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Clifty Creek Conservation Area hunting in Missouri
Public hunting ground in Maries County (256 acres), with the county deer rules that apply there.
Photo: Jena Fuller (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Clifty Creek Conservation Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Clifty Creek Conservation Area
- Parking areaParking · 0.3 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.
Clifty Creek Conservation Area, the essentials
Its acreage is 256, inside Maries County. Line up the 3 conservation areas in Maries County by acres and Clifty Creek Conservation Area comes 3rd. Staff of the MDC Osage district, in the Central Region, manage Clifty Creek Conservation Area.
MDC also notes trails (hiking), camping (open camping – walk-in/float-in/backpack) and trapping (special use permit) at Clifty Creek Conservation Area.
Habitat notes from the source: Clifty Creek Conservation Area and Clifty Creek Natural Area are adjacent to one another and combined offer the public 486 acres in Maries County to enjoy. A six-car parking lot for the area is found on Maries County Road 511. Due to the rugged terrain in this part of the state, much of this area has seen little change since settlement times and due to the lack of fire has developed into an overstocked forest. Settlers found only the extreme southern and a few northern portions of the area level enough for cultivation. In 1984, The Donald Walker Trust donated 156 acres to the Conservation Department, which later purchased 100 additional acres to form the conservation area. The conservation area and the adjacent Clifty Creek Natural Area, owned by the L-A-D Foundation provide crucial watershed protection for Clifty and Little Clifty creeks which run through the areas. One of the more dramatic features of Clifty Creek Natural Area is a natural bridge with a span of about 40 feet that was created by a tributary of Clifty Creek carving through Gasconade dolomite.
Game listed: Deer, Black bear, Turkey, Squirrel.
From the agency record (Missouri Department of Conservation); checked October 29, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Clifty Creek Conservation Area
Clifty Creek Conservation Area and nearby public land, mapped
8 other public places sit inside a 45-mile circle around Clifty Creek Conservation Area; together they add 3,709 acres, and Clifty Creek Natural Area is nearest.
| Area | Type | Acres | County | Straight line | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clifty Creek Natural Area | Natural area | 230 | Maries | 0.7 mi | northeast |
| Rinquelin Trail Lake CA | Conservation area | 286 | Maries | 9.9 mi | west |
| Gasconade Hills CA | Conservation area | 371 | Pulaski | 12 mi | southwest |
| Bohigian CA | Conservation area | 437 | Phelps | 12 mi | south |
| Spring Creek Gap CA | Conservation area | 1,819 | Maries | 13 mi | northeast |
| Beaver Creek CA | Conservation area | 157 | Phelps | 15 mi | southeast |
| Fort Leonard Wood Towersite | Towersite | 67 | Pulaski | 16 mi | southwest |
| Little Prairie CA | Conservation area | 342 | Phelps | 16 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.
Area rules at Clifty Creek Conservation Area
MDC area rules for Clifty Creek Conservation Area, as published for 2026-27.
| Species | Methods here | Note |
|---|---|---|
| White-tailed Deer | Archery and firearms | Allowed |
| Wild Turkey | Archery and firearms | – |
| Black Bear | Archery and firearms | Zone permit |
| Gray Squirrel | Statewide methods | – |
For deer, Clifty Creek Conservation Area is open to archery and firearms, and antlerless permits may be used. Turkey methods on Clifty Creek Conservation Area: archery and firearms. Clifty Creek Conservation Area allows black bear by archery and firearms during the October season, permit holders only. The FDT area table lists Clifty Creek Conservation Area with code A (antlerless permits allowed). Deer and turkey may be hunted only on MDC areas that appear in the booklet table; Clifty Creek Conservation Area is 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.
Clifty Creek Conservation Area season calendar
County dates from Maries County that fit Clifty Creek Conservation Area, matched to its game list.
| Species | Portion | Covers | Begins | 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 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 | |
| Squirrels | Squirrel season | Statewide | May 23, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 |
Duck zone rows come from the MDC zone layer; check the digest near a line.
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.
Deer rules that reach Clifty Creek Conservation Area
| Rule | Maries 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 | Zone 3 |
| Duck zone | Middle |
Clifty Creek Conservation Area takes its deer rules from Maries County, where the firearms antlerless fill limit is 4. Antlerless portions run here in October and December. Maries County falls under the CWD feed and mineral ban. BMZ 3 reaches Maries County; the zone has 250 permits and closes early if 8 bears are taken. For 2026 MDC dropped the CWD portion, the CWD Management Zone and the antler-point restriction.
2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet county rules, MDC CWD rules and 2026 bear digest; checked October 29, 2026.
Clifty Creek Conservation Area: towns and supplies
Newburg is 9.3 mi from Clifty Creek Conservation Area, the nearest town on this site. Rolla is the biggest town in that list, 20,660 residents in 2024. Route from the area page: From Dixon, take Highway 28 northeast, then Route W east until the pavement ends and gravel leads to area. Drive 11 mi to Rolla Office in Rolla for the nearest MDC counter.
| Town | County | Pop. 2024 | Miles off | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newburg | Phelps | 336 | 9.3 mi | southeast |
| Vienna | Maries | 579 | 11 mi | north |
| Rolla | Phelps | 20,660 | 14 mi | southeast |
| Waynesville | Pulaski | 5,493 | 19 mi | southwest |
| Fort Leonard Wood | Pulaski | – | 20 mi | south |
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.
