Walk in the park to highlight “Benefits of Nature”

A quaint place to walk in the woods hides in plain sight along Sappington Road in Sunset Hills.

“You know where Knob Noster State Park is, don’t you?” a friend asked me earlier this week.

“Just east of Warrensburg,” I replied confidently. I take pride in being able to identify and locate public places throughout Missouri where you can get out and enjoy the outdoors. I have visited more than half of the almost 100 Missouri State Parks and historic sites, and recognize most of the other’s names.

So I was surprised when I saw a notice about an event at a place that didn’t sound familiar. Claire Gempp Davidson Memorial Conservation Area must be in some far flung corner of the state, I thought. No, it’s in Sunset Hills, on Sappington Road between Gravois and Eddie and Park. Basically in our neighborhood.

I went to visit the 13.5-acre park over the Thanksgiving Day weekend, which was coincidental because decades ago when my family visited South County for the holiday, my brother-in-law Dan and I would escape the crowd and find a place to hike around that same area near Grant’s Farm.

Those long ago walkabouts took place before the property was conveyed to the state Department of Conservation in 1992. Marjorie Elizabeth Gempp willed the natural area to the state in memory of her sister Claire, who died at age 26.

Managed by the city of Sunset Hills, the green space is a sweet oasis in a busy residential and commercial area. The trails wind through the woods on a thick carpet of wood mulch chips. A short spur trail leads to the adjacent elementary school providing access to a natural outdoor classroom.

The entire property is almost pancake flat, so elevation change is not an issue, and every step is easy. The paved parking lot and running water restrooms (closed for winter) put the park ahead of more rustic options.

A sturdy boardwalk bridge crosses the wetlands pond at Claire Gempp Davidson Memorial Conservation Area in Sunset Hills.

The best feature along the trails are the consistent tree identification signs and informational kiosks. The first one I encountered highlighted the dangers of invasive species. I did have to look at the names on several of the trees, but I had no trouble identifying the honeysuckle bushes that were unfortunately prolific in the suburban setting. Many of the identified trees were impressive examples of their species including huge black cherry, persimmon, white oak and eastern red cedar trees.

A sturdy boardwalk bridge passed through the wetlands area pond with its towering bald cypress trees. A small prairie area completed the wildlife area’s natural diversity. There are plenty of learning opportunities with each step.

The upcoming special event at the park is billed as a “Benefits of Nature Walk” at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 13. “You’ll learn to harness the benefits of nature to expand your senses and improve, recalibrate, and restore physical and mental well being,” the department press release said.

Of course any chance to get outdoors provides the biological boost that is delivered by fresh air, sunshine, and escape from the confines of the everyday grind. The scheduled walk at the wildlife area provides the extra bonus of a conservation department naturalist as a guide.

The press release touted nature as a means to reduce stress levels and blood pressure, and improve your immune system. “During the journey, discussions will focus on ways you can use the woods, your yard, or even a window to help receive the benefits of nature during the winter months, or any time of the year.”

The event is scheduled for two hours and will include stops along the way for group members to absorb their surroundings. The press release recommended bringing a towel or other pad for sitting on at the stops.

The Benefits of Nature Walk is free, but advanced registration is required. To sign-up for the event visit http://short.mdc.mo.gov/oJU. The guided walk is limited to 12 participants.

John Winkelman has been writing about outdoors news and issues in Jefferson County for more than 30 years and was the Associate Editor for Outdoor Guide Magazine.

Old almanac will continue to provide annual predictions

Since I am a frequent shopper at Buchheit in Herculaneum, my wife Kelly will tell you that it was not so coincidental that I was in the store on the same day I heard the news that the Farmers’ Almanac was ceasing publication.

I had just seen a display rack full of the familiar, yellow-covered publications. It couldn’t be true. For more than 230 years The Old Farmer’s Almanac has been providing weather forecasts, planting guidance and much more in a handy guidebook. These days I even get regular emails from almanac.com with interesting updates.

The original Old Farmer’s Almanac will continue to be published “for generations to come.”

