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Conservation area · 2026-27
W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area hunting guide
What MDC publishes about this conservation area in Carroll County, in one page.
Photo: MoBikeFed (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area
- Parking areaParking · 0.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.4 mi from the centreDirections
Parking, trailhead and gate locations come from OpenStreetMap contributors. Roads into public land can be gated or seasonal; check with the managing agency before you go.
W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area: acres, manager and game
The record gives W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area 241 acres in Carroll County. Of 4 conservation areas in Carroll County, W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area is number 3 by acreage. It belongs to the Lower Grand management district, MDC Northwest Region.
Other uses MDC lists for W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area: camping (individual campsites), fishing (white bass, sunfish, catfish, black bass) and trapping (special use permit).
From the MDC area description: This area was established in 1976, after the Schifferdecker family donated 80 acres and the Conservation Department purchased an additional 160 acres. The area consists of 40 acres of cropland, 20 acres of timber, 100 acres of old fields and hedgerow, 20 acres of native, warm-season grasses, two small wetlands and several small ponds. Turkey Creek crosses a portion of the area. Woodlands, cropfields, and native grasses are managed to provide year-round food and cover for a variety of game and non-game wildlife species. Haying and controlled burning are used to maintain plant diversity in open areas. Habitat plantings include native trees, shrubs, and grasses.
Game species: Deer, Turkey, Rabbit, Dove, Waterfowl.
From the agency record (Missouri Department of Conservation); checked October 29, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area
Neighbors of W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area on the map
Count on Frank E. Wagner Conservation Area as the first fallback, 12 mi west of W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area.
| Public land | Type | Acres | County | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frank E. Wagner CA | Conservation area | 130 | Ray | 12 mi | west |
| Baltimore Bend CA | Conservation area | 1,202 | Lafayette | 12 mi | south |
| Hardin CA | Conservation area | 238 | Ray | 12 mi | southwest |
| Bunch Hollow CA | Conservation area | 3,294 | Carroll | 15 mi | north |
| Crooked River CA | Conservation area | 1,420 | Ray | 20 mi | west |
| Grand Pass CA | Conservation area | 5,301 | Saline | 20 mi | east |
| Upper Higginsville City Lake (Higginsville) (40 acres) | Cooperative area | 40 | Lafayette | 21 mi | south |
| Higginsville City Lake | Cooperative area | 150 | Lafayette | 22 mi | south |
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.
W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area hunting methods
W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area follows statewide seasons with the area limits shown here.
| Game | Methods | Note |
|---|---|---|
| White-tailed Deer | Archery and firearms | Allowed |
| Wild Turkey | Archery and firearms | – |
| Eastern Cottontail | Statewide methods | – |
| Mourning Dove | Statewide methods | – |
| Ducks | Open Hunting | Nontoxic shot |
MDC allows archery and firearms for deer on W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area; antlerless permits may be used. Turkey hunters may use archery and firearms here. The deer hunting quick view is the list that counts for MDC areas, and W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area appears on it.
Sources: area page, area regulations, deer quick view; booklet table: 2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet, pp. 42-55. Checked October 29, 2026.
Calendar of hunts for W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area
W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area gets 22 dated rows once the Carroll County calendar is trimmed to its game list.
| Game | Segment | Where | Starts | Ends | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| Rabbits | Rabbit hunting | Statewide | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Doves | Dove season | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| Teal | September teal | Statewide | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | |
| Youth waterfowl | Youth waterfowl days | North Zone | Oct 24, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Youth waterfowl | Youth waterfowl days | Middle Zone | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| Ducks and coots | Regular ducks | North Zone | Oct 31, 2026 | Dec 29, 2026 | |
| Ducks and coots | Ducks, split 1 | Middle Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Ducks and coots | Ducks, split 2 | Middle Zone | Dec 19, 2026 | Jan 10, 2027 | |
| Early Canada goose | Early Canada goose | Statewide | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 11, 2026 | |
| Geese | Regular geese | Statewide | Nov 11, 2026 | Feb 6, 2027 | |
| Light geese | Conservation order | Statewide | Feb 7, 2027 | Apr 30, 2027 |
Rabbits may be hunted sunrise to sunset; trapping seasons are on the species pages.
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.
W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area dove ground
4.7 acres across 1 field are managed for doves on W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area (sunflower). Field status: open to all hunters. Dove hunters will find W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area on the MDC dove area list. Missouri dove dates are Sep 1, 2026 to Nov 29, 2026.
MDC 2026 dove field layer and Dove Management Areas; checked October 29, 2026.
Waterfowl at W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area
MDC lists W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area as open waterfowl hunting, with no reservation or draw. The waterfowl digest also lists "Schifferdecker (W.L.) Memorial" among other MDC waterfowl hunting areas. North Zone dates apply to W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area per the 2021-2025 layer; read the digest for the new line wording. No lead shot for ducks, geese or coots.
| Segment | Opens | Closes |
|---|---|---|
| Youth waterfowl days | Oct 24, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 |
| Regular ducks | Oct 31, 2026 | Dec 29, 2026 |
2026-2027 Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Digest, managed areas; area page; checked October 29, 2026.
Which county rules govern W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area
| Rule | Carroll 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 / Middle |
Missouri sets deer rules county by county, so W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area follows Carroll County: up to 4 antlerless deer on firearms permits. Carroll County opens for both antlerless portions this year. Carroll County is one of 85 counties with the year-round feed and mineral ban. MDC retired the CWD portion, its management zone and the antler-point restriction for 2026.
2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet county rules, MDC CWD rules and 2026 bear digest; checked October 29, 2026.
