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National forest · 2026-27
Mark Twain National Forest hunting
A 2026-27 hunter guide to this national forest across Oregon County and 28 other counties, 1,510,740 acres.
Photo: Paul Sableman (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Mark Twain National Forest
Parking, trailheads and gates near Mark Twain National Forest
- Parking areaParking · 4.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 4.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 4.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Round Spring Upper LandingBoat ramp · 5.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 5.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 5.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 5.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 5.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Round Spring Lower LandingBoat ramp · 5.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Round Spring Group CampgroundBoat ramp · 5.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 5.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Pulltite Nature TrailTrailhead · 5.2 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.
Mark Twain National Forest profile
Expect about 1,510,740 acres of public ground at Mark Twain National Forest, Oregon, Ripley and 27 other counties. Managing agency: USDA Forest Service.
Listed game: Deer, Turkey, Rabbit, Squirrel, Woodcock, Dove, Ducks, Raccoon, Bobcat, Fox, Coyote.
- White-tailed Deer
- Wild Turkey
- Eastern Cottontail
- Gray Squirrel
- Fox Squirrel
- American Woodcock
- Mourning Dove
- Ducks
From the agency record (USDA Forest Service); checked October 29, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Mark Twain National Forest
Mark Twain National Forest: who may hunt and how
No federal fee applies: hunt Mark Twain National Forest with your Missouri permits during MDC seasons.
- Hunting is prohibited in or within 150 yards of a residence, building, campsite, developed recreation site or occupied area, and on all administrative sites; only portable deer stands, labeled with name and address.
- Walk-in turkey hunting areas (foot traffic only in spring turkey season).
- Some forest lakes are closed to waterfowl hunting.
Sources: record. Checked October 29, 2026.
County split of Mark Twain National Forest
It includes 64,183 wilderness acres. Lake-by-lake waterfowl rules apply on the forest.
| County | National forest acres |
|---|---|
| Oregon County | 106,504 |
| Ripley County | 100,888 |
| Iron County | 99,092 |
| Carter County | 91,268 |
| Wayne County | 90,020 |
| Reynolds County | 89,500 |
| Shannon County | 84,255 |
| Washington County | 83,101 |
| Dent County | 74,700 |
| Taney County | 66,870 |
| Phelps County | 65,080 |
| Barry County | 54,940 |
| Madison County | 53,664 |
| Christian County | 52,269 |
| Howell County | 50,932 |
| Texas County | 50,168 |
| Crawford County | 49,719 |
| Butler County | 48,168 |
| Douglas County | 41,130 |
| Ozark County | 40,122 |
| Pulaski County | 40,101 |
| Laclede County | 30,986 |
| Callaway County | 12,664 |
| Stone County | 10,426 |
| Ste. Genevieve County | 10,369 |
| Wright County | 7,174 |
| Boone County | 4,220 |
| Bollinger County | 1,718 |
| St. Francois County | 693 |
- Doniphan / Eleven Point Ranger District: 338,889 NFS acres
- Ava/Cassville/Willow Springs Ranger District: 316,688 NFS acres
- Potosi / Fredericktown Ranger District: 290,899 NFS acres
- Houston/Rolla/Cedar Creek Ranger District: 210,393 NFS acres
- Salem Ranger District: 195,986 NFS acres
- Poplar Bluff Ranger District: 157,884 NFS acres
A million and a half acres of land await hunters within Mark Twain National Forest. No fees are charged by the Forest Service for this activity. Hunting is very popular on the Forest and hunted species include deer, turkey, rabbit, squirrel, woodcock, mourning doves, ducks, raccoon, bobcat, fox, and coyote.
USFS EDW Lands Area Statistics and the Mark Twain NF hunting page; checked October 29, 2026.
