More than 280K deer harvested this season

Missouri's 2017-18 deer-hunting season ended Jan. 15, with the Missouri Department of Conservation reporting a preliminary total of 283,940 deer killed, according to a news release.

Top counties for the overall season were Howell with 6,182 deer killed, Franklin with 5,957 and Texas with 5,619.

In Mid-Missouri, Cole County had 1,644 deer killed, Callaway 4,969, Osage 4,280, Morgan 3,924, Miller 3,085, Boone 3,078 and Moniteau 1,533.

Of the 283,940 deer killed, 135,891 were antlered bucks, 30,538 were button bucks and 117,511 were does.

During last year's deer hunting season, 263,834 deer were killed.

Deer hunting ended with the close of the archery season. Preliminary data from MDC show hunters checked 51,722 deer during the archery season. Of that total, 21,162 were antlered bucks, 5,319 were button bucks and 25,241 were does.

Last year, hunters checked 47,552 deer during the archery season.

Fall archery turkey hunting also ended Jan. 15. Preliminary data from MDC show 2,426 turkeys killed. Last year hunters killed 2,304 turkeys.

MDC reported five firearms-related hunting accidents during the fall deer and turkey hunting seasons. All were non-fatal. Three involved self-inflicted wounds. Two involved one hunter shooting another.