State may allow crossbows next deer, turkey hunting season

The Missouri Conservation Commission has set season dates and limits for the 2016-2017 fall deer season and given initial approval to several deer-hunting regulation changes.

The regulation changes were proposed by the Missouri Department of Conservation, which hosted a number of meetings earlier this year -- including one in Cape Girardeau -- to speak with the public and gather input on the proposals.

In all, the conservation department used surveys from deer hunters, landowners and archery hunters, as well as deer-population simulations, biological data, harvest summaries and public input gathered from 22 public open houses around the state to form its recommendations to regulation changes.

The proposed regulations to the 2016-2017 fall season focus largely on the use of crossbows.

If approved, the regulations would allow crossbows as a legal method during archery deer and turkey seasons, allow use of crossbows during fall firearms turkey season and remove the hunting method exemption requirement related to crossbows.

Missouri Department of Conservation deer biologist Jason Sumners said allowing crossbows provided benefits to young hunters and could prolong participation for older hunters without significantly increasing the overall harvest numbers.

He also said the conservation department has received "an increasing number of requests" to include crossbows during the archery season.

The final proposed regulation would reduce the limit of antlered deer from three to two during the combined archery and firearms deer hunting season, with no more than one antlered deer taken during the firearms hunting season. The reduction was suggested based on hunters' interests in seeing more mature bucks, according to Sumners.

As part of the rule-making process, a 30-day public comment period will be available.

Comments on the proposed regulation changes can be submitted online to the conservation department from Oct. 2 through Oct. 31 at mdc.mo.gov/node/24141. The full text of the proposed amendments will be posted on the page after Sept. 15.

The Missouri Conservation Commission will make its final decision on the proposals at its December meeting.

Any approved changes would become effective in March.

Changes to the state's fall deer season structure recently approved by the commission include:

• Reducing the November firearms season from 11 days to nine;
• Expanding the late youth portion to three days, beginning the first Friday after Thanksgiving;
• Reducing the length of the antlerless portion from 12 to three days and begin on the first Friday in December; and
• Eliminating hunting in urban zones.

Conservation officials have said removing those final days of the November firearms season would have little effect.

"The final two days of the November portion of the firearms deer season have traditionally been the two days with the lowest hunter harvest and number of hunting trips," said Missouri Department of Conservation deer biologist Jason Sumners.

The elimination of urban deer hunting, originally implemented as a way to address overabundant urban deer populations, also was suggested because of low harvest rates.

Cape Girardeau was set to permit bow hunting within city limits just a few years ago until voters overturned the ordinance in 2013.

Elimination of urban deer hunting also would simplify the deer-season structure, according to the conservation department.

"... Additional firearms hunting opportunities in urban zones do little to manage deer populations, where the ability to use firearms is limited," said Sumners. "The majority of harvest during the urban zones portion occurs in the most rural areas and does not ensure adequate deer harvest in the locations where urban deer conflicts occur."

srinehart@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3641

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Proposed regulation changes

Proposed deer-season changes

Proposed regulation changes to the 2016-2017 fall deer season include:

• Allowing crossbows as a legal method during the archery deer and turkey seasons;
• Allowing the use of crossbows during the fall firearms turkey season;
• Removing the hunting method exemption requirement related to crossbows;
• Reducing the limit of antlered deer from three to two during the combined archery and firearms deer hunting season, with no more than one antlered deer taken during the firearms deer hunting season.

Source: Missouri Department of Conservation