Mark Twain National Forest county rules for 2026-27
| Item | Oregon County | Ripley County | Iron County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firearms antlerless limit | 4 deer | 4 deer | 1 deer |
| Antlerless portions | Open | Open | Closed |
| CWD sampling Nov. 14-15 | Mandatory | Mandatory | Mandatory |
| Feed and mineral ban | Yes | Yes | No |
| Share the Harvest CWD test | Required | Required | No |
| Fall firearms turkey | Open | Open | Open |
| Dogs, November portion | No squirrel, rabbit dogs | No squirrel, rabbit dogs | No squirrel, rabbit dogs |
| Elk county | No | No | No |
| Bear zone | Zone 2, Zone 1 | Zone 2 | Zone 2 |
| Duck zone | South | South | Middle |
County rules apply on Mark Twain National Forest; Oregon County has a firearms antlerless limit of 4 for 2026-27. In Oregon County, the Oct. 9-11 and Dec. 5-13 antlerless portions apply. Oregon County is one of the 28 mandatory sampling counties: present deer shot Nov. 14-15 for testing. Feeding deer and placing minerals is banned year-round in Oregon County. The bear zone here is 2: 750 permits, quota 22, season Oct. 17-30. The November dog rule covers Oregon County. Removed for 2026: the CWD portion, the management zone and the antler-point restriction. Hunting near a county line on Mark Twain National Forest? Use the column for the county you are in.
- Alton High School, 505 School St., Alton
- Thayer High School, 401 E. Walnut St., Thayer
- Thomasville Community Center, 134 Old St. , Thomasville
2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet county rules, MDC CWD rules and 2026 bear digest; checked October 29, 2026.
Mark Twain National Forest: what is open when
Filtered for Mark Twain National Forest by its game list: 13 species, 24 season rows.
| Species | Season | Applies | Opens | Closes | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| Woodcock | Woodcock season | Statewide | Oct 18, 2026 | Dec 1, 2026 | |
| 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 | South Zone | Nov 21, 2026 | Nov 22, 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 | |
| Coyote | Coyote hunting | Statewide | Jan 1, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Raccoon, opossum, skunk | Hunt and trap, early | Statewide | Aug 1, 2026 | Oct 15, 2026 | |
| Badger and foxes | Hunting and trapping | Statewide | Nov 15, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Bobcat | Hunting and trapping | Statewide | Nov 15, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Raccoon, opossum, skunk | Hunt and trap, main | Statewide | Nov 15, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 |
Spring 2027 turkey dates were not published when these pages were checked.
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.
Map around Mark Twain National Forest
Crow-flight distance from Mark Twain National Forest to Angeline Conservation Area is 3.9 mi (south); the table runs outward from there.
| Place | Type | Acres | County | Miles off | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angeline CA | Conservation area | 39,603 | Shannon | 3.9 mi | south |
| Sunklands CA | Conservation area | 40,383 | Shannon, Texas | 4.3 mi | northwest |
| Ozark National Scenic Riverways | Scenic riverway | 80,546 | Shannon, Carter | 9.2 mi | east |
| Cedar Grove CA | Conservation area | 880 | Dent | 13 mi | north |
| Midvale CA | Conservation area | 80 | Texas | 14 mi | west |
| Rocky Creek CA | Conservation area | 42,184 | Shannon | 15 mi | southeast |
| Gist Ranch CA | Conservation area | 11,266 | Texas | 17 mi | west |
| Barn Hollow Natural Area | Natural area | 251 | Howell, Texas | 18 mi | southwest |
Measured from its units, since Mark Twain National Forest has no point of its own.
Points: unit points. Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Mark Twain National Forest area harvest by year
Whole-county counts.
Hunters in Oregon County checked 4,176 deer in 2025, against 3,376 the year before; there is no figure for Mark Twain National Forest alone. The spring 2026 count for Oregon County was 290 turkeys (34 on public land). Recent CWD results for Oregon County: 18 positives, first detected in 2018-2019.
| Permit year | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,740 | 374 | 2,062 | 4,176 |
| 2024 | 1,408 | 357 | 1,611 | 3,376 |
| 2023 | 1,769 | 464 | 2,388 | 4,621 |
| 2022 | 1,372 | 426 | 1,845 | 3,643 |
| 2021 | 1,722 | 373 | 1,810 | 3,905 |
| 2020 | 1,760 | 480 | 1,943 | 4,183 |
| Season | Spring | Public | Youth | Firearms (fall) | Archery (fall) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 290 | 34 | 40 | – | – |
| 2025 | 378 | 90 | 24 | 22 | 12 |
| 2024 | 283 | 54 | 31 | 7 | 7 |
| 2023 | 254 | 62 | 19 | 16 | 11 |
| 2022 | 185 | – | 16 | 10 | 6 |
| 2021 | 221 | – | 20 | 19 | 13 |
| Year | Samples | CWD found |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 3 | 0 |
| 2025 | 154 | 1 |
| 2024 | 1,048 | 7 |
| 2023 | 1,069 | 4 |
| 2022 | 932 | 0 |
| 2021 | 1,073 | 6 |
MDC 2025 deer harvest summary, MDC turkey harvest summaries and MDC CWD dashboard; earlier years from the yearly reports. Checked October 29, 2026.
