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Conservation area · 2026-27
Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area hunting guide
What MDC publishes about this conservation area in St. Louis County, in one page.
Photo: Mona Maynard (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area
Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area: acres, manager and game
The record gives Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area 812 acres in St. Louis County. Among the 11 conservation areas of St. Louis County, it sits 6th for acres. It belongs to the Great Rivers management district, MDC St. Louis Region.
Other uses MDC lists for Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area: trails (hiking), fishing (catfish, crappie) and trapping (special use permit).
From the MDC area description: Saint Stanislaus is a conservation area steeped in nature and history. Located within easy reach of residential areas in north St. Louis County, the area was named for the former Saint Stanislaus Seminary which used this site for a retreat. History buffs can spot old building foundations from this retreat on the trail that climbs historic Charbonier Bluff. Early French explorers named this bluff La Charbonier, which means coal seam. The journals of Lewis and Clark also noted its coal resources. Hikers willing to tackle the steep trail up the bluff will also be rewarded with an expansive view overlooking the Missouri River bottoms. The trail also crosses a curious expansion bridge, and other portions are paved and disabled-accessible. An alternate level and linear trail conveys hikers through the rich bottomlands of the area and to the Bryan Island Chute, which flows out to the Missouri River.
Game species: Deer, Turkey.
From the agency record (Missouri Department of Conservation); checked October 29, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area
Neighbors of Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area on the map
Count on Marais Temps Clair Conservation Area as the first fallback, 5.8 mi north of Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area.
| Public land | Type | Acres | County | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marais Temps Clair CA | Conservation area | 918 | St. Charles | 5.8 mi | north |
| Pelican Island Natural Area | Natural area | 2,260 | St. Louis | 6.5 mi | northeast |
| Creve Coeur Park Lake (St. Louis County) | Cooperative area | 320 | St. Louis | 8.2 mi | southwest |
| Two Rivers NWR (Missouri portion) | Wildlife refuge | 144 | St. Charles | 8.9 mi | north |
| August G. Beckemeier CA | Conservation area | 54 | St. Louis | 12 mi | southwest |
| Columbia Bottom CA | Conservation area | 4,451 | St. Louis | 13 mi | east |
| Jean and Joan Goodson CA (Bittersweet Woods) | Conservation area | 20 | St. Louis | 16 mi | south |
| Phantom Forest CA | Conservation area | 13 | St. Louis | 16 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.
Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area hunting methods
Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area follows statewide seasons with the area limits shown here.
| Game | Methods | Note |
|---|---|---|
| White-tailed Deer | Archery only | Allowed |
| Wild Turkey | Archery only | – |
What the Code adds for Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area
- Equestrian use is prohibited on all portions of this department area, including roads open to vehicular traffic.
Deer on Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area: archery methods only, and antlerless permits may be used. Turkey hunters may use archery only here. Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area shows code A in the booklet, antlerless permits allowed. The deer hunting quick view is the list that counts for MDC areas, and Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area appears 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.
Calendar of hunts for Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area
Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area gets 4 dated rows once the St. Louis County calendar is trimmed to its game list.
| Game | Segment | Where | Starts | Ends | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 archery, part 2 | Statewide | Nov 25, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 |
Only archery deer dates apply on Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area; firearms portions are not listed. No firearms turkey on Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area; the row is removed. Rabbits may be hunted sunrise to sunset; trapping seasons are on the species pages.
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.
Which county rules govern Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area
| Rule | St. Louis 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 | Zone 2 |
| Duck zone | Middle |
Missouri sets deer rules county by county, so Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area follows St. Louis County: up to 4 antlerless deer on firearms permits. St. Louis County opens for both antlerless portions this year. St. Louis County is one of 85 counties with the year-round feed and mineral ban. Bear Management Zone 2 covers St. Louis County: 750 permits and a 22-bear quota for Oct. 17-30. MDC retired the CWD portion, its management zone and the antler-point restriction for 2026.
2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet county rules, MDC CWD rules and 2026 bear digest; checked October 29, 2026.
Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area town and service list
Hazelwood lies closest, about 1.5 mi as the crow flies. St. Charles counts 72,458 residents, more than any other town listed. How MDC says to drive in: In Hazelwood, take Highway 370 to Exit #9 (Earth City Expressway/Hwy 141). Travel north on Missouri Bottom Road. Stay straight on Aubuchon Road at the junction with Missouri Bottom Road (Missouri Bottom road turns east). Go 2.4 miles north to Area entrance. Need MDC staff? Columbia Bottom Field Office in St Louis is 12 mi out.
| Nearest towns | County | Population | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hazelwood | St. Louis | 24,951 | 1.5 mi | south |
| Florissant | St. Louis | 51,290 | 4.0 mi | east |
| Old Jamestown | St. Louis | – | 6.3 mi | east |
| St. Charles | St. Charles | 72,458 | 6.4 mi | west |
| Portage Des Sioux | St. Charles | 323 | 8.5 mi | north |
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.
Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area: deer, turkey and CWD by year
County figures, the smallest unit MDC publishes.
The county total for 2025 was 1,922 deer (808 antlered bucks), the closest MDC figure for Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area. 10 public-land birds out of 101 in spring 2026, St. Louis County. 1 positive deer in St. Louis County in the sample years shown.
| Permit year | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 808 | 145 | 969 | 1,922 |
| 2024 | 797 | 145 | 975 | 1,917 |
| 2023 | 845 | 167 | 1,003 | 2,015 |
| 2022 | 861 | 174 | 1,109 | 2,144 |
| 2021 | 899 | 184 | 1,101 | 2,184 |
| 2020 | 936 | 224 | 1,179 | 2,339 |
| Year | Spring harvest | Public land share | Youth weekend | Fall firearms | Fall archery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 101 | 10 | 10 | – | – |
| 2025 | 113 | 13 | 7 | 2 | 14 |
| 2024 | 115 | 13 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| 2023 | 129 | 18 | 3 | 6 | 19 |
| 2022 | 94 | – | 5 | 6 | 17 |
| 2021 | 77 | – | 6 | 5 | 20 |
| Season | Tested | Positives |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 31 | 0 |
| 2025 | 300 | 1 |
| 2024 | 129 | 0 |
| 2023 | 147 | 0 |
| 2022 | 113 | 0 |
| 2021 | 107 | 0 |
MDC 2025 deer harvest summary, MDC turkey harvest summaries and MDC CWD dashboard; earlier years from the yearly reports. Checked October 29, 2026.
First and last shooting light in Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area
The times below start from the MDC Jefferson City table and subtract 7 minutes for Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area, as the booklet directs.
| Date | Season point | Sunrise | Sunset | Deer, bear, elk | Ducks, doves, geese |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Missouri scenes for Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area
Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area hunters: public range and clubs
From Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area, Forest Park Archery Range is the nearest MDC or other public range (15 miles). Nearby gun clubs fill the other cards.
From MDC area pages and the MDC Shooting Ranges layer, the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 29, 2026.
Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area questions with sourced answers
How long is the legal day at Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area in mid-November?
From 6:13 a.m. until 5:19 p.m. on Nov. 14, by the MDC table with the longitude correction.
Closest public alternatives to Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area?
The three nearest: Marais Temps Clair Conservation Area (5.8 mi), Pelican Island Natural Area (6.5 mi) and Creve Coeur Park Lake (St. Louis County) (8.2 mi).
Where do I buy gas near Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area?
About 1.5 mi to Hazelwood.
How large an area is Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area?
Roughly 812 acres, looked after by Missouri Department of Conservation.
Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area hours and camping?
Area hours: 4 a.m. to 10 p.m.. Camping is not listed.
What paperwork covers a hunt at Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area?
Buy the matching Missouri permit (Missouri calls them permits); waterfowl also need the federal duck stamp.
Is Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area open for hunting this season?
Yes. MDC lists deer and turkey on Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area, and it is on the deer list.
Is Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area archery only for deer?
Plan on archery methods only. Antlerless permits are allowed.
What is the antlerless limit for Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area?
St. Louis County sets a firearms antlerless fill limit of 4, and its antlerless portions are open.
Does the feed ban cover Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area?
For St. Louis County, sampling is not required and the feed ban applies.
What turkey rules apply on Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area?
Turkey methods: archery only. Fall firearms turkey (Oct. 1-31) is open in St. Louis County.
Which bear permits work at Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area?
The county is BMZ 2; bear is not listed for the area.
Leaving for Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area?
Missouri sells permits, not licenses: buy the right one before you hunt Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area, and wear hunter orange in the firearms portions.
Sources: source · source · source · source; regulations from the 2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet. Checked October 29, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Robert Taylor (CC BY 2.0); USFWS Midwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0); USFWS Midwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0).