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Carter County hunting base
Where Hunter, Missouri, hunters can go
Hunter as a jumping-off point: tracts ranked by distance, antlerless fill limits and CWD rules by county, harvest totals and the closest MDC office.
Photo: Ozark National Scenic Riverways, 2.2 mi from Hunter, a nearby stand-in for the town. Paul Sableman (CC BY 2.0)
Inside Carter County, Hunter makes a small base in the Ozark hills, the Current and Eleven Point rivers and the Mark Twain National Forest. The listing comes from Ozark National Scenic Riverways: its nearest edge is 2.2 miles out. Hunter is the jumping-off town for Mark Twain National Forest, its edge 5.4 miles out. Vintage 2024 skips Hunter: designated places outside a city carry no estimate. The 10-mile circle around Hunter catches some 55,973 public acres across 4 listed areas. Across all of Carter County, GIS measures find about 132,965 public acres, including 28,658 acres of MDC land, 89,522 acres of Mark Twain National Forest and 14,954 acres of the Riverways. The first public area on the map from Hunter is Hunter Towersite, its closest boundary under a mile out.
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.
Tracts near Hunter
Land whose boundary comes within 10 miles of Hunter leads the table, nearest edge first; areas farther out follow by distance to their mapped point.
| Area | Reach | Category | Agency | Deer hunting | Antlerless | Acres | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunter Towersite | 0.4 mi W | Towersite | MDC | Bow and gun | Archery only | 75 | – |
| Ozark National Scenic Riverways anchor | 2.2 mi NW | Riverway | Park Service | Statewide rules | – | 80,546 | Managed hunts too |
| Mark Twain National Forest anchor | 3.2 mi | National forest | USFS | Statewide rules | – | 1,510,740 | – |
| Little Black CA | 7.8 mi S | Conservation area | MDC | Bow and gun | Allowed | 3,093 | – |
| Carter Creek CA | 11 mi N | Conservation area | MDC | Bow and gun | Archery only | 407 | – |
| Mudpuppy CA | 14 mi SE | Conservation area | MDC | Bow and gun | Allowed | 1,404 | – |
| Clearwater CA | 16 mi N | Conservation area | MDC | Bow and gun | Allowed | 11,211 | – |
| Bradley A. Hammer Memorial CA | 17 mi E | Conservation area | MDC | Muzzleloader, bow | Archery only | 344 | – |
| Peck Ranch CA | 20 mi NW | Conservation area | MDC | Bow and gun | Archery only | 29,567 | Managed hunts too |
| Clearwater Lake (Corps) | 21 mi N | Corps lake | Corps | Corps rules | – | – | Corps page unread |
Biggest of the nearby tracts: Ozark National Scenic Riverways, about 80,546 acres of public ground. Counted by type: 2 conservation and natural areas and 2 federal areas. MDC’s deer rule for Hunter Towersite is archery and firearms; only archery antlerless permits are valid there. For Clearwater Lake (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers), federal rules allow hunting except where the district closes it; the district page was blocked on our check, so call the lake office. Mark Twain National Forest ground reaches the 10-mile ring, hunted under MDC rules and free of any federal fee.
Nearest tracts in brief
- Little Black CA: Little Black Conservation Area is four miles south of the historic Grandin Mill site and was one of the first areas harvested for that mill in the 19th century.
- Directions, Hunter Towersite: From Hunter on Route E, take County Road 0-251 south 0.25 mile.
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.
Hunter 2026-27 hunting dates by species
Conservation areas in Carter County share these dates, but each area can limit methods; check the area rules before you go.
| Quarry | Hunt | Applies | Begins | Ends | Open now? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Archery, first part | Statewide | Sep 15, 2026 | Nov 13, 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, alternative methods | Statewide | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 5, 2027 | |
| Black bear | Bear, zone 2 | Bear zone 2 | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 30, 2026 | |
| Elk | Archery portion | Elk zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Elk | Firearms portion | Elk zone | Dec 12, 2026 | Dec 20, 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 | |
| Youth waterfowl | Youth waterfowl days | South Zone | Nov 21, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | |
| Ducks and coots | Ducks, split 1 | Middle Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Dec 13, 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 | |
| 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.
