Regulations

Methods

Seasons, permits, and species have specific rules governing the type of firearm, bow, atlatl, and slingshot which may be used to hunt. Review the information in those areas before hunting.

Fully automatic weapons are prohibited for all hunting.

Firearm restrictions during deer firearms season

During the November and antlerless portions, other wildlife may be hunted only with a shotgun and shot not larger than No. 4 or a .22 or smaller caliber rimfire rifle. This does not apply to waterfowl hunters, trappers, or to landowners on their land.

If you are hunting furbearers during daylight hours during firearms deer season, only deer hunting methods may be used.

Firearm restrictions during elk firearms portion

During the firearms portion of the elk hunting season in open counties, other wildlife may be hunted only with a shotgun and shot not larger than No. 4 or a .22 or smaller caliber rimfire rifle. This does not apply to waterfowl hunters, trappers, or to landowners on their land.

Poisons, tranquilizing drugs, chemicals, and explosives

Poisons, tranquilizing drugs, chemicals, and explosives may not be used to take wildlife.

Motor driven transportation

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

A motorboat may be used to hunt wildlife, except bear, deer and elk, if the motor is shut off and the boat’s forward progress has stopped.

All-terrain vehicles (ATVs)

It is illegal for anyone (except landowners and lessees on land they own or lease and certain agricultural workers) to drive all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) in Missouri’s streams and rivers unless the ATV is on a crossing that is part of the highway system. Violators could lose their fishing and hunting privileges.

With limited exceptions, all-terrain vehicle use is prohibited on conservation areas. Other vehicles are restricted to graveled and paved roads and established parking areas, unless otherwise posted.

Artificial lights

Artificial lights may be used to hunt:

• bullfrogs
• green frogs
• raccoons and other furbearing animals when treed with the aid of dogs
• coyotes from February 1 – March 31 in conjunction with other legal hunting method

Landowners may use artificial lights on their property, but while doing so may not be in possession of — or be in the company of someone who possesses — a firearm, bow, or other implement used to take wildlife.

Artificial lights may not be used to search for, spot, illuminate, harass, or disturb other wildlife than the above.

Night Vision and 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:

• To take coyotes from February 1 – March 31 in conjunction with other legal hunting methods
• For the purposes of killing feral swine by landowners or their authorized representatives on the landowner’s property
• With written authorization of an agent of the department

Calls

Mouth and hand calls may be used any time.

Electronic calls or electronically activated calls may be used to pursue and take crows and furbearers. They may also be used to take light geese during the Conservation Order. Electronic calls may not be used with artificial light or night-vision equipment, except when hunting coyotes from February 1 – March 31 in conjunction with other legal hunting methods.

Dogs

Dogs may be used in hunting wildlife -- except bear, deer, elk, turkey, muskrat, mink, river otter, and beaver. Learn more about the rules for hunting with dogs.

During a hunt

Furbearer dens or nests

The dens or nests of furbearers shall not be molested or destroyed.

Hunter orange

For your safety, you are urged to wear hunter orange whenever you are hunting. You are required to wear hunter orange at certain times and locations. Learn more about the hunter orange rules.

Hunting near flood waters or fire

Wildlife, except waterfowl, may not be pursued or taken while trapped or surrounded by floodwaters or while fleeing from floodwaters or fire.

Hunting and trapping on public roadways

You may not take any wildlife from or across a public roadway with a firearm, bow or crossbow. A Conibear-type trap may be used adjacent to public roadways only if set underwater in permanent waters.

After a successful hunt

Excessive waste

It is illegal to intentionally leave or abandon any portion of any wildlife that is commonly used as human food.

Possessing, transporting, and storing wildlife

You must keep any wildlife you take separate or identifiable from that of any other hunter.

You can possess and transport wildlife as part of your personal baggage. It may be stored at your home, camp, place of lodging or in a commercial establishment.

Proper labeling

When storing bear, deer, elk, and turkey, it must have the hunter's:

• Full name
• Address
• Date taken
• Telecheck confirmation number

When storing wildlife other than bear, deer, elk, or turkey, it must have the hunter’s:

• Full name
• Address
• Permit number
• Species
• Date it was placed in storage

When transporting wildlife other than bear, deer, elk, or turkey, it must have the hunter’s:

• Full name
• Address
• Permit number
• Date it was taken

Buying and selling pelts, feathers, and other parts

Unless federal regulations prohibit, you may buy, sell or barter legally obtained:

• feathers
• squirrel pelts
• rabbit pelts
• groundhog pelts
• turkey bones
• turkey heads
• turkey feet
• deer heads (except those acquired with a disposition form)
• elk heads (except those acquired with a disposition form)
• deer and elk antlers
• deer and elk hides
• deer and elk feet
• NOTE: Regardless of the state of harvest, black bear gallbladders may not be bought, sold, offered for sale, transferred, or given away. Extracted black bear gallbladders may not be transported into or within Missouri.

They must be accompanied by a bill of sale showing:

• the seller’s full name, address
• the number and species of the parts
• the full name and address of the buyer

Wildlife and wildlife parts, after mounting or tanning, also may be bought and sold.

People who receive or purchase deer or elk heads or antlers attached to the skull plate must keep the bill of sale as long as the heads or antlers are in their possession. The bill of sale must include the transaction date and a signed statement from the sellers attesting that the deer or elk heads and antlers were, to their knowledge, taken legally.