County harvest around Clifty Creek Conservation Area
These are county numbers.
In 2025, 2,204 deer were Telechecked in Maries County, 880 of them does. Maries County turkey hunters took 601 birds in spring 2026; 6 came off public land. The MDC dashboard lists 3 CWD positives in Maries County across the years in the table, the first in 2023-2024.
| Year | Bucks | Button bucks | Does | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,118 | 206 | 880 | 2,204 |
| 2024 | 924 | 184 | 802 | 1,910 |
| 2023 | 1,066 | 246 | 1,079 | 2,391 |
| 2022 | 1,001 | 256 | 1,071 | 2,328 |
| 2021 | 1,124 | 306 | 1,079 | 2,509 |
| 2020 | 920 | 279 | 1,060 | 2,259 |
| Year | Spring total | On public land | Youth | Fall gun | Fall bow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 601 | 6 | 92 | – | – |
| 2025 | 670 | 14 | 86 | 44 | 17 |
| 2024 | 647 | 20 | 69 | 34 | 16 |
| 2023 | 626 | 13 | 62 | 52 | 38 |
| 2022 | 506 | – | 51 | 35 | 28 |
| 2021 | 543 | – | 55 | 58 | 46 |
| Sample year | CWD samples | Positives |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 4 | 0 |
| 2025 | 317 | 2 |
| 2024 | 387 | 0 |
| 2023 | 179 | 1 |
| 2022 | 89 | 0 |
| 2021 | 95 | 0 |
MDC 2025 deer harvest summary, MDC turkey harvest summaries and MDC CWD dashboard; earlier years from the yearly reports. Checked October 29, 2026.
When legal light starts in Clifty Creek Conservation Area
Deer, bear, elk and fall archery turkey may be taken from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset; ducks, geese, doves and fall firearms turkey stop at sunset.
| When | Event | Rise | Set | Big game | Birds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 2026 | Dove opener | 6:37 a.m. | 7:38 p.m. | 6:07 a.m. to 8:08 p.m. | 6:07 a.m. to 7:38 p.m. |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Archery opener | 6:49 a.m. | 7:16 p.m. | 6:19 a.m. to 7:46 p.m. | 6:19 a.m. to 7:16 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall firearms turkey | 7:04 a.m. | 6:50 p.m. | 6:34 a.m. to 7:20 p.m. | 6:34 a.m. to 6:50 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Middle Zone ducks | 6:41 a.m. | 5:01 p.m. | 6:11 a.m. to 5:31 p.m. | 6:11 a.m. to 5:01 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | November firearms opener | 6:49 a.m. | 4:55 p.m. | 6:19 a.m. to 5:25 p.m. | 6:19 a.m. to 4:55 p.m. |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Alternative methods | 7:24 a.m. | 4:53 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 5:23 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 4:53 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Archery close | 7:24 a.m. | 5:11 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 5:41 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 5:11 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.
Clifty Creek Conservation Area in pictures
Clifty Creek Conservation Area hunters: public range and clubs
Phelps County has the public range nearest Clifty Creek Conservation Area: Beaver Creek Conservation Area Archery Range (15 miles). Club lanes within 30 miles fill the next cards.
From MDC area pages and the MDC Shooting Ranges layer, the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 29, 2026.
Clifty Creek Conservation Area, quick questions
Can hunters camp on Clifty Creek Conservation Area?
Camping is listed.
How large an area is Clifty Creek Conservation Area?
Missouri Department of Conservation runs the ground (256 acres).
Is hunting legal on Clifty Creek Conservation Area?
Yes. The area page names deer, black bear, turkey and squirrel.
What should I buy before a Clifty Creek Conservation Area hunt?
Missouri hunting permits for each species; there is no separate area permit for most MDC land.
How many does may be taken around Clifty Creek Conservation Area?
Maries County: firearms antlerless limit 4, antlerless portions open.
What are the deer hunting methods at Clifty Creek Conservation Area?
Deer may be taken by archery and firearms. Antlerless permits are allowed.
Turkey hunting at Clifty Creek Conservation Area: what is allowed?
MDC allows archery and firearms. Fall firearms turkey runs Oct. 1-31.
Do I need a CWD sample for deer from Clifty Creek Conservation Area?
Sampling is voluntary here; feeding and minerals are banned all year.
When does legal light start and end at Clifty Creek Conservation Area?
Deer hunters get 6:19 a.m. to 5:25 p.m. on Nov. 14; sunset is 4:55 p.m..
Does a bear zone include Clifty Creek Conservation Area?
Only with a Zone 3 permit from the drawing; season Oct. 17-30.
Which town sits closest to Clifty Creek Conservation Area?
Newburg lies 9.3 mi away.
Is there other public land around Clifty Creek Conservation Area?
Try Clifty Creek Natural Area (0.7 mi), Rinquelin Trail Lake Conservation Area (9.9 mi) and Gasconade Hills Conservation Area (12 mi).
Clifty Creek Conservation Area final checklist
Carry your permit, notch it or the MO Hunting app right away, and Telecheck a deer or turkey by 10 p.m. on the day of harvest.
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); Charles Patrick Ewing (CC BY 2.0); USFWS Midwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0).