Missouri's 2025-2026 deer-hunting season ended Jan. 15 with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reporting a preliminary total deer harvest for the season of 301,954. Of the deer harvested, 145,222 were antlered bucks, 25,129 were button bucks, and 131,603 were does. Top harvest counties for the overall deer season were Franklin with 6,770, Howell with 5,490, and Callaway, with 5,346.
For Phelps County, the total was 1,406 antlered bucks; 221 button bucks; and 1,104 does, with a total of 2, 731 harvested.
For Dent County, that total was 1.210 antlered bucks; 268 button bucks; and 1,187 does, for a total of 2,665 harvested.
Deer hunting ended with the close of the archery season. Preliminary data from MDC showed that hunters checked 62,203 deer during the 2025-2026 archery deer season. Top counties for the archery deer season were Jefferson with 1,571, Franklin with 1,272, and St. Louis with 1,076. Last year’s archery deer-harvest total was 56,516.
According to MDC Cervid Program Supervisor Jason Isabelle, Missouri hunters enjoyed a successful 2025-2026 deer season. “As expected, deer harvest rebounded nicely from the lower harvest total we had last year, especially across much of southern Missouri,” said Isabelle.
Isabelle noted that the 2025-2026 harvest total was slightly above the five-year average and the sixth time the harvest total has exceeded 300,000 deer.
According to MDC, four non-fatal, self-inflicted firearms-related hunting incidents were reported during the season with one involving deer hunting and others involving other game.
