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Cass County · Conservation area
Hunting at James R. Harter Conservation Area
Seasons, methods and access for this conservation area in Cass County.
Photo: Nick Varvel (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to James R. Harter Conservation Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near James R. Harter Conservation Area
- Parking areaParking · 0.2 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.
James R. Harter Conservation Area profile
Cass County is home to the 457 acres of James R. Harter Conservation Area. In acreage it places 3rd among 6 conservation areas in Cass County. Management sits with MDC: Missouri River district, Kansas City Region.
In the agency's words: James R. Harter Conservation Area is in Cass County and 3.50 miles west of Garden City on the south side of Highway 7. This 456-acre area contains a mixture of crop fields, grassland, old fields, timber, and Osage orange hedgerows. Eight Mile Creek runs for three-fourths mile through the northwest corner of the area. These diverse habitats support a wide variety of wildlife, including many types of songbirds, quail, deer, and waterfowl. The Harter area is named after James R. Harter, who donated the land to the Conservation Department in 1993. A farmer, Mr. Harter, loved this land and wanted to prevent it from being converted to housing developments or from losing its character under modern farming techniques. To preserve his farm as a home for wildlife, Mr. Harter willed that the land be developed as a Conservation Area as a gift to the people of Missouri, asking only that it bear his name and that the only hunting allowed would be Archery Deer hunting.
Species on the record: Deer.
From the agency record (Missouri Department of Conservation); checked October 29, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around James R. Harter Conservation Area
James R. Harter Conservation Area methods and area rules
Methods for James R. Harter Conservation Area come from the MDC area page and the deer quick view.
| Quarry | Methods | Permits |
|---|---|---|
| White-tailed Deer | Archery only | Not allowed |
For deer, James R. Harter Conservation Area is open to archery methods only, and antlerless permits may not be used. Antlerless code C applies to James R. Harter Conservation Area, so antlerless permits not allowed. MDC limits deer hunting on its areas to the listed ones, and James R. Harter Conservation Area is listed.
Sources: area page, area regulations, deer quick view; booklet table: 2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet, pp. 42-55. Checked October 29, 2026.
Cass County rules on James R. Harter Conservation Area
| County rule | Cass County |
|---|---|
| Firearms antlerless limit | 4 deer |
| Antlerless portions | Open |
| CWD sampling Nov. 14-15 | No |
| Feed and mineral ban | No |
| Share the Harvest CWD test | No |
| Fall firearms turkey | Open |
| Dogs, November portion | No rule |
| Elk county | No |
| Bear zone | Zone 3 |
| Duck zone | Middle |
For deer, Cass County sets the rules on James R. Harter Conservation Area: firearms antlerless limit 4. Antlerless portions: open in October and December for Cass County. Bear hunters drawn for Zone 3 may hunt Cass County (250 permits, 8 bears). No CWD portion, no CWD Management Zone and no antler-point restriction this season.
2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet county rules, MDC CWD rules and 2026 bear digest; checked October 29, 2026.
Open dates on James R. Harter Conservation Area
Open-now status is in the last column; 2 rows apply to James R. Harter Conservation Area.
| Quarry | Season | Where | Opening | Closing | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Archery, first part | Statewide | Sep 15, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Archery, second part | Statewide | Nov 25, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 |
Firearms deer portions are left out because James R. Harter Conservation Area is archery-only for deer. Archery deer is closed during the November firearms portion, Nov. 14-24.
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.
Cass County deer and turkey harvest near James R. Harter Conservation Area
County-level data from MDC.
MDC reports deer harvest by county, not by area: Cass County checked 2,731 deer in the 2025 permit year, 9% more than in 2024. Public land gave up 16 of the 364 spring 2026 turkeys in Cass County. CWD samples from Cass County turned up 0 positives in recent years.
| Season | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,444 | 210 | 1,077 | 2,731 |
| 2024 | 1,355 | 154 | 987 | 2,496 |
| 2023 | 1,334 | 193 | 1,135 | 2,662 |
| 2022 | 1,413 | 215 | 1,047 | 2,675 |
| 2021 | 1,372 | 172 | 951 | 2,495 |
| 2020 | 1,326 | 168 | 888 | 2,382 |
| Year | Spring | Public land | Youth | Fall firearms | Fall archery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 364 | 16 | 39 | – | – |
| 2025 | 329 | 22 | 37 | 16 | 10 |
| 2024 | 396 | 22 | 35 | 18 | 6 |
| 2023 | 334 | 30 | 22 | 15 | 17 |
| 2022 | 325 | – | 29 | 27 | 18 |
| 2021 | 345 | – | 27 | 20 | 15 |
| Year | Deer tested | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 3 | 0 |
| 2025 | 31 | 0 |
| 2024 | 106 | 0 |
| 2023 | 99 | 0 |
| 2022 | 122 | 0 |
| 2021 | 85 | 0 |
MDC 2025 deer harvest summary, MDC turkey harvest summaries and MDC CWD dashboard; earlier years from the yearly reports. Checked October 29, 2026.
