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Doves, rails, snipe and woodcock
American woodcock hunting in Missouri
American Woodcock in Missouri: every 2026-27 season row with its source.
Photo: GerryT (CC BY 2.0)
The woodcock calendar for 2026-27 covers Oct 18 to Dec 1, 2026; permits, limits, legal light and land come after the dates.
How MDC sums up woodcock
- Limits: 3 daily, 9 possession.
- Season shape: Oct 18-Dec 1.
MDC source (as of Jun 17, 2026), checked October 29, 2026.
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American Woodcock dates, 2026-27
Read the woodcock rows by area: counties, bear zones, the elk counties or duck zones where they apply.
| Season | Covers | Bag | Opening | Closing | Span | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woodcock season | Statewide | 3 daily, 9 possession | Oct 18, 2026 | Dec 1, 2026 | 45 |
From Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Digest p. 10, checked October 29, 2026.
Bag limits and permit costs for woodcock
A $5 Share the Harvest donation can be added when buying woodcock permits.
| Group | Limit |
|---|---|
| Woodcock | 3 daily, 9 possession. |
Permit list for woodcock
| Permit | Residency | Who | Price | Valid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Migratory Bird | resident | Age 16+ | $8 | To June 30, 2027 |
| Migratory Bird | nonresident | Age 16+ | $60 | To June 30, 2027 |
| Small Game | resident | Age 16-64 | $11.50 | Permit year |
| Daily Small Game | nonresident | All | $16 | 1 day |
| Small Game | nonresident | Age 16+ | $108.50 | Permit year |
| Small Game and Fishing | resident | All | $22.50 | Permit year |
From Hunting and Trapping Summary p. 8, Hunting and Trapping Summary p. 9, Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Digest p. 10 and Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Digest p. 6, checked October 29, 2026.
Public areas that list woodcock
Woodcock can be hunted on 240 public places that list woodcock and quail; each area page has its own method limits.
| Area | County | Acres | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Potosi / Fredericktown district (Mark Twain National Forest) | Iron County | 290,899 | Ranger district |
| Salem district (Mark Twain National Forest) | Reynolds County | 195,986 | Ranger district |
| Clearwater Lake Management Lands | Reynolds County | 12,659 | Corps lake lands |
| Schell-Osage Conservation Area | St. Clair County | 8,635 | Conservation Area |
| Pea Ridge Conservation Area | Washington County | 8,494 | Conservation Area |
| Pomme De Terre Lake lands | Polk County | 4,804 | Corps lake lands |
| B. K. Leach Memorial CA | Lincoln County | 4,308 | Conservation Area |
| Ted Shanks Conservation Area | Pike County | 4,026 | Conservation Area |
| Reform Conservation Area | Callaway County | 3,580 | Conservation Area |
| Wah'Kon-Tah Prairie | Cedar County | 3,504 | Conservation Area |
| Mussel Fork Conservation Area | Linn County | 2,440 | Conservation Area |
| Lake Paho Conservation Area | Mercer County | 2,350 | Conservation Area |
| Blind Pony Lake CA | Saline County | 2,247 | Conservation Area |
| Happy Holler Lake CA | Andrew County | 2,207 | Conservation Area |
| Kind of land | Areas |
|---|---|
| Conservation Area | 191 |
| Public Access Area | 19 |
| Corps lake lands | 18 |
| Ranger district | 6 |
| Cooperative Area | 3 |
| Natural Area | 2 |
| National Forest | 1 |
| MDC region | Areas |
|---|---|
| Kansas City | 48 |
| Northwest | 39 |
| Southwest | 39 |
| Ozark | 32 |
| Northeast | 30 |
| Central | 24 |
| Southeast | 22 |
| St. Louis | 6 |
Area lists from MDC area pages and the MDC places directory; methods from the MDC atlas; checked October 29, 2026.
Before you hunt woodcock
- Hours: For woodcock, legal time is sunrise minus 30 minutes to sunset in every zone and split.
