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Ranger district · 2026-27
Salem Ranger District (Mark Twain National Forest) hunting
A 2026-27 hunter guide to this national forest ranger district across Reynolds County and 4 other counties, 195,986 acres.
Photo: Forest Service, Eastern Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Getting to Salem Ranger District (Mark Twain National Forest)
Parking, trailheads and gates near Salem Ranger District (Mark Twain National Forest)
- Parking areaParking · 4.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 7.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 7.1 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.
Salem Ranger District profile
Expect about 195,986 acres of public ground at Salem Ranger District, Reynolds, Dent and 3 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 Salem Ranger District (Mark Twain National Forest)
Salem Ranger District: who may hunt and how
No federal fee applies: hunt Salem Ranger District 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 Salem Ranger District
The district sits within the Mark Twain National Forest, 1,510,740 acres across Missouri. Boundary acres: 308,836; NFS acres: 195,986. Lake-by-lake waterfowl rules apply on the forest.
| County | National forest acres |
|---|---|
| Reynolds County | 78,031 |
| Dent County | 74,700 |
| Shannon County | 24,330 |
| Crawford County | 15,022 |
| Iron County | 3,902 |
Ava/Cassville/Willow Springs Ranger District, Doniphan / Eleven Point Ranger District, Houston/Rolla/Cedar Creek Ranger District, Poplar Bluff Ranger District, Potosi / Fredericktown Ranger District
USFS EDW Lands Area Statistics and the Mark Twain NF hunting page; checked October 29, 2026.
Salem Ranger District county rules for 2026-27
| Item | Reynolds County | Dent County | Shannon County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firearms antlerless limit | 1 deer | 4 deer | 2 deer |
| Antlerless portions | Open | Open | Open |
| CWD sampling Nov. 14-15 | Mandatory | No | Mandatory |
| Feed and mineral ban | No | Yes | Yes |
| Share the Harvest CWD test | No | Required | Required |
| Fall firearms turkey | Open | Open | Open |
| Dogs, November portion | No squirrel, rabbit dogs | No squirrel, rabbit dogs | No squirrel, rabbit dogs |
| Elk county | Yes | No | Yes |
| Bear zone | Zone 2 | Zone 2 | Zone 2 |
| Duck zone | Middle / South | Middle / South | South |
County rules apply on Salem Ranger District; Reynolds County has a firearms antlerless limit of 1 for 2026-27. In Reynolds County, the Oct. 9-11 and Dec. 5-13 antlerless portions apply. Reynolds County is one of the 28 mandatory sampling counties: present deer shot Nov. 14-15 for testing. The bear zone here is 2: 750 permits, quota 22, season Oct. 17-30. Drawn elk hunters can use Reynolds County in October (archery) and December (firearms). The November dog rule covers Reynolds County. Removed for 2026: the CWD portion, the management zone and the antler-point restriction. Hunting near a county line on Salem Ranger District? Use the column for the county you are in.
- Ellington MDC Office, 2929 Co. Rd. 618, Ellington
- Bunker Fire Department , 132 Rte. 72, Bunker
- Johnson Shut-Ins Visitor Center, 148 Taum Sauk Trl., Lesterville
2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet county rules, MDC CWD rules and 2026 bear digest; checked October 29, 2026.
Salem Ranger District: what is open when
Filtered for Salem Ranger District by its game list: 13 species, 27 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 | Middle Zone | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| Youth waterfowl | Youth waterfowl days | South Zone | Nov 21, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | |
| Ducks and coots | Ducks, split 1 | Middle Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Dec 13, 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 | |
| Ducks and coots | Ducks, split 2 | Middle Zone | Dec 19, 2026 | Jan 10, 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 Salem Ranger District
Crow-flight distance from Salem Ranger District to Indian Trail Conservation Area is 14 mi (northwest); the table runs outward from there.
| Place | Type | Acres | County | Miles off | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indian Trail CA | Conservation area | 13,503 | Dent | 14 mi | northwest |
| Short Bend Access | Public access area | 87 | Dent | 19 mi | northwest |
| Logan Creek CA | Conservation area | 13,170 | Reynolds, Shannon | 19 mi | south |
| Potosi / Fredericktown Ranger District | Ranger district | 290,899 | Iron, Washington | 20 mi | northeast |
| Cedar Grove CA | Conservation area | 880 | Dent | 21 mi | west |
| Ozark National Scenic Riverways | Scenic riverway | 80,546 | Shannon, Carter | 22 mi | south |
| Sunklands CA | Conservation area | 40,383 | Shannon, Texas | 24 mi | southwest |
| Keysville Towersite | Towersite | 80 | Crawford | 24 mi | north |
Points: USFS EDW Ranger Districts layer (district boundary) (polygon centroid of the largest part). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Salem Ranger District area harvest by year
Whole-county counts.
