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Seat: Ironton · Southeast Region
Iron County Hunting
Before a Iron County trip: a firearms antlerless fill limit of 1 deer, the closed antlerless portions, turkey and duck zone facts, 1,903 deer checked in 2025 and 6 public areas to hunt.
Photo: Paul Sableman (CC BY 2.0)
Iron County rules at a glance
Iron County covers 550 square miles of land, with the courthouse in Ironton. Population ran to 9,420 in mid-2024, a shift of -1.2% from the 2020 base. MDC caps firearms antlerless permits in Iron County at 1 deer this season, counting every firearms portion together. Iron County sits out both antlerless portions this year, one of 14 counties MDC closed to them. In Iron County, CWD sampling is mandatory for deer taken on the first two days of the November portion. Dogs may not be used for squirrels or rabbits in Iron County during daylight hours of the November portion.
| MDC rule | Here | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Firearms antlerless fill limit | 1 deer | All firearms portions |
| Antlerless portions | Closed | Oct. 9-11, Dec. 5-13 |
| Mandatory CWD sampling | Nov. 14-15 | Day of harvest |
| Feed and mineral ban | No | Year-round |
| Share the Harvest test | Not 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 | 2021-2025 layer |
| SE flood closure zone | None | Gauge-based |
| CWD portion | Removed | Gone for 2026 |
| Antler-point restriction | Removed | Gone for 2026 |
Where to take a Iron County deer on Nov. 14-15
| Location | Town | Where | Map |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZX Gas Station | Pilot Knob | 205 Hwy. 21 | Directions |
| Iron County C-4 School | Viburnum | 35 Rte. 49 | Directions |
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 Iron County
Deer Telechecked in Iron County, 2015-2025
Iron County produced 1,903 checked deer in 2025 (923 antlered, 980 antlerless). That is 53% above the 2024 total of 1,240. The best year in the 2015-2025 run was 2025 with 1,903; the lowest was 2024 with 1,240. By 2025 harvest, Iron County sits 90th of 114. Archery and crossbow hunters logged 421; the November portion added 1,298.
| Year | Bucks | Button bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 923 | 190 | 790 | 1,903 |
| 2024 | 619 | 141 | 480 | 1,240 |
| 2023 | 831 | 237 | 775 | 1,843 |
| 2022 | 734 | 151 | 649 | 1,534 |
| 2021 | 922 | 141 | 470 | 1,533 |
| 2020 | 999 | 190 | 666 | 1,855 |
| 2019 | 759 | 188 | 630 | 1,577 |
| 2018 | 950 | 193 | 660 | 1,803 |
| 2017 | 795 | 191 | 483 | 1,469 |
| 2016 | 856 | 204 | 540 | 1,600 |
| 2015 | 680 | 160 | 494 | 1,334 |
Iron County deer by portion, 2024 and 2025
| Portion | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | 283 | 421 |
| Early youth | 76 | 103 |
| Opening weekend* | 439 | 593 |
| November portion | 832 | 1,298 |
| Late youth | 2 | 13 |
| Alternative methods | 47 | 68 |
| Managed hunts | — | 0 |
The Southeast Region figure was 4.0 per square mile, while Iron County posted 3.6.
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.
Draws, zones and wetlands in Iron County
Black bear hunting in Iron County
Iron County lies in Black Bear Management Zone 2. 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 2 | 100% | 750 | 22 |
| Year | Statewide bears |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 12 |
| 2022 | 8 |
| 2023 | 12 |
| 2024 | 15 |
| 2025 | 9 |
Iron County and the North, Middle and South zones
Duck dates in Iron County follow the Middle Zone, judged from the older map layer; check the digest map if you hunt near a zone edge.
| Season | Zone | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Ducks, split 1 | Middle | Nov 7–Dec 13 |
| Ducks, split 2 | Middle | Dec 19–Jan 10 |
Iron County has no managed deer hunt for 2026-27; look to Wayne, Carter and Shannon 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.
Iron County seasons, opener to closer
Iron County gets 35 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 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, 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.
Iron County turkey harvest and CWD results
Telecheck shows 194 Iron County gobblers and bearded hens in the 2026 regular spring season. 274 turkeys in 2017 is the spring high mark here. In fall 2025, 12 turkeys came on the firearms portion and 15 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 | 10 | 194 | — | — |
| 2025 | 12 | 247 | 12 | 15 |
| 2024 | 8 | 182 | 8 | 3 |
| 2023 | 8 | 180 | 26 | 30 |
| 2022 | 11 | 140 | 5 | 6 |
| 2021 | 12 | 137 | 13 | 12 |
| 2020 | 14 | 194 | 22 | 12 |
| 2019 | 12 | 187 | 10 | 6 |
| 2018 | 10 | 208 | 23 | 10 |
| 2017 | 23 | 274 | 15 | 11 |
| 2016 | 18 | 265 | 41 | 17 |
Chronic wasting disease results, Iron County
Iron County CWD testing: 264 samples, 0 positive, by the MDC layer. MDC lists no CWD-positive deer from Iron County through June 2026.
| Sample year | Tested | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | 1 | 0 |
| 2025-26 | 11 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 26 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 28 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 31 | 0 |
| 2021-22 | 22 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 34 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | 26 | 0 |
| 2018-19 | 34 | 0 |
| 2017-18 | 30 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 21 | 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.
