Firearms deer season totals are near-record

Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation shows that deer hunters in Missouri harvested a near-record 199,427 deer during the November portion of fall firearms deer season Nov. 10-20. 

Of the 199,427 deer harvested, 102,930 were antlered bucks, 19,924 were button bucks, and 76,573 were does.

Top harvest counties were Franklin with 4,021 deer checked, Howell with 3,858, and Callaway with 3,695.

Ozark County had 1,887 harvested deer, including 989 antlered bucks, 149 button bucks and 749 does. Adjoining counties’ totals were 1,952 in Douglas County and 1,428 in Taney County. 

Last year hunters checked 192,797 deer during the 2017 November portion of firearms deer season including 100,161 antlered bucks, 20,267 being button bucks, and 72,369 being does.

The recent-record season occurred in 2012 when 204,668 total deer were harvested: 87,368 antlered bucks, 27,143 button bucks and 90,157 does.

For current ongoing preliminary harvest totals by season, county and type of deer, visit on.mo.gov/1jjz7Ew. For harvest summaries from past years, visit on.mo.gov/2fyMaBN.

MDC reported eight firearms-related hunting incidents during the November portion of firearms deer season, of which three involved fatalities. Two of those fatalities occurred incidentally while at hunting camps, and one was a self-inflicted incident while in the field. Of the five non-fatal incidents, four were self-inflicted, and the fifth occurred when the shooter struck a victim while swinging on game.

Deer hunting in Missouri continues with archery deer hunting from Nov. 21 through Jan. 15, 2019. The late youth portion of firearms deer season was Nov. 23-25 (see related story, page 12). The antlerless portion of firearms deer season runs Nov. 30 through Dec. 2. The alternative methods portion will run Dec. 22 through Jan. 1, 2019. 

MDC says Missouri deer hunting gives a $1 billion annual boost to state and local economies.