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Kansas City Region · MDC rules 2026-27
Cass County Hunting
Hunting Cass County in 2026-27: the county deer rules MDC set for 2026, deer and turkey harvest by year, CWD testing results, 6 listed public areas and the help close to Harrisonville.
Photo: Nick Varvel (CC BY 2.0)
How MDC rules apply in Cass County
With Harrisonville as its seat, Cass County spans 697 square miles of the Kansas City metro and the Osage Plains west of the Missouri River bend. Roughly 113,873 residents share it, after a +5.6% change since the 2020 count. Cass County carries a 4 deer fill limit for firearms antlerless permits in 2026. Antlerless-only firearms days return to Cass County on Oct. 9-11 and again on Dec. 5-13.
| Item | In Cass | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | No | Year-round |
| Share the Harvest test | Not 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 | 3 | 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.
Cass County deer harvest, 2015 to 2025
MDC counted 2,731 deer from Cass County for 2025, with 1,077 does and 1,444 antlered bucks. Compared with 2,496 in 2024, the count moved +9%. 2025 tops the chart at 2,731 deer, while 2015 sits at the bottom with 2,023. Statewide, Cass County came 50th of 114 by deer checked in 2025. Archery accounted for 734 deer (27%) and the November portion for 1,438.
| Year | Antlered bucks | Buttons | Does | Deer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,444 | 210 | 1,077 | 2,731 |
| 2024 | 1,355 | 154 | 987 | 2,496 |
| 2023 | 1,334 | 193 | 1,135 | 2,662 |
| 2022 | 1,413 | 215 | 1,047 | 2,675 |
| 2021 | 1,372 | 172 | 951 | 2,495 |
| 2020 | 1,326 | 168 | 888 | 2,382 |
| 2019 | 1,249 | 156 | 789 | 2,194 |
| 2018 | 1,159 | 232 | 921 | 2,312 |
| 2017 | 1,103 | 198 | 847 | 2,148 |
| 2016 | 1,032 | 186 | 819 | 2,037 |
| 2015 | 951 | 214 | 858 | 2,023 |
Cass County harvest split by season portion
| Portion | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | 589 | 734 |
| Early youth | 87 | 149 |
| Early antlerless | 53 | 53 |
| Opening weekend* | 649 | 618 |
| November portion | 1,520 | 1,438 |
| Late youth | 30 | 29 |
| Late antlerless | 152 | 228 |
| Alternative methods | 58 | 100 |
| Managed hunts | 7 | 0 |
Per square mile, Cass County gave up 4.4 deer in 2025 compared with the Kansas City Region mark of 4.5.
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.
Drawings and zone lines for Cass County
Bear zone facts for Cass County
The bear season in Cass County is Oct. 17 to 30, 2026, open only to residents drawn for a Zone 3 permit.
| Zone | Share of county | Permits 2026 | Quota 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | 100% | 250 | 8 |
| Year | Statewide bears |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 12 |
| 2022 | 8 |
| 2023 | 12 |
| 2024 | 15 |
| 2025 | 9 |
Cass County duck season zone
For waterfowl, Cass County reads as the Middle Zone on the layer MDC published with the 2021-2025 lines.
| Season | Zone | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Ducks, split 1 | Middle | Nov 7–Dec 13 |
| Ducks, split 2 | Middle | Dec 19–Jan 10 |
Managed hunts skip Cass County this year; Jackson, Johnson and Henry are the nearest counties on the list.
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.
Cass County calendar for deer, turkey, birds and furbearers
Filter the table by species; dates come straight from the 2026 MDC booklets and the waterfowl digest.
| Game | Portion | Where | Opens | Closes | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 3 | Bear zone 3 | 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.
Cass County turkey numbers and disease testing
Cass County gave up 364 turkeys in the spring 2026 regular season. 2019 leads the spring column at 410 birds. Fall hunters checked 16 with guns and 10 with bows in 2025. Spring 2026 is history; MDC had not set the spring 2027 dates at the last check.
| Year | Spring youth | Spring | Fall firearms | Fall archery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 39 | 364 | — | — |
| 2025 | 37 | 329 | 16 | 10 |
| 2024 | 35 | 396 | 18 | 6 |
| 2023 | 22 | 334 | 15 | 17 |
| 2022 | 29 | 325 | 27 | 18 |
| 2021 | 27 | 345 | 20 | 15 |
| 2020 | 40 | 394 | 31 | 18 |
| 2019 | 31 | 410 | 18 | 23 |
| 2018 | 21 | 339 | 22 | 18 |
| 2017 | 42 | 326 | 42 | 18 |
| 2016 | 34 | 363 | 38 | 17 |
CWD surveillance in Cass County
683 deer from Cass County have been tested since 2016 on the MDC dashboard, and 0 were positive. Cass County has no first-positive year on the MDC list.
| Year (July-June) | Tested | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | 3 | 0 |
| 2025-26 | 31 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 106 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 99 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 122 | 0 |
| 2021-22 | 85 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 104 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | 92 | 0 |
| 2018-19 | 26 | 0 |
| 2017-18 | 11 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 4 | 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.
