A customer of ours from Innisfil has hunted his cousin’s farm in southern Missouri every November for six years.
He came in last month for ammunition and mentioned, almost in passing, that he planned to shoot two bucks again this year, one with his bow and one with his rifle. I asked whether he had read the 2026 changes. He had not. Missouri had cut nonresident hunters to a single antlered deer across both seasons, and his bow buck from early October would have ended his trip before he packed the rifle. He called his cousin from the parking lot.
Direct answer: Missouri’s 2026-27 archery deer season runs September 15 to November 13 and November 25, 2026 to January 15, 2027. The main November firearms portion runs November 14 to 24, 2026. Additional youth, antlerless, and alternative methods portions run from October through January 5, 2027.
Missouri Deer Season Dates for 2026-27
Missouri splits its deer season into one archery season and several firearms portions, each with its own dates, weapons, and eligible hunters. Knowing which portion you are hunting decides what you can carry and what you can shoot.
| Portion | 2026-27 dates |
| Archery | Sept. 15 to Nov. 13, and Nov. 25, 2026 to Jan. 15, 2027 |
| Early antlerless (open counties only) | Oct. 9 to 11 |
| Early youth | Oct. 24 to 25 |
| November firearms | Nov. 14 to 24 |
| Late youth | Nov. 27 to 29 |
| Late antlerless (open counties only) | Dec. 5 to 13 |
| Alternative methods | Dec. 26, 2026 to Jan. 5, 2027 |
Here’s how the calendar fits together:
Archery pauses for the November portion
Archery closes on November 13 and reopens on November 25, so bowhunters lose the eleven days of the main gun season. The Missouri Department of Conservation published the full calendar in its 2026-2027 deer and turkey season dates release.
Youth and antlerless portions fill the gaps
The youth and antlerless portions sit before and after the November portion. The antlerless portions apply only in counties MDC opens for them, so check your county before you plan around those dates.
How the Archery Season Works
Archery gives Missouri hunters the longest window of the year, close to four months in total, and it covers the entire rut.
Here’s what bowhunters need to know:
Legal equipment
Missouri allows longbows, recurve bows, compound bows, crossbows, and atlatls during archery season. Crossbows are legal for all archery hunters, not only for hunters with a disability, which surprises many visitors from Ontario.
The one-buck rule before November 14
Hunters may take only one antlered deer during archery season before the November firearms portion opens. Residents may take a second antlered deer later, but only one across all firearms portions combined. Nonresidents face a tighter limit, covered below.
Timing the rut
Missouri’s peak breeding typically overlaps with mid-November, the same broad window Ontario hunters know from home. Our guide to when the whitetail rut hits in Ontario explains the four rut phases and how to hunt each one.
The Firearms Portions Explained
Missouri runs five firearms portions, and each one comes with different rules on who can hunt and what they can shoot. Most hunters focus only on November and miss the others.
Here’s how each portion works:
November portion, Nov. 14 to 24
This is Missouri’s main gun season and the busiest stretch of the year. Rifles and handguns firing expanding centrefire ammunition, shotguns firing slugs, muzzleloaders, and archery equipment are all legal. Buckshot is prohibited, and self-loading firearms may not hold more than 11 rounds combined.
Early and late youth portions
Hunters aged 6 to 15 may hunt with firearms on October 24 and 25 and again November 27 to 29. A youth who has not completed hunter education must hunt alongside a qualified adult mentor.
Early and late antlerless portions
These portions allow only antlerless deer, in open counties only. They help MDC manage herd numbers where deer populations run high.
Alternative methods portion, Dec. 26 to Jan. 5
The final firearms portion permits muzzleloaders of .40 calibre or larger, centrefire handguns with expanding bullets, air-powered guns of .40 calibre or larger, bows, crossbows, and atlatls. Centrefire rifles and shotguns are not allowed.
What Changed for the 2026 Season
Missouri made several significant rule changes in 2026, most of them tied to chronic wasting disease (CWD). Hunters relying on last year’s notes risk breaking at least one of them.
Here’s what is new:
Antler point restrictions are gone
MDC removed antler point restrictions in the final 18 counties that still used them. The department said yearling bucks travel long distances and can spread CWD, so protecting them no longer made sense.
Nonresidents now get one antlered deer
Nonresidents using regular nonresident permits may take only one antlered deer across archery and firearms seasons combined, down from two. Nonresident landowners hunting their qualifying property may still take two.
