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MDC Kansas City Region
Tracts, county rules and seasons near Bent Tree Harbor, Missouri
Bent Tree Harbor, MDC Kansas City Region: tracts inside 10 miles, the rules of each county they touch, opening-weekend CWD sampling and local shops.
Photo: Benton County scenery standing in for Bent Tree Harbor: Sunset over the native grassland of the Cole Camp Prairies in Benton County. USFWS Midwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Benton County counts Bent Tree Harbor among its communities; county business happens in Warsaw. Bent Tree Harbor earned its listing as the town that borders Harry S. Truman Lake (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers). Bent Tree Harbor was picked as the base town for Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Leesville), whose closest boundary lies 3.7 miles out. Bent Tree Harbor has no city government, and the Census 2024 estimates leave it out. About 81,624 acres of public ground lie inside a 10-mile radius of Bent Tree Harbor. Benton County as a whole carries roughly 61,870 public acres (12,670 acres of MDC land, 56,803 acres of Corps fee land and 1,404 acres of state parks and historic sites). Measured from the town point, the first area is Harry S. Truman Lake (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers), which reaches into town.
Town point and land area from the Census 2024 Gazetteer; public acreage and boundary miles within 10 miles are a GIS measure over MDC, USFS, USFWS, Corps and NPS boundaries (places.json). MDC region from the MDC Regions layer. Checked October 29, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Bent Tree Harbor
Bent Tree Harbor deer rules by county, 2026
MDC sets deer rules county by county, and public land near Bent Tree Harbor can sit in a different county from the town, so every county holding a nearby area gets a row.
| County | Fill limit | Portions open | CWD Nov. 14-15 | Grain, salt ban | Turkey, fall | Bear zone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benton County home county | 4 | Open | Nov. 14-15 | Yes | Open | Zone 3 |
| Henry County | 4 | Open | No | Yes | Open | Zone 3 |
| St. Clair County | 4 | Open | Nov. 14-15 | Yes | Open | Zone 3 |
| Hickory County | 4 | Open | No | Yes | Open | Zone 3 |
Benton County carries a firearms antlerless limit of 4. Benton County joins the 100 counties where the antlerless portions are open. Mandatory CWD sampling covers Benton County on Nov. 14-15, 2026; stations are open 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. MDC bans deer feed and minerals in Benton County year-round. Donating a Benton County deer to Share the Harvest means a CWD test first. Zone 3 bear hunting reaches Benton County (Oct 17 to Oct 30, 2026). Check the 2026-2030 digest map: the older layer shows Benton County in the Middle Zone (100%).
Sampling stops nearby
| Site | Address | Town | County | How far |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MDC Lost Valley Fish Hatchery | 28232 Hatchery Ave. | Warsaw | Benton | 8.0 mi |
| MDC Osceola Wildlife Shop | 3815 NE. Hwy. 13 | Osceola | St. Clair | 17 mi |
| Cole Camp High School – Football Field Parking Lot | 500 S. Keeney St. | Cole Camp | Benton | 21 mi |
County rules from the 2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet county table; CWD sampling counties and stations from the MDC CWD pages; bear zones from the 2026 Black Bear Hunting Digest; elk from the 2026 Elk Hunting Digest; duck zones from the 2026-2027 waterfowl digest and the 2021-2025 MDC zone layer. Checked October 29, 2026.
Public ground from Bent Tree Harbor
The map and table share 10 areas; bold pins mark land whose boundary comes within 10 miles of Bent Tree Harbor.
| Public land | Miles | Kind | Run by | Deer methods | Antlerless | Acres | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harry S. Truman Lake (Corps) key area | at town | Corps lake | Corps | Corps rules | – | – | Corps page unread |
| Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Leesville) key area | 3.7 mi N | Corps land, MDC | MDC | Bow and gun | Allowed | 1,808 | – |
| Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Brush Creek) key area | 4.9 mi N | Corps land, MDC | MDC | Bow and gun | Allowed | 3,201 | – |
| Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Little Tebo Creek) | 5.5 mi NE | Corps land, MDC | MDC | Bow and gun | Allowed | 1,708 | – |
| Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Valhalla) key area | 5.6 mi SW | Corps land, MDC | MDC | Bow and gun | Allowed | 1,765 | – |
| Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Cedar Creek) | 5.7 mi NW | Corps land, MDC | MDC | Bow and gun | Allowed | 670 | – |
| Lost Valley Fish Hatchery | 6.9 mi E | Hatchery | MDC | Archery only | Allowed | 969 | Managed hunts too |
| Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Upper Tebo Creek) | 7.4 mi NW | Corps land, MDC | MDC | Bow and gun | Allowed | 7,736 | 13 dove fields |
| Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Little Pomme de Terre) | 7.8 mi S | Corps land, MDC | MDC | Bow and gun | Allowed | 2,238 | – |
| Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Gouge Eye) | 7.9 mi W | Corps land, MDC | MDC | Bow and gun | Allowed | 573 | – |
Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Upper Tebo Creek) is the biggest tract touching the ring, at 7,736 acres. Sorted by program, the nearby land is 1 conservation or natural area and 9 Corps lake tracts. For deer at Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Leesville), MDC lists archery and firearms, and antlerless permits may be filled there. Corps land at Harry S. Truman Lake (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) is open except posted and developed areas; its district hunting page could not be read for this guide. Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Upper Tebo Creek) is on the 2026 dove field layer with 13 fields.
