Callaway County hunters harvested the second-most deer of any Missouri county during the recent alternative-methods portion of the deer season.
Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation shows deer hunters in Missouri harvested 14,555 deer from Dec. 26-Jan. 5 during the alternative-methods portion of the firearms deer season. Top harvest counties were Franklin with 318 deer harvested, Callaway with 317, and Osage with 298.
The harvest total for last year's alternative-methods portion was 12,024.
During this portion of the season, hunters may use muzzleloaders, centerfire pistols or revolver, air-powered firearms, bows, crossbows and even atlatls. Hunters may harvest only one antlered deer during the entire firearms deer season.
Hunters wanting to take additional antlered deer must hunt on an archer's hunting permit during the archery deer season or in a managed hunt where antlered deer can be taken.
For current ongoing preliminary harvest totals by season, county, and type of deer, visit the MDC website at extra.mdc.mo.gov/widgets/harvest_table.
For harvest summaries from past years, visit huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/species/deer/deer-harvest-reports/deer-harvest-summaries.
The archery deer and turkey season runs through Jan. 15.
Find more information on deer hunting from MDC's 2020 Fall Deer & Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information booklet, available where hunting permits are sold and online at huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/sites/default/files/downloads/2020FDT.pdf.