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2026-27 county rules
Bollinger County Hunting
A Southeast Region county guide to Bollinger County: county deer rules, 2025 harvest of 3,992 deer, spring turkey numbers, managed hunts, conservation areas and services near Marble Hill.
Photo: USFWS Midwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Bollinger County deer and county rules for 2026-27
Measured by the Census Bureau, Bollinger County holds 618 land square miles, and Marble Hill hosts county government. Some 10,610 people call it home by the 2024 estimate, +0.4% against 2020. Hunters may fill up to 2 deer on firearms antlerless permits in Bollinger County across all firearms portions combined. The early and late antlerless portions both include Bollinger County this year. Grain, salt, minerals and other deer feed are banned year-round in Bollinger County, one of the 85 feed-ban counties. Share the Harvest takes Bollinger County deer only after a CWD test. The CWD Management Zone that covered Bollinger County through 2025-26 is gone, along with the CWD portion.
| Rule | Setting | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Firearms antlerless fill limit | 2 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 | 2 | Oct. 17-30, by permit |
| Waterfowl zone (map layer) | Middle | 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.
Bollinger County Telecheck history
Hunters Telechecked 3,992 deer in Bollinger County in the 2025 permit year: 1,707 antlered bucks, 441 button bucks and 1,844 does. Against 2024 (3,291 deer) the change was +21%. Highlighted on the chart: 2017, the top year at 4,636; 2024 was the weakest at 3,291. Among the 114 counties MDC reports, Bollinger County placed 13th in 2025. Bowhunters checked 712 deer, about 18% of the county total, while November firearms hunters took 2,161.
| Permit year | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,707 | 441 | 1,844 | 3,992 |
| 2024 | 1,355 | 389 | 1,547 | 3,291 |
| 2023 | 1,476 | 514 | 2,058 | 4,048 |
| 2022 | 1,796 | 468 | 2,009 | 4,273 |
| 2021 | 1,707 | 471 | 1,805 | 3,983 |
| 2020 | 1,795 | 581 | 2,151 | 4,527 |
| 2019 | 1,674 | 567 | 2,127 | 4,368 |
| 2018 | 1,833 | 491 | 1,902 | 4,226 |
| 2017 | 1,838 | 614 | 2,184 | 4,636 |
| 2016 | 1,739 | 429 | 1,507 | 3,675 |
| 2015 | 1,692 | 443 | 1,764 | 3,899 |
How Bollinger County deer were taken, by portion
| Portion | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | 605 | 712 |
| Early youth | 205 | 231 |
| Early antlerless | 134 | 205 |
| Opening weekend* | 906 | 1,054 |
| November portion | 1,838 | 2,161 |
| CWD portion | 219 | 310 |
| Late youth | 34 | 28 |
| Late antlerless | 142 | 187 |
| Alternative methods | 110 | 158 |
| Managed hunts | 4 | 0 |
Harvest density in Bollinger County was 6.7 deer per square mile in 2025; the Southeast Region averaged 4.0.
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.
Special hunts and zones around Bollinger County
Bear season reach in Bollinger County
MDC issued 2,000 bear permits statewide for 2026 with a 60-bear quota; Bollinger County falls in Zone 2.
| Zone | Share of county | Permits 2026 | Quota 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 2 | 100% | 750 | 22 |
| Year | Statewide bears |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 12 |
| 2022 | 8 |
| 2023 | 12 |
| 2024 | 15 |
| 2025 | 9 |
Bollinger County waterfowl zone
MDC's 2021-2025 zone layer shows the Middle Zone over Bollinger County; the 2026-2030 boundaries shifted a little.
| Season | Zone | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Ducks, split 1 | Middle | Nov 7–Dec 13 |
| Ducks, split 2 | Middle | Dec 19–Jan 10 |
Managed wetlands in Bollinger County
Waterfowl hunters on these areas check in for the morning draw or hold a reservation, and parties top out at four.
| Wetland | Acres | Area phone | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duck Creek | 6,318 | 573-222-3337 | — |
MDC lists no managed deer hunt inside Bollinger County this season; the nearest counties with one are Cape Girardeau, Wayne and Stoddard.
