Hunting Regulations in Missouri

Missouri requires a base Resident Hunting Permit ($7), then separate Deer/Turkey Permit ($19 each). Antlerless tags available by quota. Federal Duck Stamp and HIP for waterfowl. Furbearer permit for trapping. Residents 65+ and under 16 may qualify for reduced fees. Migratory Bird Hunting Permit for doves.

Source: Missouri Department of Conservation (mdc.mo.gov). Last updated: 2026-03-05. Regulations may have changed — always verify with the official agency.

Missouri is one of America's premier hunting states, combining exceptional deer and turkey hunting with outstanding small game and waterfowl opportunities. The state's diverse landscape — rolling Ozark hills, Missouri River floodplains, and southwestern prairies — creates habitat for an impressive array of game species. Missouri's deer herd ranks among the top five in the nation for total harvest, with quality management practices producing big-antlered bucks, particularly in the river-bottom agricultural areas of the north and southeast.

Spring turkey hunting in Missouri is outstanding, with the state's population density among the highest in the Midwest. The Ozark region's mixed hardwood forests provide ideal habitat for Eastern wild turkeys, and Missouri is often called the 'turkey capital of America.' Dove hunting in September over sunflower and milo fields is a beloved late-summer tradition. Waterfowl hunting along the Mississippi and Missouri River corridors provides excellent opportunities for divers, mallards, and Canada geese during peak migration in November and December.

Best Times to Hunt in Missouri

🎯 Expert Hunting Tips for Missouri

• Hunt the Mingo National Wildlife Refuge near Puxico during firearms deer season — the flooded swamp habitat in this southeastern Missouri bottomland concentrates deer on dry ridges and roads.
• For spring turkey, work the Big River WMA in St. Francois County — Ozark gobblers respond aggressively to calling in the rugged creek drainages and oak ridges in late April.
• Target mallards at Fountain Grove Conservation Area near Chillicothe during November — the managed wetlands attract thousands of ducks during peak migration in the Missouri River bottoms.
• Dove hunt near sunflower fields in Linn County in early September — the northern Missouri agricultural region produces consistent early season flights before birds move south.