Hunting & Trapping Seasons

Rabbit: Trapping

Season Not Open
Dates
November 15, 2023 to January 31, 2024
Notes

Jackrabbits may not be taken at any time.

Carcasses may not be sold.

You may take rabbits with a cage-type trap at any hour during the open hunting season if you possess a hunting permit. The cage-type trap must be labeled with your full name and address, or Conservation ID number; must be attended daily; and have an opening of 144 square inches or smaller. 

Limits

Daily limit: 6, only 2 may be swamp rabbits
Possession limit: 12, only 4 may be swamp rabbits

Methods

Furbearers: Trapping: Allowed Methods

Methods

Traps must have smooth or rubber jaws only

Foot-hold trap

Conibear or other killing-type trap

Foot-enclosing trap

Cage-type trap

Colony traps with openings no greater than 6 inches in height and 6 inches wide

Cable restraint devices

Snares set underwater, have a loop 15 inches or less in diameter when set, have a stop device that prevents snare from closing to less than 2 1/2 inches in diameter, made with cable that is between 5/64 inch and 1/8 inch in diameter, and have a mechanical lock and anchor swivel.

From March 1 through April 14 only foot-hold traps, foot-enclosing traps, and cage-type traps may be used to trap coyote, opossum, raccoon, and striped skunk.

From August 1 through October 15 only foot-enclosing traps and cage-type traps may be used to trap opossum, raccoon,

Additional Info

Within communities having 10,000 or more inhabitants, only cage-type or foot-enclosing traps, may be set within 150 feet of any residence or occupied building.

Furbearers: Trapping: Prohibited Methods

Methods

Dogs may not be used for aquatic furbearers (beaver, muskrat, mink, otter) 

Snares on land

Pitfalls

Deadfalls

Nets

Traps may not be set in paths made or used by people or domestic animals.

Killing-type traps may not be set along public roadways.

Traps may not be placed or set before midnight of the first day of the applicable trapping season and must be removed by midnight of the last day of the applicable trapping season.

Additional Info

 

 

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Bear: Season

Season Not Open
Dates
October 16, 2023 to October 25, 2023
Hours

One-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset

Limits

One black bear of either sex with the following restrictions:

  • You are required to call 800-668-4045 to determine the daily season quota/closure status prior to hunting each day. In addition, if the harvest has reached or exceeded 80 percent of the harvest quota, the director of the Conservation Department may close hunting within that Black Bear Management Zone on the following day.
  • Once the harvest quota is met or the Director closes the season for the BMZ in which you are hunting, the season is over, and you may not harvest a black bear.
  • Black bears that have taken refuge in a den may not be harvested or harassed.
  • Only lone black bears may be harvested. You may not harvest a bear that is with one or more other bears, including female bears with cubs.
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Turkey: Fall Firearms

Season Not Open
Dates
October 1, 2024 to October 31, 2024
Hours

One-half hour before sunrise to sunset

Notes

Fall firearms turkey hunting is not permitted in Dunklin, McDonald, Mississippi, New Madrid, Newton, Pemiscot, and Scott counties.

Limits

Two turkeys of either sex, both may be taken on the same day

Methods

Turkey: Fall Firearms: Allowed Methods

Methods

Shotguns (including .410) with shot not larger than No. 4

Longbows, compound bows, or recurve bows of any draw weight

Crossbows

Atlatls

Hand-held string-release devices

Illuminated sights, scopes and quickpoint sights

Turkey: Fall Firearms: Prohibited Methods

Methods

Shotguns capable of holding more than three shells in magazine and chamber combined

Shot larger than No. 4 (in use or possession)

Rifles, pistols, and other firearms that propel a single projectile at one discharge

Any sighting device that casts a beam of light on the game

Night vision / thermal imagery equipment

Use of electronic calls, electronically activated calls, live decoys, bait, or dogs

Anyone hunting turkeys during the fall firearms turkey season may not be in possession of both a firearm and a bow. Some exceptions apply. See 3 CSR 10-7.455 of the Wildlife Code of Missouri.

