Hunting

Hunting in Missouri

From whitetail deer in every county to ducks on the Mississippi Flyway, a spring gobbler in the Ozarks, or a summer night chasing bullfrogs — there's a season for almost everyone. The rulebook is thick and changes a little every year. These guides explain it the way a neighbor would, then send you to the official source.

Who's in charge

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) sets and enforces every hunting rule in Missouri. Every claim on these pages traces back to an MDC page, and the annual MDC booklets carry the current rules. Use the MDC links below for permits, seasons, limits, and any changes.

Report a game-law violation any time: Operation Game Thief, 1-800-392-1111. Here to fish instead? See the Fishing hub — or, new to it all, start at the Hunting & Fishing gateway, which explains the shared system once. Hunting private land? Get the owner's permission first — see Land & Property Rights for trespass, posting, and the Recreational Use Act.

Quick route

If you only need one minute

Start with the overview, use the fast answer when you are in a hurry, then use the agency page for the current detail.

First read
Get the overview
Five minutes for permits, seasons, and the shared field rules.
Paperwork
Use the permit guide
Good when you know the species and need the right permit path.
Agency source
Go to MDC Hunting & Trapping ->
MDC carries current seasons, permits, booklets, and area rules.

Start here

New to it? Start here

Hunting in Missouri: Start Here A five-minute start with permits, seasons, and the statewide rules. What's new this year The handful of changes most hunters need to know for this season.

What are you hunting?

Pick what you're after

Deer Seasons, buck and doe limits, tags, and the local twists county by county. Turkey Spring gobblers and a fall season, with the public-land 1 p.m. quirk. Black bear Yes, Missouri has bears — a short, draw-only season in the south. Elk The hardest tag in the state: five permits, residents only. Small game Squirrel, rabbit, quail, pheasant, and crow — the easy on-ramp. Waterfowl & migratory birds Ducks, geese, doves, and more on the Mississippi Flyway. Furbearers, coyotes & trapping Raccoon, coyote, bobcat, fox, and the trapping rules. Frogs A Missouri summer tradition — gig, hand, bow, or rimfire.

Before you go

Before you head out

Licenses, permits & hunter education Buy the permit that matches your hunt, and who needs hunter-ed. The rules of the woods Hunter orange, bait, hours, roads, and reporting — the statewide laws. Where to hunt Conservation areas, national forest, and private land opened to the public. Feral hogs (please don't hunt them) MDC asks you to report feral hogs instead of shooting them on sight.

Hunting questions people ask first

Is there one Missouri hunting license?

No. Permits depend on the species, method, season, and hunter. MDC's current permit page is the place to match the hunt you want.

Who needs hunter education?

Many firearms hunters need hunter education, but apprentice and exemption paths exist. The current MDC hunter-education page lists those paths.

Can I hunt private land if it is not posted?

Get permission first. Posting rules do not replace trespass law, landowner permission, lease rules, or local limits.

Does every harvest use Telecheck?

No. Telecheck applies to specific game such as deer, turkey, bear, and elk. It does not apply to fish, and each species page explains the reporting step.

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