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Conservation area · Southwest Region
Shawnee Trail Conservation Area, a hunter guide
Conservation area in Barton County, 3,635 acres, MDC Southwest Region.
Photo: Osbornb (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Shawnee Trail Conservation Area
Shawnee Trail Conservation Area basics
At 3,635 acres, Shawnee Trail Conservation Area is part of the public ground of Barton County. Among the 14 conservation areas of Barton County, it sits 2nd for acres. The Golden Grasslands district (MDC Southwest Region) handles habitat work on Shawnee Trail Conservation Area.
The atlas entry for Shawnee Trail Conservation Area also shows camping (individual campsites), field trials (special use permit), fishing (sunfish, catfish, black bass) and trapping (special use permit).
MDC describes the area this way: The 3,635-acre area takes its name from a trail through the area that played a major role in the history of this country. This trail, sometimes called the Texas Road, was at various times followed by Native Americans, traders heading toward Santa Fe, settlers moving to Texas, and Texas cattlemen heading to Sedalia, Quincy, and Chicago. Between 1845 and 1858, the Shawnee Trail became an important cattle route for moving Texas beef to eastern markets and later to Independence, Kansas City, and Westport, where settlers moving to California and Oregon bought provisions before starting their long trips. As many as 50,000 head per year made the trip from Austin and Waco to the northern markets. Shawnee Trail Conservation Area offers opportunities for hunting, fishing, hiking, birding, camping, and nature photography. During your visit to the area you may observe wildlife management, research, and soil conservation projects in progress. Sharecrop agreements with local farmers help provide food and cover for wildlife.
Hunted here: Deer, Black bear, Turkey, Rabbit, Squirrel, Dove, Quail, Waterfowl.
- White-tailed Deer
- Black Bear
- Wild Turkey
- Eastern Cottontail
- Gray Squirrel
- Fox Squirrel
- Mourning Dove
- Northern Bobwhite Quail
From the agency record (Missouri Department of Conservation); checked October 29, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Shawnee Trail Conservation Area
How Shawnee Trail Conservation Area may be hunted
Read these before a first trip to Shawnee Trail Conservation Area; posted signs still govern.
| Species | Allowed | Permit note |
|---|---|---|
| White-tailed Deer | Muzzleloader, archery | Allowed |
| Wild Turkey | Archery and firearms | – |
| Black Bear | Archery and firearms | Zone permit |
| Eastern Cottontail | Statewide methods | – |
| Gray Squirrel | Statewide methods | – |
| Northern Bobwhite Quail | Statewide methods | – |
| Mourning Dove | Statewide methods | Nontoxic for doves |
| Ducks | Open Hunting | Nontoxic shot |
Code rules for Shawnee Trail Conservation Area
- Field trials are allowed on this department area only by special use permit. To obtain a special use permit, contact the area manager at the phone number listed for this area in the area details section.
Plan on muzzleloader and archery methods for deer at Shawnee Trail Conservation Area; antlerless permits may be used. The turkey rule on Shawnee Trail Conservation Area reads archery and firearms. MDC lists black bear on Shawnee Trail Conservation Area, archery and firearms, for hunters drawn for that zone. In the booklet table Shawnee Trail Conservation Area carries antlerless code A: antlerless permits allowed. Nontoxic shot applies to dove hunting on Shawnee Trail Conservation Area. Listed or not matters on MDC ground: Shawnee Trail 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.
Shawnee Trail Conservation Area duck rules
No draw is needed for ducks on Shawnee Trail Conservation Area; it is open hunting. Use South Zone dates for Shawnee Trail Conservation Area, but check the digest if you hunt close to a zone line. Federal law makes nontoxic shot mandatory for waterfowl.
| Season | Start | End |
|---|---|---|
| Youth waterfowl days | Nov 21, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 |
| Ducks, split 1 | Nov 26, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 |
| Ducks, split 2 | Dec 7, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 |
2026-2027 Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Digest, managed areas; area page; checked October 29, 2026.
