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Missouri conservation area
Shoemaker Conservation Area, a hunter guide
259 acres of conservation area in Adair County: area rules, season dates and nearby land.
Photo: David Wilson (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Shoemaker Conservation Area
Shoemaker Conservation Area basics
Shoemaker Conservation Area measures 259 acres on the map and sits in Adair County. Adair County has 5 conservation areas on our list; this one is the 5th largest. MDC lists Shoemaker Conservation Area in its Bee Trace district, Northeast Region.
Non-hunting activities on the area page: camping (open camping-walk/float/backpack(no deer/turkey), designated camping sites).
The area page says: In 1989, 200 acres of the area's 259 acres were donated to the Conservation Department. An additional 59 acres were purchased in 2008 to improve access to Spring Creek. The area is characterized by oak-hickory wooded hills with narrow ridges. Spring Creek cuts through the northern portion of the area. The area supports good populations of deer, turkey, and squirrels.
Species named: Deer, Turkey, Squirrel.
From the agency record (Missouri Department of Conservation); checked October 29, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Shoemaker Conservation Area
How Shoemaker Conservation Area may be hunted
Area methods and permits for Shoemaker Conservation Area, condensed from MDC.
| Game | How | Extra rule |
|---|---|---|
| White-tailed Deer | Archery and firearms | Allowed |
| Wild Turkey | Archery and firearms | – |
| Gray Squirrel | Statewide methods | – |
Deer hunters on Shoemaker Conservation Area are limited to archery and firearms; antlerless permits may be used. Turkey on Shoemaker Conservation Area: archery and firearms under the area listing. Booklet code A for Shoemaker Conservation Area means antlerless permits allowed. Only areas on the MDC deer list allow deer hunting; Shoemaker Conservation Area made the list.
Sources: area page, area regulations, deer quick view; booklet table: 2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet, pp. 42-55. Checked October 29, 2026.
Shoemaker Conservation Area: the Adair County rules
| Rule | Adair County |
|---|---|
| Firearms antlerless limit | 4 deer |
| Antlerless portions | Open |
| CWD sampling Nov. 14-15 | No |
| Feed and mineral ban | Yes |
| Share the Harvest CWD test | Required |
| Fall firearms turkey | Open |
| Dogs, November portion | No rule |
| Elk county | No |
| Bear zone | None |
| Duck zone | North |
The county is the deer unit here. Adair County allows 4 firearms antlerless deer this year. Adair County is one of the 100 counties open during the antlerless portions. The year-round feed and mineral ban covers Adair County. Three older rules are gone for 2026: the CWD portion, the CWD Management Zone and the antler-point rule.
2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet county rules, MDC CWD rules and 2026 bear digest; checked October 29, 2026.
Dates that apply at Shoemaker Conservation Area
12 rows for Shoemaker Conservation Area (3 species), cut down to its game list.
| Game | Season | Area | From | To | Open now? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Archery, first part | Statewide | Sep 15, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Firearms, early antlerless | Antlerless county | Oct 9, 2026 | Oct 11, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Firearms, early youth | Statewide | Oct 24, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Firearms, November | Statewide | Nov 14, 2026 | Nov 24, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Archery, second part | Statewide | Nov 25, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Firearms, late youth | Statewide | Nov 27, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Firearms, late antlerless | Antlerless county | Dec 5, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Firearms, alternative methods | Statewide | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 5, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall archery | Statewide | Sep 15, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall firearms | Open county | Oct 1, 2026 | Oct 31, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall archery, part 2 | Statewide | Nov 25, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 | |
| Squirrels | Squirrel season | Statewide | May 23, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 |
Hunter orange (hat plus vest, coat or shirt) is required during the firearms deer portions.
From the 2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet, the 2026-2027 waterfowl digest and the 2026 hunting and trapping summary (Missouri Department of Conservation); checked October 29, 2026. All Missouri seasons.
Public places ringing Shoemaker Conservation Area
Head northwest about 4.1 mi and you reach Union Ridge Conservation Area, the nearest listed neighbor of Shoemaker Conservation Area.
| Name | Type | Size (ac) | County | Away | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union Ridge CA | Conservation area | 8,263 | Adair, Putnam | 4.1 mi | northwest |
| Dark Hollow Natural Area | Natural area | 315 | Sullivan | 7.3 mi | west |
| Morris Prairie CA | Conservation area | 523 | Putnam, Sullivan | 9.5 mi | northwest |
| Samuel Ziegler Prairie Tract (MRAP) | MRAP tract | 197 | Sullivan | 9.8 mi | south |
| Big Creek CA | Conservation area | 1,064 | Adair | 13 mi | southeast |
| Mineral Hills CA | Conservation area | 2,174 | Putnam | 13 mi | northwest |
| Sears Community Lake | Cooperative area | 83 | Sullivan | 15 mi | west |
| Sugar Creek CA | Conservation area | 3,081 | Adair | 15 mi | southeast |
Points: MDC Conservation Area Centroids layer (https://gisblue.mdc.mo.gov/arcgis/rest/services/Discover_Nature/MDC_Administrative_Areas/FeatureServer/4). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
What hunters took around Shoemaker Conservation Area
MDC reports by county.
