Black bear

Black bear hunting in Missouri

Yes — Missouri has wild black bears. There's a short hunting season for them, but it's not a season just anyone can join. It's draw only (you have to be picked), residents only, and it happens only in the southern part of the state. The short version: apply, hope you get drawn, and if you do, follow the rules closely.

One more thing that makes bear different from deer: there's a daily quota. Once enough bears are taken in your zone, that zone can close early, sometimes before the last day on the calendar. Call the hotline every morning of your hunt.

The basics

How Missouri's bear hunt works

Permits About 2,000 permits, residents only.

Quota Harvest quota of up to 60 bears.

How many bears are out there Missouri has roughly 1,100 wild black bears, and the population is growing.

Where you can hunt Three Black Bear Management Zones, all south of the Missouri River. You may only hunt the zone on your permit.

How to apply Apply May 1–31 ($10 application fee). Drawn hunters buy a $25 permit.

Seasons

Bear & elk dates — 2026 / 2026–27

Season	Dates
Black bear	Oct. 17–30, 2026 Or until the zone quota is met.
Elk — Archery	Oct. 17–25, 2026
Elk — Firearms	Dec. 12–20, 2026

Dates change every year — confirm on MDC Seasons.

What you may take

One lone black bear

If you're drawn, your limit is one lone black bear of either sex — a male or a female, as long as it's by itself. A bear traveling with other bears, a mother (sow) with cubs, or a bear in its den is off limits.

Read this twice

Rules that trip people up

Call 800-668-4045 before hunting each day for quota and closure status; a zone may close the day after harvest hits 80% of its quota.
Lone bears only — never a bear with other bears, a sow with cubs, or a denned bear.
Hunter orange is required the whole season, even for archers.
Submit a premolar tooth within 10 days of a successful hunt.
No bait, dogs, electronic calls, lights, or night vision.
Bear gallbladders may never be bought, sold, or given away.

Call the quota hotline first — every day. Each morning, call 800-668-4045 to hear whether your zone is still open. If it has hit its quota, it can close the next day, and hunting a closed zone is illegal.

Permits

Bear permit

Permit	Resident	Nonresident	Nonres. landowner	Youth
Black Bear Draw only. Apply May 1–31 with a $10 application fee; resident landowner price applies to qualifying landowners.	$25	—	$25	—

Resident landowners get no-cost deer and turkey permits on their own land. Full list: MDC Hunting Permits.

Tag & report

After a successful bear hunt

Telecheck is how you report a deer, turkey, bear, or elk after you take it — by 10 p.m. that day, online, by phone, or on the free MO Hunting app.

Species	Right away	Report / check	Keep with the meat
Black bear	Notch your permit and Telecheck	Telecheck by 10 p.m.; submit a premolar tooth within 10 days	Keep the confirmation number

How to Telecheck: MDC Tagging & Telecheck.

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