MISSOURI, USA — Missouri deer hunters have a lot to live up to as the season's peak kicks off Saturday and runs through Nov. 26.
The state's hunters set a new record during the 2023-24 season, with the largest total deer harvest in history at 326,026, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC). The total passed up the previous harvest record set in 2006 at 325,457.
As hunters take to their stands this year, numerous new rules could either help or hinder their progress toward breaking that record again. Find a summary of this year's regulation changes below.
Missouri 2024 deer hunting rule changes
Using drones legalized for tracking wounded game
A new Missouri law now allows hunters throughout the state to take to the sky with thermal drones to recover their harvest.
Hunters can use drones to recover wounded deer, turkey, elk, and black bear during the respective hunting seasons, according to Missouri's Wildlife Code. The state had previously banned all drone usage during hunting. Despite the new regulation, all other uses of drones are still prohibited while hunting, including pursuing, taking, driving, or otherwise harassing wildlife.
Drone operators must first obtain permission from the public or private landowner where the game animal was shot. Using a drone to trespass on someone's property to locate and recover a wounded animal is still prohibited. Drone operators also cannot have any kind of weapon on them while flying a drone.
Nearly 20 new counties under Chronic Wasting Disease regulations
The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) recently announced chronic wasting disease (CWD) had been found in 18 new counties.
The new counties are now part of the department's CWD Management Zone, which consists of counties that were within 10 miles of where the disease was found. The newest counties include:
- Audrain
- Boone
- Cole
- Dent
- Douglas
- Howard
- Lewis
- Maries
- Monroe
- Newton
- Osage
- Phelps
- Randolph
- Saline
- Scotland
- Shannon
- Shelby
- Webster
Hunters in CWD Management Zones are required to bring in their kills to a designated CWD Management Zone during the first two opening days of the November firearms portion of deer season on Nov. 16 and 17. After those dates, testing is voluntary.
“Deer are social animals that are going to groom each other, be aggressive towards one another, and work licking branches and scrapes,” said Isabelle. “Clearly, we can’t stop these deer behaviors, but we can implement regulations that prevent artificial congregation of deer by humans that increases the spread of CWD in the deer population.”
Read the full list of rules for Missouri's November Portion of deer hunting here: