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Hunt Reform Conservation Area
Conservation area in Callaway County, 3,580 acres, MDC Central Region.
Photo: Paul Sableman (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Reform Conservation Area
About Reform Conservation Area
At 3,580 acres, Reform Conservation Area is part of the public ground of Callaway County. Among the 6 conservation areas of Callaway County, it sits 2nd for acres. The River Hills – CE district (MDC Central Region) handles habitat work on Reform Conservation Area.
The atlas entry for Reform Conservation Area also shows trails (biking, hiking), fishing (sunfish, catfish, black bass) and trapping (special use permit).
MDC describes the area this way: The Reform Conservation Area (CA) was purchased by AmerenUE 1n the 1970's for the purpose of producing electricity from the Callaway Nuclear Power Plant. A portion of the area is leased to the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) to provide quality recreational opportunities, including hiking, nature study, hunting, and fishing to citizens of Missouri.Approximately 2,900 acres are available for public use. Reform CA contains a diversity of land types, including open lands (grasslands), forest and woodlands, and a very small portion of the Missouri River floodplain.Most of the current publicly accessible areas of Reform Conservation Area is woodland and forest. The land that comprises Reform CA has a unique history. The northern portion of Reform CA encompasses the bulk of the historic Coats' Prairie. Coats' Prairie, named after Reverend William Coats, was one of the earlier settlements in Callaway County. William Coats settled on the Prairie in 1817 and by 1830 most of the prairie was occupied by several families with small homesteads (40 – 160 acres).
Hunted here: Deer, Turkey, Rabbit, Squirrel, Quail.
From the agency record (Missouri Department of Conservation); checked October 29, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Reform Conservation Area
How Reform Conservation Area may be hunted
Read these before a first trip to Reform Conservation Area; posted signs still govern.
| Species | Allowed | Permit note |
|---|---|---|
| White-tailed Deer | Archery only | Allowed |
| Wild Turkey | Archery and firearms | – |
| Eastern Cottontail | Statewide methods | – |
| Gray Squirrel | Statewide methods | – |
| Northern Bobwhite Quail | Statewide methods | – |
Code rules for Reform Conservation Area
- Use or possession of lead shot is prohibited for hunting doves on this area.
MDC allows archery methods only for deer on Reform Conservation Area; antlerless permits may be used. The turkey rule on Reform Conservation Area reads archery and firearms. In the booklet table Reform Conservation Area carries antlerless code A: antlerless permits allowed. Nontoxic shot applies to dove hunting on Reform Conservation Area. Listed or not matters on MDC ground: Reform Conservation Area is on the deer list.
Sources: area page, area regulations, deer quick view; booklet table: 2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet, pp. 42-55. Checked October 29, 2026.
Reform Conservation Area dove fields
Reform Conservation Area is on the MDC list of dove management areas. Doves here must be taken with nontoxic shot. Dove season runs Sep 1, 2026 to Nov 29, 2026 statewide.
MDC 2026 dove field layer and Dove Management Areas; checked October 29, 2026.
County deer rules for Reform Conservation Area
| Topic | Callaway 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 | None |
| Duck zone | Middle / North |
There are no deer units in Missouri; Callaway County is the unit for Reform Conservation Area, with a firearms antlerless limit of 4. The early (Oct. 9-11) and late (Dec. 5-13) antlerless portions are open in Callaway County. Plan a stop at a sampling station if you tag a deer in Callaway County on Nov. 14 or 15. No grain, salt or mineral sites in Callaway County: the ban runs all year. The CWD portion, the CWD Management Zone and the antler-point restriction were removed for 2026.
- Mokane Lions Club Park, 301 River St., Mokane
- North Callaway High School , 2700 Thunderbird Dr., Kingdom City
- Whetstone Creek Conservation Area, 3215 County Road 1003, Williamsburg
2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet county rules, MDC CWD rules and 2026 bear digest; checked October 29, 2026.
Reform Conservation Area by season
These 9 rows are the 2026-27 seasons that fit Reform Conservation Area 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 | Archery, second part | Statewide | Nov 25, 2026 | Jan 15, 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 |
Gun portions are dropped: deer on Reform Conservation Area are archery only. 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 Reform Conservation Area
Totals are for the whole county.
Callaway County gave up 5,197 deer in 2025; the table runs back to 2020. In spring 2026, 926 turkeys were checked in Callaway County, 76 of them reported from public land. For CWD, Callaway County shows 1 positive over the years listed (first year 2024-2025).
| Season | Bucks | Button bucks | Does | County total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,360 | 437 | 2,400 | 5,197 |
| 2024 | 1,785 | 410 | 2,245 | 4,440 |
| 2023 | 2,255 | 626 | 2,894 | 5,775 |
| 2022 | 2,303 | 506 | 2,628 | 5,437 |
| 2021 | 2,268 | 523 | 2,667 | 5,458 |
| 2020 | 2,012 | 531 | 2,445 | 4,988 |
| Year | Spring | Public | Youth | Fall gun | Fall bow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 926 | 76 | 90 | – | – |
| 2025 | 873 | 84 | 87 | 30 | 27 |
| 2024 | 824 | 89 | 74 | 40 | 24 |
| 2023 | 801 | 108 | 49 | 39 | 41 |
| 2022 | 616 | – | 44 | 34 | 36 |
| 2021 | 707 | – | 68 | 41 | 61 |
| Year | Samples | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 30 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1,009 | 0 |
| 2024 | 232 | 1 |
| 2023 | 192 | 0 |
| 2022 | 178 | 0 |
| 2021 | 202 | 0 |
MDC 2025 deer harvest summary, MDC turkey harvest summaries and MDC CWD dashboard; earlier years from the yearly reports. Checked October 29, 2026.