Deer rules for the counties around Hunter
Antlerless limits, portions, CWD sampling and the feed ban all change at county lines, which is why the table runs county by county for Hunter.
| Where | Antlerless limit | Portions | Sampling | Mineral ban | Fall firearms turkey | Big game zone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carter County town | 1 | Closed | Nov. 14-15 | No | Open | Zone 2 + elk |
| Shannon County | 2 | Open | Nov. 14-15 | Yes | Open | Zone 2 + elk |
| Dent County | 4 | Open | No | Yes | Open | Zone 2 |
| Texas County | 4 | Open | No | Yes | Open | Zone 3, Zone 2, Zone 1 |
| Oregon County | 4 | Open | Nov. 14-15 | Yes | Open | Zone 2, Zone 1 |
In Carter County, firearms antlerless permits can be filled 1 time. No antlerless portion runs in Carter County; it is among 14 closed counties. Carter County is a mandatory CWD sampling county: deer taken Nov. 14 or 15 go, on the day of harvest, to a sampling station (2 stations in the county), and the hunter must be present. Carter County bars dogs for squirrels and rabbits in daylight during the November portion. Carter County is elk country: archery Oct 17 to Oct 25, 2026 and firearms Dec 12 to Dec 20, 2026 for drawn permit holders. Bear permits for zone 2 come through the resident drawing; 750 were set for 2026. Waterfowl dates follow the zone, and Carter County reads as South Zone (83%) and Middle Zone (17%) on the earlier layer.
Nearest sampling stations
| Site | Address | Town | County | Miles off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USFS Pinewoods Lake | 31620 Hwy. 60 | Ellsinore | Carter | 4.9 mi |
| Van Buren MODOT Facility | 9721 Hwy. 60 | Van Buren | Carter | 13 mi |
| Doniphan MDC Forestry Office | 109 Ripley 21-N-1 | Doniphan | Ripley | 16 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.
Deer and turkey harvest near Hunter
These are county totals for all of Carter County, not for Hunter alone; MDC reports deer harvest by county. Permit year 2025 ended at 2,210 deer, the 2015 season at 2,209. The 2025 buck count stood at 1,036, with 218 button bucks. The 2025 statewide report lists 4.5 deer per square mile for the county. Carter County gave up 152 spring gobblers and jakes in 2026. 13 fall firearms turkeys were checked in 2025. MDC’s CWD dashboard shows 803 samples from Carter County across 2016-2026, with 0 positives.
| Season | Total | Antlered | Buttons | Antlerless does |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 1,852 | 941 | 199 | 712 |
| 2023 | 2,942 | 1,276 | 260 | 1,406 |
| 2024 | 1,539 | 757 | 165 | 617 |
| 2025 | 2,210 | 1,036 | 218 | 956 |
| Hunt | 2025 deer |
|---|---|
| Archery | 562 |
| Early youth | 148 |
| November | 1,301 |
| Late youth | 11 |
| Alt. methods | 94 |
| Managed hunts | 94 |
| Year | Spring harvest | Public land |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 194 | 127 |
| 2024 | 182 | 108 |
| 2025 | 282 | 178 |
| 2026 | 152 | 53 |
| Year | Tested | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 111 | 0 |
| 2024 | 65 | 0 |
| 2025 | 70 | 0 |
| 2026 | 16 | 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.
Hunter taxidermy and gear
Processors come from MDC’s Share the Harvest list, its CWD sampling partners, the MDC commercial permit listing and directory entries that name deer or game. Nearest Share the Harvest processor: Piedmont Processing, 20 mi. Good's Deer Processing, 6.4 mi from town, tests heads as an MDC partner. For a mount, the closest taxidermist listed is County Line Taxidermy LLC in Ellsinore (9.5 mi). Ammunition and orange can be had at Legacy Firearms in Doniphan, 18 mi off. Preserve and guide listings begin with Baker Bucks, LLC (6.6 mi).
| Type | Inside 15 | Inside 35 | Nearest one | Distance | Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Processing shops | 2 | 7 | Bjg Meat Co LLC (nearest one) | 3.8 mi SE | Grandin |
| Mount makers | 3 | 13 | County Line Taxidermy LLC (nearest one) | 9.5 mi E | Ellsinore |
| Outdoor stores | 0 | 7 | Legacy Firearms (nearest one) | 18 mi S | Doniphan |
| Preserves | 1 | 2 | Baker Bucks, LLC (nearest one) | 6.6 mi NE | Ellsinore |
Processing shops
Mount makers
Outdoor stores
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.
Hunter drawing hunts
The 2026-27 managed hunt list has 5 hunts in Carter County. The drawing deadline was Jul 31, 2026.
| Location | Hunt type | Dates | Drawn | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peck Ranch CA — Inside Fenced Portion | Archery | Nov. 4–8 | 175 | B |
| Peck Ranch CA — Inside Fenced Portion | Muzzleloader or Cap-and-Ball Firearms Only | Dec. 5–6 | 200 | B |
| Ozark National Scenic Riverways — Big Spring Area | Youth – Firearms | Dec. 5–6 | 10 | D |
| Peck Ranch CA — Inside Fenced Portion | Youth – Firearms | Oct. 10–11 | 65 | A |
| Ozark National Scenic Riverways — Big Spring Area Exceptional Warrior Mobility Impaired Hunt | People with Disabilities – Firearms | Oct. 31–Nov. 1 | 10 | B |
From the MDC Managed Deer Hunts List 2026-2027; limit codes are explained there. Checked October 29, 2026.
