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Little River Conservation Area hunting in Missouri
Public hunting ground in Dunklin County and 1 neighboring county (1,013 acres), with the county deer rules that apply there.
Photo: Brian Stansberry (CC BY 4.0)
Getting to Little River Conservation Area
Little River Conservation Area, the essentials
Its acreage is 1,013, inside Dunklin and Pemiscot counties. Line up the 5 conservation areas in Dunklin County by acres and Little River Conservation Area comes 4th. Staff of the MDC MS Lowlands East district, in the Southeast Region, manage Little River Conservation Area.
MDC also notes dog training and fishing (white bass, sunfish, catfish, crappie) at Little River Conservation Area.
Habitat notes from the source: Little River Conservation Area is located in Dunklin and Pemiscot counties,five miles east of Kennett on Highway 412. Purchased by the Conservation Department in 1993 from Charles D. Adams, Little River Conservation Area is located within the Mississippi Delta region, which is associated with Sharkey soils. The vegetation that originally dominated this area consisted of oak, gum, and cypress. The area also contained some prairie zones which would have been dominated by cane, Virginia wild rye, ricecut grass, and sedges. Little River Conservation Area contains the 150-acre Jerry Paul Combs Lake, 103 acres of reforested bottomland hardwoods, 360 acres of marshes, and 250 acres of upland habitat with scattered food plots throughout the area to serve as a management tool for early successional habitat and hunter cover. Little River Conservation Area is bordered byfloodway ditches 1, 66, 81, 251, and 259 that are owned and managed by the Little River Drainage District. Before they became extinct, millions of passenger pigeons passed through this area as they migrated north and south.
Game listed: Deer, Turkey, Rabbit, Squirrel, Dove, Quail, Waterfowl.
- White-tailed Deer
- Wild Turkey
- Eastern Cottontail
- Gray Squirrel
- Fox Squirrel
- Mourning Dove
- Northern Bobwhite Quail
- Ducks
From the agency record (Missouri Department of Conservation); checked October 29, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Little River Conservation Area
Little River Conservation Area and nearby public land, mapped
8 other public places sit inside a 45-mile circle around Little River Conservation Area; together they add 12,651 acres, and Frisbee Cutoff Access is nearest.
| Area | Type | Acres | County | Straight line | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frisbee Cutoff Access | Public access area | 92 | Dunklin | 9.2 mi | northwest |
| Ben Cash Memorial CA | Conservation area | 1,331 | Dunklin | 15 mi | west |
| Gayoso Bend Unit of Black Island CA | Conservation area | 968 | Pemiscot | 16 mi | east |
| Hornersville Swamp CA | Conservation area | 3,382 | Dunklin | 17 mi | southwest |
| Stephen C. Bradford Unit of Black Island CA (6,430 acres) | Conservation area | 6,430 | Pemiscot | 18 mi | east |
| Warbler Woods CA | Conservation area | 89 | Dunklin | 18 mi | south |
| Wolf Bayou Unit of Black Island CA (276 acres) | Conservation area | 276 | Pemiscot | 18 mi | east |
| Chalk Bluff Trail Access | Public access area | 82 | Dunklin | 20 mi | northwest |
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 Little River Conservation Area
MDC area rules for Little River Conservation Area, as published for 2026-27.
| Species | Methods here | Note |
|---|---|---|
| White-tailed Deer | Archery only | Not allowed |
| Wild Turkey | Archery only | – |
| Eastern Cottontail | Statewide methods | – |
| Gray Squirrel | Statewide methods | – |
| Northern Bobwhite Quail | Statewide methods | – |
| Mourning Dove | Statewide methods | Nontoxic for doves |
| Ducks | Open Hunting | Nontoxic shot |
Wildlife Code entries for Little River Conservation Area
- Portions of this department area are closed to protect waterfowl from October 15 through the end of the last segment of the appropriate zone's Canada goose season.
- Nontoxic shot is required for all hunting with a shotgun on this area. Use or possession of lead shot is prohibited.
- Waterfowl hunting is prohibited after 1:00 p.m. on designated portions of the following department areas: (A) Amarugia Highlands Conservation Area (B) Bob Brown Conservation Area (C) Columbia Bottom Conservation Area (D) Coon Island Conservation Area (E) Duck Creek Conservation Area (F) Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area (G) Fountain Grove Conservation Area (H) Grand Pass Conservation Area (I) King Lake Conservation Area (J) B. K.
Deer hunters on Little River Conservation Area are limited to archery methods only; antlerless permits may not be used. Turkey methods on Little River Conservation Area: archery only. The FDT area table lists Little River Conservation Area with code C (antlerless permits not allowed). Lead shot is out for any shotgun hunting on Little River Conservation Area. Deer and turkey may be hunted only on MDC areas that appear in the booklet table; Little River 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.
