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2026-27 county rules
Lincoln County Hunting
A St. Louis Region county guide to Lincoln County: county deer rules, 2025 harvest of 4,503 deer, spring turkey numbers, managed hunts, conservation areas and services near Troy.
Photo: USFWS Midwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Lincoln County deer and county rules for 2026-27
Measured by the Census Bureau, Lincoln County holds 627 land square miles, and Troy hosts county government. Some 65,888 people call it home by the 2024 estimate, +10.6% against 2020. Hunters may fill up to 4 deer on firearms antlerless permits in Lincoln County across all firearms portions combined. The early and late antlerless portions both include Lincoln County this year. Opening weekend of the November portion brings mandatory CWD sampling to Lincoln County.
| Rule | Setting | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Firearms antlerless fill limit | 4 deer | All firearms portions |
| Antlerless portions | Open | 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 | 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) | North / Middle | 2021-2025 layer |
| SE flood closure zone | None | Gauge-based |
| CWD portion | Removed | Gone for 2026 |
| Antler-point restriction | Removed | Gone for 2026 |
Lincoln County CWD drop points
| Site | City | Street | Go |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln County Fairgrounds | Troy | 1 Fairgrounds Rd. | Route |
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 Lincoln County
Lincoln County Telecheck history
Hunters Telechecked 4,503 deer in Lincoln County in the 2025 permit year: 1,890 antlered bucks, 414 button bucks and 2,199 does. Against 2024 (4,098 deer) the change was +10%. Highlighted on the chart: 2023, the top year at 4,515; 2016 was the weakest at 3,118. Among the 114 counties MDC reports, Lincoln County placed 8th in 2025. Bowhunters checked 936 deer, about 21% of the county total, while November firearms hunters took 2,131.
| Permit year | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,890 | 414 | 2,199 | 4,503 |
| 2024 | 1,605 | 380 | 2,113 | 4,098 |
| 2023 | 1,802 | 460 | 2,253 | 4,515 |
| 2022 | 1,851 | 403 | 2,056 | 4,310 |
| 2021 | 1,686 | 416 | 1,782 | 3,884 |
| 2020 | 1,579 | 379 | 1,662 | 3,620 |
| 2019 | 1,696 | 359 | 1,609 | 3,664 |
| 2018 | 1,554 | 436 | 1,669 | 3,659 |
| 2017 | 1,510 | 404 | 1,364 | 3,278 |
| 2016 | 1,369 | 324 | 1,425 | 3,118 |
| 2015 | 1,311 | 445 | 1,559 | 3,315 |
How Lincoln County deer were taken, by portion
| Portion | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | 876 | 936 |
| Early youth | 214 | 321 |
| Early antlerless | 111 | 167 |
| Opening weekend* | 1,012 | 971 |
| November portion | 2,199 | 2,131 |
| Late youth | 55 | 48 |
| Late antlerless | 383 | 529 |
| Alternative methods | 183 | 227 |
| Managed hunts | 77 | 144 |
Harvest density in Lincoln County was 7.8 deer per square mile in 2025; the St. Louis Region averaged 6.9.
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 Lincoln County
Lincoln County managed hunts by drawing
Lincoln County has 1 managed deer hunt for 2026-27; the drawing for them closed on July 31.
| Hunt | Location | Type | Dates | Drawn | Bag |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 91 | Cuivre River SP | Firearms | Oct. 31–Nov. 1 | 100 | 3, 1 antlered |
Lincoln County waterfowl zone
MDC's 2021-2025 zone layer shows the North Zone and Middle Zone over Lincoln County; the 2026-2030 boundaries shifted a little.
| 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 |
Managed wetlands in Lincoln 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| B.K. Leach Memorial | 4,307 | 573-898-5905 | — |
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.
Lincoln County dates by species for 2026-27
The list covers hunting seasons only; trapping-only rows and falconry dates for Lincoln 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 | |
| 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.
Lincoln County gobblers, fall birds and CWD samples
MDC counted 403 spring turkeys from Lincoln County in 2026. The top spring in the table is 2026, with 403 turkeys. Autumn 2025 saw 21 turkeys checked in Lincoln 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 | 85 | 403 | — | — |
| 2025 | 76 | 395 | 14 | 7 |
| 2024 | 51 | 370 | 11 | 20 |
| 2023 | 37 | 370 | 26 | 29 |
| 2022 | 42 | 283 | 24 | 36 |
| 2021 | 27 | 277 | 16 | 29 |
| 2020 | 31 | 341 | 16 | 20 |
| 2019 | 25 | 268 | 18 | 24 |
| 2018 | 19 | 293 | 19 | 18 |
| 2017 | 38 | 281 | 23 | 19 |
| 2016 | 44 | 381 | 16 | 19 |
CWD testing in Lincoln County
The dashboard lists 554 Lincoln County samples and 0 positive results. The MDC list shows no CWD case in Lincoln County so far.
| Year | Samples | Detections |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | 9 | 0 |
| 2025-26 | 71 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 51 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 55 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 52 | 0 |
| 2021-22 | 53 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 66 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | 49 | 0 |
| 2018-19 | 57 | 0 |
| 2017-18 | 37 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 54 | 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.
