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Deer Season
With the November portion of deer season coming up this weekend there are several topics I would like to mention. Think of this as a deer hunting smorgasbord.
First, I would like to congratulate the youth on a successful season. In New Madrid County there were 34 deer harvested and 18,091 taken statewide. Most importantly there were no reported hunting incidents in the entire state. Outstanding!
Next, I will cover the firearms season dates.
* November Portion is Nov. 15th- 25th, 2014
* Alternative Methods portion is Dec. 20th- 30th, 2014
Lastly, I will cover some commonly asked regulation questions I have had over the last few weeks. For complete regulations get a copy of the 2014 fall deer and turkey hunting information pamphlet from any permit vendor.
If my child hunted in the youth only season, will he/she be able to participate in the November hunting season? Well that depends. If the child hunted in the youth season on a firearms permit, they can participate in the firearms season, however only in accordance with the permits held, season limits and methods. If the child hunted the youth season on a youth permit and was unsuccessful, they can hunt in the regular firearms season as long as they are accompanied by someone seventeen or older, who is hunter ed. certified, and has either a filled or unfilled firearms deer permit. If the child was successful in the youth season, he/she is done, unless they have landowner bonus permits. The most important thing to remember is no matter how many deer permits you possess, you can only fill three of them. The maximum number of deer that could be taken during the firearms deer hunting season is three, two of which must be antlerless according to the county you reside in.
Can I bow hunt during the firearms season? No and Yes, you can use a long bow, compound bow, or recurve bow during the November firearms season BUT you must use your firearms deer permits not your Archery permit if you harvest a deer. This does not include the early youth portion.
Can I spotlight deer if I don't have a gun with me? No, recreational spotlighting is no longer legal in Missouri. The Wildlife Code of Missouri states that wildlife, except raccoons or other furbearing animals when treed with the aid of dogs, may not be spotlighted, located, harassed or disturbed in any manner with the aid of an artificial light, headlight or spotlight from any roadway, whether public or private, or in any field, woodland or forest, by any person acting either singly or as one of a group of persons. This rule shall not apply to use of a light by a landowner or lessee as defined by this Code on property under his/her control.
Can I hunt other animals during deer season? Yes, during the November Portion of the firearms deer season and also the January Extension, other wildlife may be hunted only with a shotgun and shot not larger than No. 4. However, this does not apply to waterfowl hunters, trappers, landowners on their own land, or lessees on land they lease and live on.
In closing, if you are unsuccessful this deer season, don't get discouraged. Sixty-two percent of firearms hunters don't take any deer, 30% take one deer 7% take two deer, and only 1% take three deer. As for archery hunters, 83% take no deer, 15% take one deer, and 2% take at least two deer. Theoretically, in units where allowed, a single deer hunter could take a total of ten deer during the fall seasons: one each on Any Deer, First, and Second Bonus, two on an Archer's permit, and five more on Antlerless-Only archery permits, again according to the county you reside or hunt in. And this does not include the maximum of three that could be taken at some Managed Deer Hunts. Last year only three archers took the maximum of seven deer, and only one Missouri deer hunter took all ten.