Mo. bow hunters post high deer, turkey numbers

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - Missouri conservation officials say this past year was a good one for archers hunting both deer and turkey.

The Missouri Department of Conservation say hunters killed more than 52,600 deer during the four-month archery season that ended Jan.15. That's an increase of about 24 percent from 2010.

Hunters also killed nearly 3,000 turkeys, up about 34 percent from the previous turkey bow-hunting season. The department says the increase resulted from a good hatch before the season and a record number of archery permits being issued last year.

Eastern Missouri's Franklin and Jefferson counties posted among the highest numbers for both turkey and deer killed. Conservation officials say those counties posted such high numbers because they are within driving distance of many hunters.