W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area town and service list
Carrollton lies closest, about 9.6 mi as the crow flies. Richmond counts 5,939 residents, more than any other town listed. How MDC says to drive in: From Carrollton, take Route E west 10 miles, then Route D south 0.50 mile to area entrance. Need MDC staff? Grand Pass Conservation Area Field Office in Miami is 21 mi out.
| Nearest towns | County | Population | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carrollton | Carroll | 3,491 | 9.6 mi | east |
| Waverly | Lafayette | 816 | 14 mi | southeast |
| Lexington | Lafayette | 4,595 | 17 mi | southwest |
| Richmond | Ray | 5,939 | 17 mi | southwest |
| Dawn | Livingston | – | 21 mi | north |
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.
W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area: deer, turkey and CWD by year
County figures, the smallest unit MDC publishes.
The county total for 2025 was 2,358 deer (1,350 antlered bucks), the closest MDC figure for W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area. 27 public-land birds out of 426 in spring 2026, Carroll County. 9 positive deers in Carroll County in the sample years shown; CWD was first found there in 2022-2023.
| Permit year | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,350 | 135 | 873 | 2,358 |
| 2024 | 1,278 | 162 | 971 | 2,411 |
| 2023 | 1,408 | 194 | 1,143 | 2,745 |
| 2022 | 1,367 | 176 | 1,131 | 2,674 |
| 2021 | 1,324 | 169 | 911 | 2,404 |
| 2020 | 1,222 | 207 | 940 | 2,369 |
| Year | Spring harvest | Public land share | Youth weekend | Fall firearms | Fall archery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 426 | 27 | 42 | – | – |
| 2025 | 383 | 30 | 32 | 7 | 9 |
| 2024 | 336 | 25 | 25 | 10 | 11 |
| 2023 | 342 | 29 | 17 | 11 | 16 |
| 2022 | 290 | – | 27 | 8 | 15 |
| 2021 | 279 | – | 15 | 12 | 27 |
| Season | Tested | Positives |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 16 | 0 |
| 2025 | 439 | 2 |
| 2024 | 865 | 4 |
| 2023 | 857 | 2 |
| 2022 | 138 | 1 |
| 2021 | 148 | 0 |
MDC 2025 deer harvest summary, MDC turkey harvest summaries and MDC CWD dashboard; earlier years from the yearly reports. Checked October 29, 2026.
First and last shooting light in W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area
The times below start from the MDC Jefferson City table and add 6 minutes for W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area, as the booklet directs.
| Date | Season point | Sunrise | Sunset | Deer, bear, elk | Ducks, doves, geese |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 2026 | Dove opener | 6:43 a.m. | 7:44 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 8:14 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 7:44 p.m. |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Archery opener | 6:55 a.m. | 7:22 p.m. | 6:25 a.m. to 7:52 p.m. | 6:25 a.m. to 7:22 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall firearms turkey | 7:10 a.m. | 6:56 p.m. | 6:40 a.m. to 7:26 p.m. | 6:40 a.m. to 6:56 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Middle Zone ducks | 6:47 a.m. | 5:07 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 5:37 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 5:07 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | November firearms opener | 6:55 a.m. | 5:01 p.m. | 6:25 a.m. to 5:31 p.m. | 6:25 a.m. to 5:01 p.m. |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Alternative methods | 7:30 a.m. | 4:59 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. to 5:29 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. to 4:59 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Archery close | 7:30 a.m. | 5:17 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. to 5:47 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. to 5:17 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.
Missouri scenes for W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area
Before W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area: public and club ranges
From W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area, Ralph and Martha Perry Memorial CA range is the nearest MDC or other public range (34 miles). Nearby gun clubs fill the other cards.
From MDC area pages and the MDC Shooting Ranges layer, the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 29, 2026.
W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area questions with sourced answers
W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area dove fields?
Yes: 1 fields, 4.7 acres in the 2026 layer.
How long is the legal day at W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area in mid-November?
From 6:26 a.m. until 5:32 p.m. on Nov. 14, by the MDC table with the longitude correction.
Closest public alternatives to W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area?
The three nearest: Frank E. Wagner Conservation Area (12 mi), Baltimore Bend Conservation Area (12 mi) and Hardin Conservation Area (12 mi).
Where do I buy gas near W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area?
About 9.6 mi to Carrollton.
Which agency runs W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area?
Roughly 241 acres, looked after by Missouri Department of Conservation.
W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area hours and camping?
MDC lists camping.
What paperwork covers a hunt at W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area?
Buy the matching Missouri permit (Missouri calls them permits); waterfowl also need the federal duck stamp.
Is W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area open for hunting this season?
Yes. MDC lists deer, turkey, rabbit, dove and waterfowl on W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area, and it is on the deer list.
Is W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area archery only for deer?
Plan on archery and firearms. Antlerless permits are allowed.
What is the antlerless limit for W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area?
Carroll County sets a firearms antlerless fill limit of 4, and its antlerless portions are open.
Does the feed ban cover W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area?
For Carroll County, sampling is not required and the feed ban applies.
What turkey rules apply on W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area?
Turkey methods: archery and firearms. Fall firearms turkey (Oct. 1-31) is open in Carroll County.
Is duck hunting allowed on W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area?
Yes: open hunting, North Zone season dates.
Leaving for W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area?
Missouri sells permits, not licenses: buy the right one before you hunt W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area, and wear hunter orange in the firearms portions.
Sources: source · source · source · source · source · source; regulations from the 2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet. Checked October 29, 2026.
Other photos on this page: MoBikeFed (CC BY 2.0); MoBikeFed (CC BY 2.0); USFWS Midwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0).