Outdoor Guide
Page 6
November-December 2020
A great state for hunting whitetail
By BARB BRUEGGEMAN Visit Missouri
It’s autumn. The leaves are falling, and the days are cool and crisp. It’s the time of year when the thoughts of men and women across the country turn to deer hunting in Missouri. And why not? It’s one of the top 10 places to hunt whitetail in the U.S. One of the main attractions for hunting in Missouri is the abundant public lands open to the sport, and one of the best – if not the best – conservation programs in the country, funded by a designated sales tax voted in by the people of the ShowMe State. In the year of COVID-19, hunting is the perfect socialdistancing activity. With our chilly fall weather or as camouflage, you may be already planning on a face covering – but if
Missouri Department of Conservation
you are sharing transportation or a blind with someone not living in your household, it’s definitely a good idea to wear a mask this year. Whether you’re new to the sport or a seasoned hunter, coming from out-of-state or hunting near to home, here is the vital information on the 2020 Missouri deer season. • Firearms dates: Nov. 14-24 with an antlerless weekend, Dec. 4-6. Youth seasons (no older than 15 on opening day of the early youth portion) are Oct. 31-Nov. 1 and Nov. 27-29. These dates apply to firearms hunting only. Firearms/alternative methods are Dec. 26 to Jan. 5. Deer archery is Sept. 15 to Nov. 13 and Nov. 25 to Jan. 15. • Hours: Half an hour before sunrise to a half-hour after sunset • Regulations: All deer must be checked by telephone or on the Internet by 10 p.m. on the
day harvested. You can transport unchecked deer within the state as long as the transportation tag is attached to the leg. • Places to hunt: The MDC website has an extensive list of places open to hunting under “where to hunt.” • Permits and limits: The required Firearms Any-Deer Hunting Permit allows one antlered or antlerless deer. Check the MDC website for antler point restrictions in some counties. In addition to that permit, you can buy as many antlerless deer permits as you want. However, some counties do limit the number available. • Clothing: Wearing hunter orange is required when you are hunting any species of game during firearms deer season. Some limited exceptions are allowed. SHARE THE HARVEST One of the very best parts
deer season. The change was prompted by ongoing cases and publichealth concerns regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. The change will affect hunters who harvest deer during the opening weekend of the November portion of the firearms deer season (Nov. 14 and 15) in any of the 30 CWD
OUTDOOR
Management Zone counties: Adair, Barry, Cedar, Chariton, Christian, Clark, Crawford, Franklin, Gasconade, Hickory, Howell, Jefferson, Knox, Linn, Macon, Mercer, Oregon, Ozark, Perry, Polk, Putnam, St. Charles, St. Clair, St. Francois, Ste. Genevieve, Stone, Sullivan, Taney, Warren, and Washington.
GUIDE
November-December 2020
MAGAZINE
HUNTING • FISHING • CAMPING • BOATING • SHOOTING • TRAVEL Volume 28, No. 6 • Published six times a year Office: 505 S. Ewing, St. Louis, MO 63103 News department — 618-972-3744
www.outdoorguidemagazine.com e-mail: news@outdoor-guide.com COVER created by Kathy Crowe, graphic designer.
Carl Green, editor – carl@labortribune.com John Winkelman, associate editor — ogmjohnw@aol.com Bob Whitehead, editor emer. – ogmbobw@aol.com Lynn Fowler, circulation manager Kathy Crowe, graphic designer — Account executives — Dan Braun, marketing director 314-256-4136 Lauren Marshall 314-256-4141 — Regional and specialty editors — Curt Hicken Bill Cooper Thayne Smith Steve Jones
Bill Seibel John Neporadny Jr. Rick Story T. J. Mullin
Ron Henry Strait Larry Whiteley Ted Nugent Ron Bice
– In Memoriam —
Jared Billings • Charlie Farmer • Richard Engelke • Mark Hubbard • Spence Turner • Hank Reifeiss Kay Hively • Bill Harmon • Barbara Perry Lawton • Danny Hicks • Ron Kruger • TJ Stallings • John Sloan
Scott Pauley Tim Huffman John Meacham Bob Holzhei Jeannie Farmer Jerry Pabst Ryan Miloshewski
Firearms season for deer in Missouri runs Nov. 14 through 24. – MDC photo
Sampling to be voluntary on opening weekend
The Missouri Department of Conservation has changed its mandatory sampling requirements for chronic wasting disease to voluntary sampling in 30 counties during the opening weekend of this year’s November firearms portion of
Joel Vance Darrell Taylor Ray Eye Brent Frazee Brandon Butler
of deer hunting in Missouri is eating what you harvest. But with the generous limits, some hunters can end up with an embarrassment of riches. That’s where the Share the Harvest program to feed the hungry comes in. If you have an extra deer, just take it to an approved processing plant (list found on the website) and tell them how much meat you want to donate. Often, the processing fees are covered in part or in full by sponsors, and hungry families gratefully line up at food pantries for this otherwise-rare offering of high-quality protein. The MDC website has details on all hunting seasons. Hunters may enhance their experience using the MDC’s free app, Mo Hunting. It can be used to purchase and store permits, telecheck deer or turkey and track your success from year to year.
