Young hunters ages 6-15 killed 3,899 deer during Missouri's late youth portion of the 2020 deer hunting season Nov. 27-29, preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation show.
Of the 3,899 deer taken, 1,433 were antlered bucks, 520 were button bucks, and 1,946 were does, according to an MDC news release.
Top-harvesting counties for the late youth portion were Osage with 90 deer killed, Pike with 87 and Franklin with 72.
Totals in other Central Missouri counties show Cole with 24 deer killed, Boone with 38, Callaway with 61, Maries with 37, Miller with 59, Moniteau with 38 and Morgan with 53.
Last year's harvest total for the late youth portion was 1,950, with 771 being antlered bucks, 204 button bucks, and 975 does.
"The total for this year's late youth portion is the highest on record," MDC Cervid Program Supervisor Jason Isabelle said in the news release. "Great weather contributed to an impressive harvest total for this year's late youth portion of firearms deer season."
Isabelle added that during shorter portions of firearms deer season, weather has an especially important effect on harvest.
"The weather for most of the late youth portion was great this year," he said. "Pleasant conditions struck a nice balance between being cool enough to encourage deer movement, but comfortable enough for young hunters to be out in the field."
Archery deer season runs through Jan. 15. The antlerless portion of firearms deer season runs Dec. 4-6, followed by the alternative methods portion Dec. 26 through Jan. 5, 2021.
Find more information on deer hunting from MDC's 2020 Fall Deer & Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information booklet, available where hunting permits are sold and at huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/sites/default/files/downloads/2020FDT.pdf.