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Wildlife refuge · St. Louis Region
Hunt Middle Mississippi River National Wildlife Refuge (Missouri portion)
National wildlife refuge in Jefferson County and 2 neighboring counties, 2,182 acres, MDC St. Louis Region.
Photo: H. Michael Miley (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Middle Mississippi River National Wildlife Refuge (Missouri portion)
About Middle Mississippi River NWR (Missouri portion)
At 2,182 acres, Middle Mississippi River NWR (Missouri portion) is part of the public ground of Jefferson, Perry and Ste. Genevieve counties. Jefferson County has no second national wildlife refuge in the data. Day-to-day management belongs to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
From the agency page: Refuge spans Missouri and Illinois; only fee-title land inside Missouri is counted here.
Hunted here: Migratory birds, Upland game, Big game, Deer, Turkey.
From the agency record (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service); checked October 29, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Middle Mississippi River National Wildlife Refuge (Missouri portion)
Middle Mississippi River NWR (Missouri portion) by hunt unit
Status of each Middle Mississippi River NWR (Missouri portion) unit per USFWS.
| Unit | Status | Size | Permit | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harlow Island | Special Regulations Apply | 1,191 | No | – |
| Crains Island – MO | Special Regulations Apply | 103 | No | – |
| Wilkinson Island – MO | Special Regulations Apply | 716 | No | – |
| Closed Unit | No | 179 | No | – |
USFWS Public Hunt Units layer; checked October 29, 2026.
Access conditions at Middle Mississippi River NWR (Missouri portion)
50 CFR 32.44 opens Middle Mississippi River NWR (Missouri portion) to migratory game bird hunting, upland game hunting and big game hunting on designated areas only, under Missouri seasons plus refuge conditions.
- Migratory game bird hunting. We allow hunting of all State-listed migratory game birds on designated areas of the refuge subject to the conditions set forth at paragraph (j)(1)(i) through (iii) of § 32.32.
- Upland game hunting. We allow hunting of upland game species authorized by the State on designated areas of the refuge subject to the following conditions: (i) The conditions set forth at paragraph (e)(1) of this section apply. (ii) We prohibit night hunting of upland game from 30 minutes after legal sunset until 30 minutes before legal sunrise the following day.
- Big game hunting. We allow hunting of white-tailed deer and turkey on designated areas on the refuge subject to the following conditions: (i) For turkey hunting, you may use or possess only approved nontoxic shot shells while in the field (see § 32.2(k)). (ii) We prohibit deer drives. We define a deer drive as an organized or planned effort to pursue, drive, chase, or otherwise frighten or cause deer to move in the direction of any person who is part of the organized or planned hunt and known to be waiting for the deer. (iii) We allow only portable tree stands from September 1 through January 31 of each year.
County deer rules for Middle Mississippi River NWR (Missouri portion)
| Topic | Jefferson County | Perry County | Ste. Genevieve County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firearms antlerless limit | 4 deer | 4 deer | 4 deer |
| Antlerless portions | Open | Open | Open |
| CWD sampling Nov. 14-15 | No | No | No |
| Feed and mineral ban | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Share the Harvest CWD test | Required | Required | Required |
| Fall firearms turkey | Open | Open | Open |
| Dogs, November portion | No rule | No rule | No rule |
| Elk county | No | No | No |
| Bear zone | Zone 2 | Zone 2 | Zone 2 |
| Duck zone | Middle | Middle | Middle |
There are no deer units in Missouri; Jefferson County is the unit for Middle Mississippi River NWR (Missouri portion), with a firearms antlerless limit of 4. The early (Oct. 9-11) and late (Dec. 5-13) antlerless portions are open in Jefferson County. No grain, salt or mineral sites in Jefferson County: the ban runs all year. For bear, Jefferson County is in BMZ 2 (750 permits drawn, quota 22). The CWD portion, the CWD Management Zone and the antler-point restriction were removed for 2026. County rules differ across Middle Mississippi River NWR (Missouri portion); match your spot to the right column.
