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MDC Kansas City Region
Tracts, county rules and seasons near Clinton, Missouri
Clinton, MDC Kansas City Region: tracts inside 10 miles, the rules of each county they touch, opening-weekend CWD sampling and local shops.
Photo: Taberville Prairie Conservation Area (25 mi from Clinton), used as a nearby stand-in. pfly (CC BY-SA 2.0)
As seat of Henry County, Clinton is the usual stop for permits, supplies and a meal before a hunt. Anyone headed to Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Grand River Bottoms) can base in Clinton; the line is 1.4 miles out. Clinton was picked as the base town for Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Bethlehem), whose closest boundary lies 1.5 miles out. Census Vintage 2024 puts Clinton at 9,449 residents on 9.1 square miles. About 43,660 acres of public ground lie inside a 10-mile radius of Clinton. Henry County as a whole carries roughly 66,252 public acres (35,332 acres of MDC land, 60,834 acres of Corps fee land, 89 acres of refuge land and 14 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), its closest boundary 1.1 miles out.
Town point and land area from the Census 2024 Gazetteer, population from the Census Vintage 2024 estimates; 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.
Clinton deer rules by county, 2026
MDC sets deer rules county by county, and public land near Clinton 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henry County home county | 4 | Open | No | Yes | Open | Zone 3 |
| Benton County | 4 | Open | Nov. 14-15 | 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 |
| Chariton County | 4 | Open | No | Yes | Open | – |
Henry County carries a firearms antlerless limit of 4. Henry County joins the 100 counties where the antlerless portions are open. MDC bans deer feed and minerals in Henry County year-round. Donating a Henry County deer to Share the Harvest means a CWD test first. Zone 3 bear hunting reaches Henry County (Oct 17 to Oct 30, 2026). Check the 2026-2030 digest map: the older layer shows Henry County in the Middle Zone (100%). For 2026 MDC dropped the CWD Management Zone, the CWD portion and the antler-point restriction, all of which once touched Henry County.
Sampling stops nearby
| Site | Address | Town | County | How far |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MDC Osceola Wildlife Shop | 3815 NE. Hwy. 13 | Osceola | St. Clair | 21 mi |
| MDC Lost Valley Fish Hatchery | 28232 Hatchery Ave. | Warsaw | Benton | 24 mi |
| Dains Fish Farm | 2550 Hwy. H | Taberville | St. Clair | 29 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 Clinton
The map and table share 12 areas; bold pins mark land whose boundary comes within 10 miles of Clinton.
| Public land | Miles | Kind | Run by | Deer methods | Antlerless | Acres | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harry S. Truman Lake (Corps) | 1.1 mi SE | Corps lake | Corps | Corps rules | – | – | Corps page unread |
| Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Grand River Bottoms) key area | 1.4 mi SW | Corps land, MDC | MDC | Bow and gun | Allowed | 8,094 | – |
| Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Bethlehem) key area | 1.5 mi SE | Corps land, MDC | MDC | Bow and gun | Allowed | 3,345 | – |
| Swan Lake NWR | 4.0 mi N | Wildlife refuge | USFWS | Refuge rules | – | 11,852 | Managed hunts too |
| Haysler A. Poague CA | 4.1 mi NW | Conservation area | MDC | Bow and gun | Allowed | 879 | – |
| Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Deepwater Creek) | 5.0 mi S | Corps land, MDC | MDC | Bow and gun | Allowed | 5,631 | – |
| La Due Bottoms CA | 6.5 mi SW | Conservation area | MDC | Muzzleloader, bow | Allowed | 361 | – |
| Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Upper Tebo Creek) | 6.7 mi E | Corps land, MDC | MDC | Bow and gun | Allowed | 7,736 | 13 dove fields |
| Connor O. Fewel CA | 7.3 mi NE | Conservation area | MDC | Muzzleloader, bow | Allowed | 320 | – |
| Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Gouge Eye) | 8.3 mi SE | Corps land, MDC | MDC | Bow and gun | Allowed | 573 | – |
| Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Brownington) | 8.5 mi S | Corps land, MDC | MDC | Bow and gun | Allowed | 1,428 | – |
| Montrose CA | 9.1 mi SW | Conservation area | MDC | Archery only | Allowed | 2,750 | – |
Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge is the biggest tract touching the ring, at 11,852 acres. Sorted by program, the nearby land is 4 conservation and natural areas, 7 Corps lake tracts and 1 federal area. For deer at Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Grand River Bottoms), 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. At Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge, hunting is limited to designated areas and the refuge-specific rules in federal regulation.
Close-up on the nearest tracts
- Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Grand River Bottoms): Historically, Native Americans occupying this area were principally Osage, Shawnee and Kickapoo.
- Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Bethlehem): 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 (Bethlehem): From Clinton, take Highway 7 east 3 miles, then Route AA south 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.
Henry County harvest for Clinton hunters
Figures cover the entire county; MDC prints no harvest for a single town. 2025 brought 3,300 deer, after 3,293 in 2024. In 2025, 1,619 checked deer were antlered bucks. Harvest density in 2025: 5.5 deer per square mile. In spring 2026 the county turkey harvest reached 479. The latest fall firearms figure is 22 (2025). Henry County has 2 CWD-positive deer out of 1,298 samples on the MDC dashboard.
| Year | Total | Antlered | Button bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 3,754 | 1,587 | 383 | 1,784 |
| 2023 | 3,754 | 1,514 | 387 | 1,853 |
| 2024 | 3,293 | 1,436 | 277 | 1,580 |
| 2025 | 3,300 | 1,619 | 304 | 1,377 |
| Part of season | Total |
|---|---|
| Archery | 698 |
| Early youth | 223 |
| November | 1,643 |
| Late youth | 10 |
| Alt. methods | 116 |
| Managed hunts | 0 |
| Year | Birds | Public land |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 397 | 115 |
| 2024 | 455 | 135 |
| 2025 | 440 | 139 |
| 2026 | 479 | 130 |
| Season | Deer tested | Positives |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 57 | 0 |
| 2024 | 151 | 0 |
| 2025 | 611 | 2 |
| 2026 | 18 | 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.
