*The season schedules in this post have been updated for 2025-2026.
Planning your next hunt in Missouri? Make sure to check out our comprehensive summary of Missouri hunting seasons.
Knowing when each hunting season starts and ends is crucial. Missouri offers a wide variety of hunting opportunities, from whitetail deer and turkey to duck, dove, and small game — each with its own regulations and dates.
In this guide, we break down everything you need to know about Missouri hunting seasons 2025, including:
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Start and end dates of hunting seasons by species
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General regulations
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License and permit info
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Public land access and where to hunt
Let’s make sure you’re fully prepared, legal, and ready for your most successful season yet.
Missouri Deer Hunting Season
Missouri deer hunting season starts in early October and ends in early January of the next year. Here are the details for each deer season in 2025:
| Seasons | Dates |
| Deer Archery | September 15, 2025 – November 14, 2025 November 26, 2025 – January 15, 2026 |
| Firearms: Alternative Methods | December 27 – January 6, 2025 |
| Firearms: November Portion | November 15 – 25, 2025 |
| Firearms: Antlerless Portions | October 10 – 12, 2025 December 06 – 14, 2025 |
| Firearms: Youth Portions | November 01 – 02, 2025 November 28 – 30, 2025 |
| Firearms: CWD Portion | November 26 – 30, 2025 |
The bag limit is only one antlered deer per hunter. And, the legal hunting hours are from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.
Deer Hunting Permits
| Types | Antlerless Deer | Any Deer |
| Resident | $7.50 | $18.00 |
| Resident Landowner | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Nonresident | $27.00 | $288.00 |
| Nonresident Landowner | / | $212.00 |
| Youth (6-15) | $3.75 | $9.00 |
Hunting Method Rules
There are some specific rules on the firearms and devices that you can use or cannot during deer hunting seasons:
Allowed:
- ✔Firearms: You can use centerfire pistols, revolvers, or rifles with expanding bullets. Lead, copper, or other expanding bullet types are okay.
- ✔You can also use shotguns (like a .410) with slugs only. Air-powered guns that are .40 caliber or larger can be used, but you need to get air from an outside source.
- ✔Muzzleloading or cap-and-ball guns that are .40 caliber or larger can be used, and you can carry multiple guns if you want.
- ✔Longbows, compound bows, and recurve bows of any draw weight are allowed. You can use hand-held string releasing devices, illuminated sights, scopes, and quick-point sights.
- ✔Crossbows and atlatls are allowed.
Not Allowed:
- ✘Self-loading guns with more than 11 cartridges, buckshot, full hard metal case projectiles, fully automatic guns, and any sighting device that shines a light on the game are not allowed.
- ✘You can’t use electronic calls or night vision equipment either.
- ✘Don’t use bait or dogs to hunt deer.
✘You can’t use motorized vehicles to chase or harm wildlife. Deer can’t be hunted from a boat with a motor attached.
Missouri Turkey Hunting Season
The turkey seasons are split into two main periods: Spring and Fall. Each of them has its own limits and legal shooting hours.
| Turkey Hunting Season | Dates | Bag Limit | Hours |
| Regular Spring | April 21–May 11, 2025 | Two male turkeys or turkeys with visible beard | 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1 p.m. Central |
| Spring Youth (ages 6-15) | April 12–13, 2025 | One male turkey or turkey with visible beard | 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset Central Daylight Time |
| Fall Firearms | – | Two turkeys( either sex) | One-half hour before sunrise to sunset |
| Archery |
–
– |
Two turkeys( either sex) | One-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset |
Notes: In the Spring season, you may not take two turkeys on the same day or during the first week. Fall firearms turkey hunting is not permitted in Dunklin, McDonald, Mississippi, New Madrid, Newton, Pemiscot, and Scott counties.
Turkey Hunting Permit
| Types | Costs |
| Resident | $14.00 |
| Resident Landowner | $0.00 |
| Youth (6-15) | $7.00 |
| Nonresident | $104.5 |
| Nonresident Landowner | $141.5 |
Hunting Method Rules
Allowed:
- ✔You can use shotguns with shots not larger than No. 4 ( not allowed in Archery season)
- ✔Longbows, recurve bows, or compound bows
- ✔Hand-held string-releasing devices
- ✔Illuminated sights, scopes, and quick point sights
- ✔Crossbows
- ✔Atlatls
Not Allowed:
- ✘Shotguns capable of holding more than 3 shells in magazine and chamber combined
- ✘Shot larger than No. 4 (in use or in possession)
- ✘Any sighting device that casts a beam of light on the game
- ✘Thermal imagery equipment or night vision equipment (in use or in possession)
- ✘Recorded calls (in use or in possession), electronic calls
- ✘Use of dogs or live decoys or bait
Furbearers Hunting Seasons
Raccoon
Dates:
- –
- –
Bag Limit: No Limit
Striped Skunk
Dates:
- August 1 – October 15, 2025
- November 15, 2025 – February 28, 2026
Bag Limit: No Limit
Beaver and Nutria(Trapping)
Dates: November 15, 2025 – March 31, 2026
Bag Limit: No Limit
Possession limit: Any number
Bobcat
Dates: November 15, 2025 – February 28, 2026
Daily limit: Any number
Possession limit: Any number
Coyote Trapping
Dates: January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025
Hour: cannot be taken during the daylight hours of Spring Turkey Season
Daily limit: Any number
Possession limit: Any number
Fox (Red or Gray)
Dates: November 15, 2025 – January 31, 2026
Daily limit: Any number
Possession limit: Any number
Badger Hunting Season
Dates: November 15, 2025 – January 31, 2026
Daily limit: Any number
Possession limit: Any number
| Types | Costs |
| Resident Trapping Permit | $10.00 |
| Nonresident Furbearer Hunting and Trapping Permit | $192.00 |
| Small Game Hunting Permit | Resident $10.00 Nonresident $94.00 |
Small Game Hunting Seasons
Rabbit Hunting Seasons
| Types | Dates | Limits |
| Rabbit Hunting | October 1, 2025 to February 15, 2026 | Daily limit: 6, only 2 may be swamp rabbits Possession limit: 12, only 4 may be swamp rabbits |
| Rabbit Trapping | November 15, 2025 to January 31, 2026 |
*Hunting hours: You can hunt from sunrise to sunset. However, if you’re using a cage trap for rabbits, you may hunt at any time of day. A trapping permit and a small game hunting license are required.
