JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri Conservation Commission approved regulation changes at its meeting today (April 17) in Jefferson City that will reduce the availability of firearm antlerless deer hunting permits from “any number” in most of the state to one in most of the state.
Exceptions to this regulation change allow hunters to fill two firearm antlerless deer permits in Chariton, Randolph, Macon, Linn, Sullivan, and Adair counties, which surround the area where chronic wasting disease (CWD) has been found in a small number of deer in Macon County. According to the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), continuing to maintain stable deer numbers in this “CWD Containment Zone” will help limit the spread of the disease to other deer and other areas.
Other areas where hunters can fill two firearm antlerless deer permits include urban zones around the state where deer numbers are typically higher than desired, and in Barton, Howell, and Oregon counties where local deer numbers are higher than deer management goals.
The regulation changes are scheduled to become effective for the 2014 fall deer hunting season.
Details on these changes and other information on deer hunting will be available in the Department's “2014 Fall Deer & Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information” booklet available beginning in July at locations where permits are sold, MDC offices and nature centers, and online at mdc.mo.gov.
According to MDC Deer Biologist Jason Sumners, the regulation changes are in response to lower overall deer numbers around much of the state as a result of long-term efforts to reduce the deer population through increased doe harvest. Previous regulations allowing the harvest of any number of antlerless deer have helped to decrease and stabilize deer numbers in many areas where deer numbers were too high.
Sumners added that the planned effort to reduce deer numbers in some areas was intensified by an unanticipated, extensive outbreak of hemorrhagic disease (HD) throughout most of the state related to the record-setting drought during summer and fall of 2012. With the resulting recent decrease in deer numbers in many areas of the state, some hunters and landowners have voiced their concerns about the level of doe harvest and the continuing need to offer hunters “any number” of antlerless permits.
“Our Regulations Committee considers the changing status of the deer herd across the state -- along with feedback from hunters, landowners, and others -- each year as it reviews recommendations for deer-hunting regulations,” Sumners said.
“Deer populations in Missouri vary regionally and county-by-county as habitat, hunting regulations, hunter numbers, and frequency and severity of disease outbreaks affect deer numbers,” he explained. “As these factors change over time, our deer management strategy is to be responsive to those changes.”
He added that MDC’s deer management strategy focuses on using science-based wildlife management practices, providing opportunities for all citizens to enjoy deer-related recreational activities such as deer hunting and watching, maintaining a healthy deer population, and providing related information to the public.  
The Department is planning public meetings throughout the state for this summer to share information and get public input on how and why it manages Missouri’s deer.

Paragraphs brother.

Wonder how much money the MDC will lose from the sale of hunting tags because of this.  I would buy three tags before the start of the season and and replaced them as I filled them.

From what I have seen, where I hunt (Callaway/Audrian), I can see the logic.  Deer numbers are not what they were when the unlimited antlerless tags began being offered.

Good active response MDC!

I was wondering when they were going to issue a big change.

Good; I like a larger deer herd.

I am glad, they need a few years to rebound.

Good thing I bow hunt the whole season.

Yep, sorry. I just copied and pasted from an email.

Great, next the a antlerless season will be eliminated and I will never get to go out for deer.
Fucking busiest time of year at work, I can never get out when 'regular' season is open.

Purchase a bow.

I bet they'll jack the prices of the more limited permits up before they become destitute.  I don't foresee them having a cashflow problem in the near future.

When will they allow crossbows?

Under certain circumstances they do. Look up last years regs to see when and where.

If you have almost any back or shoulder issues, most Docs will sign off on it.  If you don't have any issues, you really ought to look into getting a compound.  It's not nearly as hard to be a decent shot with a compound as a lot of folks think, and shooting with a crossbow is overrated (unless you really need one of course).

As a farmer i say kill them all.

I'm poor, bows are raycess..

I don't understand why you can't use a crossbow for bow season regardless of physical condition.

IMO, we could still have an unlimited season in my county, Carroll Co.  Deer are still causing a lot of accidents around here.

You are probably right, but after the last two lackluster rifle seasons I think the commissioners are under pressure to increase the deer heard population.

Probably because some people who;



...shoot long bows think recurves are too modern.



...shoot recurves think compounds are too modern.



...shoot compounds think crossbows are cheating/firearms.



...archery hunt think that gun seasons should be changed to shotgun only, or eliminated.



Same goes with muzzleloaders; flintlock/musket/inline.



Many people think their way is the only way, and rather than be inclusive they fight against everything they don't participate in.



 

I guess I am in the crossbows are cheating camp. To me a cocked and loaded crossbow is more like a gun with shorter range than it is like a bow. It has to do with difficulty I guess. Not that I personally would care if crossbows were allowed.

If we want to be all inclusive though, why have different methods in the first place? Allow everything from jumping Rambo style out of a tree to high powered rifles during the whole season?

I started bow hunting 7 years ago and by comparison, rifle hunting is barely fun now. While I don't care how anyone kills a deer I do enjoy the long September to January bow season. If allowing crossbows led to a greater number of deer harvested, which in turn resulted in a shorter bow season, then I would vote against it.

Aside from people with disabilities why would anyone want to use a crossbow during bow season to begin with? You can use it during rifle season if that is your passion. I suspect it is to gain some perceived edge while remaining fat ass too lazy to learn how to shoot a bow. Such people are most likely too lazy to search for lost/ wounded deer as well and should probably just stick to guns.

About time. I wish they would get rid of youth season as well. Around here it is basically grown men hunting with their kids' tags.

Glad they left Oregon County with unlimited doe tags. My friend lives there and he says they are still way to thick.

Turn them in then.

If you are standing idly by while this happens, then you are no better than those in the State Hwy Patrol who stood by while MO's CCW holder info was ILLEGALLY handed over to the Feds by their Brothers In Arms.

We'll I added one more to the pile on 435 today.   Had one commit Harry carry on the side of my truck.


And for crossbows. Stick,limbs,cam,trigger, it's a bow just easier to shoot out of a box blind.

Yes, except of course that-
1. That would make you  a rat bastard.
2. They swore to uphold the law and defend the constitution, and Mr. Wannabe lawman has not sworn to uphold the Missouri conservation regulations.
3. Even if someone does shoot a deer for their kid, how is some nosy piece of shit neighbor going to know about it unless he is watching through binoculars all day?

I have never shot a deer for my kid and I don't poach, but if I lived around some of the people in here, I would politely ask them to mind their own fucking business.

Sell your favorite deer rifle and buy pork steaks, you'll be money ahead.

I don't know.  I think MDC probably understands that much of that is due to the weather.

Weather and a lot of people are loosing places to hunt. I don't even try to mess with trying to find a place to deer hunt anymore in Missouri. Just buy some tags and go west every year

Right. Because people are rational. They don't jump to conclusions at all.

The department is constantly getting complaints from the past two years about the 'dwindling' deer heard. Almost everytime someone finds out I work for MDC they want to know what I am doing about the deer since they didn't see one last year. Who cares how warm or windy it was.  

LOL

And of course you politely tell them that they suck in their site selection...

This

 

That's fucked up.  I can't say that I haven't thought of it, but the look on my boys' faces when they got their first deer was priceless.  I wouldn't take that from them.

Im ok with this.
Hunting in Douglas County my whole life, the deer herd is nowhere near the same as when I was a kid.
20 years ago, groups of 6-10 or more were the norm.
Now its rare to see more than maybe 3-4 in a group in our area.

deer are tasty killem all boys. I like my cars truck and motorcycle to stay straight its been a challenge lately several close calls.