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Southwest Region town
Eagle Rock, Missouri: conservation areas within reach
Miles from Eagle Rock to conservation areas, river accesses and federal ground, the method rule on each, and where to Telecheck, process and mount a deer.
Photo: Public ground beside Eagle Rock: Table Rock Lake (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) (nearby stand-in). Drew de F Fawkes (CC BY 2.0)
Eagle Rock is a Census-designated place in Barry County, whose seat is Cassville. Eagle Rock was picked as the base town for Mark Twain National Forest, whose closest boundary lies under a mile out. Being a Census-designated place, Eagle Rock gets no 2024 population estimate. MDC and federal polygons inside 10 miles of Eagle Rock add up to roughly 51,904 acres (5 listed areas). By GIS count Barry County has 72,118 public acres, with 4,463 acres of MDC land, 53,584 acres of Mark Twain National Forest, 10,417 acres of Corps fee land and 3,718 acres of state parks and historic sites. The quickest public ground to reach is Table Rock 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.
Eagle Rock public tracts
The base-area tag flags the tract Eagle Rock was picked for; anything inside 10 miles is listed ahead of the rest.
| Land | Miles off | Kind | Managed by | Deer allowed | Antlerless permits | Acreage | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Table Rock Lake (Corps) | at town | Corps lake | Corps | Corps rules | – | – | Corps page unread |
| Mark Twain National Forest base area | 0.9 mi | National forest | USFS | Statewide rules | – | 1,510,740 | – |
| Roaring River CA | 3.2 mi W | Conservation area | MDC | Bow and gun | Allowed | 439 | – |
| John Baumgardt Memorial CA | 4.4 mi NW | Conservation area | MDC | Bow and gun | Allowed | 503 | – |
| Pilot Knob CA | 9.2 mi E | Conservation area | MDC | Bow and gun | Allowed | 1,360 | – |
| Stubblefield Access | 16 mi N | Public access | MDC | Muzzleloader, bow | Allowed | 56 | – |
| Flag Spring CA | 18 mi W | Conservation area | MDC | Bow and gun | Allowed | 4,036 | – |
| Jessie Hollow CA | 21 mi NE | Conservation area | MDC | Bow and gun | Allowed | 120 | – |
| Powell Towersite | 25 mi W | Towersite | MDC | Bow and gun | Allowed | 77 | – |
| Wire Road CA | 27 mi N | Conservation area | MDC | Muzzleloader, bow | Allowed | 1,003 | – |
With 1,360 acres, Pilot Knob Conservation Area gives the most elbow room near Eagle Rock. The 10-mile list breaks down into 3 conservation and natural areas, 1 Corps lake tract and 1 federal area. First on the list with an MDC deer entry, Roaring River Conservation Area is open to archery and firearms, and antlerless permits may be filled there. Table Rock Lake (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) is Corps of Engineers project land; the Corps district hunting page could not be read when this was checked, so ask the project office about closed zones. Mark Twain National Forest land comes within the ring; MDC seasons, permits and limits apply there with no Forest Service fee.
What MDC says about them
- Roaring River CA: This area consists of two tracts.
- John Baumgardt Memorial CA: John Baumgardt Memorial Conservation Area consists of 503 acres in Southern Barry County.
- Directions, Roaring River CA: Roaring River Conservation Area consists of two tracts. The main tract is two miles east of Roaring River State Park on Route F.
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.
