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Missouri MDC-managed Corps lake land
Long Branch Lake Management Lands, a hunter guide
2,452 acres of MDC-managed Corps lake land in Macon County: area rules, season dates and nearby land.
Photo: mostateparks (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Getting to Long Branch Lake Management Lands
Long Branch Lake Management Lands basics
Long Branch Lake Management Lands measures 2,452 acres on the map and sits in Macon County. Our list holds just this one MDC-managed Corps lake land for Macon County. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers owns the land and MDC manages it for wildlife from its Bee Trace district.
Non-hunting activities on the area page: fishing (walleye/sauger, catfish, crappie, black bass).
The area page says: This 4,809-acre area is composed of the 2,355-acre Atlanta tract and the 2,454-acre Long Branch tract. The Conservation Department purchased the Atlanta tract in 1960. The management of the Long Branch tract was assumed in 1978, under license from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The East Fork of the Little Chariton River runs three miles through the NW portion of the Long Branch tract, which includes the upper reaches of Long Branch Lake. The area is gently rolling, except for the bottomlands. The forest is predominately oak/hickory in the uplands and mixed hardwoods in the lowlands and contains a variety of woodland edge and grassland wildlife. The area also contains three managed marshes, totaling approximately 90 acres, and several natural oxbow lakes. The Conservation Department manages the resources of this area to provide public recreation and protect soil and water quality. Management practices include farming, timber harvest, and prescribed fire. Some ponds and Long Branch Lake contain a variety of sport fish. Camping is not allowed on this area.
Species named: 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 Long Branch Lake Management Lands
How Long Branch Lake Management Lands may be hunted
Area methods and permits for Long Branch Lake Management Lands, condensed from MDC.
| Game | How | Extra rule |
|---|---|---|
| White-tailed Deer | Archery and firearms | Allowed |
| Wild Turkey | Archery and firearms | – |
| Eastern Cottontail | Statewide methods | – |
| Gray Squirrel | Statewide methods | – |
| Northern Bobwhite Quail | Statewide methods | – |
| Mourning Dove | Statewide methods | – |
| Ducks | Open Hunting | Nontoxic shot |
Deer hunters on Long Branch Lake Management Lands are limited to archery and firearms; antlerless permits may be used. Turkey on Long Branch Lake Management Lands: archery and firearms under the area listing. Only areas on the MDC deer list allow deer hunting; Long Branch Lake Management Lands 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.
Long Branch Lake Management Lands lake land, unit by unit
Long Branch Lake Management Lands sits on Corps of Engineers land; the lake record and the other MDC units are below.
| Name | Type | Size | County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long Branch Lake (Corps) | Corps lake | 5,000 | Macon |
lands.json related records (MDC atlas and Corps Lakes Gateway); checked October 29, 2026.
Long Branch Lake Management Lands: the Macon County rules
| 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 |
The county is the deer unit here. Macon County allows 4 firearms antlerless deer this year. Macon County is one of the 100 counties open during the antlerless portions. The year-round feed and mineral ban covers Macon County. Three older rules are gone for 2026: the CWD portion, the CWD Management Zone and the antler-point rule.
2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet county rules, MDC CWD rules and 2026 bear digest; checked October 29, 2026.
Dates that apply at Long Branch Lake Management Lands
22 rows for Long Branch Lake Management Lands (12 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 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 | |
| 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 | North Zone | Oct 24, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Ducks and coots | Regular ducks | North Zone | Oct 31, 2026 | Dec 29, 2026 | |
| 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 |
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.
Long Branch Lake Management Lands: blinds, draws and duck dates
Open waterfowl hunting applies on Long Branch Lake Management Lands, so arrive early for a spot. Macon County falls in the North Zone on the MDC zone layer; the 2026-2030 lines changed, so check the digest map near a boundary. Nontoxic shot is required for all waterfowl and coot hunting.
| Window | Begins | Ends |
|---|---|---|
| Youth waterfowl days | Oct 24, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 |
| Regular ducks | Oct 31, 2026 | Dec 29, 2026 |
2026-2027 Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Digest, managed areas; area page; checked October 29, 2026.
Dove hunting at Long Branch Lake Management Lands
MDC planted 6.4 acres in 1 dove field on Long Branch Lake Management Lands for 2026 (sunflower). Access note on the fields: open to all hunters. MDC counts Long Branch Lake Management Lands among its 75 dove management areas. Statewide dove dates: Sep 1, 2026 through Nov 29, 2026.
MDC 2026 dove field layer and Dove Management Areas; checked October 29, 2026.
