The state’s firearms portion of deer season gets underway Saturday – marking the 75th anniversary of the popular activity in the Show-Me State. Thousands of hunters are expected to get an early start tomorrow. Joe Jerek with the Missouri Department of Conservation says the firearms portion of deer season begins 30 minutes before sunrise each day.
White-Tailed deer (photo courtesy; Missouri Department of Conservation/Noppadol Paothong)
“The opening weekend of the November portion of firearms deer hunting season, that is probably, if not definitely, the most popular weekend. We get about a third of our total deer harvest that weekend alone,” says Jerek.
The season runs November 16-26 and travelers should expect an increase of deer on the move along roadways.
The cooler weather should lead to more movement of deer in the woods, which means better chances of bagging that prized buck.
“This cold, crisp weather should be great for deer hunting,” says Jerek. “For example, a couple of weeks ago when we got that first cold snap, that was our early youth portion weekend of firearms deer season. The harvest results were up by several thousand over last year when the weather was a bit warmer.”
Jerek reminds hunters to wear hunter orange and to be careful setting up and using tree stands.
The state has reduced the number of Chronic Wasting Disease Management Zones to 29 counties. For a complete list of the affected counties, click here.
By Bill Wise and Alisa Nelson
Copyright © 2019 · Missourinet