Deer processing near Eagle Rock
Counts run to 15 and 35 miles from Eagle Rock, with the nearest few businesses of each trade spelled out underneath. Donated deer go to participating processors such as J&K Meats (27 mi). For a free CWD test, J&K Meats (27 mi) takes deer heads for MDC. 16 mi separates Eagle Rock from Scott's Taxidermy, the closest taxidermist here. Ptg Gunsmithing, 7.3 mi out, sells guns or outdoor gear. For a preserve hunt, start with The Club At Bear Hollow LLC in Washburn.
| Category | Count, 15 mi | Count, 35 mi | First stop | How far | Located in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game processors | 0 | 7 | Gone Processing (closest one) | 19 mi NE | Cape Fair |
| Taxidermy | 0 | 6 | Scott's Taxidermy (closest one) | 16 mi NW | Exeter |
| Gun and archery stores | 4 | 9 | Ptg Gunsmithing (closest one) | 7.3 mi E | Golden |
| Guides and preserves | 2 | 6 | The Club At Bear Hollow LLC (closest one) | 13 mi W | Washburn |
Game processors
Taxidermy
Gun and archery stores
Guides and 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.
County rules that apply to Eagle Rock hunters
Rows cover Barry County and the counties of the closest public land; the November portion and archery dates are the same in all of them.
| County | Doe fill limit | Antlerless dates | CWD check | Feeding ban | Turkey (fall) | Bear, elk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barry County home | 4 | Open | No | Yes | Open | Zone 1 |
| Stone County | 4 | Open | No | Yes | Open | Zone 1 |
| Taney County | 4 | Open | No | Yes | Open | Zone 1 |
| Oregon County | 4 | Open | Nov. 14-15 | Yes | Open | Zone 2, Zone 1 |
| Ripley County | 4 | Open | Nov. 14-15 | Yes | Open | Zone 2 |
Hunters may fill up to 4 firearms antlerless permits in Barry County. Barry County is open during both antlerless portions. Do not put out grain, salt or minerals for deer in Barry County. Deer from Barry County donated to Share the Harvest must be CWD-tested, which participating processors arrange. For bear, Barry County is in zone 1 (1,000 permits, quota 30), season Oct 17 to Oct 30, 2026. Barry County falls in the South Zone (100%) on the 2021-2025 layer; the digest map decides near the new lines. Rules that applied in Barry County before 2026, the CWD zone, CWD portion and antler-point restriction, were dropped.
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.
Eagle Rock dates, archery to January
Duck dates follow the North, Middle and South zones, so the zone column tells you which split counts in Barry County.
| Species | Season or portion | Covers | First day | Last day | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| 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 | South Zone | Nov 21, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | |
| Ducks and coots | Ducks, split 1 | South Zone | Nov 26, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| Ducks and coots | Ducks, split 2 | South Zone | Dec 7, 2026 | Jan 31, 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.
Checked deer and turkeys around Eagle Rock
County harvest is the finest grain MDC reports, so treat these as Barry County figures. Hunters checked 2,538 deer there in 2025, against 2,169 in 2015. 1,345 antlered bucks were checked in 2025. Per square mile, the 2025 harvest was 3.4 deer. Spring gobbler hunters in Barry County logged 189 birds in 2026. In fall 2025, gun hunters took 6 turkeys there. The MDC dashboard counts 7 positives in 4,081 Barry County samples, the first in 2021-2022.
| Year | All deer | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 2,428 | 1,279 | 193 | 956 |
| 2023 | 2,855 | 1,375 | 250 | 1,230 |
| 2024 | 2,446 | 1,174 | 221 | 1,051 |
| 2025 | 2,538 | 1,345 | 186 | 1,007 |
| Portion | Harvest |
|---|---|
| Archery | 453 |
| Early youth | 186 |
| November | 1,378 |
| Late youth | 22 |
| Alt. methods | 80 |
| Managed hunts | 0 |
| Spring | Checked | Public ground |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 189 | 79 |
| 2024 | 196 | 60 |
| 2025 | 252 | 106 |
| 2026 | 189 | 48 |
| Sample year | Samples | Positives |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 574 | 1 |
| 2024 | 79 | 0 |
| 2025 | 83 | 1 |
| 2026 | 2 | 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.
Eagle Rock shooters: three nearest ranges
Flag Spring Conservation Area Shooting Range heads the Eagle Rock list (18 miles), and two more follow.
Straight-line miles from the town centre; ranges checked October 29, 2026.
