Missouri's 2023-24 deer season produced a record harvest.
Approximately 326,026 deer were taken across all portions of the season, according to preliminary totals from the Missouri Department of Conservation. The season ended with the close of its archery portion Jan. 15.
A harvest of more than 326,000 deer surpasses the department's previous record of 325,457 deer, set in 2006. Last season, hunters killed approximately 299,719 deer.
Increased harvest totals are the result of the state's growing deer population and new regulation changes, according to MDC. The department increased the number of antlerless deer hunting permits in most counties last year and added two new portions to the season: an early antlerless firearms portion and a chronic wasting disease firearms portion.
"With deer numbers increasing in most counties, additional antlerless deer harvest is needed to slow population growth and help maintain deer numbers at desired levels," MDC Cervid Program Supervisor Jason Isabelle said in a statement. "It was great to see hunters take advantage of the additional hunting opportunities."
Of the 326,026 deer harvested, 147,705 were antlered bucks, 29,060 were button bucks and 149,261 were does. The state's top harvest counties were Franklin with 7,395, Howell with 6,346 and Texas with 6,181. Callaway County had the fourth largest harvest total with 5,762.
The 2023-24 season marked the first time since 2013 hunters took more does than antlered bucks.
"Prior to the severe hemorrhagic disease outbreak in 2012 that reduced deer numbers and resulted in regulation changes to reduce antlerless harvest, doe harvest exceeded antlered buck harvest each year for about a decade," Isabelle said. "Now that the deer population has rebounded and regulations have been liberalized, it's nice to see the much-needed increase in antlerless harvest given our desire to slow the growth of the increasing deer population to maintain deer numbers at socially acceptable levels."
Hunters still set a record in the number of antlered bucks they harvested, which Isabelle attributes to the new CWD portion of the season.
"Hunters play a major role in helping to manage CWD, and increasing the harvest of both bucks and antlerless deer in the CWD Management Zone will help reduce the spread of the disease," he said.
MDC displays deer harvest totals by season, county and type of deer on its website at extra.mdc.mo.gov/widgets/harvest_table/. The department reported one non-fatal archery hunting incident this season and no firearm hunting incidents.