A meeting this month in West Plains is one of numerous open houses across the state to discuss deer management with citizens.
The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) invites the public to a deer management forum from 3-8 p.m. Thursday, June 26, at the West Plains Civic Center Exhibit Hall at 110 St. Louis St. Attendees will be able to visit booths focusing on the history of deer management in Missouri; the state’s new deer management plan; possible regulation changes and disease management efforts related to Chronic Wasting Disease and other infectious diseases; hunter retention and recruitment; landowner and non-resident permit privileges; urban deer management; and other deer-related issues.
The open-house format allows attendees to concentrate on their particular interests, asking questions and discussing their ideas one-on-one with biologists and other key staff. MDC Deputy Director Tom Draper says the goal of the meetings is to provide information and get feedback.
“We need people to tell us what they want Missouri’s deer population to look like and what combination of hunting seasons, bag limits, and hunting methods they want the conservation department to use to achieve their goals,” he said.
Those unable to attend but still want to review the information presented and provide comments can go online to mdc.mo.gov/DeerOpenHouse.
The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) invites the public to a deer management forum from 3-8 p.m. Thursday, June 26, at the West Plains Civic Center Exhibit Hall at 110 St. Louis St.