Wildlife Collector FAQ

Not necessarily. Permit holders must ensure they are in compliance with other Federal, State, and local requirements. Applications to collect federally listed species or any migratory bird species will not be approved at the state level without proof of a current federal permit.

Not necessarily. Many lands owned by other public resource agencies require additional permissions and/or permitting. Permit holders may sample wildlife on private land, but it is the responsibility of the collector to receive permission from landowners in advance.

You may ask for expedited approval, but there is no guarantee the permit can be processed more quickly. We ask that collectors plan ahead and allow at least 6 weeks for application processing and permit issuance.

The best way to shorten the approval process is to submit a complete and detailed application, including payment, and a collectors report (if applicable). Communicating with MDC staff prior to submission of the application may result in faster processing.

Permits are rarely approved for regional or statewide areas. Specific sampling location details are required. Permits can also be amended after the initial issuance, so collectors can update the spatial extent of sampling as details become available. Please be advised that amendments take time to process as well, although usually less time than the initial application.

Yes. We ask that applicants list the counties in which they will collect so we can notify the conservation agents and other regional staff in the most effective way. When your permit is issued, it lists the geographical extent in which you can legally collect. However, there are options that cover larger spatial extents.

In Section 4 (Location) of the application, you can enter “Statewide,” one of the MDC regions (Northwest, Northeast, Southeast, Southwest, Ozarks, Central, Saint Louis, or Kansas City), “Counties that border Missouri River,” “Counties that border Mississippi River,” or individual counties. If you plan to sample in a specific river or watershed that is not otherwise covered above, then you still need to list individual county names.

Applications for regional or statewide permission require additional justification.

Perhaps. If your sampling methods will likely cause mortality of the by-catch organisms, they must be included on the application. If you are not targeting, collecting data on, or likely to kill individuals of the non-target faunal groups, then you do not need to request collection of that faunal group in Section 6 of the application.

For example, if you intend to seine for fish in small rivers, you do not need to indicate crayfish or other aquatic invertebrates despite the high likelihood that you will catch those organisms as by-catch.

Yes. You can request an amendment to an existing permit to cover new species, change numbers of organisms collected, add collection locations, or add or change methods. However, please attempt to include all information on your original application and avoid the need for amendments, if at all possible. Requests for amendments will be reviewed and there is no guarantee they will be approved. Amendments do not require additional payment.

A letter of authorization for plant collecting is required to collect plants or parts thereof besides fruits, nuts, berries, or edible greens for personal consumption on lands owned by the Missouri Department of Conservation. To request a letter of authorization for plant collecting, contact:

Malissa Briggler
P.O. Box 180
Jefferson City, MO 65102
Malissa.Briggler@mdc.mo.gov
573-522-4115 ext. 3200