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Conservation area · 2026-27
Clark Conservation Area hunting guide
What MDC publishes about this conservation area in Clark County, in one page.
Photo: USFWS Midwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Getting to Clark Conservation Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Clark Conservation Area
- Parking areaParking · 1.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.6 mi from the centreDirections
Parking, trailhead and gate locations come from OpenStreetMap contributors. Roads into public land can be gated or seasonal; check with the managing agency before you go.
Clark Conservation Area: acres, manager and game
The record gives Clark Conservation Area 626 acres in Clark County. Of 7 conservation areas in Clark County, Clark Conservation Area is number 4 by acreage. It belongs to the Fabius River management district, MDC Northeast Region.
Other uses MDC lists for Clark Conservation Area: camping (open camping-walk/float/backpack(no deer/turkey), designated camping sites) and fishing (sunfish, black bass).
From the MDC area description: Clark Conservation Areas original warranty deed is dated 1978. The purchase was lengthy and complicated because the property was scattered across Clark County in 12 parcels of land. The seller was Consolidated Packaging Corporation, previously known as Crandon Paper Mill or Company (and in some writings was referred to as Crandon Tree or Forest Farm). The original purchase was 2,717.46 acres. The final purchase from Consolidated Packaging Corporation was made in 1981, which added another 98.5 acres to the total purchase. Portions of these acquisitions became parts of Fox Valley and Charlie Heath Memorial Conservation Areas. The two isolated tracts located between county roads 57 and 61 were exchanged for a tract adjacent to Neeper CA in 2022. Today, Clark CA totals about 648 acres in six tracts. Early management by Consolidated Packaging Corporation of these parcels was for the production of pulp and paper to construct boxes. The company had enrolled these lands into the Forest Cropland System that was administered by the Department.
Game species: Deer, Turkey, Squirrel.
From the agency record (Missouri Department of Conservation); checked October 29, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Clark Conservation Area
Neighbors of Clark Conservation Area on the map
Count on Fox Valley Lake Conservation Area as the first fallback, 5.6 mi northeast of Clark Conservation Area.
| Public land | Type | Acres | County | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fox Valley Lake CA | Conservation area | 2,158 | Clark | 5.6 mi | northeast |
| Neeper CA | Conservation area | 315 | Clark | 8.7 mi | southeast |
| Ella Ewing Lake CA | Conservation area | 60 | Scotland | 9.5 mi | southwest |
| Charlie Heath Memorial CA | Conservation area | 1,636 | Clark | 11 mi | north |
| William E. Crawford CA | Conservation area | 88 | Clark | 14 mi | east |
| Deer Ridge CA | Conservation area | 7,185 | Lewis | 17 mi | south |
| Frost Island CA | Conservation area | 1,233 | Clark | 17 mi | east |
| Rose Pond CA | Conservation area | 382 | Clark | 20 mi | east |
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.
Clark Conservation Area hunting methods
Clark Conservation Area follows statewide seasons with the area limits shown here.
| Game | Methods | Note |
|---|---|---|
| White-tailed Deer | Archery and firearms | Allowed |
| Wild Turkey | Archery and firearms | – |
| Gray Squirrel | Statewide methods | – |
MDC allows archery and firearms for deer on Clark Conservation Area; antlerless permits may be used. Turkey hunters may use archery and firearms here. Clark Conservation Area shows code A in the booklet, antlerless permits allowed. The deer hunting quick view is the list that counts for MDC areas, and Clark Conservation Area appears on it.
Sources: area page, area regulations, deer quick view; booklet table: 2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet, pp. 42-55. Checked October 29, 2026.
Calendar of hunts for Clark Conservation Area
Clark Conservation Area gets 12 dated rows once the Clark County calendar is trimmed to its game list.
| Game | Segment | Where | Starts | Ends | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| Squirrels | Squirrel season | Statewide | May 23, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 |
Rabbits may be hunted sunrise to sunset; trapping seasons are on the species pages.
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.
Which county rules govern Clark Conservation Area
| Rule | Clark County |
|---|---|
| Firearms antlerless limit | 4 deer |
| Antlerless portions | Open |
| CWD sampling Nov. 14-15 | No |
| Feed and mineral ban | Yes |
| Share the Harvest CWD test | Required |
| Fall firearms turkey | Open |
| Dogs, November portion | No rule |
| Elk county | No |
| Bear zone | None |
| Duck zone | North |
Missouri sets deer rules county by county, so Clark Conservation Area follows Clark County: up to 4 antlerless deer on firearms permits. Clark County opens for both antlerless portions this year. Clark County is one of 85 counties with the year-round feed and mineral ban. MDC retired the CWD portion, its management zone and the antler-point restriction for 2026.
2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet county rules, MDC CWD rules and 2026 bear digest; checked October 29, 2026.
Clark Conservation Area town and service list
Medill lies closest, about 5.0 mi as the crow flies. Kahoka counts 1,973 residents, more than any other town listed. How MDC says to drive in: The Nixon Branch Tract is nine miles north of Kahoka on Highway 81, then 2.50 miles west on gravel road 26. The Bear Creek Tract is 3.50 miles south of Wyaconda on Route A, then 1.75 miles south on gravel road 230. Need MDC staff? Northeast Regional Office in Kirksville is 42 mi out.
| Nearest towns | County | Population | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medill | Clark | – | 5.0 mi | east |
| Kahoka | Clark | 1,973 | 7.7 mi | east |
| Williamstown | Lewis | – | 13 mi | south |
| St. Francisville | Clark | – | 15 mi | east |
| Wayland | Clark | 417 | 15 mi | east |
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.
