Deer season regulation changes now in place

Special to the Daily Mail

There have certainly been some good discussions regarding proposed deer regulation changes in Missouri over the last couple of years, and this year has been no exception.

While it's difficult to get everyone to agree on how Missouri's deer season regulations should be set, one thing is for certain: deer season in Missouri is a big deal. So, with firearms deer season nearly here, local conservation officials want to take this opportunity to provide local deer hunters with some valuable information regarding deer hunting, particularly on Missouri Department of Conservation lands.

Hunters continue to see more liberalized deer seasons, unlimited antlerless permits in most counties, a longer archery season and more, due to a large deer population.

This has served to provide great opportunity for Missouri's deer hunters. However, there is a growing concern among some hunters and biologists that the high and unlimited utilization of public areas may result in over-harvest on some of the MDC areas. In order to minimize the potential for this, along with diversifying hunting opportunity, the MDC has made deer hunting regulation changes on some of the Conservation Areas. Conservation workers hope these changes will help to effectively manage the deer population while promoting a higher quality of hunting opportunity. Some of the changes will also improve safety for area users. This is particularly true on some of the smaller Conservation Areas where hunting has been restricted to archery methods only.

A few changes have been made for Vernon and Bates counties, and all are reflected in the 2005 Fall Deer and Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information pamphlet that the MDC puts out annually. This free publication is available at any Missouri hunting license vendor, the August A. Busch, Jr. Memorial Wetlands at Four Rivers Conservation Area office, the Schell-Osage office, or the MDC El Dorado Springs office.

Changes that have occurred locally will affect Ripgut Prairie Natural Area, 280 acres, in Bates County, and Big Drywood Conservation Area, Flight Lake Conservation Area and Gamma Grass Prairie Conservation Area in Vernon County. Hunters should consult the pamphlet for detailed information regarding specific regulations for each of these areas, and those who plan to hunt on MDC managed land should check the regulations annually in order to be aware of any changes that may have occurred.

"It's also important to keep in mind that public areas can become crowded and you should always keep safety as your top priority. Make sure that you always look beyond your target!" said Chris Daniel, MDC wildlife management biologist.

For more detailed information regarding MDC areas, visit the MDC Web site address at http://www.mdc.state.mo.us/ or contact Daniel,at the August A. Busch, Jr. Memorial Wetlands at Four Rivers Conservation Area, (417) 395-2341.