The MDC might move November’s portion of the firearms season one week later in the same month to take pressure off bucks during the peak of the rut. Photo by BillKinney.com.

Missouri is blessed with an estimated 1.3 million whitetails and supports an annual harvest of more than 300,000 deer. Sprawling urban communities, deer/vehicle collisions, damage to crops, deer diseases and an aging population of deer hunters are some of the factors influencing the way the Missouri Department of Conservation is managing our herd.

"I think our deer herd is in overall excellent condition," said MDC resource scientist Lonnie Hansen. "In some parts of the state, we have declining numbers of deer, while in others we have slightly increasing numbers." He added that the Show-Me State's hotspots and not-so-hot spots for deer numbers will always be with us, given the high percentage of land in private ownership.

Missouri is in what could be thought of as a test period for new and challenging changes in regulations, all aimed at decreasing doe numbers and increasing hunter numbers. That last is especially critical, because overall, deer hunters are graying in Missouri, and as their numbers are projected to fall in the future, harvest numbers are likely to decrease, too. Harvest data show that hunters in Missouri's older age-brackets are less likely to shoot any deer at all, which could further depress harvest.

The MDC is taking preventative measures now to offset these trends and to ensure that the state doesn't suffer from overpopulation by whitetails. How? By reducing current deer numbers through a variety of possible management practices aimed at increasing doe harvests. The only sure way to control deer numbers is to harvest female deer, since it takes just a small number of bucks to breed with does to sustain or increase the population. Harvesting does is the most effective way to prevent herd growth or reduce deer numbers when and where necessary.

PUBLIC MEETINGS
At press time, the MDC was hosting 16 public forums across Missouri to obtain hunters' opinion on several changes in regulations. Among those under consideration are: continuing or expanding the 29-county antler point restriction program; moving the antlerless portion of firearms deer season into October; pushing the November portion of firearms deer season one week later in the month; and moving the muzzleloader season into late December. Public input will weigh heavily in the MDC's final decision on what to do.

"The final decision about changes to deer hunting regulations will be made by the (MDC) based on citizen preferences collected at these meetings and mail survey and scientific data," Hansen stated.

ANTLER RESTRICTIONS
The MDC implemented a three-year pilot antler-point restriction program in 29 counties in 2005. The restriction allows hunters to harvest bucks with at least 4 antler points on one side of the rack. The goal: to shift the deer harvest from bucks to does and, as a byproduct, allow bucks to reach older age-classes.

The 29 counties involved in this pilot program are divided by the Missouri River. Counties north of the river: Atchison, Holt, Nodaway, Andrew, Worth, Gentry, DeKalb, Harrison, Daviess, Mercer, Grundy, Livingston, Putnam, Sullivan, Linn, Chariton, Schuyler, Adair, Macon, Randolph, Howard and Boone. Southern-tier counties: Cole, Miller, Pulaski, Osage, Maries, Gasconade and Franklin.

The 2007 firearms and archery deer seasons were the last seasons in the pilot program. The MDC is now reviewing whether to continue with these limitations in just the original counties or to expand the regulation into additional counties.