The original, established in 1792 by Robert B. Thomas, is not going anywhere. The announcement on Nov. 6 was in regard to the Farmers’ Almanac, which was established, and published since 1818.

“It is with a heavy heart that we share the end of what has not only been an annual tradition in millions of homes and hearths for hundreds of years, but also a way of life, an inspiration for many who realize the wisdom of generations past is the key to the generations of the future,” said editor Sandi Duncan in a posted press release.

As sad as it is to report on the demise of any business, and in particular a long-serving and well-respected publication, I am glad to know it was not my little golden book that is going away. The same day as the announcement, The Old Farmer’s Almanac issued a press release of its own.

“As sure as the seasons change, we will continue to publish our annual edition – with our much anticipated weather forecasts – in print and digital for generations to come,” the email stated.

I have never been much of an advocate for the credibility of their weather predictions. I barely trust the guys who come on in the morning with first alerts about what their models tell them will happen in the afternoon. The almanac’s generalities and regional approach make the forecasting success similar to that of a broken clock, which is right twice a day.

So pardon my reluctance to confer with its weather prognostications, but I always find the periodical contains plenty that is “useful, with a pleasant degree of humor,” as the original claims on its cover.

Inside edition No. 234, the 2026 version includes several feature stories that stood out to me. The Healing Power of Honey backs up the folklore behind the natural cure-all with modern medical discoveries and tested remedy recipes. The essay on space junk included frightening facts about 130 million pea-sized pieces, and 29,000 orbiting objects larger than 4-inches, “moving far faster than high-velocity bullets.”

My favorite story was a sports special report about the summer of 1941, when Joe DiMaggio set his 56-game hitting streak record, and Ted Williams batted .406, the last time any hitter topped the .400 mark. “It all happened one summer when America needed to believe in heroes.”

My parents and grandparents relied on the almanac’s guidance for garden planting. Its “Planting by the Moon’s Phase” chart on Page 230 provides the best dates for about 40 vegetables and crops including everything from barley to zucchini. The moon signs also offer suggestions for the best days each month to quit smoking, brew beer, get a hair cut, harvest crops, wean pigs, wash windows, and more than three dozen other activities.

I’m not sure about the veracity of those claims, but if they were good enough for my mom and Grandpa Joe, I am willing to confer with the book for planning my planting.

Where I do find my almanac most reliable are in its astronomy listings. Page 102 says 2026 will have two solar eclipses that will not be visible from most of North America and two lunar eclipses that viewing will depend on how close to each coast you happen to be. On March 3 the total eclipse of the moon will be best viewed in central and western United States. The partial lunar eclipse on Aug. 27-28 will be a better show from an Atlantic shore.

Save the Dates on Page 152 says the next total solar eclipse visible in North America will be August 23, 2044. I hope The Old Farmer’s Almanac and I are still around for that.

John Winkelman has been writing about outdoors news and issues in Jefferson County for more than 30 years and was the Associate Editor for Outdoor Guide Magazine

Trout fishing opportunities return for winter season

The first stocking of the year released more than 750 rainbow trout on November 5 at Island Lake and Carp Lake at Suson Park in south St. Louis County.

While most of the focus this time of year is on hunting, a popular fishing season has opened to provide opportunities for anglers close to home and in their favorite spring and summer streams around the state.

November 14 was opening day for catch and release fishing in Missouri’s four trout parks, and the hatchery raised fish have arrived at several parks in the St. Louis area and from southeast to northwest Missouri.

Closest to home for Jefferson County residents are the two lakes at Suson Park in south St. Louis County. Named Island Lake and Carp Lake, the two side-by-side ponds host many anglers all year long. Both have significant amounts of accessible shoreline.

The two lakes were stocked for the first time on Nov. 5, with 190 rainbow trout released in the smaller Carp Lake and 569 in Island Lake, according to the state Department of Conservation‘s fish stocking hotline: 636-300-9651. The telephone service is updated immediately after each fish delivery. The recording includes the date and number of fish stocked at each lake.

Anglers are limited to using only one fishing pole and may use any type of bait or lure. They must have a valid fishing license, and an annual trout permit is required for those who chose to keep their catch. Anglers have to stop fishing as soon as they catch their daily limit of four fish.

