JEFFERSON CITY -- The weather was grand, and so was the deer harvest. Missouri hunters posted a record-setting deer harvest of more than 257,910 during Missouri's 2001-2002 firearms and archery deer hunting seasons.

Reports from check stations statewide show that bowhunters bagged 21,767 deer during the split archery hunting season Oct. 1 through Nov. 9 and Nov. 21 through Jan. 15. Add this to the 205,867 deer checked during the November firearms hunt, 8,662 recorded during the muzzleloader hunt Dec. 1 through 9, 14,668 checked by hunters during the January segment of firearms deer season and the 6,277 harvested during the Youth Deer Hunt Oct. 27 and 28 and 669 reported so far from managed deer hunts and you've got a record year.

Harvest figures still are being tallied for a few managed deer hunts. These figures will push the final 2001-2002 harvest figure slightly higher.

Officials with the Missouri Department of Conservation attribute the strong harvest in part to warm, dry weather, which encouraged hunters to stay in the woods during the various portions of deer hunting season. It didn't hurt that the state's deer herd is in good shape – numbering around a million. The increasing popularity of hunting with muzzle-loading firearms, spurred on by allowing hunters to buy one permit for both modern firearms and muzzleloader season, created an 80 percent increase in the muzzleloader harvest.

The total deer harvest in 2000-2001 was 245,686. This included 201,165 during the November firearms segment, 4,815 during the muzzleloader season, 14,656 during the January segment of firearms deer season, 23,558 during bow season and 1,492 in managed hunts.

STORY BY ALLEN MORRIS BIG BUCKS OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI (THE SOUTH IS NOT DONE YET)

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These shed antlers found by Ron Ellis.  Will have additional pictures and a full story in the near future.  Right side has been scored at around 104 inches  Left side has been scored at around 100 inches.  Record Book Deer for 2001 no matter how you look at it. David Giovannini of Kirksville Mo. droped this big boy  on Monday evening of the 2001 rifle season.  Early  estimates score this one in the high 140s.  The rack is  very symetrical long and heavy.  We caught him  droping it off at Rick's Taxidermy in Kirksville.     Hello,  Really like the page with all the big bucks taken from your state this year big buck page there are some real brutes on that page.  I am not from Mo. but love to see big bucks my family over the years have shot numerous bucks over 140 I shot a 164 net in 97 the 5x5 but the pic I thought you would really enjoy is a pic of non-typical.  I don't have a  lot of info on this buck other that it was my uncles he is now gone so not to much I could do to ask him about the buck.  Interesting facts about the deer 14x10 has 8 inch and 7 3/4 inch bases just a lot of mass again thanks for your time and keep up the good work.  Craig, Saskatchewan, Canada  Thanks Craig.  You are our first contact from outside the US.  You have single handedly made us an international web site.  These are some serious deer.

Youth Season 2001 let Adam get his first 8 point buck in northeast Missouri.  Keep it going Adam! Send us your photo for our youth hunting page

John Otto taken near Novinger, Mo.

Larry Pfeiffer from Lees Summit,  MO. personal best!  Those forked brow tines are pretty cool.  Taken in Adair county. 15 points

11/13/01 SWEET SPRINGS —  Could Kevin “Ziggy” Thomas of Sweet Springs have harvested a Saline County record deer?   Thomas, 31, will have to wait until the drying out process is completed in about 60 days, but should score highly with the 35-point buck he bagged north of Sweet Springs at about 7:20 a.m. Saturday – shortly after the opening of the firearms deer season. The buck, which weighed approximately 200 pounds after being field dressed, had a rack which measured 22.5 inches across on the base, 22 inches high on the left and 21 inches high on the right.  reprinted from the Marshal Democrat News See new photo spread and story

I took this buck at first light on opening morning of the 2001 rifle season, he green scored 163 &1/3 at Crockets trading post & check station at Crane, MO. & weighed 170 lbs. field dressed. He was taken in unit 47 in northern Stone County.  Rod Gipson

Here are some pictures of the buck I killed with my bow on 11-1-01. It has  13 scoreable points and grossed (green score) around 160 1/4. It's the  best buck I've taken with either gun or bow.  Matt Kollmeyer  Moberly, MO

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