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Missouri

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Missouri County Finder

Answer six questions and get Missouri counties ranked by habitat fit, 2026–27 season dates, public land and MDC Telecheck harvest history.

How the Missouri finder works

The Missouri Department of Conservation records every deer and turkey through Telecheck, by county. This tool scores all 114 counties (St. Louis city is counted with St. Louis County) for the species you pick using deer harvest from 2021–2025 and spring and fall turkey harvest from 2021–2026, USGS land-cover and elevation data, and the share of public land such as the Mark Twain National Forest and MDC conservation areas.

Season fit uses MDC's 2026–27 dates: archery, the youth, November, antlerless and alternative methods firearms portions (antlerless portions only in counties where they are open), black bear by bear management zone south of the Missouri River, and the elk zone in Carter, Reynolds and Shannon counties.

Species covered

  • White-tailed deer
  • Elk
  • Black bear
  • Wild turkey

Upland birds (ranked by county)

  • Ring-necked pheasant
  • Quail

Waterfowl and migratory birds (ranked by county)

  • Ducks
  • Canada and dark geese
  • Snow and Ross's geese
  • Mourning dove
  • American woodcock

About every species on the species page →

Data sources

Missouri hunting FAQ

When does Missouri's November firearms deer portion open?

In 2026 the November portion runs Nov. 14–24. Archery runs Sept. 15–Nov. 13 and Nov. 25–Jan. 15, and the alternative methods portion runs Dec. 26–Jan. 5.

Which Missouri counties have the most deer?

Franklin, Callaway, Jefferson, Howell and Texas counties lead MDC's Telecheck totals. Pick white-tailed deer in the tool to rank all counties with habitat and access.

Can I hunt black bears in Missouri?

Yes, with a drawn permit (residents only). In 2026 the season runs Oct. 17–30 in three zones south of the Missouri River, with quotas of 30, 22 and 8 bears. Dogs and bait are not allowed.

Missouri harvest leaders

The counties with the highest average reported harvest for each species. High totals often reflect large areas and many hunters; the tool above also weighs harvest per square mile, hunter success, habitat and access.

White-tailed deer (2021–2025 average)

  1. Franklin County: 6,689 per year
  2. Callaway County: 5,290 per year
  3. Jefferson County: 5,192 per year
  4. Howell County: 5,132 per year
  5. Texas County: 5,099 per year

Wild turkey (2022–2026 average)

  1. Franklin County: 1,094 per year
  2. Callaway County: 958 per year
  3. Osage County: 921 per year
  4. Texas County: 890 per year
  5. Gasconade County: 868 per year

Ducks (USFWS 10-year average)

  1. St. Charles County: 49,310 per year
  2. Stoddard County: 43,263 per year
  3. Henry County: 39,206 per year
  4. Vernon County: 33,555 per year
  5. Holt County: 28,929 per year

Canada and dark geese (USFWS 10-year average)

  1. Clay County: 8,038 per year
  2. Platte County: 4,151 per year
  3. St. Charles County: 3,751 per year
  4. Jackson County: 3,527 per year
  5. Cass County: 2,327 per year