CWD zones and sampling changed
MDC eliminated its CWD Management Zone designation and the separate CWD firearms portion, and CWD regulations now apply statewide. Feed and mineral bans apply in counties within 10 miles of a confirmed CWD case. Mandatory opening weekend sampling now rotates through counties over four years.
Mandatory sampling on Nov. 14 and 15
In 2026, hunters who take a deer in 28 counties must present it at a sampling station on the day of harvest during opening weekend. The list includes Greene, Callaway, St. Charles, Buchanan, and Shannon counties. MDC lists every county and station on its mandatory CWD sampling page.
Permits, Limits and Check-In Rules
Missouri’s permit system is simple for residents and expensive for visitors. The rules after the shot matter just as much as the purchase.
| Permit | Resident | Nonresident |
| Firearms Any-Deer | $19.50 | $360.00 |
| Archer’s Hunting | $22.00 | $360.00 |
| Firearms Antlerless | $7.50 | $34.00 |
| Archery Antlerless | $7.50 | $34.00 |
Here’s what applies once you hold a permit:
Hunter education
Anyone born on or after January 1, 1967 must complete an approved hunter education program before buying a Missouri firearms permit. An Apprentice Hunter Authorization, at $12.50, lets an uncertified hunter aged 16 or older hunt alongside a qualified mentor for up to two permit years.
Telecheck by 10 p.m.
Notch the month and day on your permit immediately after the kill. Report the deer through Telecheck by 10 p.m. on the day of harvest, and record the confirmation number on your permit. You must Telecheck before processing the deer or taking it out of Missouri.
Hunter orange and legal hours
During firearms deer season, all hunters pursuing any game must wear a hunter orange hat and a hunter orange vest, shirt, or coat. Camouflage orange does not count. Legal hunting hours run from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset.
Hunting Missouri From Canada
Canadians make the trip every year, usually to hunt with family or on leased farms. The border adds paperwork that Missouri residents never think about.
Here’s what to sort out before you leave:
Your hunter education certificate
Carry your Ontario hunter education card. Missouri requires proof of certification for firearms permits, and MDC can confirm whether it accepts your specific course before you buy.
Taking a rifle across the border
Nonimmigrant visitors bringing a firearm into the United States generally need an approved ATF Form 6NIA in advance, plus a valid US hunting permit. Apply weeks ahead, since approval takes time. Register the rifle with the Canada Border Services Agency before you leave so you can bring it home without trouble.
Bringing your deer back
Ontario restricts the import of high-risk deer parts from outside the province to keep CWD out. Plan to bring home deboned meat, antlers on a cleaned skull plate, the hide, or a finished mount rather than a whole carcass. Shot placement matters more than ever when you only get one buck, and our guide on where to shoot a buck covers the shots that drop deer quickly.
Getting Ready for a Missouri Hunt
Missouri’s November portion opens in mild weather some years and sleet in others, with long sits on field edges either way. Packing for both saves a miserable morning.
We run a Canadian hunting and target sports store in Barrie, Ontario, at 431 Bayview Drive. We stock rifles and ammunition, Vortex optics, blaze orange that meets US hunter orange rules, and the Sitka layers that handle a Missouri November whichever way the weather turns.
Several of the people behind our counter have hunted south of the border, so we can talk through travel cases, ammunition, and what to pack. Visit the Barrie showroom Monday through Saturday, call 1-705-252-4400, or order online with free shipping over $250.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is deer season in Missouri in 2026?
Archery runs September 15 to November 13 and November 25, 2026 to January 15, 2027. The November firearms portion runs November 14 to 24. Youth, antlerless, and alternative methods portions run on other dates from October 9 through January 5, 2027.
How many deer can a nonresident kill in Missouri?
Starting in 2026, nonresidents on regular nonresident permits may take one antlered deer across archery and firearms seasons combined. Antlerless permits allow additional antlerless deer. Nonresident landowners on their qualifying property may still take two antlered deer.
How much is a nonresident deer tag in Missouri?
A nonresident Firearms Any-Deer permit costs $360, and a nonresident Archer’s Hunting permit also costs $360. Nonresident antlerless permits cost $34 each, but you must first buy an Any-Deer or Archer’s permit.
Does Missouri still have antler point restrictions?
No. MDC removed antler point restrictions in the last 18 counties that had them before the 2026 season, citing the risk that yearling bucks spread chronic wasting disease over long distances.
Can you use a crossbow during Missouri archery season?
Yes. Missouri allows crossbows for all hunters during archery season, along with longbows, recurve bows, compound bows, and atlatls. Crossbows are also legal during the alternative methods portion.