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Bobcat: Hunting and Trapping

Season Not Open
Dates
November 15, 2023 to February 29, 2024
Notes

Bobcat pelts must be registered or tagged. Tagged bobcats and otters or their pelts may be possessed by the taker throughout the year.

Limits

Daily limit: Any number
Possession limit: Any number

Permit Notes

Special Provision for Firearms Deer Season: During the November portion, Antlerless portion and CWD portion in open counties, furbearer hunters must also possess an unfilled firearms deer hunting permit if hunting during daylight hours.

Methods

Furbearers: Hunting: Allowed Methods

Methods

Pistols, revolvers, and rifles propelling a single projectile at one discharge

Firearms powered by spring, air, or compressed gas

Shotguns not larger than 10 gauge with magazine cut off or plugged to reduce the capacity to not more than three shells in the magazine and chamber combined.

Bows, including longbows, compound bows, and recurve bows.

Crossbows

Atlatls

Slingshots

Dogs may be used (Dogs may not be used during daylight hours of elk season, from Nov. 1 through the end of November portion statewide, the antlerless portion, and CWD portion in open areas.)

Electronic calls or electronically activated calls may be used.

Additional Info

During spring turkey season, coyotes may be taken only during legal shooting hours for turkey hunting, using only methods allowed for spring turkey hunting, and hunters must have an unfilled spring turkey hunting permit and either a Resident Small Game Hunting Permit or a Nonresident Furbearer Hunting and Trapping Permit.

During the November portion statewide and the antlerless and CWD portions in open counties, furbearers may be hunted within the established furbearer hunting season during daylight hours using any legal deer hunting method. Hunters must have an unfilled firearms deer hunting permit and either a Resident Small Game Hunting Permit or a Nonresident Furbearer Hunting and Trapping Permit.

Additional Allowed Methods For Coyotes (Feb. 1 - March 31)

During this time the below equipment is allowed in conjunction with other legal hunting methods to pursue and take coyotes.

  • Artificial light
  • Night vision equipment
  • Infrared or thermal imagery equipment

Furbearers: Hunting: Prohibited Methods

Methods

Arrows containing any drug, poison, chemical, or explosive

Poisons, tranquilizing drugs, chemicals, or explosives

Motor driven conveyances may not be used to take, drive, or molest wildlife

Artificial lights to search for, harass, or disturb wildlife (see special allowed methods for coyote)

You may not take wildlife from or across a public roadway with a firearm, bow, or crossbow

Additional Info

Night Vision or Thermal Imagery

You may not possess night vision or thermal imagery equipment while carrying a firearm, bow, or other implement used to take wildlife, except

  • Landowners may use on their property to kill feral swine.
  • Hunting coyotes from Feb 1. through March 31

Additional Prohibited Methods (Date Specific)

Furbearers cannot be chased, pursued, or taken with the aid of dogs

  • during the daylight hours of Elk Season in open counties
  • during the daylight hours Nov 1 through the end of the main November portion of Deer Season
  • during the daylight hours of the Antlerless portion of Deer Season in open counties
  • during the daylight hours of the CWD portion of Deer Season in open counties

 

 

 

Furbearers: Trapping: Allowed Methods

Methods

Traps must have smooth or rubber jaws only

Foot-hold trap

Conibear or other killing-type trap

Foot-enclosing trap

Cage-type trap

Colony traps with openings no greater than 6 inches in height and 6 inches wide

Cable restraint devices

Snares set underwater, have a loop 15 inches or less in diameter when set, have a stop device that prevents snare from closing to less than 2 1/2 inches in diameter, made with cable that is between 5/64 inch and 1/8 inch in diameter, and have a mechanical lock and anchor swivel.

