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, November 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.
Last year hunters checked 192,797 deer during the 2017 November portion of firearms deer season with 100,161 being antlered bucks, 20,267 being button bucks, and 72,369 being does.
The recent-record season was 2012 with 204,668 deer harvested, including 87,368 antlered bucks, 27,143 button bucks, and 90,157 does.
Totals for the nine-county Green Hills area had Sullivan County taking the most deer at 1,957 with the other counties in the Green Hills reporting the following: Harrison 1,927, Mercer 1,428, Putnam 1,636, Daviess 1,718, Grundy 1,183, Caldwell 1,093, Livingston 1,478 and Linn County reporting 1,930.
For current ongoing preliminary harvest totals by season, county, and type of deer, visit the MDC website at 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 which occurred incidental to hunting while at hunting camps and one 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 November 21 through January 15, 2019. The late youth portion of firearms deer season runs November 23-25. The antlerless portion of firearms deer season runs November 30 through December 2. Lastly, the alternative methods portion will run December 22 through January 1, 2019.
Learn more about deer hunting in Missouri at huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/species/deer
