Waterfowl Hunting

PURPOSE: This rule establishes provisions for waterfowl hunting on department areas. (1) Waterfowl hunting is permitted on department areas except as further restricted in this chapter. Statewide permits, seasons, methods, and limits apply unless otherwise provided in this chapter. (2) On Lake Girardeau Conservation area, waterfowl hunting is prohibited. (3) Waterfowl hunting is prohibited after 1 p.m. on designated portions of the following department areas: (A) Amarugia Highlands Conservation Area; (B) Brown (Bob) Conservation Area; (C) Coon Island Conservation Area; (D) Duck Creek Conservation Area; (E) Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area; (F) Fountain Grove Conservation Area; (G) Grand Pass Conservation Area; (H) King Lake Conservation Area; (I) Leach (B. K.) Memorial Conservation Area; (J) Little River Conservation Area; (K) Lone Jack Lake Conservation Area; (L) Nodaway Valley Conservation Area; (M) Otter Slough Conservation Area; (N) Reed (James A.) Memorial Wildlife Area; (O) Pony Express Lake Conservation Area; (P) Schell-Osage Conservation Area; (Q) Shanks (Ted) Conservation Area; and (R) Ten Mile Pond Conservation Area. (4) Waterfowl may be taken on the department areas listed below only by holders of a valid area Daily Waterfowl Hunting Tag and only from a blind or in a designated area, except that hunters may retrieve dead birds and pursue and shoot downed cripples outside the designated area. Waterfowl hunters must check out immediately after the close of their hunting trip and prior to processing birds by accurate completion and return of the Daily Waterfowl Hunting Tag to designated locations. These department areas are closed to waterfowl hunting on December 25: (A) Brown (Bob) Conservation Area; (B) Duck Creek Conservation Area; (C) Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area; (D) Fountain Grove Conservation Area; (E) Four Rivers (August A. Busch, Jr. Memorial Wetlands at) Conservation Area (Designated waterfowl hunting areas of Units 1 and 2); (F) Grand Pass Conservation Area; (G) Leach (B. K.) Memorial Conservation Area; (H) Marais Temps Clair Conservation Area; (I) Nodaway Valley Conservation Area; (J) Otter Slough Conservation Area; (K) Schell-Osage Conservation Area; (L) Shanks (Ted) Conservation Area; and (M) Ten Mile Pond Conservation Area. (5) On Thomas Hill Reservoir, waterfowl hunting is prohibited on the lands and waters of the main arm between Highway T and County Road 462, three and one-half (3 1/2) miles north of Highway T from October 15 through the close of the waterfowl season. (6) Waterfowl hunters must self-register at designated hunter record boxes prior to hunting by completing a Daily Waterfowl Hunting Tag and accurately report harvest and check out immediately after the hunt on the following department areas: (A) Columbia Bottom Conservation Area; (B) Coon Island Conservation Area; (C) Fountain Grove (Southside Wetland Complex); (D) Four Rivers (August A. Busch, Jr. Memorial Wetlands at) Conservation Area (Units 3 and 4); (E) Montrose Conservation Area; (F) Nodaway Valley Conservation Area (Open Zone portion); and (G) Settle’s Ford Conservation Area. (7) On Little River Conservation Area, waterfowl hunting is permitted only on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays in designated pools by holders of a valid area daily hunting tag. (8) On Marais Temps Clair Conservation Area— (A) Teal hunting is allowed from sunrise to sunset during the prescribed teal hunting season; (B) Goose hunting is allowed from one-half (1/2) hour before sunrise to sunset during those portions of the prescribed goose hunting season that occurs outside of the prescribed duck hunting season, and from one-half (1/2) hour before sunrise to one-half (1/2) hour after sunset during the prescribed conserva tion order for light geese; (C) Waterfowl hunting is allowed only until 1:00 p.m. and only on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday during the pre scribed duck hunting season. (9) Waterfowl may be hunted only during managed waterfowl hunts on the following department areas: (A) Busch (August A.) Memorial Conservation Area; (B) Cooley Lake Conservation Area; and (C) Reed (James A.) Memorial Wildlife Area. (10) On Little Bean Marsh Conservation Area, waterfowl may be hunted only in designated areas and only during the appropri ate zone’s duck and Canada goose seasons. (11) Managed Waterfowl-Hunting Areas; Draw Participation Requirements. (A) Hunting party members may participate in only one (1) morning drawing on the same day and may only submit one (1) Daily Waterfowl Hunting Tag per morning drawing. This includes having one (1) hunting party member submit a Daily Waterfowl Hunting Tag for another hunting party member in their absence. (B) A hunter must be properly licensed prior to participating in the morning drawing or applying for a reservation. (C) Hunting parties, including observers, may not exceed four (4), except during youth seasons. (D) Hunters must qualify for Missouri resident permits or be exempt from purchasing Missouri permits to apply for reserva tions. Hunters do not need to be a Missouri resident to reserve an Americans with Disabilities Act-accessible blind. (E) Hunting parties who have reserved an Americans with Disabilities Act-accessible blind are not eligible to enter an in-person drawing unless they first forfeit their Americans with Disabilities Act-accessible blind reservation for that day. (F) Hunters may not be registered for more than one (1) location or possess more than one (1) valid Daily Waterfowl Hunting Tag at the same time. Hunters must check out of one (1) location prior to registering for another location. (G) Hunting parties must hunt in their assigned location, as designated during the morning drawing. (H) Parties not registered or signed in prior to the draw time will not be allowed to enter the drawing. This includes parties with reservations. (I) Individuals may not be added to a party once the party has drawn. AUTHORITY: sections 40 and 45 of Art. IV, Mo. Const., and section 252.040, RSMo 2016.* This rule was previously filed as 3 CSR 104.115. Original rule filed April 30, 2001, effective Sept. 30, 2001. Amended: Filed May 9, 2002, effective March 1, 2003. Amended: Filed July 31, 2002, effective June 30, 2003. Amended: Filed May 9, 2003, effective Oct. 30, 2003. Amended: Filed June 4, 2004, ef fective Nov. 30, 2004. Amended: Filed Sept. 29, 2004, effective Feb. 28, 2005. Amended: Filed Sept. 27, 2007, effective Feb. 29, 2008. Amended: Filed March 23, 2009, effective March 1, 2010. Amended: Filed Sept. 12, 2011, effective March 1, 2012. Amended: Filed Aug. 28, 2015, effective March 1, 2016. Amended: Filed March 14, 2016, effective April 1, 2016. Amended: Filed March 1, 2017, effective Aug. 30, 2017. Amended: Filed Aug. 28, 2018, effective March 1, 2019. Amended: Filed Aug. 26, 2019, effective Feb. 29, 2020. Amended: Filed Jan. 22, 2021, effective Aug. 30, 2021. Amended: Filed Sept. 6, 2024, effective Feb. 28, 2025. Amended: Filed Feb. 4, 2026, effective Aug. 30, 2026. *Original authority: 252.040, RSMo 1945, amended 1989.