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Town base, Benton County
Public hunting ground near White Branch, Missouri
Ground to hunt around White Branch, the 2026-27 rules for Benton County, deer and turkey totals by year, drawn hunts and businesses close to town.
Photo: Nearby stand-in, Benton County: Sunset over the native grassland of the Cole Camp Prairies in Benton County. USFWS Midwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
White Branch, a Census-designated place, falls within Benton County and MDC’s Kansas City Region. Of the towns around Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Little Pomme de Terre), White Branch came out closest, the edge 7.3 miles out. No 2024 head count appears for White Branch, since the Census estimates only incorporated places. Counting overlaps once, public land within 10 miles comes to about 55,926 acres in 9 listed areas. County-wide, Benton County holds some 61,870 acres of public land: 12,670 acres of MDC land, 56,803 acres of Corps fee land and 1,404 acres of state parks and historic sites. Closest of every listed area is Harry S. Truman Lake (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers), its closest boundary 1.9 miles 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.
White Branch land, nearest first
Miles run from the White Branch town point to the closest edge for land inside 10 miles, and to the mapped point beyond that, so road miles will be longer.
| Property | Off town | Type | Run by | Deer gear | Doe tags | Acres | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harry S. Truman Lake (Corps) | 1.9 mi S | Corps lake | Corps | Corps rules | – | – | Corps page unread |
| Lost Valley Fish Hatchery | 2.1 mi N | Hatchery | MDC | Archery only | Allowed | 969 | Managed hunts too |
| Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Little Tebo Creek) | 5.4 mi NW | Corps land, MDC | MDC | Bow and gun | Allowed | 1,708 | – |
| Granny's Acres CA | 6.2 mi S | Conservation area | MDC | Bow and gun | Allowed | 351 | – |
| Brickley Hollow CA | 7.2 mi NE | Conservation area | MDC | Archery only | Allowed | 186 | – |
| Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Little Pomme de Terre) why listed | 7.3 mi SW | Corps land, MDC | MDC | Bow and gun | Allowed | 2,238 | – |
| Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Brush Creek) | 7.8 mi NW | Corps land, MDC | MDC | Bow and gun | Allowed | 3,201 | – |
| Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Leesville) | 8.4 mi NW | Corps land, MDC | MDC | Bow and gun | Allowed | 1,808 | – |
| Edmonson Access | 8.9 mi NE | Public access | MDC | Archery only | Allowed | 110 | – |
| Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Valhalla) | 13 mi SW | Corps land, MDC | MDC | Bow and gun | Allowed | 1,765 | – |
Size leader inside 10 miles of White Branch: Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Brush Creek), 3,201 acres. That ring mixes 3 conservation and natural areas, 1 public access and 5 Corps lake tracts. Lost Valley Fish Hatchery (2.1 mi) takes archery methods only for deer, and antlerless permits may be filled there; turkey is bow and gun. The Corps district page for Harry S. Truman Lake (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) would not load when checked, so confirm open zones with the project office first.
Area descriptions
- Lost Valley Fish Hatchery: 969 acres of land containing glades, prairies, and wooded areas (See Area Map for boundaries).
- 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.
- Granny's Acres CA: A highlight at this 351-acre area is a well-marked hiking trail system through a hilly forest and woodland ecosystem.
- MDC directions to Lost Valley Fish Hatchery: From Warsaw at the Highway 65 Truman Dam exit, take Lost Valley Road east 0.75 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.
