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Conservation area · Southeast Region
Graves Mountain Conservation Area, a hunter guide
Conservation area in Iron County and 1 neighboring county, 3,027 acres, MDC Southeast Region.
Photo: USFWS Midwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Getting to Graves Mountain Conservation Area
Graves Mountain Conservation Area basics
At 3,027 acres, Graves Mountain Conservation Area is part of the public ground of Iron and Wayne counties. Among the 6 conservation areas of Iron County, it sits 3rd for acres. The Clearwater South district (MDC Southeast Region) handles habitat work on Graves Mountain Conservation Area.
The atlas entry for Graves Mountain Conservation Area also shows camping (open camping – walk-in/float-in/backpack, individual campsites).
MDC describes the area this way: This is a forest area.This area has unimproved roads that are open to public vehicles. These roads may not be shown on area maps or posted with signs. Road conditions may vary.
Hunted here: Deer, Black bear, Turkey, Squirrel.
From the agency record (Missouri Department of Conservation); checked October 29, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Graves Mountain Conservation Area
How Graves Mountain Conservation Area may be hunted
Read these before a first trip to Graves Mountain Conservation Area; posted signs still govern.
| Species | Allowed | Permit note |
|---|---|---|
| White-tailed Deer | Archery and firearms | Archery only |
| Wild Turkey | Archery and firearms | – |
| Black Bear | Archery and firearms | Zone permit |
| Gray Squirrel | Statewide methods | – |
The deer rule for Graves Mountain Conservation Area is archery and firearms, and only archery antlerless permits may be used here. The turkey rule on Graves Mountain Conservation Area reads archery and firearms. MDC lists black bear on Graves Mountain Conservation Area, archery and firearms, for hunters drawn for that zone. Antlerless code B applies to Graves Mountain Conservation Area, so archery antlerless permits only. Listed or not matters on MDC ground: Graves Mountain Conservation Area 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.
County deer rules for Graves Mountain Conservation Area
| Topic | Iron County | Wayne County |
|---|---|---|
| Firearms antlerless limit | 1 deer | 1 deer |
| Antlerless portions | Closed | 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 | No | No |
| Bear zone | Zone 2 | Zone 2 |
| Duck zone | Middle | Middle |
There are no deer units in Missouri; Iron County is the unit for Graves Mountain Conservation Area, with a firearms antlerless limit of 1. No antlerless portions here in October or December. Plan a stop at a sampling station if you tag a deer in Iron County on Nov. 14 or 15. For bear, Iron County is in BMZ 2 (750 permits drawn, quota 22). Dogs may not be used for squirrel or rabbit in Iron 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 Graves Mountain Conservation Area; match your spot to the right column.
- ZX Gas Station , 205 Hwy. 21, Pilot Knob
- Iron County C-4 School , 35 Rte. 49, Viburnum
2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet county rules, MDC CWD rules and 2026 bear digest; checked October 29, 2026.
Graves Mountain Conservation Area by season
These 11 rows are the 2026-27 seasons that fit Graves Mountain Conservation Area 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 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 |
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 Graves Mountain Conservation Area
Totals are for the whole county.
Iron County gave up 1,903 deer in 2025; the table runs back to 2020. In spring 2026, 194 turkeys were checked in Iron County, 59 of them reported from public land. For CWD, Iron County shows 0 positives over the years listed.
| Season | Bucks | Button bucks | Does | County total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 923 | 190 | 790 | 1,903 |
| 2024 | 619 | 141 | 480 | 1,240 |
| 2023 | 831 | 237 | 775 | 1,843 |
| 2022 | 734 | 151 | 649 | 1,534 |
| 2021 | 922 | 141 | 470 | 1,533 |
| 2020 | 999 | 190 | 666 | 1,855 |
| Year | Spring | Public | Youth | Fall gun | Fall bow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 194 | 59 | 10 | – | – |
| 2025 | 247 | 85 | 12 | 12 | 15 |
| 2024 | 182 | 47 | 8 | 8 | 3 |
| 2023 | 180 | 64 | 8 | 26 | 30 |
| 2022 | 140 | – | 11 | 5 | 6 |
| 2021 | 137 | – | 12 | 13 | 12 |
| Year | Samples | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 | 11 | 0 |
| 2024 | 26 | 0 |
| 2023 | 28 | 0 |
| 2022 | 31 | 0 |
| 2021 | 22 | 0 |
MDC 2025 deer harvest summary, MDC turkey harvest summaries and MDC CWD dashboard; earlier years from the yearly reports. Checked October 29, 2026.
Graves Mountain Conservation Area: the surrounding public ground
The map pins Graves Mountain Conservation Area with the 8 closest public areas, led by Wappapello Lake Management Lands at 4.7 mi.
| Nearby | Kind | Acres | County | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wappapello Lake Management Lands | Corps lake land | 1,880 | Wayne | 4.7 mi | southeast |
| Coldwater Access | Public access area | 79 | Wayne | 5.0 mi | northeast |
| Flatwoods CA | Conservation area | 907 | Wayne | 9.1 mi | south |
| Riverside CA | Conservation area | 2,768 | Iron, Reynolds | 9.7 mi | west |
| Lon Sanders Canyon CA | Conservation area | 130 | Wayne | 9.8 mi | southwest |
| Funk Memorial State Forest and WA | Conservation area | 180 | Iron | 10 mi | west |
| Coldwater CA | Conservation area | 10,804 | Wayne | 11 mi | east |
| Clearwater Lake (Corps) | Corps lake | – | Reynolds, Wayne | 14 mi | southwest |
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 Graves Mountain Conservation Area
The short run for gas and food is Greenville, 11 mi out. 1,869 people live in Piedmont, the largest town within reach. Driving route: From Sam A. Baker State Park, take Highway 143 north to the area main tract. MDC permits and advice: Piedmont Office, Piedmont, 10 mi away.
| Town | County | 2024 population | Away | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenville | Wayne | 439 | 11 mi | southeast |
| Piedmont | Wayne | 1,869 | 12 mi | southwest |
| Williamsville | Wayne | 272 | 20 mi | south |
| Cherokee Pass | Madison | – | 21 mi | northeast |
| Arcadia | Iron | 607 | 22 mi | north |
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 Graves Mountain Conservation Area
Sunrise in the Bootheel and in the Kansas City area can be 20 minutes apart, so use the adjusted times for Graves Mountain Conservation Area.
| Day | Hunt | Sun up | Sun down | Big game window | Migratory window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 2026 | Dove opener | 6:32 a.m. | 7:33 p.m. | 6:02 a.m. to 8:03 p.m. | 6:02 a.m. to 7:33 p.m. |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Archery opener | 6:44 a.m. | 7:11 p.m. | 6:14 a.m. to 7:41 p.m. | 6:14 a.m. to 7:11 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall firearms turkey | 6:59 a.m. | 6:45 p.m. | 6:29 a.m. to 7:15 p.m. | 6:29 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Middle Zone ducks | 6:36 a.m. | 4:56 p.m. | 6:06 a.m. to 5:26 p.m. | 6:06 a.m. to 4:56 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | November firearms opener | 6:44 a.m. | 4:50 p.m. | 6:14 a.m. to 5:20 p.m. | 6:14 a.m. to 4:50 p.m. |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Alternative methods | 7:19 a.m. | 4:48 p.m. | 6:49 a.m. to 5:18 p.m. | 6:49 a.m. to 4:48 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Archery close | 7:19 a.m. | 5:06 p.m. | 6:49 a.m. to 5:36 p.m. | 6:49 a.m. to 5:06 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.
Graves Mountain Conservation Area hunters: public range and clubs
Flatwoods CA range (public, free) is 10 miles from Graves Mountain Conservation Area. Beside it, two gun clubs within 30 miles.
From MDC area pages and the MDC Shooting Ranges layer, the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 29, 2026.
A visual feel for Graves Mountain Conservation Area
Graves Mountain Conservation Area, quick questions
Town nearest Graves Mountain Conservation Area?
Greenville, 11 mi by straight line.
Where is the next public ground after Graves Mountain Conservation Area?
Closest public options are Wappapello Lake Management Lands (4.7 mi), Coldwater Access (5.0 mi) and Flatwoods Conservation Area (9.1 mi).
Open hours at Graves Mountain Conservation Area?
Camping is listed on the area page.
How large an area is Graves Mountain Conservation Area?
In charge: Missouri Department of Conservation. Acres: 3,027.
Graves Mountain Conservation Area: open to hunters?
It is open to hunting: deer, black bear, turkey and squirrel, under statewide seasons and the area rules.
Permits needed for Graves Mountain Conservation Area?
MDC permits by game: Small Game, Archer's, Firearms Any-Deer or Antlerless, Migratory Bird.
Are antlerless portions open near Graves Mountain Conservation Area?
Up to 1 antlerless deer on firearms permits in Iron County; antlerless portions are closed there.
Which weapons are legal for deer at Graves Mountain Conservation Area?
Archery and firearms. Only archery antlerless permits may be used.
Is fall turkey open at Graves Mountain Conservation Area?
Archery and firearms for turkey; the October firearms season is open in the county.
Is there mandatory CWD testing near Graves Mountain Conservation Area?
Yes, sampling Nov. 14-15, and no feed ban.
First and last shooting light at Graves Mountain Conservation Area?
6:14 a.m. to 5:20 p.m. for deer on opening day; ducks end at 4:50 p.m..
Can I hunt bear on Graves Mountain Conservation Area?
Iron County is in Bear Management Zone 2 (750 permits, quota 22); the area lists bear.
Graves Mountain Conservation Area: confirm these first
Area rules, closures and managed hunt notices on Graves Mountain Conservation Area can change; posted signs and the agency page have the final word.
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); USFWS Midwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0); USFWS Midwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0).