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Missouri conservation area
Big Cane Conservation Area, a hunter guide
2,155 acres of conservation area in Butler County: area rules, season dates and nearby land.
Photo: USFWS Midwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Getting to Big Cane Conservation Area
Big Cane Conservation Area basics
Big Cane Conservation Area measures 2,155 acres on the map and sits in Butler County. Butler County has 8 conservation areas on our list; this one is the 4th largest. MDC lists Big Cane Conservation Area in its MS Lowlands West district, Southeast Region.
Non-hunting activities on the area page: camping (designated camping sites), fishing (white bass, sunfish, catfish, crappie) and trapping (special use permit).
The area page says: Big Cane Conservation Area is located in Butler County along the Missouri-Arkansas state line. Encompassing approximately 2,154 acres, the area was acquired in 1980 and represents a significant remnant of the once- extensive bottomland hardwood forests that historically dominated the lowlands of Southeastern Missouri. Today, the area is managed with a primary focus on forest and wetland conservation, emphasizing the preservation and enhancement of diverse bottomland habitats. These include forested wetlands, streams, sloughs, shrub swamps, and seasonal wetlands within the Black River floodplain. Management efforts are directed toward maintaining ecological integrity and supporting a wide range of native plant and animal communities. The area provides important habitat for several Species of Conservation Concern (SOCCs) associated with bottomland hardwood systems and adjacent wetlands. Notable examples include Nuttall Oak and Water Oak, which are structural species in bottomland communities, and Water Tupelo indicative of seasonally flooded wetlands and slough habitats.
Species named: Deer, Black bear, Turkey, Rabbit, Squirrel, Dove, Quail, Waterfowl.
- White-tailed Deer
- Black Bear
- Wild Turkey
- Eastern Cottontail
- Gray Squirrel
- Fox Squirrel
- Mourning Dove
- Northern Bobwhite Quail
From the agency record (Missouri Department of Conservation); checked October 29, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Big Cane Conservation Area
How Big Cane Conservation Area may be hunted
Area methods and permits for Big Cane Conservation Area, condensed from MDC.
| Game | How | Extra rule |
|---|---|---|
| White-tailed Deer | Archery and firearms | Archery only |
| Wild Turkey | Archery and firearms | – |
| Black Bear | Archery and firearms | Zone permit |
| Eastern Cottontail | Statewide methods | – |
| Gray Squirrel | Statewide methods | – |
| Northern Bobwhite Quail | Statewide methods | – |
| Mourning Dove | Statewide methods | – |
| Ducks | Open Hunting | Nontoxic shot |
Deer hunters on Big Cane Conservation Area are limited to archery and firearms; only archery antlerless permits may be used. Turkey on Big Cane Conservation Area: archery and firearms under the area listing. Black bear methods here: archery and firearms, with a zone permit from the drawing. Code B in the conservation-area table: archery antlerless permits only on Big Cane Conservation Area. Only areas on the MDC deer list allow deer hunting; Big Cane Conservation Area made the list.
Sources: area page, area regulations, deer quick view; booklet table: 2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet, pp. 42-55. Checked October 29, 2026.
Big Cane Conservation Area: the Butler County rules
| Rule | Butler County |
|---|---|
| Firearms antlerless limit | 1 deer |
| Antlerless portions | Closed |
| CWD sampling Nov. 14-15 | No |
| Feed and mineral ban | No |
| Share the Harvest CWD test | No |
| Fall firearms turkey | Open |
| Dogs, November portion | No squirrel, rabbit dogs |
| Elk county | No |
| Bear zone | Zone 2 |
| Duck zone | South / Middle |
The county is the deer unit here. Butler County allows 1 firearms antlerless deer this year. Antlerless portions: closed for Butler County. Butler County lies in Black Bear Management Zone 2, where 750 permits were issued against a quota of 22. In Butler County, no dogs for squirrels or rabbits during Nov. 14-24. Three older rules are gone for 2026: the CWD portion, the CWD Management Zone and the antler-point rule.
2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet county rules, MDC CWD rules and 2026 bear digest; checked October 29, 2026.
Dates that apply at Big Cane Conservation Area
25 rows for Big Cane Conservation Area (13 species), cut down to its game list.
| Game | Season | Area | From | To | Open 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 | |
| Rabbits | Rabbit hunting | Statewide | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Squirrels | Squirrel season | Statewide | May 23, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| 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 |
Hunter orange (hat plus vest, coat or shirt) is required during the firearms deer portions.
