Do you know your Missouri Wild Turkey History, Forest, Farm and Habitat History, Whitetail History, Predator History, Quail History, Pheasant History and Rough Grouse History?

2024 - Spring season extended from half day to all-day Three-week season.

2024 - Missouri has lost 1.2 million farm acres in 12 years.

2022 - Estimated Wild Turkey Population 250,000 for Missouri

2022 – Whitetail Deer Population at 1.4 million in Missouri

2022 – 0.9 average number of quail observed per route on the August Roadside Survey Quail Survey lowest point in Missouri history

2021 - Lowest Harvest in History of 3-week Season just over 34,500.

2021 – Over 800 Black Bears in the state of Missouri

2020 – Up to 100,000 Wild Hogs in State of Missouri per the USDA-Aphis Chief

2019 - Fall firearms Wild Turkey harvest 1,952 – Worse firearms fall Turkey season in history.

2019 - The Missouri Bird Conservation State’s most threatened bird species Eastern  whip-poor-wills and chuck-will’s-widows both made this list

2019 and 2020 – 300 Rough Grouse released

2018 – MDC has verified over 70 mountain lions in the state in the past 20 years.

2018 - Bobcats in Missouri has been increasing over the past 20 to 30 years.

2018 / 2019 season resulted in the lowest raccoon harvest under 23,000 since 1942 and the longest duration of decline in harvest numbers over the last 25 years with seven consecutive years of decline.

2018 / 2019 - Coyote population appears to be on a slight increase since the 1970’s. Estimates for coyotes in Missouri are over 250,000.

2018 / 2019 – Opossum harvest totaled 593 lowest opossum harvests on record.

2018 /2019 – Skunk also resulted in the lowest Skunk harvest since 2000-01 only 156.

2017 – Estimated 20,000 - 30,000 Wild Hogs in the Southern part of the State of Missouri per Mark Twain National Forest

2016 / 2017 - 22,431 Pheasants harvested.

2015 - Missouri quail populations have dropped 80% in the last 40 years

2015 – Highest Youth Harvest over 4,400

2010 / 2011 - Missouri ruffed grouse hunting ceased.

2010 - MDC estimated the statewide raccoon population at 1 to 2 million with annual trapping of annual trapping of 100,000 to 200,000.

2007 – 5,000 Wild Hogs in the Southern part of the State of Missouri

2004 - Estimated Wild Turkey Population 600,000 to 800,000 peak population for Missouri

2004 - Most Turkeys ever killed just over 64,000 between youth and 3 week season.

2004 – Peak of Whitetail Deer Population at 1.5 million in Missouri

2001 - First Youth Season - Youth Harvest Totals Included in Turkey Harvest Numbers

2001 - Estimated Wild Turkey Population 500,000 to 600,000 for Missouri

2000 – Armadillos sightings north of the Missouri River

1990’s – Rough Grouse more than 5,300 have now been released into Missouri

1990 - Pheasant harvest in Missouri peaked harvesting nearly 90,000 birds.

1990’s – Armadillos Central Missouri

1998 – Poult to Hen Ratio was 2.6

1998 - Spring season extended from TWO to THREE weeks

1997 / 1998 – Over 200,000 Raccoons pelts sold in Missouri.

1987 – 2000 Wild pheasants from existing populations in Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, and South Dakota were released into existing population.

1987 – 16.9 average number of quail observed per route on the August Roadside Survey Quail Survey highest point in Missouri history

1986 – Whitetail Deer estimated population near 800,000.

1986 and 1987 – Additional Rough Grouse released

​1980’s - Ruffed grouse numbers still in decline.

1985 - 114 Counties - Two Week Season - 1985 Spring season expanded to all 114 counties

1980 - Two Week Season - 93 Counties Open

1980’s – Armadillos common place Southwest Missouri.

1979 / 1980 – 634,338 (2nd highest pelts sold in Missouri- when average raccoon pelt values were estimated at $27.50.
​
1979 - Restoration of the Wild Turkey Ended in Missouri

1979 – Estimated Wild Turkey Population - 200,000 for Missouri

1978 - Missouri’s grouse restoration was expanded

1978 - 89 counties for spring season - 12 day - First fall firearms season for 40 Counties

1977 – Poult to Hen Ratio was 3.8

1977 - Two Week Season - 2 Bird Limit

1977 /1978 – Over 300,000 Raccoons pelts sold in Missouri.