James R. Harter Conservation Area and nearby public land, mapped
Bittern Bottoms Conservation Area (7.7 mi, west) tops the neighbor list for James R. Harter Conservation Area, measured as the crow flies.
| Neighbor | Category | Acreage | County | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bittern Bottoms CA | Conservation area | 67 | Cass | 7.7 mi | west |
| Amarugia Highlands CA | Conservation area | 1,081 | Cass | 9.7 mi | southwest |
| Dorsett Hill Prairie CA | Conservation area | 79 | Cass | 9.8 mi | southwest |
| Settle's Ford CA | Conservation area | 7,363 | Bates, Cass | 12 mi | southeast |
| Dr. Harry and Lina Berrier Memorial CA | Conservation area | 105 | Cass | 13 mi | west |
| Holden City Lake | Cooperative area | 380 | Johnson | 17 mi | northeast |
| Urich CA | Conservation area | 480 | Henry | 19 mi | southeast |
| James A. Reed Memorial WA | Conservation area | 3,084 | Jackson | 19 mi | north |
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.
Getting supplies near James R. Harter Conservation Area
Nearest town with its own page: Harrisonville, 5.7 mi. Getting there, per MDC: From Garden City, take Highway 7 west 4 miles to the junction with Kircher Road, take Kircher Road south. The closest MDC office on file is Settles Ford Conservation Area Field Office, about 11 mi from James R. Harter Conservation Area.
| Place | County | Population | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harrisonville | Cass | 9,980 | 5.7 mi | northwest |
| Archie | Cass | 1,279 | 9.1 mi | southwest |
| Creighton | Cass | 332 | 13 mi | southeast |
| Greenwood | Jackson | 6,235 | 17 mi | north |
| Hartwell | Henry | – | 21 mi | southeast |
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.
James R. Harter Conservation Area hunting hours on key dates
MDC prints one sunrise and sunset table for Jefferson City and tells hunters to adjust it by 1 minute for every 13.5 miles east or west. For James R. Harter Conservation Area that means add 8 minutes.
| Date | Opener or close | Sunrise | Sunset | Deer | Migratory |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 2026 | Dove opener | 6:47 a.m. | 7:48 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 8:18 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 7:48 p.m. |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Archery opener | 6:59 a.m. | 7:26 p.m. | 6:29 a.m. to 7:56 p.m. | 6:29 a.m. to 7:26 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall firearms turkey | 7:14 a.m. | 7:00 p.m. | 6:44 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. | 6:44 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Middle Zone ducks | 6:51 a.m. | 5:11 p.m. | 6:21 a.m. to 5:41 p.m. | 6:21 a.m. to 5:11 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | November firearms opener | 6:59 a.m. | 5:05 p.m. | 6:29 a.m. to 5:35 p.m. | 6:29 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Alternative methods | 7:34 a.m. | 5:03 p.m. | 7:04 a.m. to 5:33 p.m. | 7:04 a.m. to 5:03 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Archery close | 7:34 a.m. | 5:21 p.m. | 7:04 a.m. to 5:51 p.m. | 7:04 a.m. to 5:21 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.
Where James R. Harter Conservation Area hunters zero a rifle
Jackson County has the public range nearest James R. Harter Conservation Area: James A. Reed Memorial Wildlife Area Archery Range (18 miles). Two club ranges follow.
From MDC area pages and the MDC Shooting Ranges layer, the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 29, 2026.
Photo strip for James R. Harter Conservation Area
James R. Harter Conservation Area hunter FAQ
May the public hunt at James R. Harter Conservation Area?
Open for deer, with the methods shown in the rules section.
What deer methods are allowed on James R. Harter Conservation Area?
The deer rule is archery methods only. Antlerless permits are not allowed.
Which antlerless rule covers James R. Harter Conservation Area?
Missouri sets it by county; Cass County allows 4 on firearms permits. Antlerless portions are open.
Is deer feeding banned near James R. Harter Conservation Area?
CWD rules in Cass County: sampling not mandatory, feed ban no.
What bear rules apply at James R. Harter Conservation Area?
Zone 3 covers the county (250 permits); bear is not on the area list.
James R. Harter Conservation Area shooting hours for the November opener?
Roughly 6:28 a.m. until 5:34 p.m., worked out for this spot.
Which public areas neighbor James R. Harter Conservation Area?
In order of distance: Bittern Bottoms Conservation Area (7.7 mi), Amarugia Highlands Conservation Area (9.7 mi) and Dorsett Hill Prairie Conservation Area (9.8 mi).
Nearest town with services to James R. Harter Conservation Area?
Harrisonville (Cass County), about 5.7 mi away.
James R. Harter Conservation Area: size and manager?
The record lists 457 acres; Missouri Department of Conservation is in charge.
Is there an area permit for James R. Harter Conservation Area?
Missouri permits for the game you hunt; deer need an Archer's or Firearms permit, migratory birds a Migratory Bird permit.
James R. Harter Conservation Area final checklist
Signs on the ground outrank any web page; look for posted refuge and closed zones on James R. Harter Conservation Area.
Sources: source · source · source · source; regulations from the 2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet. Checked October 29, 2026.
Other photos on this page: USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public domain); USFWS Midwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0); ShenandoahNPS (Public domain).