From March 1 through April 14 only foot-hold traps, foot-enclosing traps, and cage-type traps may be used to trap coyote, opossum, raccoon, and striped skunk.

From August 1 through October 15 only foot-enclosing traps and cage-type traps may be used to trap opossum, raccoon,

Additional Info

Within communities having 10,000 or more inhabitants, only cage-type or foot-enclosing traps, may be set within 150 feet of any residence or occupied building.

Furbearers: Trapping: Prohibited Methods

Methods

Dogs may not be used for aquatic furbearers (beaver, muskrat, mink, otter) 

Snares on land

Pitfalls

Deadfalls

Nets

Traps may not be set in paths made or used by people or domestic animals.

Killing-type traps may not be set along public roadways.

Traps may not be placed or set before midnight of the first day of the applicable trapping season and must be removed by midnight of the last day of the applicable trapping season.

Additional Info

 

 

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Deer: Firearms: CWD Portion

Season Not Open
Dates
November 27, 2024 to December 1, 2024
Hours

One-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset

Notes

Only select counties are open to firearms hunting during the CWD portion. See map.

Limits
  • You may take only one antlered deer during the entire firearms season (all portions combined).
  • You may take only two antlered deer during the archery and firearms deer hunting seasons combined.
  • Each county limits the number of antlerless deer hunting permits you can fill during the entire firearms season (all portions). See map.
Methods

Deer: Firearms: Allowed Methods

Methods

Centerfire pistols, revolvers or rifles using expanding-type bullets; legal ammunition includes lead bullets, copper bullets and bullets made of other material designed to expand.

Shotguns (including .410) with slugs only

Air-powered firearms, .40 caliber or larger, charged only from an external high compression power source (external hand pump, air tank, or air compressor)

Muzzleloading or cap-and-ball firearms, .40 caliber or larger and capable of firing only a single projectile at one discharge; in-lines and scopes are allowed.

Multiple-barreled muzzleloading or cap-and-ball firearms and/or muzzleloading or cap-and-ball handguns, including revolvers, .40 caliber or larger, are allowed and may be carried in addition to a muzzleloading or cap-and-ball rifle.

Longbows, compound bows, and recurve bows of any draw weight; hand-held string releasing devices, illuminated sights, scopes, and quickpoint sights are allowed.

Crossbows

Atlatls

Deer: Firearms: Prohibited Methods

Methods

Self-loading firearms with capacity of more than 11 cartridges in magazine and chamber combined

Ammunition propelling more than one projectile at a single discharge (such as buckshot)

Full hard metal case projectiles

Fully automatic firearms

Any sighting device that casts a beam of light on the game

Electronic calls or electronically activated calls

Night vision equipment

Use of bait

Use of dogs

Additional methods may be prohibited by local ordinances.

Motor driven conveyances may not be used to take, drive or molest wildlife. Deer may not be hunted from a boat with a motor attached.

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Ducks, Coots, and Geese Hunting: Youth: Middle Zone

Season Not Open
Dates
October 21, 2023 to October 22, 2023
Hours

One-half hour before sunrise to sunset

Notes

See the zone boundary map for areas in the middle zone.

Youth hunters must be age 15 or younger and accompanied by an adult 18 years old or older who is not allowed to hunt ducks but who can participate in other open seasons. 

Limits

Ducks: Daily limit of 6 with species restrictions below, possession limit of 18
Mallards: 4 (no more than 2 hens)
Scaup: 2 scaup for first 45 days and 1 scaup for last 15 days
Wood ducks: 3
Hooded mergansers: 2
Redheads: 2
Canvasback: 2
Black duck: 2
Mottled duck: 1
​Pintails: 1

Limit of 6 per species: American wigeon, blue-winged teal, gadwall, green-winged teal, Northern shoveler, ring-necked duck

Coots: Daily limit of 15, possession limit of 45.

Geese
Light geese: Daily limit 20, no possession limit
Canada/brant geese (combined): Daily limit 3, possession limit 9
White-fronted geese: Daily limit 2, possession limit 6

Permit Notes

Youth do not need a permit to hunt.

