CWD Management Permit Program

To better align with program goals and landowner participation trends, we are implementing the following changes to the Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Management Permit process for the upcoming season:

1. Reduction in Number of Permits Issued per Property

  • Previous Limit: Up to 10 CWD Management Permits per property.
  • New Limit: Reduced to 5 permits per property.

Rationale:
An analysis of permit usage shows that only approximately 6% of participating properties utilized 5 or more permits in the last season. Reducing the number of available permits better aligns with landowner’s needs.

2. Discontinuation of the $75 Reimbursement for Processing Costs

  • Previous: Hunters who harvested a deer using a CWD Management permit and had that deer sampled for CWD could request a $75 reimbursement.
  • New: Reimbursements are no longer available beginning this season.

Rationale:
Last year, only 32% of hunters who filled permits requested the reimbursement. In addition, public perception of the reimbursement program has shifted. Increasingly, it is being misinterpreted as payment for deer removal rather than compensation for processing expenses. This misunderstanding has the potential to erode public trust in the program and the Department’s broader CWD management efforts. Discontinuing reimbursements helps to clarify the intent of the program and reinforces its emphasis on disease management, not incentivized harvest.

CWD Management Permits for Landowners in Core Areas

To help manage Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in Missouri, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) offers no-cost CWD Management Permits to eligible landowners in designated CWD Core Areas—locations within approximately one to two miles of a confirmed CWD case.

Who is eligible?
Landowners with at least 5 contiguous acres within a CWD Core Area may receive up to FIVE CWD Management Permits to use during the archery and firearms deer hunting seasons (Sept. 15–Jan. 15). These permits may be used by the landowner or designated to other hunters.

Purpose of CWD Management Permits
These permits provide an opportunity for landowners and their designated hunters to take a more active role in controlling the spread of CWD by harvesting additional deer from affected areas.

Important notes

  • CWD Management Permits are valid only on the specific property listed on the landowner’s MDC postcard.
  • All hunters using CWD Management Permits must also possess a valid deer hunting permit for the season and follow all applicable seasonal methods and regulations.
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Questions and Answers

No. While both efforts support Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) management, they are separate programs with different timelines and requirements.

  • CWD Management Permits are valid only during deer season (Sept. 15–Jan. 15) and require hunters to follow all seasonal methods and regulations.
  • Targeted Removal takes place after deer season ends (Jan. 16–Mar. 15) and requires a separate authorization from MDC to remove deer outside the regular hunting season.

Learn more about post-season targeted removal.

NOTE: You need to be an eligible landowner with a valid landowner ID. 

Step 1: Application

  • Notification: Eligible landowners will receive a postcard from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) prior to deer season with details about how to apply.
  • How to Apply:
    Applications must be submitted online using the CWD Management Permit Application.
  • Important: Incomplete applications will delay processing. Be sure to provide all required information.

Step 2: Processing

  • Online Applications: May take up to two weeks to process. Submit at least two weeks before your intended hunt date.
  • Timing: Applications are accepted at any time during deer season.

Step 3: Obtaining Your Permit(s)
(Only available after your application has been processed.)

Permits can be obtained through the standard permit distribution channels:

  • MO Hunting app
  • MDC website
  • Authorized retailers or MDC offices

Permit Requirements:
Hunters must also possess a valid, season-specific hunting permit (filled or unfilled) for the portion of the season in which they are using a CWD Management Permit.

  • Archery Season:
    • Resident, nonresident, or landowner Archer’s Hunting Permit
    • Archery Antlerless Deer Hunting Permit
  • Firearms Season:
    • Resident, nonresident, or landowner Firearms Any-Deer Hunting Permit
    • Firearms Antlerless Deer Hunting Permit

The landowner ID is printed on the postcard. If you cannot locate your landowner ID, contact 573-522-0141 or CWDMP@mdc.mo.gov

Your Conservation Number is a unique number issued to you by MDC that is associated with your hunting permits. It can be located on: 

  • Previous permits
  • Front of the Missouri Conservation Permit Card
  • Back of the Missouri Heritage Card (below the barcode)
  • MO Hunting app

CWD Management Permits are valid only on the property or properties associated with the landowner ID provided in the application.

If a landowner owns multiple properties within the same CWD Core Area under the same landowner ID, the permits may be used on any of those qualifying properties.

If you’re unsure which properties are eligible or have questions about your landowner ID, please contact 573-522-0141 or CWDMP@mdc.mo.gov.

Before applying for a CWD Management Permit, youth hunters must first obtain a valid youth hunting permit.

No. Each CWD Management Permit is assigned to a specific hunter designated by the landowner during the application process.

Once a permit has been issued to a hunter, it cannot be transferred or reassigned to someone else. Landowners should carefully select who will receive the permits when submitting their application.

Once a CWD Management Permit application has been submitted, it cannot be edited through the website.

To add or update hunters, please contact the 573-522-0141 or CWDMP@mdc.mo.gov directly. Be sure to include the following information for each additional hunter:

  • Full name
  • Date of birth
  • Conservation Number
  • Phone number
  • Number of CWD Management Permits requested

This will help ensure accurate and timely processing of your request.

CWD Management Permits are processed in weekly batches. Applications submitted by Monday are typically processed and made available by Friday of the same week.

However, please allow up to two weeks for processing, depending on application volume.

No. CWD Management Permits are not mailed to hunters. Once your application is approved, permits can be obtained through any of the following:

  • The MDC website
  • MDC offices
  • Authorized permit retailers
  • The MO Hunting app 

Before CWD Management Permits will appear in the MO Hunting app, hunters must first have a valid permit (filled or unfilled) for the portion of the season in which they plan to hunt.

No. CWD Management Permits do not override season-specific method restrictions. Just like any other deer hunting permit, you must use only the legal hunting methods allowed for the season in which you're hunting.

No. You can use the permits in any order you choose.

Yes. If you are hunting in a county that is open during the antlerless portion of the firearms deer season, you may harvest an antlered buck while using a CWD Management Permit.

This is an exception specific to CWD Management Permits and does not apply to other permit types.