Eagle Rock MDC contacts
Barry County hunters wanting a counter and a person can try Shepherd of the Hills Conservation Education Center, 483 Hatchery Rd, Branson. MDC’s Southwest Region answers from Springfield; e-mail SWRegion@mdc.mo.gov. Permits come through MDC’s online system and the MO Hunting app; offices handle local area questions.
MDC Shepherd of the Hills Conservation Education Center at 24 mi, heading east
MDC Shepherd of the Hills Annex Field Office: 25 mi to the east of Eagle Rock
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.
Eagle Rock hunting hours
The times below start from the MDC Jefferson City table and add 6 minutes for Eagle Rock, as the booklet directs.
| Day | Hunt | Sun up | Sun down | Big game window | Migratory window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 2026 | Dove opener | 6:45 a.m. | 7:46 p.m. | 6:15 a.m.–8:16 p.m. | 6:15 a.m.–7:46 p.m. |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Archery opener | 6:57 a.m. | 7:24 p.m. | 6:27 a.m.–7:54 p.m. | 6:27 a.m.–7:24 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall firearms turkey | 7:12 a.m. | 6:58 p.m. | 6:42 a.m.–7:28 p.m. | 6:42 a.m.–6:58 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Middle Zone ducks | 6:49 a.m. | 5:09 p.m. | 6:19 a.m.–5:39 p.m. | 6:19 a.m.–5:09 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | November firearms opener | 6:57 a.m. | 5:03 p.m. | 6:27 a.m.–5:33 p.m. | 6:27 a.m.–5:03 p.m. |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Alternative methods | 7:32 a.m. | 5:01 p.m. | 7:02 a.m.–5:31 p.m. | 7:02 a.m.–5:01 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Archery close | 7:32 a.m. | 5:19 p.m. | 7:02 a.m.–5:49 p.m. | 7:02 a.m.–5:19 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.
Eagle Rock quick answers
Will the December antlerless portion run near Eagle Rock?
Yes, since the county rule for Barry County allows it.
How many does may I fill on firearms antlerless permits near Eagle Rock?
4 on firearms antlerless permits in Barry County.
How do Eagle Rock hunters get a bear permit?
Residents apply May 1-31; results come by July 1, and each permit is good in one zone.
Is it legal to put out grain or minerals for deer near Eagle Rock?
No; the year-round feed and mineral ban applies.
What should I do right after killing a deer near Eagle Rock?
Notch the permit at once, keep the deer intact or field-dressed, and Telecheck by 10 p.m. that day.
When does legal light begin at Eagle Rock for the November portion?
At 6:26 a.m., and they run to 5:32 p.m.
Is there a venison processor in or near Eagle Rock?
The nearest on our list is Gone Processing, 19 mi away.
Which hunters near Eagle Rock must show orange?
Hunters of any game during the firearms deer portions, with listed exceptions such as migratory bird hunters.
Which other towns near Eagle Rock have pages?
Shell Knob, Cassville, Washburn and Blue Eye, nearest first.
Who runs the conservation areas around Eagle Rock?
MDC’s Southwest Region; the nearest public office is Shepherd of the Hills Conservation Education Center (Branson).
How many acres of public hunting land fall within 10 miles of Eagle Rock?
About 51,904 acres by GIS measure, over 5 listed areas.
What is the first public hunting area outside Eagle Rock?
It is Table Rock Lake (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers), which reaches into town. Next in line: Mark Twain National Forest, its closest boundary under a mile 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.
Last checks, Eagle Rock
MDC revises rules between booklets; open the Barry County page and mdc.mo.gov once more before the trip.
Other photos on this page: Drew de F Fawkes (CC BY 2.0); Good Fire Photos (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Jeff Meyer (CC BY 2.0); Jena Fuller (CC BY-SA 2.0); J L (CC BY-SA 2.0); USFWS Midwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Heath Cajandig (CC BY 2.0); Shelby L. Bell (CC BY 2.0).