Missouri Deer Harvest Plummets By 100,000 in 2013
Over 100,00 less deer were killed in 2013 firearm seasons compared to 2012. In 2012, a grand total of 311,304 were killed in Missouri. In 2013, the total plummeted to just 200,279. These totals are a combination of all the Missouri firearm season.
Both Pettis and Johnson county saw a drop of approximately 400 deer from 2012 to 2013. But when there is a drop in over 100,000 deer statewide we were not alone.
Here is a quote from a Missouri hunter and taxidermist from Brent Freeze's article from the Kansas City Star.
“The Department of Conservation blamed the warm, windy weather for the low harvest on opening weekend,” said Dan Galetti, a hunter and taxidermist from Kansas City. “But I’ve been a taxidermist for 25 years, and I can remember other openers under the same conditions where a lot of deer were brought in.
“I just don’t think the deer are there. Even in my taxidermy business, I’m down 60 percent in the number of deer brought in this season.”
Freeze's article expands more on why so many less deer were killed and some of the states new hunting laws that may have an effect on this years deer harvest.
My father is an avid deer hunter. This year he hunted everyday of Missouri's firearm season in the Knob Noster area and saw minimal deer, compared to most years. He finally got one during the final weekend of the season. He was not the only one; my uncle who hunts in the Clinton area also had very little luck this year.
Let us know in the comments below how your recent hunting season have gone and any theory's on this years drastic drop in harvest.
Better luck next year hunters.