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Central Region county guide
Boone County Hunting
Boone County sits in the MDC Central Region. This page lists its 2026 deer rules, every dated season, harvest and CWD results by year, its public areas with acres and the offices that serve it.
Photo: Dave Herholz (CC BY-SA 2.0)
What MDC set for Boone County this season
Columbia anchors Boone County, a county of 686 square miles in the MDC Central Region. Census Vintage 2024 counts 192,154 residents, 4.7% more than the April 2020 base. The firearms antlerless fill limit for Boone County is 4 deer for 2026-27; archery antlerless permits are not capped by county. The county is open during the early antlerless portion (Oct. 9-11) and the late antlerless portion (Dec. 5-13). Boone County is inside the 85-county feed and mineral ban, which applies all year. Hunters donating venison from Boone County through Share the Harvest need a CWD test result. Rules tied to the old CWD Management Zone no longer apply in Boone County; MDC dropped the zone for 2026.
| Rule | Boone County | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | None | Oct. 17-30, by permit |
| Waterfowl zone (map layer) | Middle / North | 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.
Boone County deer totals by permit year
Boone County closed out 2025 with 3,439 deer on the Telecheck books, 1,652 of them antlered bucks and 1,536 does. A year earlier the county logged 3,174, a 8% smaller number. Totals ranged from 2,880 (2016) to 3,653 (2022). Its 2025 total put Boone County 21st statewide out of 114 counties. By portion, 1,432 came in the November firearms days and 902 in archery season.
| Season | Antlered | Buttons | Does | All deer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,652 | 251 | 1,536 | 3,439 |
| 2024 | 1,520 | 224 | 1,430 | 3,174 |
| 2023 | 1,616 | 305 | 1,723 | 3,644 |
| 2022 | 1,736 | 271 | 1,646 | 3,653 |
| 2021 | 1,579 | 249 | 1,475 | 3,303 |
| 2020 | 1,480 | 314 | 1,419 | 3,213 |
| 2019 | 1,594 | 319 | 1,497 | 3,410 |
| 2018 | 1,795 | 290 | 1,559 | 3,644 |
| 2017 | 1,581 | 268 | 1,231 | 3,080 |
| 2016 | 1,475 | 272 | 1,133 | 2,880 |
| 2015 | 1,378 | 317 | 1,299 | 2,994 |
Boone County portion table
| Portion | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | 811 | 902 |
| Early youth | 153 | 216 |
| Early antlerless | 87 | 78 |
| Opening weekend* | 617 | 608 |
| November portion | 1,557 | 1,432 |
| CWD portion | 200 | 281 |
| Late youth | 26 | 36 |
| Late antlerless | 224 | 301 |
| Alternative methods | 116 | 138 |
| Managed hunts | — | 55 |
At 5.6 deer taken per square mile, Boone County ran above its region (5.5) in 2025.
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.
Boone County draw hunts, bear, elk and ducks
Drawn deer hunts in Boone County
Charles W. Green CA and Three Creeks CA — Waters-Russell Unit (573-815-7901, ext. 2866 by Nov. 20. Hunters will be accompanied by an MDC-approved mentor during hunt.) and Charles W. Green CA and Three Creeks CA — Waters-Russell Unit (573-815-7901, ext. 2866 by Oct. 5. Hunters will be accompanied by an MDC-approved mentor during hunt.) carry the Boone County share of the 141-hunt managed list (2 on the schedule).
| Hunt | Location | Type | Dates | Drawn | Bag |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| None | Charles W. Green CA and Three Creeks CA — Waters-Russell Unit (573-815-7901, ext. 2866 by Nov. 20. Hunters will be accompanied by an MDC-approved mentor during hunt.) | Beginner Hunters – Firearms | Dec. 5–6 | 5 | Regular permits |
| None | Charles W. Green CA and Three Creeks CA — Waters-Russell Unit (573-815-7901, ext. 2866 by Oct. 5. Hunters will be accompanied by an MDC-approved mentor during hunt.) | Beginner Youth Hunters – Firearms | Oct. 24-25 | 5 | 1 either sex / regular |
Which duck zone Boone County is in
Boone County is Middle Zone and North Zone country by the GIS layer, but the new 2026-2030 boundary text governs near the line.
| Season | Zone | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Regular ducks | North | Oct 31–Dec 29 |
| Ducks, split 1 | Middle | Nov 7–Dec 13 |
| Ducks, split 2 | Middle | Dec 19–Jan 10 |
Boone County morning-draw wetlands
Half the spots go by reservation (pre-season Sept. 1-18 and weekly in season) and half by the morning drawing; parties are capped at four.
| Wetland | Acres | Area phone | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eagle Bluffs | 4,428 | 573-445-3882 | Construction may affect 2026-27 hunting. |
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.
