Many people from Missouri and beyond are getting ready for their favorite way to enjoy fall—hunting on their national forest lands. The Mark Twain National Forest (Forest) provides a million and a half acres for these activities. Hunting regulations for Missouri are set by the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) in the Wildlife Code, and those rules govern hunting activities on the Forest as well. To learn more about the regulations for this season, please visit MDC’s website.

There are several things that hunters can do to be respectful to one another and to non-hunters during the season. It is the hunter’s responsibility to stay off private land unless they have permission from the landowner. Hunters who kill or injure a deer must make a reasonable effort to retrieve and tag it, but this does not authorize trespass. Get permission before going onto private land. Watch for “No Trespassing” signs and trees with purple paint as markers of private land boundaries. Also, be aware of any active timber sales. If you see signage that indicates you may be entering a timber sale area, stop, look, and listen, and ensure there is no logging activity happening before entering the area.