Close-up on the nearest tracts
- Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Leesville): Harry S. Truman Reservoir management lands consist of 58,133 acres distributed around the reservoir in parts of Henry, Benton, Hickory, and St. Clair counties in west central Missouri.
- Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Brush Creek): Harry S. Truman Reservoir management lands consist of 58,133 acres distributed around the reservoir in parts of Henry, Benton, Hickory, and St. Clair counties in west central Missouri.
- Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Little Tebo Creek): Harry S. Truman Reservoir management lands consist of 58,133 acres distributed around the reservoir in parts of Henry, Benton, Hickory, and St. Clair counties in west central Missouri.
- Driving to Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Leesville): From Tightwad, take Route PP north for 2.25 miles, then SE 80 east to the area.
Lands from MDC area pages and GIS layers, USFS, USFWS, NPS, Corps and Missouri State Parks records (lands.json; each land page cites its own source). Boundary miles from places.json, other miles to each mapped point. Deer methods and antlerless permit status from the 2026 Fall Deer and Turkey booklet area table and the MDC area deer quick view. Checked October 29, 2026.
Benton County harvest for Bent Tree Harbor hunters
Figures cover the entire county; MDC prints no harvest for a single town. 2025 brought 4,228 deer, after 3,915 in 2024. In 2025, 1,853 checked deer were antlered bucks. Harvest density in 2025: 6.3 deer per square mile. In spring 2026 the county turkey harvest reached 546. The latest fall firearms figure is 28 (2025). Benton County has 0 CWD-positive deer out of 2,266 samples on the MDC dashboard.
| Year | Total | Antlered | Button bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 4,148 | 1,729 | 416 | 2,003 |
| 2023 | 4,692 | 1,979 | 439 | 2,274 |
| 2024 | 3,915 | 1,664 | 365 | 1,886 |
| 2025 | 4,228 | 1,853 | 431 | 1,944 |
| Part of season | Total |
|---|---|
| Archery | 887 |
| Early youth | 263 |
| November | 2,313 |
| Late youth | 37 |
| Alt. methods | 177 |
| Managed hunts | 48 |
| Year | Birds | Public land |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 547 | 84 |
| 2024 | 498 | 75 |
| 2025 | 611 | 97 |
| 2026 | 546 | 90 |
| Season | Deer tested | Positives |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 141 | 0 |
| 2024 | 127 | 0 |
| 2025 | 128 | 0 |
| 2026 | 10 | 0 |
Deer from the MDC 2025-2026 deer harvest summary and earlier summaries (harvest.json; 2017-2019 county totals exclude managed hunts); density from the MDC 2025 deer season report; turkey from the MDC turkey harvest summaries; CWD from the MDC CWD dashboard. Checked October 29, 2026.
Bent Tree Harbor open seasons, 2026-27
MDC sets deer rules county by county, and Benton County allows 4 antlerless deer on firearms permits. The 37 rows below come from the 2026 MDC booklets.
| Game | Segment | Scope | Opening day | Closing 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 | |
| Pheasant | Youth pheasant | Statewide | Oct 24, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Pheasant | Pheasant | 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 | |
| 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 | |
| Ducks and coots | Ducks, split 1 | Middle Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Ducks and coots | Ducks, split 2 | Middle Zone | Dec 19, 2026 | Jan 10, 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 | |
| Coyote | Coyote hunting | Statewide | Jan 1, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Groundhog | Groundhog | Statewide | May 11, 2026 | Dec 15, 2026 | |
| Bullfrogs and green frogs | Frogging | Statewide | Jun 30, 2026 | Oct 31, 2026 | |
| Raccoon, opossum, skunk | Hunt and trap, early | Statewide | Aug 1, 2026 | Oct 15, 2026 | |
| Rails | Rail season | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Snipe | Snipe season | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Dec 16, 2026 | |
| Crow | Crow season | Statewide | Nov 1, 2026 | Mar 3, 2027 | |
| 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 |
From the 2026 Fall Deer and Turkey Hunting Regulations, the 2026-2027 Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Digest and the 2026 hunting and trapping summary (Missouri Department of Conservation), checked October 29, 2026.
