Young deer hunters across Missouri just edged out last year's late youth-season harvest by taking 3,056 deer over the three-day season, which ended Sunday. Last year, they took home 2,944 deer during the same period.
This season's total, when added to the late October youth deer kill, comes out to a combined youth-season harvest of 20,278, second only to 2012's 21,474 deer taken.
The weather over the three-day period was pretty good, if not a little warm, providing the youngsters with comfortable conditions to stay in the field longer than they normally would during the late season. The downside, however, is the mid-60s temperatures may have stifled daylight deer movement some.
Locally, young hunters in Carter County took home 12 deer over the weekend, while those in Ripley County tagged 20.
In Stoddard County, the late-season tally was 23, and in Butler County, 22 deer were checked.
Youth hunters in Dunklin County bagged eight deer during the second portion of the season, and those in Wayne County checked 31 deer.
In our region of the state, only one firearms season remains this fall/winter, and that would be the Dec. 23-Jan. 2 alternative methods season.
Slow but Steady
Missouri's archery deer kill, as you would imagine, has been a bit slow since the firearms season concluded, but folks still are taking deer regularly.
As of yesterday afternoon, hunters had taken 45,175 deer across the state, which is quite a bit better than the same point in the season last year.
Locally, hunters have taken 471 deer in Butler County, 462 in Stoddard County, 82 in Dunklin County, 925 in Wayne County, 546 in Carter County and 623 in Ripley County.
Road/Area Closures
The Mingo National Wildlife Refuge will host its annual managed muzzleloader deer hunt Saturday and Sunday, so some roads on the refuge will be closed to the public.
The Job Corps and Rabbit Ridge entrances will be closed, so the only way to enter the refuge will be at the shop entrance off Highway 51 (across from the auto parts store).
The only areas open to the public during the hunt will be the Boardwalk Nature Trail, Red Mill Drive and the visitor center.
The bowhunting area on the eastern portion of the refuge also will remain open for hunters and visitors during this weekend.
Speaking of the visitor center, the refuge now has switched to its winter-hours schedule. From now through February, visitor-center hours are 8:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
High Numbers
Duck numbers across Southeast Missouri remain strong, and though we haven't had a good weather front in a couple weeks and there's basically no snow across the northern plains to help us out, the numbers still are increasing locally.
There's supposed to be a big temperature drop coming in the middle of next week, and it should bring with it more fresh birds.
During the Department of Conservation's surveys earlier this week, property managers found 56,400 ducks on the Otter Slough Conservation Area and 47,500 on the Duck Creek Conservation Area. At the Mingo refuge, 18,667 ducks were counted.
In the South Zone, Coon Island showed 4,900 ducks, while 21,230 were counted at the Ten Mile Pond Conservation Area in Mississippi County.
As a reminder, the South Zone's second split will re-open on Monday and will continue through Jan. 28.
If you hunt ducks in Arkansas, the second season split opens there on Dec. 7 and will run through Dec. 23. The third and final split will take place Dec. 26-Jan. 28.
Contest Winners
Congratulations go out to the winners of the Daily American Republic's annual Big Buck Contest, and a big thanks to all the local sponsors.
Ciara Barker's Butler County buck, with four tines measuring a total of 39.25 inches, won the tine-length category.
Ross DeGaris' wide Ripley County buck had an outside spread of 22-1/8 inches and won the widest-spread category.
Jim Pool took his 11-point Carter County buck on public land outside Van Buren and won the most points category after a tie-breaker with Barker.
Each of them won $250 in Chamber Checks to make their holidays a little brighter.
Mingo Open House
If you have questions about pretty much anything going on at the Mingo National Wildlife Refuge, staff there will be hosting an open house for the public on Dec. 7.
The event will take place from 4-6 p.m. at the visitor center, which is located a mile north of Puxico, Mo., off Highway 51.
The non-profit Mingo Swamp Friends group is scheduled to provide coffee and treats for visitors.
Common questions for refuge staff typically include those about hunting various game, feral hogs, flooding of Pools 7/8, food plots and more.
2018 Permits
Finally, if you want to purchase Missouri hunting and/or fishing permits for next year, either for yourself or maybe as a Christmas gift for a family member, tomorrow is the first date you can do so. Of course, deer and turkey permits won't be available until later, but small game hunting and fishing permits for 2018 will be.
Remember, you can purchase permits online at mdc.mo.gov, through MDC's MO Hunting or MO Fishing smartphone apps or at a local permit vendor.
Any 2017 small-game hunting and/or fishing permits you may have remain good until the end of February. The only 2017 hunting permit which extends beyond February is the conservation order permit.