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Corps lake land · Southeast Region
Clearwater Lake Management Lands, a hunter guide
MDC-managed Corps lake land in Reynolds County and 1 neighboring county, 12,659 acres, MDC Southeast Region.
Photo: Paul Sableman (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Clearwater Lake Management Lands
Clearwater Lake Management Lands basics
At 12,659 acres, Clearwater Lake Management Lands is part of the public ground of Reynolds and Wayne counties. Reynolds County has no second MDC-managed Corps lake land in the data. Land title: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Manager: MDC, Clearwater South district.
The atlas entry for Clearwater Lake Management Lands also shows camping (open camping – walk-in/float-in/backpack, individual campsites) and fishing (white bass, catfish, crappie, black bass).
MDC describes the area this way: The Clearwater Lake Managment Lands are owned by the US Army Corps of Engineers and managed by the MDC. The area consists of land adjacent to the lake and is located in watershed bottoms or on upland slopes. Much of the low bottom lands are inaundated with water in spring and vegetation is kept in check at an early successional stage by the water coverage. Higher flood plain terraces that are not inaudated allow limited open land management opportunities via permittee farming to keep land in an open condition for associated species. Uplands are typically forested in oak and hickory stands.
Hunted here: Deer, Black bear, Turkey, Rabbit, Squirrel, Dove, Quail.
- 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 Clearwater Lake Management Lands
Other units on the Clearwater Lake Management Lands lake
Same lake, other records: see the table.
| Unit | Kind | Acres | County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clearwater Lake (Corps) | Corps lake | – | Reynolds, Wayne |
lands.json related records (MDC atlas and Corps Lakes Gateway); checked October 29, 2026.
How Clearwater Lake Management Lands may be hunted
Read these before a first trip to Clearwater Lake Management Lands; posted signs still govern.
| Species | Allowed | Permit note |
|---|---|---|
| White-tailed Deer | Archery and firearms | Allowed |
| 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 | – |
The deer rule for Clearwater Lake Management Lands is archery and firearms, and antlerless permits may be used here. The turkey rule on Clearwater Lake Management Lands reads archery and firearms. MDC lists black bear on Clearwater Lake Management Lands, archery and firearms, for hunters drawn for that zone. In the booklet table Clearwater Lake Management Lands carries antlerless code A: antlerless permits allowed. Listed or not matters on MDC ground: Clearwater Lake Management Lands is on the deer list.
Sources: area page, area regulations, deer quick view; booklet table: 2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet, pp. 42-55. Checked October 29, 2026.
Clearwater Lake Management Lands managed hunt list
1 drawn hunt run on Clearwater Lake Management Lands in 2026-27, 6 hunters in total. The mix: people with disabilities (1). Missed it? The managed hunt deadline was Jul 31, 2026; apply next July.
| No. | Category | Dates | Drawn | Limit code | Orientation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| – | People with Disabilities – Firearms | Nov. 7–8 | 6 | A | Nov. 6 |
MDC Managed Deer Hunts List 2026-2027; checked October 29, 2026.
County deer rules for Clearwater Lake Management Lands
| Topic | Reynolds County | Wayne County |
|---|---|---|
| Firearms antlerless limit | 1 deer | 1 deer |
| Antlerless portions | Open | Closed |
| CWD sampling Nov. 14-15 | Mandatory | Mandatory |
| Feed and mineral ban | No | No |
| Share the Harvest CWD test | No | No |
| Fall firearms turkey | Open | Open |
| Dogs, November portion | No squirrel, rabbit dogs | No squirrel, rabbit dogs |
| Elk county | Yes | No |
| Bear zone | Zone 2 | Zone 2 |
| Duck zone | Middle / South | Middle |
There are no deer units in Missouri; Reynolds County is the unit for Clearwater Lake Management Lands, with a firearms antlerless limit of 1. The early (Oct. 9-11) and late (Dec. 5-13) antlerless portions are open in Reynolds County. Plan a stop at a sampling station if you tag a deer in Reynolds County on Nov. 14 or 15. For bear, Reynolds County is in BMZ 2 (750 permits drawn, quota 22). The elk zone takes in Reynolds County; seasons are Oct. 17-25 and Dec. 12-20. Dogs may not be used for squirrel or rabbit in Reynolds County during the November portion. The CWD portion, the CWD Management Zone and the antler-point restriction were removed for 2026. County rules differ across Clearwater Lake Management Lands; match your spot to the right column.
- Ellington MDC Office, 2929 Co. Rd. 618, Ellington
- Bunker Fire Department , 132 Rte. 72, Bunker
- Johnson Shut-Ins Visitor Center, 148 Taum Sauk Trl., Lesterville
2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet county rules, MDC CWD rules and 2026 bear digest; checked October 29, 2026.
Clearwater Lake Management Lands by season
These 17 rows are the 2026-27 seasons that fit Clearwater Lake Management Lands and its game list.
| Species | Hunt | Scope | First day | Last day | 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 | |
| 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 |
Youth portions are for hunters 6 to 15 years old.
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.
Harvest numbers near Clearwater Lake Management Lands
Totals are for the whole county.
