General Provisions

PURPOSE: This rule requires any person engaged in hunting or pursuing wildlife to possess the prescribed permit. (1) Any person while hunting or while using dogs or birds of prey in pursuit of wildlife in any manner, including training, shall have on his/her person the prescribed permit, temporary permit authorization number(s) or evidence of exemption. The temporary permit authorization number(s) and picture identification must be carried at all times while hunting until the actual permit(s) is received. Wildlife may not be held alive under hunting permits. (2) There shall be no closed season or limits on house sparrows or European starlings. (3) No person shall take or attempt to take any wildlife from or across a public roadway with a firearm, bow, or crossbow. (4) Wildlife, except waterfowl, may not be pursued or taken while trapped or surrounded by floodwaters or while fleeing from floodwaters or fire. (A) In Southeast Missouri no person shall take, attempt to take, or pursue wildlife, except waterfowl, during the fall deer and turkey season(s) in— 1. Zone 1 (Scott County) when the Mississippi River level is at or above thirty-five feet (35') on the Thebes, IL, gauge. Zone 1 fall deer and turkey season boundary shall be that portion of Missouri east of a line running west from the Illinois border at Commerce access in the town of Commerce to North Water Street; south on North Water Street to Mo. Hwy. E; west on Mo. Hwy. E to Mo. Hwy. N; south on Mo. Hwy. N to County Hwy. 351; south on County Hwy. 351 to Mo. Hwy. NN; south on Mo. Hwy. NN to the Scott County line; east on the Scott County line to the Illinois border; 2. Zone 2 (Mississippi County) when the Mississippi River level is at or above forty-three feet (43') on the Cairo, IL, gauge. Zone 2 fall deer and turkey season boundary shall be that por tion of Missouri east of a line running west from the Illinois border on the Mississippi County line to Mo. Hwy. NN; south on Mo. Hwy. NN to County Hwy. 222; east on County Hwy. 222 to Mo. Hwy. N; south on Mo. Hwy. N to Mo. Hwy. 62; east on Mo. Hwy. 62 to Mo. Hwy. 77; south on Mo. Hwy. 77 to Mo. Hwy. D; west on Mo. Hwy. D to County Hwy. 329; south on County Hwy. 329 to County Hwy. 318; west on County Hwy. 318 to Mo. Hwy. DD; south on Mo. Hwy. DD to County Hwy. 331; south on County Hwy. 331 to Mo. Hwy. 80; west on Mo. Hwy. 80 to Mo. Hwy. AA; south on Mo. Hwy. AA to Mo. Hwy. FF; south on Mo. Hwy. FF to Mo. Hwy. 77; south on Mo. Hwy. 77 to Mo. Hwy. A; east on Mo. Hwy. A to the Kentucky border; 3. Zone 3A (New Madrid and Mississippi counties) when the Mississippi River level is at or above thirty-four feet (34') on the New Madrid, MO, gauge. Zone 3A fall deer and turkey season boundary shall be that portion of Missouri south of a line running west from the Kentucky border on U.S. Hwy. A to Mo. Hwy. 77; north on Mo. Hwy. 77 to Mo. Hwy. 102; west on Mo. Hwy. 102 to County Hwy. 521; west on County Hwy. 521 to Mo. Hwy. 102; north on Mo. Hwy. 102 to County Hwy. 526; west on County Hwy. 526 to County Hwy. 727; south on County Hwy. 727 to Mo. Hwy. P; South on Mo. Hwy. P to Mo. Hwy. WW; west on Mo. Hwy. WW to Mo. Hwy. U; west on Mo. Hwy. U to Interstate 55; south on Interstate 55 to Mo. Hwy. M; east on Mo. Hwy. M to Mo. Hwy. KK; west on Mo. Hwy. KK to Mo. Hwy. 162; east on Mo. Hwy. 162 to the Tennessee border; 4. Zone 3B (New Madrid and Mississippi counties) when the Mississippi River level is at or above thirty-six feet (36') on the New Madrid, MO, gauge. Zone 3B fall deer and turkey sea son boundary shall be that portion of Missouri