Bent Tree Harbor drawn deer hunts
Benton County holds 3 managed deer hunts on the 2026-27 list, at Lost Valley Fish Hatchery — Portion of Area Closed to Hunting and Truman Dam and Reservoir ML. Apply each July; the 2026 deadline was Jul 31, 2026.
| Area | Type | Dates | Drawn | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lost Valley Fish Hatchery — Portion of Area Closed to Hunting | Archery | Nov. 14–24 | 6 | B |
| Lost Valley Fish Hatchery — Portion of Area Closed to Hunting | Youth – Shotguns | Nov. 28–29 | 5 | A |
| Truman Dam and Reservoir ML | People with Disabilities – Firearms | Nov. 6–8 | 25 | B |
From the MDC Managed Deer Hunts List 2026-2027; limit codes are explained there. Checked October 29, 2026.
Legal light, Bent Tree Harbor
Deer, bear, elk and fall archery turkey may be taken from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset; ducks, geese, doves and fall firearms turkey stop at sunset.
| Date | Opener or close | Sunrise | Sunset | Deer | Migratory |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 2026 | Dove opener | 6:42 a.m. | 7:43 p.m. | 6:12 a.m.–8:13 p.m. | 6:12 a.m.–7:43 p.m. |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Archery opener | 6:54 a.m. | 7:21 p.m. | 6:24 a.m.–7:51 p.m. | 6:24 a.m.–7:21 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall firearms turkey | 7:09 a.m. | 6:55 p.m. | 6:39 a.m.–7:25 p.m. | 6:39 a.m.–6:55 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Middle Zone ducks | 6:46 a.m. | 5:06 p.m. | 6:16 a.m.–5:36 p.m. | 6:16 a.m.–5:06 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | November firearms opener | 6:54 a.m. | 5:00 p.m. | 6:24 a.m.–5:30 p.m. | 6:24 a.m.–5:00 p.m. |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Alternative methods | 7:29 a.m. | 4:58 p.m. | 6:59 a.m.–5:28 p.m. | 6:59 a.m.–4:58 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Archery close | 7:29 a.m. | 5:16 p.m. | 6:59 a.m.–5:46 p.m. | 6:59 a.m.–5:16 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.
Bent Tree Harbor hunting businesses
The shops Bent Tree Harbor hunters use each fall, sorted by trade and then by distance. To donate venison, Jackman's Meat Processing (16 mi) is on MDC’s Share the Harvest processor list. Closest voluntary CWD partner on MDC’s list: Rifles and Reels Taxidermy LLC (2.1 mi). Taxidermy: Rifles and Reels Taxidermy LLC, 2.1 mi away in Warsaw. The closest shop for shells and gear is Triple River Gunsmithing, 6.1 mi from Bent Tree Harbor. Pen-raised birds and guided hunts: Big Buffalo Outfitters, LLC (Cole Camp) is the closest preserve or guide listed.
| Kind | Listings 15 mi | Listings 35 mi | Nearest business | Away | Where |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venison processing | 0 | 3 | Jackman's Meat Processing (nearest) | 16 mi SE | Warsaw |
| Taxidermy studios | 6 | 13 | Rifles and Reels Taxidermy LLC (nearest) | 2.1 mi E | Warsaw |
| Gear shops | 6 | 23 | Triple River Gunsmithing (nearest) | 6.1 mi E | Warsaw |
| Preserves and guide services | 0 | 1 | Big Buffalo Outfitters, LLC (nearest) | 21 mi NE | Cole Camp |
Venison processing
Taxidermy studios
Gear shops
Preserves and guide services
Processors from the MDC Share the Harvest processor lookup, MDC CWD sampling partners, the MDC commercial permit listing and Yellow Pages; taxidermists, shops and preserves from MDC permits, chain store locators and Yellow Pages (services.json). Checked October 29, 2026; hours were not checked.
