Deer: Firearms Hunting Season

PURPOSE: This rule establishes the firearms deer hunting seasons, limits, and provisions for hunting. (1) The firearms deer hunting season is comprised of six (6) portions. (A) Antlerless portions: October 9 through 11, 2026, and December 5 through 13, 2026; use any legal deer hunting method to take antlerless deer in Adair, Audrain, Barry, Barton, Bates, Benton, Bollinger, Boone, Buchanan, Caldwell, Callaway, Camden, Cape Girardeau, Carroll, Cass, Cedar, Chariton, Christian, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Cole, Cooper, Crawford, Dade, Dallas, Daviess, DeKalb, Dent, Douglas, Franklin, Gasconade, Gentry, Greene, Grundy, Harrison, Henry, Hickory, Howard, Howell, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Laclede, Lafayette, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Linn, Livingston, Macon, Madison, Maries, Marion, McDonald, Mercer, Miller, Moniteau, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Newton, Oregon, Osage, Ozark, Perry, Pettis, Phelps, Pike, Platte, Polk, Pulaski, Putnam, Ralls, Randolph, Ray, Reynolds, Ripley, Saline, Schuyler, Scotland, Shannon, Shelby, St. Charles, St. Clair, St. Francois, St. Louis, Ste. Genevieve, Stone, Sullivan, Taney, Texas, Vernon, Warren, Washington, Webster, Worth, and Wright counties. (B) Youth portions: October 24 through 25, 2026, and November 27 through 29, 2026; for persons at least six (6) but not older than fifteen (15) years of age; use any legal deer hunt ing method to take deer statewide. (C) November portion: November 14 through 24, 2026; use any legal deer hunting method to take deer statewide. (D) Alternative methods portion: December 26, 2026, through January 5, 2027; use muzzleloader and archery methods, cross bows, atlatl, handguns, and air-powered guns as defined in 3 CSR 10-7.431 to take deer statewide. (2) Firearms Deer Hunting Permits. (A) Resident or Nonresident Firearms Any-Deer Hunting Permit: valid for one (1) deer statewide, except that only ant lerless deer may be taken during the antlerless portions of the season and the limits established by 3 CSR 10-7.431 for antlered deer shall apply. (B) Resident or Nonresident Firearms Antlerless Deer Hunting Permit: valid for one (1) antlerless deer in any open county. Persons may purchase any number of these permits and fill them where valid. A Nonresident Firearms Any-Deer Hunting Permit, Nonresident Landowner Firearms Any-Deer Hunting Permit, or a Nonresident Managed Deer Hunting Permit must be purchased before purchasing Nonresident Firearms Antlerless Deer Hunting Permits. (3) Other wildlife may be hunted during the firearms deer hunt ing season except as further restricted in this section— (A) During the November portion statewide and the antler less portions in open counties, other wildlife (except furbear ers) may be hunted only with pistol, revolver, or rifle firing a .22 caliber or smaller rimfire cartridge, or a shotgun and shot not larger than No. 4; except that waterfowl hunters, trappers, or landowners on their land may use other methods as spec ified in 3 CSR 10-7.410(1)(H); and except that elk hunters may use other methods as specified in 3 CSR 10-7.700(4) during the firearms portion of the elk season; (B) During the November portion statewide and the ant lerless portions in open counties, furbearers may be hunted within the established furbearer hunting seasons during day light hours using any legal deer hunting method by persons holding an unfilled firearms deer hunting permit, and— 1. A Resident Small Game Hunting Permit; or 2. A Nonresident Furbearer Hunting and Trapping Permit; (C) Furbearers may not be chased, pursued, or taken with the aid of dogs during daylight hours from November 1 through the end of the November portion statewide and the antlerless portions in open counties; and (D) Squirrels and rabbits may not be chased, pursued, or taken with the aid of dogs during daylight hours of the November portion in Butler, Carter, Dent, Iron, Madison, Oregon, Reynolds, Ripley, Shannon, and Wayne counties. (4) Feral hogs may be taken in any number during the firearms deer hunting season as follows: (A) Hunters must possess a valid small game hunting or un filled firearms deer hunting permit and abide by the methods of pursuit allowed for deer as well as any other restrictions that may apply on specific public areas; (B) During the November portion statewide and the antler less portions in open counties— 1. Firearms deer permittees may only use methods allowed for deer; 2. Small game permittees may only use pistol, revolver, or rifle firing a .22 caliber or smaller rimfire cartridge, or a shot gun with shot not larger than No. 4; and 3. Dogs may not be used; (C) During the youth and alternative methods portions— 1. Deer permittees may only use methods allowed for deer; and 2. Small game permittees may only use methods allowed for small game; and (D) Resident landowners on qualifying land are not required to have any permit and may use any method to take feral hogs throughout the year. 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 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 April 30, 2008, effective July 1, 2008. Amended: Filed Oct. 10, 2008, effective April 30, 2009. Amended: Filed April 21, 2009, effective July 1, 2009. Amended: Filed April 19, 2010, effective July 1, 2010. Amended: Filed May 31, 2011, effective July 1, 2011. Amended: Filed Sept. 12, 2011, effective March 1, 2012. Amended: Filed May 25, 2012, effective July 1, 2012. Amended: Filed July 2, 2012, effective Nov. 30, 2012. Amended: Filed May 31, 2013, effective July 1, 2013. Amended: Filed Sept. 27, 2013, effective March 1, 2014. Amended: Filed April 18, 2014, effective July 1, 2014. Amended: Filed July 1, 2014, effective Nov. 30, 2014. Amended: Filed April 15, 2015, effective June 1, 2015. Amended: Filed Dec. 15, 2015, effective March 1, 2016. Amended: Filed March 14, 2016, effective Sept. 30, 2016. Amended: Filed May 19, 2017, effective June 1, 2017. Amended: Filed May 29, 2018, effective July 1, 2018. Amended: Filed Aug. 28, 2018, effective March 1, 2019. Amended: Filed May 29, 2019, effective June 15, 2019. Amended: Filed May 29, 2020, effective July 1, 2020. Amended: Filed May 21, 2021, effective July 1, 2021. Amended: Filed May 3, 2022, effective May 13, 2022. Amended: Filed May 20, 2022, effective Nov. 30, 2022. Amended: Filed Dec. 7, 2022, effective May 30, 2023. Amended: Filed May 19, 2023, effective July 1, 2023. Amended: Filed Dec. 8, 2023, effective May 30, 2024. Amended: Filed May 30, 2024, effective July 1, 2024. Amended: Filed May 16, 2025, effective July 1, 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.