Young Hunters Harvest 13,923 Deer During Early Youth Portion of Firearms Deer Season

Jefferson City, Mo. (KFMO) - Missouri Department of Conservation officials are releasing preliminary data from the Missouri early youth portion of the 2024 deer hunting season from November 2nd and 3rd.

Young hunters, ages 6 through 15, harvested 13,923 deer. Top counties were Franklin with 285 deer harvested, Howell with 273, and Texas with 265. Of the deer harvested, 9,852 were antlered bucks, 3,102 were does, and 969 were button bucks.

Youth hunters harvested 11,270 during last year's early youth portion.

Firearms deer hunting in Missouri continues with the November Portion running November 16-26 followed by the CWD Portion November 27 - December 1 in open counties. The Late Youth Portion runs November 29 - December 1 followed by the Late Antlerless Portion December 7-15 in open counties and then the Alternative Methods Portion December 28 through January 7, 2025. Archery deer hunting in Missouri runs through November 15 and reopens November 27 and through January 15, 2025.