- Visibility: Woodcock hunters need no orange even when a firearms deer portion is open.
- Feed and bait: Doves may be hunted over normal agricultural work on the land where the crop grew; waterfowl may not be hunted over manipulated crops.
- Reporting: HIP registration comes with the migratory bird permit; leave a head or a feathered wing on each bird you carry home.
Methods for woodcock hunting
| Methods | Rule |
|---|---|
| Legal | Shotguns 10 ga or smaller plugged to 3 shells; nontoxic shot for waterfowl and coots; electronically switched mechanical calls for waterfowl. |
| Not legal | Rifles, pistols, recorded/amplified calls (except crows and the light goose order), sink boxes, live decoys, bait, motor vehicles/aircraft. |
Nontoxic shot: Required for waterfowl and coots statewide; for doves on 26 areas and all shotgun hunting on 46 MDC areas.
shooting hours, hunter orange, methods, checked October 29, 2026.
American Woodcock: first and last legal minutes
MDC prints one sun table for Jefferson City; the woodcock times here are adjusted by longitude for six counties.
| Date | County | Opens | Closes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 18, 2026 | Jackson County | 7:00 a.m. | 6:35 p.m. |
| Oct 18, 2026 | St. Louis County | 6:44 a.m. | 6:19 p.m. |
| Oct 18, 2026 | Greene County | 6:56 a.m. | 6:31 p.m. |
| Oct 18, 2026 | Boone County | 6:52 a.m. | 6:27 p.m. |
| Oct 18, 2026 | Cape Girardeau County | 6:41 a.m. | 6:16 p.m. |
| Oct 18, 2026 | Nodaway County | 7:02 a.m. | 6:37 p.m. |
| Dec 1, 2026 | Jackson County | 6:46 a.m. | 4:57 p.m. |
| Dec 1, 2026 | St. Louis County | 6:30 a.m. | 4:41 p.m. |
| Dec 1, 2026 | Greene County | 6:42 a.m. | 4:53 p.m. |
| Dec 1, 2026 | Boone County | 6:38 a.m. | 4:49 p.m. |
| Dec 1, 2026 | Cape Girardeau County | 6:27 a.m. | 4:38 p.m. |
| Dec 1, 2026 | Nodaway County | 6:48 a.m. | 4:59 p.m. |
MDC sunrise and sunset table with the MDC longitude rule; checked October 29, 2026. Legal hours for every county.
American Woodcock hunting FAQ
Does Missouri require a woodcock check?
HIP registration comes with the migratory bird permit; leave a head or a feathered wing on each bird you carry home.
Are Sundays open for woodcock?
Yes. Missouri has no Sunday rule, and woodcock seasons run seven days a week.
What dates apply to woodcock this season?
Woodcock season Oct 18 to Dec 1, 2026.
What are the woodcock limits?
3 daily, 9 possession.
Which permit do woodcock hunters buy?
For woodcock, the resident Migratory Bird permit costs $8 (Age 16+). A nonresident hunting woodcock pays $60 for the Migratory Bird permit. Prices for woodcock permits match the Wildlife Code fee schedule.
What can I hunt woodcock with?
Shotguns 10 ga or smaller plugged to 3 shells; nontoxic shot for waterfowl and coots; electronically switched mechanical calls for waterfowl. Not legal: Rifles, pistols, recorded/amplified calls (except crows and the light goose order), sink boxes, live decoys, bait, motor vehicles/aircraft.
What time can I start hunting woodcock?
For woodcock, legal time is sunrise minus 30 minutes to sunset in every zone and split.
Is hunter orange required for woodcock?
Woodcock hunters need no orange even when a firearms deer portion is open.
Is there public land for woodcock?
240 public areas in this guide list woodcock or the hunting group that covers them; the largest include Mark Twain National Forest, Doniphan / Eleven Point district (Mark Twain National Forest) and Ava/Cassville/Willow Springs district (Mark Twain National Forest). Read each area page before a woodcock hunt, since methods vary.