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Henry County, Missouri
Hunting land and deer rules around Deepwater, MO
Hunting out of Deepwater, Missouri: tracts by straight-line miles, county deer rules, MDC sunrise tables and the processors and taxidermists in range.
Photo: Taken on Taberville Prairie Conservation Area, 18 mi from Deepwater; a nearby stand-in, not the town. pfly (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Deepwater sits in Henry County, a short drive from public ground in the Kansas City metro and the Osage Plains west of the Missouri River bend. Its page exists because Harry S. Truman Lake (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) touches the town. The listing comes from Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Deepwater Creek): its nearest edge is under a mile out. The 2024 Census estimate lists 384 residents for Deepwater. Within 10 miles of the town point, MDC, Mark Twain, refuge, Corps and Riverways boundaries take in about 46,021 acres, with 11 listed areas in the ring. The county picture: 66,252 public acres in Henry County, made up of 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. Ranked by miles, the list opens with Harry S. Truman Lake (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers), which reaches into town.
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.
Hunting tracts around Deepwater
The deer column is MDC’s method rule for each conservation area (bow and gun, muzzleloader and bow, or archery only) and whether antlerless permits work there.
| Area | Distance | Type | Agency | Deer | Doe permits | Acres | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harry S. Truman Lake (Corps) anchor land | at town | Corps lake | Corps | Corps rules | – | – | Corps page unread |
| Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Deepwater Creek) anchor land | 0.6 mi NW | Corps land, MDC | MDC | Bow and gun | Allowed | 5,631 | – |
| Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Brownington) anchor land | 1.3 mi SE | Corps land, MDC | MDC | Bow and gun | Allowed | 1,428 | – |
| Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Grand River Bottoms) | 3.4 mi NW | Corps land, MDC | MDC | Bow and gun | Allowed | 8,094 | – |
| Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Bethlehem) | 4.4 mi NE | Corps land, MDC | MDC | Bow and gun | Allowed | 3,345 | – |
| Chapel View Prairie CA | 4.5 mi SW | Conservation area | MDC | Muzzleloader, bow | Allowed | 384 | – |
| La Due Bottoms CA | 4.7 mi NW | Conservation area | MDC | Muzzleloader, bow | Allowed | 361 | – |
| Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Gouge Eye) | 6.4 mi E | Corps land, MDC | MDC | Bow and gun | Allowed | 573 | – |
| Montrose CA | 8.3 mi W | Conservation area | MDC | Archery only | Allowed | 2,750 | – |
| Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Cedar Creek) | 9.0 mi E | Corps land, MDC | MDC | Bow and gun | Allowed | 670 | – |
| Dave Rock CA | 9.8 mi S | Conservation area | MDC | Archery only | Allowed | 133 | – |
By acreage, Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Grand River Bottoms) (8,094 acres) tops the 10-mile list. By kind, the ring holds 4 conservation and natural areas and 7 Corps lake tracts. The closest area with an MDC deer listing, Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Deepwater Creek), allows archery and firearms; antlerless permits may be filled there. Harry S. Truman Lake (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) follows the Corps rule that hunting is allowed except where the District Commander bars it; the district page was not readable here.
From the MDC area pages
- Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Deepwater 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 (Brownington): 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 (Grand River Bottoms): Historically, Native Americans occupying this area were principally Osage, Shawnee and Kickapoo.
- Getting to Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Deepwater Creek): From Deepwater, take Highway 52 west, then SW 401 north, and SW 600 east.
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.
Antlerless limits and CWD near Deepwater
Each row is one county’s 2026 rule set; the tag marks Henry County, and the other rows are counties where the land in the table above lies.
| County | Antlerless fill | Antlerless portions | CWD sampling | Feed ban | Fall turkey | Bear, elk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henry County town 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 |
Henry County allows 4 antlerless deer on firearms antlerless permits. It is one of the 100 counties open for the early and late antlerless portions. Grain, salt and minerals for deer are banned year-round in Henry County, one of 85 feed-ban counties. Henry County deer must be tested to be donated to food pantries. Henry County belongs mostly to bear zone 3, where permits come by drawing. For ducks, the 2021-2025 zone layer puts Henry County in the Middle Zone (100%); the lines changed for 2026-2030, so check the digest map near a boundary. Henry County no longer sits in a CWD Management Zone: MDC removed it for 2026.
Closest CWD stations
| Station | Address | Town | County | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MDC Osceola Wildlife Shop | 3815 NE. Hwy. 13 | Osceola | St. Clair | 13 mi |
| Dains Fish Farm | 2550 Hwy. H | Taberville | St. Clair | 22 mi |
| MDC Lost Valley Fish Hatchery | 28232 Hatchery Ave. | Warsaw | Benton | 23 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.