Hunters in Reynolds County checked 2,746 deer in 2025, against 1,766 the year before; there is no figure for Salem Ranger District alone. The spring 2026 count for Reynolds County was 183 turkeys (68 on public land). Recent CWD results for Reynolds County: 0 positives, none on record.
| Permit year | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,243 | 259 | 1,244 | 2,746 |
| 2024 | 711 | 226 | 829 | 1,766 |
| 2023 | 1,210 | 329 | 1,596 | 3,135 |
| 2022 | 1,021 | 239 | 1,050 | 2,310 |
| 2021 | 1,547 | 339 | 1,396 | 3,282 |
| 2020 | 1,564 | 307 | 1,139 | 3,010 |
| Season | Spring | Public | Youth | Firearms (fall) | Archery (fall) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 183 | 68 | 17 | – | – |
| 2025 | 257 | 119 | 23 | 14 | 7 |
| 2024 | 205 | 75 | 16 | 4 | 2 |
| 2023 | 197 | 113 | 6 | 18 | 21 |
| 2022 | 165 | – | 13 | 8 | 6 |
| 2021 | 175 | – | 10 | 2 | 13 |
| Year | Samples | CWD found |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 16 | 0 |
| 2024 | 32 | 0 |
| 2023 | 45 | 0 |
| 2022 | 29 | 0 |
| 2021 | 55 | 0 |
| 2020 | 54 | 0 |
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 Salem Ranger District
From Salem Ranger District, Bunker is 5.7 mi away. Largest of the five: Salem, 4,726 people. Ellington Office (Ellington) sits 26 mi from Salem Ranger District, closer than any other MDC office.
| Town | County | People (2024) | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bunker | Dent | 297 | 5.7 mi | south |
| Viburnum | Iron | 658 | 13 mi | north |
| Centerville | Reynolds | 163 | 16 mi | southeast |
| Salem | Dent | 4,726 | 19 mi | west |
| Ellington | Reynolds | 766 | 25 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.
Where Salem Ranger District (Mark Twain National Forest) hunters zero a rifle
Drive about 14 miles from Salem Ranger District (Mark Twain National Forest) to reach Indian Trail CA range, the nearest public lanes.
From MDC area pages and the MDC Shooting Ranges layer, the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 29, 2026.
Legal hours for Salem Ranger District
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 | 6:33 a.m. | 7:34 p.m. | 6:03 a.m. to 8:04 p.m. | 6:03 a.m. to 7:34 p.m. |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Archery opener | 6:45 a.m. | 7:12 p.m. | 6:15 a.m. to 7:42 p.m. | 6:15 a.m. to 7:12 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall firearms turkey | 7:00 a.m. | 6:46 p.m. | 6:30 a.m. to 7:16 p.m. | 6:30 a.m. to 6:46 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Middle Zone ducks | 6:37 a.m. | 4:57 p.m. | 6:07 a.m. to 5:27 p.m. | 6:07 a.m. to 4:57 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | November firearms opener | 6:45 a.m. | 4:51 p.m. | 6:15 a.m. to 5:21 p.m. | 6:15 a.m. to 4:51 p.m. |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Alternative methods | 7:20 a.m. | 4:49 p.m. | 6:50 a.m. to 5:19 p.m. | 6:50 a.m. to 4:49 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Archery close | 7:20 a.m. | 5:07 p.m. | 6:50 a.m. to 5:37 p.m. | 6:50 a.m. to 5:07 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 Salem Ranger District
Salem Ranger District questions with sourced answers
Is Salem Ranger District open for hunting this season?
Yes. Hunt with Missouri permits; administrative sites and 150-yard safety zones are closed.
Salem Ranger District: which permits apply?
The right MDC permit: Archer's or Firearms for deer, Small Game for small game, Migratory Bird for doves and ducks.
What are the CWD rules around Salem Ranger District?
Bring opening-weekend deer to a station. The feed ban does not apply.
What is the firearms antlerless limit around Salem Ranger District?
1 antlerless deer with firearms permits, under the Reynolds County rule.
Bear hunting near Salem Ranger District?
Bear here means a Zone 2 permit (quota 22). The area does not list bear.
Can I hunt turkey on Salem Ranger District?
Use statewide methods. Fall gun season: Oct. 1-31.
Salem Ranger District crowded: where next?
Next in line: Indian Trail Conservation Area (14 mi), Short Bend Access (19 mi) and Logan Creek Conservation Area (19 mi).
What are deer hours at Salem Ranger District on Nov. 14?
Nov. 14 at the Salem Ranger District point: 6:16 a.m. to 5:22 p.m. for deer (sunrise 6:46 a.m.).
Salem Ranger District: size and manager?
USDA Forest Service handles it, and it spans 195,986 acres.
How far is the nearest town from Salem Ranger District?
Bunker is the nearest town we cover, 5.7 mi off.
Can stands stay overnight on Salem Ranger District?
Only portable deer stands, labeled with name and address.
Which elk rules apply at Salem Ranger District?
Elk permits come by drawing (May 1-31); the refuge at Peck Ranch is closed to elk hunting.
Last word on Salem Ranger District
Confirm methods, permits and the Reynolds County deer rules for Salem Ranger District before the drive.
Sources: 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); Chris M Morris (CC BY 2.0); David Nichols (CC BY-SA 2.0).