Towns, MDC offices and shops by Mark Twain National Forest
From Mark Twain National Forest, Eminence is 10 mi away. Largest of the five: Winona, 988 people. Eminence Office (Eminence) sits 9.8 mi from Mark Twain National Forest, closer than any other MDC office.
| Town | County | People (2024) | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eminence | Shannon | 531 | 10 mi | southeast |
| Summersville | Texas | 470 | 11 mi | southwest |
| Birch Tree | Shannon | 562 | 18 mi | south |
| Montier | Shannon | – | 20 mi | south |
| Winona | Shannon | 988 | 20 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.
Legal hours for Mark Twain National Forest
Rabbits are sunrise to sunset, migratory birds half an hour before sunrise to sunset, and big game gets the extra half hour after sunset.
| Day | Moment | First sun | Last sun | Deer hours | Bird hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 2026 | Dove opener | 6:35 a.m. | 7:36 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. to 8:06 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. to 7:36 p.m. |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Archery opener | 6:47 a.m. | 7:14 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 7:44 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 7:14 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall firearms turkey | 7:02 a.m. | 6:48 p.m. | 6:32 a.m. to 7:18 p.m. | 6:32 a.m. to 6:48 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Middle Zone ducks | 6:39 a.m. | 4:59 p.m. | 6:09 a.m. to 5:29 p.m. | 6:09 a.m. to 4:59 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | November firearms opener | 6:47 a.m. | 4:53 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 5:23 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 4:53 p.m. |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Alternative methods | 7:22 a.m. | 4:51 p.m. | 6:52 a.m. to 5:21 p.m. | 6:52 a.m. to 4:51 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Archery close | 7:22 a.m. | 5:09 p.m. | 6:52 a.m. to 5:39 p.m. | 6:52 a.m. to 5:09 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.
Scenery to match Mark Twain National Forest
Mark Twain National Forest questions with sourced answers
Bear hunting near Mark Twain National Forest?
Bear here means a Zone 2 permit (quota 22). The area does not list bear.
Can I hunt turkey on Mark Twain National Forest?
Use statewide methods. Fall gun season: Oct. 1-31.
Mark Twain National Forest crowded: where next?
Next in line: Angeline Conservation Area (3.9 mi), Sunklands Conservation Area (4.3 mi) and Ozark National Scenic Riverways (9.2 mi).
What are deer hours at Mark Twain National Forest on Nov. 14?
Nov. 14 at the Mark Twain National Forest point: 6:17 a.m. to 5:23 p.m. for deer (sunrise 6:47 a.m.).
Mark Twain National Forest: size and manager?
USDA Forest Service handles it, and it spans 1,510,740 acres.
How far is the nearest town from Mark Twain National Forest?
Eminence is the nearest town we cover, 10 mi off.
Mark Twain National Forest: which permits apply?
The right MDC permit: Archer's or Firearms for deer, Small Game for small game, Migratory Bird for doves and ducks.
Can stands stay overnight on Mark Twain National Forest?
Only portable deer stands, labeled with name and address.
What is the firearms antlerless limit around Mark Twain National Forest?
4 antlerless deer with firearms permits, under the Oregon County rule.
Is Mark Twain National Forest open for hunting this season?
Yes. Hunt with Missouri permits; administrative sites and 150-yard safety zones are closed.
What are the CWD rules around Mark Twain National Forest?
Bring opening-weekend deer to a station. Do not feed deer or put out minerals.
Other photos on this page: David Nichols (CC BY-SA 2.0); DeeDotEssKay (CC0 1.0); Forest Service, Eastern Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0).