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Seat: Cassville · Southwest Region
Barry County Hunting
Before a Barry County trip: a firearms antlerless fill limit of 4 deer, the open antlerless portions, turkey and duck zone facts, 2,538 deer checked in 2025 and 5 public areas to hunt.
Photo: SlapTheWorld (CC0 1.0)
Barry County rules at a glance
Barry County covers 778 square miles of land and 13 of water, with the courthouse in Cassville. Population ran to 35,618 in mid-2024, a shift of +3.2% from the 2020 base. MDC caps firearms antlerless permits in Barry County at 4 deer this season, counting every firearms portion together. From Oct. 9 to 11 and again from Dec. 5 to 13, Barry County hunters can fill firearms antlerless permits in the antlerless portions. Placing feed, salt or minerals for deer is prohibited all year in Barry County because the county lies within 10 miles of a CWD detection. For Share the Harvest, deer from Barry County must be tested for CWD, which the processors arrange. For 2026 the CWD Management Zone was removed, so Barry County no longer has zone rules or a CWD portion.
| MDC rule | Here | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Firearms antlerless fill limit | 4 deer | All firearms portions |
| Antlerless portions | Open | Oct. 9-11, Dec. 5-13 |
| Mandatory CWD sampling | Not this year | Day of harvest |
| Feed and mineral ban | Yes | Year-round |
| Share the Harvest test | Required | Before donating |
| November dog rule | No | November portion, daylight |
| Fall firearms turkey | Open | Oct. 1-31 |
| Elk hunting county | No | Carter, Reynolds, Shannon |
| Black Bear Management Zone | 1 | Oct. 17-30, by permit |
| Waterfowl zone (map layer) | South | 2021-2025 layer |
| SE flood closure zone | None | Gauge-based |
| CWD portion | Removed | Gone for 2026 |
| Antler-point restriction | Removed | Gone for 2026 |
County rules from the 2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet county table, the Wildlife Code 3 CSR 10-7 (antlerless limits and portions), CWD rules and stations, fall turkey counties, dog rule, bear digest, waterfowl digest. Checked October 29, 2026.
Deer Telechecked in Barry County, 2015-2025
Barry County produced 2,538 checked deer in 2025 (1,345 antlered, 1,193 antlerless). That is 4% above the 2024 total of 2,446. The best year in the 2015-2025 run was 2023 with 2,855; the lowest was 2021 with 2,053. By 2025 harvest, Barry County sits 61st of 114. Archery and crossbow hunters logged 453; the November portion added 1,378.
| Year | Bucks | Button bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,345 | 186 | 1,007 | 2,538 |
| 2024 | 1,174 | 221 | 1,051 | 2,446 |
| 2023 | 1,375 | 250 | 1,230 | 2,855 |
| 2022 | 1,279 | 193 | 956 | 2,428 |
| 2021 | 1,098 | 147 | 808 | 2,053 |
| 2020 | 1,153 | 192 | 921 | 2,266 |
| 2019 | 1,164 | 200 | 943 | 2,307 |
| 2018 | 1,199 | 218 | 956 | 2,373 |
| 2017 | 1,208 | 253 | 823 | 2,284 |
| 2016 | 1,201 | 188 | 864 | 2,253 |
| 2015 | 1,139 | 220 | 810 | 2,169 |
Barry County deer by portion, 2024 and 2025
| Portion | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | 456 | 453 |
| Early youth | 108 | 186 |
| Early antlerless | 53 | 76 |
| Opening weekend* | 625 | 586 |
| November portion | 1,478 | 1,378 |
| CWD portion | 166 | 227 |
| Late youth | 24 | 22 |
| Late antlerless | 108 | 116 |
| Alternative methods | 53 | 80 |
| Managed hunts | — | 0 |
The Southwest Region figure was 4.6 per square mile, while Barry County posted 3.4.
Telechecked harvest from the MDC 2025 deer harvest summary and earlier deer harvest summaries (2015-2025); density from the 2025 Missouri Deer Season Summary and Population Status Report. Checked October 29, 2026.
Draws, zones and wetlands in Barry County
Black bear hunting in Barry County
Barry County lies in Black Bear Management Zone 1. The 2026 season runs Oct. 17-30 for permit holders drawn in the May 1-31 application period.
| Zone | Share of county | Permits 2026 | Quota 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | 100% | 1,000 | 30 |
| Year | Statewide bears |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 12 |
| 2022 | 8 |
| 2023 | 12 |
| 2024 | 15 |
| 2025 | 9 |
Barry County and the North, Middle and South zones
Duck dates in Barry County follow the South Zone, judged from the older map layer; check the digest map if you hunt near a zone edge.
| Season | Zone | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Ducks, split 1 | South | Nov 26–Nov 29 |
| Ducks, split 2 | South | Dec 7–Jan 31 |
Barry County has no managed deer hunt for 2026-27; look to Newton, Greene and Dade for the nearest.