Services around White Branch
Buttons for phone, map and website appear only when a source gave them; opening hours were not verified. Jackman's Meat Processing (9.3 mi) takes Share the Harvest deer for Missouri food pantries. Deer heads can be dropped at Rifles and Reels Taxidermy LLC, an MDC CWD sampling partner. Rifles and Reels Taxidermy LLC (Warsaw) is the first taxidermy stop, 5.8 mi from White Branch. Triple River Gunsmithing (1.6 mi) is the handiest gun or outdoor shop. Big Buffalo Outfitters, LLC of Cole Camp is the closest preserve on file.
| Service | Close (15 mi) | Wider (35 mi) | Closest | Miles | City |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer processors | 1 | 4 | Jackman's Meat Processing (closest) | 9.3 mi SE | Warsaw |
| Taxidermy shops | 3 | 14 | Rifles and Reels Taxidermy LLC (closest) | 5.8 mi W | Warsaw |
| Sporting goods | 7 | 25 | Triple River Gunsmithing (closest) | 1.6 mi NW | Warsaw |
| Outfitters and preserves | 0 | 1 | Big Buffalo Outfitters, LLC (closest) | 18 mi NE | Cole Camp |
Deer processors
Taxidermy shops
Sporting goods
Outfitters 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.
White Branch county deer limits and CWD rules
The county you stand in decides the deer rules; this table lists the ones a White Branch hunter is most likely to cross into.
| County | Antlerless deer | Antlerless hunts | CWD stations | Feed rule | Fall turkey | Bear, elk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benton County local | 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 |
| Morgan County | 4 | Open | No | Yes | Open | Zone 3 |
MDC sets Benton County at 4 for firearms antlerless deer. Both antlerless portions apply in Benton County. Deer shot in Benton County on the November opening weekend must be sampled for CWD that day at one of 2 county stations. Benton County is a feed-ban county: no grain, salt or minerals for deer. A CWD test is required before a Benton County deer can go to Share the Harvest. Benton County lies in bear zone 3, where the quota is 8 bears. On MDC’s 2021-2025 zone layer Benton County is Middle Zone (100%); the zone lines moved for 2026.
Stations for Nov. 14-15
| Station | Street | City | County | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MDC Lost Valley Fish Hatchery | 28232 Hatchery Ave. | Warsaw | Benton | 3.4 mi |
| Cole Camp High School – Football Field Parking Lot | 500 S. Keeney St. | Cole Camp | Benton | 17 mi |
| MDC Osceola Wildlife Shop | 3815 NE. Hwy. 13 | Osceola | St. Clair | 22 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.
White Branch season dates
For Benton County, 37 season segments cover deer, turkey, small game, waterfowl and furbearers this permit year.
| Animal | Season | Area rule | Start | Finish | Right 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.
Managed deer hunts near White Branch
For a drawn hunt near White Branch, Benton County has 3 managed deer hunts this season. MDC took applications until Jul 31, 2026.
| Where | Category | Days | Hunters | Limit code |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
White Branch area harvest, county totals
MDC publishes harvest county by county, so the chart covers the whole of Benton County. 2025 brought 4,228 deer, after 3,915 in 2024. Antlered bucks: 1,853 in 2025; does: 1,944. MDC’s 2025 report puts the county at 6.3 deer per square mile and 10.6 firearms hunters per square mile. Spring 2026: 546 turkeys checked in Benton County (472 adult gobblers). Fall turkey in 2025 came to 28 on firearms permits. CWD testing in Benton County: 2,266 samples and 0 positives over the sample years shown.
| Year | Harvest | Bucks | 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 |
| Portion | Deer |
|---|---|
| Archery | 887 |
| Early youth | 263 |
| November | 2,313 |
| Late youth | 37 |
| Alt. methods | 177 |
| Managed hunts | 48 |
| Spring | Total | Public |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 547 | 84 |
| 2024 | 498 | 75 |
| 2025 | 611 | 97 |
| 2026 | 546 | 90 |
| Year | Samples | CWD found |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
White Branch and surroundings, event dates
A 30-mile crow-flight radius gives 5 upcoming events as of October 29, 2026.