Some special considerations for trout fishing tackle include using very light line and small hooks and weights. Trout feed by both sight and smell, colored and scented baits are popular. Because the hatchery-raised fish have lived and grown on a diet of small brown pellets for their whole lives, locally produced dough baits are effective.

A hand-held dip net is an essential piece of equipment because the light line is prone to breakage as it nears the shore or is pulled out of the water. Ultralight spinning reels and rods are designed to handle the lightweight line that is recommended for trout fishing.

Other St. Louis area lakes that allow anglers to keep their catch throughout the winter season include Boathouse Lake in Carondelet Park, Gendron Lake in St. Ann, Jaunary-Wabash Park lake in Ferguson, O’Fallon Park lake in St. Louis city, Vlasis Park in Ballwin, and lakes 3, 22 and 23 at the August A. Busch Conservation Area in St. Charles County.

Seven other lakes in the program have been stocked for catch-and-release fishing only until January 31. Anglers are limited to one fishing pole and may only use flies, artificial lures and unscented, soft-plastic baits. After February 1 all types of lures and baits may be used by pole and line fishermen.

The catch-and-release lakes include Jefferson Lake in Forest Park, Koeneman Park Lake in Jennings, Tilles Park Lake in St. Louis County, Union City Lake in Franklin County, Walker Lake in Kirkwood, and lakes 7 and 21 at the Busch Conservation Area.

Missouri’s four trout parks also allow catch-and-release fishing through the winter months. From Nov. 14 through Feb. 9 anglers can fish at Meramac Springs near St. James, Bennett Springs at Lebanon, Montauk in Salem, and Roaring River State Park in Cassville. Anglers may only use artificial flies for bait and must have a fishing permit and trout tag.

The catch-and-release season at the trout parks closes in early February to allow time before the annual opening day celebration on March 1.

John Winkelman has been writing about outdoors news and issues in Jefferson County for more than 30 years and was the Associate Editor for Outdoor Guide Magazine.

LaBarque Creek Conservation Area near Eureka expands

The pristine LaBarque Creek gets more protection with the expansion of the conservation area that bears its name.

A recent purchase expands one of Jefferson County’s most interesting outdoors attractions. The LaBarque Creek Conservation Area near Eureka added 15 acres that includes about a half-mile of the property’s namesake LaBarque Creek.

The land purchase was approved by the state Conservation Commission at its meeting in April and closed in September. According to a press release from the state Department of Conservation, the purchase was made by Open Space STL through donations from the Mysun Charitable Foundation and the Robert Trulaske Jr. Family Foundation.

Protection of the LaBarque Creek watershed is considered a priority in the St. Louis region because of the pristine nature of the area and the diversity of species that call the stream home. A little more than 10 miles long, the tributary of the Meramec River is completely in Jefferson County.

The area outlined in red marks the 15 acres added to the LaBarque Creek Conservation Area.

In addition to the 1,285 acres of watershed in the expanded LaBarque Creek Conservation Area, public property protects land and water that begins at the stream’s headwaters in the adjacent Don Robinson State Park (800 acres). Two other conservation areas near the creek’s confluence with the Meramec River cover almost 2,000 acres, Hilda J. Young (1,300 acres) and Myron and Sonya Glasberg Family (634 acres).

At least 54 species of fish live in the creek, and the biodiversity of other aquatic life is almost three times greater than any of the 15 other Meramec River tributaries below LaBarque, the department press release said.

“Thanks to its incredible ecological diversity and the pristine habitat it provides, LaBarque Creek is a true aquatic gem in our region,” said Gary Calvert, the administrator for the conservation department in the St. Louis area.

Founded as the Open Space Council in 1965, the independent agency works collaboratively with other organizations and government entities to conserve and sustain natural resources.

“This LaBarque Creek Conservation Area expansion builds on Open Space STL and MDC’s shared efforts to protect the LaBarque Creek watershed. We’ve previously partnered to expand nearby Young Conservation Area in 2021,” said Open Space STL executive director Bonnie Harper.

