Missouri · Elk · 2026 Edition
Missouri Elk Season 2026: Archery, Muzzleloader & Rifle Dates
01 — Seasons
| Season | Zone note | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | Carter, Reynolds and Shannon counties (Elk Restoration Zone); not valid on the Peck Ranch CA refuge portion | Oct 17 – Oct 25 |
| Firearms | Carter, Reynolds and Shannon counties (Elk Restoration Zone); not valid on the Peck Ranch CA refuge portion | Dec 12 – Dec 20 |
Missouri's elk permit is valid only in the state's Elk Restoration Zone in the southeastern Ozarks — Carter, Reynolds and Shannon counties, centered on Peck Ranch Conservation Area — and the permit is not valid on the refuge portion of Peck Ranch itself.
02 — Tags & bag limits
| Elk Restoration Zone (Carter, Reynolds, Shannon counties) | One elk per permit, antlered only, with at least one antler no less than 6 inches in length; the same permit may be used across both the archery and firearms portions |
|---|
03 — Shooting hours
Legal light on opening day (October 17, 2026) 06:51 — 18:58
Rule: One-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset, stated explicitly on MDC's elk-regulations page for both the archery and firearms portions. Sunrise/sunset shift daily — the times above are computed for opening day; use your local Missouri sun times for any other date.
04 — License & tags
Elk hunters in Missouri need a Missouri hunting license plus an elk tag. Missouri residents only (11 years or older, hunter-education required) — a $10 non-refundable application fee enters the May drawing, and a drawn hunter then pays a $50 permit fee.
Missouri hunting license cost →
Where to hunt public land in Missouri — WMAs by county & access rules →
05 — Scouting gear
Scouting a unit before Missouri's opener usually means glassing basins and running a trail camera through summer.
- Hunting binoculars on Amazon →
- Trail cameras on Amazon →
- Trail camera SD cards — class, capacity & format explained →
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. These are category links, not a single named pick — we run no product tests of our own.
06 — FAQ
When does elk season start in Missouri?
The earliest 2026 opener is October 17, 2026 (Archery). See the table above for every method.
When does elk season end in Missouri?
The latest 2026 closing date is December 20, 2026. Individual seasons close earlier — see the table above.
Do I need to enter a draw to hunt elk in Missouri?
Every Missouri elk permit is won through MDC's annual random drawing in May, with results out by July 1 — there is no over-the-counter option and no preference-point system carrying forward unsuccessful applications. A drawn permit is good for both the archery and firearms portions of that year's season, so a hunter who fills it in archery does not get a separate firearms tag.
How many elk can you shoot in Missouri?
2026 bag limits: Elk Restoration Zone (Carter, Reynolds, Shannon counties) — One elk per permit, antlered only, with at least one antler no less than 6 inches in length; the same permit may be used across both the archery and firearms portions. Limits are set per zone and per permit — check the agency's own regulations before you hunt.
What time can you start shooting elk in Missouri?
On opening day (October 17, 2026) legal light runs 06:51 to 18:58. The rule is: One-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset, stated explicitly on MDC's elk-regulations page for both the archery and firearms portions. Sunrise and sunset shift daily, so work the offset against your local Missouri sun times for any other date.
Can I hunt elk on my own land in Missouri without a license?
Missouri resident landowners with 5 or more acres, and their immediate household, may hunt that land without a permit — except bear, deer, elk, and turkey. Taking deer or turkey under this privilege needs at least 20 contiguous acres, and waterfowl still needs the federal Duck Stamp.
Verified · Missouri Department of Conservation · Last verified 2026-08-15
Publisher's note. Permit count (5, antlered-only, no antlerless permits), season dates, county restriction, fees and the resident-landowner set-aside read directly from MDC's elk-permits and elk-hunting-permit-FAQ pages, cross-checked against MDC's own March 31, 2026 newsroom coverage via Missourinet ('Missouri Expands Bear Hunting Opportunities While Keeping Elk Permits Limited') and the MDC-linked reminder release on the May application period. Shooting hours (one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset) read from MDC's elk-regulations page, which states this explicitly for both the archery and firearms elk portions. Bag limit (one elk with at least one antler no less than 6 inches) and the Carter/Reynolds/Shannon-county-only, non-refuge restriction (permit invalid on the Peck Ranch Conservation Area refuge portion) read from the same MDC pages. Not confirmed this round: a total 2026 applicant count. MDC does not publish how many hunters applied for the 5 permits, either on the elk-permits/FAQ pages or in its own newsroom coverage searched this round — flagged rather than reusing the prior site-scoping estimate of roughly 5 permits without an applicant figure to pair with it.