Boone County open and close dates
Each row below is a dated MDC season that applies in Boone County; the status column compares it with today.
| Animal | Season | Area rule | Start | Finish | Right 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 | |
| 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 | 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 | |
| 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.
What Boone County turkey and CWD data show
In spring 2026 the county recorded 570 turkeys in the regular season. Looking back to 2016, 2026 had the most spring birds (570). Fall 2025 added 25 firearms and 9 archery turkeys. Spring rows for 2026 are a season already past; spring 2027 dates are still to come from MDC.
| Year | Youth | Spring | Fall firearms | Fall archery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 65 | 570 | — | — |
| 2025 | 61 | 552 | 25 | 9 |
| 2024 | 52 | 545 | 23 | 19 |
| 2023 | 37 | 557 | 18 | 29 |
| 2022 | 47 | 531 | 27 | 32 |
| 2021 | 27 | 452 | 44 | 34 |
| 2020 | 29 | 558 | 30 | 31 |
| 2019 | 23 | 432 | 30 | 36 |
| 2018 | 27 | 445 | 25 | 35 |
| 2017 | 44 | 446 | 24 | 30 |
| 2016 | 51 | 485 | 30 | 32 |
Boone County CWD samples by year
Across the sample years shown, Boone County hunters and staff submitted 2,895 samples; positives number 1. No positive deer from Boone County appears in MDC's results. The 2025-26 tally for Boone County: 1.
| Season | Tests | Positives |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | 28 | 0 |
| 2025-26 | 604 | 1 |
| 2024-25 | 600 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 111 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 120 | 0 |
| 2021-22 | 133 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 108 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | 120 | 0 |
| 2018-19 | 144 | 0 |
| 2017-18 | 131 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 796 | 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.
Where to hunt in Boone County
The table below covers all 9 public hunting areas we list in Boone County. Roughly 17,365 acres, 4.0% of Boone County, are public by GIS measure. Some 4,241 acres are Mark Twain National Forest. 17 additional sites bar hunting and are not listed.
| Area | Acres | Deer | Antlerless | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eagle Bluffs CA · Conservation area | 4,429 | Archery only | antlerless OK | morning draw, 3 dove fields |
| Rudolf Bennitt CA · Conservation area | 3,575 | Archery and firearms | antlerless OK | — |
| Rocky Fork Lakes CA · Conservation area | 2,200 | Muzzleloader, archery | antlerless OK | — |
| Three Creeks CA · Conservation area | 1,711 | Archery and firearms | archery antlerless | 2 managed hunts |
| Hart Creek CA · Conservation area | 657 | Archery and firearms | antlerless OK | — |
| Lick Creek CA · Conservation area | 317 | Archery and firearms | antlerless OK | — |
| Henry Jackson Waters and C. B. Moss MWA · Conservation area | 113 | Archery only | antlerless OK | — |
| Tri-City Community Lake · Cooperative area | 102 | Archery only | antlerless OK | — |
| Hinkson Woods CA · Conservation area | 70 | Archery only | antlerless OK | — |
Houston/Rolla/Cedar Creek Ranger District (Mark Twain National Forest) · Mark Twain National Forest
Next-door areas for Boone County hunters
- Little Dixie Lake CA11 miles · 733 ac · Callaway County
- Plowboy Bend CA14 miles · 2,617 ac · Moniteau County
- Diana Bend CA16 miles · 1,343 ac · Howard County
- Moniteau Creek CA17 miles · 844 ac · Howard County
- Davisdale CA17 miles · 2,691 ac · Howard County
- Marion Bottom Overlook Tract (MRAP)19 miles · 72 ac · Moniteau County and Cole 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.
