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2026-27 · Fall Deer and Turkey rules
Reynolds County Hunting
Reynolds County under the 2026-27 MDC rules: a firearms antlerless fill limit of 1 deer, antlerless portions open, 2,746 deer Telechecked in 2025, 154,657 mapped public acres and the nearest MDC office.
Photo: Paul Sableman (CC BY 2.0)
The 2026 county row for Reynolds County
Census maps give Reynolds County 808 square miles of land; Centerville is the county seat. Its population estimate for 2024 stands at 5,927, a 2.7% fall from 2020. In Reynolds County the county fill limit on firearms antlerless permits is 1 deer. Reynolds County is among the 100 counties open for the October and December antlerless portions. Mandatory CWD sampling applies in Reynolds County on Nov. 14-15, 2026: take the deer or its head to a station on the day of harvest, with the hunter present. Reynolds County is on the November dog rule list: no dogs for rabbit or squirrel hunting in daylight Nov. 14-24.
| County rule | Status | When |
|---|---|---|
| Firearms antlerless fill limit | 1 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 | Yes | November portion, daylight |
| Fall firearms turkey | Open | Oct. 1-31 |
| Elk hunting county | Yes | 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 |
Reynolds County sampling sites
| Site | Town | Address | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ellington MDC Office | Ellington | 2929 Co. Rd. 618 | Pin |
| Bunker Fire Department | Bunker | 132 Rte. 72 | Pin |
| Johnson Shut-Ins Visitor Center | Lesterville | 148 Taum Sauk Trl. | Pin |
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 Reynolds County
Harvest trend for Reynolds County deer
In 2025, 2,746 deer from Reynolds County went through Telecheck; antlered bucks made up 45% of them. The year before, 2024, ended at 1,766 (+55% change). Across 11 permit years the peak came in 2021 (3,282) and the low in 2024 (1,766). That total ranks 48th among 114 Missouri counties for 2025. 62% of the 2025 deer came during the November portion and 19% with archery tackle.
| Permit year | Antlered | Button | Doe | Sum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,243 | 259 | 1,244 | 2,746 |
| 2024 | 711 | 226 | 829 | 1,766 |
| 2023 | 1,210 | 329 | 1,596 | 3,135 |
| 2022 | 1,021 | 239 | 1,050 | 2,310 |
| 2021 | 1,547 | 339 | 1,396 | 3,282 |
| 2020 | 1,564 | 307 | 1,139 | 3,010 |
| 2019 | 1,186 | 248 | 868 | 2,302 |
| 2018 | 1,535 | 337 | 1,214 | 3,086 |
| 2017 | 1,222 | 231 | 814 | 2,267 |
| 2016 | 1,324 | 270 | 944 | 2,538 |
| 2015 | 1,028 | 193 | 721 | 1,942 |
Which portions produced Reynolds County deer
| Portion | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | 375 | 528 |
| Early youth | 108 | 161 |
| Early antlerless | 49 | 89 |
| Opening weekend* | 545 | 794 |
| November portion | 1,107 | 1,691 |
| Late youth | 9 | 29 |
| Late antlerless | 67 | 146 |
| Alternative methods | 51 | 102 |
| Managed hunts | — | 0 |
For 2025 MDC measured 3.5 deer per square mile in Reynolds County (4.0 regionwide).
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.
Reynolds County managed hunts and zones
Reynolds County and the bear zones
Bear hunting reaches Reynolds County through Zone 2; residents applied for permits in May, and the season is Oct. 17-30, 2026.
| 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 |
Reynolds County in the elk zone
Only 5 elk permits were issued for 2026, valid in Reynolds County and the other two elk counties outside the Peck Ranch refuge.
| Portion | Dates |
|---|---|
| Archery portion | Oct 17–Oct 25 |
| Firearms portion | Dec 12–Dec 20 |
| Year | Elk taken statewide |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 3 |
| 2025 | 3 |
Waterfowl dates in Reynolds County
MDC's map layer places Reynolds County in the Middle Zone and South Zone; zone lines changed for 2026-2030.
| 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 |
The managed hunt tables skip Reynolds County; Shannon, Carter and Wayne are the nearest counties named in them.
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.
Every 2026-27 season that reaches Reynolds County
Rows that depend on county lists (antlerless portions, fall firearms turkey, bear, elk, duck zones) are already filtered for Reynolds County.
| Species | Window | Reach | From | Through | 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 2 | Bear zone 2 | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 30, 2026 | |
| Elk | Archery portion | Elk zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Elk | Firearms portion | Elk zone | Dec 12, 2026 | Dec 20, 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.