Shawnee Trail Conservation Area dove fields
The 2026 MDC dove field layer maps 8 fields on Shawnee Trail Conservation Area, 79.0 acres planted as sunflower. Each field is tagged open to all hunters. Shawnee Trail 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 Shawnee Trail Conservation Area
| Topic | Barton 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 3 |
| Duck zone | South |
There are no deer units in Missouri; Barton County is the unit for Shawnee Trail Conservation Area, with a firearms antlerless limit of 4. The early (Oct. 9-11) and late (Dec. 5-13) antlerless portions are open in Barton County. No grain, salt or mineral sites in Barton County: the ban runs all year. For bear, Barton County is in BMZ 3 (250 permits drawn, quota 8). The CWD portion, the CWD Management Zone and the antler-point restriction were removed for 2026.
2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet county rules, MDC CWD rules and 2026 bear digest; checked October 29, 2026.
Shawnee Trail Conservation Area by season
These 24 rows are the 2026-27 seasons that fit Shawnee Trail 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 | 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 | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | South Zone | Nov 21, 2026 | Nov 22, 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 | |
| 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 |
Use a muzzleloader in the firearms portions on Shawnee Trail Conservation Area. 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 Shawnee Trail Conservation Area
Totals are for the whole county.
Barton County gave up 1,844 deer in 2025; the table runs back to 2020. In spring 2026, 353 turkeys were checked in Barton County, 12 of them reported from public land. For CWD, Barton County shows 34 positives over the years listed (first year 2022-2023).
| Season | Bucks | Button bucks | Does | County total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 993 | 117 | 734 | 1,844 |
| 2024 | 1,003 | 121 | 726 | 1,850 |
| 2023 | 993 | 152 | 821 | 1,966 |
| 2022 | 1,057 | 149 | 887 | 2,093 |
| 2021 | 1,001 | 122 | 788 | 1,911 |
| 2020 | 1,023 | 132 | 793 | 1,948 |
| Year | Spring | Public | Youth | Fall gun | Fall bow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 353 | 12 | 40 | – | – |
| 2025 | 336 | 20 | 42 | 11 | 5 |
| 2024 | 308 | 28 | 36 | 4 | 7 |
| 2023 | 288 | 22 | 20 | 6 | 9 |
| 2022 | 227 | – | 20 | 4 | 14 |
| 2021 | 199 | – | 20 | 4 | 12 |
| Year | Samples | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 | 25 | 1 |
| 2024 | 545 | 9 |
| 2023 | 722 | 15 |
| 2022 | 702 | 9 |
| 2021 | 70 | 0 |
MDC 2025 deer harvest summary, MDC turkey harvest summaries and MDC CWD dashboard; earlier years from the yearly reports. Checked October 29, 2026.
Shawnee Trail Conservation Area: the surrounding public ground
The map pins Shawnee Trail Conservation Area with the 8 closest public areas, led by The Lester R. Davis Memorial Forest at 4.2 mi.
| Nearby | Kind | Acres | County | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Lester R. Davis Memorial Forest | State forest | 85 | Barton | 4.2 mi | north |
| Mon-Shon Prairie CA | Conservation area | 80 | Barton | 5.4 mi | south |
| Lonestar Prairie (MRAP) | MRAP tract | 486 | Barton | 11 mi | north |
| Redwing Prairie CA | Conservation area | 160 | Barton | 11 mi | northeast |
| Bethel Prairie CA | Conservation area | 260 | Barton | 12 mi | east |
| Drywood CA | Conservation area | 100 | Barton | 12 mi | north |
| Mo-No-I Prairie CA | Conservation area | 302 | Barton | 13 mi | northeast |
| Comstock Prairie CA | Conservation area | 320 | Barton | 15 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 Shawnee Trail Conservation Area
The short run for gas and food is Mindenmines, 2.6 mi out. 53,605 people live in Joplin, the largest town within reach. Driving route: From Mindenmines take Highway 160 east, then Route M south 1 mile to the area. MDC permits and advice: Shawnee Trail Conservation Area Field Office, Mindenmines, 1.2 mi away.
