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Missouri conservation area
Current River Conservation Area, a hunter guide
29,371 acres of conservation area in Carter County and 2 neighboring counties: area rules, season dates and nearby land.
Photo: Chris M Morris (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Current River Conservation Area
Current River Conservation Area basics
Current River Conservation Area measures 29,371 acres on the map and sits in Carter, Reynolds and Shannon counties. Carter County has 3 conservation areas on our list; this one is the 2nd largest. MDC lists Current River Conservation Area in its Clearwater South district, Southeast Region.
Non-hunting activities on the area page: shooting range (archery, rifle or pistol), camping (open camping – walk-in/float-in/backpack, designated camping sites), fishing (rock bass, sunfish, suckers, black bass) and tours.
The area page says: Current River Conservation Area encompasses approximately 29,000 acres of forested ozark land. The area is roughly bordered by the Current River to the South and west, and Highways 106 and 21 to the north and east. Popular area activities are: Elk viewing, hunting, fishing, birdwatching, and sightseeing. Places of interest on the area are: Current River, Blue Spring, Paint Rock Bluff, Fort Barnesville, Deer Run Log Cabin, Deer Run Fire Tower,Current River Elk Driving Tour and the Deer Run Shooting Range.
Species named: Deer, Black bear, Turkey, Squirrel.
From the agency record (Missouri Department of Conservation); checked October 29, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Current River Conservation Area
How Current River Conservation Area may be hunted
Area methods and permits for Current River Conservation Area, condensed from MDC.
| Game | How | Extra rule |
|---|---|---|
| White-tailed Deer | Archery and firearms | Allowed |
| Wild Turkey | Archery and firearms | – |
| Black Bear | Archery and firearms | Zone permit |
| Gray Squirrel | Statewide methods | – |
Current River Conservation Area area regulations
- Equestrian use may be authorized by special use permit.
- An unstaffed range is located on this department area. Target shooting is not allowed anywhere on this area except for designated shooting range(s).
- Shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. Ranges may be closed to public use at any time for maintenance or department sponsored events or programs.
- Possession of alcoholic beverages is prohibited on all ranges and associated parking lots.
Deer hunters on Current River Conservation Area are limited to archery and firearms; antlerless permits may be used. Turkey on Current River Conservation Area: archery and firearms under the area listing. Black bear methods here: archery and firearms, with a zone permit from the drawing. Booklet code A for Current River Conservation Area means antlerless permits allowed. Only areas on the MDC deer list allow deer hunting; Current River Conservation Area made the list.
Sources: area page, area regulations, deer quick view; booklet table: 2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet, pp. 42-55. Checked October 29, 2026.
Current River Conservation Area: the Carter County rules
| Rule | Carter County | Reynolds County | Shannon County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firearms antlerless limit | 1 deer | 1 deer | 2 deer |
| Antlerless portions | Closed | Open | Open |
| CWD sampling Nov. 14-15 | Mandatory | Mandatory | Mandatory |
| Feed and mineral ban | No | No | Yes |
| Share the Harvest CWD test | No | No | Required |
| Fall firearms turkey | Open | Open | Open |
| Dogs, November portion | No squirrel, rabbit dogs | No squirrel, rabbit dogs | No squirrel, rabbit dogs |
| Elk county | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Bear zone | Zone 2 | Zone 2 | Zone 2 |
| Duck zone | South / Middle | Middle / South | South |
The county is the deer unit here. Carter County allows 1 firearms antlerless deer this year. Antlerless portions: closed for Carter County. Carter County hunters must have opening-weekend deer sampled, at one of 2 stations in the county. Carter County lies in Black Bear Management Zone 2, where 750 permits were issued against a quota of 22. Carter County is an elk county: archery Oct. 17-25 and firearms Dec. 12-20 for permit holders, outside the Peck Ranch refuge. In Carter County, no dogs for squirrels or rabbits during Nov. 14-24. Three older rules are gone for 2026: the CWD portion, the CWD Management Zone and the antler-point rule. Current River Conservation Area reaches more than one county, so check which county you stand in before filling an antlerless permit.
- Van Buren MODOT Facility, 9721 Hwy. 60, Van Buren
- USFS Pinewoods Lake, 31620 Hwy. 60 , Ellsinore
2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet county rules, MDC CWD rules and 2026 bear digest; checked October 29, 2026.
Dates that apply at Current River Conservation Area
11 rows for Current River Conservation Area (4 species), cut down to its game list.
| Game | Season | Area | From | To | Open now? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Archery, first part | Statewide | Sep 15, 2026 | Nov 13, 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, 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 | |
| Squirrels | Squirrel season | Statewide | May 23, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 |
Hunter orange (hat plus vest, coat or shirt) is required during the firearms deer portions.
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.
Public places ringing Current River Conservation Area
Head north about 8.6 mi and you reach Logan Creek Conservation Area, the nearest listed neighbor of Current River Conservation Area.
| Name | Type | Size (ac) | County | Away | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Logan Creek CA | Conservation area | 13,170 | Reynolds, Shannon | 8.6 mi | north |
| Peck Ranch CA | Conservation area | 29,567 | Carter, Shannon | 8.9 mi | southwest |
| Carter Creek CA | Conservation area | 407 | Carter | 12 mi | southeast |
| Clearwater CA | Conservation area | 11,211 | Reynolds | 12 mi | east |
| Rocky Creek CA | Conservation area | 42,184 | Shannon | 13 mi | west |
| Clearwater Lake Management Lands | Corps lake land | 12,659 | Reynolds, Wayne | 14 mi | east |
| Clearwater Lake (Corps) | Corps lake | – | Reynolds, Wayne | 15 mi | east |
| Ozark National Scenic Riverways | Scenic riverway | 80,546 | Shannon, Carter | 16 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.