Turkeys and CWD testing in Reynolds County
Spring 2026 turkey hunters checked 183 birds in Reynolds County during the regular season, after 17 in the youth season. The best spring since 2016 was 2016 with 331. The fall 2025 count was 21 birds across both portions. Fall 2026 is still under way or unreported, and the spring 2027 season has no published dates yet.
| Year | Youth days | Spring season | Fall gun | Fall bow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 17 | 183 | — | — |
| 2025 | 23 | 257 | 14 | 7 |
| 2024 | 16 | 205 | 4 | 2 |
| 2023 | 6 | 197 | 18 | 21 |
| 2022 | 13 | 165 | 8 | 6 |
| 2021 | 10 | 175 | 2 | 13 |
| 2020 | 16 | 229 | 19 | 16 |
| 2019 | 10 | 226 | 7 | 6 |
| 2018 | 12 | 273 | 14 | 13 |
| 2017 | 28 | 287 | 18 | 16 |
| 2016 | 30 | 331 | 37 | 27 |
Reynolds County CWD record
MDC's CWD dashboard records 395 samples from Reynolds County across the sample years shown, with 0 positives. No CWD detection is on record for Reynolds County.
| Sample year | Samples | Positives |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 16 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 32 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 45 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 29 | 0 |
| 2021-22 | 55 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 54 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | 43 | 0 |
| 2018-19 | 64 | 0 |
| 2017-18 | 39 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 18 | 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.
Public areas you can hunt in Reynolds County
7 public areas inside Reynolds County make our Missouri list, with Current River Conservation Area the largest at 29,371 acres. Mapped public land adds up to about 154,657 acres, or 29.9% of Reynolds County. The Mark Twain National Forest share is roughly 88,488 acres. 2 other public places here allow no hunting.
| Area | Acres | Deer allowed | Antlerless | Plus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current River CA · Conservation area | 29,371 | Archery and firearms | antlerless OK | — |
| Logan Creek CA · Conservation area | 13,170 | Archery and firearms | antlerless OK | — |
| Clearwater Lake Lands · Corps lake land (MDC) | 12,659 | Archery and firearms | antlerless OK | 1 managed hunt |
| Clearwater CA · Conservation area | 11,211 | Archery and firearms | antlerless OK | — |
| Ketcherside Mountain CA · Conservation area | 4,984 | Archery and firearms | antlerless OK | — |
| Riverside CA · Conservation area | 2,768 | Archery and firearms | archery antlerless | — |
| Clearwater Lake (Corps) · Corps lake | — | — | — | — |
Mark Twain National Forest · Potosi / Fredericktown Ranger District (Mark Twain National Forest) · Salem Ranger District (Mark Twain National Forest)
Close to Reynolds County, across the line
- Funk Memorial State Forest and Wildlife Area14 miles · 180 ac · Iron County
- Lon Sanders Canyon CA20 miles · 130 ac · Wayne County
- Ozark National Scenic Riverways21 miles · 80,546 ac · Shannon County and Carter County
- Carter Creek CA23 miles · 407 ac · Carter County
- Peck Ranch CA24 miles · 29,567 ac · Carter County and Shannon County
- Graves Mountain CA24 miles · 3,027 ac · Iron County and 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.
Who serves Reynolds County hunters
For regional questions, Reynolds County hunters call the Southeast office in Cape Girardeau at (573) 290-5730. The office nearest Reynolds County is Piedmont Office (21 miles).
Towns in Reynolds County
- Centervillepop. 163 · seat
- Ellingtonpop. 766
Reynolds County deer processing and gear
Businesses inside the county come first, then those just across the line.
Counties that border Reynolds County
- Carter CountyOzark
- Dent CountyOzark
- Iron CountySoutheast
- Shannon CountyOzark
- 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.
Reynolds County ranges and shoot dates
Up to six Reynolds County ranges appear as cards; any more are in the table below.
Ranges from MDC area pages and its Shooting Ranges layer, the operators’ own sites and directory listings, checked October 29, 2026.
Reynolds County legal shooting light
For ducks, geese and doves in Reynolds County the day ends at sunset; deer, bear and elk hunters get another half hour.
| Date | Season point | Sunrise | Sunset | Deer, bear, elk | Ducks, doves, geese |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Reynolds County hunting, common questions
Does camo orange count in Reynolds County?
No. Camouflage orange does not meet the rule.
Who will skin and cut a Reynolds County deer?
Ruble's Meat Market LLC heads our distance list.
Can a Reynolds County deer be donated to Share the Harvest without a CWD test?
Yes. The county is not on the testing list for donations.
Are the antlerless portions open in Reynolds County?
Yes, Oct. 9-11 and Dec. 5-13, 2026.
Is fall firearms turkey open in Reynolds County?
Yes, Oct. 1-31, 2026.
Which permit year gave Reynolds County its biggest deer harvest since 2015?
2021, at 3,282 deer.
Can I hunt state parks in Reynolds County?
Only parks with an MDC managed deer hunt allow hunting.
Is Reynolds County North, Middle or South for duck season?
Middle Zone and South Zone on MDC's map layer; the 2026-2030 lines moved, so read the digest map near a boundary.
How do I check a deer in Reynolds County?
Notch the permit, then Telecheck online, in the MO Hunting app or by phone by 10 p.m. on the day of harvest.
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.
Double-check list for Reynolds County
MDC can change rules after the booklet prints; recheck the county table before a Reynolds County hunt.
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).