Archers push 2006-07 deer harvest to new record

Missouri's total deer harvest exceeded 324,000, topping last year's record mark by 18 percent.

JEFFERSON CITY-Bowhunters killed 43,524 deer during Missouri's archery deer season, setting a record for their sport and helping push the 2006-07 deer harvest to nearly a third of a million.

The previous archery deer harvest record of 37,036 was set during the 2005-06 season. The 2006-07 harvest is an 18 percent increase from the previous record.

The top three archery deer harvest counties were St. Louis, with 1,151, Callaway with 966 and Jackson with 964. This is the first time that counties included in the four-day urban firearms deer season have occupied the top three archery deer harvest positions.

Missouri's archery deer season opens Sept. 15 and runs through Jan. 15, closing only during the 11-day November portion of firearms deer season.

Archers checked 2,939 wild turkeys during the archery turkey hunting season, which runs concurrently with the archery deer season. Top archery turkey harvest counties were Franklin with 84, Bollinger with 56 and Osage with 53.

-Jim Low-