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Connor O. Fewel Conservation Area hunting in Missouri
Public hunting ground in Henry County (320 acres), with the county deer rules that apply there.
Photo: MoBikeFed (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Connor O. Fewel Conservation Area
Connor O. Fewel Conservation Area, the essentials
Its acreage is 320, inside Henry County. Line up the 6 conservation areas in Henry County by acres and Connor O. Fewel Conservation Area comes 6th. Staff of the MDC Lone Buffalo district, in the Kansas City Region, manage Connor O. Fewel Conservation Area.
MDC also notes trails (hiking), dog training, fishing (sunfish, catfish, black bass) and trapping (special use permit) at Connor O. Fewel Conservation Area.
Habitat notes from the source: Connor O. Fewel Conservation Area is in northern Henry County, north of Lewis on Route AC. The area has a rich and varied history. An Osage Indian trail once ran by the springs, connecting Kansas City to Warsaw. Settlers also used the area as a community meeting place; evidence of their gatherings remain in the form of circular stone tables, campfire circles, and initials scratched into moss-covered rock overhangs. The outlaw Jesse James and the Younger Gang reportedly hid out near here, and a tree near the springs was said to be a "hanging tree" during those lawless times. Connor O. Fewel Conservation Area is divided into north and south units, by a block of privately-owned land. The southern unit is characterized by crop fields, brushy draws, and reclaimed mine spoils. The north unit primarily consists of mature oak and hickory timber on rolling hills. The area features a wide variety of habitat and wildlife.
Game listed: 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 Connor O. Fewel Conservation Area
Where Connor O. Fewel Conservation Area sits among public tracts
8 other public places sit inside a 45-mile circle around Connor O. Fewel Conservation Area; together they add 24,598 acres, and Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Upper Tebo Creek) is nearest.
| Area | Type | Acres | County | Straight line | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Upper Tebo Creek) | Corps lake land | 7,736 | Henry | 8.0 mi | southeast |
| Haysler A. Poague CA | Conservation area | 879 | Henry | 8.4 mi | southwest |
| Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Bethlehem) | Corps lake land | 3,345 | Henry | 10 mi | south |
| Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Grand River Bottoms) | Corps lake land | 8,094 | Henry | 11 mi | southwest |
| Urich CA | Conservation area | 480 | Henry | 13 mi | west |
| Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Gouge Eye) | Corps lake land | 573 | Henry | 14 mi | south |
| Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Brush Creek) | Corps lake land | 3,201 | Benton | 14 mi | southeast |
| Bryson's Hope CA | Conservation area | 290 | Pettis | 14 mi | northeast |
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 Connor O. Fewel Conservation Area
MDC area rules for Connor O. Fewel Conservation Area, as published for 2026-27.
| Species | Methods here | Note |
|---|---|---|
| White-tailed Deer | Muzzleloader, archery | 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 | – |
MDC allows muzzleloader and archery methods for deer on Connor O. Fewel Conservation Area; antlerless permits may be used. Turkey methods on Connor O. Fewel Conservation Area: archery and firearms. Connor O. Fewel Conservation Area allows black bear by archery and firearms during the October season, permit holders only. The FDT area table lists Connor O. Fewel Conservation Area with code A (antlerless permits allowed). Deer and turkey may be hunted only on MDC areas that appear in the booklet table; Connor O. Fewel 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.
Connor O. Fewel Conservation Area season calendar
County dates from Henry County that fit Connor O. Fewel 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 | |
| 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 |
Firearms deer rows apply to muzzleloaders only on Connor O. Fewel Conservation Area. 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 Connor O. Fewel Conservation Area
| Rule | Henry 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 |
Connor O. Fewel Conservation Area takes its deer rules from Henry County, where the firearms antlerless fill limit is 4. Antlerless portions run here in October and December. Henry County falls under the CWD feed and mineral ban. BMZ 3 reaches Henry 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.
Connor O. Fewel Conservation Area: towns and supplies
Calhoun is 4.3 mi from Connor O. Fewel Conservation Area, the nearest town on this site. Clinton is the biggest town in that list, 9,449 residents in 2024. Route from the area page: From Calhoun, take Highway 52 southwest 3 miles, then Route AC west 2 miles. Drive 9.6 mi to Clinton Office in Clinton for the nearest MDC counter.
| Town | County | Pop. 2024 | Miles off | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calhoun | Henry | 405 | 4.3 mi | east |
| Clinton | Henry | 9,449 | 8.1 mi | southwest |
| Hartwell | Henry | – | 13 mi | west |
| Deepwater | Henry | 384 | 15 mi | south |
| Green Ridge | Pettis | 599 | 19 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.
County harvest around Connor O. Fewel Conservation Area
These are county numbers.
