Places to Go: Compton Hollow CA

Compton Hollow CA

Deer hunting destination offering off-season options

With its location in southwest Missouri and its heavily wooded landscape, Compton Hollow CA is a popular destination for deer hunters in November. 

Located on more than 830 acres in Webster County, Compton Hollow CA is 90 percent forested with watering holes and wildlife food plots that make it attractive to both deer and those who hunt them, according to Resource Management Crew Leader Dustin McCleary.

“There’s quite a bit of deer hunters out there,” McCleary said. “It gets hunted quite a bit since it’s close to Springfield.”

Outside of firearms deer season — and the shooting hours of spring turkey season — the area’s nearly 7 miles of multiuse trails are open to bicycle and horseback riding. These trails are better described as scenic rather than challenging, McCleary said.

“Most of these are not very challenging,” he said. “It’s pretty flat for the most part.”

Beyond hunting, hiking, and riding, Compton Hollow CA also offers archers the opportunity to test their skills on its six-station field course.

“It’s an unstaffed archery course that has six stations on it,” he said. “It’s pretty simple, you know, it’s just a path through the woods and there’s a station and a target.”