Opossum
Dates:
- August 1 – October 15, 2025
- November 15, 2025 – February 28, 2026
Daily limit: Any number
Possession limit: Any number
Mink Trapping
Dates: November 15, 2025 – February 28, 2026
Daily limit: Any number
Possession limit: Any number
Crow Hunting
Dates: November 1 to March 3, 2025
Hour: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset
Daily limit: Any number
Possession limit: Any number
Dove Hunting
Hunting：
- Dates: September 1 – November 29, 2025
- Hour: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset
- Daily limit: 4
- Possession limit: 15
Falconry：
- Dates: September 1 – December 16, 2025
- Hour: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset
- Daily limit: 3
- Possession limit: 9
Bullfrog and Green Frog
Dates: June 30 – October 31, 2025
Hour: Opens at sunset on opening day
Daily limit: 8
Possession limit: 16
Squirrel Season
Dates: May 24, 2025 – February 15, 2026
Daily limit: 10
Possession limit: 20
Small Game Hunting Permit
| Types | Costs |
| Resident | $10.50 |
| Nonresident | $102.00 |
| Nonresident Daily | $15.00 |
| Military Reduced Cost Permit(Resident) | $5.50 |
Waterfowl Hunting Seasons
| Seasons | Dates | Limits |
| Teal | September 13 – 21, 2025 | Daily bag limit: 6
Possession limit: 18 |
| Light Goose Conservation Order | February 7 – April 30, 2026 | No |
| Early Canada Goose and Brant | October 4 – 12, 2025 | Daily limit: 3 Possession limit: 9 |
| Ducks and Coots Hunting: Middle Zone | November 1 – 9, 2025 November 15, 2025 – January 4, 2026 |
Ducks: Daily limit 6 and possession limit 18 Coots: Daily limit 15 and possession limit 45 |
| Ducks and Coots Hunting: North Zone | November 1 – December 30, 2025 | |
| Ducks and Coots Hunting: South Zone | November 27 – 30, 2025 December 7, 2025 – January 31, 2026 |
|
| Ducks, Coots, and Geese Hunting: Youth: Middle Zone | October 25 – 26, 2025 | |
| Ducks, Coots, and Geese Hunting: Youth: North Zone | October 25 – 26, 2025 | |
| Ducks, Coots, and Geese Hunting: Youth: South Zone | November 22 – 23, 2025 | |
| Goose (Canada, Brant, White-Fronted, Snow, Ross’s) | November 11, 2025 – February 6, 2026 | Canada geese and brant：
Daily limit: 3 White-fronted geese: Daily limit: 2 Light geese: Daily limit: 20 |
* Learn to know how to identify swans and geese. Swans are protected animals and don’t make a mistake shot!
Where to Hunt In Missouri?
Missouri offers a rich variety of public and private hunting opportunities across forests, wetlands, and farmland. Popular public lands include Mark Twain National Forest, Conservation Areas managed by the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), and several waterfowl management areas.
MDC’s online MO Hunting App and interactive map tools allow you to filter hunting locations by species, regulations, and amenities. For those seeking a more controlled experience, private land leases or Managed Deer Hunts are also available through MDC’s lottery system.
It is better to always check property-specific rules before your trip.
Top Public Hunting Areas
Here are a few of the most popular public hunting locations worth exploring:
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Mark Twain National Forest – Offers over 1.5 million acres of public land in southern Missouri. Ideal for deer, turkey, and small game.
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August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area (near St. Louis) – Great for beginner hunters and youth seasons.
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Duck Creek Conservation Area – A prime spot for waterfowl hunting during duck season.
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Pea Ridge Conservation Area – Known for turkey and archery deer hunting.
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Schell-Osage Conservation Area – Offers excellent duck blinds, deer, and upland game opportunities.
The Missouri Department of Conservation manages all of these areas and typically do not require fees, but some may require permits or check-ins.
Tips for Finding Hunting Land
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Use the MDC Interactive Map to search by species, season, and region.
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Try Missouri’s Walk-In Hunting Areas — private lands open to public access during hunting season.
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Check Managed Deer Hunts — lottery-style hunts in high-quality, limited-access areas.
Missouri is home to dozens of public hunting areas, from dense forests to managed wetlands. Use the official interactive map to locate areas by species, regulation, or region.
Conclusion
In summary, the 2025 Missouri hunting seasons promise an enjoyable experience for hunters with a diverse range of game species and season dates. By keeping updated with the new schedules of the Missouri hunting season, you will know when and where to hunt, connect with nature, and enjoy your hobby in this state.
We will keep you updated on any new information. Remember to:
✅ Bookmark this page or check back before each season opens
✅ Review permit and regulation changes annually via MDC
✅ Explore public lands early so you’re not scrambling last minute
Good luck out there — stay safe, hunt smart, and enjoy Missouri’s great outdoors!
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