Lincoln County public ground and acreage
Upper Mississippi Conservation Area (14,912 acres) heads the list of 10 public areas in Lincoln County. The layers show 15,790 public acres in Lincoln County (3.9% of land). Closed to hunting: 2 other places.
| Name and type | Size (ac) | Deer rule | Does | Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upper Mississippi CA · Conservation area | 14,912 | Archery only | antlerless OK | — |
| Cuivre River SP · State park (managed hunt) | 6,364 | — | — | 1 managed hunt |
| B. K. Leach Memorial CA · Conservation area | 4,308 | Archery only | antlerless OK | morning draw |
| William R. Logan CA · Conservation area | 1,798 | Archery and firearms | no antlerless | 5 dove fields |
| Cuivre Island CA · Conservation area | 1,461 | Archery only | no antlerless | — |
| William G. and Erma Parke White MWA · Conservation area | 810 | Archery and firearms | no antlerless | 4 dove fields |
| Prairie Slough CA · Conservation area | 584 | Archery only | antlerless OK | — |
| Sandy Island CA · Conservation area | 308 | Archery and firearms | antlerless OK | — |
| Vonaventure Memorial Forest and Wildlife Area · Conservation area | 203 | Archery only | antlerless OK | — |
| Kessler MWA · Conservation area | 157 | Archery only | antlerless OK | — |
Neighbouring public ground
- Clarence Cannon NWR17 miles · 3,761 ac · Pike County
- Frank, Emma Elizabeth and Edna Reifsnider State Forest21 miles · 1,389 ac · Warren County
- Little Lost Creek CA26 miles · 2,899 ac · Warren County
- August A. Busch Memorial CA26 miles · 6,951 ac · St. Charles County
- August A. Busch Shooting Range and Outdoor Education Center27 miles · St. Charles County
- Weldon Spring CA30 miles · 8,398 ac · St. Charles 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.
Lincoln County MDC office and businesses
MDC runs the St. Louis Region, including Lincoln County, from St Charles. Nearest public MDC office: August A. Busch Shooting Range and Outdoor Education Center, 27 miles out.
Lincoln County base towns
- Troypop. 14,963 · seat
- Elsberrypop. 2,084
- Old Monroepop. 279
- Silexpop. 265
Lincoln County hunting trade listings
Ranked by county first, then neighbours, by straight-line distance.
Bordering county guides
- Montgomery CountyCentral
- Pike CountyNortheast
- St. Charles CountySt. Louis
- Warren CountySt. Louis
Offices from MDC offices open to the public; services from MDC lists and directories as tagged; towns from Census 2024. Checked October 29, 2026.
Lincoln County event calendar and placings
Within the county lines: 1 upcoming event (NWTF chapter dinner), checked October 29, 2026.
Next on the calendar
| Dates | What | Place | Next step | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 20, 2027 | Lincoln Hills NWTF Banquet · NWTF chapter dinner | Silex | Buy tickets | Source |
Lincoln County ranges, clubs and shoots
The guide lists 3 ranges in Lincoln County; William R. Logan CA range is on MDC land.
Dates in this county
| Day and event | Discipline | Enter |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 29-31, 2027 | Gun show | Calendar |
Ranges from MDC area pages and its Shooting Ranges layer, the operators’ own sites and directory listings, checked October 29, 2026.
Legal hours for Lincoln County
The rows below shift MDC's Jefferson City times by -5 minutes for the centre of Lincoln County.
| When | Event | Rise | Set | Big game | Birds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 2026 | Dove opener | 6:33 a.m. | 7:34 p.m. | 6:03 a.m. to 8:04 p.m. | 6:03 a.m. to 7:34 p.m. |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Archery opener | 6:45 a.m. | 7:12 p.m. | 6:15 a.m. to 7:42 p.m. | 6:15 a.m. to 7:12 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall firearms turkey | 7:00 a.m. | 6:46 p.m. | 6:30 a.m. to 7:16 p.m. | 6:30 a.m. to 6:46 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Middle Zone ducks | 6:37 a.m. | 4:57 p.m. | 6:07 a.m. to 5:27 p.m. | 6:07 a.m. to 4:57 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | November firearms opener | 6:45 a.m. | 4:51 p.m. | 6:15 a.m. to 5:21 p.m. | 6:15 a.m. to 4:51 p.m. |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Alternative methods | 7:20 a.m. | 4:49 p.m. | 6:50 a.m. to 5:19 p.m. | 6:50 a.m. to 4:49 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Archery close | 7:20 a.m. | 5:07 p.m. | 6:50 a.m. to 5:37 p.m. | 6:50 a.m. to 5:07 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.
Lincoln County FAQ
Is a salt or mineral block for deer legal in Lincoln County?
On private land outside the feed-ban counties, plain salt and minerals are allowed, but not on MDC areas and not mixed with grain or food.
Is Lincoln County deer harvest trending up or down?
4,503 in 2025, 4,098 in 2024 and 3,315 back in 2015.
Can I hunt turkeys with a bow in fall in Lincoln County?
Yes, Sept. 15-Nov. 13 and Nov. 25-Jan. 15 statewide.
Does MDC hold a drawn deer hunt in Lincoln County?
Yes, 1 hunt; the July 2026 application window has closed.
May I deer hunt any conservation area in Lincoln 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 Lincoln County?
(636) 441-4554 (St Charles).
Where might a Lincoln County hunter drop off a deer for cutting?
Brown's Processing is the first stop on our distance list.
From what time to what time may deer be hunted in Lincoln County?
From 30 minutes before sunrise until 30 minutes after sunset.
How many antlerless deer can I take on firearms permits in Lincoln County?
4 deer across all firearms portions; archery antlerless permits are unlimited.
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.
Lincoln 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).