3 CSR 10- 7.433: Deer: Firearms Hunting Seasons

(1) The firearms deer hunting season is comprised of seven (7) portions. 

  (A) Antlerless portions: October 10 through 12, 2025, and December 6 through 14, 2025; use any legal deer hunting method to take antlerless deer in Adair, Audrain, Barry, Barton, Bates, Benton, Bollinger, Boone, Buchanan, Caldwell, Callaway, Camden, Cape Girardeau, Carroll, Cass, Cedar, Chariton, Christian, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Cole, Cooper, Crawford, Dade, Dallas, Daviess, DeKalb, Dent, Douglas, Franklin, Gasconade, Gentry, Greene, Grundy, Harrison, Henry, Hickory, Howard, Howell, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Laclede, Lafayette, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Linn, Livingston, Macon, Madison, Maries, Marion, McDonald, Mercer, Miller, Moniteau, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Newton, Oregon, Osage, Ozark, Perry, Pettis, Phelps, Pike, Platte, Polk, Pulaski, Putnam, Ralls, Randolph, Ray, Reynolds, Ripley, Saline, Schuyler, Scotland, Shannon, Shelby, St. Charles, St. Clair, St. Francois, St. Louis, Ste. Genevieve, Stone, Sullivan, Taney, Texas, Vernon, Warren, Washington, Webster, Worth, and Wright counties.

  (B) Youth portions: November 1 through 2, 2025, and November 28 through 30, 2025; for persons at least six (6) but not older than fifteen (15) years of age on the opening day of the early youth portion; use any legal deer hunting method to take deer statewide.

  (C) November portion: November 15 through 25, 2025; use any legal deer hunting method to take deer statewide.

  (D) CWD portion: November 26 through 30, 2025; use any legal deer hunting method to take deer in Adair, Barry, Barton, Bollinger, Caldwell, Callaway, Camden, Cape Girardeau, Carroll, Cedar, Chariton, Christian, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Crawford, Dallas, Daviess, Franklin, Gasconade, Greene, Grundy, Harrison, Henry, Hickory, Howell, Jasper, Jefferson, Knox, Laclede, Linn, Livingston, Macon, Madison, Marion, McDonald, Mercer, Miller, Moniteau, Montgomery, Morgan, Oregon, Ozark, Pemiscot, Perry, Polk, Pulaski, Putnam, Ralls, Ray, Ripley, Schuyler, St. Charles, St. Clair, St. Francois, St. Louis, Ste. Genevieve, Stone, Sullivan, Taney, Texas, Vernon, Warren, and Washington counties. 

  (E) Alternative methods portion: December 27, 2025, through January 6, 2026; use muzzleloader and archery methods, crossbows, atlatl, handguns, and air-powered guns as defined in 3 CSR 10-7.431 to take deer statewide. 

(2) Firearms Deer Hunting Permits. 

(A) Resident or Nonresident Firearms Any-Deer Hunting Permit: valid for one (1) deer statewide, except that only antlerless deer may be taken during the antlerless portions of the season. 

(B) Resident or Nonresident Firearms Antlerless Deer Hunting Permit: valid for one (1) antlerless deer in any open county. Persons may purchase any number of these permits and fill them where valid. A Nonresident Firearms Any-Deer Hunting Permit, Nonresident Landowner Firearms Any-Deer Hunting Permit, or a Nonresident Managed Deer Hunting Permit must be purchased before purchasing Nonresident Firearms Antlerless Deer Hunting Permits.

(3) Other wildlife may be hunted during the firearms deer hunting season except as further restricted in this section - 

(A) During the November portion statewide and the antlerless [and CWD] portions in open counties, other wildlife (except furbearers) may be hunted only with pistol, revolver, or rifle firing a .22 caliber or smaller rimfire cartridge, or a shotgun and shot not larger than No. 4; except that waterfowl hunters, trappers, or landowners on their land may use other methods as specified in 3 CSR 10-7.410(1)(G); and except that elk hunters may use other methods as specified in 3 CSR 10-7.700(4) during the firearms portion of the elk season;

(B) During the November portion statewide and the antlerless [and CWD] portions in open counties, furbearers may be hunted within the established furbearer hunting seasons during daylight hours using any legal deer hunting method by persons holding an unfilled Firearms Deer hunting permit, and - 

1. A Resident Small Game Hunting Permit; or 

2. A Nonresident Furbearer Hunting and Trapping Permit; 

(C) Furbearers may not be chased, pursued, or taken with the aid of dogs during daylight hours from November 1 through the end of the November portion statewide and the antlerless [and CWD] portions in open counties; and 

(D) Squirrels and rabbits may not be chased, pursued, or taken with the aid of dogs during daylight hours of the November portion in Butler, Carter, Dent, Iron, Madison, Oregon, Reynolds, Ripley, Shannon, and Wayne counties. 

(4) Feral hogs may be taken in any number during the firearms deer hunting season as follows: 

(A) Hunters must possess a valid small game hunting or unfilled firearms deer hunting permit and abide by the methods of pursuit allowed for deer as well as any other restrictions that may apply on specific public areas; 

(B) During the November portion statewide and the antlerless [and CWD] portions in open counties - 

1. Firearms deer permittees may only use methods allowed for deer; 

2. Small game permittees may only use pistol, revolver, or rifle firing a .22 caliber or smaller rimfire cartridge, or a shotgun with shot not larger than No. 4; and 

3. Dogs may not be used; 

(C) During the youth and alternative methods portions statewide - 

1. Deer permittees may only use methods allowed for deer; and 

2. Small game permittees may only use methods allowed for small game; 

(D) Resident landowners on qualifying land are not required to have any permit and may use any method to take feral hogs throughout the year.

AUTHORITY: sections 40 and 45 of Art. IV, Mo. Const., and section 252.040, RSMo 2016.* Original rule filed April 29, 2004, effective May 15, 2004. For intervening history, please consult the Code of State Regulations. Amended: Filed December 12, 2025.

PUBLIC ENTITY COST: This proposed amendment will not cost state agencies or political subdivisions more than five hundred dollars ($500) in the aggregate. 

PRIVATE ENTITY COST: This proposed amendment will not cost private entities more than five hundred dollars ($500) in the aggregate.

NOTICE TO SUBMIT COMMENTS: Anyone may file a statement in support of or in opposition to this proposed amendment with Regulations Committee Chairman, Department of Conservation, P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180, or via the department’s website at https://short.mdc.mo.gov/Z49. To be considered, comments must be received within thirty (30) days after publication of this notice in the Missouri Register. No public hearing is scheduled.