2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet county rules, MDC CWD rules and 2026 bear digest; checked October 29, 2026.
Middle Mississippi River NWR (Missouri portion) by season
These 25 rows are the 2026-27 seasons that fit Middle Mississippi River NWR (Missouri portion) and its game list.
| Species | Hunt | Scope | First day | Last day | 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 | |
| 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 | Middle Zone | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| Ducks and coots | Ducks, split 1 | Middle Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| 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 | |
| Raccoon, opossum, skunk | Hunt and trap, early | Statewide | Aug 1, 2026 | Oct 15, 2026 | |
| 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 |
Youth portions are for hunters 6 to 15 years old.
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.
Harvest numbers near Middle Mississippi River NWR (Missouri portion)
Totals are for the whole county.
Jefferson County gave up 5,173 deer in 2025; the table runs back to 2020. In spring 2026, 421 turkeys were checked in Jefferson County, 9 of them reported from public land. For CWD, Jefferson County shows 70 positives over the years listed (first year 2016-2017).
| Season | Bucks | Button bucks | Does | County total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,440 | 455 | 2,278 | 5,173 |
| 2024 | 2,219 | 459 | 2,212 | 4,890 |
| 2023 | 2,530 | 497 | 2,730 | 5,757 |
| 2022 | 2,398 | 435 | 2,133 | 4,966 |
| 2021 | 2,449 | 508 | 2,199 | 5,156 |
| 2020 | 2,157 | 477 | 2,216 | 4,850 |
| Year | Spring | Public | Youth | Fall gun | Fall bow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 421 | 9 | 59 | – | – |
| 2025 | 487 | 13 | 43 | 14 | 25 |
| 2024 | 483 | 26 | 33 | 25 | 21 |
| 2023 | 468 | 17 | 25 | 19 | 44 |
| 2022 | 356 | – | 31 | 21 | 27 |
| 2021 | 437 | – | 45 | 24 | 67 |
| Year | Samples | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 54 | 0 |
| 2025 | 371 | 13 |
| 2024 | 1,440 | 23 |
| 2023 | 1,432 | 15 |
| 2022 | 1,384 | 7 |
| 2021 | 1,249 | 12 |
MDC 2025 deer harvest summary, MDC turkey harvest summaries and MDC CWD dashboard; earlier years from the yearly reports. Checked October 29, 2026.
Middle Mississippi River NWR (Missouri portion): the surrounding public ground
The map pins Middle Mississippi River NWR (Missouri portion) with the 8 closest public areas, led by Magnolia Hollow Conservation Area at 12 mi.
| Nearby | Kind | Acres | County | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Magnolia Hollow CA | Conservation area | 1,751 | Ste. Genevieve | 12 mi | southeast |
| Victoria Glades CA | Conservation area | 239 | Jefferson | 15 mi | west |
| Valley View Glades Natural Area | Natural area | 225 | Jefferson | 20 mi | west |
| Horton Farm CA | Conservation area | 640 | Ste. Genevieve | 21 mi | south |
| Merrill Horse Access | Public access area | 74 | Jefferson | 23 mi | west |
| Kingston Access | Public access area | 58 | Washington | 23 mi | west |
| Young CA | Conservation area | 1,300 | Jefferson | 28 mi | northwest |
| LaBarque Creek CA | Conservation area | 1,284 | Jefferson | 28 mi | northwest |
Points: USFWS Interest layer (fee-title refuge land in Missouri) (polygon centroid of the largest part). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Who is nearby at Middle Mississippi River NWR (Missouri portion)
The short run for gas and food is Bloomsdale, 10 mi out. 5,025 people live in Ste. Genevieve, the largest town within reach. MDC permits and advice: Powder Valley Nature Center, Kirkwood, 28 mi away.
| Town | County | 2024 population | Away | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bloomsdale | Ste. Genevieve | 679 | 10 mi | south |
| Hillsboro | Jefferson | 3,489 | 16 mi | west |
| Ste. Genevieve | Ste. Genevieve | 5,025 | 18 mi | southeast |
| Ozora | Ste. Genevieve | – | 24 mi | southeast |
| St. Mary | Ste. Genevieve | 306 | 27 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.