What hunters took around Current River Conservation Area
MDC reports by county.
Deer checked in Carter County: 2,210 in 2025 and 1,539 in 2024. Spring 2026 turkey harvest in Carter County: 152, with 53 from public ground. Carter County CWD testing: 433 samples in the years shown, 0 positives.
| Year | Antlered | Buttons | Does | All deer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,036 | 218 | 956 | 2,210 |
| 2024 | 757 | 165 | 617 | 1,539 |
| 2023 | 1,276 | 260 | 1,406 | 2,942 |
| 2022 | 941 | 199 | 712 | 1,852 |
| 2021 | 910 | 181 | 704 | 1,795 |
| 2020 | 1,261 | 264 | 1,018 | 2,543 |
| Year | Spring | Spring, public land | Spring youth | Fall firearms | Fall archery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 152 | 53 | 18 | – | – |
| 2025 | 282 | 178 | 21 | 13 | 8 |
| 2024 | 182 | 108 | 13 | 2 | 2 |
| 2023 | 194 | 127 | 14 | 22 | 40 |
| 2022 | 152 | – | 14 | 11 | 11 |
| 2021 | 140 | – | 11 | 8 | 10 |
| Sample year | Tested | Detections |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 16 | 0 |
| 2025 | 70 | 0 |
| 2024 | 65 | 0 |
| 2023 | 111 | 0 |
| 2022 | 101 | 0 |
| 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.
Nearest help for Current River Conservation Area hunters
7.2 mi separates Current River Conservation Area from Ellington. Winona tops the population column at 988. MDC directions: The two most commonly used entrances are : The main gate entrance on Road 1 and is on South Road 1 mile south of downtown Ellington. The 106 Spur Road entrance 4 miles west of Ellington on Hwy 106 to the 106 Spur 1.25 miles to the area. Other entrances include the HH Highway to Road 15 entrance, 106 Highway to Road 15 entrance, D Highway to Paint Rock Road entrance. Ellington hosts the MDC office nearest Current River Conservation Area (Ellington Office, 6.3 mi).
| Community | County | Residents | Straight line | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ellington | Reynolds | 766 | 7.2 mi | northeast |
| Van Buren | Carter | 775 | 10 mi | south |
| Fremont | Carter | – | 15 mi | south |
| Eminence | Shannon | 531 | 17 mi | west |
| Winona | Shannon | 988 | 18 mi | southwest |
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.
Sight in at Current River Conservation Area
Current River Conservation Area has its own MDC shooting range (MDC unstaffed range); target shooting on the area is allowed only there.
From MDC area pages and the MDC Shooting Ranges layer, the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 29, 2026; target shooting rule from MDC area rule 3 CSR 10-11.150 on the area page.
Current River Conservation Area legal shooting light
Legal light for deer at Current River Conservation Area runs 30 minutes either side of sunrise and sunset; for ducks it starts 30 minutes before sunrise and ends at sunset.
| Date | Why it matters | Sunrise | Sunset | Big game legal | Waterfowl legal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Images near and like Current River Conservation Area
Current River Conservation Area, quick questions
Does Current River Conservation Area allow hunting?
Yes, for deer, black bear, turkey and squirrel; deer hunting is allowed because the area is on the MDC list.
How may deer be hunted on Current River Conservation Area?
MDC lists archery and firearms for deer. Antlerless permits are allowed.
What county deer limit applies at Current River Conservation Area?
The county rule is 1 antlerless deer with firearms; the antlerless portions are closed.
What CWD rules apply at Current River Conservation Area?
Carter County has mandatory CWD sampling on Nov. 14-15 and no feed ban.
How may turkeys be hunted on Current River Conservation Area?
Yes, by archery and firearms; fall firearms turkey runs Oct. 1-31 here.
Does a bear zone include Current River Conservation Area?
BMZ 2, 750 permits drawn. Bear hunting is listed here.
When can I shoot at Current River Conservation Area on opening day?
Opening day of the November portion runs 6:16 a.m. to 5:22 p.m. there.
What backup public land is near Current River Conservation Area?
Within reach: Logan Creek Conservation Area (8.6 mi), Peck Ranch Conservation Area (8.9 mi) and Carter Creek Conservation Area (12 mi).
Closest community to Current River Conservation Area?
The closest town page is Ellington (7.2 mi).
How large an area is Current River Conservation Area?
29,371 acres in all; the manager is Missouri Department of Conservation.
When may I be on Current River Conservation Area?
Camping is offered.
Are there elk at Current River Conservation Area?
Yes for drawn permit holders: archery Oct. 17-25, firearms Dec. 12-20, outside the Peck Ranch CA refuge.
Which Missouri permits do I need at Current River Conservation Area?
Statewide MDC permits apply; managed hunts need the drawn permit as well.
Current River Conservation Area: checks before you go
Use this page to plan, then reread the agency page for Current River Conservation Area shortly before the trip.
Sources: source · source · source · source; regulations from the 2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet. Checked October 29, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Paul Sableman (CC BY 2.0); Chris M Morris (CC BY 2.0); DaPuglet (CC BY-SA 2.0).