported and no fatal accidents. Myers was pleased to report none of the accidents occurred in the Southeast Region.

However, the area was not without an apparent casualty. An Iron Country hunter is still missing after presumably getting lost.

The incident does not appear to fall under the accident category, which only tabulates shooting-related accidents.