Youth harvest numbers are in

Remi Yates, age seven, killed a “GIANT” button buck during youth season.

Archer Hoefer, 13, with his 7 point buck.

Ryleigh Jo, age 12, with her first ever harvest in Webster County.

Kamry Winterbottom, age nine, harvested her third deer this season, with the mentoring of proud dad Joel Winterbottom.

Garrett Mason poses with the 6 point buck he harvested in Webster County.

13-year-old Lincoln Aikins, of Marshfield, poses with his first buck. Lincloln used a .308 during the hunt.

Posted Wednesday, November 29, 2023 8:46 am

By Shelby Atkison shelbya@marshfieldmail.com

Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) shows young hunters ages 6-15 harvested 3,574 deer during Missouri’s late youth portion of the 2023 firearms deer hunting season, Nov. 24-26. Of the 3,574 deer harvested, 1,697 were antlered bucks, 361 were button bucks, and 1,516 were does.

Webster County youth hunters harvested 219 total deer in the early youth portion in October, and came back with an additional 45 deer harvested in the late portion in November. The late portion harvest included an additional 22 antlered buck, five button buck and 18 doe. Top counties for the late youth portion were Texas with 77 deer harvested, Pike with 62, and Callaway and Morgan, each with 61.

Last year’s state-wide harvest total for the late youth portion was 2,870 deer.

Archery deer hunting continues through Jan. 15, 2024. The late antlerless portion of firearms deer season runs Dec. 2-10 in open counties and the alternative methods portion will occur Dec. 23 through Jan. 2, 2024.

Get more information on Missouri deer hunting from MDC’s 2023 Fall Deer and Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information booklet, available where hunting permits are sold and online at mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/species/deer.