Youth must be accompanied by an adult 18 years or older. If the youth is not hunter-education certified, the adult must (1) be hunter-education certified unless they were born before Jan. 1, 1967 and (2) possess a permit to hunt small game or be exempt..

Note: Adult hunters assisting youths during the regular waterfowl seasons must have a permit to hunt small game, a Missouri Migratory Bird Hunting Permit and a Federal Duck Stamp.

Methods

Waterfowl: Hunting: Allowed Methods

Methods

Shotguns, 10 gauge or smaller. Must not hold more than 3 shells in the magazine and chamber combined. Use nontoxic shot only.

Hunting dogs

Motor boats or sailboats may be used, but only if the motor has been shut off and/or the sails furled, and the boat’s progress therefrom has stopped.

Waterfowl: Hunting: Prohibited Methods

Methods

Lead shot or other shot that has not been listed as nontoxic by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Rifles and pistols

Firearms that propel a single projectile at one discharge

Punt guns, battery guns, swivel guns, fully automatic firearms, traps, snares, nets, fish hooks, poisons, drugs, explosives, and stupefying substances

Motor vehicles or aircraft. Paraplegics and people missing one or both legs may hunt from a stationary vehicle

Sink boxes or any other type of low-floating device that conceals the hunter beneath the surface of the water

Electronic calls or electronically activated calls

Any sighting device that casts a beam of light on the game

Night vision or thermal imagery equipment

Live decoys

Bait

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Turkey: Spring

Season Not Open
Dates
April 15, 2024 to May 5, 2024
Hours

Extend shooting hours to all day on private land only (public land will retain the 1PM closing time) for all three weeks of the season

Limits

Two male turkeys or turkeys with visible beard may be taken during the season, with the following restrictions:

  • You may take only one turkey during the first week
  • If you do not take one during the first week, then you may take two turkeys during the second and third week.
  • You may not take two turkeys on the same day.
Methods

Turkey: Spring: Allowed Methods

Methods

Shotguns with shot not larger than No. 4

Longbows, recurve bows, or compound bows. Hand-held string releasing devices, illuminated sights, scopes, and quick point sights are allowed.

Crossbows

Atlatls

Turkey: Spring: Prohibited Methods

Methods

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)

Use of dogs or live decoys

 

Use of bait, which includes grain or other feed placed or scattered so as to attract turkeys. An area is considered baited for 10 days even after complete removal of the bait. A hunter can be in violation even if he or she did not know an area was or is baited. It is illegal to place bait in a way that causes others to be in violation of the baiting rule.

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Otter and Muskrat: Trapping

Season Not Open
Dates
November 15, 2023 to February 29, 2024
Limits

Daily limit: Any number
Possession limit: Any number

Methods

Furbearers: Trapping: Allowed Methods

Methods

Traps must have smooth or rubber jaws only

Foot-hold trap

Conibear or other killing-type trap

Foot-enclosing trap

Cage-type trap

Colony traps with openings no greater than 6 inches in height and 6 inches wide

Cable restraint devices

Snares set underwater, have a loop 15 inches or less in diameter when set, have a stop device that prevents snare from closing to less than 2 1/2 inches in diameter, made with cable that is between 5/64 inch and 1/8 inch in diameter, and have a mechanical lock and anchor swivel.

From March 1 through April 14 only foot-hold traps, foot-enclosing traps, and cage-type traps may be used to trap coyote, opossum, raccoon, and striped skunk.

From August 1 through October 15 only foot-enclosing traps and cage-type traps may be used to trap opossum, raccoon,

Additional Info

Within communities having 10,000 or more inhabitants, only cage-type or foot-enclosing traps, may be set within 150 feet of any residence or occupied building.

