Here’s what hunters can expect this season for deer and fowl across Missouri, Kansas

Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story included some incorrect dates for hunting seasons in Missouri and Kansas. They have been updated with the correct information.

Fall is officially upon us. Or should we say winter? The National Weather Service recorded the earliest snowfall ever in Kansas City on Oct. 14.

Hopefully that was only a fluke because we still haven’t had time to enjoy the fall hunting seasons that are upon us. Now is the time many outdoor enthusiasts look forward to the most throughout the year.

Here’s a look at what to expect this hunting season for Missouri and Kansas.

Missouri

Deer

SEASON DATES: Archery: Sept. 15-Nov. 9; then Nov. 21-Jan. 15. Youth firearm: Oct. 27-28; then Nov. 23-25. Firearm: Nov. 10-20. Firearm (anterless): Nov. 30-Dec. 2. Firearm (alternative methods): Dec. 22-Jan. 1.

OUTLOOK: Should be solid hunting statewide. Barbara Keller, cervid program supervisor with the Missouri Department of Conservation, said things are looking very good this year.

“This year we will see the earliest start date that firearms season can ever be, and next year it will reset,” Keller Said. “The earlier the season start date, the higher the buck harvest we usually see.”

Additionally, the Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) was mild this year, helping many deer to make it through the summer. If the weather is cooperative, hunters should prepare to have some freezer space ready.

Pheasant/quail

SEASON DATES: Youth: Oct. 27-28; Nov. 1 -Jan. 15.

OUTLOOK: Habitat improvements have yielded stable populations of quail. Although the overall harvest was down last year, David Hoover, small game coordinator at the Missouri Department of Conservation, says hunters have a lot to be excited about.

“We can definitely state that the quail population has been holding stable, or actually increasing slightly, over the last five years,” Hoover said. “Good habitat is the best contributor to aiding and maintaining the quail population.”

The Northwest, North Central and West Central regions of Missouri have seen an improvement during quail surveys over the last year.

While pheasants might be hard to find in many areas, the northern portion of the state should be productive where there’s good habitat.

Ducks

SEASON DATES: Youth (North Zone) and Youth (Middle Zone): Oct. 20-21; Youth (South Zone) Nov. 17-18. North Zone: Nov. 3-Jan. 1. Middle Zone: Nov. 3-Nov. 9; then Nov. 15-Jan. 6. South Zone: Nov. 22-Nov. 25; then Dec. 3-Jan. 27.

OUTLOOK: Habitat restoration should really help this season.

“Conservation partners in Missouri have worked together to restore tens of thousands of acres of wetland habitat on public and private ground,” said Andy Raedeke, the Missouri Department of Conservation’s waterfowl resource scientist.

Some recent much-needed precipitation should help tremendously with providing the water necessary for migrating ducks, as well.

“In the North Zone, Bob Brown, Fountain Grove, and Ted Shanks CAs are your best bets,” Ryan Miloshewski, an outdoor reporter for Missouri, said. “In the Middle Zone, the best areas include Four Rivers, Otter Slough, and Grand Pass CA’s. Ten Mile Pond CA in Southeast Missouri is the only managed wetland area in the south zone, but hunting is excellent on the wetland site.”

Kansas

Deer

SEASON DATES: Archery: Sept. 17-Dec. 31. Extended archery (antlerless): Jan. 14-Jan. 31 (Units DMU, 10A); Firearm (antlerless): Jan. 1-13 (Units 10A, 12 15, 19 only); Jan. 1 (Units 6, 8, 9, 10, 16, 17 only); Jan. 1-6 (Units 1-5, 7, 11, 13, 14). Regular firearm: Nov. 28-Dec. 9.

OUTLOOK: Plenty of opportunities for a trophy or filling the freezer.

Although the overall harvest was down last year for the third consecutive year, hunters should still feel confident when hitting the woods this season.

Hundreds of thousands of acres of Walk in Hunting Access (WIHA), along with state and federal lands, exist for hunters to utilize throughout the season.

Best bet for whitetails is going to be in the eastern third of the state. Southeast Kansas has produced some dandies over the past several years.

Quail/pheasant

SEASON DATES: Regular season: Nov. 10-Jan. 31. Youth: Nov. 3-4.

OUTLOOK: Hunting should be good this season.

Adverse conditions in the past year mixed with periods of drought and heavy rain affected nesting habitat and reproduction success. There were lower roadside counts during survey periods, but things are still looking good overall.

Kansas reported the second-highest pheasant harvest among all states in 2017. While average numbers might be down due to poor weather conditions affecting habitat, experts still expect strong harvest reports in 2018. The best areas will be the northern half of the state, along with some strong densities in central and southwest Kansas.

The Kansas quail harvest was the highest recorded in the country last year.

“Precipitation patterns observed over the past five years altered vegetation, increasing both the quality and quantity of habitat, allowing for a modern quail boom,” the KDWPT quail forecast reported. “While total harvest has remained well below average due to lower hunter participation, the average daily bag has remained at the best levels observed in 20 years.”

Ducks

SEASON DATES: Low Plains Early Zone: Oct. 13-Dec. 16; then Dec. 22-30. High Plains Unit: Oct. 13-Dec. 31; then Jan. 12-27. Low Plains Late Zone: Oct. 27-Dec. 30; then Jan. 19-27. Low Plains Southeast Zone: Nov. 10-Jan. 6; then Jan. 12-27.

OUTLOOK: Flooding could produce mixed results. There is definitely some uncertainty going into season from the recent flooding. The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism says many birds are still using flooded cropland on private areas.

The water remains deep on many main portions of public pools, but ducks are finding the refuges. Conditions and success are expected to improve on public lands when some of the water subsides from other flooded private ground.

Cheyenne Bottoms is always a popular place for duck hunters.

Tyler Mahoney is a Rockhurst University-educated outdoors fanatic who works to support his hunting and fishing habits. Read more of his next-generation insight at mahoneyoutdoors.com.

This story was originally published October 18, 2018 at 4:17 PM.