Managed hunts from the 2026 managed deer hunt tables; bear from the 2026 Black Bear Hunting Digest and MDC bear reports; elk from the 2026 Elk Hunting Digest; waterfowl and wetlands from the 2026-2027 Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Digest. Checked October 29, 2026.
Barry County seasons, opener to closer
Barry County gets 37 dated rows this permit year, from the September dove opener to the conservation order in spring.
| Game | Segment | Scope | Opening day | Closing day | 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 | |
| Black bear | Bear, zone 1 | Bear zone 1 | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 30, 2026 | |
| 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 | |
| Bobwhite quail | Youth quail | Statewide | Oct 24, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Bobwhite quail | Quail | Statewide | Nov 1, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 | |
| Pheasant | Youth pheasant | Statewide | Oct 24, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Pheasant | Pheasant | Statewide | Nov 1, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 | |
| Rabbits | Rabbit hunting | Statewide | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Squirrels | Squirrel season | Statewide | May 23, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Woodcock | Woodcock season | Statewide | Oct 18, 2026 | Dec 1, 2026 | |
| 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 | South Zone | Nov 21, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | |
| Ducks and coots | Ducks, split 1 | South Zone | Nov 26, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| Ducks and coots | Ducks, split 2 | South Zone | Dec 7, 2026 | Jan 31, 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 | |
| Coyote | Coyote hunting | Statewide | Jan 1, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Groundhog | Groundhog | Statewide | May 11, 2026 | Dec 15, 2026 | |
| Bullfrogs and green frogs | Frogging | Statewide | Jun 30, 2026 | Oct 31, 2026 | |
| Raccoon, opossum, skunk | Hunt and trap, early | Statewide | Aug 1, 2026 | Oct 15, 2026 | |
| Rails | Rail season | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Snipe | Snipe season | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Dec 16, 2026 | |
| Crow | Crow season | Statewide | Nov 1, 2026 | Mar 3, 2027 | |
| Badger and foxes | Hunting and trapping | Statewide | Nov 15, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Bobcat | Hunting and trapping | Statewide | Nov 15, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Raccoon, opossum, skunk | Hunt and trap, main | Statewide | Nov 15, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 |
From the 2026 Fall Deer and Turkey Hunting Regulations, the 2026-2027 Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Digest and the 2026 hunting and trapping summary (Missouri Department of Conservation), checked October 29, 2026.
Barry County turkey harvest and CWD results
Telecheck shows 189 Barry County gobblers and bearded hens in the 2026 regular spring season. 252 turkeys in 2025 is the spring high mark here. In fall 2025, 6 turkeys came on the firearms portion and 5 with archery. No fall 2026 harvest is listed yet; the 2027 spring season dates are pending.
| Year | Spring youth | Spring regular | Firearms fall | Archery fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 34 | 189 | — | — |
| 2025 | 23 | 252 | 6 | 5 |
| 2024 | 10 | 196 | 5 | 5 |
| 2023 | 9 | 189 | 3 | 8 |
| 2022 | 11 | 100 | 4 | 11 |
| 2021 | 9 | 117 | 1 | 3 |
| 2020 | 6 | 117 | 3 | 4 |
| 2019 | 9 | 127 | 3 | 5 |
| 2018 | 10 | 136 | 1 | 7 |
| 2017 | 13 | 154 | 2 | 3 |
| 2016 | 22 | 207 | 14 | 11 |
Chronic wasting disease results, Barry County
Barry County CWD testing: 4,081 samples, 7 positive, by the MDC layer. The county's first CWD-positive deer came in the 2021-2022 sample year. Barry County logged 1 positive in 2025-26.
| Sample year | Tested | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | 2 | 0 |
| 2025-26 | 83 | 1 |
| 2024-25 | 79 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 574 | 1 |
| 2022-23 | 635 | 1 |
| 2021-22 | 531 | 4 |
| 2020-21 | 155 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | 608 | 0 |
| 2018-19 | 628 | 0 |
| 2017-18 | 634 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 152 | 0 |
Turkey harvest from the MDC 2026 turkey harvest summary and earlier turkey harvest summaries; CWD from the MDC CWD sampling results layers and the MDC CWD page. Checked October 29, 2026.
