Nearly 90K deer harvested on opening weekend

JEFFERSON CITY — Missouri cervid hunters harvested 89,861 cervid during opening play of the November information of firearms cervid season, according to preliminary information from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC). 

This is astir 10,000 much cervid than past year's opening play where hunters checked 80,744 deer.

Of the 89,861 cervid harvested, 54,415 were antlered bucks, 7,187 were fastener bucks and 28,259 were does.

Top harvest counties for opening play were Franklin with 1,968 cervid harvested, Texas with 1,814 and Benton with 1,654.

“Thankfully, the upwind cooperated this play and hunters were treated to immoderate bully conditions,” MDC Cervid Program Supervisor Jason Isabelle said successful a property release. “Given the rainfall and gusty winds crossed overmuch of the authorities during opening play past year, it isn’t astonishing that we saw an summation successful harvest this year.” 

The November information of firearms cervid play continues done Nov. 23.

Missouri’s archery cervid and turkey play resumes Nov. 24 done Jan. 15, 2022.

The precocious younker information of firearms play runs Nov. 26-28. The antlerless information of firearms cervid play runs Dec. 4-12 followed by the alternate methods information Dec. 25 done Jan. 4, 2022.

For current, ongoing preliminary harvest totals by season, region and benignant of deer, oregon for harvest summaries from past years, visit the MDC website.