The latest local news, weather and high school sports from the Heartland

JEFFERSON CITY,MO -- The Missouri Department of Conservation reports deer hunters have until August 15 to apply for 99 managed hunts. The hunts will take place from mid-September through January and have openings for more than 6,000 hunters.

The Missouri Department of Conservation holds a drawing to determine who gets to participate in special managed deer hunts at conservation areas, state parks, national wildlife refuges and urban parks. The application period opens July 1 each year. The hunts are open to Missouri residents and nonresidents.

This is the second year that applications must be made online. Wildlife Management Chief Mike Schroer said advancing technology permitted the switch to an exclusively Web-based application process.

“With the growth of Internet access through home computers, laptops, smart phones and other technology, most hunters have Internet access – if not at home, then through family, friends, hunting partners or community locations such as public libraries,” said Schroer. “We encourage hunters to take advantage of these connections to apply for managed hunts.”

Types of hunts include archery, crossbow, muzzleloader, historic methods and modern firearms – plus youth hunts and hunts for persons with disabilities. Hunt dates, locations and other details will be listed on the managed hunt application at www.mdc.mo.gov/node/3867. Details about managed hunts also are available in the 2011 Fall Deer and Turkey Hunting booklet, which is available from permit vendors statewide.

Hunters may apply individually or as groups of up to six, except for youth hunts. Youths may apply singly or with one other youth. Applicants need a nine-digit Conservation ID number for each hunter to complete the application process. If you do not have a Conservation ID Number, call 573-751-4115 to obtain one.

The Conservation Department will post drawing results at the same website Sept. 14. Successful applicants also will receive area maps and other information regarding their hunt in the mail.

Resident or nonresident managed deer hunting permits are required to take part in managed hunts. These permits will be available to successful applicants after Sept. 14 from any permit vendor statewide.

The Conservation Department implemented a preference point system in 2007 to give unsuccessful applicants for managed deer hunts an advantage in future drawings. Preference points are like extra pieces of paper in a hat. Hunters who apply for the first time or who were drawn for hunts the previous year have only one piece of paper with their name on it in the hat. Those who entered but were not drawn the previous year get an extra piece of paper in the hat for each unsuccessful year. For example, a hunter who was not drawn four years in a row would have five pieces of paper in the hat the fifth time he or she applied.