Giving away wildlife

You may give wildlife (excluding bear gall bladders) to another person, but it will continue to be a part of your daily limit for the day when taken. Wildlife received as a gift will be included in the possession limit of the person you give it to.

Bear, deer, elk, and turkey must be properly labeled as outlined above.

All other wildlife being given away must be labeled with:

• your full name
• address
• permit number
• species
• date taken

For your safety, you are urged to wear hunter orange whenever you are hunting.

When Hunter Orange is Required

You must wear hunter orange if:

• You are hunting any species of game during firearms deer season. Some exceptions are allowed. See below.
• You are hunting elk or accompanying an elk hunter during the firearms portion of the elk season.
• You are hunting bear or accompanying a bear hunter during the black bear season.
• You are hunting on an area that is having a managed firearms deer hunt.
• You are serving as a mentor to another hunter during firearms deer season or on an area that is having a managed firearms deer hunt.

To satisfy this rule, you must wear both a hunter-orange hat and a hunter-orange shirt, vest, or coat. The hunter-orange color must be plainly visible from all sides. Camouflage orange does not satisfy this rule.

When Hunter Orange Is Not Required

You don’t have to wear hunter orange during firearms deer season, on an area that is having a managed firearms deer hunt, or during the firearms portion of the elk season if:

• You are hunting migratory game birds.
• You are archery hunting within municipal boundaries where the discharge of firearms is prohibited.
• You are hunting on federal or state land where deer hunting is restricted to archery methods.
• You are using an archery permit during the alternative methods portion.
• You are archery or small game hunting in a closed county during the antlerless portion.
• You are hunting small game or furbearers during the alternative methods portion.
• You are hunting small game or furbearers during the firearms portion of the elk season.

Hunters may use dogs to take and retrieve game, but there are restrictions by species, times, and locations.

When Dogs are Illegal to Use

Dogs are prohibited when hunting bear, deer, elk, and turkey.

Dogs cannot be used to harvest muskrat, mink, river otter, and beaver. 

Dogs are prohibited when hunting furbearers (badger, bobcat, coyote, gray fox, opossum, raccoon, and striped skunk) during daylight hours from Nov.1 through the close of the November portion of the firearms deer season and during the antlerless portion of firearms deer season in counties that are open during this season portion.

Dogs are prohibited when hunting squirrels and rabbits during daylight hours of the November portion of the firearms deer season in the following counties:

• Butler
• Carter
• Dent
• Iron
• Madison
• Oregon
• Reynolds
• Ripley
• Shannon
• Wayne

Dogs are prohibited when hunting squirrels, rabbits, and furbearers (badger, bobcat, coyote, gray fox, opossum, raccoon, and striped skunk) during daylight hours during the firearms portion of the elk hunting season in the following counties:

• Carter
• Reynolds
• Shannon

Dogs must wear ID

While hunting, all dogs, except for those used by waterfowl and game bird hunters, must wear a collar with the owner’s full name and address, Conservation Number or complete telephone number.

Training Dogs

During training, dogs may chase but not take wildlife that can be hunted with dogs. You will need a hunting permit appropriate for the wildlife or exception when training dogs that are chasing wildlife.

Only a pistol with blank ammunition may be used during daylight hours to train dogs during closed seasons.

During spring turkey and fall deer and turkey seasons, you cannot take wildlife, except waterfowl, when river levels exceed specified limits on local river gauges in certain flood-prone areas in southeast Missouri.

This map shows in real-time which areas are open or closed to hunting. Check it before heading out on your turkey or deer hunt.

For a complete listing of this rule, see 3 CSR 10-7.405 of the Wildlife Code of Missouri.

Numbers on the map refer to zones referenced in the regulation.

For a larger version of the map SE Regulatory Flood Zone

Zones

1: Scott County

No hunting (except waterfowl) during spring turkey or fall deer and turkey seasons when the Mississippi River is at or above 35 feet on the Thebes, IL gauge.

2: Mississippi County

No hunting (except waterfowl) during spring turkey or fall deer and turkey seasons when the Mississippi River is at or above 43 feet on the Cairo, IL gauge.

3: New Madrid and Mississippi Counties

No hunting (except waterfowl) during spring turkey season when the Mississippi River is at or above 34 feet on the New Madrid, MO gauge.

3A: New Madrid and Mississippi Counties

No hunting (except waterfowl) during fall deer and turkey seasons when the Mississippi River is at or above 34 feet on the New Madrid, MO gauge.

3B: New Madrid and Mississippi Counties

No hunting (except waterfowl) during fall deer and turkey seasons when the Mississippi River is at or above 36 feet on the New Madrid, MO gauge.

3C: New Madrid and Mississippi Counties

No hunting (except waterfowl) during fall deer and turkey seasons when the Mississippi River is at or above 40 feet on the New Madrid, MO gauge.

4: Pemiscot County

No hunting (except waterfowl) during spring turkey or fall deer and turkey seasons when the Mississippi River is at or above 32 feet on the Caruthersville, MO gauge.

5A: Dunklin County

No hunting (except waterfowl) during spring turkey or fall deer and turkey seasons when the St. Francis River is at or above 21 feet on the St. Francis, AR gauge.

5B: Dunklin County

No hunting (except waterfowl) during spring turkey or fall deer and turkey seasons when the St. Francis River is at or above 15.5 feet on the Holly Island, AR gauge.