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.
Bollinger County dates by species for 2026-27
The list covers hunting seasons only; trapping-only rows and falconry dates for Bollinger County are on the species pages.
| Quarry | Hunt | Applies | Begins | Ends | 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 | |
| Black bear | Bear, zone 2 | Bear zone 2 | 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 | Middle Zone | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 1, 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 | |
| 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.
Bollinger County gobblers, fall birds and CWD samples
MDC counted 651 spring turkeys from Bollinger County in 2026. The top spring in the table is 2026, with 651 turkeys. Autumn 2025 saw 66 turkeys checked in Bollinger County. The spring 2027 booklet was not yet released, and fall 2026 numbers come after the season.
| Season year | Youth spring | Regular spring | Fall guns | Fall bows |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 76 | 651 | — | — |
| 2025 | 53 | 568 | 41 | 25 |
| 2024 | 47 | 494 | 30 | 15 |
| 2023 | 19 | 493 | 24 | 25 |
| 2022 | 35 | 418 | 35 | 26 |
| 2021 | 35 | 427 | 19 | 30 |
| 2020 | 47 | 455 | 31 | 30 |
| 2019 | 37 | 386 | 25 | 29 |
| 2018 | 24 | 354 | 30 | 14 |
| 2017 | 51 | 436 | 42 | 34 |
| 2016 | 46 | 521 | 45 | 22 |
CWD testing in Bollinger County
The dashboard lists 4,420 Bollinger County samples and 0 positive results. The MDC list shows no CWD case in Bollinger County so far.
| Year | Samples | Detections |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | 12 | 0 |
| 2025-26 | 752 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 727 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 887 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 71 | 0 |
| 2021-22 | 114 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 135 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | 163 | 0 |
| 2018-19 | 1,412 | 0 |
| 2017-18 | 145 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 2 | 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.
Bollinger County public ground and acreage
Castor River Conservation Area (9,990 acres) heads the list of 11 public areas in Bollinger County. The layers show 16,319 public acres in Bollinger County (4.1% of land). Forest Service ownership in the county comes to roughly 1,665 acres. Closed to hunting: 2 other places.
| Name and type | Size (ac) | Deer rule | Does | Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Castor River CA · Conservation area | 9,990 | Archery and firearms | archery antlerless | — |
| Duck Creek CA · Conservation area | 6,319 | Archery only | antlerless OK | morning draw |
| Amidon Memorial CA · Conservation area | 1,878 | Archery and firearms | antlerless OK | — |
| Dark Cypress Swamp Unit of Duck Creek CA · Conservation area | 790 | Archery only | antlerless OK | — |
| Greenbrier Unit of Duck Creek CA · Conservation area | 474 | Archery only | antlerless OK | — |
| Sweetgum Access · Public access | 161 | Archery only | antlerless OK | — |
| Sank CA · Conservation area | 118 | Muzzleloader, archery | archery antlerless | — |
| Hawn Access · Public access | 81 | Muzzleloader, archery | archery antlerless | — |
| Little Whitewater CA · Conservation area | 80 | Muzzleloader, archery | archery antlerless | — |
| Gipsy Towersite · Towersite | 40 | Archery only | antlerless OK | — |
| Grassy Towersite · Towersite | 40 | Archery only | antlerless OK | — |
Mark Twain National Forest · Potosi / Fredericktown Ranger District (Mark Twain National Forest)
Neighbouring public ground
- Marquand Access9 miles · 63 ac · Madison County
- Lake Girardeau CA10 miles · 351 ac · Cape Girardeau County
- Old Plantation Access14 miles · 70 ac · Cape Girardeau County
- Maintz Wildlife Preserve17 miles · 801 ac · Cape Girardeau County
- Iron Bridge Access18 miles · 70 ac · Wayne County
- Coldwater CA19 miles · 10,804 ac · Wayne 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.