Furbearers: Trapping: Prohibited Methods

Methods

Dogs may not be used for aquatic furbearers (beaver, muskrat, mink, otter) 

Snares on land

Pitfalls

Deadfalls

Nets

Traps may not be set in paths made or used by people or domestic animals.

Killing-type traps may not be set along public roadways.

Traps may not be placed or set before midnight of the first day of the applicable trapping season and must be removed by midnight of the last day of the applicable trapping season.

Additional Info

 

 

Learn more about the species

Bullfrog and Green Frog: Hunting

Season Not Open
Dates
June 30, 2023 to October 31, 2023
Hours

Season opens at sunset on opening day. Check sunrise and sunset times in your area.

Notes

Only the daily limit may be possessed on waters and banks of waters being fished or hunted.

Limits

Daily limit: 8 (combined total of both species)
Possession limit: 16

Methods

Frog: Allowed Methods

Methods

.22 or smaller caliber rimfire rifle or pistol

Pellet gun

Bow

Crossbow

Atlatl

Hand or handnet

Gig

Trotline

Throwline

Limb line

Bank line

Jug line

Snagging

Snaring

Grabbing

Pole and line

Artificial lights

Frogs: Prohibited Methods

Methods

You may not possess night vision or thermal imagery equipment while carrying a firearm, bow, or other implement used to take wildlife.

Learn more about the species

Ducks, Coots, and Geese Hunting: Youth: North Zone

Season Not Open
Dates
October 21, 2023 to October 22, 2023
Hours

One-half hour before sunrise to sunset

Notes

See the zone boundary map for areas in the north zone.

Youth hunters must be age 15 or younger and accompanied by an adult 18 years old or older who is not allowed to hunt ducks but who can participate in other open seasons.

Limits

Ducks: Daily limit of 6 with species restrictions below, possession limit of 18
Mallards: 4 (no more than 2 females)
Scaup: 2 scaup for first 45 days and 1 scaup for last 15 days
Wood ducks: 3
Hooded mergansers: 2
Redheads: 2
Canvasback: 2
Black duck: 2
Mottled duck: 1
Pintails: 1

Limit of 6 per species: American wigeon, blue-winged teal, gadwall, green-winged teal, Northern shoveler, ring-necked duck

Coots: Daily limit of 15, possession limit of 45.

Geese
Light geese: Daily limit 20, no possession limit
Canada/brant geese (combined): Daily limit 3, possession limit 9
White-fronted geese: Daily limit 2, possession limit 6

Permit Notes

Youth do not need a permit to hunt.

Youth must be accompanied by an adult 18 years or older. If the youth is not hunter-education certified, the adult must (1) be hunter-education certified unless they were born before Jan. 1, 1967 and (2) possess a permit to hunt small game or be exempt..

Note: Adult hunters assisting youths during the regular waterfowl seasons must have a permit to hunt small game, a Missouri Migratory Bird Hunting Permit and a Federal Duck Stamp.

Methods

Waterfowl: Hunting: Allowed Methods

Methods

Shotguns, 10 gauge or smaller. Must not hold more than 3 shells in the magazine and chamber combined. Use nontoxic shot only.

Hunting dogs

Motor boats or sailboats may be used, but only if the motor has been shut off and/or the sails furled, and the boat’s progress therefrom has stopped.

Waterfowl: Hunting: Prohibited Methods

Methods

Lead shot or other shot that has not been listed as nontoxic by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Rifles and pistols

Firearms that propel a single projectile at one discharge

Punt guns, battery guns, swivel guns, fully automatic firearms, traps, snares, nets, fish hooks, poisons, drugs, explosives, and stupefying substances

Motor vehicles or aircraft. Paraplegics and people missing one or both legs may hunt from a stationary vehicle

Sink boxes or any other type of low-floating device that conceals the hunter beneath the surface of the water

Electronic calls or electronically activated calls

Any sighting device that casts a beam of light on the game

Night vision or thermal imagery equipment

Live decoys

Bait

Learn more about the species