Post-Season Targeted Culling

Targeted Culling Helps Reduce the Spread of CWD

After the close of deer hunting season, MDC staff work with landowners on a voluntary basis in the immediate areas around where recent cases of CWD have been found to remove additional deer from mid-January to mid-March. Increasing the number of deer removed in areas where CWD has been found increases the chances of removing more infected deer.

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Post-season targeted culling is the only tested method of slowing the growth of CWD in a local deer population. States such as Illinois have had success in stabilizing the level of CWD in areas through targeted culling. Learn more about targeting culling in Illinois and Wisconsin.

Limiting the number of CWD-infected deer in an area also helps minimize the accumulation of CWD in the local environment.

MDC does not conduct targeted culling on a county-wide level. Targeted culling occurs in locations within 1–2 miles of CWD detections. The exact size of the culling operation depends on the number of positives detected and where they were found.

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Deer Removed During Winter Targeted Culling Operations
Location Winter 2013 Winter 2014 Winter 2015 Winter 2016 Winter 2017 Winter 2018 Winter 2019 Winter 2020 Winter 2021 Winter 2022 Total
Total 99 147 349 718 687 1440 2212 2426 2710 3070 13858
Adair Core Area --- --- 195 274 179 293 347 346 260 147 2041
Barry Core Area --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 67 67
Cedar Core Area --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 71 71
Christian Core Area --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 64 64
Cole Surveillance Zone --- --- --- 176 77 --- --- --- --- --- 253
Franklin Core Area --- --- --- 137 35 41 57 58 27 40 395
Franklin SW Core Area --- --- --- --- 98 86 178 341 289 292 1284
Howell Core Area --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 166 166
Linn South Core --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 80 77 99 256
Linn-Sullivan Core Area --- --- --- --- --- 151 186 195 223 276 1031
Macon-Linn Core Area 99 147 154 131 140 214 201 202 336 375 1999
Jefferson Core Area --- --- --- --- 158 141 121 106 246 243 1015
Mercer Core Area --- --- --- --- --- --- 175 88 112 --- 375
Oregon Core Area --- --- --- --- --- --- 286 138 160 226 810
Perry Core Area --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 27 15 5 47
Pulaski Core Area --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 152 143 295
Putnam Core Area --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 36 13 49
Putnam 2 Core Area --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 21 21
St Clair Core Area --- --- --- --- --- 409 420 376 399 404 2008
Ste Genevieve Core Area --- --- --- --- --- 105 124 200 154 263 846
Stone Core Area --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 44 16 14 74
Stone 2 Core Area --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 56 40 96
Stone-Taney Core Area --- --- --- --- --- --- 83 129 91 27 330
Taney Core Area --- --- --- --- --- --- 34 96 61 11 202
Taney 2 Core Area --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 46 46
Washington Core Area --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 17 17
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MDC Post-Season Targeted Culling Areas

Areas in red show current post-season-targeted culling locations.

Increased Landowner Harvest During Deer Season

During deer season, MDC allows for additional numbers of deer to be harvested beyond normal limits for landowners with five or more acres in core areas where CWD has been found using CWD Management Permits (CWD Management Permit FAQs | Missouri Department of Conservation (mo.gov)). While this additional harvest is helpful, the number of deer harvested by landowners through this method is not enough to limit the spread of CWD to more deer in an area or to other areas.

Targeted Culling Is Voluntary for Landowners

MDC staff always get permission from affected landowners before any targeting culling occurs. Landowners have the choice to allow or refuse targeting culling on their lands. Participating landowners either get written authorization from MDC to remove deer on their land or give permission to MDC shooting teams to remove the deer.

Harvest Methods Are Different for Targeted Culling

To maximize the effectiveness of post-season targeted culling, landowners and MDC shooting teams may deviate from hunting-season regulation restrictions. With permission from MDC, they may use spotlights or place limited amounts of bait to help remove targeted deer on designated areas.  

What Happens To Deer Removed Through Targeted Culling?

Deer removed through targeted culling that do not test positive for CWD are offered to the participating landowners or donated to the Share the Harvest Program for local food banks and food pantries. Deer that test positive for CWD are properly disposed of by MDC staff or meat processors.

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