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2026-27 county rules
Monroe County Hunting
A Northeast Region county guide to Monroe County: county deer rules, 2025 harvest of 3,749 deer, spring turkey numbers, managed hunts, conservation areas and services near Paris.
Photo: Tony Webster (CC BY 2.0)
Monroe County deer and county rules for 2026-27
Measured by the Census Bureau, Monroe County holds 648 land square miles, and Paris hosts county government. Some 8,890 people call it home by the 2024 estimate, +2.6% against 2020. Hunters may fill up to 4 deer on firearms antlerless permits in Monroe County across all firearms portions combined. The early and late antlerless portions both include Monroe County this year. Grain, salt, minerals and other deer feed are banned year-round in Monroe County, one of the 85 feed-ban counties. Share the Harvest takes Monroe County deer only after a CWD test. Opening weekend of the November portion brings mandatory CWD sampling to Monroe County. The CWD Management Zone that covered Monroe 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 | Nov. 14-15 | 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) | North | 2021-2025 layer |
| SE flood closure zone | None | Gauge-based |
| CWD portion | Removed | Gone for 2026 |
| Antler-point restriction | Removed | Gone for 2026 |
Monroe County CWD drop points
| Site | City | Street | Go |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe County Fairgrounds | Paris | 415 E. Locust St. | 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.
Monroe County Telecheck history
Hunters Telechecked 3,749 deer in Monroe County in the 2025 permit year: 1,696 antlered bucks, 341 button bucks and 1,712 does. Against 2024 (3,527 deer) the change was +6%. Highlighted on the chart: 2023, the top year at 3,894; 2015 was the weakest at 2,782. Among the 114 counties MDC reports, Monroe County placed 15th in 2025. Bowhunters checked 697 deer, about 19% of the county total, while November firearms hunters took 1,990.
| Permit year | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,696 | 341 | 1,712 | 3,749 |
| 2024 | 1,594 | 333 | 1,600 | 3,527 |
| 2023 | 1,575 | 385 | 1,934 | 3,894 |
| 2022 | 1,676 | 411 | 1,785 | 3,872 |
| 2021 | 1,524 | 399 | 1,616 | 3,539 |
| 2020 | 1,617 | 414 | 1,672 | 3,703 |
| 2019 | 1,501 | 380 | 1,451 | 3,332 |
| 2018 | 1,570 | 430 | 1,503 | 3,503 |
| 2017 | 1,323 | 406 | 1,253 | 2,982 |
| 2016 | 1,229 | 355 | 1,280 | 2,864 |
| 2015 | 1,123 | 401 | 1,258 | 2,782 |
How Monroe County deer were taken, by portion
| Portion | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | 703 | 697 |
| Early youth | 198 | 224 |
| Early antlerless | 74 | 110 |
| Opening weekend* | 908 | 990 |
| November portion | 1,913 | 1,990 |
| CWD portion | 200 | 189 |
| Late youth | 42 | 21 |
| Late antlerless | 223 | 298 |
| Alternative methods | 146 | 164 |
| Managed hunts | 28 | 56 |
Harvest density in Monroe County was 6.2 deer per square mile in 2025; the Northeast Region averaged 5.7.
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 Monroe County
Monroe County managed hunts by drawing
Monroe County has 2 managed deer hunts for 2026-27; the drawing for them closed on July 31.
| Hunt | Location | Type | Dates | Drawn | Bag |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| None | Mark Twain Lake (573-735-4097 by Aug. 18) | Disabled hunters – Muzzleloader, Shotgun, or Long/Recurve/Compound Bow, or Crossbow | Nov. 21-22 | 35 | Regular permits |
| None | Mark Twain SP Hero Hunt | Military and veterans – Firearms | Nov. 7–8 | 20 | 2, 1 antlered |
Monroe County waterfowl zone
MDC's 2021-2025 zone layer shows the North Zone over Monroe County; the 2026-2030 boundaries shifted a little.
| Season | Zone | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Regular ducks | North | Oct 31–Dec 29 |
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.
Monroe County dates by species for 2026-27
The list covers hunting seasons only; trapping-only rows and falconry dates for Monroe 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 | |
| Ducks and coots | Regular ducks | North Zone | Oct 31, 2026 | Dec 29, 2026 | |
| 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.
Monroe County gobblers, fall birds and CWD samples
MDC counted 516 spring turkeys from Monroe County in 2026. The top spring in the table is 2016, with 588 turkeys. Autumn 2025 saw 47 turkeys checked in Monroe 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 | 63 | 516 | — | — |
| 2025 | 57 | 517 | 32 | 15 |
| 2024 | 35 | 440 | 26 | 16 |
| 2023 | 27 | 417 | 33 | 22 |
| 2022 | 26 | 299 | 25 | 27 |
| 2021 | 24 | 373 | 31 | 23 |
| 2020 | 30 | 482 | 54 | 31 |
| 2019 | 24 | 392 | 33 | 21 |
| 2018 | 20 | 354 | 26 | 37 |
| 2017 | 60 | 452 | 35 | 23 |
| 2016 | 63 | 588 | 46 | 11 |
CWD testing in Monroe County
The dashboard lists 1,960 Monroe County samples and 0 positive results. The MDC list shows no CWD case in Monroe County so far.
| Year | Samples | Detections |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | 14 | 0 |
| 2025-26 | 206 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 781 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 82 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 142 | 0 |
| 2021-22 | 115 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 112 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | 143 | 0 |
| 2018-19 | 108 | 0 |
| 2017-18 | 47 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 210 | 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.