Public places ringing Long Branch Lake Management Lands
Head northeast about 1.6 mi and you reach Atlanta Conservation Area, the nearest listed neighbor of Long Branch Lake Management Lands.
| Name | Type | Size (ac) | County | Away | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta CA | Conservation area | 2,355 | Macon | 1.6 mi | northeast |
| Long Branch State Park | State park hunt | 1,921 | Macon | 3.1 mi | south |
| Long Branch Lake (Corps) | Corps lake | 5,000 | Macon | 3.9 mi | south |
| Dodd Access | Public access area | 40 | Macon | 8.9 mi | west |
| Redman CA | Conservation area | 120 | Macon | 9.0 mi | east |
| Hidden Hollow CA | Conservation area | 1,360 | Macon | 12 mi | northwest |
| Griffiths Memorial CA | Conservation area | 128 | Macon | 13 mi | west |
| Bee Hollow CA | Conservation area | 271 | Macon, Randolph | 17 mi | south |
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 Long Branch Lake Management Lands
MDC reports by county.
Deer checked in Macon County: 4,525 in 2025 and 4,489 in 2024. Spring 2026 turkey harvest in Macon County: 979, with 86 from public ground. Macon County CWD testing: 5,500 samples in the years shown, 54 positives; first positive year 2011-2012.
| Year | Antlered | Buttons | Does | All deer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Spring, public land | Spring youth | 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 |
| Sample year | Tested | Detections |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
Nearest help for Long Branch Lake Management Lands hunters
3.6 mi separates Long Branch Lake Management Lands from Atlanta. Macon tops the population column at 5,509. MDC directions: From Macon, take Highway 63 north 5 miles, then Route AX west 2 miles. Kirksville hosts the MDC office nearest Long Branch Lake Management Lands (Northeast Regional Office, 21 mi).
| Community | County | Residents | Straight line | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta | Macon | 376 | 3.6 mi | northeast |
| Bevier | Macon | 630 | 7.5 mi | south |
| Macon | Macon | 5,509 | 8.1 mi | south |
| La Plata | Macon | 1,244 | 12 mi | north |
| Bucklin | Linn | 412 | 20 mi | west |
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.
Long Branch Lake Management Lands hunters: public range and clubs
Atlanta CA range is the nearest public range to Long Branch Lake Management Lands, about 1 mile away. 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.
Long Branch Lake Management Lands legal shooting light
Legal light for deer at Long Branch Lake Management Lands 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 | 6:40 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.
Calendar dates around Long Branch Lake Management Lands
The property itself or a spot within about 10 miles hosts 2 upcoming events (NWTF chapter dinner and hunter education skills session). Checked October 29, 2026.
Upcoming here
| Date | Event | Miles | Where | Sign up | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 3, 2026 | Hunter Education Skills Session · hunter education skills session | 8 | Crossroads Christian Church — Macon | Register | Source |
| Feb 12, 2027 | Tick Ridge NWTF Banquet · NWTF chapter dinner | 8 | Hwy 63 S — Macon | Buy tickets | Source |
Images near and like Long Branch Lake Management Lands
Long Branch Lake Management Lands, quick questions
What county deer limit applies at Long Branch Lake Management Lands?
The county rule is 4 antlerless deer with firearms; the antlerless portions are open.
What CWD rules apply at Long Branch Lake Management Lands?
Macon County has no mandatory sampling this year and a year-round feed and mineral ban.
How may turkeys be hunted on Long Branch Lake Management Lands?
Yes, by archery and firearms; fall firearms turkey runs Oct. 1-31 here.
How does waterfowl hunting work at Long Branch Lake Management Lands?
The North Zone calendar and open hunting.
Is Long Branch Lake Management Lands a dove area?
1 managed dove fields, 6.4 acres.
When can I shoot at Long Branch Lake Management Lands on opening day?
Opening day of the November portion runs 6:21 a.m. to 5:27 p.m. there.
What backup public land is near Long Branch Lake Management Lands?
Within reach: Atlanta Conservation Area (1.6 mi), Long Branch State Park (3.1 mi) and Long Branch Lake (Corps) (3.9 mi).
Closest community to Long Branch Lake Management Lands?
The closest town page is Atlanta (3.6 mi).
How large an area is Long Branch Lake Management Lands?
2,452 acres in all; the manager is Missouri Department of Conservation.
Which Missouri permits do I need at Long Branch Lake Management Lands?
Statewide MDC permits apply; managed hunts need the drawn permit as well.
Does Long Branch Lake Management Lands allow hunting?
Yes, for deer, turkey, rabbit, squirrel, dove, quail and waterfowl; deer hunting is allowed because the area is on the MDC list.
How may deer be hunted on Long Branch Lake Management Lands?
MDC lists archery and firearms for deer. Antlerless permits are allowed.
Long Branch Lake Management Lands: checks before you go
Use this page to plan, then reread the agency page for Long Branch Lake Management Lands shortly before the trip.
Sources: source · source · source · source · source · source; regulations from the 2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet. Checked October 29, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Tony Webster (CC BY 2.0); David Wilson (CC BY 2.0); Joseph Gage (CC BY-SA 2.0).