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Ozark Region town
Willow Springs, Missouri: conservation areas within reach
Miles from Willow Springs 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 3.2 mi from Willow Springs: Mark Twain National Forest (nearby stand-in). altonwoods (CC BY 2.0)
Willow Springs is a city in Howell County, whose seat is West Plains. Willow Springs was picked as the base town for Mark Twain National Forest, whose closest boundary lies 3.2 miles out. 2,219 people called Willow Springs home in the Vintage 2024 count. MDC and federal polygons inside 10 miles of Willow Springs add up to roughly 41,407 acres (2 listed areas). By GIS count Howell County has 58,111 public acres, with 8,235 acres of MDC land, 49,874 acres of Mark Twain National Forest and 2 acres of the Riverways. The quickest public ground to reach is Mark Twain National Forest, its closest boundary 3.2 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.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Willow Springs
Willow Springs public tracts
The base-area tag flags the tract Willow Springs 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Twain National Forest base area | 3.2 mi | National forest | USFS | Statewide rules | – | 1,510,740 | – |
| Dean Davis CA | 6.2 mi SE | Conservation area | MDC | Archery only | Allowed | 173 | – |
| Mountain View Towersite | 11 mi E | Towersite | MDC | Archery only | Allowed | 27 | – |
| Barn Hollow Natural Area | 15 mi E | Natural area | MDC | Bow and gun | Allowed | 251 | – |
| Richard Massengill CA | 16 mi SW | Conservation area | MDC | Bow and gun | Allowed | 207 | – |
| Gist Ranch CA | 17 mi NE | Conservation area | MDC | Bow and gun | Allowed | 11,266 | – |
| Carrick W. Davidson – Robert G. Paris Wildlife Area | 18 mi SE | Conservation area | MDC | Archery only | Allowed | 270 | – |
| Midvale CA | 20 mi NE | Conservation area | MDC | Bow and gun | Allowed | 80 | – |
| Shannon Ranch CA | 20 mi W | Conservation area | MDC | Bow and gun | Allowed | 1,565 | – |
| Piney River Narrows Natural Area | 23 mi N | Natural area | MDC | Archery only | Allowed | 258 | – |
With 173 acres, Dean Davis Conservation Area gives the most elbow room near Willow Springs. The 10-mile list breaks down into 1 conservation or natural area and 1 federal area. First on the list with an MDC deer entry, Dean Davis Conservation Area is open to archery methods only, and antlerless permits may be filled there. 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
- Dean Davis CA: Dean Davis Conservation Area is located in Howell County, two miles north of Pomona and east of U.S. 63 Highway.
- Mountain View Towersite: Although this conservation area is accessible to the public, its primary purpose is to house the Mtn View fire tower used by MDC staff to detect wildfires in this portion of the county.
- Barn Hollow Natural Area: Barn Hollow Conservation Area is located in Texas County, approximately three miles north of Mountain View.
- Directions, Dean Davis CA: From West Plains, take Highway 63 north 10 miles, then County Road 2420 east 0.50 mile 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.
Deer processing near Willow Springs
Counts run to 15 and 35 miles from Willow Springs, with the nearest few businesses of each trade spelled out underneath. Donated deer go to participating processors such as P & P Heritage Meats (12 mi). For a free CWD test, P & P Heritage Meats (12 mi) takes deer heads for MDC. 17 mi separates Willow Springs from Hughes Taxidermy LLC, the closest taxidermist here. Main Street Guns, 0.5 mi out, sells guns or outdoor gear. For a preserve hunt, start with Lairson Hightower LLC in Willow Springs.
| Category | Count, 15 mi | Count, 35 mi | First stop | How far | Located in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game processors | 1 | 8 | P & P Heritage Meats (closest one) | 12 mi NW | Cabool |
| Taxidermy | 0 | 4 | Hughes Taxidermy LLC (closest one) | 17 mi S | West Plains |
| Gun and archery stores | 5 | 9 | Main Street Guns (closest one) | 0.5 mi NW | Willow Springs |
| Guides and preserves | 3 | 4 | Lairson Hightower LLC (closest one) | at town | Willow Springs |
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 Willow Springs hunters
Rows cover Howell 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Howell County home | 4 | Open | No | Yes | Open | Zone 1, Zone 2 |
| Oregon County | 4 | Open | Nov. 14-15 | Yes | Open | Zone 2, Zone 1 |
| Ripley County | 4 | Open | Nov. 14-15 | Yes | Open | Zone 2 |
| Iron County | 1 | Closed | Nov. 14-15 | No | Open | Zone 2 |
| Carter County | 1 | Closed | Nov. 14-15 | No | Open | Zone 2 + elk |
Hunters may fill up to 4 firearms antlerless permits in Howell County. Howell County is open during both antlerless portions. Do not put out grain, salt or minerals for deer in Howell County. Deer from Howell County donated to Share the Harvest must be CWD-tested, which participating processors arrange. For bear, Howell County is in zone 1 (1,000 permits, quota 30), season Oct 17 to Oct 30, 2026. Howell County falls in the South Zone (100%) on the 2021-2025 layer; the digest map decides near the new lines. Rules that applied in Howell County before 2026, the CWD zone, CWD portion and antler-point restriction, were dropped.
CWD stations nearest Willow Springs
| Station | Address | In | County | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomasville Community Center | 134 Old St. | Thomasville | Oregon | 27 mi |
| Eminence Elementary School | 17794 Hwy. 106 | Eminence | Shannon | 34 mi |
| MDC Twin Pines Conservation Education Center | 20086 Hwy. 60 | Winona | Shannon | 36 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.
