Donating the harvest
Deer and turkey season begins in earnest on Friday morning for archers throughout the state of Missouri. In October, hunters can be begin using their firearms.
The Missouri Department of Conservation expects a bountiful season for bowhunters and riflemen alike.
"All signs point to a very good (turkey) hatch this spring, though I am still waiting on finalized numbers," Missouri Department of Conservation biologist Nick Oakley told the News-Leader. "So, there should be more birds out on the landscape this fall than in years past resulting in a good fall season."
MDC deer biologist Kevyn Wiskirchen said the deer population in Missouri is healthy enough this year that hunters can double their permit limit (four) for antlerless deer from a year ago (two).
The MDC also added an early antlerless season for rifles Oct. 6-8 for 100 Missouri counties open for firearms, preceding the late antlerless season Dec. 2-10.
Wiskirchen pointed to fewer acorns in Missouri this fall than last year, forcing the deer to be searching and more exposed to hunters.
"It should be a good season," Wiskirchen said. "There's a growing deer population, so there's plenty to pursue."
The Missouri Department of Conservation is encouraging two distinct donations from the fall season's hunting harvest.
The MDC is requesting the donation of turkey feathers for its research. It also hopes deer hunters donate venison to their local food banks.
The feathers, according to MDC, will be used to help monitor turkey population trends and estimate the amount of turkeys across the state of Missouri.
The MDC wants feathers from what's described as the bird's "9th and 10th primary wing wing feathers 3-5 breast feathers.” After the harvested bird is telechecked, the MDC said it will mail the hunter a submission packet with a postage-paid envelope.
The MDC also encourages hunters to share surplus venison to local food banks and food pantries.
"Simply take harvested deer to an approved meat processor and let the processor know how much venison to donate," the MDC said in a release. "Meat-processing fees are covered entirely or in part by numerous local sponsors, along with statewide sponsors."
Know the rules, archers
Turkey: With a Missouri archer's permit, an archer has a bag limit of two turkeys of either sex, and both can be taken on the same day for the fall and winter seasons (September 15 through November 10 and November 22 through January 15, 2024). Hunters can hunt from a half-hour before sunrise to a half-hour after sunset. Legal means of turkey archery hunting include longbows, compound bows, recurve bows of any draw weight, crossbows, handheld string-releasing devices, atlatls, illuminated sights, scopes and quickpoint sights.
Deer: Hunters with a Missouri archer's permit may purchase and fill any number of archery antlerless deer hunting permits in all southwest Missouri counties (an antler-point restriction applies in some counties). Hunters can only take two antlered deer during the archery and firearms deer hunting seasons combined. Crossbows, hand-held string-releasing devices, illuminated sights, scopes, and quick sights, and atlatls may be used during the deer hunting archery season.