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Conservation area · Missouri 2026-27
Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area hunting
A 2026-27 hunter guide to this conservation area in Barton County and 1 neighboring county, 4,790 acres.
Photo: pfly (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area
Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area profile
Expect about 4,790 acres of public ground at Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area, Barton and Vernon counties. By size it ranks 1st of the 14 conservation areas we list in Barton County. MDC manages it from the Osage Plains district of the Southwest Region.
Besides hunting, the MDC area page lists trails (biking, horseback, hiking), camping (designated camping sites, individual campsites), field trials (special use permit), fishing (sunfish, catfish, crappie, black bass) and trapping (special use permit).
What the area page says about it: During the Civil War, Kansas Jayhawkers ambushed local residents believed to be Confederate sympathizers. In retaliation, those men, known as bushwhackers, banded together and started their own guerilla war against the Union. The guerilla warfare soon spilled over into Missouri, and some fierce fighting took place along Little Dry Wood Creek. Bushwhacker is an appropriate name for the conservation area that now covers 4,790 acres along the Vernon and Barton county lines. Historically, nearly the whole area was prairie, with timber only along Little Dry Wood Creek and its drainages. Before it became public land, much of the original prairie had been plowed and put into crops, or disced and seeded to fescue. The more than 1,400 acres of prairie remaining today are being restored through controlled grazing, herbicide treatment, and burning. About 120 acres of native hay meadows also remain and harbor the same plant communities that buffalo once grazed.
Listed game: 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 Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area
Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area: methods MDC allows
The rules below are what MDC lists for Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area on top of statewide seasons.
| Game | Allowed methods | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| White-tailed Deer | Muzzleloader, archery | 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 |
Area-specific Code rules, Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area
- Unless otherwise posted, bicycles, including electric bicycles as defined in the Missouri Wildlife Code ( Chapter 20- Definitions) , are allowed on roads open to vehicular traffic and service roads (designated in the online conservation atlas). Bicycles must stay on roads open to vehicular traffic or service roads, or on multi-use trails posted as open to bicycles. Bicycle use is not allowed on service roads passing through designated natural areas (designated in the online conservation atlas). Groups of 10 or more people using bicycles on a department area must obtain a special use permit.
- This department area also has multi-use trails open to equestrian use. On multi-use trails designated as open to equestrian use, horses and horseback riding is prohibited during all portions of the firearms deer hunting season and during shooting hours of spring turkey hunting seasons.
Deer hunters on Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area are limited to muzzleloader and archery methods; only archery antlerless permits may be used. Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area is archery and firearms for turkey. For drawn bear hunters, Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area is archery and firearms. Booklet code B for Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area means archery antlerless permits only. On MDC land, deer hunting is legal only where the area is listed; Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area qualifies.
Sources: area page, area regulations, deer quick view; booklet table: 2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet, pp. 42-55. Checked October 29, 2026.
Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area county rules for 2026-27
| Item | Barton County | Vernon County |
|---|---|---|
| Firearms antlerless limit | 4 deer | 4 deer |
| Antlerless portions | Open | Open |
| CWD sampling Nov. 14-15 | No | No |
| Feed and mineral ban | Yes | Yes |
| Share the Harvest CWD test | Required | Required |
| Fall firearms turkey | Open | Open |
| Dogs, November portion | No rule | No rule |
| Elk county | No | No |
| Bear zone | Zone 3 | Zone 3 |
| Duck zone | South | Middle / South |
County rules apply on Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area; Barton County has a firearms antlerless limit of 4 for 2026-27. In Barton County, the Oct. 9-11 and Dec. 5-13 antlerless portions apply. Feeding deer and placing minerals is banned year-round in Barton County. The bear zone here is 3: 250 permits, quota 8, season Oct. 17-30. Removed for 2026: the CWD portion, the management zone and the antler-point restriction. Hunting near a county line on Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area? Use the column for the county you are in.
2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet county rules, MDC CWD rules and 2026 bear digest; checked October 29, 2026.
Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area: what is open when
Filtered for Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area by its game list: 13 species, 24 season rows.
| Species | Season | Applies | Opens | Closes | 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 3 | Bear zone 3 | 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 | South Zone | Nov 21, 2026 | Nov 22, 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 | |
| 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 |
During firearms portions, Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area allows muzzleloaders, not modern guns. Spring 2027 turkey dates were not published when these pages were checked.
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.
Ducks and geese on Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area
Waterfowl hunting on Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area is open hunting: no draw, first come first served under statewide rules. MDC zone mapping puts Barton County in the South Zone; zone lines moved for 2026-2030, so confirm near the edge. Waterfowl loads must be nontoxic, statewide.
| Duck dates | From | To |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
Map around Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area
Crow-flight distance from Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area to Comstock Prairie Conservation Area is 4.5 mi (west); the table runs outward from there.
| Place | Type | Acres | County | Miles off | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Comstock Prairie CA | Conservation area | 320 | Barton | 4.5 mi | west |
| Buffalo Wallow Prairie CA | Conservation area | 1,113 | Barton | 7.3 mi | southeast |
| Osage Prairie CA | Conservation area | 1,545 | Vernon | 7.3 mi | northeast |
| Redwing Prairie CA | Conservation area | 160 | Barton | 7.8 mi | south |
| Drywood CA | Conservation area | 100 | Barton | 7.8 mi | southwest |
| Mo-No-I Prairie CA | Conservation area | 302 | Barton | 8.2 mi | south |
| Little Osage Prairie | Conservation area | 80 | Vernon | 8.2 mi | northeast |
| Lonestar Prairie (MRAP) | MRAP tract | 486 | Barton | 9.6 mi | southwest |
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.
Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area area harvest by year
Whole-county counts.
