Missouri deer hunters could see major changes to hunting regulations next year after the Missouri Conservation Commission gave initial approval to a proposal aimed at simplifying regulations while still limiting the spread of chronic wasting disease (CWD).
The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) presented the proposed regulation changes at the commission’s Dec. 12 meeting in Jefferson City. If finalized, the updates would take effect June 30, 2026.
One of the biggest changes would be the elimination of the five-day chronic wasting disease, or CWD, portion of the firearms deer season. That season has been limited to counties within the CWD Management Zone, but the MDC says harvest data shows it has not led to a meaningful increase in deer harvest numbers. Many hunters have also raised concerns about the growing complexity of firearms season structures, showing that the added regulations may even discourage hunters from participating altogether.
The proposal would also eliminate Missouri’s CWD Management Zone altogether. The zone, which includes counties with confirmed CWD cases and those within 10 miles of a detection, has expanded from six counties in 2012 to 82 counties in 2025, including Texas County, where sampling occurred during the first weekend of the fall firearms deer season.
According to the MDC, getting rid of the zone would simplify regulations while still allowing for targeted disease monitoring. Mandatory CWD sampling would continue in some counties, with the list updated annually.
The commission also gave initial approval to remove the antler point restriction, or APR, in the remaining 18 counties where it is still in effect. The APR Missouri’s antler point restriction (APR) generally requires deer harvested in certain counties to have at least four antler points on one side to protect younger bucks and promote older age classes.
The MDC says that some young bucks protected by APRs can travel long distances and may contribute to the spread of CWD, making the restriction less effective given the scale of the disease’s current spread.
Another change that would take effect, is that landowners in CWD core areas will need 20 acres to qualify for CWD Management Permits, a jump from the current five-acre minimum, in order to make the program more sustainable and consistent with other landowner permits.
Public comments on the proposed regulation changes will be accepted from Jan. 16 through Feb. 14, 2026, through MDC’s website. The conservation commission will conduct a final review after the comment period is over.
If approved, the new regulations would take effect ahead of the 2026 deer hunting season.