The 15-acre tract was sold by Jenna Walls.

“Our family always felt we were so very lucky to be the stewards of a part of this magical valley, and I personally feel that sharing that magic with others is this land’s greatest purpose,” Walls said. “After watching the MDC for 20 years on LaBarque Conservation Area, I came to understand their care and dedication to preserving natural lands for our beautiful state. They should be the next stewards of this precious area so many can experience its power in perpetuity.”

LaBarque Creek Conservation Area has a three-mile hiking trail that follows the creek for a short distance then climbs the hills with a 300-foot elevation change. The natural surface trail includes several ups and downs before returning to the trailhead at the area parking lot on Valley Drive off Doc Sargent Road about seven miles southwest of Eureka.

John Winkelman has been writing about outdoors news and issues in Jefferson County for more than 30 years and was the Associate Editor for Outdoor Guide Magazine.

Never Lose Touch program encourages people to get outdoors

The sandstone canyon at Don Robinson State Park near Dittmer may be the most peaceful public place in Jefferson County.

An initiative from the state Department of Conservation invites people of all ages to connect with the outdoors or find their way back outside through a number of activities and multi-media opportunities.

Never Lose Touch provides encouragement to people who remember halcyon days in the woods or on the water, and anyone who has watched the wild from afar. Suggestions to get started include new media like smartphone apps, a podcast, a Spotify playlist, and a YouTube channel.

The program is not all electronics-based. Traditional avenues like the free Missouri Conservationist magazine and Discover Nature educational events are still key components. Some hands-on suggestions for maintaining connection with the outdoors include landscaping with native plants and nature journaling.

At the heart of the Never Lose Touch concept are the many health benefits of enjoying the outdoors. The conservation department program announcement recommends a daily dose of nature “to refresh and de-stress” with perceived or proven benefits.

Advantages from visiting a park, the woods, or even your own backyard include reduced blood pressure, a healthier heart rate, and lessened muscle tension; an escape from busy schedules provides a sense of calm and well-being; a brain boost from the fresh air can be “comparable to a cup of coffee”; and a hike in the woods can increase attention span and problem-solving skills, the archived Conservationist article states.

Our ever-present smartphones make capturing images of our outings easier than ever. Conservation department photographer David Stonner offers tips to take better pictures.

“The golden hour is right around sunrise or sunset when the light drops low in the sky,” he says. “Everything starts to glow and the shadows are not as harsh. So searching out the right light and interesting angle on your subject is far more important than whatever equipment you are using.”

Another suggestion from the state announcement of the program is a relatively new Japanese custom that sounds more like an ancient ritual. Forest bathing dates to the 1980s and is about unplugging and breathing in the natural world around you.

“The key is to find a quiet spot to yourself. Take some slow, deep breaths. Clear you mind of distractions and use your senses to take in the sounds, smells, and sights of nature – everything from the daylight streaming through the trees to velvety moss on the rocks and the chatter of birds and other wildlife. Relax and let nature wash over you.”

Jefferson County is blessed by multiple places that make for quick escapes to the outdoors. Peaceful, forested areas can be found at city parks in Arnold, De Soto, Festus, Herculaneum, and Hillsboro. Mastodon State Historic Site in Imperial includes a wildflower area, creekside habitat, and glorious high ground for hiking.

Don Robinson State Park near Dittmer is almost all woods with great trails that can take you far away from the daily grind. Labarque Creek, Hilda J. Young, and the Myron and Sonya Glassberg Family conservation areas in the northwest corner of the county extend the area of mostly unspoiled woods from Cedar Hill to the Meramec River.

Although they can get busy anytime of the year, Valley View and Victoria Glades natural areas near Hillsboro provide peaceful isolation most days of the week. Their shared topography make the places unique, and the expansive scenic views are a perfect for soaking up the real world.

Whether your outdoor experiences are memories from a long ago childhood, or you are looking to connect with nature the first time, your mental and physical well-being can be linked to keeping in touch.

John Winkelman has been writing about outdoors news and issues in Jefferson County for more than 30 years and was the Associate Editor for Outdoor Guide Magazine.