Barry County conservation areas and public ground
There are 5 listed hunting areas in Barry County; Flag Spring Conservation Area tops them at 4,036 acres. GIS layers map about 72,118 public acres in the county, roughly 14.5% of its land. Mark Twain National Forest owns about 53,584 acres here, open to hunting under statewide rules. Another 2 MDC or state places in the county are closed to hunting and left off the table.
| Place | Acres | Deer methods | Antlerless | Extras |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flag Spring CA · Conservation area | 4,036 | Archery and firearms | antlerless OK | — |
| John Baumgardt Memorial CA · Conservation area | 503 | Archery and firearms | antlerless OK | — |
| Roaring River CA · Conservation area | 439 | Archery and firearms | antlerless OK | — |
| Stubblefield Access · Public access | 56 | Muzzleloader, archery | antlerless OK | — |
| Table Rock Lake (Corps) · Corps lake | — | — | — | — |
Ava/Cassville/Willow Springs Ranger District (Mark Twain National Forest) · Mark Twain National Forest
Public areas just outside Barry County
- Pilot Knob CA19 miles · 1,360 ac · Stone County
- Capps Creek CA19 miles · 726 ac · Newton County
- Jessie Hollow CA21 miles · 120 ac · Stone County
- Wire Road CA21 miles · 1,003 ac · Stone County
- Powell Towersite22 miles · 77 ac · McDonald County
- Hayes Spring CA27 miles · 104 ac · Stone County
Areas from our Missouri land list (MDC area pages and the MDC area deer quick regs, USFS, USFWS, Corps and NPS records); acres by kind from MDC, USFS, USFWS, PAD-US and NPS GIS layers (GIS measures, not official acreages); MRAP from the MDC MRAP program. Checked October 29, 2026.
Barry County offices and local help
Springfield hosts the Southwest Regional Office that covers Barry County. About 30 miles from the county centre, Branson has the closest MDC office open to visitors.
Barry County town guides
- Cassvillepop. 3,247 · seat
- Washburnpop. 415
- Eagle RockCDP
- Shell KnobCDP
Services near Barry County
Confirm hours and venison policies by phone; November is the busy month.
Around Barry County
- Lawrence CountySouthwest
- McDonald CountySouthwest
- Newton CountySouthwest
- Stone CountySouthwest
Offices from MDC offices open to the public; services from MDC lists and directories as tagged; towns from Census 2024. Checked October 29, 2026.
Barry County: ranges, lanes and trap fields
1 range are on file for Barry County, from MDC lines to clubs and indoor lanes.
Ranges from MDC area pages and its Shooting Ranges layer, the operators’ own sites and directory listings, checked October 29, 2026.
Shooting hours in Barry County
Times for Barry County come from the MDC Jefferson City table, moved by the longitude rule MDC prints with it.
| Day | Moment | First sun | Last sun | Deer hours | Bird hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 2026 | Dove opener | 6:45 a.m. | 7:46 p.m. | 6:15 a.m. to 8:16 p.m. | 6:15 a.m. to 7:46 p.m. |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Archery opener | 6:57 a.m. | 7:24 p.m. | 6:27 a.m. to 7:54 p.m. | 6:27 a.m. to 7:24 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall firearms turkey | 7:12 a.m. | 6:58 p.m. | 6:42 a.m. to 7:28 p.m. | 6:42 a.m. to 6:58 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Middle Zone ducks | 6:49 a.m. | 5:09 p.m. | 6:19 a.m. to 5:39 p.m. | 6:19 a.m. to 5:09 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | November firearms opener | 6:57 a.m. | 5:03 p.m. | 6:27 a.m. to 5:33 p.m. | 6:27 a.m. to 5:03 p.m. |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Alternative methods | 7:32 a.m. | 5:01 p.m. | 7:02 a.m. to 5:31 p.m. | 7:02 a.m. to 5:01 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Archery close | 7:32 a.m. | 5:19 p.m. | 7:02 a.m. to 5:49 p.m. | 7:02 a.m. to 5:19 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.
Hunter questions on Barry County rules
What time does spring turkey hunting end on public land in Barry County?
1 p.m. on public land.
Is Barry County inside Black Bear Management Zone 1, 2 or 3?
Zone 1, going by the GIS overlay of the 2026 bear zones.
Where is the nearest public land outside Barry County?
Pilot Knob Conservation Area, about 19 miles from the centre.
What is the nearest MDC office to Barry County?
Shepherd of the Hills Conservation Education Center in Branson.
Which deer processors serve Barry County?
2 Creek Butchery, LLC, Gone Processing and J&K Meats, ranked by distance.
What orange must I wear in Barry County during the firearms portions?
A hunter orange hat plus an orange shirt, vest or coat, visible from all sides.
Can I shoot a doe with a gun in Barry County this season?
Yes, up to 4 deer on firearms antlerless permits, plus any-deer permits.
Does the old CWD Management Zone still affect Barry County?
No. MDC dropped the zone and the CWD portion for 2026, so no zone rules apply anywhere.
What was the 2025 Telecheck total for Barry County?
2,538 deer in the 2025 permit year.
Answers from the 2026 Fall Deer and Turkey Hunting Regulations, the county rules table, the hunter orange rule, Telecheck rules, MDC harvest summaries and the sources above. Checked October 29, 2026.
Barry County reminders for the 2026-27 season
Ask before hunting private land in Barry County; written permission avoids trouble.
Sources: 2026 Fall Deer and Turkey Hunting Regulations, MDC hunting, Census and the sources in each section. Checked October 29, 2026.
Other photos on this page: YellowstoneNPS (Public domain).