Iron County conservation areas and public ground
There are 6 listed hunting areas in Iron County; Ketcherside Mountain Conservation Area tops them at 4,984 acres. GIS layers map about 107,300 public acres in the county, roughly 30.5% of its land. Mark Twain National Forest owns about 97,526 acres here, open to hunting under statewide rules.
| Place | Acres | Deer methods | Antlerless | Extras |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ketcherside Mountain CA · Conservation area | 4,984 | Archery and firearms | antlerless OK | — |
| Buford Mountain CA · Conservation area | 3,949 | Archery and firearms | antlerless OK | — |
| Graves Mountain CA · Conservation area | 3,027 | Archery and firearms | archery antlerless | — |
| Riverside CA · Conservation area | 2,768 | Archery and firearms | archery antlerless | — |
| Bismarck CA · Conservation area | 1,188 | Archery and firearms | antlerless OK | — |
| Funk Memorial State Forest and Wildlife Area · Conservation area | 180 | Archery and firearms | antlerless OK | — |
Mark Twain National Forest · Potosi / Fredericktown Ranger District (Mark Twain National Forest) · Salem Ranger District (Mark Twain National Forest)
Public areas just outside Iron County
- Hughes Mountain Natural Area12 miles · 462 ac · Washington County
- Millstream Gardens CA13 miles · 916 ac · Madison County
- Bootleg Access14 miles · 303 ac · Washington County
- Knob Lick Towersite17 miles · 80 ac · St. Francois County
- Thompson Ford Access19 miles · 84 ac · Madison County
- Coldwater Access26 miles · 79 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.
Iron County offices and local help
Cape Girardeau hosts the Southeast Regional Office that covers Iron County. About 32 miles from the county centre, Piedmont has the closest MDC office open to visitors.
Iron County town guides
Services near Iron County
Confirm hours and venison policies by phone; November is the busy month.
Around Iron County
- Crawford CountySt. Louis
- Dent CountyOzark
- Madison CountySoutheast
- Reynolds CountySoutheast
- St. Francois CountySoutheast
- Washington CountySt. Louis
- 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.
Dates booked in Iron County
On October 29, 2026 the county held 1 printed result, covering UKC club bench and hunt.
Recent results
| Held | Event | Result | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 16, 2026 | Ozark Coon Club UKC Event · UKC club bench and hunt | Parsons Backwoods Frank TW, Billy Parson (finalist) Black Hawk Baby Girl B&T, Mark Walka (finalist) (M) CH Dusty Dirt Road ALH, Annalise Hoyt, Ted Hoyt (bench show / field trial / water race winners) (F) CH Maggie Mae Of Uchtman Ridge BLU, Michelle Renna, Matthew Dugal | Source |
Iron County: ranges, lanes and trap fields
With no range listed in Iron County, the three nearest choices are below.
Of the MDC and other public ranges, Millstream Gardens Conservation Area Archery Range is closest, about 13 miles from the Iron County centre. Full page
Ranges from MDC area pages and its Shooting Ranges layer, the operators’ own sites and directory listings, checked October 29, 2026.
Shooting hours in Iron County
Times for Iron 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 | 6:32 a.m. | 7:33 p.m. | 6:02 a.m. to 8:03 p.m. | 6:02 a.m. to 7:33 p.m. |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Archery opener | 6:44 a.m. | 7:11 p.m. | 6:14 a.m. to 7:41 p.m. | 6:14 a.m. to 7:11 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall firearms turkey | 6:59 a.m. | 6:45 p.m. | 6:29 a.m. to 7:15 p.m. | 6:29 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Middle Zone ducks | 6:36 a.m. | 4:56 p.m. | 6:06 a.m. to 5:26 p.m. | 6:06 a.m. to 4:56 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | November firearms opener | 6:44 a.m. | 4:50 p.m. | 6:14 a.m. to 5:20 p.m. | 6:14 a.m. to 4:50 p.m. |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Alternative methods | 7:19 a.m. | 4:48 p.m. | 6:49 a.m. to 5:18 p.m. | 6:49 a.m. to 4:48 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Archery close | 7:19 a.m. | 5:06 p.m. | 6:49 a.m. to 5:36 p.m. | 6:49 a.m. to 5:06 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 Iron County rules
Can I shoot a doe with a gun in Iron County this season?
Yes, up to 1 deer on firearms antlerless permits, plus any-deer permits.
Does the old CWD Management Zone still affect Iron 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 Iron County?
1,903 deer in the 2025 permit year.
What time does spring turkey hunting end on public land in Iron County?
1 p.m. on public land.
Is Iron County inside Black Bear Management Zone 1, 2 or 3?
Zone 2, going by the GIS overlay of the 2026 bear zones.
Where is the nearest public land outside Iron County?
Hughes Mountain Natural Area, about 12 miles from the centre.
What is the nearest MDC office to Iron County?
Piedmont Office in Piedmont.
Which deer processors serve Iron County?
Ruble's Meat Market LLC, Walker's Meat Processing and Harris Meat Processing LLC, ranked by distance.
What orange must I wear in Iron County during the firearms portions?
A hunter orange hat plus an orange shirt, vest or coat, visible from all sides.
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.
Iron County reminders for the 2026-27 season
Ask before hunting private land in Iron 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: USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public domain).