Hunting
Wildlife enriches the experiences of our lives in so many ways, and hunting opportunities for many different species abound in the Warsaw area. Whitetail deer, turkey, waterfowl, squirrel, rabbit, dove, and quail are abundant around Truman Lake and Lake of the Ozarks. Being outdoors and sharing the experiences that only nature can provide is a great way to create memories with family and friends. Be sure to check for permits and regulations on the species you are hunting at https://huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/.
Animals to Hunt
Deer
The white-tailed deer is aptly named because the white undersurface of its flaglike tail is about all that we see in the fleeting glimpse we get as it bounds across fields and fences. Deer season has many variables in method, antler restrictions, and dates to hunt so check with the Department of Conservation for permits and information.
Turkeys
There are a spring and fall turkey seasons each year, with a weekend dedicated solely to youth hunters wanting to bag a bird. A Tom turkey’s gobble can be heard over the hills for a mile, and the birds are hard to track when on the move as they can run up to 25 miles per hour. They are extremely wary creatures, and many hunters lure them in with calls.
Squirrel
Of the members of the squirrel family that live in Missouri, the most commonly found are the eastern gray and fox squirrels. They are named to describe the colors of their respective coats.
Quail
It is a ground-dwelling bird that is streaked or mottled reddish-brown and white, with a gray tail. Males have a distinctive dark brown cap and face with a white eyestripe and throat. Females are similar, except the white is replaced by buffy, yellowish-brown, and the cap and face are not so dark. The “bob-WHITE!” call is distinctive, but it is mimicked by a number of other bird species.
Dove
The dove is a slim bird with a round head and a smooth chest. Its color is gray-brown with dark spots on the wings. It has a long tail that is tapered and has large white tips on the feathers. Its eyes are dark, its song is a calm “coo.”
Rabbit
These are small mammals that can live in swamps. Some have a distinct cottontail, while others are larger and have a yellowish tint of color on their coats. They are generally good swimmers and divers, but their numbers are declining in the region due to lack of swampland.
Waterfowl (Ducks and Geese)
To hunt ducks and geese at an intensively managed wetland conservation area, a draw system is used to limit the number of hunters on a given day. There are also many open hunting areas where only a permit is required during waterfowl season. Check with the Missouri Department of Conservation for more information.
Please verify permit costs and restrictions on the Missouri Conservation website for hunting and fishing.
