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2026-27 county rules
Dent County Hunting
A Ozark Region county guide to Dent County: county deer rules, 2025 harvest of 2,659 deer, spring turkey numbers, managed hunts, conservation areas and services near Salem.
Photo: Gyrfalk (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Dent County deer and county rules for 2026-27
Measured by the Census Bureau, Dent County holds 753 land square miles, and Salem hosts county government. Some 14,721 people call it home by the 2024 estimate, +2.1% against 2020. Hunters may fill up to 4 deer on firearms antlerless permits in Dent County across all firearms portions combined. The early and late antlerless portions both include Dent County this year. Grain, salt, minerals and other deer feed are banned year-round in Dent County, one of the 85 feed-ban counties. Share the Harvest takes Dent County deer only after a CWD test. Rabbit and squirrel hunters in Dent County cannot run dogs in daylight during Nov. 14-24. The CWD Management Zone that covered Dent County through 2025-26 is gone, along with the CWD portion.
| Rule | Setting | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes | 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 / 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.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Dent County
Dent County Telecheck history
Hunters Telechecked 2,659 deer in Dent County in the 2025 permit year: 1,208 antlered bucks, 268 button bucks and 1,183 does. Against 2024 (2,584 deer) the change was +3%. Highlighted on the chart: 2019, the top year at 4,223; 2024 was the weakest at 2,584. Among the 114 counties MDC reports, Dent County placed 52nd in 2025. Bowhunters checked 374 deer, about 14% of the county total, while November firearms hunters took 1,592.
| Permit year | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,208 | 268 | 1,183 | 2,659 |
| 2024 | 1,105 | 274 | 1,205 | 2,584 |
| 2023 | 1,508 | 339 | 2,018 | 3,865 |
| 2022 | 1,457 | 381 | 1,513 | 3,351 |
| 2021 | 1,789 | 449 | 1,948 | 4,186 |
| 2020 | 1,463 | 394 | 1,556 | 3,413 |
| 2019 | 1,835 | 503 | 1,885 | 4,223 |
| 2018 | 1,441 | 353 | 1,298 | 3,092 |
| 2017 | 1,570 | 513 | 1,975 | 4,058 |
| 2016 | 1,344 | 351 | 1,283 | 2,978 |
| 2015 | 1,636 | 527 | 2,012 | 4,175 |
How Dent County deer were taken, by portion
| Portion | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | 415 | 374 |
| Early youth | 138 | 150 |
| Early antlerless | 69 | 115 |
| Opening weekend* | 575 | 669 |
| November portion | 1,593 | 1,592 |
| CWD portion | 104 | 176 |
| Late youth | 17 | 13 |
| Late antlerless | 125 | 126 |
| Alternative methods | 97 | 98 |
| Managed hunts | 26 | 15 |
Harvest density in Dent County was 3.6 deer per square mile in 2025; the Ozark Region averaged 4.6.
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 Dent County
Bear season reach in Dent County
MDC issued 2,000 bear permits statewide for 2026 with a 60-bear quota; Dent 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 |
Dent County waterfowl zone
MDC's 2021-2025 zone layer shows the Middle Zone and South Zone over Dent 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 |
| Ducks, split 1 | South | Nov 26–Nov 29 |
| Ducks, split 2 | South | Dec 7–Jan 31 |
MDC lists no managed deer hunt inside Dent County this season; the nearest counties with one are Shannon, Carter and Franklin.
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.
Dent County dates by species for 2026-27
The list covers hunting seasons only; trapping-only rows and falconry dates for Dent 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 | |
| Youth waterfowl | Youth waterfowl days | South Zone | Nov 21, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | |
| Ducks and coots | Ducks, split 1 | Middle Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Dec 13, 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 | |
| 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.
Dent County gobblers, fall birds and CWD samples
MDC counted 506 spring turkeys from Dent County in 2026. The top spring in the table is 2025, with 692 turkeys. Autumn 2025 saw 57 turkeys checked in Dent 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 | 57 | 506 | — | — |
| 2025 | 56 | 692 | 42 | 15 |
| 2024 | 40 | 557 | 38 | 7 |
| 2023 | 38 | 608 | 86 | 37 |
| 2022 | 40 | 451 | 48 | 13 |
| 2021 | 56 | 582 | 72 | 50 |
| 2020 | 32 | 456 | 42 | 30 |
| 2019 | 37 | 602 | 49 | 38 |
| 2018 | 22 | 446 | 26 | 17 |
| 2017 | 47 | 631 | 94 | 51 |
| 2016 | 46 | 630 | 53 | 17 |
CWD testing in Dent County
The dashboard lists 2,336 Dent County samples and 0 positive results. The MDC list shows no CWD case in Dent County so far.
| Year | Samples | Detections |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | 4 | 0 |
| 2025-26 | 636 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 653 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 180 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 98 | 0 |
| 2021-22 | 185 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 132 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | 188 | 0 |
| 2018-19 | 102 | 0 |
| 2017-18 | 147 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 11 | 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.
