MDC

2011-2012 Managed Hunts

Missouri offers numerous managed deer hunts for archery, crossbow, muzzleloading and modern firearms from mid-September through January.

These hunts achieve deer management goals while also providing additional hunting opportunity. Hunters are selected by a weighted random drawing system.

Note: Participants in all managed hunts except those limited to archery or crossbow methods must wear hunter orange.

Points to remember

• Visit the Managed Deer Hunt page for a summary of how many people applied for last year’s hunts and how many deer were taken.
• If you cannot attend, another hunter cannot take your place. Only those hunters who applied and were drawn may attend.
• Some hunts require hunters to attend a pre-hunt orientation. If you cannot attend the orientation, do not apply for these hunts.
• If you have a medical exemption, you may use a crossbow in an archery hunt.
• If you apply as one of a party on the application card or as an individual, your chances of being drawn for a managed deer hunt are the same as everyone else’s.
• Individuals not drawn may not accompany a hunter who was successfully drawn.
• ATVs are prohibited.
• If you are not drawn for a managed hunt this year, you will earn one preference point that will increase your odds the next time you apply.

Limits

A single Managed Deer Hunting Permit allows each hunter to take the number of deer allowed at the hunt he or she is attending. Some hunts allow one deer, others two and some three.

Note: Deer taken at a managed deer hunt do not count toward the regular season bag limit.

Valid permits

• Resident or Nonresident Managed Deer Hunting Permit.
• Note: Permits are available to successful applicants beginning Sept. 14 anywhere permits are sold.

When to apply

• July 1–Aug. 15

Who can apply

If applying for a youth-only hunt, youths must be 11 or older by the date of the hunt. Youths may apply singly or with one other youth hunter, but not as a group. If applying for all other hunts, hunters may apply individually or as a group of up to six hunters.

For how many hunts can a hunter apply?

A hunter may apply for only one managed hunt a year. Hunters who apply for more than one will be disqualified from this year’s drawing and will not receive a preference point.

To apply as a party, complete the following steps

STEP 1: Designate one member of your group to go to the "Apply for Managed Deer Hunts" application listed under "MDC Applications" below. That person must have the following information:

• The two- or three-digit number for the preferred hunt
• The nine-digit Conservation I.D. number of each hunter in the group. If you need an I.D. number, call (573) 751-4115 during regular business hours to have one assigned.

Note: A Social Security number is not the same as a Conservation ID number. Your Conservation ID number is located on your Conservation Heritage Card and on your permit.

STEP 2: Complete the following worksheet before going online.

Managed Deer Hunt Application Work Sheet

Hunt No.: ___ ___ ___

Method: ______________________________________

Location: _____________________________________

Date: ______________________

Hunter Conservation I.D. Number(s) (nine-digit number on your hunting or fishing permit, or on the back of your Conservation Heritage Card below the bar code) Use the same number you used last year.:

1. ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ 4. ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

2. ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ 5. ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

3. ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ 6. ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

STEP 3: Go to the "Apply for Managed Deer Hunts" application listed under "MDC Applications" below and enter your prepared information. If you have correctly entered all the required information, you will see or hear a message confirming your application.

STEP 4: Write down your confirmation number and save it for reference.

To find out if you’ve been selected

From Sept. 14 through Dec. 31, go to "Managed Deer Hunt Results" listed below. Be prepared to enter your nine-digit Conservation I.D. number (the same I.D. number you used when you applied). You also must provide your same Conservation I.D. number when you buy your Managed Deer Hunting Permit.

All successful applicants will receive in the mail an area map and other information regarding the hunt. If your address has changed since applying, contact your local Department office during regular business hours.

Note: The odds of drawing a particular hunt are also available on the Conservation website.

Wheelchair-confined hunters

Any hunter permanently confined to a wheelchair is automatically allowed to participate in managed deer hunts at:

• August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area
• Burr Oak Woods Conservation Area
• Caney Mountain Conservation Area
• Clarence Cannon National Wildlife Refuge
• Drury-Mincy Conservation Area
• Fleming Park (east side) (maximum of three wheelchair hunters)
• James A. Reed Wildlife Area
• Mingo National Wildlife Refuge (maximum of five wheelchair hunters)
• Peck Ranch Conservation Area
• Prairie Fork Creek Conservation Area

These hunts are part of the Managed Deer Hunt Program but are not limited to disabled hunters. Mail a written request by Aug. 15 indicating hunt preference along with a physician’s statement to the Jefferson City address, Attn: Managed Deer Hunts.

Each disabled hunter may be accompanied by a care-giver while hunting, but that person may not hunt unless he or she had applied and was drawn for the same hunt. Wheelchair-confined hunters may participate in more than one Managed Deer Hunt, but must purchase a Managed Deer Hunt Permit for each hunt they participate.

Youth-only managed hunts

There are 11 youth-only managed deer hunts for ages 11 through 15. Application and notification processes for 10 of the 11 hunts are the same as for regular managed hunts except that youth hunters may only apply individually or with one other youth hunter. All successful applicants will be notified by mail. Youths who apply for a youth-only hunt may not also apply for a “regular” managed deer hunt.

Those drawn to participate must: 

• Purchase a Resident or Nonresident Managed Deer Hunting Permit.
• Be accompanied by an adult sponsor (age 18 or older) who is hunter-education certified or exempt, and has a filled or unfilled firearms deer hunting permit;
• Attend a pre-hunt orientation with their adult sponsor at some locations; and
• Obtain hunter-education certification before the managed hunt or pre-hunt orientation.

Note: Hunter-education certification is not required to apply for a managed hunt, but must be achieved before the hunt. Minimum age to enroll in a hunter-education course is 11. Adult sponsors born before Jan. 1, 1967, are exempt from the hunter-education requirement.

Managed Deer Hunt Application

Apply to participate in one of the managed deer hunts.

Managed Deer Hunt Results

Check here starting September 12 to see if you have been drawn for a managed hunt.

Elk or White-Tailed Deer?

This full-color, two-page flyer in PDF format helps those participating in Peck Ranch CA managed deer hunts tell the difference between elk and white-tailed deer.