Hunting dates within reach of Bent Tree Harbor
Inside a rough 30-mile circle, soonest first, there are 5 upcoming events: DU chapter dinner, NWTF chapter dinner, deer hide and bone workshop and youth managed deer hunt. Checked October 29, 2026.
Still to come
| Held on | Event | How far | Where held | Link | Checked at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 20, 2026 | Game Utilization: Deer Leg Bone tools – knives or awls · deer hide and bone workshop | 17 | Clinton MDC Office — Henry County | Register | Source |
| Nov 28–29, 2026 | Lost Valley Fish Hatchery Youth Managed Deer Hunt 2026 · youth managed deer hunt | 8 | Event details | Source | |
| Dec 5, 2026 | Golden Valley Dinner – Clinton · DU chapter dinner | 17 | Primitive Olde Crow & Winery — Clinton | Buy tickets | Source |
| Dec 11, 2026 | Game Utilization: First Steps in Buckskin Leather · deer hide and bone workshop | 8 | Lost Valley Fish Hatchery — Warsaw | Register | Source |
| Jan 30, 2027 | Hickory County Jakes and Jennies NWTF Banquet · NWTF chapter dinner | 22 | Wheatland | Buy tickets | Source |
Bent Tree Harbor: gun clubs and MDC lines nearby
Golden Valley Archery Range (Clinton Office) heads the Bent Tree Harbor list (17 miles), and two more follow.
Straight-line miles from the town centre; ranges checked October 29, 2026.
Bent Tree Harbor conservation offices
The nearest MDC office open to the public from the middle of Benton County is Clinton Office in Clinton, about 27 miles away. Regional questions go to Kansas City Regional Office, 12405 SE Ranson Rd, Lees Summit. Field offices are conservation area staff bases, so call before driving out.
MDC Clinton Office, 17 mi out of Bent Tree Harbor
MDC JN Kearn Memorial Wildlife Area Field Office lies 28 mi north
Offices from the MDC offices open to the public, the MDC regional offices page and the MDC field office layer (services.json, counties.json). Checked October 29, 2026.
Bent Tree Harbor hunters ask
Does Benton County have mandatory CWD sampling in 2026?
Yes, as one of 28 sampling counties.
Which bear zone number applies around Bent Tree Harbor?
Zone 3, over 100% of the county.
What time does deer hunting stop at Bent Tree Harbor on the opener?
At 5:31 p.m., half an hour after sunset; rabbits stop at sunset.
Can a deer wait until tomorrow to be Telechecked?
No. Telecheck by 10 p.m. the same day, unless processing or leaving the county comes first.
Is hunter orange required near Bent Tree Harbor?
Yes, during the firearms deer portions: a hunter orange hat and a shirt, vest or coat visible from all sides.
Where does a Bent Tree Harbor hunter get venison cut and wrapped?
Try Jackman's Meat Processing (Warsaw), the closest listing.
Whom do I call about conservation areas near Bent Tree Harbor?
Call Clinton Office at (660) 885-6981.
How can a Bent Tree Harbor hunter get into a drawn deer hunt?
Apply in July through MDC’s managed hunt drawing; one hunt per year.
If not Bent Tree Harbor, where else can I stay?
Warsaw is closest, then White Branch, Deepwater and Calhoun.
If I hunt from Bent Tree Harbor, which public land comes first?
Start with Harry S. Truman Lake (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers), which reaches into town. Behind it comes Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Leesville), its closest boundary 3.7 miles out.
What does the 10-mile acreage around Bent Tree Harbor add up to?
Some 81,624 acres in 10 tracts.
Can I take antlerless deer with a rifle near Bent Tree Harbor?
Yes, 4 on firearms antlerless permits in Benton County, and in the antlerless portions if the county is open.
Does Benton County open for the antlerless portions?
Yes, Benton County is open.
Answers from places.json, lands.json, counties.json, services.json and the 2026 Fall Deer and Turkey Hunting Regulations; Telecheck from the booklet, hunter orange from booklet p. 4. Checked October 29, 2026.
Bent Tree Harbor pre-trip checks
For hunts out of Bent Tree Harbor, the MDC booklets and the area regulations on each land page settle any doubt.
Other photos on this page: Heath Cajandig (CC BY 2.0); LeeAnne Adams (CC BY 2.0); Good Fire Photos (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Jeff Meyer (CC BY 2.0); USFWS Midwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Heath Cajandig (CC BY 2.0); darin_kuntze (CC BY 2.0); J L (CC BY-SA 2.0).