Mandatory hunter education has changed with the times

Long-time hunter education coordinator Bill Seibel checks the scores for a young hunter while a long line of others wait to receive their test results at Jefferson College in 1997.

While it may be too soon to call it waxing nostalgic, I have been thinking about the history of hunter education in Missouri. It was not that long ago that this time of year would present a calendar full of opportunities for new hunters to earn their certification.

Jefferson College offered the classes as part of its countywide Continuing Education program and community civic organizations from Selma Village to Pacific would host rooms full of young men and women every spring and fall. Classes held in the last few weeks before an upcoming hunting season would be packed.

What I remember most vividly are the scores of volunteer educators who gave their time and shared their enthusiasm for the sport. Jefferson County had teams of veteran hunters who taught safety and strategies for making every outing enjoyable.

Now the learning takes place through an online portal for most people who need to complete the course before purchasing hunting permits in Missouri and other states. Only young hunters, ages 11 through 15, must complete a skills portion in addition to the computer-based information program.

Those in-person classes are rare these days within 50 miles of Hillsboro, and none are currently scheduled inside the Jefferson County borders. Prior to the opening of the November portion of the firearms season on Nov. 15 there are only two more classes available. One is at the Busch Range on Tuesday, Nov. 4, and the closest one to home is planned from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 5, at the Jay Henges Shooting Range near Eureka.

The hunter education course is required for any hunter born on or after Jan. 1, 1967. According to the state Department of Conservation, the program has reduced hunting accidents and deaths by 70 percent since it became mandatory in 1987.

In addition to responsibility and ethics, the course also includes instruction on firearms operations and safety, wildlife identification, game care, first aid skills, hunting techniques, wildlife conservation and management, and regulations specific to hunting in Missouri.

Two versions of the online course are available. A traditional textbook style course costs $24.95 and features hundreds of realistic illustrations and animations. The Interactive Knowledge Course is $39.95 and is more of a dynamic, video game experience built around real-life scenarios and situational challenges.

While the old curmudgeon in me longs for the days of senior citizen volunteers guiding young future hunters, the reality is that today’s teens learn much better through the technology they have grown up alongside.

Children ages 6 through 15 may hunt prior to earning their certification as long as they are in the immediate presence of an adult mentor. The mentor is required to have hunter education certification, and young hunters must be able to hold, aim and shoot the firearm or bow by themselves.

Missouri’s hunter apprentice program allows those older than 16 to hunt with a similarly qualified mentor. An Apprentice Authorization costs $10.50 and allows an inexperienced, non-certified hunter to purchase hunting permits. After two years, the apprentice must complete the hunter education course.

John Winkelman has been writing about outdoors news and issues in Jefferson County for more than 30 years and was the Associate Editor for Outdoor Guide Magazine.

Let’s Go Blues! Hunting and Fishing Night Oct. 21

Whether it’s sitting around the campfire listening to the Cardinals in the summer, or shooting the breeze with the boys in the fall, talking about the latest action on the ice, team sports and outdoors activities easily fit hand-in-hand.

The St. Louis Blues have announced a new theme night that combines the best of both worlds. Hunting and Fishing Night is scheduled Tuesday, Oct. 21, for a game against the Los Angeles Kings.

Fans who purchase theme-night tickets can choose a Blue Note logo cap in hunter’s orange or camouflage. All anglers and outdoor enthusiasts know there is no such thing as too many Day-Glo orange or camo hats. A portion of theme night ticket sales will be donated to conservation efforts.

In addition to action on the ice, representatives from Ducks Unlimited, Quail and Pheasants Forever, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, and the Missouri Department of Conservation, will be available on site to provide information about their organizations and offer exclusive, enter-to-win prize packages.

For more information or to purchase theme tickets, go to stlouisblues.com/promotions and click the Hunting and Fishing Night link.

John Winkelman has been writing about outdoors news and issues in Jefferson County for more than 30 years and was the Associate Editor for Outdoor Guide Magazine.

Antlerless deer season allows hunters to put management skills to work

Early season antlerless deer hunting helps manage the herd and improves buck hunting chances later in the year.

