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Pleasant Hope Conservation Area hunting in Missouri
Public hunting ground in Polk County (1,106 acres), with the county deer rules that apply there.
Photo: altonwoods (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Pleasant Hope Conservation Area
Pleasant Hope Conservation Area, the essentials
Its acreage is 1,106, inside Polk County. Line up the 4 conservation areas in Polk County by acres and Pleasant Hope Conservation Area comes 1st. Staff of the MDC North Slope district, in the Southwest Region, manage Pleasant Hope Conservation Area.
MDC also notes trails (biking, horseback, hiking), camping (open camping – walk-in/float-in/backpack), dog training and fishing (sunfish, catfish, black bass) at Pleasant Hope Conservation Area.
Habitat notes from the source: Approximately 90 percent of the area is forested. Non-forested areas are composed of old fields and wildlife food plots. Several small ponds provide wildlife watering holes and limited fishing opportunities. The area is home to numerous wildlife species, including deer, turkey, squirrel, and raccoon. Food plots, forest thinnings, and small forest clearings are designed to improve wildlife habitat. Several small glades are located on the area. In addition to the natural resources, there are numerous recreational opportunities. There is approximately 9.4 miles of multiuse trails on the area open to hiking, biking, and horseback riding. Please note that multiuse trails are closed during all portions of the firearms deer season and spring turkey season.
Game listed: Deer, Black bear, Turkey, Rabbit, Squirrel.
From the agency record (Missouri Department of Conservation); checked October 29, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Pleasant Hope Conservation Area
Pleasant Hope Conservation Area and nearby public land, mapped
8 other public places sit inside a 45-mile circle around Pleasant Hope Conservation Area; together they add 5,765 acres, and Dale Sare Conservation Area is nearest.
| Area | Type | Acres | County | Straight line | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dale Sare CA | Conservation area | 320 | Greene | 4.6 mi | south |
| Little Sac Woods CA | Conservation area | 772 | Greene | 5.9 mi | southwest |
| Rocky Barrens CA | Conservation area | 281 | Greene | 9.6 mi | southwest |
| Fellows Lake (Springfield City Utilities) | Cooperative area | 820 | Greene | 9.9 mi | southeast |
| Bois D'Arc CA | Conservation area | 3,176 | Greene | 15 mi | southwest |
| Phenix Access | Public access area | 155 | Greene | 16 mi | west |
| Charity Access | Public access area | 163 | Dallas | 19 mi | east |
| Springfield Nature Center | Nature center or range | 79 | Greene | 21 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.
Area rules at Pleasant Hope Conservation Area
MDC area rules for Pleasant Hope Conservation Area, as published for 2026-27.
| Species | Methods here | Note |
|---|---|---|
| White-tailed Deer | Archery and firearms | Not allowed |
| Wild Turkey | Archery and firearms | – |
| Black Bear | Archery and firearms | Zone permit |
| Eastern Cottontail | Statewide methods | – |
| Gray Squirrel | Statewide methods | – |
Wildlife Code entries for Pleasant Hope Conservation Area
- Unless otherwise posted, bicycles, including electric bicycles as defined in the Missouri Wildlife Code ( Chapter 20- Definitions) , are allowed on roads open to vehicular traffic and service roads (designated in the online conservation atlas). Bicycles must stay on roads open to vehicular traffic or service roads, or on multi-use trails posted as open to bicycles. Bicycle use is not allowed on service roads passing through designated natural areas (designated in the online conservation atlas). Groups of 10 or more people using bicycles on a department area must obtain a special use permit.
- This department area also has multi-use trails open to equestrian use. On multi-use trails designated as open to equestrian use, horses and horseback riding is prohibited during all portions of the firearms deer hunting season and during shooting hours of spring turkey hunting seasons.
- An unstaffed range is located on this department area. Target shooting is not allowed anywhere on this area except for designated shooting range(s).
- Shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. Ranges may be closed to public use at any time for maintenance or department sponsored events or programs.
For deer, Pleasant Hope Conservation Area is open to archery and firearms, and antlerless permits may not be used. Turkey methods on Pleasant Hope Conservation Area: archery and firearms. Pleasant Hope Conservation Area allows black bear by archery and firearms during the October season, permit holders only. The FDT area table lists Pleasant Hope Conservation Area with code C (antlerless permits not allowed). Deer and turkey may be hunted only on MDC areas that appear in the booklet table; Pleasant Hope 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.
Pleasant Hope Conservation Area season calendar
County dates from Polk County that fit Pleasant Hope 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 | 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 | |
| Black bear | Bear, zone 3 | Bear zone 3 | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 30, 2026 | |
| 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 |
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.
Deer rules that reach Pleasant Hope Conservation Area
| Rule | Polk County |
|---|---|
| Firearms antlerless limit | 4 deer |
| Antlerless portions | Open |
| CWD sampling Nov. 14-15 | Mandatory |
| 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 | Zone 3 |
| Duck zone | South |
Pleasant Hope Conservation Area takes its deer rules from Polk County, where the firearms antlerless fill limit is 4. Antlerless portions run here in October and December. Any deer killed in Polk County on Nov. 14 or 15 has to be presented at a sampling station; the county has 1 station. Polk County falls under the CWD feed and mineral ban. BMZ 3 reaches Polk County; the zone has 250 permits and closes early if 8 bears are taken. For 2026 MDC dropped the CWD portion, the CWD Management Zone and the antler-point restriction.
- Bolivar Fire Station No. 2 (West), 812 S. Killingsworth Ave., Bolivar
2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet county rules, MDC CWD rules and 2026 bear digest; checked October 29, 2026.