Deepwater season calendar
24 species and 37 dated windows apply in Henry County; the last column checks each against today.
| Species | Window | Reach | From | Through | Today? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
How many deer come out of Henry County
The bars are Henry County totals as MDC printed them in each year’s harvest summary. In 2025 the county gave up 3,300 deer, compared with 2,824 in 2015. Antlered bucks made up 1,619 of the 2025 total and does 1,377. That is 5.5 deer per square mile of county in 2025. Spring turkey in Henry County: 479 birds in 2026, against 612 in 2016. The fall firearms turkey harvest was 22 in 2025, with 9 more by archery. Sampling has covered 1,298 deer in Henry County.
| Season | Deer | Bucks | Buttons | 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 |
| Portion | Deer, 2025 |
|---|---|
| Archery | 698 |
| Early youth | 223 |
| November | 1,643 |
| Late youth | 10 |
| Alt. methods | 116 |
| Managed hunts | 0 |
| Spring | Turkeys | Public land |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 397 | 115 |
| 2024 | 455 | 135 |
| 2025 | 440 | 139 |
| 2026 | 479 | 130 |
| Year | Samples | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
Deepwater managed hunt draws
1 managed hunt by drawing are set in Henry County for 2026-27. Applications closed Jul 31, 2026; the next drawing opens in July.
| Location | Method | When | Hunters 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.
Butchers and mounts, Deepwater
Listings come from Henry County and its neighbouring counties, ranked by miles from Deepwater; national chains are dropped. Powell Meat Company, 8.7 mi away, accepts donated deer under Share the Harvest. Powell Meat Company collects CWD samples under MDC’s partner program. Shoulder mounts and euro skulls start with C & B Airborne Taxidermy Studio, 3.1 mi out. Forgot the hunter orange? Timber Hole Outdoors in Clinton is 6.3 mi away. D And R Kennels LLC, 35 mi away, heads the preserve and guide list.
| Service | Within 15 mi | Within 35 mi | Nearest | Miles | Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Processors | 1 | 8 | Powell Meat Company (first) | 8.7 mi N | Clinton |
| Mounts | 6 | 14 | C & B Airborne Taxidermy Studio (first) | 3.1 mi SE | Deepwater |
| Gun and bow shops | 7 | 22 | Timber Hole Outdoors (first) | 6.3 mi NE | Clinton |
| Hunting preserves | 0 | 1 | D And R Kennels LLC (first) | 35 mi NW | Archie |
Processors
Mounts
Gun and bow shops
Hunting preserves
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.
Deepwater MDC offices
For Henry County, MDC’s closest public office is Clinton Office (Clinton), 3 miles from the county centre. Lees Summit hosts the MDC Kansas City regional office. Staff are often in the field, so call ahead before visiting an office.
MDC Clinton Office lies 6.2 mi north
MDC Schell Osage Conservation Area Field Office, a 24 mi drive southwest
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.
Deepwater area dinners, classes and hunts
Straight-line radius of about 30 miles: 16 upcoming events, covering DU chapter dinner, deer hide and bone workshop, mentored waterfowl hunt and youth managed deer hunt.
Booked dates
Deepwater: gun clubs and MDC lines nearby
Top of the list for Deepwater: Golden Valley Archery Range (Clinton Office), 6 miles away.
Straight-line miles from the town centre; ranges checked October 29, 2026.
Deepwater sunrise and sunset
MDC prints one sunrise and sunset table for Jefferson City and tells hunters to adjust it by 1 minute for every 13.5 miles east or west. For Deepwater that means add 6 minutes.
| Day | Moment | First sun | Last sun | Deer hours | Bird hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Deepwater hunting FAQ
Which deer processor is the shortest drive from Deepwater?
Powell Meat Company in Clinton, about 8.7 mi away, is the closest listed.
Which orange garments are mandatory in the firearms portions near Deepwater?
An orange hat plus an orange shirt, vest or coat.
Where are the managed hunts in Henry County?
Truman Dam and Reservoir ML.
Can Deepwater hunters buy permits at an MDC office?
Yes; MDC offices sell permits, and the closest to the county centre is Clinton Office in Clinton.
Which tract on MDC’s map lies nearest Deepwater?
On the map it is Harry S. Truman Lake (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers), which reaches into town. After that: Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Deepwater Creek), its closest boundary under a mile out.
Which neighbouring towns does this site cover?
Clinton, Montrose and Hartwell, then Appleton City.
How does MDC limit antlerless deer in Henry County?
With a county fill limit of 4 for firearms antlerless permits.
How large is the public land within a short drive of Deepwater?
GIS puts it near 46,021 acres; the land table lists 11 tracts.
What CWD measures apply to deer from Henry County?
The statewide carcass rule plus the feed and mineral ban.
Can I hunt the October antlerless days near Deepwater?
Yes; Henry County is on the open list.
What are the November opener hours for Deepwater?
6:26 a.m. to 5:32 p.m. at Deepwater, by MDC’s table and longitude rule.
Is a drawn bear permit needed near Deepwater?
Yes; residents apply in May for one zone. Zone 3 had 250 permits.
What is the check-in routine for a deer shot near Deepwater?
Notch the permit, then Telecheck online, in the MO Hunting app or by phone before processing, before leaving the county or by 10 p.m., whichever comes first.
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.
Before leaving Deepwater
Distances on this page are straight lines from Deepwater; each conservation area, access and federal tract has its own rules, so read the land page and the 2026-27 booklets before you go.
Other photos on this page: Good Fire Photos (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Heath Cajandig (CC BY 2.0); Heath Cajandig (CC BY 2.0); Jena Fuller (CC BY-SA 2.0); darin_kuntze (CC BY 2.0); Jeff Meyer (CC BY 2.0); J L (CC BY-SA 2.0); J L (CC BY-SA 2.0).