Monroe County public ground and acreage
Mark Twain State Park (2,565 acres) heads the list of 6 public areas in Monroe County. The layers show 2,930 public acres in Monroe County (0.7% of land). Closed to hunting: 2 other places.
| Name and type | Size (ac) | Deer rule | Does | Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Twain SP · State park (managed hunt) | 2,565 | — | — | 1 managed hunt |
| Robert M. White II CA · Conservation area | 1,163 | Archery and firearms | antlerless OK | — |
| Ruby Clark Willingham MWA · Conservation area | 70 | Archery and firearms | antlerless OK | — |
| Woodlawn Access · Public access | 65 | Archery and firearms | antlerless OK | — |
| Cedar Bluff Access · Public access | 40 | Archery and firearms | antlerless OK | — |
| Mark Twain Lake (Corps) · Corps lake | — | — | — | 1 managed hunt |
Neighbouring public ground
- Hunnewell Access13 miles · 33 ac · Shelby County
- Mound View Access15 miles · 41 ac · Shelby County
- Hunnewell Lake CA16 miles · 1,999 ac · Shelby County
- Arrow-Wood CA17 miles · 153 ac · Shelby County
- Orange Tract (MRAP)18 miles · 335 ac · Macon County
- Wright East Tract (MRAP)19 miles · 179 ac · Macon 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.
Monroe County MDC office and businesses
MDC runs the Northeast Region, including Monroe County, from Kirksville. Nearest public MDC office: Hannibal Office, 34 miles out.
Monroe County base towns
- Parispop. 1,177 · seat
- Monroe Citypop. 2,706
Monroe County hunting trade listings
Ranked by county first, then neighbours, by straight-line distance.
Bordering county guides
- Audrain CountyCentral
- Macon CountyNortheast
- Marion CountyNortheast
- Ralls CountyNortheast
- Randolph CountyNortheast
- Shelby 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.
Monroe 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 23, 2027 | Union Covered Bridge Gobblers NWTF Banquet · NWTF chapter dinner | Madison | Buy tickets | Source |
Monroe County ranges, clubs and shoots
The guide lists 1 range in Monroe County.
Ranges from MDC area pages and its Shooting Ranges layer, the operators’ own sites and directory listings, checked October 29, 2026.
Legal hours for Monroe County
The rows below shift MDC's Jefferson City times by -1 minutes for the centre of Monroe County.
| When | Event | Rise | Set | Big game | Birds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 2026 | Dove opener | 6:37 a.m. | 7:38 p.m. | 6:07 a.m. to 8:08 p.m. | 6:07 a.m. to 7:38 p.m. |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Archery opener | 6:49 a.m. | 7:16 p.m. | 6:19 a.m. to 7:46 p.m. | 6:19 a.m. to 7:16 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall firearms turkey | 7:04 a.m. | 6:50 p.m. | 6:34 a.m. to 7:20 p.m. | 6:34 a.m. to 6:50 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Middle Zone ducks | 6:41 a.m. | 5:01 p.m. | 6:11 a.m. to 5:31 p.m. | 6:11 a.m. to 5:01 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | November firearms opener | 6:49 a.m. | 4:55 p.m. | 6:19 a.m. to 5:25 p.m. | 6:19 a.m. to 4:55 p.m. |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Alternative methods | 7:24 a.m. | 4:53 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 5:23 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 4:53 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Archery close | 7:24 a.m. | 5:11 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 5:41 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 5:11 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.
Monroe County FAQ
Does MDC hold a drawn deer hunt in Monroe County?
Yes, 2 hunts; the July 2026 application window has closed.
May I deer hunt any conservation area in Monroe 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 Monroe County?
(660) 785-2420 (Kirksville).
Where might a Monroe County hunter drop off a deer for cutting?
South Fork Processing, LLC is the first stop on our distance list.
From what time to what time may deer be hunted in Monroe County?
From 30 minutes before sunrise until 30 minutes after sunset.
How many antlerless deer can I take on firearms permits in Monroe County?
4 deer across all firearms portions; archery antlerless permits are unlimited.
Is a salt or mineral block for deer legal in Monroe County?
No. Salt and minerals for deer are part of the year-round ban in this county.
Is Monroe County deer harvest trending up or down?
3,749 in 2025, 3,527 in 2024 and 2,782 back in 2015.
Can I hunt turkeys with a bow in fall in Monroe 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.
Monroe 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 Mountain Prairie (Public domain).