Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) shows that young hunters ages six through 15 harvested 166 deer in Daviess County. Of those, 71 were antlered bucks; five were button bucks; and 40 were does. (Official numbers will be released after all portions are finished and that data has been verified.)
Across the state, 17,222 deer were harvested during Missouri’s early youth portion of the 2017 deer hunting season, which ran Oct. 28-29.
Top counties for the early youth portion were Osage with 380, Howell with 377, and Franklin with 354 deer checked. Last year’s harvest total for the early youth portion was 11,171.
“The increase in harvest during the early youth portion compared to last year is likely due to the excellent weather over the weekend, which was favorable for deer movement,” MDC Deer Biologist Barb Keller said. “Weather during early youth season last year was particularly poor, with highs in the 80s.”
Archery deer hunting continues through Nov. 10 and again from Nov. 22 through Jan. 15, 2018. Up next for deer hunting in Missouri is the November portion of firearms deer season, which runs Nov. 11-21. That will be followed by the late youth portion of firearms deer season on Nov. 24-26. The antlerless portion of firearms deer season runs Dec. 1-3. Lastly, the alternative methods portion will run Dec. 23- Jan. 2, 2018.
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PICTURE: Caleb Perkins is pictured with his eight-point buck taken Saturday during the early youth portion of the 2017 deer hunting season. Caleb is the son of Justin Perkins of Lock Springs. He is the grandson of Rick Albrecht of rural Gallatin.