Deer Hunting Seasons: General Provisions

PURPOSE: This rule establishes general provisions for hunting deer. PUBLISHER’S NOTE: The secretary of state has determined that publication of the entire text of the material that is incorporated by reference as a portion of this rule would be unduly cumbersome or expensive. This material as incorporated by reference in this rule shall be maintained by the agency at its headquarters and shall be made available to the public for inspection and copying at no more than the actual cost of reproduction. This note applies only to the reference material. The entire text of the rule is printed here. (1) The current Fall Deer & Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information booklet is hereby incorporated in this Code by reference. This booklet is published annually in August by, and a printed copy can be obtained from, the Missouri Department of Conservation, PO Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180 and is also available online at www.missouriconservation.org. This rule does not incorporate any subsequent amendments or additions. (2) Deer shall mean white-tailed deer and mule deer. Antlered deer shall mean deer with at least one (1) antler at least three inches (3") long, except as provided in 3 CSR 10-7.435. Deer may be pursued, taken, killed, possessed, or transported only as permitted in this Code. (3) Persons hunting or pursuing deer must possess a prescribed deer hunting permit. Resident landowners can qualify for nocost permits. (4) Deer may be pursued or taken only from one-half (1/2) hour before sunrise until one-half (1/2) hour after sunset. (5) Deer Hunting Methods. (A) Archery: longbows, recurve bows, compound bows, cross bows, and atlatl. (B) Muzzleloader: muzzleloading firearms as defined in 3 CSR 10-20.805 (including cap-and-ball firearms) .40 caliber or larger. (C) Any legal method: archery and muzzleloader methods; atlatl; shotguns; handguns or rifles firing expanding-type centerfire ammunition; and air-powered guns, .40 caliber or larger, charged only from an external high compression power source (external hand pump, air tank, or air compressor). (D) Prohibited, in use or possession: 1. Methods restricted by local ordinance; 2. Self-loading firearms with capacity of more than eleven (11) cartridges in magazine and chamber combined with the exception of concealable firearms, as defined in Chapter 571, RSMo. Firearms possessed under this exception may not be used to take wildlife while deer hunting; 3. Ammunition propelling more than one (1) projectile at a single discharge, such as buckshot; 4. Full hard metal case projectiles; 5. Fully automatic firearms; and 6. Electronic calls or electronically activated calls. (6) A person may take only two (2) antlered deer during the archery and firearms deer hunting seasons combined, except as follows: (A) No more than one (1) antlered deer may be taken during the firearms deer season; (B) Only one (1) antlered deer may be taken during the archery deer season prior to the November portion of the firearms deer hunting season; (C) The Nonresident Firearms Any-Deer Hunting and Nonres ident Archer’s Hunting Permits established by 3 CSR 10-5.551 and 3 CSR 10-5.560 (both regular and youth priced permits) are valid for only one (1) antlered deer between both permits during the archery and firearms deer hunting seasons com bined; and (D) Deer taken using managed deer hunting permits are not included in this limit. (7) Deer may not be hunted, pursued, taken, or killed— (A) While in a stream or other body of water; (B) From a boat with a motor attached; (C) With the aid of a motor-driven land conveyance or air craft, except unmanned motor-driven air conveyances may be used to recover wounded deer as specifically authorized by 3 CSR 10-7.410; (D) With the aid of dogs, in use or possession, except for the recovery of wounded deer as specifically authorized by 3 CSR 10-7.410; (E) With the aid of artificial light or night vision equipment; (F) Within any area enclosed by a fence greater than seven feet (7') in height that could contain or restrict the free range of deer. Exceptions are provided in other rules or by written authorization of the director; and (G) With the aid of bait (grain or other feed placed or scat tered so as to constitute an attraction or enticement to deer). Scents and minerals, including salt, are not regarded as bait; however, mineral blocks with food additives are prohibited. An area is considered baited for ten (10) days following complete removal of bait. A