Little River Conservation Area season calendar
County dates from Dunklin County that fit Little River 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 | Archery, second part | Statewide | Nov 25, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall archery | Statewide | Sep 15, 2026 | Nov 13, 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 | |
| Teal | September teal | Statewide | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | |
| Youth waterfowl | Youth waterfowl days | Middle Zone | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| Youth waterfowl | Youth waterfowl days | South Zone | Nov 21, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | |
| Ducks and coots | Ducks, split 1 | Middle Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Ducks and coots | Ducks, split 1 | South Zone | Nov 26, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| Ducks and coots | Ducks, split 2 | South Zone | Dec 7, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Ducks and coots | Ducks, split 2 | Middle Zone | Dec 19, 2026 | Jan 10, 2027 | |
| Early Canada goose | Early Canada goose | Statewide | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 11, 2026 | |
| Geese | Regular geese | Statewide | Nov 11, 2026 | Feb 6, 2027 | |
| Light geese | Conservation order | Statewide | Feb 7, 2027 | Apr 30, 2027 |
No firearms deer rows for Little River Conservation Area, an archery-only 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.
Little River Conservation Area: fields for doves
Little River Conservation Area has 4 managed dove fields this year: 22.5 acres of other crops and sunflower. Layer note: Old Field and Open to All Hunters. Use nontoxic loads for doves here. Doves are open Sep 1, 2026 to Nov 29, 2026.
MDC 2026 dove field layer and Dove Management Areas; checked October 29, 2026.
Duck season on Little River Conservation Area
Ducks and geese on Little River Conservation Area fall under open hunting rules. Digest entry: "Little River" (other waterfowl areas). Duck dates for Little River Conservation Area follow the South Zone (from the 2021-2025 zone layer; the new 2026-2030 line text may differ near the edge). Ducks, geese and coots may be shot only with nontoxic shot.
| Zone season | Opens | Closes |
|---|---|---|
| Youth waterfowl days | Nov 21, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 |
| Ducks, split 1 | Nov 26, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 |
| Ducks, split 2 | Dec 7, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 |
2026-2027 Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Digest, managed areas; area page; checked October 29, 2026.
Deer rules that reach Little River Conservation Area
| Rule | Dunklin County | Pemiscot County |
|---|---|---|
| Firearms antlerless limit | None | None |
| Antlerless portions | Closed | Closed |
| CWD sampling Nov. 14-15 | No | No |
| Feed and mineral ban | No | Yes |
| Share the Harvest CWD test | No | Required |
| Fall firearms turkey | Closed | Closed |
| Dogs, November portion | No rule | No rule |
| Elk county | No | No |
| Bear zone | Zone 2 | Zone 2 |
| Duck zone | South / Middle | South |
| Flood closure zone | 5A, 5B | 4 |
Little River Conservation Area takes its deer rules from Dunklin County, where the firearms antlerless fill limit is 0. In Dunklin County, the Oct. 9-11 and Dec. 5-13 antlerless portions do not apply. BMZ 2 reaches Dunklin County; the zone has 750 permits and closes early if 22 bears are taken. Fall turkey with a gun is not allowed in Dunklin County. For 2026 MDC dropped the CWD portion, the CWD Management Zone and the antler-point restriction. Rules can change at the county line inside Little River Conservation Area; the table compares them.
2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet county rules, MDC CWD rules and 2026 bear digest; checked October 29, 2026.
Little River Conservation Area: towns and supplies
Kennett is 4.8 mi from Little River Conservation Area, the nearest town on this site. Route from the area page: From Kennett, take Highway 412 east 4 miles to the area. Drive 34 mi to Otter Slough Conservation Area Field Office in Dexter for the nearest MDC counter.
| Town | County | Pop. 2024 | Miles off | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kennett | Dunklin | 10,137 | 4.8 mi | west |
| Hayti | Pemiscot | 2,273 | 12 mi | east |
| Senath | Dunklin | 1,514 | 14 mi | southwest |
| Hornersville | Dunklin | 505 | 17 mi | southwest |
| Caruthersville | Pemiscot | 5,170 | 17 mi | east |
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 Little River Conservation Area
These are county numbers.