From the 2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet, the 2026-2027 waterfowl digest and the 2026 hunting and trapping summary (Missouri Department of Conservation); checked October 29, 2026. All Missouri seasons.
Big Cane Conservation Area: blinds, draws and duck dates
Open waterfowl hunting applies on Big Cane Conservation Area, so arrive early for a spot. Butler County falls in the South Zone on the MDC zone layer; the 2026-2030 lines changed, so check the digest map near a boundary. Nontoxic shot is required for all waterfowl and coot hunting.
| Window | Begins | Ends |
|---|---|---|
| Youth waterfowl days | Nov 21, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 |
| Ducks, split 1 | Nov 26, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 |
| Ducks, split 2 | Dec 7, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 |
2026-2027 Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Digest, managed areas; area page; checked October 29, 2026.
Public places ringing Big Cane Conservation Area
Head northwest about 4.2 mi and you reach Corkwood Conservation Area, the nearest listed neighbor of Big Cane Conservation Area.
| Name | Type | Size (ac) | County | Away | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corkwood CA | Conservation area | 434 | Butler | 4.2 mi | northwest |
| Coon Island CA | Conservation area | 3,223 | Butler | 6.9 mi | east |
| Sand Pond CA | Conservation area | 202 | Ripley | 7.0 mi | west |
| Hemenway CA | Conservation area | 172 | Ripley | 10 mi | west |
| Dan River Access | Public access area | 68 | Butler | 15 mi | northeast |
| Wilhelmina CA | Conservation area | 1,520 | Butler, Dunklin | 16 mi | east |
| Chalk Bluff Trail Access | Public access area | 82 | Dunklin | 18 mi | east |
| Mudpuppy CA | Conservation area | 1,404 | Ripley | 19 mi | northwest |
Points: MDC Conservation Area Centroids layer (https://gisblue.mdc.mo.gov/arcgis/rest/services/Discover_Nature/MDC_Administrative_Areas/FeatureServer/4). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
What hunters took around Big Cane Conservation Area
MDC reports by county.
Deer checked in Butler County: 1,852 in 2025 and 1,490 in 2024. Spring 2026 turkey harvest in Butler County: 130, with 43 from public ground. Butler County CWD testing: 174 samples in the years shown, 0 positives.
| Year | Antlered | Buttons | Does | All deer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 887 | 171 | 794 | 1,852 |
| 2024 | 691 | 127 | 672 | 1,490 |
| 2023 | 968 | 169 | 908 | 2,045 |
| 2022 | 1,032 | 153 | 731 | 1,916 |
| 2021 | 707 | 136 | 540 | 1,383 |
| 2020 | 1,159 | 207 | 873 | 2,239 |
| Year | Spring | Spring, public land | Spring youth | Fall firearms | Fall archery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 130 | 43 | 28 | – | – |
| 2025 | 175 | 91 | 7 | 6 | 9 |
| 2024 | 141 | 50 | 11 | 4 | 4 |
| 2023 | 99 | 43 | 6 | 15 | 13 |
| 2022 | 91 | – | 13 | 4 | 15 |
| 2021 | 90 | – | 7 | 0 | 6 |
| Sample year | Tested | Detections |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 | 0 |
| 2024 | 100 | 0 |
| 2023 | 39 | 0 |
| 2022 | 23 | 0 |
| 2021 | 9 | 0 |
MDC 2025 deer harvest summary, MDC turkey harvest summaries and MDC CWD dashboard; earlier years from the yearly reports. Checked October 29, 2026.
Nearest help for Big Cane Conservation Area hunters
3.6 mi separates Big Cane Conservation Area from Neelyville. Poplar Bluff tops the population column at 16,177. MDC directions: Area consists of two tracts. To the larger tract. From Neelyville, take Highway 142 east for 0.2 miles, then turn right onto Route EE and head south for 2.0 miles. Turn right onto County Road 269 and head south for 1.1 miles, and turn left onto County Road 276 and head east for 0.8 miles to the area. To the smaller tract. From Neelyville, take Highway 142 east for 4.2 miles, then turn right onto County Road 259 and head south for 1.0 miles to the area. Doniphan hosts the MDC office nearest Big Cane Conservation Area (Doniphan Office, 20 mi).
| Community | County | Residents | Straight line | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neelyville | Butler | 311 | 3.6 mi | northwest |
| Fairdealing | Ripley | – | 13 mi | northwest |
| Qulin | Butler | 468 | 14 mi | northeast |
| Poplar Bluff | Butler | 16,177 | 18 mi | north |
| Doniphan | Ripley | 1,782 | 21 mi | west |
Towns from places.json (Census 2024); offices and businesses from services.json (MDC offices and business listings, chain stores and permit vendors left out); straight-line miles. Checked October 29, 2026.
