MDC sets deer and turkey hunting dates for 2025-2026 seasons

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) recently set turkey and deer hunting dates for the 2025-2026 seasons. The hunting dates were approved by the Missouri Conservation Commission at its Dec. 13 open meeting at the MDC St. Louis Regional Office in St. Charles. 

The Commission also gave initial approval to recommendations related to chronic wasting disease (CWD) that would rescind the intrastate carcass transportation regulations for deer and other cervids (members of the deer family) and that would establish carcass-disposal requirements for deer and other cervids harvested in Missouri.

2025 Spring and Fall Turkey Hunting Dates

• Spring Youth Portion: April 12-13
• Regular Spring Turkey Season: April 21 through May 11
• Fall Archery Turkey Portion: Sept. 15 through Nov. 14 and Nov. 26 through Jan. 15, 2026 
• Fall Firearms Turkey Portion: Oct. 1-31 (in open counties)

2025-2026 Archery Deer Hunting Dates

• Sept. 15 through Nov. 14 and Nov. 26 through Jan. 15, 2026

2025-2026 Firearms Deer Hunting Dates

• Firearms Early Antlerless Portion: Oct. 10-12 (in open counties)
• Firearms Early Youth Portion: Nov. 1-2
• Firearms November Portion: Nov. 15-25
• Firearms CWD Portion: Nov. 26-30 (in open counties)
• Firearms Late Youth Portion: Nov. 28-30
• Firearms Late Antlerless Portion: Dec. 6-14 (in open counties)
• Firearms Alternative Methods Portion: Dec. 27-Jan. 6, 2026

Recommendations for changes to firearms antlerless permit numbers, CWD mandatory sampling, conservation area regulations, managed hunts, and other proposals will be submitted to the Commission for consideration this spring. 

Detailed information on the upcoming seasons and portions will be included in the MDC 2025 Spring Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information booklet and the MDC 2025 Fall Deer & Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information booklet, available closer to the seasons. The booklets will be available where permits are sold and online at mdc.mo.gov.

Recommendations on deer carcass movement and disposal

The Commission gave initial approval for rescinding the intrastate deer carcass transportation regulations that prohibit high-risk parts of hunter-harvested deer and other cervids from being moved from CWD Management Zone counties unless being delivered to a licensed meat processor, licensed taxidermist, or CWD sampling station.

In their place, the Commission gave initial approval to establishing statewide requirements for disposal of carcasses of deer and other cervids harvested in Missouri. MDC recommended allowing hunters who harvest deer in any county in Missouri to be able to transport the carcass, including all parts, to any final destination in the state for processing as long as unused parts are disposed of in a landfill, through a trash service, or on the property where the animal was harvested. Hunters would be required to report their deer through Telecheck before any parts are transported out of the county of harvest. 

According to MDC, these changes were recommended to slow the spread of CWD, minimize regulatory complexity, and reduce the burden on hunters to comply with regulations.

“Improper disposal of deer carcasses can spread CWD, threatening Missouri’s deer population,” said MDC Cervid Program Supervisor Jason Isabelle. 

He noted the current intrastate carcass transportation regulations required hunters who process their own deer to debone or quarter the animal prior to leaving a CWD Management Zone. 

“This can be challenging for hunters who harvest deer just before dark or in inclement weather,” said Isabelle. “The carcass disposal regulations would still allow a hunter to take their deer to a taxidermist or processor as they normally would. And if they process deer themselves, these changes will allow them to take their entire deer home to process it as long as the unused parts are either disposed of in a landfill, through a trash service, or left on the harvest property.”

MDC did not recommend changes to the carcass transportation regulations for cervids harvested outside of Missouri. These regulations prohibit the transportation of high-risk cervid parts into Missouri, from cervids harvested out of state, except that hunters may import cervid heads with cape attached if delivered to a licensed taxidermist within 48 hours of entering Missouri.

MDC will take public comments on the regulation changes from Feb. 19 through March 20, 2025, at mdc.mo.gov/about-regulations/wildlife-code-missouri/proposed-regulation-changes.

MDC will then compile comments received and share them with the Commission prior to the April 4 open meeting when the Commission will give final consideration to the regulation changes. If approved, the changes would become effective June 30, 2025.