Next on the calendar
| Dates | What | Distance | Place | Next step | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 20, 2026 | Game Utilization: Deer Leg Bone tools – knives or awls · deer hide and bone workshop | 24 | Clinton MDC Office — Henry County | Register | Source |
| Nov 28–29, 2026 | Lost Valley Fish Hatchery Youth Managed Deer Hunt 2026 · youth managed deer hunt | 3 | Event details | Source | |
| Dec 5, 2026 | Golden Valley Dinner – Clinton · DU chapter dinner | 24 | Primitive Olde Crow & Winery — Clinton | Buy tickets | Source |
| Dec 11, 2026 | Game Utilization: First Steps in Buckskin Leather · deer hide and bone workshop | 3 | Lost Valley Fish Hatchery — Warsaw | Register | Source |
| Jan 30, 2027 | Hickory County Jakes and Jennies NWTF Banquet · NWTF chapter dinner | 20 | Wheatland | Buy tickets | Source |
White Branch shooters: three nearest ranges
Golden Valley Archery Range (Clinton Office) heads the White Branch list (24 miles), and two more follow.
Straight-line miles from the town centre; ranges checked October 29, 2026.
MDC offices for White Branch hunters
From the centre of Benton County, the closest MDC office open to visitors is Clinton Office in Clinton. The Kansas City Region is run from Kansas City Regional Office in Lees Summit ((816) 622-0900). No office visit is needed for a permit: buy it online, in the MO Hunting app or from a vendor.
MDC Clinton Office, about 24 mi west of town
MDC JN Kearn Memorial Wildlife Area Field Office, 31 mi out of White Branch
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.
White Branch legal hours
Legal light for deer at White Branch runs 30 minutes either side of sunrise and sunset; for ducks it starts 30 minutes before sunrise and ends at sunset.
| When | Event | Rise | Set | Big game | Birds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
White Branch hunting questions
Must a portable blind on an MDC area carry orange?
It is recommended, not required, on MDC areas.
Must I notch my permit for a White Branch deer?
Yes, notch the month and day on a paper permit or in the MO Hunting app right away.
Which MDC office open to the public is nearest White Branch?
For Benton County, Clinton Office, 2010 S Second St, Clinton, (660) 885-6981.
How many miles to a deer processor from White Branch?
About 9.3 mi, to Jackman's Meat Processing.
What bases lie close to White Branch?
Warsaw, Bent Tree Harbor, Climax Springs and Hermitage.
Does MDC hold managed deer hunts near White Branch?
Yes, 3 hunts in Benton County.
Is White Branch a good base for public-land hunting?
It has 9 tracts and about 55,926 public acres inside 10 miles.
Where is the closest conservation area or federal tract to White Branch?
Among MDC and federal tracts, the nearest is Harry S. Truman Lake (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers), its closest boundary 1.9 miles out. Number two: Lost Valley Fish Hatchery, its closest boundary 2.1 miles out.
Is Benton County one of the antlerless-portion counties?
Yes. MDC lists Benton County as open.
Which 2026 county deer rules apply around White Branch?
Benton County: firearms antlerless limit 4, antlerless portions open, mandatory CWD sampling Nov. 14-15.
Can I hunt black bear from White Branch?
Yes, Oct 17 to Oct 30, 2026 in zone 3 for drawn permit holders.
Must deer shot near White Branch be tested for CWD?
Yes, deer taken Nov. 14 or 15 in Benton County must go to a sampling station that day.
How soon after dawn can a White Branch deer hunter fire?
From 6:25 a.m. on Nov. 14 at White Branch.
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.
White Branch final checks
Leaving White Branch before dawn? Look up legal light for the date and the county rules for the tract you picked.
Other photos on this page: Heath Cajandig (CC BY 2.0); Jena Fuller (CC BY-SA 2.0); LeeAnne Adams (CC BY 2.0); Heath Cajandig (CC BY 2.0); Jeff Meyer (CC BY 2.0); Shelby L. Bell (CC BY 2.0); Heath Cajandig (CC BY 2.0); J L (CC BY-SA 2.0).