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Conservation area · Southwest Region
Wire Road Conservation Area, a hunter guide
Conservation area in Stone County, 1,003 acres, MDC Southwest Region.
Photo: Drew de F Fawkes (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Wire Road Conservation Area
Wire Road Conservation Area basics
At 1,003 acres, Wire Road Conservation Area is part of the public ground of Stone County. Among the 4 conservation areas of Stone County, it sits 2nd for acres. The White River district (MDC Southwest Region) handles habitat work on Wire Road Conservation Area.
The atlas entry for Wire Road Conservation Area also shows trails (biking, horseback, hiking) and fishing (trout).
MDC describes the area this way: Wire Road Conservation Area is a 1,003-acre area located in northwestern Stone County. In 1983, the department purchased 325 acres to officially create Wire Road Conservation Area. Additional land was purchased in the following years to increase the area to it's current size. The area was named Wire Road after a pre-Civil War road that followed a telegraph line between Rolla, MO and Fort Smith, AR that ran through the area. A field at the junction of Crane Creek and the original Wire Road was an important encampment during the Civil War. It was occupied by several thousand Confederate troops before and after the Battle of Wilson's Creek. A fork of the Cherokee Trail of Tears also passed through this area, as well as the famous Butterfield Stage Route. A major trail of some sort is thought to have existed on this area since Europeans first traveled in Stone County. Wire Road Conservation Area consists primarily of typical upland oak-hickory forest and bottomland hardwoods, including sycamore, bur oak, northern red oak, and black walnut.
Hunted here: Deer, Black bear, Turkey, Rabbit, Squirrel, Dove.
From the agency record (Missouri Department of Conservation); checked October 29, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Wire Road Conservation Area
How Wire Road Conservation Area may be hunted
Read these before a first trip to Wire Road 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 | – |
| Mourning Dove | Statewide methods | – |
Code rules for Wire Road 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. Horses may be used year-round on multi-use trails designated as open to equestrian uses.
Plan on muzzleloader and archery methods for deer at Wire Road Conservation Area; antlerless permits may be used. The turkey rule on Wire Road Conservation Area reads archery and firearms. MDC lists black bear on Wire Road Conservation Area, archery and firearms, for hunters drawn for that zone. In the booklet table Wire Road Conservation Area carries antlerless code A: antlerless permits allowed. Listed or not matters on MDC ground: Wire Road 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.
County deer rules for Wire Road Conservation Area
| Topic | Stone 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 1 |
| Duck zone | South |
There are no deer units in Missouri; Stone County is the unit for Wire Road Conservation Area, with a firearms antlerless limit of 4. The early (Oct. 9-11) and late (Dec. 5-13) antlerless portions are open in Stone County. No grain, salt or mineral sites in Stone County: the ban runs all year. For bear, Stone County is in BMZ 1 (1,000 permits drawn, quota 30). 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.
Wire Road Conservation Area by season
These 15 rows are the 2026-27 seasons that fit Wire Road 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 1 | Bear zone 1 | 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 | |
| Doves | Dove season | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 |
Use a muzzleloader in the firearms portions on Wire Road 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 Wire Road Conservation Area
Totals are for the whole county.
Stone County gave up 2,137 deer in 2025; the table runs back to 2020. In spring 2026, 295 turkeys were checked in Stone County, 35 of them reported from public land. For CWD, Stone County shows 20 positives over the years listed (first year 2018-2019).
| Season | Bucks | Button bucks | Does | County total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,130 | 170 | 837 | 2,137 |
| 2024 | 894 | 151 | 833 | 1,878 |
| 2023 | 1,187 | 166 | 1,034 | 2,387 |
| 2022 | 997 | 146 | 741 | 1,884 |
| 2021 | 936 | 128 | 744 | 1,808 |
| 2020 | 871 | 141 | 739 | 1,751 |
| Year | Spring | Public | Youth | Fall gun | Fall bow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 295 | 35 | 41 | – | – |
| 2025 | 312 | 30 | 25 | 9 | 9 |
| 2024 | 282 | 32 | 22 | 7 | 11 |
| 2023 | 247 | 38 | 10 | 18 | 15 |
| 2022 | 208 | – | 16 | 15 | 12 |
| 2021 | 204 | – | 27 | 12 | 8 |
| Year | Samples | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2 | 0 |
| 2025 | 47 | 0 |
| 2024 | 126 | 3 |
| 2023 | 501 | 7 |
| 2022 | 572 | 4 |
| 2021 | 501 | 6 |
MDC 2025 deer harvest summary, MDC turkey harvest summaries and MDC CWD dashboard; earlier years from the yearly reports. Checked October 29, 2026.
