A successful hunting trip involves planning, scouting, and patience. Missouri offers a variety of hunting opportunities to hone your skills.
If you plan to hunt with a firearm, you will need to complete a hunter education course before you can buy a permit. If you plan to bow hunt, MDC offers optional bow hunter education.
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Are you interested in small game hunting but don't know where to start? Join us in a mentored squirrel hunting activity!
Mentors will be there to give participants hands on assistance the entire time, and a classroom session beforehand to learn the regulations.
Firearms and ammunition will be provided but participants can also bring their own supplies.
Make sure to dress appropriately for the weather, bug spray and water will be available.
You can expect to learn squirrel harvesting and processing skills then squirrel preparation and cooking skills!
This skills session will satisfy part two of the Missouri Hunter Education requirements.
To enter the session, you must complete the knowledge portion and provide proof of completion by presenting either a qualifier certificate or a completed hunter education student manual the day of the event.
All students must provide proof of identification and age.
The final exam will be administered at the end of the skills session.
Please arrive a minimum of 15 minutes before the beginning of the class to complete registration; late arrivals will not be admitted so please arrive early. In the event of a cancellation, you will be contacted by email and/or phone.
Note: Students 16 and older who have successfully completed the all-online Hunter Education course do not need to attend an in-person skills session.
The knowledge portion requirement can easily be achieved by reading and completing the chapter review questions in the Missouri hunter education manual and bringing the completed manual with you to a skills session you have registered to attend. To receive a FREE manual, please request one online at https://huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/hunter-education-skills-training/hunter-ed-study-guide-order-form or call 417-895-6880, M-F, 8am to 5pm to have one mailed to you.
If you have any questions, please contact the lead instructor listed for this session.
Thank you.
Learn the basics of squirrel hunting and have a chance to practice target shooting with an air rifle afterwards. All equipment and ammo will be provided for the shooting portion.
No personal firearms allowed.
Hunting Series: Hunting Deer on MDC Conservation Areas in the Missouri Ozarks. The first virtual program "Scouting MDC Areas Using Online Mapping" will be on Wednesday, September 30 from 5:30-6:30 PM. MDC Wildlife Biologist Matthew Peter will help hunters scout from their electronic device using MDC website to obtain higher percentage success rate within MDC conservation areas. The link to join this class will be sent by 1 PM the afternoon of Sept. 30th (registration will close at 1 PM). Be sure to check your Spam or Junk box for the email. If an email is not received, please send an email to Dwight.Warnke@mdc.mo.gov to let him know.
Hunt Program Series:
Wed. 9/30 5:30-6:30 PM: Virtual Program: Deer Scouting Using Online Mapping
Mon. 10/5 5:30-6:30 PM: Virtual Program: On the Ground Scouting & Stand Placement at MDC C.A.
Tues. 10/13 5:30-6:30 PM: Virtual Program: Pre Rut Deer Sign
Wed. 10/21 5:30-6:30 PM: Virtual Program: Movement Patterns of the Rut
Mon. 11/30 5:30-6:30 PM: Virtual Program: Post Rut and Winter Deer Hunting
A harvested deer can be much more than what's on the dinner table. Discover the skills and traditions behind using more of the animal, such as the hide, bones, and fat, to turn your harvest into useful, durable products with MDC and Outdoor Skills of America, Inc.
In this 1.5 hour overview, we'll explore several traditional ways to put more of a deer to work. See how leg bones can become functional knives and awls using materials such as sinew, pine pitch, and hide glue. Learn how deer fat can be rendered into tallow for candles, body butter, heel balm, and fire starters. We'll also explore the process of turning a deer hide into durable rawhide and buckskin and discuss how hides have been used for clothing, containers, tools, and other everyday items.
Along the way, we'll talk about the science, history, and practical skills behind processing these materials, from cleaning and preparing bones to rendering fat and preparing hides for tanning and smoking.
Whether you're a new hunter, an experienced outdoorsperson, a DIY enthusiast, or simply interested in getting more use from what you harvest, this class is about looking at the whole deer differently. Come learn how traditional skills can turn what might otherwise be discarded into useful things you can make, use, and pass on.
Rescheduled due to rain on original date of September 16th. Registration is encouraged but not required to attend.
Atlatls are a unique and primitive hunting tool that is still used today. They are important for preserving the past culture of all people and show us a way to connect with our ancestors 15,000 years ago. Note: All equipment will be provided by the Missouri Department of Conservation. Please note the minimum age is 10 due to the nature of having the strength and control of throwing a dart with an atlatl. Not recommended for adults with shoulder or back injuries.
This skills session will satisfy Part Two of Missouri Hunter Education requirements. To obtain hunter education certification you must have completed Part One (online, self-study, or classroom session) and bring along your skills session qualifier certificate or student manual with the review questions completed. Parents or guardians are welcome to attend with their child and do not need to register. Participant registration required. Ages 11+. The final exam will be administered at the end of the skills session.
Please arrive a minimum of 15 minutes before the beginning of the class to complete registration; late arrivals will not be admitted so please arrive early. In the event of cancellation, you will be contacted by email and/or phone.
Note: Students who are 16+ and have completed the all-online Hunter Education course are certified and do not need to attend an in-person skills session.
If you would like to take a comprehensive look at different types of rifles and optics, matching ammunition to your rifle, sighting in a rifle, rifling and rifle shooting techniques come to this course and learn. Participants will attend a presentation and then have an opportunity to handle different rifles and find out about hunting opportunities.
Ages 11+.
Hunting Series: Hunting Deer on MDC Conservation Areas in the Missouri Ozarks. This is the second virtual program "On the Ground Scouting & Stand Placement at MDC Conservation Areas" and will be on Monday, October 5 from 5:30-6:30 PM. MDC Wildlife Biologist Matthew Peter will take information gathered from online maps and confirm with on the ground visits and selecting best sites for stand placement based on actual deer activity. The link to join this class will be sent by 1 PM the afternoon of Oct. 5th (registration will close at 1 PM). Be sure to check your Spam or Junk box for the email. If an email is not received, please send an email to Dwight.Warnke@mdc.mo.gov to let him know.
Hunt Program Series:
Wed. 9/30 5:30-6:30 PM: Virtual Program: Deer Scouting Using Online Mapping (we hope you were able to attend)
Mon. 10/5 5:30-6:30 PM: Virtual Program: On the Ground Scouting & Stand Placement at MDC C.A.
Tues. 10/13 5:30-6:30 PM: Virtual Program: Pre Rut Deer Sign
Wed. 10/21 5:30-6:30 PM: Virtual Program: Movement Patterns of the Rut
Mon. 11/30 5:30-6:30 PM: Virtual Program: Post Rut and Winter Deer Hunting