The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has announced changes to its reservation system for managed waterfowl hunts – starting this hunting season.
According to a news release, MDC offers managed waterfowl hunting on more than a dozen conservation areas specially managed with a focus on wetlands. Hunters can apply for a reservation or participate in a daily morning drawing for opportunities to hunt at these areas. MDC also offers waterfowl hunting on other conservation areas.
In addition to MDC areas, Missouri offers waterfowl hunting opportunities at numerous other public and private locations around the state.
Changes to the waterfowl reservation system include offering 50 percent of daily hunting positions for the managed-hunt areas through online reservations. Of the 50 percent of spots through online reservations, half will be for pre-season applications and half will be allocated during a weekly in-season application period. The remaining 50 percent of spots will be held for hunters who participate in the daily morning drawing, called the “poor line.”
The pre-season reservation period will run September 1-18 with results posted October 1. The in-season weekly drawings will take place on Monday afternoons with a seven-day application period that opens the Tuesday before and closes the Monday of the draw at 3 p.m. Successful hunters will be notified via email or text message after the draw with their hunt date, location and pill assignment. “Pills” designate the order hunting parties select their hunting locations on the area. The lower the number, the sooner hunting parties get to select their hunting location.
Another change is that all applicants for waterfowl reservations must have their required permits to apply, and their Federal Duck Stamp to hunt.
Missouri residents and qualifying non-residents, such as students from out of state or members of the military stationed in Missouri, can apply online for a reservation to guarantee them an opportunity to hunt on a specific day on a specific area. Residents and nonresidents can also arrive at a managed waterfowl hunting area the morning they wish to hunt and wait in line for the possibility of getting a hunting spot through the poor line.
Residents and nonresidents can hunt with a reservation holder and hunting parties are limited to a maximum of four people.
Previously, reservation holders and individuals participating in the poor line had to draw a number the morning of the hunt to determine their place in line to select a hunting position. Reservation holders were guaranteed an opportunity to hunt and poor line participants had to draw a low enough number to claim a spot to have an opportunity to hunt.
Now, successful pre-season and in-season reservation applicants will be notified of their pill numbers after the weekly in-season draw for their hunt date. This change will let allow reservation holders to know before they leave their home if their randomly generated number will enable them to be one of the first, middle, or last parties to pick their hunting location.
One major change to the morning draw system is that only one member from each hunting party will be allowed to draw a number. In the past, several areas allowed each member of the party to draw a number. This approach favored larger parties and resulted in more hunter trips but was unpopular with most hunters.
MDC also notes that hunters with disabilities will now need to apply to use ADA hunting blinds through the online reservation system during the same timeframe as the preseason application period.
According to MDC, the changes are based on feedback from waterfowl hunters and other research.
For more information, visit MDC online at mdc.mo.gov.