Missouri hunters take nearly 205,000 deer

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri's Department of Conservation says hunters took nearly 205,000 deer during November's 11-day firearms season. That's the highest number in four years and 7.7 percent higher than last year.

Wednesday's report said the figures bear out earlier predictions for a big hunt in southern Missouri. Scientists had said a poor acorn crop was forcing deer to concentrate in places where acorns were plentiful.

Eight of the 10 highest-performing counties were south of the Missouri River, led by Howell County with 4,037 deer bagged. Texas and Benton counties were next. Numbers were up from last year in Bollinger, Cape Girardeau, Perry, Scott and Stoddard counties. Bollinger and Perry counties led the way locally, with 2,619 and 2,225 deer harvested, respectively, compared to 2,189 last year in Bollinger and 1,780 in Perry. In Cape Girardeau County 1,553 deer were harvested this year, up from 1,452 last year.

Firearms season began Nov. 10 and ended Tuesday. The department said does accounted for roughly 44 percent all deer bagged. The number of antlered bucks taken was up by more than 6 percent.

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Online:

Missouri Department of Conservation: http://www.mdc.mo.gov