— Staff writers —
Claudette Roper Brad Wiegmann Mike Roux Craig Alderman Randall Davis Jo Schaper Jed Nadler
Kenneth Kieser Gerald Scott Russell Hively Roxanne Wilson Gretchen Steele Larry Potterfield Tom Watson
Don Gasaway Terry Wilson Bill Keaton Charlie Slovensky Michael Wardlaw Tyler Mahoney
SAMPLING STILL ENCOURAGED While sampling is no longer required Nov. 14 and 15 for the 30 counties, the 71 sampling stations located throughout the zone will remain open. MDC encourages hunters to have their deer sampled on the day of harvest. “CWD represents a great threat to the health of Missouri’s deer and elk herds and to our hunting culture,” said Mandatory Sampling Coordinator Kevyn Wiskirchen. “Sampling deer for CWD allows early detection of the disease and allows for rapid management intervention to slow its spread. Hunters play a critical role in helping MDC find and manage CWD by having their deer sampled.” “Although sampling is voluntary this year, to help us detect CWD as early as possible and protect the state’s deer herd, we strongly encourage hunters in Management Zone counties to have their deer sampled at one of our stations on opening weekend, or at other locations throughout the duration of deer season,” Wiskirchen added. The department will be taking precautions to ensure the health of both staff and the public during CWD sampling. Social distancing will be practiced by staff at all stations. Staff will wear gloves and face masks at all times. Hunters and those with them will be asked to remain in their vehicles while their deer are being sampled. Hunters will only be asked to provide the county of harvest and will not be asked to identify harvest locations on a map. Hunters and others exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19, or who have recently tested positive for COVID-19 or have a known COVID-19 exposure, are asked to refrain from visiting sampling stations.
MDC officials sample a fresh carcass for chronic wasting disease. – MDC photo
SAMPLING STATEWIDE MDC will continue to offer statewide voluntary CWD sampling and testing of harvested deer during the entire deer season at select locations throughout the state, including participating MDC offices, cooperating taxidermists and new freezer head-drop locations. Sampling and test results are free. Find locations and more information online at mdc. mo.gov/cwd or by contacting an MDC regional office. Deer hunters should follow carcass movement restrictions when traveling to a sampling station. Learn more at huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/huntingtrapping/wildlife-diseases/ chronic-wasting-disease-cwd/ carcass-transport-and-disposal. Before having deer sampled for CWD, MDC requests the following: • Field dress and Telecheck deer before arrival at a sam-
pling station.
• Bring the carcass or just
the head.
• Position deer in vehicles
with heads and necks easily accessible.
• Capes may be removed
in preparation for taxidermy before going to a sampling
station.
• The person who harvested
the deer must be present.
• The hunter’s conservation number will be required,
along with county of harvest. • If using a paper permit, have it detached from the deer for easy access. • If using the MO Hunting app, have permit and Telech-
eck information available. CWD is a deadly disease in white-tailed deer and other members of the deer family, called cervids. The disease has no vaccine or cure and eventually kills all cervids it infects. There have been no reported cases of CWD infecting people, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention strongly recommends having deer tested for CWD if harvested in an area known to have the disease, and recommends not eating meat from animals that test positive for CWD. Get more information on CWD and related regulations online at mdc.mo.gov/CWD, or from MDC’s 2020 Fall Deer and Turkey Hunting Regulations & Information booklet, available where permits are sold and online at huntfish. mdc.mo.gov/fall-deer-andturkey-hunting-regulationsand-information.