| Town | County | 2024 population | Away | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mindenmines | Barton | 277 | 2.6 mi | north |
| Lamar | Barton | 4,299 | 17 mi | east |
| Sheldon | Vernon | 436 | 22 mi | northeast |
| Carthage | Jasper | 15,703 | 24 mi | southeast |
| Joplin | Jasper | 53,605 | 26 mi | south |
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 Shawnee Trail Conservation Area
Sunrise in the Bootheel and in the Kansas City area can be 20 minutes apart, so use the adjusted times for Shawnee Trail Conservation Area.
| Day | Hunt | Sun up | Sun down | Big game window | Migratory window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 2026 | Dove opener | 6:47 a.m. | 7:48 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 8:18 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 7:48 p.m. |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Archery opener | 6:59 a.m. | 7:26 p.m. | 6:29 a.m. to 7:56 p.m. | 6:29 a.m. to 7:26 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall firearms turkey | 7:14 a.m. | 7:00 p.m. | 6:44 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. | 6:44 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Middle Zone ducks | 6:51 a.m. | 5:11 p.m. | 6:21 a.m. to 5:41 p.m. | 6:21 a.m. to 5:11 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | November firearms opener | 6:59 a.m. | 5:05 p.m. | 6:29 a.m. to 5:35 p.m. | 6:29 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Alternative methods | 7:34 a.m. | 5:03 p.m. | 7:04 a.m. to 5:33 p.m. | 7:04 a.m. to 5:03 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Archery close | 7:34 a.m. | 5:21 p.m. | 7:04 a.m. to 5:51 p.m. | 7:04 a.m. to 5:21 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.
Shawnee Trail Conservation Area hunters: public range and clubs
Fort Crowder CA range (public, free) is 45 miles from Shawnee Trail 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 Shawnee Trail Conservation Area
Shawnee Trail Conservation Area, quick questions
Open hours at Shawnee Trail Conservation Area?
Camping is listed on the area page.
How large an area is Shawnee Trail Conservation Area?
In charge: Missouri Department of Conservation. Acres: 3,635.
Shawnee Trail Conservation Area: open to hunters?
It is open to hunting: deer, black bear, turkey, rabbit, squirrel, dove, quail and waterfowl, under statewide seasons and the area rules.
Permits needed for Shawnee Trail Conservation Area?
MDC permits by game: Small Game, Archer's, Firearms Any-Deer or Antlerless, Migratory Bird.
Are antlerless portions open near Shawnee Trail Conservation Area?
Up to 4 antlerless deer on firearms permits in Barton County; antlerless portions run in October and December.
Which weapons are legal for deer at Shawnee Trail Conservation Area?
Muzzleloader and archery methods. Antlerless permits are allowed.
Is fall turkey open at Shawnee Trail Conservation Area?
Archery and firearms for turkey; the October firearms season is open in the county.
Is there mandatory CWD testing near Shawnee Trail Conservation Area?
No mandatory sampling, plus the feed and mineral ban.
Which duck zone covers Shawnee Trail Conservation Area?
Hunt ducks under open hunting; the county is in the South Zone.
Can I hunt bear on Shawnee Trail Conservation Area?
Barton County is in Bear Management Zone 3 (250 permits, quota 8); the area lists bear.
First and last shooting light at Shawnee Trail Conservation Area?
6:30 a.m. to 5:36 p.m. for deer on opening day; ducks end at 5:06 p.m..
Dove hunting fields on Shawnee Trail Conservation Area?
MDC mapped 8 dove fields (79.0 acres).
Town nearest Shawnee Trail Conservation Area?
Mindenmines, 2.6 mi by straight line.
Where is the next public ground after Shawnee Trail Conservation Area?
Closest public options are The Lester R. Davis Memorial Forest (4.2 mi), Mon-Shon Prairie Conservation Area (5.4 mi) and Lonestar Prairie (MRAP) (11 mi).
Shawnee Trail Conservation Area: confirm these first
Area rules, closures and managed hunt notices on Shawnee Trail Conservation Area can change; posted signs and the agency page have the final word.
Sources: source · source · source · source · source · source; regulations from the 2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet. Checked October 29, 2026.
Other photos on this page: mostateparks (Public Domain Mark 1.0); David Nichols (CC BY-SA 2.0); Joseph Gage (CC BY-SA 2.0).