Reynolds County gave up 2,746 deer in 2025; the table runs back to 2020. In spring 2026, 183 turkeys were checked in Reynolds County, 68 of them reported from public land. For CWD, Reynolds County shows 0 positives over the years listed.
| Season | Bucks | Button bucks | Does | County total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Year | Spring | Public | Youth | Fall gun | Fall bow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 183 | 68 | 17 | – | – |
| 2025 | 257 | 119 | 23 | 14 | 7 |
| 2024 | 205 | 75 | 16 | 4 | 2 |
| 2023 | 197 | 113 | 6 | 18 | 21 |
| 2022 | 165 | – | 13 | 8 | 6 |
| 2021 | 175 | – | 10 | 2 | 13 |
| Year | Samples | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 16 | 0 |
| 2024 | 32 | 0 |
| 2023 | 45 | 0 |
| 2022 | 29 | 0 |
| 2021 | 55 | 0 |
| 2020 | 54 | 0 |
MDC 2025 deer harvest summary, MDC turkey harvest summaries and MDC CWD dashboard; earlier years from the yearly reports. Checked October 29, 2026.
Clearwater Lake Management Lands: the surrounding public ground
The map pins Clearwater Lake Management Lands with the 8 closest public areas, led by Clearwater Lake (Corps) at 1.8 mi.
| Nearby | Kind | Acres | County | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearwater Lake (Corps) | Corps lake | – | Reynolds, Wayne | 1.8 mi | southeast |
| Lon Sanders Canyon CA | Conservation area | 130 | Wayne | 6.2 mi | east |
| Riverside CA | Conservation area | 2,768 | Iron, Reynolds | 6.2 mi | northeast |
| Clearwater CA | Conservation area | 11,211 | Reynolds | 6.4 mi | southwest |
| Funk Memorial State Forest and WA | Conservation area | 180 | Iron | 8.7 mi | northeast |
| Flatwoods CA | Conservation area | 907 | Wayne | 11 mi | east |
| Carter Creek CA | Conservation area | 407 | Carter | 13 mi | southwest |
| Current River CA | Conservation area | 29,371 | Carter, Reynolds | 14 mi | west |
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.
Who is nearby at Clearwater Lake Management Lands
The short run for gas and food is Piedmont, 6.6 mi out. Driving route: From Piedmont, take Route HH west 5 miles west to Clearwater Lake Dam to access much of the area by water. Other parts of the area can be accessed via high-clearance vehicles from Reynolds County Roads as listed on the map. MDC permits and advice: Piedmont Office, Piedmont, 6.8 mi away.
| Town | County | 2024 population | Away | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Piedmont | Wayne | 1,869 | 6.6 mi | southeast |
| Ellington | Reynolds | 766 | 10.0 mi | west |
| Van Buren | Carter | 775 | 17 mi | southwest |
| Ellsinore | Carter | 417 | 18 mi | south |
| Centerville | Reynolds | 163 | 19 mi | northwest |
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.
Shooting hours in Clearwater Lake Management Lands
Sunrise in the Bootheel and in the Kansas City area can be 20 minutes apart, so use the adjusted times for Clearwater Lake Management Lands.
| Day | Hunt | Sun up | Sun down | Big game window | Migratory window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Clearwater Lake Management Lands hunters: public range and clubs
Flatwoods CA range (public, free) is 11 miles from Clearwater Lake Management Lands.
From MDC area pages and the MDC Shooting Ranges layer, the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 29, 2026.
A visual feel for Clearwater Lake Management Lands
Clearwater Lake Management Lands, quick questions
How large an area is Clearwater Lake Management Lands?
In charge: Missouri Department of Conservation. Acres: 12,659.
Town nearest Clearwater Lake Management Lands?
Piedmont, 6.6 mi by straight line.
Is Clearwater Lake Management Lands in the elk zone?
Yes, by drawn permit, Oct. 17-25 archery and Dec. 12-20 firearms.
Open hours at Clearwater Lake Management Lands?
Open 4 a.m. to 10 p.m.. Camping is listed on the area page.
Clearwater Lake Management Lands: open to hunters?
It is open to hunting: deer, black bear, turkey, rabbit, squirrel, dove and quail, under statewide seasons and the area rules.
Permits needed for Clearwater Lake Management Lands?
MDC permits by game: Small Game, Archer's, Firearms Any-Deer or Antlerless, Migratory Bird.
Are antlerless portions open near Clearwater Lake Management Lands?
Up to 1 antlerless deer on firearms permits in Reynolds County; antlerless portions run in October and December.
Which weapons are legal for deer at Clearwater Lake Management Lands?
Archery and firearms. Antlerless permits are allowed.
Is fall turkey open at Clearwater Lake Management Lands?
Archery and firearms for turkey; the October firearms season is open in the county.
Is there mandatory CWD testing near Clearwater Lake Management Lands?
Yes, sampling Nov. 14-15, and no feed ban.
When are the managed hunts at Clearwater Lake Management Lands?
1 hunts, 6 hunters, drawn from July applications.
Can I hunt bear on Clearwater Lake Management Lands?
Reynolds County is in Bear Management Zone 2 (750 permits, quota 22); the area lists bear.
Where is the next public ground after Clearwater Lake Management Lands?
Closest public options are Clearwater Lake (Corps) (1.8 mi), Lon Sanders Canyon Conservation Area (6.2 mi) and Riverside Conservation Area (6.2 mi).
First and last shooting light at Clearwater Lake Management Lands?
6:15 a.m. to 5:21 p.m. for deer on opening day; ducks end at 4:51 p.m..
Clearwater Lake Management Lands: confirm these first
Area rules, closures and managed hunt notices on Clearwater Lake Management Lands can change; posted signs and the agency page have the final word.
Sources: source · source · source · source · source; regulations from the 2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet. Checked October 29, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Chris M Morris (CC BY 2.0); Chris M Morris (CC BY 2.0); Renee Grayson (CC BY 2.0).