Willow Springs dates, archery to January
Duck dates follow the North, Middle and South zones, so the zone column tells you which split counts in Howell 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 | |
| Black bear | Bear, zone 2 | Bear zone 2 | 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 Willow Springs
County harvest is the finest grain MDC reports, so treat these as Howell County figures. Hunters checked 5,474 deer there in 2025, against 5,412 in 2015. 2,458 antlered bucks were checked in 2025. Per square mile, the 2025 harvest was 6.1 deer. Spring gobbler hunters in Howell County logged 400 birds in 2026. In fall 2025, gun hunters took 14 turkeys there. The MDC dashboard counts 2 positives in 5,346 Howell County samples, the first in 2021-2022.
| Year | All deer | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 4,544 | 1,895 | 448 | 2,201 |
| 2023 | 6,346 | 2,629 | 581 | 3,136 |
| 2024 | 4,476 | 1,774 | 509 | 2,193 |
| 2025 | 5,474 | 2,458 | 526 | 2,490 |
| Portion | Harvest |
|---|---|
| Archery | 869 |
| Early youth | 385 |
| November | 2,961 |
| Late youth | 46 |
| Alt. methods | 181 |
| Managed hunts | 0 |
| Spring | Checked | Public ground |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 312 | 98 |
| 2024 | 376 | 95 |
| 2025 | 448 | 110 |
| 2026 | 400 | 69 |
| Sample year | Samples | Positives |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 300 | 0 |
| 2024 | 338 | 1 |
| 2025 | 283 | 0 |
| 2026 | 19 | 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.
Upcoming dates in the Willow Springs area
Kinds within the 30-mile ring: squirrel hunting clinic and trapping clinic. Total: 2 upcoming events.
Dates ahead
| Date | Event | Away | Where | Sign up | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 12, 2026 | Trapping: Beginners Trapping Clinic · trapping clinic | 18 | MDC Ozark Regional Office — West Plains | Register | Source |
| May 29, 2027 | Small Game Hunting: Squirrel Hunting 101 · squirrel hunting clinic | 18 | MDC Ozark Regional Office — West Plains | Register | Source |
Willow Springs shooters: three nearest ranges
Dean Davis Conservation Area Archery Range heads the Willow Springs list (7 miles), and two more follow.
Straight-line miles from the town centre; ranges checked October 29, 2026.
Willow Springs MDC contacts
Howell County hunters wanting a counter and a person can try Ozark Regional Office, 551 Joe Jones Blvd, West Plains. MDC’s Ozark Region answers from West Plains; e-mail OzarkRegion@mdc.mo.gov. Permits come through MDC’s online system and the MO Hunting app; offices handle local area questions.
MDC Ozark Regional Office at 18 mi, heading south
MDC Caney Mountain Conservation Area Field Office: 32 mi to the southwest of Willow Springs
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.
Willow Springs hunting hours
The times below start from the MDC Jefferson City table and subtract 1 minute for Willow Springs, as the booklet directs.
| Day | Hunt | Sun up | Sun down | Big game window | Migratory window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 2026 | Dove opener | 6:37 a.m. | 7:38 p.m. | 6:07 a.m.–8:08 p.m. | 6:07 a.m.–7:38 p.m. |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Archery opener | 6:49 a.m. | 7:16 p.m. | 6:19 a.m.–7:46 p.m. | 6:19 a.m.–7:16 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall firearms turkey | 7:04 a.m. | 6:50 p.m. | 6:34 a.m.–7:20 p.m. | 6:34 a.m.–6:50 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Middle Zone ducks | 6:41 a.m. | 5:01 p.m. | 6:11 a.m.–5:31 p.m. | 6:11 a.m.–5:01 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | November firearms opener | 6:49 a.m. | 4:55 p.m. | 6:19 a.m.–5:25 p.m. | 6:19 a.m.–4:55 p.m. |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Alternative methods | 7:24 a.m. | 4:53 p.m. | 6:54 a.m.–5:23 p.m. | 6:54 a.m.–4:53 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Archery close | 7:24 a.m. | 5:11 p.m. | 6:54 a.m.–5:41 p.m. | 6:54 a.m.–5:11 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.
Willow Springs quick answers
Is there a venison processor in or near Willow Springs?
The nearest on our list is P & P Heritage Meats, 12 mi away.
Which hunters near Willow Springs must show orange?
Hunters of any game during the firearms deer portions, with listed exceptions such as migratory bird hunters.
Which other towns near Willow Springs have pages?
Pomona, Cabool, West Plains and Montier, nearest first.
Who runs the conservation areas around Willow Springs?
MDC’s Ozark Region; the nearest public office is Ozark Regional Office (West Plains).
How many acres of public hunting land fall within 10 miles of Willow Springs?
About 41,407 acres by GIS measure, over 2 listed areas.
What is the first public hunting area outside Willow Springs?
It is Mark Twain National Forest, its closest boundary 3.2 miles out. Next in line: Dean Davis Conservation Area, its closest boundary 6.2 miles out.
Will the December antlerless portion run near Willow Springs?
Yes, since the county rule for Howell County allows it.
How many does may I fill on firearms antlerless permits near Willow Springs?
4 on firearms antlerless permits in Howell County.
How do Willow Springs 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 Willow Springs?
No; the year-round feed and mineral ban applies.
What should I do right after killing a deer near Willow Springs?
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 Willow Springs for the November portion?
At 6:19 a.m., and they run to 5:25 p.m.
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, Willow Springs
MDC revises rules between booklets; open the Howell County page and mdc.mo.gov once more before the trip.
Other photos on this page: J L (CC BY-SA 2.0); Jeff Meyer (CC BY 2.0); Shelby L. Bell (CC BY 2.0); Heath Cajandig (CC BY 2.0); Jena Fuller (CC BY-SA 2.0); Good Fire Photos (Public Domain Mark 1.0); J L (CC BY-SA 2.0); Heath Cajandig (CC BY 2.0).