Reform Conservation Area: the surrounding public ground
The map pins Reform Conservation Area with the 8 closest public areas, led by Tate Island Conservation Area at 6.5 mi.
| Nearby | Kind | Acres | County | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tate Island CA | Conservation area | 422 | Callaway | 6.5 mi | east |
| Grand Bluffs CA | Conservation area | 236 | Montgomery | 9.7 mi | east |
| Prairie Fork CA | Conservation area | 920 | Callaway | 11 mi | north |
| Ben Branch Lake CA | Conservation area | 563 | Osage | 12 mi | south |
| Moores Mill Access | Public access area | 101 | Callaway | 12 mi | north |
| Loutre Lick Access | Public access area | 163 | Montgomery | 14 mi | northeast |
| Earthquake Hollow CA | Conservation area | 87 | Callaway | 15 mi | west |
| Whetstone Creek CA | Conservation area | 5,208 | Callaway | 16 mi | north |
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.
Who is nearby at Reform Conservation Area
The short run for gas and food is Chamois, 4.6 mi out. 12,573 people live in Fulton, the largest town within reach. Driving route: From Fulton, take Route O east 9 miles. Area may be closed by Ameren Union Electric during an Imminent or Elevated Threat Alert issued by the Division of Homeland Security. MDC permits and advice: Whetstone Creek Conservation Area Field Office, Williamsburg, 15 mi away.
| Town | County | 2024 population | Away | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chamois | Osage | 381 | 4.6 mi | south |
| Fulton | Callaway | 12,573 | 12 mi | northwest |
| Tebbetts | Callaway | – | 13 mi | southwest |
| New Bloomfield | Callaway | 744 | 17 mi | west |
| Big Spring | Montgomery | – | 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.
Shooting hours in Reform Conservation Area
Sunrise in the Bootheel and in the Kansas City area can be 20 minutes apart, so use the adjusted times for Reform Conservation Area.
| Day | Hunt | Sun up | Sun down | Big game window | Migratory window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 2026 | Dove opener | 6:37 a.m. | 7:38 p.m. | 6:07 a.m. to 8:08 p.m. | 6:07 a.m. to 7:38 p.m. |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Archery opener | 6:49 a.m. | 7:16 p.m. | 6:19 a.m. to 7:46 p.m. | 6:19 a.m. to 7:16 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall firearms turkey | 7:04 a.m. | 6:50 p.m. | 6:34 a.m. to 7:20 p.m. | 6:34 a.m. to 6:50 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Middle Zone ducks | 6:41 a.m. | 5:01 p.m. | 6:11 a.m. to 5:31 p.m. | 6:11 a.m. to 5:01 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | November firearms opener | 6:49 a.m. | 4:55 p.m. | 6:19 a.m. to 5:25 p.m. | 6:19 a.m. to 4:55 p.m. |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Alternative methods | 7:24 a.m. | 4:53 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 5:23 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 4:53 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Archery close | 7:24 a.m. | 5:11 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 5:41 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 5:11 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.
Reform Conservation Area hunters: public range and clubs
Whetstone Creek CA range (public, free) is 15 miles from Reform Conservation Area. 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 Reform Conservation Area
Reform Conservation Area, quick questions
Open hours at Reform Conservation Area?
Open 4 a.m. to 10 p.m.. No camping is listed.
How large an area is Reform Conservation Area?
In charge: Missouri Department of Conservation. Acres: 3,580.
Reform Conservation Area: open to hunters?
It is open to hunting: deer, turkey, rabbit, squirrel and quail, under statewide seasons and the area rules.
Permits needed for Reform Conservation Area?
MDC permits by game: Small Game, Archer's, Firearms Any-Deer or Antlerless, Migratory Bird.
Are antlerless portions open near Reform Conservation Area?
Up to 4 antlerless deer on firearms permits in Callaway County; antlerless portions run in October and December.
Which weapons are legal for deer at Reform Conservation Area?
Archery methods only. Antlerless permits are allowed.
Is fall turkey open at Reform Conservation Area?
Archery and firearms for turkey; the October firearms season is open in the county.
Is there mandatory CWD testing near Reform Conservation Area?
Yes, sampling Nov. 14-15, plus the feed and mineral ban.
Where is the next public ground after Reform Conservation Area?
Closest public options are Tate Island Conservation Area (6.5 mi), Grand Bluffs Conservation Area (9.7 mi) and Prairie Fork Conservation Area (11 mi).
First and last shooting light at Reform Conservation Area?
6:18 a.m. to 5:24 p.m. for deer on opening day; ducks end at 4:54 p.m..
Town nearest Reform Conservation Area?
Chamois, 4.6 mi by straight line.
Reform Conservation Area: confirm these first
Area rules, closures and managed hunt notices on Reform Conservation Area 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: mbarrison (CC BY-SA 2.0); Susan Young (Public Domain Mark 1.0); cuatrok77 (CC BY-SA 2.0).