MDC Taking Public Comment On Potential Changes To Deer Hunting Regulations

The Missouri Department of Conservation is taking public feedback on a revision to its surveillance and management plans regarding chronic wasting disease in white-tailed deer. The feedback is requested regarding the goals of the plan and potential changes in deer hunting regulations.

The MDC says chronic wasting disease is a significant threat to the health of Missouri’s deer population, and the department developed an initial CWD Surveillance and Management Plan in 2010 after detecting the first cases of CWD in north central Missouri. The plan was updated again in 2015 when CWD was detected in other areas of the state.

The department says this revision is a response to changing disease dynamics.

The main areas of focus within the plan call for continued disease surveillance throughout the state, ensuring hunter service testing demands are met, communication, conducting applied research, monitoring disease distribution in affected areas, and applying management actions to limit further spread of the disease.

As part of the plan revision, MDC is considering some changes to deer-hunting regulations for the 2023 deer hunting season. The proposed regulations include increasing the maximum number of firearms antlerless deer hunting permits that a hunter could fill from two to four in select counties, creating a three-day early antlerless portion of firearms deer season in select counties that would begin on a Friday in early-to-mid October, and creating a five-day CWD portion of firearms deer season in select CWD Management Zone counties that would begin the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.

Those interested or want to comment on the draft CWD Surveillance and Management Plan goals and objectives, and proposed changes to deer hunting regulations, can visit the MDC website.

The comment period lasts until August 8th.