Hunters who believe that we are the best deer management tool available get their first chance to prove the point this weekend. When the early portion of the antlerless hunting season opens on Friday, Oct. 10, hunters have three days to make a positive difference in many proven ways.

Holding out hope for the once-in-a-lifetime, magazine-cover megabuck is the thing deer hunter dreams are built on, but the real measure of success for keeping deer numbers in check is doe harvest. Taking antlerless deer in the early season can also improve the odds for that big boy showing up in mid-November.

First and foremost, doe harvest provides the true tool for population control. With an estimated statewide population nearing two million, there are few areas where the herd is not overwhelming its habitat. Removing females slows what has been exponential growth. Official estimates at the turn of the century were closer to one million deer in the state.

The National Deer Association offers five solid suggestions for harvesting does early in the season. The article by the organization’s chief communication officer, Lindsay Thomas Jr., was originally published in 2012, but its message resonates still.

1. Early in the season the pressure on all deer is low. The November portion of fall firearms season unleashes a half-million hunters in the woods. “By late season, does may be as wary as bucks, and just when you are ready to start shooting them, you don’t see any,” Thomas says.

2. There is less margin for error. When several antlerless deer are seen together in early October, it is easier to recognize the difference in size between adult does and fawns. While those young-of-the-year button bucks are legal targets, they are not the deer the season was designed to remove.

3. Hunter anticipation is high in October. Most of us have been waiting nearly a whole year for another shot. As autumn stretches into November, enthusiasm begins to chill along with the weather. Summer-like temperatures are not hunter friendly, but the potential for deep freezes in December are even less appealing.

4. Forage distribution was my favorite fact from the NDA article. “An adult doe requires about 6 to 8 percent of its body weight in forage every day,” Thomas says. That’s up to eight pounds of food for a 100-pound doe daily. If she is removed in early October, what she doesn’t eat is available for the deer that remain.

5. What does early doe harvest mean for bucks once breeding season begins?

“Taking does before the rut arrives will change the buck-to-doe ratio and can help intensify competition that year because there are closer to equal numbers of does and bucks,” Thomas wrote. “This means bucks have to be more active to compete for breeding opportunities, so they are more visible, and rut behaviors like chasing and fighting are more common.”

Hunters who put meat in their freezers in October can be more selective in November. Waiting for that big buck is easier when you know there is plenty of sausage already in storage. Other considerations for harvesting antlerless deer this weekend include supporting Share the Harvest deer meat donations and opportunities for expanded chronic wasting disease testing.

The antlerless portions of firearms season are open in all 114 counties in the state except for four in the extreme northwestern tip of the state and 10 in the Bootheel region. In 96 counties, including Jefferson, hunters may purchase and fill up to four antlerless-only firearms hunting permits during all seasons combined.

An any-deer permit for residents costs $18 for hunters 16 and older, and $9 for younger hunters. The antlerless-only permits are $7.50 each for adults and $3.75 for hunters age 15 and under. The late antlerless portion of the season is scheduled for Dec. 6-14. For more information visit mdc.mo.gov.

John Winkelman has been writing about outdoors news and issues in Jefferson County for more than 30 years and was the Associate Editor for Outdoor Guide Magazine.

Deer management open house scheduled in Eureka

Salt and mineral lick sites unnaturally concentrate deer and can facilitate the spread of disease.

The ability of humans to communicate is not unique among animal species. We may be the most advanced at the trick, but in some instances, we could be the worst at it. When I hear song birds singing, crickets chirping, tree frogs trilling, or bull elk bugling, I feel confident that others of their kind are paying attention.

People, on the other hand, sometimes seem more interested in hearing themselves talk rather than actually listening to others. For residents looking for answers about white-tailed deer management in Missouri, the state Department of Conservation is hosting open house sessions throughout the state to hear from people with questions.

Among the 10 scheduled events is a meeting from 4 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, October 9, at the Eureka Community Center, 333 Bald Hill Road. In addition to the in-person opportunities, comments about deer management are being accepted online until October 17 at short.mdc.mo.gov/4yd.

