Mo. Dept. of Conservation reports nearly 94K deer harvested during firearms opening weekend

MISSOURI (KFVS) - Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation shows deer hunters harvested 93,355 deer during opening weekend of the November portion of firearms deer season.

Opening weekend was November 12-13.

According to the department, of the 93,355 harvested, 55,267 were antlered bucks, 7,250 were button bucks and 30,838 were does.

Top harvest counties for opening weekend were Franklin with 2,015 deer harvested, Texas with 1,724 and Callaway with 1,692.

For more information on the preliminary harvest totals by season, county and type of deer, you can click here.

In 2021, MDC said hunters checked 89,939 deer during opening weekend of the November portion of firearms deer season.

“After a mild start to the month of November, the weather sure turned colder just in time for opening weekend,” MDC Cervid Program Supervisor Jason Isabelle said in a release. “Although Saturday was a bit blustery, we had some good conditions, overall, for opening weekend this year and the long-term forecast looks very good at this point as well.”

The November portion of firearms deer season continues through Nov. 22.

Missouri’s archery deer and turkey season resumes Nov. 23 through Jan. 15, 2023.

The late youth portion of firearms season runs Nov. 25-27.

The antlerless portion of firearms deer season runs Dec. 3-11 (in open counties) followed by the alternative methods portion Dec. 24 through Jan. 3, 2023.