Dent County public ground and acreage
Ozark National Scenic Riverways (80,546 acres) heads the list of 8 public areas in Dent County. The layers show 94,365 public acres in Dent County (19.6% of land). Forest Service ownership in the county comes to roughly 73,679 acres. Closed to hunting: 2 other places.
| Name and type | Size (ac) | Deer rule | Does | Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ozark National Scenic Riverways · National scenic riverway | 80,546 | — | — | 2 managed hunts |
| Indian Trail CA · Conservation area | 13,503 | Archery and firearms | antlerless OK | — |
| White River Trace CA · Conservation area | 2,044 | Archery only | antlerless OK | 6 dove fields |
| Cedar Grove CA · Conservation area | 880 | Archery and firearms | antlerless OK | — |
| R. F. Clement Memorial Forest and Wildlife Area · Conservation area | 520 | Archery and firearms | antlerless OK | — |
| Gerhild and Graham Brown CA · Conservation area | 189 | Archery only | antlerless OK | — |
| Short Bend Access · Public access | 87 | Archery only | antlerless OK | — |
| Montauk Towersite · Towersite | 40 | Archery only | antlerless OK | — |
Mark Twain National Forest · Salem Ranger District (Mark Twain National Forest)
Neighbouring public ground
- Crooked Creek CA18 miles · 337 ac · Crawford County
- Sunklands CA21 miles · 40,383 ac · Shannon County and Texas County
- Keysville Towersite21 miles · 80 ac · Crawford County
- George O. White State Forest Nursery22 miles · 754 ac · Texas County
- John N. and Melba S. Anderson Memorial CA24 miles · 341 ac · Crawford County
- Pearl G. and John J. Sizemore Memorial CA24 miles · 180 ac · Crawford 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.
Dent County MDC office and businesses
MDC runs the Ozark Region, including Dent County, from West Plains. Nearest public MDC office: Twin Pines Conservation Center, 43 miles out.
Dent County base towns
Dent County hunting trade listings
Ranked by county first, then neighbours, by straight-line distance.
Bordering county guides
- Crawford CountySt. Louis
- Iron CountySoutheast
- Phelps CountyOzark
- Reynolds CountySoutheast
- Shannon CountyOzark
- Texas CountyOzark
Offices from MDC offices open to the public; services from MDC lists and directories as tagged; towns from Census 2024. Checked October 29, 2026.
Dent County ranges, clubs and shoots
The guide lists 2 ranges in Dent County; Indian Trail CA range and Shawnee Mac Lakes 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 Dent County
The rows below shift MDC's Jefferson City times by -3 minutes for the centre of Dent County.
| When | Event | Rise | Set | Big game | Birds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 2026 | Dove opener | 6:35 a.m. | 7:36 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. to 8:06 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. to 7:36 p.m. |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Archery opener | 6:47 a.m. | 7:14 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 7:44 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 7:14 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall firearms turkey | 7:02 a.m. | 6:48 p.m. | 6:32 a.m. to 7:18 p.m. | 6:32 a.m. to 6:48 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Middle Zone ducks | 6:39 a.m. | 4:59 p.m. | 6:09 a.m. to 5:29 p.m. | 6:09 a.m. to 4:59 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | November firearms opener | 6:47 a.m. | 4:53 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 5:23 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 4:53 p.m. |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Alternative methods | 7:22 a.m. | 4:51 p.m. | 6:52 a.m. to 5:21 p.m. | 6:52 a.m. to 4:51 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Archery close | 7:22 a.m. | 5:09 p.m. | 6:52 a.m. to 5:39 p.m. | 6:52 a.m. to 5:09 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.
Dent County FAQ
Does MDC hold a drawn deer hunt in Dent County?
No managed deer hunt is set here this season.
May I deer hunt any conservation area in Dent 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 Dent County?
(417) 256-7161 (West Plains).
Where might a Dent County hunter drop off a deer for cutting?
Zimmerman Meats LLC is the first stop on our distance list.
From what time to what time may deer be hunted in Dent County?
From 30 minutes before sunrise until 30 minutes after sunset.
How many antlerless deer can I take on firearms permits in Dent County?
4 deer across all firearms portions; archery antlerless permits are unlimited.
Is a salt or mineral block for deer legal in Dent County?
No. Salt and minerals for deer are part of the year-round ban in this county.
Is Dent County deer harvest trending up or down?
2,659 in 2025, 2,584 in 2024 and 4,175 back in 2015.
Can I hunt turkeys with a bow in fall in Dent County?
Yes, Sept. 15-Nov. 13 and Nov. 25-Jan. 15 statewide.
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.
Dent 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 Midwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0).