Hunting

Hunting in Missouri, in plain English

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 are the final word. Our one-line promise: Missouri Porch explains; the MDC decides.

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.

Start here

New to it? Start here

Hunting in Missouri, explained The whole picture in five minutes: permits, seasons, and the rules everyone follows. 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) It sounds backwards — here's why MDC asks you to report, not shoot.

Before you hunt

Missouri Porch explains; the MDC decides.

Data current for the 2026 / 2026–27 season. Last checked against MDC: 2026-06-18. Dates, prices, quotas, and county rules change every year. Confirm with MDC before you hunt.

This is a plain-English summary, not the law. Always check the current MDC regulations before you hunt. As MDC puts it, the booklet is NOT a legal document and regulations are subject to revision during the year.

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