Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) shows that deer hunters in Missouri harvested 88,843 deer during opening weekend of the November portion of the fall firearms season November 16 and 17.
A news release says of the 88,843 deer harvested, 51,086 were antlered bucks; 8,115 were button bucks; and 29,642 were does.
Top harvest counties were Franklin with 2,078 deer checked; Texas with 1,931; and Callaway with 1,735.
According to MCD, the top county in the KMMO listening area was Pettis with 808 deer checked; followed by Cooper with 794; Carroll with 773; Howard with 749; Saline with 667; Chariton with 665; and Lafayette with 446.
Last year, hunters checked 99,470 deer during the opening weekend.
The November portion of the fall firearms deer season continues through November 26. Archery deer season opens again November 27 and runs through January 15, 2020. The late youth portion is November 29 through December 1. The antlerless portion runs December 6 through 8. The alternative-methods portion runs December 28 through January 7, 2020.