Hunters kill 3,234 deer in Callaway County

Tony Lortz, Fulton, shows the rack of a 20-point buck he shot on Nov. 12. Callaway County's deer harvest in the firearms season this month was the fourth-highest in the state.
Tony Lortz, Fulton, shows the rack of a 20-point buck he shot on Nov. 12. Callaway County's deer harvest in the firearms season this month was the fourth-highest in the state.

The 3,234 deer killed in Callaway County during the recent firearms hunt was the fourth highest county total in the state.

The Missouri Department of Conservation reports the 11-day November firearms deer hunt recorded 190,089 deer taken throughout the state, slightly topping last year's figure despite a slow start on opening weekend.

Callaway County led the deer harvest total among all Central Missouri counties.

Todd Houf, Callaway County conservation agent, said Callaway County's deer population is now much lower than it was five or 10 years ago.

"There always is a large deer harvest in Callaway County. The habitat for deer is good in Callaway County and we have a high number of hunters in the county," Houf said.