south of a line continuing from Zone 3A on a line running north on Mo. Hwy. U to Mo. Hwy. P; east on Mo. Hwy. P to Mo. Hwy. BB; north on Mo. Hwy. BB to Mo. Hwy. OO; east on Mo. Hwy. OO to the toe of the protected side of the Corps of Engineers secondary levee; north on the Corps of Engineers secondary levee to Mo. Hwy. 80; east on Mo. Hwy. 80 to Mo. Hwy. AA; south on Mo. Hwy. AA to Mo. Hwy. FF; south on Mo. Hwy. FF to Mo. Hwy. 77; south on Mo. Hwy. 77 tying back into Zone 3A; 5. Zone 3C (New Madrid and Mississippi counties) when the Mississippi River level is at or above forty feet (40') on the New Madrid, MO, gauge. Zone 3C fall deer and turkey season boundary shall be that portion of Missouri south of a line con tinuing from Zone 3B on a line running north on Mo. Hwy. V to Mo. Hwy. 80; east on Mo. Hwy. 80 to the toe of the protected side of the Corps of Engineers secondary levee; north on the Corps of Engineers secondary levee to Mo. Hwy. 77; south on Mo. Hwy. 77 to Mo. Hwy. D; west on Mo. Hwy. D to County Hwy. 329; south on County Hwy. 329 to Mo. Hwy. DD; south on Mo. Hwy. DD to County Hwy. 331; south on County Hwy. 331 to Mo. Hwy. 80; west on Mo. Hwy. 80 to Mo. Hwy. AA tying back into Zone 3B; 6. Zone 4 (Pemiscot County) when the Mississippi River level is at or above thirty-two feet (32') on the Caruthersville, MO, gauge. Zone 4 fall deer and turkey season boundary shall be that portion of Missouri east of a line running west from the Tennessee border on Mo. Hwy. 162 to Mo. Hwy. TT; south on Mo. Hwy. TT to Mo. Hwy. T; west on Mo. Hwy. T to Interstate 55; south on Interstate 55 to Interstate 155; southeast on Interstate 155 to Mo. Hwy. U; west on Mo. Hwy. U to Mo. Hwy. D; south on Mo. Hwy. D to County Hwy. 536; west on County Hwy. 536 to County Hwy. 515; south on County Hwy. 515 to U.S. Hwy. 164; west on U.S. Hwy. 164 to Mo. Hwy. H; south on Mo. Hwy. H to County Hwy. 569; south on County Hwy. 569 to the Arkansas border; 7. Zone 5A (Dunklin County) when the St. Francis River level is at or above twenty-one feet (21') on the St. Francis, AR, gauge. Zone 5A fall deer and turkey season boundary shall be that portion of Missouri west of a line running east from the Arkansas border on U.S. Hwy. 62 to Mo. Hwy. 53; south on Mo. Hwy. 53 to Mo. Hwy. 25; south on Mo. Hwy. 25 to Mo. Hwy. 84; west on Mo. Hwy. 84 to the Arkansas border; 8. Zone 5B (Dunklin County) when the St. Francis River level is at or above fifteen and one-half feet (15.5') on the Holly Island, MO, gauge. Zone 5B fall deer and turkey season bound ary shall be that portion of Missouri west of a line running east on Mo. Hwy. 84 to U.S. Hwy. 412; southwest on U.S. Hwy. 412 to Mo. Hwy. F; south on Mo. Hwy. F to Mo. Hwy. FF; south on Mo. Hwy. FF to the Arkansas border. (B) In Southeast Missouri no person shall take, attempt to take, or pursue wildlife, except waterfowl, during the spring turkey hunting season in— 1. Zone 1 (Scott County) when the Mississippi River level is at or above thirty-five feet (35') on the Thebes, IL, gauge. Zone 1 spring turkey season boundary shall be that portion of Missouri south of a line running west from the Illinois border at Commerce access in the town of Commerce to North Water Street; south on North Water Street to the toe of the protected side of the Corps of Engineers main line levee; south on the Corps of Engineers main line levee to the Scott County line; east on the Scott County line to the Illinois border; 2. Zone 2 (Mississippi County) when the Mississippi River level is at or above forty-three feet (43') on the Cairo, IL, gauge. Zone 2 