Missouri
365,400
Duck Statewide Harvest
48,200
Goose Statewide Harvest
61,500
No. Waterfowl Licenses Sold Annually
14.0
Ducks Per Hunter
4.6
Geese Per Hunter
$10
Cost of Resident Waterfowl Hunting License
$6
Cost of Resident State Stamps and Permits
$25
Federal Duck Stamp
Season $94; daily small-game $14
Cost of Non-Resident Waterfowl Hunting License
$6
Cost of Non-Resident State Stamps and Permits
$25
Federal Duck Stamp
Two major river systems — the Mississippi and Missouri — funnel ducks and geese through the Show-Me State on their annual migrations.
Missouri has a pretty good system of conservation areas. The state has 15 properties that are intensively managed for waterfowl. A dozen of those have a reservation system that allocates half the blinds. Prospective hunters can apply for those blinds. The other half of the blinds at those sites go to hunters who show up for a draw each morning. Three more places are designated as quick-draw areas: Eagle Bluffs, Grand Pass and Otter Slough. Quick-draw areas allocate 75 percent of blinds in advance. Hunters apply twice a week for hunts held Friday through Monday and Tuesday through Thursday.
For those who don't draw and don't want to stand in line without knowing if they can hunt, the state has dozens of open public hunting opportunities on management lands and conservation areas throughout the state.
Some of the best public hunting areas include the Upper Mississippi Conservation Area along pools 24, 25 and 26 of the Big Muddy. Hunters will also find good hunting at Swan Lake NWR and Mingo NWR, although you'll need to check for areas open to hunting there.
— Compiled and written by Joe Shead
Seasons and Bag Limits
