Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) shows that deer hunters in Missouri harvested 14,555 deer during the alternative-methods portion of the firearms deer season, December 26-January 5.

Top harvest counties were Franklin with 318 deer harvested, Callaway with 317 and Osage with 298.

In the KMMO listening area, the top three counties were Howard with 130 deer harvested, followed by Carroll with 129 and Cooper with 105. Pettis County hunters checked in 102 deer, followed by Chariton with 97, Saline with 84 and Lafayette with 50.

The harvest total for last year’s alternative-methods portion was 12,024.