1976 – Whitetail Deer Estimated Population 400,000

1976 - Two Week Season - 2 Bird Limit

1975 - Two Week Season - 2 Bird Limit - 74 Counties - 1975 1st fall archery season for 74 Counties

1974 - Season Bag Limit Reduce to poor hatch in 1973 because of 500-year flood

1974 – Poult to Hen Ratio was 1.9

1973 - 13 Day Season - First Two Bag Limit  
                                                                                                     
1970 - 7 Day Season - 1 Bird Limit - 41 Counties Open
1969 - 5 Day Season - 1 Bird Limit -38 Counties Open
1968 - 5 Day Season - 1 Bird Limit -35 Counties Open
1967 - 7 Day Season - 1 Bird Limit -32 Counties Open
1966 - 5 Day Season - 1 Bird Limit - 29 Counties Open
1965 - 4 Day Season - 1 Bird Limit - 25 Counties Open
1964 - 4 Day Season - 1 Bird Limit - 22 Counties Open
1963 - 4 Day Season - 1 Bird Limit - 19 Counties Open
1962 - 3 Day Season - 1 Bird Limit - 16 Counties Open
1961 - 3 Day Season - 1 Bird Limit - 14 Counties Open

1960 - 3 Day Season - 1 Bird Limit - 1960 First spring season - 14 Counties Open

1960 – Estimated Wild Turkey Population - 3,000 for Missouri

1959 - Rough Grouse released.

1953 - Restoration of the Wild Turkey Started in Missouri

1946 thru 1953 - Missouri Landowner Predator Control Program.

1944 – Whitetail deer population had grown to 15,000, and Missouri held its first deer season.

1940 - Efforts to bring back rough grouse failed.

1940 – 1941 – 834,935 pelts harvested (most pelts sold) (over 70% were opossum and skunk pelts) most pelts sold.

1940 - 12,000 Artificially reared Wild Turkey have been released.

1938 thru 1943 – Deer hunting was stopped, and deer restocked from Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, and existing refuges within Missouri were stocked throughout the state.

1930’s – Rough Grouse Missouri reported having approximately 100 birds

1938 - Missouri Wild Turkey Season Closed Statewide - Steps to restore taken.

1931 - Wild Turkey Season reduced to the month of December - 1 bird limit

1931 – Black Bears nearly eliminated from Missouri.

1930’s – Missouri’s pine was virtually gone, and it has never recovered; it amounts to only about 600,000 acres, less than one-tenth its former acreage. Replaced by farms and with mainly oak and hickory forest.

1925 - Artificially reared Wild Turkey started being released.

1925 – Whitetail Deer population estimated at around 400.

1909 - Wild Turkey Season was reduced to 2 months with 2 bird bag limits and 4 for season

1909 – Grandin Lumber Mill Closed – One of the world’s largest sawmills by Missouri Lumber and Mining Company

1907 - Wild Turkey Season was increase to 3 months

1895 - Wild Turkey Season was reduced to 2 months

1899 thru 1906 – Peak of lumber production for the Ozarks average of 70 acres cut daily

1889 – Lumber production for the virgin pine forest in Missouri.

1874 - Wild Turkey season was reduced to 7 months no bag limit

1870 – Virgin Forest covered 2/3 of Missouri with Southeastern Ozarks was mainly a shortleaf pine on some 6.6 million acres of the eastern Ozarks but also tapped the white and red oak with which it was mixed.
​
1841 - Wild Turkey was worth 10 cents if it was dressed and ready to cook

​Chuck-Will's-Widow and Whippoorwills

​Missouri Conservationist Magazine - 2024
Another Ground Nesting bird in Conservation Concern who’s population is in decline in the state of Missouri.

2019 - The Missouri Bird Conservation State’s most threatened bird species Eastern  whip-poor-wills and chuck-will’s-widows both made this list
​

Missouri Ground Nesting bird who’s history shows population is in decline in the state of Missouri.
Chuck-Will's-Widow
Whippoorwills
Quail
Wild Turkey
Rough Grouse
​Pheasant