Deer checked in Adair County: 2,639 in 2025 and 2,827 in 2024. Spring 2026 turkey harvest in Adair County: 723, with 62 from public ground. Adair County CWD testing: 3,837 samples in the years shown, 12 positives; first positive year 2014-2015.
| Year | Antlered | Buttons | Does | All deer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,344 | 207 | 1,088 | 2,639 |
| 2024 | 1,258 | 247 | 1,322 | 2,827 |
| 2023 | 1,489 | 206 | 1,128 | 2,823 |
| 2022 | 1,389 | 197 | 1,141 | 2,727 |
| 2021 | 1,363 | 187 | 1,016 | 2,566 |
| 2020 | 1,378 | 246 | 1,104 | 2,728 |
| Year | Spring | Spring, public land | Spring youth | Fall firearms | Fall archery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 723 | 62 | 65 | – | – |
| 2025 | 537 | 41 | 56 | 26 | 25 |
| 2024 | 609 | 49 | 42 | 33 | 20 |
| 2023 | 520 | 57 | 26 | 27 | 17 |
| 2022 | 401 | – | 29 | 33 | 24 |
| 2021 | 387 | – | 17 | 23 | 19 |
| Sample year | Tested | Detections |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 10 | 0 |
| 2025 | 160 | 0 |
| 2024 | 841 | 4 |
| 2023 | 1,036 | 3 |
| 2022 | 940 | 3 |
| 2021 | 850 | 2 |
MDC 2025 deer harvest summary, MDC turkey harvest summaries and MDC CWD dashboard; earlier years from the yearly reports. Checked October 29, 2026.
Nearest help for Shoemaker Conservation Area hunters
8.6 mi separates Shoemaker Conservation Area from Green City. Kirksville tops the population column at 17,841. MDC directions: From Novinger, take Route O north 7 miles, then Spring Creek Road west, then Stahl Road south. Kirksville hosts the MDC office nearest Shoemaker Conservation Area (Northeast Regional Office, 15 mi).
| Community | County | Residents | Straight line | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green City | Sullivan | 570 | 8.6 mi | west |
| Kirksville | Adair | 17,841 | 13 mi | southeast |
| Unionville | Putnam | 1,668 | 17 mi | northwest |
| Milan | Sullivan | 1,749 | 18 mi | west |
| Lancaster | Schuyler | 679 | 22 mi | northeast |
Towns from places.json (Census 2024); offices and businesses from services.json (MDC offices and business listings, chain stores and permit vendors left out); straight-line miles. Checked October 29, 2026.
Shoemaker Conservation Area hunters: public range and clubs
Sugar Creek CA range is the nearest public range to Shoemaker Conservation Area, about 14 miles away.
From MDC area pages and the MDC Shooting Ranges layer, the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 29, 2026.
Shoemaker Conservation Area legal shooting light
Legal light for deer at Shoemaker Conservation Area runs 30 minutes either side of sunrise and sunset; for ducks it starts 30 minutes before sunrise and ends at sunset.
| Date | Why it matters | Sunrise | Sunset | Big game legal | Waterfowl legal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 2026 | Dove opener | 6:40 a.m. | 7:41 p.m. | 6:10 a.m. to 8:11 p.m. | 6:10 a.m. to 7:41 p.m. |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Archery opener | 6:52 a.m. | 7:19 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 7:49 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 7:19 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall firearms turkey | 7:07 a.m. | 6:53 p.m. | 6:37 a.m. to 7:23 p.m. | 6:37 a.m. to 6:53 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Middle Zone ducks | 6:44 a.m. | 5:04 p.m. | 6:14 a.m. to 5:34 p.m. | 6:14 a.m. to 5:04 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | November firearms opener | 6:52 a.m. | 4:58 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 5:28 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 4:58 p.m. |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Alternative methods | 7:27 a.m. | 4:56 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 5:26 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 4:56 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Archery close | 7:27 a.m. | 5:14 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 5:44 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 5:14 p.m. |
Hours rule and the Jefferson City sunrise and sunset table from the MDC Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Digest (same table in the Fall Deer and Turkey booklet), adjusted 1 minute per 13.5 miles east or west as MDC directs; checked October 29, 2026. Legal hours for every county.
Images near and like Shoemaker Conservation Area
Shoemaker Conservation Area, quick questions
How may deer be hunted on Shoemaker Conservation Area?
MDC lists archery and firearms for deer. Antlerless permits are allowed.
What county deer limit applies at Shoemaker Conservation Area?
The county rule is 4 antlerless deer with firearms; the antlerless portions are open.
What CWD rules apply at Shoemaker Conservation Area?
Adair County has no mandatory sampling this year and a year-round feed and mineral ban.
How may turkeys be hunted on Shoemaker Conservation Area?
Yes, by archery and firearms; fall firearms turkey runs Oct. 1-31 here.
When can I shoot at Shoemaker Conservation Area on opening day?
Opening day of the November portion runs 6:23 a.m. to 5:29 p.m. there.
What backup public land is near Shoemaker Conservation Area?
Within reach: Union Ridge Conservation Area (4.1 mi), Dark Hollow Natural Area (7.3 mi) and Morris Prairie CA (9.5 mi).
Closest community to Shoemaker Conservation Area?
The closest town page is Green City (8.6 mi).
How large an area is Shoemaker Conservation Area?
259 acres in all; the manager is Missouri Department of Conservation.
When may I be on Shoemaker Conservation Area?
4 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Camping is offered.
Which Missouri permits do I need at Shoemaker Conservation Area?
Statewide MDC permits apply; managed hunts need the drawn permit as well.
Does Shoemaker Conservation Area allow hunting?
Yes, for deer, turkey and squirrel; deer hunting is allowed because the area is on the MDC list.
Shoemaker Conservation Area: checks before you go
Use this page to plan, then reread the agency page for Shoemaker Conservation Area shortly before the trip.
Sources: source · source · source · source; regulations from the 2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet. Checked October 29, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Deb Watson (CC BY 2.0); USFWS Midwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0); James St. John (CC BY 2.0).