In 2025, 3,300 deer were Telechecked in Henry County, 1,377 of them does. Henry County turkey hunters took 479 birds in spring 2026; 130 came off public land. The MDC dashboard lists 2 CWD positives in Henry County across the years in the table.
| Year | Bucks | Button bucks | Does | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,619 | 304 | 1,377 | 3,300 |
| 2024 | 1,436 | 277 | 1,580 | 3,293 |
| 2023 | 1,514 | 387 | 1,853 | 3,754 |
| 2022 | 1,587 | 383 | 1,784 | 3,754 |
| 2021 | 1,633 | 338 | 1,563 | 3,534 |
| 2020 | 1,591 | 337 | 1,524 | 3,452 |
| Year | Spring total | On public land | Youth | Fall gun | Fall bow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 479 | 130 | 60 | – | – |
| 2025 | 440 | 139 | 41 | 22 | 9 |
| 2024 | 455 | 135 | 33 | 26 | 8 |
| 2023 | 397 | 115 | 25 | 27 | 21 |
| 2022 | 347 | – | 31 | 32 | 19 |
| 2021 | 330 | – | 19 | 24 | 23 |
| Sample year | CWD samples | Positives |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 18 | 0 |
| 2025 | 611 | 2 |
| 2024 | 151 | 0 |
| 2023 | 57 | 0 |
| 2022 | 89 | 0 |
| 2021 | 92 | 0 |
MDC 2025 deer harvest summary, MDC turkey harvest summaries and MDC CWD dashboard; earlier years from the yearly reports. Checked October 29, 2026.
Within ten miles of Connor O. Fewel Conservation Area, events
Rows marked on site use this ground as the venue; the rest sit within about 10 miles. In all, 2 upcoming events.
Next on the calendar
| When | Listing | Distance | Venue | Tickets or seats | Read at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 20, 2026 | Game Utilization: Deer Leg Bone tools – knives or awls · deer hide and bone workshop | 8 | Clinton MDC Office — Henry County | Register | Source |
| Dec 5, 2026 | Golden Valley Dinner – Clinton · DU chapter dinner | 8 | Primitive Olde Crow & Winery — Clinton | Buy tickets | Source |
When legal light starts in Connor O. Fewel 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 | 6:44 a.m. | 7:45 p.m. | 6:14 a.m. to 8:15 p.m. | 6:14 a.m. to 7:45 p.m. |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Archery opener | 6:56 a.m. | 7:23 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 7:53 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 7:23 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall firearms turkey | 7:11 a.m. | 6:57 p.m. | 6:41 a.m. to 7:27 p.m. | 6:41 a.m. to 6:57 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Middle Zone ducks | 6:48 a.m. | 5:08 p.m. | 6:18 a.m. to 5:38 p.m. | 6:18 a.m. to 5:08 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | November firearms opener | 6:56 a.m. | 5:02 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 5:32 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 5:02 p.m. |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Alternative methods | 7:31 a.m. | 5:00 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Archery close | 7:31 a.m. | 5:18 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 5:48 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 5:18 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.
Connor O. Fewel Conservation Area in pictures
Connor O. Fewel Conservation Area hunters: public range and clubs
From Connor O. Fewel Conservation Area, 10 miles separates hunters from Golden Valley Archery Range (Clinton Office), the closest public range. 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.
Connor O. Fewel Conservation Area, quick questions
Which town sits closest to Connor O. Fewel Conservation Area?
Calhoun lies 4.3 mi away.
Is there other public land around Connor O. Fewel Conservation Area?
Try Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Upper Tebo Creek) (8.0 mi), Haysler A. Poague Conservation Area (8.4 mi) and Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Bethlehem) (10 mi).
What should I buy before a Connor O. Fewel Conservation Area hunt?
Missouri hunting permits for each species; there is no separate area permit for most MDC land.
How large an area is Connor O. Fewel Conservation Area?
Missouri Department of Conservation runs the ground (320 acres).
What are the deer hunting methods at Connor O. Fewel Conservation Area?
Deer may be taken by muzzleloader and archery methods. Antlerless permits are allowed.
May the public hunt at Connor O. Fewel Conservation Area?
Yes. The area page names deer, black bear, turkey, rabbit, squirrel, dove and quail.
Do I need a CWD sample for deer from Connor O. Fewel Conservation Area?
Sampling is voluntary here; feeding and minerals are banned all year.
How many does may be taken around Connor O. Fewel Conservation Area?
Henry County: firearms antlerless limit 4, antlerless portions open.
Does a bear zone include Connor O. Fewel Conservation Area?
Only with a Zone 3 permit from the drawing; season Oct. 17-30.
Turkey hunting at Connor O. Fewel Conservation Area: what is allowed?
MDC allows archery and firearms. Fall firearms turkey runs Oct. 1-31.
When does legal light start and end at Connor O. Fewel Conservation Area?
Deer hunters get 6:26 a.m. to 5:32 p.m. on Nov. 14; sunset is 5:02 p.m..
Connor O. Fewel 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: jbezdek (CC BY 2.0); USFWS Midwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Martin Lopatka (CC BY-SA 2.0).