MISSOURI
WHITETAIL
Missouri
has come along way with it’s deer herd and the Missouri Department of
Conservation and Missouri landowner’s have done a fine job on bringing back
the whitetail deer numbers.
Just
think in 1944, Missouri’s whitetail deer population was estimated around
15,000. In 2001, the estimated deer population stands right around 1 million. It
is a great to be part of a heritage that your kids will never know what it is
like not to see a deer in a Missouri field, or deer stand.
MISSOURI ECONOMY
Hunting
the whitetail deer in Missouri is just not important to the hunter or to the
heritage of hunting for which it exists in the first place. It is also very
important to the Missouri economy, which consist of hunters and non-hunters
businesses.
In
1999, Missouri hunting and fishing heritage is very strong, in this year alone
Missouri sold 1,999,600 hunting and fishing permits for a combined revenue of
$28,591,969.00 with deer hunting permits and revenue making up a large part of
this.
Deer
hunting makes up a big part of what Missouri is all about and I could not
imagine what this state would be like with out the chance at seeing a whitetail
on any given weekend.
There
are several different tags available to chase whitetail deer in Missouri but,
with the combined youth, managed hunts, firearm and archery permits for hunting
the whitetail deer, In 1999 Missouri sold 634,201 permits for a combined revenue
of $10,662,240 which comes in second only to fishing permits and revenue.
But
this is just the tip of the iceberg, In 1993 it was estimated that deer hunters
spend over $110 million annually in Missouri alone. With over $220 million in
business activity is generated by this life long tradition, for a season that
only last 3 ½ months long. I could only imagine the number is much higher
today.
MISSOURI ARCHERY HISTORY
Everyone will agree that archery has come along way from
traditional bow to today’s compound bows. Various things have changed since
1946 when archery season opened with the seasons changing from a 2-day season in
certain counties to season that now extends in to January statewide, from bucks
only to any deer.
But allow me to show how the Missouri Archery season has grown
along with the deer population. Be sure and pick out the year you harvested your
first deer to see how you did with your fellow hunters.
|
YEAR |
DATES |
PERMITS |
HARVEST |
% OF SUCCESS |
ESTIMATED DEER POPULATION |
|
1946 |
Oct.
24-26 |
73 |
0 |
0% |
50,714 |
|
1947 |
Oct.
28 - Nov. 1 |
39 |
0 |
0% |
68,571 |
|
1948 |
Nov.
29 - Dec. 4 |
62 |
0 |
0% |
86,428 |
|
1949 |
Nov.
26 - Dec. 4 |
54 |
0 |
0% |
104,285 |
|
1950 |
Nov.
13 - 22 |
64 |
1 |
2% |
122,142 |
|
1951 |
Oct.
22-24 |
77 |
0 |
0% |
139,999 |
|
1952 |
Oct.
16-31 |
214 |
2 |
1% |
157,856 |
|
1953 |
Oct.
16-31 |
481 |
5 |
1% |
175,713 |
|
1954 |
Oct.
1-31 |
1,053 |
22 |
2% |
193,570 |
|
1955 |
Oct.
1-31 |
1,506 |
37 |
2% |
211,427 |
|
1956 |
Oct.
1-31 |
2,075 |
33 |
2% |
229,284 |
|
1957 |
Oct.
1 - Nov. 30 |
2,720 |
58 |
2% |
247,141 |
|
1958 |
Oct.
1 - Dec. 15 |
3,670 |
71 |
2% |
264,998 |
|
1959 |
Oct.
1 - Dec. 15 |
4,495 |
90 |
2% |
282,855 |
|
1960 |
Oct.
1 - Dec. 15 |
4,468 |
263 |
6% |
300,712 |
|
1961 |
Oct.
1 - Dec. 15 |
5190 |
116 |
2% |
318,569 |
|
1962 |
Oct.
1 - Dec. 15 |
6,035 |
231 |
4% |
336,426 |
|
1963 |
Oct.
1 - Dec. 15 |
7,324 |
68 |
1% |
354,283 |
|
1964 |
Oct.
1 - Dec. 15 |
9,599 |
316 |
3% |
372,140 |
|
1965 |
Oct.
1 - Dec. 15 |
10,756 |
371 |
3% |
389,997 |
|
1966 |
Oct.
1 - Dec. 15 |
11,878 |
458 |
4% |
407,854 |
|
1967 |
Oct.
1 - Dec. 15 |
13,561 |
380 |
3% |
425,711 |
|
1968 |
Oct.
1 - Dec. 15 |
15,510 |
559 |
4% |
443,568 |
|
1969 |
Oct.
1 - Dec. 31 |
14,709 |
619 |
4% |
461,425 |
|
1970 |
Oct.
1 - Dec. 31 |
16,950 |
828 |
5% |
479,282 |
|
1971 |
Oct.
1 - Dec. 13 |
17,840 |
962 |
5% |
497,139 |
|
1972 |
Oct.
1 - Dec. 13 |
21,493 |
1,130 |
5% |
514,996 |
|
1973 |
Oct.
1 - Nov. 16,Nov.26 - Dec. 31 |
25,254 |
1,285 |
5% |
532,853 |
|
1974 |
Oct.
1 - Nov. 15,Nov.25 - Dec. 31 |
27,871 |
1,437 |
5% |
550,710 |
|
1975 |
Oct.
1 - Nov. 14,Nov.24 - Dec. 31 |
29,974 |
1,850 |
6% |
568,567 |
|
1976 |
Oct.
1 - Nov. 12,Nov.22 - Dec. 31 |
31,281 |
1,973 |
6% |
586,424 |
|
1977 |
Oct.
1 - Nov. 18,Nov.28 - Dec. 31 |
33,239 |
2,199 |
7% |
604,281 |
|
1978 |
Oct.
1 - Nov. 17,Nov.27 - Dec. 31 |
34,368 |
2,781 |
8% |
622,138 |
|
1979 |
Oct.
1 - Nov. 16,Nov.26 - Dec. 31 |
41,115 |
3,327 |
8% |
639,995 |
|
1980 |
Oct.
1 - Nov. 14,Nov.24 - Dec. 31 |
46,548 |
3,661 |
8% |
657,852 |
|
1981 |
Oct.
1 - Nov. 13,Nov.23 - Dec. 31 |
46,776 |
3,495 |
7% |
675,709 |
|
1982 |