Missouri Hunting

One-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset

Centerfire rifles or handguns using expanding-type bullets such as lead or copper

• Shotguns with slugs only
• Air-powered guns, .40 caliber or larger, charged only from an external high-compression power source (external hand pump, air tank, or air compressor)
• Muzzleloading or cap-and-ball firearms, .40 caliber or larger and capable of firing only a single projectile at one discharge. In-lines and scopes are allowed.
• Multiple-barreled muzzleloading or cap-and-ball firearms and/or muzzleloading or cap-and-ball handguns, including revolvers, .40 caliber or larger, are allowed and may be carried in addition to a muzzleloading or cap-and-ball rifle.
• Longbows, compound bows, and recurve bows. Hand-held string-releasing devices, illuminated sights, scopes, and quickpoint sights are allowed.
• Crossbows

Black bear hunting permits are allocated through a random drawing. You must be a Missouri resident to apply.

• The application period is May 1–31. Results are available beginning July 1.
• It costs $10 to apply. This fee is nonrefundable.
• You must apply for a specific Black Bear Management Zone.
• You may submit only one application per year. Only one hunter is allowed per application.
• You cannot transfer (give) your permit to another hunter. Please do not apply if you won’t be able to hunt.
• To apply, visit mdc.mo.gov/buypermits.

One black bear of either sex.

You must wear hunter orange if:

• You are hunting any species of game during firearms deer season. Some exceptions are allowed.
• You are hunting on an area that is having a managed firearms deer hunt.
• You are serving as a mentor to another hunter during firearms deer season or while on an area that is having a managed firearms deer hunt.
• You must wear both a hunter-orange hat and a hunter-orange shirt, vest, or coat. The color must be visible from all sides. Camouflage orange does not satisfy this rule.
• You don’t have to wear hunter orange if:
• You are hunting migratory game birds.
• You are archery hunting within municipal boundaries where the discharge of firearms is prohibited.
• You are hunting on federal or state land where deer hunting is restricted to archery methods.
• You are using an archery permit during the alternative methods portion.
• You are archery or small game hunting in a closed county during the antlerless portion.
• You are hunting small game or furbearers during the alternative methods portion.

You may take only two antlered deer during the archery and firearms deer hunting seasons combined.

• Hunters using an archery permit may take only one antlered deer before the November portion of firearms deer hunting season.
• Only one antlered deer may be taken during firearms deer hunting season (all portions combined).
• Deer taken at a managed hunt do not count toward your firearms or archery season limits.

One-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset

Using an archer’s hunting permit, two deer of either sex, but only one antlered deer before Nov. 12.

• You may take only two antlered deer during the archery and firearms deer hunting seasons combined.
• An antler-point restriction (APR) applies in some counties.
• Using antlerless permits, any number of antlerless deer in open counties.

Only one antlered deer may be taken during the firearms deer season (all portions combined).

• You may take only two antlered deer during the archery and firearms deer hunting seasons combined.
• An antler-point restriction (APR) applies in some counties. Hunters who are 15 years or younger on Sept. 15, 2022, are exempt from the APR.
• Each county has a limit on the number of firearms antlerless deer hunting permits you may fill during firearms deer season (all portions combined).

You may harvest only antlerless deer during this portion of firearms deer season.

• Some counties are closed to firearms hunting during this portion. The remaining counties have limits on the number of firearms antlerless deer hunting permits you may fill during firearms deer season (all portions combined).

During the firearms portion of the elk hunting season, all persons hunting elk and their companions must wear a cap or hat and a shirt, vest, or coat of the color commonly known as hunter orange, which must be plainly visible from all sides. Camouflage orange garments do not meet this requirement.

One-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset

Elk hunting permits are allocated through a random drawing.