“For generations, Missourians have worked together to protect deer and deer hunting,” said Jason Sumners, conservation department director. “Fueled by a shared passion for white-tailed deer, hunters and other wildlife enthusiasts inside and outside MDC have built a healthy, abundant herd. These open houses offer a chance to build on that foundation.”

Conservation department staff will offer presentations on deer management, regulations, chronic wasting disease, epizootic hemorrhagic disease, managing private land, and how the state works with hunters, land owners, and other partners to keep deer healthy.

Visitors are welcome to come and go anytime between 4 and 8 p.m.. and advanced registration is not required. Other locations for meetings in the state include, St. Joseph, Macon, Poplar Bluff and West Plains.

Go and ask questions, but be sure to listen to the answers.

John Winkelman has been writing about outdoors news and issues in Jefferson County for more than 30 years and was the Associate Editor for Outdoor Guide Magazine.

Archery hunters required to purchase separate turkey permit

Permits for hunting wild turkeys in the fall are combined for archery and firearms seasons this year.

Fall turkey hunters this year will experience the biggest regulation change as the seasons open this autumn. Already affected are those who have enjoyed a combined deer and turkey archery hunting opportunity.

For the first time in decades bow and arrow hunters are not being issued two permits for deer and two for turkeys. Rather than continuing to include the most popular game animals together, this year the species are separated with a fall turkey hunting season that combines firearms and archery in a single permit.

Both archery deer and turkey seasons have the same start and end dates, with a pause during the November portion of firearms season, but archery deer hunters no longer have the option to shoot a turkey while waiting for a buck or doe, unless they also purchase the separate turkey hunting permit.

The reality is that very few archers exclusively hunted for turkeys. Most arrow harvests of the birds in the fall were the result of chance encounters. Resident hunters who relish that accidental opportunity will be required to buy the $14 turkey permit, which will also allow them to hunt for turkeys with a shotgun from October 1 through 31.

The season limit for turkeys in the fall is two in the archery and firearms seasons combined. That is half as many as a turkey hunter could shoot last year, but it’s about two more than most hunters have taken annually in the fall. With about 150,000 archery permits issued in 2023, hunters took fewer than 3,000 turkeys.

Archery deer and turkey hunting seasons opened on September 15 and continue until January 15, with the aforementioned break from November 15 through 25. Deer hunters are issued two any-deer permits for $20.50, but can only take only one antlered deer prior to Nov. 15, and hunters may only harvest two antlered deer in the archery and firearms seasons combined.

Missouri resident hunters may take any number of antlerless deer using archery methods with antlerless-only permits, which are available for $7.50 each. Shooting hours are one half hour before sunrise until 30 minutes after sunset daily. A sunrise and sunset table for Jefferson City is printed in the 2025 Fall Deer and Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information booklet.

As usual that book includes a summary of “What’s New for 2025?” on its back cover, but surprisingly, the change for archery turkey hunters is not included among the 11 bullet points on the list.

Highlighted changes include the elimination of a restriction against moving deer carcasses from the county of harvest. The rule now says that carcasses must be placed in a trash service that is delivered to a sanitary landfill, or left on the property where the deer was harvested.

Hunters must report their harvests through the Telecheck system before the deer is transported out of the county where it was killed, or before 10 p.m. on the day of harvest, whichever is earliest.

Youth hunters may now take more than one deer (only one antlered deer) during the early youth portion of the firearms season, which is the weekend of November 1 and 2 this year.

Twelve counties have been added to the chronic wasting disease management zone throughout the state, bringing the total to 82 of the state’s 114 counties. The counties included this year are St. Louis, Callaway, Cape Girardeau, Daviess, Harrison, Henry, Marion, Miller, Moniteau, Morgan, Ralls and Texas. Hunters in those counties may now participate in the CWD portion of the firearms season November 26 through 30.

The 76-page annual booklet is available where permits are sold and through the conservation department website at mdc.mo.gov.

John Winkelman has been writing about outdoors news and issues in Jefferson County for more than 30 years and was the Associate Editor for Outdoor Guide Magazine.