Missouri Hunters Harvested 6,524 Deer

The recent early antlerless firearms season saw a harvest total decrease compared to the previous year.

Updated on Oct. 13, 2026 in Hunting

Screen-print poster illustration of two autumn leaves on a wooden fence rail, evoking the seasonal atmosphere of the Missouri deer harvest. — Missouri hunters harvested 6,524 deer during the Early Antlerless firearms season, a decline attributed to unseasonable hot weather throughout the three-day window. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Missouri hunters successfully harvested 6,524 deer during the Early Antlerless firearms portion of the state season. This total represents a decrease from the 8,494 deer harvested during the same period in 2025.

Why it matters

The overall reduction in harvest numbers is attributed to hot weather conditions experienced throughout the hunting period. These climate factors directly influenced activity levels for both hunters and the deer population during the three-day window.

Franklin County led the state with 203 harvested deer, followed by Howell County with 181 and Jefferson County with 177. These figures provide a breakdown of the season performance across the most active regions.

The details

The season took place over three days using firearms to manage the antlerless deer population. While regional leaders like Franklin County saw hundreds of animals harvested, the broader state numbers were impacted by the unseasonable heat.

The Early Antlerless portion of firearms deer season occurred from October 9 to October 11, 2026.
The Early Youth deer season portion is scheduled for October 24 to 25, 2026.
The November firearms deer season portion is scheduled for November 14 to 24, 2026.
The late Antlerless portion in some counties is scheduled for December 5 to 13, 2026.
The Alternative Methods portion of deer season is scheduled for December 26, 2026, to January 5, 2027.

Culture Shift

This decline reflects broader patterns in outdoor recreation where weather volatility increasingly dictates seasonal participation. By comparing these figures against the Missouri Department of Conservation's seasonal antlerless harvest benchmarks, the state tracks how climate shifts impact long-term management goals.

Hunters should monitor weather reports closely as similar unseasonable conditions may persist during future segments of the season. Planning for the upcoming youth and November firearms portions requires accounting for these temperature fluctuations when preparing for field activities.

The takeaway

The decrease in total harvest underscores the significant role that environmental factors play in seasonal hunting outcomes. Hunters can use these results to better gauge activity levels and adjust their expectations for the remaining portions of the 2026 season.