Places open to hunting in Cass County
Cass County has 6 listed places open to some hunting, led by Settle's Ford Conservation Area (7,363 acres). About 1.3% of the county (5,845 acres) is public on the state and federal layers. We left out 9 places where hunting is not allowed.
| Area and kind | Acres | Deer methods | Antlerless | Extras |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Settle's Ford CA · Conservation area | 7,363 | Archery only | antlerless OK | 9 dove fields |
| Amarugia Highlands CA · Conservation area | 1,081 | Archery and firearms | no antlerless | — |
| James R. Harter CA · Conservation area | 457 | Archery only | no antlerless | — |
| Dr. Harry and Lina Berrier Memorial CA · Conservation area | 105 | Archery only | antlerless OK | — |
| Dorsett Hill Prairie CA · Conservation area | 79 | Archery only | antlerless OK | — |
| Bittern Bottoms CA · Conservation area | 67 | Archery only | antlerless OK | — |
Nearby areas in other counties
- James A. Reed MWA16 miles · 3,084 ac · Jackson County
- Holden City Lake19 miles · 380 ac · Johnson County
- Lone Jack Lake CA19 miles · 295 ac · Jackson County
- Jim Bridger Urban CA22 miles · 320 ac · Jackson County
- Lake Jacomo (Jackson County)23 miles · 970 ac · Jackson County
- Urich CA25 miles · 480 ac · Henry 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.
Cass County contacts, towns and shops
Hunters in Cass County fall under the Kansas City Region, whose office sits in Lees Summit. The closest MDC office open to the public is Kansas City Regional Office, about 17 miles from mid-county.
Cass County hunting towns
- Harrisonvillepop. 9,980 · seat
- Archiepop. 1,279
- Creightonpop. 332
Help for Cass County hunters
Listings come from MDC lists (Share the Harvest processors, CWD sampling partners, commercial permits) and directories; call before you drive.
Cass County neighbours
- Bates CountyKansas City
- Henry CountyKansas City
- Jackson CountyKansas City
- Johnson CountyKansas City
Offices from MDC offices open to the public; services from MDC lists and directories as tagged; towns from Census 2024. Checked October 29, 2026.
Cass County ranges and shoot dates
Within Cass County the guide finds 3 ranges; each card says who may shoot.
Nearest public range: James A. Reed Memorial Wildlife Area Archery Range in Jackson County, about 15 miles from the Cass County centre. Details
Ranges from MDC area pages and its Shooting Ranges layer, the operators’ own sites and directory listings, checked October 29, 2026.
When legal light starts in Cass County
MDC publishes sunrise and sunset for Jefferson City only; Cass County sits 9 minutes later by the 13.5-mile rule.
| Day | Hunt | Sun up | Sun down | Big game window | Migratory window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 2026 | Dove opener | 6:47 a.m. | 7:48 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 8:18 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 7:48 p.m. |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Archery opener | 6:59 a.m. | 7:26 p.m. | 6:29 a.m. to 7:56 p.m. | 6:29 a.m. to 7:26 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall firearms turkey | 7:14 a.m. | 7:00 p.m. | 6:44 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. | 6:44 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Middle Zone ducks | 6:51 a.m. | 5:11 p.m. | 6:21 a.m. to 5:41 p.m. | 6:21 a.m. to 5:11 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | November firearms opener | 6:59 a.m. | 5:05 p.m. | 6:29 a.m. to 5:35 p.m. | 6:29 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Alternative methods | 7:34 a.m. | 5:03 p.m. | 7:04 a.m. to 5:33 p.m. | 7:04 a.m. to 5:03 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Archery close | 7:34 a.m. | 5:21 p.m. | 7:04 a.m. to 5:51 p.m. | 7:04 a.m. to 5:21 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.
Fishing in Cass County
Lakes, rivers, boat ramps and bait shops for Cass County are on State Fishing Spots, our sister site.
Things hunters ask about Cass County
Must archers wear orange in Cass County during gun season?
Yes in firearms portions, with some exceptions listed in the booklet.
Is Cass County closed to the October and December antlerless portions?
No, both are open.
Must Cass County deer go to a CWD station in November 2026?
No. The county is outside the 28-county mandatory list this year; free voluntary testing is offered all season.
Where does Cass County land in the statewide deer harvest ranking?
50th out of 114 counties for 2025.
How many spring turkeys came from Cass County in 2026?
364 in the regular season.
Could I draw an elk permit for Cass County?
No. Elk hunting is limited to Carter, Reynolds and Shannon counties.
How much public land is there in Cass County?
About 5,845 acres by GIS, with 6 listed areas.
Where can I buy hunting permits near Cass County?
Online, in the MO Hunting app, at permit vendors or at an MDC office.
Is there a Share the Harvest processor near Cass County?
Check the tags in the services band; Gilbert Meat Locker is closest on our list.
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.
Cass County trip reminders
Rules here are for the 2026-27 permit year; the booklet and Wildlife Code win where they differ.
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 Midwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0).