Pleasant Hope Conservation Area: towns and supplies
Pleasant Hope is 2.7 mi from Pleasant Hope Conservation Area, the nearest town on this site. Springfield is the biggest town in that list, 170,596 residents in 2024. Route from the area page: From Pleasant Hope, take Route H south 1.75 miles, then west on Farm Road 564. Drive 14 mi to Southwest Regional Office in Springfield for the nearest MDC counter.
| Town | County | Pop. 2024 | Miles off | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pleasant Hope | Polk | 692 | 2.7 mi | northeast |
| Bolivar | Polk | 11,549 | 13 mi | northwest |
| Springfield | Greene | 170,596 | 17 mi | south |
| Ash Grove | Greene | 1,523 | 17 mi | southwest |
| Buffalo | Dallas | 3,512 | 19 mi | northeast |
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 Pleasant Hope Conservation Area
These are county numbers.
In 2025, 3,152 deer were Telechecked in Polk County, 1,303 of them does. Polk County turkey hunters took 547 birds in spring 2026; 52 came off public land. The MDC dashboard lists 3 CWD positives in Polk County across the years in the table, the first in 2017-2018.
| Year | Bucks | Button bucks | Does | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,557 | 292 | 1,303 | 3,152 |
| 2024 | 1,413 | 234 | 1,312 | 2,959 |
| 2023 | 1,619 | 301 | 1,459 | 3,379 |
| 2022 | 1,598 | 244 | 1,374 | 3,216 |
| 2021 | 1,537 | 246 | 1,267 | 3,050 |
| 2020 | 1,586 | 300 | 1,383 | 3,269 |
| Year | Spring total | On public land | Youth | Fall gun | Fall bow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 547 | 52 | 70 | – | – |
| 2025 | 518 | 62 | 38 | 26 | 16 |
| 2024 | 454 | 49 | 30 | 24 | 14 |
| 2023 | 438 | 59 | 28 | 19 | 11 |
| 2022 | 371 | – | 23 | 20 | 22 |
| 2021 | 370 | – | 25 | 11 | 21 |
| Sample year | CWD samples | Positives |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 8 | 0 |
| 2025 | 75 | 1 |
| 2024 | 644 | 0 |
| 2023 | 938 | 2 |
| 2022 | 948 | 0 |
| 2021 | 962 | 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 Pleasant Hope 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 | 6:43 a.m. | 7:44 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 8:14 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 7:44 p.m. |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Archery opener | 6:55 a.m. | 7:22 p.m. | 6:25 a.m. to 7:52 p.m. | 6:25 a.m. to 7:22 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall firearms turkey | 7:10 a.m. | 6:56 p.m. | 6:40 a.m. to 7:26 p.m. | 6:40 a.m. to 6:56 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Middle Zone ducks | 6:47 a.m. | 5:07 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 5:37 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 5:07 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | November firearms opener | 6:55 a.m. | 5:01 p.m. | 6:25 a.m. to 5:31 p.m. | 6:25 a.m. to 5:01 p.m. |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Alternative methods | 7:30 a.m. | 4:59 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. to 5:29 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. to 4:59 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Archery close | 7:30 a.m. | 5:17 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. to 5:47 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. to 5:17 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 Pleasant Hope Conservation Area
Pleasant Hope Conservation Area hunters: public range and clubs
From Pleasant Hope Conservation Area, 16 miles separates hunters from Andy Dalton range, the closest public range. Club lanes within 30 miles fill the next cards.
From MDC area pages and the MDC Shooting Ranges layer, the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 29, 2026.
Pleasant Hope Conservation Area, quick questions
Turkey hunting at Pleasant Hope Conservation Area: what is allowed?
MDC allows archery and firearms. Fall firearms turkey runs Oct. 1-31.
Do I need a CWD sample for deer from Pleasant Hope Conservation Area?
Mandatory sampling applies Nov. 14-15; feeding and minerals are banned all year.
When does legal light start and end at Pleasant Hope Conservation Area?
Deer hunters get 6:25 a.m. to 5:31 p.m. on Nov. 14; sunset is 5:01 p.m..
Does a bear zone include Pleasant Hope Conservation Area?
Only with a Zone 3 permit from the drawing; season Oct. 17-30.
Which town sits closest to Pleasant Hope Conservation Area?
Pleasant Hope lies 2.7 mi away.
Is there other public land around Pleasant Hope Conservation Area?
Try Dale Sare Conservation Area (4.6 mi), Little Sac Woods Conservation Area (5.9 mi) and Rocky Barrens Conservation Area (9.6 mi).
Can hunters camp on Pleasant Hope Conservation Area?
Camping is listed; hours 4 a.m. to 10 p.m..
How large an area is Pleasant Hope Conservation Area?
Missouri Department of Conservation runs the ground (1,106 acres).
Is hunting legal on Pleasant Hope Conservation Area?
Yes. The area page names deer, black bear, turkey, rabbit and squirrel.
What should I buy before a Pleasant Hope 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 Pleasant Hope Conservation Area?
Polk County: firearms antlerless limit 4, antlerless portions open.
What are the deer hunting methods at Pleasant Hope Conservation Area?
Deer may be taken by archery and firearms. Antlerless permits are not allowed.
Pleasant Hope 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; regulations from the 2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet. Checked October 29, 2026.
Other photos on this page: David Nichols (CC BY-SA 2.0); David Nichols (CC BY-SA 2.0); James St. John (CC BY 2.0).