MDC offices, towns and services for Boone County
The MDC Central Region office is in Columbia, phone (573) 815-7900. MDC offices sell permits; the nearest one to Boone County is in Columbia, about 7 miles off.
Towns near Boone County land
- Columbiapop. 130,900 · seat
- Ashlandpop. 5,164
- Hallsvillepop. 1,766
Boone County processors, mounts and gear shops
Share the Harvest and CWD partner tags come from MDC lists; other shops come from business directories.
Boone County adjoining counties
- Audrain CountyCentral
- Callaway CountyCentral
- Cole CountyCentral
- Cooper CountyCentral
- Howard CountyCentral
- Moniteau CountyCentral
- Randolph CountyNortheast
Offices from MDC offices open to the public; services from MDC lists and directories as tagged; towns from Census 2024. Checked October 29, 2026.
Boone County dinners, hunts and classes
Kinds on file here: NWTF chapter dinner and RMEF chapter dinner. Count: 2 upcoming events.
Still to come
| Held on | Event | Where held | Link | Checked at |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 30, 2027 | RMEF Mid Missouri Chapter Banquet · RMEF chapter dinner | Columbia | Buy tickets | Source |
| May 6, 2027 | Mid-State NWTF Banquet · NWTF chapter dinner | Columbia | Buy tickets | Source |
Boone County: ranges, lanes and trap fields
Boone County has 2 listed ranges, including the MDC range at Rocky Fork Lakes Conservation Area.
Upcoming here
| When, name | Type | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 12-14, 2027 | Gun show | Source page |
| Oct 29-31, 2027 | Gun show | Source page |
Ranges from MDC area pages and its Shooting Ranges layer, the operators’ own sites and directory listings, checked October 29, 2026.
First and last shooting light in Boone County
Use these Boone County times for the key opening and closing days; rabbits are sunrise to sunset.
| Date | Opener or close | Sunrise | Sunset | Deer | Migratory |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 2026 | Dove opener | 6:39 a.m. | 7:40 p.m. | 6:09 a.m. to 8:10 p.m. | 6:09 a.m. to 7:40 p.m. |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Archery opener | 6:51 a.m. | 7:18 p.m. | 6:21 a.m. to 7:48 p.m. | 6:21 a.m. to 7:18 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall firearms turkey | 7:06 a.m. | 6:52 p.m. | 6:36 a.m. to 7:22 p.m. | 6:36 a.m. to 6:52 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Middle Zone ducks | 6:43 a.m. | 5:03 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 5:33 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 5:03 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | November firearms opener | 6:51 a.m. | 4:57 p.m. | 6:21 a.m. to 5:27 p.m. | 6:21 a.m. to 4:57 p.m. |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Alternative methods | 7:26 a.m. | 4:55 p.m. | 6:56 a.m. to 5:25 p.m. | 6:56 a.m. to 4:55 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Archery close | 7:26 a.m. | 5:13 p.m. | 6:56 a.m. to 5:43 p.m. | 6:56 a.m. to 5:13 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.
Boone County questions and short answers
What is the firearms antlerless fill limit in Boone County?
4 deer for 2026-27.
Can I use a crossbow in Boone County during archery season?
Yes. Crossbows are legal archery methods.
How many does came out of Boone County in the 2025 season?
1,536 does, by the MDC county table.
Is there a confirmed CWD case on record for Boone County?
MDC's first-positive list, current to June 2026, does not include this county.
Does the 2026 Missouri bear season reach Boone County?
No. The county lies outside Black Bear Management Zones 1-3.
How many fall turkeys were taken in Boone County in 2025?
25 with firearms and 9 with archery.
Which of the eight MDC regions takes in Boone County?
The Central Region, with its office in Columbia.
Are there MRAP walk-in tracts in Boone County?
None in this county.
Which processors on this page sit closest to Boone County?
Blowin' Smoke BBQ LLC, KP Processing and Crane's Meat Processing, nearest first; phone before dropping off a deer.
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.
Before you hunt Boone County this fall
Where this page and MDC differ, MDC is right.
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/Southeast (CC BY 2.0).