Wire Road Conservation Area: the surrounding public ground
The map pins Wire Road Conservation Area with the 8 closest public areas, led by Hayes Spring Conservation Area at 7.6 mi.
| Nearby | Kind | Acres | County | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hayes Spring CA | Conservation area | 104 | Stone | 7.6 mi | east |
| Holland State Forest | State forest | 160 | Stone | 12 mi | east |
| Jessie Hollow CA | Conservation area | 120 | Stone | 12 mi | southeast |
| Stubblefield Access | Public access area | 56 | Barry | 12 mi | southwest |
| Busiek State Forest and WA | Conservation area | 2,701 | Christian | 19 mi | east |
| Paris Springs Access | Public access area | 208 | Lawrence | 20 mi | north |
| Table Rock Lake (Corps) | Corps lake | – | Stone, Barry | 22 mi | south |
| John Baumgardt Memorial CA | Conservation area | 503 | Barry | 23 mi | southwest |
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 Wire Road Conservation Area
The short run for gas and food is Galena, 9.6 mi out. 23,248 people live in Ozark, the largest town within reach. Driving route: Wire Road Conservation Area consists of several tracts. To get to the largest tract, located northwest of Crane, take Highway 413 north 1.10 miles, then Old Wire Road west 1 mile to a parking lot on the north side of the road. A small tract, with a parking lot, is located in the City of Crane on the east side of Highway 413, just south of Crane Creek on the opposite side of the creek from the city ball park. Another tract is located 1 mile southeast of Crane. From the junction of Highway 413 and Swinging Bridge Road, take Swinging Bridge Road east 0.40 miles, then Grisham Ford Road north 0.15 mile across Crane Creek to a parking lot on the east side of the road. MDC permits and advice: Springfield Conservation Nature Center, Springfield, 24 mi away.
| Town | County | 2024 population | Away | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Galena | Stone | 476 | 9.6 mi | southeast |
| Spokane | Christian | – | 16 mi | east |
| Branson West | Stone | 495 | 19 mi | southeast |
| Mount Vernon | Lawrence | 4,703 | 19 mi | northwest |
| Ozark | Christian | 23,248 | 21 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.
Shooting hours in Wire Road Conservation Area
Sunrise in the Bootheel and in the Kansas City area can be 20 minutes apart, so use the adjusted times for Wire Road Conservation Area.
| Day | Hunt | Sun up | Sun down | Big game window | Migratory window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Wire Road Conservation Area hunters: public range and clubs
Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area Shooting Range (public, free) is 19 miles from Wire Road 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 Wire Road Conservation Area
Wire Road Conservation Area, quick questions
Are antlerless portions open near Wire Road Conservation Area?
Up to 4 antlerless deer on firearms permits in Stone County; antlerless portions run in October and December.
Which weapons are legal for deer at Wire Road Conservation Area?
Muzzleloader and archery methods. Antlerless permits are allowed.
Is fall turkey open at Wire Road Conservation Area?
Archery and firearms for turkey; the October firearms season is open in the county.
Is there mandatory CWD testing near Wire Road Conservation Area?
No mandatory sampling, plus the feed and mineral ban.
First and last shooting light at Wire Road Conservation Area?
6:26 a.m. to 5:32 p.m. for deer on opening day; ducks end at 5:02 p.m..
Can I hunt bear on Wire Road Conservation Area?
Stone County is in Bear Management Zone 1 (1,000 permits, quota 30); the area lists bear.
Town nearest Wire Road Conservation Area?
Galena, 9.6 mi by straight line.
Where is the next public ground after Wire Road Conservation Area?
Closest public options are Hayes Spring Conservation Area (7.6 mi), Holland State Forest (12 mi) and Jessie Hollow Conservation Area (12 mi).
Open hours at Wire Road Conservation Area?
Open 4 a.m. to 10 p.m.. No camping is listed.
How large an area is Wire Road Conservation Area?
In charge: Missouri Department of Conservation. Acres: 1,003.
Wire Road Conservation Area: open to hunters?
It is open to hunting: deer, black bear, turkey, rabbit, squirrel and dove, under statewide seasons and the area rules.
Permits needed for Wire Road Conservation Area?
MDC permits by game: Small Game, Archer's, Firearms Any-Deer or Antlerless, Migratory Bird.
Wire Road Conservation Area: confirm these first
Area rules, closures and managed hunt notices on Wire Road Conservation Area can change; posted signs and the agency page have the final word.
Sources: source · source · source · source; regulations from the 2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet. Checked October 29, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Drew de F Fawkes (CC BY 2.0); Victoria – Ozarks Crescent Mural (CC BY 2.0); USFWS Midwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0).