In Brief

Permit Prices

MDC seeks feedback from anglers, hunters, trappers

Missouri is home to more than 1 million anglers, 500,000 hunters, and several thousand trappers. MDC issues nearly 2.6 million hunting, fishing, and trapping permits each year. While MDC permit prices have increased only slightly over the past 20 years, MDC’s cost of doing conservation work has increased significantly.

To keep pace with rising costs of goods and services, MDC has implemented initial price adjustments to most permits over the past several years and proposes additional modest and gradual adjustments to permit prices over the coming years.

For 2025, MDC is proposing an incremental increase to nonresident permit prices and a few resident permit prices. The Missouri Conservation Commission gave initial approval to the proposed permit price adjustments at its May 24 open meeting in Jefferson City.

Additional revenue from permit sales will help MDC maintain and improve its nationally recognized programs and services for hunters, anglers, wildlife watchers, and others. The additional revenue will also help with the rising costs of improving buildings and other infrastructure at conservation areas, fish hatcheries, shooting ranges, and nature centers that are many decades old and in need of significant repair or replacement.

MDC proposes the following permit price adjustments for 2025:

• The price of a Nonresident Fishing Permit would go from $51 to $53.50. The average price for surrounding states is $57.50.
• The price of a Daily Fishing Permit would go from $8 to $9. The average price for surrounding states is $8.31.
• The price of a Trout Permit would go from $10 to $12. The average price for surrounding states is $12.75.
• The price of a Trout Permit for youth 15 years of age or younger would go from $5 to $6. The average price for surrounding states is $7.
• The price of a Nonresident Small Game Hunting Permit would go from $98 to $102. The average price for surrounding states is $126.84.
• The price of a Daily Small Game Hunting Permit would go from $14.50 to $15. The average price for surrounding states is $66.04.
• The price of a Nonresident Furbearer Hunting and Trapping Permit would go from $200.50 to $208.50. The average price for surrounding states is $258.69.
• The price of a Migratory Bird Hunting Permit would go from $6.50 to $7.50. The average price for surrounding states is $14.81.
• The price of a Nonresident Conservation Order Permit would go from $49 to $51.
• The price of a Nonresident Turkey Hunting Permit (spring season) would go from $233.50 to $243.50. The average price for surrounding states is $255.22.
• The price of a Nonresident Turkey Hunting Permit (fall season) would go from $135.50 to $141.50. The average price for surrounding states is $202.67.
• The average price for a Nonresident Firearms Deer Hunting Permit would go from $276.50 to $288. The average price for surrounding states is $374.31.
• The price of a Nonresident Firearms Antlerless Deer Hunting Permit would go from $26 to $27. The average price for surrounding states is $43.63.
• The price for a Nonresident Archer’s Hunting Permit would go from $276.50 to $288. The average price for surrounding states is $436.69.
• The price for a Nonresident Managed Deer Hunting Permit would go from $276.50 to $288.
• The price for a Nonresident Landowner Firearms Turkey Hunting Permit (spring season) would go from $172 to $179.50.
• The price for a Nonresident Landowner Firearms Turkey Hunting Permit (fall season) would go from $100 to $104.50.
• The price for a Nonresident Landowner Archer’s Hunting Permit would go from $203.50 to $212.
• The price for a Nonresident Landowner Firearms Deer Hunting Permit would go from $203.50 to $212.

Comments on the proposed permit price adjustments will be accepted from July 2 to Aug. 1. For more information and to submit comments, visit short.mdc.mo.gov/4uN.

MDC will compile comments received and share them with the commission prior to the Sept. 6 commission open meeting when it will give final consideration to the proposed permit price adjustments. If approved, the changes would become effective Jan. 1, 2025.

Apply for Managed Deer Hunts

Beginning July 1, deer hunters can apply online through MDC’s website for a chance at more than 100 managed deer hunts throughout the state this fall and winter.

MDC offers managed deer hunts for archery, muzzleloading, crossbow, and modern firearms from mid-September through mid-January at conservation areas, state and other parks, national wildlife refuges, and other public areas. Some managed deer hunts are held specifically for youth or for people with disabilities.

The managed deer hunt application period is July 1–31. Hunters are selected by a weighted random drawing. Draw results will be available Aug. 15 through Jan. 15. Applicants who are drawn will receive area maps and other hunt information by email, or mail if an email address is not located on the customer’s account.

Get more information on managed deer hunts, preview hunt details, and apply starting July 1 at mdc.mo.gov/managedhunt.

Details about managed hunts can also be found in our 2024 Fall Deer & Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information booklet, available starting in early July at MDC offices and nature centers, from permit vendors around the state, and online at mdc.mo.gov.

Changes to Fall Turkey Hunting Regulations

Regulation changes to fall turkey hunting will reduce the harvest limit from four to two birds of either sex and will now require both fall firearms turkey hunters and fall archery turkey hunters to purchase a fall turkey hunting permit. Turkeys will no longer be included in the archery deer permit. The changes to fall turkey hunting regulations aim to reduce the fall harvest while maintaining as much opportunity for hunters as possible. The Missouri Conservation Commission gave final approval to the regulation changes at its April 5 open meeting. Learn more about turkey hunting in Missouri at short.mdc.mo.gov/Ztu.