In 2025, 496 deer were Telechecked in Dunklin County, 212 of them does. Dunklin County turkey hunters took 22 birds in spring 2026; 9 came off public land. The MDC dashboard lists 0 CWD positives in Dunklin County across the years in the table.
| Year | Bucks | Button bucks | Does | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 252 | 32 | 212 | 496 |
| 2024 | 253 | 36 | 188 | 477 |
| 2023 | 297 | 34 | 209 | 540 |
| 2022 | 300 | 34 | 206 | 540 |
| 2021 | 236 | 31 | 148 | 415 |
| 2020 | 267 | 35 | 175 | 477 |
| Year | Spring total | On public land | Youth | Fall gun | Fall bow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 22 | 9 | 1 | – | – |
| 2025 | 14 | 4 | – | – | – |
| 2024 | 27 | 10 | – | – | 2 |
| 2023 | 21 | 10 | – | – | – |
| 2022 | 20 | – | – | – | 1 |
| 2021 | 18 | – | – | 0 | 3 |
| Sample year | CWD samples | Positives |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6 | 0 |
| 2024 | 36 | 0 |
| 2023 | 20 | 0 |
| 2022 | 17 | 0 |
| 2021 | 12 | 0 |
| 2020 | 14 | 0 |
MDC 2025 deer harvest summary, MDC turkey harvest summaries and MDC CWD dashboard; earlier years from the yearly reports. Checked October 29, 2026.
When legal light starts in Little River 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 | 6:30 a.m. | 7:31 p.m. | 6:00 a.m. to 8:01 p.m. | 6:00 a.m. to 7:31 p.m. |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Archery opener | 6:42 a.m. | 7:09 p.m. | 6:12 a.m. to 7:39 p.m. | 6:12 a.m. to 7:09 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall firearms turkey | 6:57 a.m. | 6:43 p.m. | 6:27 a.m. to 7:13 p.m. | 6:27 a.m. to 6:43 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Middle Zone ducks | 6:34 a.m. | 4:54 p.m. | 6:04 a.m. to 5:24 p.m. | 6:04 a.m. to 4:54 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | November firearms opener | 6:42 a.m. | 4:48 p.m. | 6:12 a.m. to 5:18 p.m. | 6:12 a.m. to 4:48 p.m. |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Alternative methods | 7:17 a.m. | 4:46 p.m. | 6:47 a.m. to 5:16 p.m. | 6:47 a.m. to 4:46 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Archery close | 7:17 a.m. | 5:04 p.m. | 6:47 a.m. to 5:34 p.m. | 6:47 a.m. to 5:04 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.
Photo strip for Little River Conservation Area
Little River Conservation Area hunters: public range and clubs
Stoddard County has the public range nearest Little River Conservation Area: Holly Ridge Conservation Area Archery Range (42 miles).
From MDC area pages and the MDC Shooting Ranges layer, the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 29, 2026.
Little River Conservation Area, quick questions
Is there a draw for ducks at Little River Conservation Area?
Open hunting; zone: South Zone.
Does a bear zone include Little River Conservation Area?
Only with a Zone 2 permit from the drawing; season Oct. 17-30, and bear is not listed for this area.
When does legal light start and end at Little River Conservation Area?
Deer hunters get 6:11 a.m. to 5:17 p.m. on Nov. 14; sunset is 4:47 p.m..
Are there dove fields at Little River Conservation Area?
Yes, 22.5 acres in 4 fields.
Which town sits closest to Little River Conservation Area?
Kennett lies 4.8 mi away.
Is there other public land around Little River Conservation Area?
Try Frisbee Cutoff Access (9.2 mi), Ben Cash Memorial Conservation Area (15 mi) and Gayoso Bend Unit of Black Island Conservation Area (16 mi).
Can hunters camp on Little River Conservation Area?
Camping is not listed; hours 4 a.m. to 10 p.m..
How large an area is Little River Conservation Area?
Missouri Department of Conservation runs the ground (1,013 acres).
Is hunting legal on Little River Conservation Area?
Yes. The area page names deer, turkey, rabbit, squirrel, dove, quail and waterfowl.
What should I buy before a Little River Conservation Area hunt?
Missouri hunting permits for each species; there is no separate area permit for most MDC land.
How many does may be taken around Little River Conservation Area?
Dunklin County: firearms antlerless limit 0, antlerless portions closed.
What are the deer hunting methods at Little River Conservation Area?
Deer may be taken by archery methods only. Antlerless permits are not allowed.
Turkey hunting at Little River Conservation Area: what is allowed?
MDC allows archery only. Fall firearms turkey is closed in this county.
Do I need a CWD sample for deer from Little River Conservation Area?
Sampling is voluntary here; the feed ban does not cover this county.
Little River 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 · source; regulations from the 2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet. Checked October 29, 2026.
Other photos on this page: USFWS Mountain Prairie (CC BY 2.0); Birding for Climate (Public domain); USFWS Headquarters (CC BY 2.0).