Missouri's deer regulations remain essentially unchanged from last year.

JEFFERSON CITY-Deer hunters will find few changes in 2006 deer hunting regulations. Rules have changed on a few conservation areas, and one county has been closed during the December antlerless-only hunt. Otherwise, Missouri's 2006 deer hunting regulations remain essentially unchanged from last year.

The Conservation Commission approved 2006 firearms and archery deer hunting regulations at its meeting May 19 in Jefferson City. Season dates are:

Firearms Deer Season
* Urban Portion - Oct. 6 through 9 in the same counties as 2005
* Youth Portion - Oct. 28 through 29
* November Portion - Nov. 11 through 21
* Muzzleloader Portion - Nov. 24 through Dec. 3
* Antlerless Portion - Dec. 9 through 17

Hunters may take one deer of either sex statewide on an any-deer permit. Additional deer may be taken on firearms antlerless permits in selected counties.

Archery Deer Season
* Sept. 15 through Nov. 10
* Nov. 22 through Jan. 15

Archery hunters may take two deer of either sex, except that only one antlered deer may be taken before the November portion of firearms deer season. Additional deer may be taken on archery antlerless permits in selected counties.

Archery Turkey Season
* Sept. 15 through Nov. 10
* Nov. 22 through Jan. 15

The limit is two turkeys of either sex.

The Conservation Commission removed Wright County from the list of counties open to hunting during the antlerless portion of firearms deer season. It voted to continue for a third year the trial of the four-point antler restriction in the same counties as last year during the archery season and all portions of the firearms season except the youth portion.

This year, qualifying resident landowners of 75 acres or more will receive the same number of no-cost archery antlerless-deer and firearms antlerless-deer permits as non-landowner permittees may fill for the county for the county in which their property is located, up to a maximum of two each. In recent years, landowners in some counties received one or two antlerless-deer permits in counties where non-landowners could fill none or one antlerless permit, respectively.

Landowners still will be able to buy and fill regular antlerless permits in counties where allowed. For example, in the 19 counties where only one firearms antlerless permit is allowed, landowners may fill their no-cost firearms antlerless permit on their land in one of those counties and also buy and fill one firearms antlerless permit in the same county.

In 14 southeastern counties, resident landowners are eligible for a no-cost, any-deer permit, and may also purchase an any-deer permit. No antlerless permits are available in those counties.

Resident landowners who receive and fill a no-cost any-deer permit also may purchase and fill a second any-deer permit, but only one antlered deer may be taken during the firearms season. They may take an antlered deer on one any-deer permit, but may only take antlerless deer on the other any-deer permit.

Deer hunting regulations have changed on a few areas owned or managed by the Conservation Department. These changes are detailed in the 2006 Fall Deer and Turkey Hunting Information booklet, which will be available from permit vendors in July.

-Jim Low-