MDC

Urban Deer Hunting Resource

Missouri’s metropolitan areas are a complex mix of municipal and county governments, each with their own jurisdiction and set of laws. However, some of these governments do allow hunting within their boundaries. With a little research and hard work, metro hunters can successfully find a close-to-home hunting spot.

Where to find local ordinances

Before hunting in an urban area, check local ordinances which are usually found in the weapons section of the city’s municipal code. Key words to look for are discharging a firearm or projectile weapon, hunting, bow and arrow, archery or crossbow.

To find local ordinances, check with the city clerk or go online to the city’s website. If you have questions about an ordinance, contact the local police department. Some neighborhoods may also have rules regarding hunting within a subdivision. Check the neighborhood board of trustees for additional restrictions that may limit the use of hunting equipment.

Most cities that allow hunting restrict the methods to archery. Overall, unincorporated county ordinances allow for firearms and archery hunting with some restrictions on lot acreage.

If you live in a community with an abundance of deer, but ordinances prohibiting hunting, let your city officials know that you would like to see this ordinance changed. A good resource to share with them is the West St. Louis County Deer Task Force report and recommendations.

Urban counties portion of firearms deer season

The urban counties portion of the firearms deer season allows for the harvest of antlerless deer in certain counties. Sixteen MDC conservation areas are open during this season. However, the urban portion does not give hunters free rein to hunt anywhere in an urban county. You must abide by all local ordinances.

Where to hunt?

Several managed hunts are held in urban areas on state, county and city properties in areas where deer densities are high. See the Fall Deer and Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information booklet for details. A small number of managed hunts are administered locally. To find out about these hunts contact the urban wildlife biologist in your region or go to the Department’s websites for the Kansas City, St. Louis, Central or Southwest regions.

Finding a hunting spot on private land is somewhat more difficult. It takes determination and a lot of leg work. You must find and then convince complete strangers to allow you to hunt on their property. Knock on doors, talk to friends or relatives, ask around at local community meeting or civic clubs, visit local hardware stores and restaurants, visit places that may receive deer damage such as orchards, farms and tree nurseries.

Remember: Purchasing a hunting permit does not give you the right to trespass. Trespassing is one of the biggest complaints from landowners regarding hunters. The best rule of thumb is if you don’t own it or do not have permission from the person who does own it, you shouldn’t be there. This also includes retrieving your deer if it crosses property lines. If an injured or dead deer that you have shot has entered another person’s property, contact your local conservation agent to aid you in retrieving your deer.

Tips for Hunting on Private Land

• Purchase your own liability insurance so the landowner won’t be responsible for accidents.
• Get bow hunter education certified; show you care about improving your knowledge and skills.
• Offer to help maintain the property
• Share the venison you harvested with the property owner.
• Take does if the landowner is worried about deer damage.
• Don’t invite friends to hunt if you haven’t asked the landowner.

When Hunting in an Urban Area

• Remember, your actions may influence another’s perception of hunting and of other hunters.
• Be ethical, limit your shooting yardage, don’t trespass, and treat the land and the landowner with the utmost respect.
• Be discreet and mindful of where you place your tree stand and where you park; cover your deer with a tarp when hauling it from your stand to your vehicle.
• Clean your deer in an appropriate place and bury the gut pile.
• Carry written permission from the landowner while you are hunting.

• Hunting on Conservation Areas in Urban Counties

  Conservation Areas Open During the Urban Portion of Deer Season
  (using a firearm method)

  Region	Area Name	County	Methods Allowed
  Kansas City	Marshall CA	Platte	Archery & Muzzleloader methods only
  Kansas City	Cooley Lake CA	Clay	Archery & Muzzleloader methods only
  Central	Three Creeks CA	Boone	No antlerless permits allowed
  Central	Marion Bottoms	Cole	Statewide regulations apply
  Central	Smith CA	Cole	Archery & Muzzleloader methods only
  Central	Smokey Water CA	Cole	Statewide regulations apply
  St. Louis	Upper Mississippi Pool 26	St. Charles	Statewide regulations apply

  • Marion Bottoms and Smith CA fall within Cole and Moniteau counties. Only the Cole County portion of these conservation areas can be legally hunted with a firearm during the Urban Portion.
  • Please note Smokey Waters CA falls within Cole and Osage counties. Only the Cole portion of the conservation area can be legally hunted with a firearm during the Urban Portion.

  The following conservation areas are completely closed during the Urban Portion.

  • Amarugia Highlands CA – Cass County
  • Hart Creek CA – Boone County
  • Lick Creek – Boone County
  • Scrivner Road CA – Cole County
  • Cuivre Island  (Island Portion Only) – St. Charles
  • Little Sac Woods – Greene County

Report of the West St. Louis County Deer Task Force

The management of deer in West St. Louis County is complicated by many factors including social conflicts regarding management, prohibitive ordinances, public safety concerns, large number of landowners and managers, the mobility of deer across political and individual boundaries, and the cost and responsibility of management. Download this .pdf to learn more.