Nearest MDC help, Hunter
MDC’s nearest public office to Carter County is Twin Pines Conservation Center; call (573) 469-0897. The MDC Ozark Region has its office at 551 Joe Jones Blvd, West Plains. Permits sell online, in the MO Hunting app, at vendors and at MDC offices; offices also answer area and managed hunt questions.
MDC Doniphan Office: 16 mi to the south of Hunter
MDC Piedmont Office, about 22 mi northeast of town
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.
Shooting light at Hunter
Sunrise in the Bootheel and in the Kansas City area can be 20 minutes apart, so use the adjusted times for Hunter.
| Date | Why it matters | Sunrise | Sunset | Big game legal | Waterfowl legal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 2026 | Dove opener | 6:33 a.m. | 7:34 p.m. | 6:03 a.m.–8:04 p.m. | 6:03 a.m.–7:34 p.m. |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Archery opener | 6:45 a.m. | 7:12 p.m. | 6:15 a.m.–7:42 p.m. | 6:15 a.m.–7:12 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall firearms turkey | 7:00 a.m. | 6:46 p.m. | 6:30 a.m.–7:16 p.m. | 6:30 a.m.–6:46 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Middle Zone ducks | 6:37 a.m. | 4:57 p.m. | 6:07 a.m.–5:27 p.m. | 6:07 a.m.–4:57 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | November firearms opener | 6:45 a.m. | 4:51 p.m. | 6:15 a.m.–5:21 p.m. | 6:15 a.m.–4:51 p.m. |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Alternative methods | 7:20 a.m. | 4:49 p.m. | 6:50 a.m.–5:19 p.m. | 6:50 a.m.–4:49 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Archery close | 7:20 a.m. | 5:07 p.m. | 6:50 a.m.–5:37 p.m. | 6:50 a.m.–5:07 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.
What the calendar holds near Hunter
The 30-mile ring around Hunter holds 1 upcoming event; the kinds are DU gun bingo.
Upcoming here
| When | Listing | Miles | Venue | Tickets or seats | Read at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 11, 2026 | Bluff City Mallards Bingo Bash! · DU gun bingo | 25 | Poplar Bluff Elks Lodge — Butler County | Buy tickets | Source |
Hunter shooters: three nearest ranges
Little Black Conservation Area Archery Range heads the Hunter list (9 miles), and two more follow.
Straight-line miles from the town centre; ranges checked October 29, 2026.
Hunter, answered
What is the bear quota for the zone near Hunter?
22 bears in zone 2 for 2026.
Does Carter County belong to the elk zone?
Yes, with Carter, Reynolds and Shannon.
Which shooting hours apply to deer at Hunter?
Deer: half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset (6:15 a.m. to 5:21 p.m. on Nov. 14); ducks, doves and fall firearms turkey stop at sunset.
Is phone Telecheck still offered?
Yes, 800-314-6828 from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.; the app and the website also work.
Do duck and dove hunters near Hunter need orange?
No, migratory bird hunters are exempt; other small game hunters wear it during the firearms portions.
Who butchers deer for Hunter hunters?
Bjg Meat Co LLC in Grandin is the first listing; ring them before driving.
Where would a Hunter hunter find MDC staff?
At Twin Pines Conservation Center, 20086 Highway 60, Winona.
Who may hunt a managed hunt near Hunter?
Drawn applicants only; MDC uses preference points.
Which other towns near Hunter have pages?
Ellsinore, Van Buren, Williamsville and Doniphan, nearest first.
How many miles separate Hunter from public hunting ground?
The shortest straight line runs to Hunter Towersite, its closest boundary under a mile out. The next area out is Ozark National Scenic Riverways, its closest boundary 2.2 miles out.
Roughly how much public ground surrounds Hunter?
Close to 55,973 acres, split among 4 listed areas.
Do firearms antlerless permits work in Carter County?
Yes, up to 1 in Carter County.
When can Hunter hunters use the antlerless portions?
They cannot: Carter County is closed.
Does a CWD Management Zone still cover Hunter?
No. MDC dropped the CWD Management Zone for 2026; mandatory sampling is a separate county list.
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.
Leaving Hunter to hunt
Orange in the firearms portions, a notched permit right after the shot and Telecheck by 10 p.m.: the three habits that keep a Missouri deer legal.
Other photos on this page: Heath Cajandig (CC BY 2.0); Gyrfalk (CC BY-SA 4.0); darin_kuntze (CC BY 2.0); Shelby L. Bell (CC BY 2.0); J L (CC BY-SA 2.0); Jena Fuller (CC BY-SA 2.0); Jeff Meyer (CC BY 2.0); Heath Cajandig (CC BY 2.0).