Clark Conservation Area: deer, turkey and CWD by year
County figures, the smallest unit MDC publishes.
The county total for 2025 was 2,750 deer (1,243 antlered bucks), the closest MDC figure for Clark Conservation Area. 26 public-land birds out of 401 in spring 2026, Clark County. 7 positive deers in Clark County in the sample years shown; CWD was first found there in 2023-2024.
| Permit year | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,243 | 233 | 1,274 | 2,750 |
| 2024 | 1,235 | 232 | 1,283 | 2,750 |
| 2023 | 1,278 | 227 | 1,202 | 2,707 |
| 2022 | 1,292 | 192 | 1,141 | 2,625 |
| 2021 | 1,160 | 186 | 913 | 2,259 |
| 2020 | 1,246 | 190 | 1,004 | 2,440 |
| Year | Spring harvest | Public land share | Youth weekend | Fall firearms | Fall archery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 401 | 26 | 56 | – | – |
| 2025 | 366 | 30 | 54 | 3 | 10 |
| 2024 | 367 | 26 | 40 | 4 | 6 |
| 2023 | 331 | 33 | 24 | 2 | 21 |
| 2022 | 305 | – | 36 | 8 | 17 |
| 2021 | 256 | – | 23 | 2 | 21 |
| Season | Tested | Positives |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 16 | 0 |
| 2025 | 522 | 2 |
| 2024 | 715 | 4 |
| 2023 | 205 | 1 |
| 2022 | 608 | 0 |
| 2021 | 510 | 0 |
MDC 2025 deer harvest summary, MDC turkey harvest summaries and MDC CWD dashboard; earlier years from the yearly reports. Checked October 29, 2026.
First and last shooting light in Clark Conservation Area
The times below start from the MDC Jefferson City table and subtract 1 minute for Clark Conservation Area, as the booklet directs.
| Date | Season point | Sunrise | Sunset | Deer, bear, elk | Ducks, doves, geese |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 2026 | Dove opener | 6:36 a.m. | 7:37 p.m. | 6:06 a.m. to 8:07 p.m. | 6:06 a.m. to 7:37 p.m. |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Archery opener | 6:48 a.m. | 7:15 p.m. | 6:18 a.m. to 7:45 p.m. | 6:18 a.m. to 7:15 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall firearms turkey | 7:03 a.m. | 6:49 p.m. | 6:33 a.m. to 7:19 p.m. | 6:33 a.m. to 6:49 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Middle Zone ducks | 6:40 a.m. | 5:00 p.m. | 6:10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. | 6:10 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | November firearms opener | 6:48 a.m. | 4:54 p.m. | 6:18 a.m. to 5:24 p.m. | 6:18 a.m. to 4:54 p.m. |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Alternative methods | 7:23 a.m. | 4:52 p.m. | 6:53 a.m. to 5:22 p.m. | 6:53 a.m. to 4:52 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Archery close | 7:23 a.m. | 5:10 p.m. | 6:53 a.m. to 5:40 p.m. | 6:53 a.m. to 5:10 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.
Missouri scenes for Clark Conservation Area
Clark Conservation Area hunters: public range and clubs
From Clark Conservation Area, Fox Valley Lake CA range is the nearest MDC or other public range (6 miles). 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.
Clark Conservation Area questions with sourced answers
Clark Conservation Area hours and camping?
Area hours: 4 a.m. to 10 p.m.. MDC lists camping.
What paperwork covers a hunt at Clark Conservation Area?
Buy the matching Missouri permit (Missouri calls them permits); waterfowl also need the federal duck stamp.
Is Clark Conservation Area open for hunting this season?
Yes. MDC lists deer, turkey and squirrel on Clark Conservation Area, and it is on the deer list.
Is Clark Conservation Area archery only for deer?
Plan on archery and firearms. Antlerless permits are allowed.
What is the antlerless limit for Clark Conservation Area?
Clark County sets a firearms antlerless fill limit of 4, and its antlerless portions are open.
Does the feed ban cover Clark Conservation Area?
For Clark County, sampling is not required and the feed ban applies.
What turkey rules apply on Clark Conservation Area?
Turkey methods: archery and firearms. Fall firearms turkey (Oct. 1-31) is open in Clark County.
How long is the legal day at Clark Conservation Area in mid-November?
From 6:19 a.m. until 5:25 p.m. on Nov. 14, by the MDC table with the longitude correction.
Closest public alternatives to Clark Conservation Area?
The three nearest: Fox Valley Lake Conservation Area (5.6 mi), Neeper Conservation Area (8.7 mi) and Ella Ewing Lake Conservation Area (9.5 mi).
Where do I buy gas near Clark Conservation Area?
About 5.0 mi to Medill.
How large an area is Clark Conservation Area?
Roughly 626 acres, looked after by Missouri Department of Conservation.
Leaving for Clark Conservation Area?
Missouri sells permits, not licenses: buy the right one before you hunt Clark Conservation Area, and wear hunter orange in the firearms portions.
Sources: source · source · source · source; regulations from the 2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet. Checked October 29, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Jacob Norlund (CC BY 2.0); David Wilson (CC BY 2.0); Alabama Extension (CC0 1.0).