Archery Portion

• Longbows, compound bows, or recurve bows of any draw weight
• Crossbows
• Atlatls
• Hand-held string releasing devices, illuminated sights, scopes, and quickpoint sights

Firearms Portion

• Centerfire rifles or handguns using expanding-type bullets such as lead or copper
• Shotguns (including .410) with slugs only
• Air-powered guns, .40 caliber or larger, charged only from an external high-compression power source (external hand pump, air tank, or air compressor)
• Muzzleloading or cap-and-ball firearms, .40 caliber or larger and capable of firing only a single projectile at one discharge. In-lines and scopes are allowed.
• Multiple-barreled muzzleloading or cap-and-ball firearms and/or muzzleloading or cap-and-ball handguns, including revolvers, .40 caliber or larger, are allowed and may be carried in addition to a muzzleloading or cap-and-ball rifle.
• Longbows, compound bows, and recurve bows of any draw weight. Hand-held string-releasing devices, illuminated sights, scopes, and quickpoint sights are allowed.
• Crossbows
• Atlatls

One elk with at least one antler no less than 6 inches in length

One-half hour before sunrise to sunset

25 daily (combined total of both species)

8 daily

3 daily

Mourning doves, white-winged doves, and Eurasian collared-doves count toward daily and possession limits.

• The daily bag limit is 15 doves, combined total of all three species.
• The possession limit is 45 doves, combined total of all three species.

Daily bag limit: 6 (only 2 may be swamp rabbits) Possession bag limit: 12 (only 4 may be swamp rabbits)

• Only male pheasants may be taken. A foot or fully feathered head must be left attached to pheasants during transportation and storage.
• Youth Season – Daily bag limit: 2 male pheasants Possession bag limit: 4 male pheasants Open to hunters age 6 through 15. Youth hunters who are not hunter-education certified must hunt in the immediate presence of a properly licensed mentor; however, the mentor may not hunt pheasants.
• Regular Season – Daily bag limit: 2 male pheasants Possession bag limit: 4 male pheasants

Sunrise to sunset

Daily bag limit: 8 Possession bag limit: 16

Daily bag limit: 10 Possession bag limit: 20

Daily bag limit: 8 Only the daily limit may be possessed on waters and banks of waters being hunted. Possession bag limit: 16 Methods: .22 or smaller caliber rimfire rifle or pistol, pellet gun, bow, crossbow, atlatl, or by hand or hand net.

Daily bag limit: Any number Possession bag limit: Any number

Daily bag limit: Any number Possession bag limit: Any number Note: Groundhog pelts can be possesed and sold throughout the year.

• Shotguns (including .410) with shot not larger than No. 4
• Longbows, compound bows, and recurve bows of any draw weight
• Crossbows
• Hand-held string-releasing devices
• Illuminated sights, scopes, and quickpoint sights
• Atlatls

Two turkeys of either sex. May be taken on same day

One-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset

Six ducks daily with species restrictions of:

• Four mallards (no more than two hens)
• Three wood ducks
• Two black ducks
• Two canvasbacks
• Two hooded mergansers
• Two redheads
• Two scaup (greater and lesser combined)
• One mottled duck
• One pintail

15 coots daily, 20 light geese daily (snow, blue, and Ross’s geese)

Three Canada geese and brant daily (combined total of both species)

Two white-fronted geese daily

Possession limits are three times the daily bag limits for ducks, coots, Canada geese, brant, and white-fronted geese. Light geese have no possession limit.

During the Conservation Order there is no daily bag or possession limit for light geese (snow, blue, and Ross’s geese).

For the first 45 days of the season in each zone, you may include two scaup (both species combined) in your daily limit. For the last 15 days of the season in each zone, you may include only one scaup in your daily limit. Possession limits also follow this pattern.

Sunrise to sunset

Shot (either in shotshells or as loose shot for muzzleloading) possessed or used while hunting waterfowl must be approved as nontoxic by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. As of June 2022, shot types approved as being nontoxic are:

• Bismuth-tin
• Copper-clad iron
• Corrosion-inhibited copper
• Iron (steel)
• Iron-tungsten
• Iron-tungsten-nickel
• Tungsten-bronze (two types)
• Tungsten-iron-copper-nickel
• Tungsten-iron-polymer
• Tungsten-matrix
• Tungsten-polymer
• Tungsten-tin-bismuth
• Tungsten-tin-iron
• Tungsten-tin-iron-nickel