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Nearly 90,000 deer harvested during firearms opening weekend, thanks to clear Missouri skies

It was another successful weekend for many Missouri hunters at the start of the firearms portion for deer season.

Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation showed that hunters harvested 89,861 deer Nov. 13 and 14. Of those harvested, 54,415 were antlered bucks, 7,187 were button bucks and 28,259 were does. In 2020, hunters checked 80,744 deer during opening weekend of the November portion of firearms deer season.

Top harvest counties for opening weekend included Franklin with 1,968 deer harvested, Texas with 1,814, and Benton with 1,654.

“Thankfully, the weather cooperated this weekend and hunters were treated to some good conditions,” said Jason Isabelle, MDC Cervid Program Supervisor, via a MDC news release.