Shooting hours in Middle Mississippi River NWR (Missouri portion)
Sunrise in the Bootheel and in the Kansas City area can be 20 minutes apart, so use the adjusted times for Middle Mississippi River NWR (Missouri portion).
| Day | Hunt | Sun up | Sun down | Big game window | Migratory window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 2026 | Dove opener | 6:31 a.m. | 7:32 p.m. | 6:01 a.m. to 8:02 p.m. | 6:01 a.m. to 7:32 p.m. |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Archery opener | 6:43 a.m. | 7:10 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 7:40 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 7:10 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall firearms turkey | 6:58 a.m. | 6:44 p.m. | 6:28 a.m. to 7:14 p.m. | 6:28 a.m. to 6:44 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Middle Zone ducks | 6:35 a.m. | 4:55 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. to 5:25 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. to 4:55 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | November firearms opener | 6:43 a.m. | 4:49 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 5:19 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 4:49 p.m. |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Alternative methods | 7:18 a.m. | 4:47 p.m. | 6:48 a.m. to 5:17 p.m. | 6:48 a.m. to 4:47 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Archery close | 7:18 a.m. | 5:05 p.m. | 6:48 a.m. to 5:35 p.m. | 6:48 a.m. to 5:05 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.
Before Middle Mississippi River National Wildlife Refuge (Missouri portion): public and club ranges
Magnolia Hollow CA range (public, free) is 11 miles from Middle Mississippi River National Wildlife Refuge (Missouri portion). 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.
A visual feel for Middle Mississippi River NWR (Missouri portion)
Common Middle Mississippi River NWR (Missouri portion) questions
Middle Mississippi River NWR (Missouri portion): open to hunters?
Designated areas allow migratory game bird hunting, upland game hunting and big game hunting; read the refuge brochure for the unit map.
Permits needed for Middle Mississippi River NWR (Missouri portion)?
MDC permits by game: Small Game, Archer's, Firearms Any-Deer or Antlerless, Migratory Bird.
Is there mandatory CWD testing near Middle Mississippi River NWR (Missouri portion)?
No mandatory sampling, plus the feed and mineral ban.
Are antlerless portions open near Middle Mississippi River NWR (Missouri portion)?
Up to 4 antlerless deer on firearms permits in Jefferson County; antlerless portions run in October and December.
Can I hunt bear on Middle Mississippi River NWR (Missouri portion)?
Jefferson County is in Bear Management Zone 2 (750 permits, quota 22); bear is not listed for this area.
Is fall turkey open at Middle Mississippi River NWR (Missouri portion)?
Statewide methods for turkey; the October firearms season is open in the county.
Where is the next public ground after Middle Mississippi River NWR (Missouri portion)?
Closest public options are Magnolia Hollow Conservation Area (12 mi), Victoria Glades Conservation Area (15 mi) and Valley View Glades Natural Area (20 mi).
First and last shooting light at Middle Mississippi River NWR (Missouri portion)?
6:12 a.m. to 5:18 p.m. for deer on opening day; ducks end at 4:48 p.m..
What is the acreage of Middle Mississippi River NWR (Missouri portion)?
In charge: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Acres: 2,182.
Town nearest Middle Mississippi River NWR (Missouri portion)?
Bloomsdale, 10 mi by straight line.
Middle Mississippi River NWR (Missouri portion): confirm these first
Area rules, closures and managed hunt notices on Middle Mississippi River NWR (Missouri portion) can change; posted signs and the agency page have the final word.
Sources: source · source · source · source · source; regulations from the 2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet. Checked October 29, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Nyttend (Public domain); Eden, Janine and Jim (CC BY 2.0); USFWS/Southeast (Public domain).