Clinton open seasons, 2026-27
MDC sets deer rules county by county, and Henry 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.
Clinton drawn deer hunts
Henry County holds 1 managed deer hunt on the 2026-27 list, at Truman Dam and Reservoir ML. Apply each July; the 2026 deadline was Jul 31, 2026.
| Area | Type | Dates | Drawn | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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, Clinton
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 | 6:44 a.m. | 7:45 p.m. | 6:14 a.m.–8:15 p.m. | 6:14 a.m.–7:45 p.m. |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Archery opener | 6:56 a.m. | 7:23 p.m. | 6:26 a.m.–7:53 p.m. | 6:26 a.m.–7:23 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall firearms turkey | 7:11 a.m. | 6:57 p.m. | 6:41 a.m.–7:27 p.m. | 6:41 a.m.–6:57 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Middle Zone ducks | 6:48 a.m. | 5:08 p.m. | 6:18 a.m.–5:38 p.m. | 6:18 a.m.–5:08 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | November firearms opener | 6:56 a.m. | 5:02 p.m. | 6:26 a.m.–5:32 p.m. | 6:26 a.m.–5:02 p.m. |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Alternative methods | 7:31 a.m. | 5:00 p.m. | 7:01 a.m.–5:30 p.m. | 7:01 a.m.–5:00 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Archery close | 7:31 a.m. | 5:18 p.m. | 7:01 a.m.–5:48 p.m. | 7:01 a.m.–5:18 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.
Clinton hunting businesses
The shops Clinton hunters use each fall, sorted by trade and then by distance. To donate venison, Powell Meat Company (1.0 mi) is on MDC’s Share the Harvest processor list. Closest voluntary CWD partner on MDC’s list: Powell Meat Company (1.0 mi). Taxidermy: Wilderness Taxidermist, at town away in Clinton. The closest shop for shells and gear is Truman Lake Firearms, 1.1 mi from Clinton. Pen-raised birds and guided hunts: D And R Kennels LLC (Archie) is the closest preserve or guide listed.
| Kind | Listings 15 mi | Listings 35 mi | Nearest business | Away | Where |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venison processing | 2 | 7 | Powell Meat Company (nearest) | 1.0 mi N | Clinton |
| Taxidermy studios | 4 | 18 | Wilderness Taxidermist (nearest) | at town | Clinton |
| Gear shops | 8 | 26 | Truman Lake Firearms (nearest) | 1.1 mi E | Clinton |
| Preserves and guide services | 0 | 1 | D And R Kennels LLC (nearest) | 32 mi W | Archie |
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 Clinton
Inside a rough 30-mile circle, soonest first, there are 17 upcoming events: DU chapter dinner, NWTF chapter dinner, deer hide and bone workshop, mentored waterfowl hunt and youth managed deer hunt. Checked October 29, 2026.
Still to come
Clinton: gun clubs and MDC lines nearby
Golden Valley Archery Range (Clinton Office) heads the Clinton list (2 miles), and two more follow.
Straight-line miles from the town centre; ranges checked October 29, 2026.
Clinton conservation offices
The nearest MDC office open to the public from the middle of Henry County is Clinton Office in Clinton, about 3 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, 1.6 mi out of Clinton
MDC Settles Ford Conservation Area Field Office lies 23 mi west
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.
Clinton hunters ask
What does the 10-mile acreage around Clinton add up to?
Some 43,660 acres in 12 tracts.
Can I take antlerless deer with a rifle near Clinton?
Yes, 4 on firearms antlerless permits in Henry County, and in the antlerless portions if the county is open.
Does Henry County open for the antlerless portions?
Yes, Henry County is open.
Does Henry County have mandatory CWD sampling in 2026?
No, Henry County is not on the 2026 list.
Which bear zone number applies around Clinton?
Zone 3, over 100% of the county.
What time does deer hunting stop at Clinton on the opener?
At 5:32 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 Clinton?
Yes, during the firearms deer portions: a hunter orange hat and a shirt, vest or coat visible from all sides.
Where does a Clinton hunter get venison cut and wrapped?
Try Powell Meat Company (Clinton), the closest listing.
Whom do I call about conservation areas near Clinton?
Call Clinton Office at (660) 885-6981.
How can a Clinton hunter get into a drawn deer hunt?
Apply in July through MDC’s managed hunt drawing; one hunt per year.
If not Clinton, where else can I stay?
Deepwater is closest, then Hartwell, Calhoun and Montrose.
If I hunt from Clinton, which public land comes first?
Start with Harry S. Truman Lake (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers), its closest boundary 1.1 miles out. Behind it comes Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Grand River Bottoms), its closest boundary 1.4 miles out.
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.
Clinton pre-trip checks
For hunts out of Clinton, the MDC booklets and the area regulations on each land page settle any doubt.
Other photos on this page: Shelby L. Bell (CC BY 2.0); Jena Fuller (CC BY-SA 2.0); USFWS Midwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0); J L (CC BY-SA 2.0); Jeff Meyer (CC BY 2.0); J L (CC BY-SA 2.0); Heath Cajandig (CC BY 2.0); darin_kuntze (CC BY 2.0).