Hunters in Barton County checked 1,844 deer in 2025, against 1,850 the year before; there is no figure for Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area alone. The spring 2026 count for Barton County was 353 turkeys (12 on public land). Recent CWD results for Barton County: 34 positives, first detected in 2022-2023.
| Permit year | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 993 | 117 | 734 | 1,844 |
| 2024 | 1,003 | 121 | 726 | 1,850 |
| 2023 | 993 | 152 | 821 | 1,966 |
| 2022 | 1,057 | 149 | 887 | 2,093 |
| 2021 | 1,001 | 122 | 788 | 1,911 |
| 2020 | 1,023 | 132 | 793 | 1,948 |
| Season | Spring | Public | Youth | Firearms (fall) | Archery (fall) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 353 | 12 | 40 | – | – |
| 2025 | 336 | 20 | 42 | 11 | 5 |
| 2024 | 308 | 28 | 36 | 4 | 7 |
| 2023 | 288 | 22 | 20 | 6 | 9 |
| 2022 | 227 | – | 20 | 4 | 14 |
| 2021 | 199 | – | 20 | 4 | 12 |
| Year | Samples | CWD found |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 | 25 | 1 |
| 2024 | 545 | 9 |
| 2023 | 722 | 15 |
| 2022 | 702 | 9 |
| 2021 | 70 | 0 |
MDC 2025 deer harvest summary, MDC turkey harvest summaries and MDC CWD dashboard; earlier years from the yearly reports. Checked October 29, 2026.
Towns, MDC offices and shops by Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area
From Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area, Sheldon is 6.8 mi away. Largest of the five: Nevada, 8,294 people. Directions on file: From Bronaugh, take Highway 43 south 2.50 miles to Zodiac Road, then east 1 mile to the area. Shawnee Trail Conservation Area Field Office (Mindenmines) sits 18 mi from Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area, closer than any other MDC office.
| Town | County | People (2024) | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sheldon | Vernon | 436 | 6.8 mi | east |
| Nevada | Vernon | 8,294 | 13 mi | north |
| Lamar | Barton | 4,299 | 14 mi | southeast |
| Mindenmines | Barton | 277 | 16 mi | southwest |
| El Dorado Springs | Cedar | 3,674 | 26 mi | northeast |
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.
Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area hunters: public range and clubs
Drive about 56 miles from Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area to reach Andy Dalton range, the nearest public lanes. Nearby gun clubs fill the other cards.
From MDC area pages and the MDC Shooting Ranges layer, the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 29, 2026.
Legal hours for Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area
Rabbits are sunrise to sunset, migratory birds half an hour before sunrise to sunset, and big game gets the extra half hour after sunset.
| Day | Moment | First sun | Last sun | Deer hours | Bird hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 2026 | Dove opener | 6:47 a.m. | 7:48 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 8:18 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 7:48 p.m. |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Archery opener | 6:59 a.m. | 7:26 p.m. | 6:29 a.m. to 7:56 p.m. | 6:29 a.m. to 7:26 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall firearms turkey | 7:14 a.m. | 7:00 p.m. | 6:44 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. | 6:44 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Middle Zone ducks | 6:51 a.m. | 5:11 p.m. | 6:21 a.m. to 5:41 p.m. | 6:21 a.m. to 5:11 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | November firearms opener | 6:59 a.m. | 5:05 p.m. | 6:29 a.m. to 5:35 p.m. | 6:29 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Alternative methods | 7:34 a.m. | 5:03 p.m. | 7:04 a.m. to 5:33 p.m. | 7:04 a.m. to 5:03 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Archery close | 7:34 a.m. | 5:21 p.m. | 7:04 a.m. to 5:51 p.m. | 7:04 a.m. to 5:21 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.
Scenery to match Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area
Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area questions with sourced answers
Can I use a rifle for deer on Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area?
Muzzleloader and archery methods on this area. Only archery antlerless permits may be used.
Is Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area open for hunting this season?
Yes, deer, black bear, turkey, rabbit, squirrel, dove, quail and waterfowl, following statewide seasons and any area limits.
What are the CWD rules around Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area?
No mandatory station visit in this county. Do not feed deer or put out minerals.
What is the firearms antlerless limit around Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area?
4 antlerless deer with firearms permits, under the Barton County rule.
Bear hunting near Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area?
Bear here means a Zone 3 permit (quota 8).
Can I hunt turkey on Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area?
Use archery and firearms. Fall gun season: Oct. 1-31.
What are deer hours at Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area on Nov. 14?
Nov. 14 at the Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area point: 6:29 a.m. to 5:35 p.m. for deer (sunrise 6:59 a.m.).
Duck hunting at Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area: how?
South Zone dates apply; the area uses open hunting.
How far is the nearest town from Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area?
Sheldon is the nearest town we cover, 6.8 mi off.
Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area crowded: where next?
Next in line: Comstock Prairie Conservation Area (4.5 mi), Buffalo Wallow Prairie Conservation Area (7.3 mi) and Osage Prairie Conservation Area (7.3 mi).
Can hunters camp on Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area?
Yes, camping is listed, and the area is open 4 a.m. to 10 p.m..
Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area: size and manager?
Missouri Department of Conservation handles it, and it spans 4,790 acres.
Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area: which permits apply?
The right MDC permit: Archer's or Firearms for deer, Small Game for small game, Migratory Bird for doves and ducks.
Last word on Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area
Confirm methods, permits and the Barton County deer rules for Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area before the drive.
Sources: source · source · source · source; regulations from the 2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet. Checked October 29, 2026.
Other photos on this page: David Nichols (CC BY-SA 2.0); mostateparks (Public Domain Mark 1.0); USFWS/Southeast (Public domain).