Big Cane Conservation Area hunters: public range and clubs
Poplar Bluff Conservation Area Archery Range is the nearest public range to Big Cane Conservation Area, about 22 miles away. Beside it, two gun clubs within 30 miles.
From MDC area pages and the MDC Shooting Ranges layer, the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 29, 2026.
Big Cane Conservation Area legal shooting light
Legal light for deer at Big Cane Conservation Area runs 30 minutes either side of sunrise and sunset; for ducks it starts 30 minutes before sunrise and ends at sunset.
| Date | Why it matters | Sunrise | Sunset | Big game legal | Waterfowl legal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 2026 | Dove opener | 6:31 a.m. | 7:32 p.m. | 6:01 a.m. to 8:02 p.m. | 6:01 a.m. to 7:32 p.m. |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Archery opener | 6:43 a.m. | 7:10 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 7:40 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 7:10 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall firearms turkey | 6:58 a.m. | 6:44 p.m. | 6:28 a.m. to 7:14 p.m. | 6:28 a.m. to 6:44 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Middle Zone ducks | 6:35 a.m. | 4:55 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. to 5:25 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. to 4:55 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | November firearms opener | 6:43 a.m. | 4:49 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 5:19 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 4:49 p.m. |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Alternative methods | 7:18 a.m. | 4:47 p.m. | 6:48 a.m. to 5:17 p.m. | 6:48 a.m. to 4:47 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Archery close | 7:18 a.m. | 5:05 p.m. | 6:48 a.m. to 5:35 p.m. | 6:48 a.m. to 5:05 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.
Images near and like Big Cane Conservation Area
Big Cane Conservation Area, quick questions
How does waterfowl hunting work at Big Cane Conservation Area?
The South Zone calendar and open hunting.
When can I shoot at Big Cane Conservation Area on opening day?
Opening day of the November portion runs 6:13 a.m. to 5:19 p.m. there.
What backup public land is near Big Cane Conservation Area?
Within reach: Corkwood Conservation Area (4.2 mi), Coon Island Conservation Area (6.9 mi) and Sand Pond Conservation Area (7.0 mi).
Closest community to Big Cane Conservation Area?
The closest town page is Neelyville (3.6 mi).
How large an area is Big Cane Conservation Area?
2,155 acres in all; the manager is Missouri Department of Conservation.
When may I be on Big Cane Conservation Area?
4 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Camping is offered.
Which Missouri permits do I need at Big Cane Conservation Area?
Statewide MDC permits apply; managed hunts need the drawn permit as well.
Does Big Cane Conservation Area allow hunting?
Yes, for deer, black bear, turkey, rabbit, squirrel, dove, quail and waterfowl; deer hunting is allowed because the area is on the MDC list.
How may deer be hunted on Big Cane Conservation Area?
MDC lists archery and firearms for deer. Only archery antlerless permits may be used.
What county deer limit applies at Big Cane Conservation Area?
The county rule is 1 antlerless deer with firearms; the antlerless portions are closed.
What CWD rules apply at Big Cane Conservation Area?
Butler County has no mandatory sampling this year and no feed ban.
How may turkeys be hunted on Big Cane Conservation Area?
Yes, by archery and firearms; fall firearms turkey runs Oct. 1-31 here.
Does a bear zone include Big Cane Conservation Area?
BMZ 2, 750 permits drawn. Bear hunting is listed here.
Big Cane Conservation Area: checks before you go
Use this page to plan, then reread the agency page for Big Cane Conservation Area shortly before the trip.
Sources: source · source · source · source; regulations from the 2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet. Checked October 29, 2026.
Other photos on this page: USFWS Midwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0); USFWS Midwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0); USFWS Midwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0).