Bollinger County MDC office and businesses
MDC runs the Southeast Region, including Bollinger County, from Cape Girardeau. Nearest public MDC office: Southeast Regional Office, 24 miles out.
Bollinger County base towns
- Marble Hillpop. 1,381 · seat
- ZalmaCDP
Bollinger County hunting trade listings
Ranked by county first, then neighbours, by straight-line distance.
Bordering county guides
- Cape Girardeau CountySoutheast
- Madison CountySoutheast
- Perry CountySoutheast
- Stoddard CountySoutheast
- Wayne CountySoutheast
Offices from MDC offices open to the public; services from MDC lists and directories as tagged; towns from Census 2024. Checked October 29, 2026.
Bollinger County event calendar and placings
Within the county lines: 1 printed result (UKC club nite hunt), checked October 29, 2026.
Placings
| Held | Event | Result | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 11, 2026 | Bollinger Co CHA UKC Nite Hunt (Hunt 1) · UKC club nite hunt | Silver Dollar Num Nuts TW, Darrel Newton 400+, cast winner | Source |
Bollinger County ranges, clubs and shoots
The guide lists 2 ranges in Bollinger County; Castor River CA range and Duck Creek Conservation Area Archery Range are on MDC land.
Ranges from MDC area pages and its Shooting Ranges layer, the operators’ own sites and directory listings, checked October 29, 2026.
Legal hours for Bollinger County
The rows below shift MDC's Jefferson City times by -9 minutes for the centre of Bollinger County.
| When | Event | Rise | Set | Big game | Birds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 2026 | Dove opener | 6:29 a.m. | 7:30 p.m. | 5:59 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. | 5:59 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Archery opener | 6:41 a.m. | 7:08 p.m. | 6:11 a.m. to 7:38 p.m. | 6:11 a.m. to 7:08 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall firearms turkey | 6:56 a.m. | 6:42 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 7:12 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 6:42 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Middle Zone ducks | 6:33 a.m. | 4:53 p.m. | 6:03 a.m. to 5:23 p.m. | 6:03 a.m. to 4:53 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | November firearms opener | 6:41 a.m. | 4:47 p.m. | 6:11 a.m. to 5:17 p.m. | 6:11 a.m. to 4:47 p.m. |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Alternative methods | 7:16 a.m. | 4:45 p.m. | 6:46 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. | 6:46 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Archery close | 7:16 a.m. | 5:03 p.m. | 6:46 a.m. to 5:33 p.m. | 6:46 a.m. to 5:03 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.
Bollinger County FAQ
Where might a Bollinger County hunter drop off a deer for cutting?
Elderland Meats is the first stop on our distance list.
From what time to what time may deer be hunted in Bollinger County?
From 30 minutes before sunrise until 30 minutes after sunset.
How many antlerless deer can I take on firearms permits in Bollinger County?
2 deer across all firearms portions; archery antlerless permits are unlimited.
Is a salt or mineral block for deer legal in Bollinger County?
No. Salt and minerals for deer are part of the year-round ban in this county.
Is Bollinger County deer harvest trending up or down?
3,992 in 2025, 3,291 in 2024 and 3,899 back in 2015.
Can I hunt turkeys with a bow in fall in Bollinger County?
Yes, Sept. 15-Nov. 13 and Nov. 25-Jan. 15 statewide.
Does MDC hold a drawn deer hunt in Bollinger County?
No managed deer hunt is set here this season.
May I deer hunt any conservation area in Bollinger County?
Deer hunting is allowed only on areas on MDC's list, with methods set area by area as the table shows.
What is the MDC regional phone for Bollinger County?
(573) 290-5730 (Cape Girardeau).
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.
Bollinger County season reminders from the booklet
Carry your permit, notch it right away and Telecheck by 10 p.m.
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: USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public domain).