Missouri Crackdown on Out-of-State Deer Hunters?

It may be about to become more difficult to be a deer hunter in Missouri if you don't live in the state. The Department of Conservation is considering new restrictions and they want to hear from hunters about what they think.

The Missouri Department of Conservation is thinking about making changes to non-resident deer hunting. Here are some of the changes that Missouri is considering:

• nonresident antlered buck bag limit cut in half - could change from 2 to 1 in 2026
• nonresident deer hunters to be required to purchase a Nonresident Public Land Deer Hunting Permit for $165 to be able to pursue, take, possess, and transport deer on public land in Missouri - possible 2027 change
• MDC thinking about a draw for nonresidents to be able to hunt deer on public land or on public and private land - possible change after the 2027 season

Why is Missouri thinking about making it more difficult for non-resident hunters?

Missouri Department of Conservation said that 20 years ago there were 20,000 non-resident hunters in Missouri. Now, that number has more than doubled to over 42,000. My math isn't the best, but the state says that the percentage of hunters in the state has risen from 4 percent twenty years ago to 9 percent now.

You can have a say about what the Missouri Department of Conservation does about the non-resident deer hunters in Missouri. They're accepting comments through April 20, 2026 through their online portal.