Possessing, Transporting and Storing Wildlife

You can possess and transport wildlife as part of your personal baggage. It may be stored at your home, camp, place of lodging or in a commercial establishment. If you store wildlife other than deer or turkey taken in Missouri, it must have the owner’s full name, address, permit number, species and the date it was placed in storage. If you transport wildlife, it must have the full name, address and permit number of the taker and the date it was taken. Commercially processed deer must be claimed or stored by the owner by May 1 following the season taken or the owner shall be in violation.

Deer and turkey taken in Missouri must be labeled with the full name and address of the taker, the date taken and the Telecheck confirmation number.

Unless federal regulations prohibit, you may buy, sell or barter feathers, squirrel pelts, rabbit pelts, groundhog pelts, turkey bones, turkey heads, deer heads, antlers, hides or feet. They must be accompanied by a bill of sale showing the seller’s full name, address and the number and species of the parts, and the full name and address of the buyer. Wildlife and wildlife parts, after mounting or tanning, also may be bought and sold.

People who receive or purchase deer heads or antlers attached to the skull plate must keep the bill of sale as long as the heads or antlers are in their possession. The bill of sale must include the transaction date and a signed statement from the sellers attesting that the deer heads and antlers were, to their knowledge, taken legally.