Home › Missouri › Public land › Hidden Hollow Conservation Area
Conservation area · 2026-27
Hidden Hollow Conservation Area hunting guide
What MDC publishes about this conservation area in Macon County, in one page.
Photo: David Wilson (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Hidden Hollow Conservation Area
Hidden Hollow Conservation Area: acres, manager and game
The record gives Hidden Hollow Conservation Area 1,360 acres in Macon County. Of 8 conservation areas in Macon County, Hidden Hollow Conservation Area is number 4 by acreage. It belongs to the Bee Trace management district, MDC Northeast Region.
Other uses MDC lists for Hidden Hollow Conservation Area: camping (open camping-walk/float/backpack(no deer/turkey), designated camping sites) and dog training.
From the MDC area description: Oak and hickory forest are present over 80 percent the area. Visitors will also see some native prairie, old fields, and cropland. Forest management practices such as tree improvement and tree harvest to create forest openings for wildlife and promote a healthy diverse forest are implemented on the area. White-tailed deer and wild turkey are abundant on the area, as are numerous songbirds and a variety of woodland animals.
Game species: Deer, Turkey, Rabbit, Squirrel.
From the agency record (Missouri Department of Conservation); checked October 29, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Hidden Hollow Conservation Area
Neighbors of Hidden Hollow Conservation Area on the map
Count on Sugar Creek Conservation Area as the first fallback, 7.6 mi north of Hidden Hollow Conservation Area.
| Public land | Type | Acres | County | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sugar Creek CA | Conservation area | 3,081 | Adair | 7.6 mi | north |
| Montgomery Woods CA | Conservation area | 348 | Adair, Macon | 11 mi | west |
| Atlanta CA | Conservation area | 2,355 | Macon | 11 mi | southeast |
| Dodd Access | Public access area | 40 | Macon | 11 mi | south |
| Long Branch Lake Management Lands (2,452 acres) | Corps lake land | 2,452 | Macon | 12 mi | southeast |
| Big Creek CA | Conservation area | 1,064 | Adair | 12 mi | north |
| Griffiths Memorial CA | Conservation area | 128 | Macon | 14 mi | southwest |
| Long Branch State Park | State park hunt | 1,921 | Macon | 15 mi | southeast |
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.
Hidden Hollow Conservation Area hunting methods
Hidden Hollow Conservation Area follows statewide seasons with the area limits shown here.
| Game | Methods | Note |
|---|---|---|
| White-tailed Deer | Archery and firearms | Allowed |
| Wild Turkey | Archery and firearms | – |
| Eastern Cottontail | Statewide methods | – |
| Gray Squirrel | Statewide methods | – |
MDC allows archery and firearms for deer on Hidden Hollow Conservation Area; antlerless permits may be used. Turkey hunters may use archery and firearms here. Hidden Hollow Conservation Area shows code A in the booklet, antlerless permits allowed. The deer hunting quick view is the list that counts for MDC areas, and Hidden Hollow Conservation Area appears 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.
Calendar of hunts for Hidden Hollow Conservation Area
Hidden Hollow Conservation Area gets 13 dated rows once the Macon County calendar is trimmed to its game list.
| Game | Segment | Where | Starts | Ends | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| Rabbits | Rabbit hunting | Statewide | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Squirrels | Squirrel season | Statewide | May 23, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 |
Rabbits may be hunted sunrise to sunset; trapping seasons are on the species pages.
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.
Which county rules govern Hidden Hollow Conservation Area
| Rule | Macon 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 | None |
| Duck zone | North |
Missouri sets deer rules county by county, so Hidden Hollow Conservation Area follows Macon County: up to 4 antlerless deer on firearms permits. Macon County opens for both antlerless portions this year. Macon County is one of 85 counties with the year-round feed and mineral ban. MDC retired the CWD portion, its management zone and the antler-point restriction for 2026.
2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet county rules, MDC CWD rules and 2026 bear digest; checked October 29, 2026.
Hidden Hollow Conservation Area town and service list
La Plata lies closest, about 8.4 mi as the crow flies. Kirksville counts 17,841 residents, more than any other town listed. How MDC says to drive in: From LaPlata, take Highway 156 west 7 miles, then Highway 3 south 1.50 mile, and Fox Road west 3 miles. Need MDC staff? Northeast Regional Office in Kirksville is 12 mi out.
| Nearest towns | County | Population | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Plata | Macon | 1,244 | 8.4 mi | east |
| Atlanta | Macon | 376 | 11 mi | southeast |
| Kirksville | Adair | 17,841 | 15 mi | north |
| Bevier | Macon | 630 | 17 mi | south |
| Bucklin | Linn | 412 | 19 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.
Hidden Hollow Conservation Area: deer, turkey and CWD by year
County figures, the smallest unit MDC publishes.
