Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) shows that young hunters ages 6 through 15 harvested 15,608 deer during Missouri’s early youth portion of the 2021 firearms deer hunting season, October 30 and 31.

A news release from MDC says the top counties were Osage with youth hunters harvesting 359 deer, Franklin with 329 and Howell with 310.

In the KMMO listening area, youth hunters checked 181 deer in Pettis County, 140 in Cooper County and 132 in Saline County for the top three. They were followed by: Cooper County with 130; Carroll County with 127; Chariton County with 115; and Lafayette County with 87.

Youth hunters harvested 15,854 deer during last year’s early youth portion.

Missouri’s deer archery season continues through November 12 and resumes November 24 through January 15, 2022. The November portion of firearms deer season runs November 13-23, followed by the late youth portion November 26-28. The antlerless portion of firearms deer season runs December 4-12, followed by the alternative-methods portion December 25 through January 4, 2022.

PHOTO: Preliminary data shows youth hunters harvested 15,608 deer during the early youth deer season Oct. 30-31. Pictured is Lucas Gruber, of Columbia, who harvested this buck in Howard County.