Are you ready for some of the best hunting in Missouri? Benton County, MO, has a lot to offer! Check out all of the areas available for public hunting in Benton County. It’s impossible to not become hooked the first time you visit.  Then, you are guaranteed to make plans to come back year after year.

Hunting opportunities are plentiful for many different species in the Benton County, Missouri, area. Here you find whitetail deer, turkey, waterfowl, squirrel, rabbit, dove, and quail are abundant around Truman Lake and Lake of the Ozarks.

It’s great for you to get outdoors and a perfect way to share the experiences that only nature can provide. Additionally, it is a great way to create memories with family and friends, building traditions that last for years to come.

Before heading out, you need to check for permits and regulations on the species you are hunting at https://huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/.

Make sure you secure a place to stay by contacting one of our local lodging opportunities. We have cabins, campgrounds, motels, and short-term vacation rentals for you to choose from. Come for a weekend or a week of hunting each season!

Likewise, Benton County offers unique places to dine on Truman Lake and throughout Benton County. Try the local cuisine and cozy atmospheres of our hometown favorites when you come out of the woods from a long day of hunting. Obviously, you can’t go wrong with one of our many one-of-a-kind restaurants in Lincoln, Cole Camp, or Warsaw. No matter what you’re hungry for, we have a place you’ll love!

Hunting Resources

Triple River Gunsmithing

619 Commercial St.
Warsaw, Mo. 65355

Show-Me Gunstocks

19557 Quail Ridge Rd.
Warsaw, Mo. 65355
660-438-4568
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Orscheln Farm and Home

1551 Commercial St.
Warsaw, Mo. 65355
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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. Surprisingly, deer season has many variables in method, antler restrictions, and dates to hunt. Before you head out, be sure to check with the Department of Conservation for permits and information.

Turkey

While each year brings a spring and fall turkey season, there is a weekend dedicated solely to youth hunters. Interestingly, a Tom turkey’s gobble can be heard over the hills for a mile. However, these birds are hard to track when on the move as they can run up to 25 miles per hour. Additionally, they are extremely wary creatures, and many hunters work to lure them in with calls.

Squirrel

Although there are many varieties of squirrel, the members of the squirrel family that most commonly live in Benton County, Missouri, are the eastern gray and fox squirrels. These are named to describe the colors of their respective coats.

Quail

Quail 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. Likewise, females are similar, except the white is replaced by buffy, yellowish-brown, and the cap and face are not so dark. Although the “bob-WHITE!” call is distinctive, 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. Additionally, 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. Whereas, some have a distinct cottontail, while others are larger and have a yellowish tint of color on their coats. Although they are generally good swimmers and divers, their numbers are declining in the region due to lack of swampland.

Waterfowl (Ducks and Geese)

If you wish to hunt ducks and geese, be aware that in an intensively managed wetland conservation area, a draw system is used to limit the number of hunters on a given day.  Additionally, 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.

Finally, you need to verify permit costs and restrictions on the Missouri Conservation website for hunting and fishing.