The county total for 2025 was 4,525 deer (2,135 antlered bucks), the closest MDC figure for Hidden Hollow Conservation Area. 86 public-land birds out of 979 in spring 2026, Macon County. 54 positive deers in Macon County in the sample years shown; CWD was first found there in 2011-2012.
| Permit year | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,135 | 364 | 2,026 | 4,525 |
| 2024 | 2,136 | 348 | 2,005 | 4,489 |
| 2023 | 2,282 | 393 | 2,071 | 4,746 |
| 2022 | 2,321 | 405 | 1,905 | 4,631 |
| 2021 | 2,141 | 311 | 1,646 | 4,098 |
| 2020 | 2,203 | 410 | 1,801 | 4,414 |
| Year | Spring harvest | Public land share | Youth weekend | Fall firearms | Fall archery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 979 | 86 | 102 | – | – |
| 2025 | 796 | 78 | 63 | 22 | 24 |
| 2024 | 758 | 67 | 58 | 42 | 19 |
| 2023 | 664 | 77 | 31 | 19 | 30 |
| 2022 | 532 | – | 32 | 22 | 63 |
| 2021 | 503 | – | 31 | 20 | 28 |
| Season | Tested | Positives |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 11 | 0 |
| 2025 | 219 | 2 |
| 2024 | 1,305 | 22 |
| 2023 | 1,257 | 7 |
| 2022 | 1,417 | 13 |
| 2021 | 1,291 | 10 |
MDC 2025 deer harvest summary, MDC turkey harvest summaries and MDC CWD dashboard; earlier years from the yearly reports. Checked October 29, 2026.
First and last shooting light in Hidden Hollow Conservation Area
The times below start from the MDC Jefferson City table and add 2 minutes for Hidden Hollow Conservation Area, as the booklet directs.
| Date | Season point | Sunrise | Sunset | Deer, bear, elk | Ducks, doves, geese |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 2026 | Dove opener | 6:40 a.m. | 7:41 p.m. | 6:10 a.m. to 8:11 p.m. | 6:10 a.m. to 7:41 p.m. |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Archery opener | 6:52 a.m. | 7:19 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 7:49 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 7:19 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall firearms turkey | 7:07 a.m. | 6:53 p.m. | 6:37 a.m. to 7:23 p.m. | 6:37 a.m. to 6:53 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Middle Zone ducks | 6:44 a.m. | 5:04 p.m. | 6:14 a.m. to 5:34 p.m. | 6:14 a.m. to 5:04 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | November firearms opener | 6:52 a.m. | 4:58 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 5:28 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 4:58 p.m. |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Alternative methods | 7:27 a.m. | 4:56 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 5:26 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 4:56 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Archery close | 7:27 a.m. | 5:14 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 5:44 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 5:14 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.
Missouri scenes for Hidden Hollow Conservation Area
Hidden Hollow Conservation Area hunters: public range and clubs
From Hidden Hollow Conservation Area, Sugar Creek CA range is the nearest MDC or other public range (8 miles). Nearby gun clubs fill the other cards.
From MDC area pages and the MDC Shooting Ranges layer, the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 29, 2026.
Hidden Hollow Conservation Area questions with sourced answers
Is Hidden Hollow Conservation Area archery only for deer?
Plan on archery and firearms. Antlerless permits are allowed.
What is the antlerless limit for Hidden Hollow Conservation Area?
Macon County sets a firearms antlerless fill limit of 4, and its antlerless portions are open.
Does the feed ban cover Hidden Hollow Conservation Area?
For Macon County, sampling is not required and the feed ban applies.
What turkey rules apply on Hidden Hollow Conservation Area?
Turkey methods: archery and firearms. Fall firearms turkey (Oct. 1-31) is open in Macon County.
How long is the legal day at Hidden Hollow Conservation Area in mid-November?
From 6:22 a.m. until 5:28 p.m. on Nov. 14, by the MDC table with the longitude correction.
Closest public alternatives to Hidden Hollow Conservation Area?
The three nearest: Sugar Creek Conservation Area (7.6 mi), Montgomery Woods Conservation Area (11 mi) and Atlanta Conservation Area (11 mi).
Where do I buy gas near Hidden Hollow Conservation Area?
About 8.4 mi to La Plata.
How large an area is Hidden Hollow Conservation Area?
Roughly 1,360 acres, looked after by Missouri Department of Conservation.
Hidden Hollow Conservation Area hours and camping?
Area hours: 4 a.m. to 10 p.m.. MDC lists camping.
What paperwork covers a hunt at Hidden Hollow Conservation Area?
Buy the matching Missouri permit (Missouri calls them permits); waterfowl also need the federal duck stamp.
Is Hidden Hollow Conservation Area open for hunting this season?
Yes. MDC lists deer, turkey, rabbit and squirrel on Hidden Hollow Conservation Area, and it is on the deer list.
Leaving for Hidden Hollow Conservation Area?
Missouri sells permits, not licenses: buy the right one before you hunt Hidden Hollow Conservation Area, and wear hunter orange in the firearms portions.
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); Jacob Norlund (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain).