Missouri · Public Land · 2026 Edition
Missouri Public Hunting Land 2026: WMAs & Access Rules
3 wildlife management areas tracked here, from 4,859 to 6,705 acres. A hunting license covers you on Missouri WMA land the same as anywhere else in the state — but read the access rules below before you assume that's all you need.
01 — Wildlife management areas
| Area | County | Acres | Species |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duck Creek Conservation Area | Stoddard, Bollinger & Wayne | 6,318 | Waterfowl, Deer, Turkey, Rabbit, Squirrel, Dove |
| Otter Slough Conservation Area | Stoddard | 4,859 | Waterfowl |
| Ted Shanks Conservation Area | Pike | 6,705 | Waterfowl |
All three of Missouri's best-known public waterfowl grounds sit on major river systems and all three run the same basic deal: show up, get in line for a draw, and hope for one of a limited number of blinds or wade-and-shoot spots. Ted Shanks, on the Mississippi River in Pike County, offers 34 wade-and-shoot spots and eight blinds (one ADA-accessible) and has recorded flocks over 300,000 ducks in a single season. Duck Creek, the largest of the three at 6,318 acres, doubles as solid deer, turkey and small-game ground outside the managed waterfowl hunt, unlike Otter Slough and Ted Shanks, which are built around waterfowl specifically. Otter Slough is one of the last cypress-tupelo swamp remnants left in Missouri. This list is a starting point, not MDC's full conservation-area inventory, which runs into the hundreds statewide.
02 — Access rules beyond your hunting license
Missouri calls its public hunting ground Conservation Areas (CAs), not WMAs, and a standard Missouri hunting permit covers most of them the same as anywhere else in the state — deer, turkey and small game hunting is generally open access, no separate CA pass needed. Waterfowl is the exception at the state's marquee wetland CAs: Duck Creek, Otter Slough and Ted Shanks all run managed, draw-based waterfowl hunts rather than open access, with hunters showing up hours before sunrise for an on-site drawing or applying for a reserved spot in advance, plus a valid area Daily Waterfowl Hunting Tag once you're in.
03 — Where to go next
Verified · Missouri Department of Conservation · Last verified 2026-08-08
Publisher's note. WMA list and access rules read from MDC, retrieved 2026-08-08. Review due 2027-08-01. This is a starting list, not the agency's full WMA inventory — confirm current rules for a specific area before you hunt it.