By RYAN SKAITH
Missouri hunters harvested a preliminary total of 301,954 deer during the 2025-2026 season, marking a significant rebound from the previous year, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation.
The season, which concluded Jan. 15 with the close of archery hunting, saw an increase from the 275,656 deer taken during the 2024-2025 cycle. This year’s total included 145,222 antlered bucks, 25,129 button bucks, and 131,603 does.
MDC Cervid Program Supervisor Jason Isabelle said the results met expectations, particularly in southern Missouri where numbers had previously dipped. The 2025-2026 total was slightly above the state's five-year average and represents only the sixth time in Missouri history that the harvest has surpassed the 300,000 mark.
Franklin County led the state in overall harvest with 6,770 deer. Howell County followed with 5,490, and Callaway County rounded out the top three with 5,346.
Archery season alone accounted for 62,203 deer, an increase over the 56,516 taken by bowhunters last year. Jefferson County recorded the highest archery total with 1,571 deer, followed by Franklin County at 1,272 and St. Louis County at 1,076.
The MDC reported four non-fatal, self-inflicted firearms-related hunting incidents during the season. One of those incidents involved deer hunting, while the remaining three occurred during the pursuit of other game.