spring turkey season boundary shall be that portion of Missouri east of a line running west from the Illinois border at the Mississippi/Scott County line to the toe of the protected side of the Corps of Engineers main line levee; south on the Corps of Engineers main line levee to Mo. Hwy. A; east on Mo. Hwy. A to the Kentucky border; 3. Zone 3 (New Madrid and Mississippi counties) when the Mississippi River level is at or above thirty-four feet (34') on the New Madrid, MO, gauge. Zone 3 spring turkey season boundary shall be that portion of Missouri south of a line running west on Mo. Hwy. A to the toe of the protected side of the Corps of Engineers main line levee; south on the Corps of Engineers main line levee to Mo. Hwy. 162; east on Mo. Hwy. 162 to the Tennessee border; 4. Zone 4 (Pemiscot County) when the Mississippi River level is at or above thirty-two feet (32') on the Caruthersville, MO, gauge. Zone 4 spring turkey season boundary shall be that portion of Missouri east of a line running west from the Tennessee border on Mo. Hwy. 162 to the toe of the protected side of the Corps of Engineers main line levee; south on the Corps of Engineers main line levee to the Arkansas border; 5. Zone 5A (Dunklin County) when the St. Francis River level is at or above twenty-one feet (21') on the St. Francis, AR, gauge. Zone 5A spring turkey season boundary shall be that portion of Missouri west of a line running east from the Arkansas border on U.S. Hwy. 62 to Mo. Hwy. 53; south on Mo. Hwy. 53 to Mo. Hwy. 25; south on Mo. Hwy. 25 to Mo. Hwy. 84; west on Mo. Hwy. 84 to the Arkansas border; 6. Zone 5B (Dunklin County) when the St. Francis River level is at or above fifteen and one-half feet (15.5') on the Holly Island, MO, gauge. Zone 5B spring turkey season boundary shall be that portion of Missouri west of a line running east on Mo. Hwy. 84 to U.S. Hwy. 412; southwest on U.S. Hwy. 412 to Mo. Hwy. F; south on Mo. Hwy. F to Mo. Hwy. FF; south on Mo. Hwy. FF to the Arkansas border. (5) Wildlife may not be searched for, 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 (1) of a group of persons, except this section shall not apply to the following: (A) The use of an artificial light to search for, spot, and locate raccoons or other furbearing animals when treed with the aid of dogs; (B) The use of an artificial light to search for, spot, and locate coyotes from January 1 through September 30 (excluding the prescribed spring turkey hunting season), but only as specifically authorized by 3 CSR 10-7.410(1)(B)2.; and (C) The use of an artificial light by a resident or nonresident landowner as defined in 3 CSR 10-20.805 on his/her property. AUTHORITY: sections 40 and 45 of Art. IV, Mo. Const. Original rule filed Aug. 26, 1964, effective Dec. 31, 1964. Amended: Filed Aug. 1, 1980, effective Jan. 1, 1981. Amended: Filed Aug. 6, 1985, effective Jan. 1, 1986. Amended: Filed May 10, 1990, effective Jan. 1, 1991. Amended: Filed April 27, 1994, effective Jan. 1, 1995. Amended: Filed May 30, 1995, effective Jan. 1, 1996. Amended: Filed Aug. 11, 1999, effective March 1, 2000. Amended: Filed Oct. 9, 2003, effective March 30, 2004. Amended: Filed Sept. 14, 2005, effective Feb. 28, 2006. Amended: Filed Oct. 10, 2008, effective April 30, 2009. Amended: Filed Feb. 26, 2015, effective July 30, 2015. Amended: Filed Aug. 28, 2018, effective March 1, 2019. Amended: Filed Aug. 26, 2019, effective Feb. 29, 2020. Amended: Filed May 29, 2020, effective Nov. 30, 2020. Amended: Filed Dec. 1, 2020, effective June 30, 2021. Amended: Filed Feb. 4, 2026, effective Aug. 30, 2026.