person shall be in violation of this provision if they take or attempt to take deer by the aid of bait, where the person knows or reasonably should know the area is or has been baited. It is illegal to place bait in a way that causes others to be in violation of the baiting rule. (8) During the firearms deer hunting season and during man aged firearms deer hunts on those areas where such hunts are held, all persons hunting any game, and also adult mentors ac companying them, must wear a cap or hat and a shirt, vest, or coat of the color commonly known as hunter orange, which must be plainly visible from all sides. Camouflage orange gar ments do not meet this requirement. The following are exempt from this requirement: (A) Migratory game bird hunters; (B) Archery permittees during the alternative methods por tion; (C) All hunters in counties closed during the antlerless por tions; (D) Hunters using archery methods while hunting within municipal boundaries where discharge of firearms is prohib ited; (E) Hunters on federal or state public hunting areas and during managed hunts where deer hunting is restricted to archery methods; and (F) Hunters of small game and/or furbearers during the alter native methods portion. (9) Hunters who kill or injure a deer must make a reasonable effort to retrieve and tag it, but this does not authorize trespass. (10) Hunters who take a deer shall void their permit immediate ly by notching the month and date of harvest and shall keep the deer separate or distinctly identifiable from deer taken or possessed by another. When the deer is not personally at tended and prior to reporting through the Telecheck Harvest Reporting System, the voided permit or proper label shall be attached to the deer. Deer may be possessed and transported only by the taker until reported through the Telecheck Harvest Reporting System. All deer taken shall be accurately reported by the taker or in the taker’s immediate presence through the Telecheck Harvest Reporting System by 10 p.m. on the day tak en. The Telecheck confirmation number shall be recorded im mediately on the deer hunting permit. The deer shall remain intact or as a field-dressed carcass until the deer is reported through the Telecheck Harvest Reporting System. All deer shall be reported through the Telecheck Harvest Reporting System prior to processing, prior to transportation outside the county of harvest, or prior to being removed from the state. After re porting through the Telecheck Harvest Reporting System, deer may be possessed, transported, and stored by anyone when la beled with the permit or any label that includes the full name and address of the taker, date taken, and Telecheck confirma tion number. (11) Deer (or parts thereof) reported in accordance with estab lished procedures, when labeled with the full name and ad dress of the taker, the date taken, and the Telecheck confirma tion number of the deer, may be possessed, transported, and stored by anyone. Commercially processed deer meat may be donated to not-for-profit charitable organizations under guide lines established by the director. AUTHORITY: sections 40 and 45 of Art. IV, Mo. Const., and section 252.040, RSMo 2016.* Original rule filed April 29, 2004, effective May 15, 2004. Amended: Filed Sept. 29, 2004, effective Feb. 28, 2005. Amended: Filed June 8, 2005, effective July 15, 2005. Amended: Filed May 23, 2006, effective July 1, 2006. Amended: Filed May 21, 2007, effective July 1, 2007. Amended: Filed Aug. 14, 2007, effective Jan. 30, 2008. Amended: Filed Sept. 27, 2007, effective Feb. 29, 2008. Amended: Filed Oct. 10, 2008, effective April 30, 2009. Amended: Filed April 19, 2010, effective Sept. 30, 2010. Amended: Filed Sept. 30, 2010, effective March 1, 2011. Amended: Filed Sept. 12, 2011, effective March 1, 2012. Amended: Filed May 25, 2012, effective Oct. 30, 2012. Amended: Filed Dec. 19, 2012, effective May 30, 2013. Amended: Filed Sept. 27, 2013, effective March 1, 2014. Amended: Filed Feb. 26, 2015, effective July 30, 2015. Amended: Filed Aug. 28, 2015, effective March 1, 2016. Amended: Filed May 19, 2017, effective June 1, 2017. Amended: Filed June 1, 2017, effective Nov. 30, 2017. Amended: Filed Aug. 28, 2018, effective March 1, 2019. Amended: Filed Dec. 7, 2022, effective May 30, 2023. Amended: Filed Feb. 23, 2024, effective Aug. 30, 2024. Amended: Filed Jan. 15, 2025, effective June 30, 2025. Amended: Filed Dec. 12, 2025, effective June 30, 2026. Amended: Filed May 29, 2026, effective July 1, 2026. *Original authority: 252.040, RSMo 1945, amended 1989.