
The National Deer Association is pleased to name the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) as its 2024 Agency of the Year Award winner. This award is presented to an agency that has practiced innovative and progressive deer management techniques; affected positive change in deer management regulations, hunter education, hunter recruitment, and/or involvement in youth hunting; and has engaged its hunters and other key stakeholders in the deer management process. A previous Agency of the Year Award winner (2006), MDC is only the third organization to receive this distinction twice since the recognition was originally created over 20 years ago.
“We are very appreciative of the National Deer Association for recognizing our agency for this award.” said Jason Isabelle, MDC Cervid Program Supervisor. “Deer management in Missouri is a team effort involving hunters, MDC staff, landowners, and partners like the National Deer Association, and we’re grateful for everyone’s contribution to this effort.”
Missouri consistently ranks high in numerous deer management categories. In NDA’s 2025 Deer Report, the Show-Me state maintained impressive antlerless harvest statistics, such as the third highest total antlerless harvest (178,598) in the nation and 1.2 antlerless deer killed for every antlered buck. Missouri also boasted the greatest percentage of wildlife management units (WMUs) at established deer density goals, with 85% meeting this threshold. These types of efforts are a necessity when managing for a balanced, healthy deer population statewide.
In that vein, MDC’s deer program includes a Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) element to enable landowners to achieve local deer management goals through additional antlerless deer harvest opportunities. In all, over 230 landowners and 135,000 acres are enrolled, and the data collected provides valuable insight into deer population dynamics across Missouri. In addition and alongside NDA, MDC implemented a quarterly DMAP webinar series in 2024 that provided participants with guidance on deer management in the presence of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) and Hemorrhagic Disease, habitat management strategies to reduce deer crop damage, and the top invasive plant species to control for in Missouri.
Since its initial detection in 2012, MDC has taken an industry-leading approach to slow the spread of CWD. The agency works with hunters, landowners, and conservation partners to identify where the disease exists in the state and implements regulations and other management efforts that aid in its management. Current practices within the CWD Management Zone like the prohibition of feed and minerals, carcass transportation restrictions, and localized targeted removal efforts help to maintain low prevalence rates and protect Missouri’s deer population from this significant threat. Missouri also retains one of the shortest average hunter wait times (8 days; 2024 data) for the results of a CWD test.
“Due to the involvement of hunters and partners, we’ve been able to sample over 30,000 deer annually for CWD in recent years. This has allowed us to detect CWD early when we can be most successful to slow its spread,” said Isabelle. “Through the efforts of landowners and MDC staff working within our CWD Core Areas, we’ve been able to implement a targeted removal program which has reduced the spread of CWD in our state.”
In 2024, MDC helped implement the Second Annual Missouri Governor’s Mentored Deer Hunt in collaboration with the NDA and other partner organizations. In addition, MDC staff hosted Managed Deer Hunts across the state for new youth and adult hunters, hunters with disabilities, and other members of the public. The successes of these events would not have been possible without direct MDC staff and programmatic support and have paved the way for future Recruit, Retain and Reactivate (R3) initiatives in Missouri.
Finally, in a collaborative effort with key conservation partners, including the NDA, MDC led a strategic revision of its 10-Year White-Tailed Deer Management Plan in 2024 and made sure to include the public every step of the way. Goals of the new plan include deer population management, hunting and recreation, deer health and disease, education, communication, and public engagement, and research. This joint accomplishment, along with many others such as MDC’s involvement in the Share the Harvest program, their Comprehensive Conservation Strategy – a tiered and collaborative approach to natural community and habitat management, forming Prescribed Burn Associations (PBAs), and especially their long-standing cooperative agreement with NDA for two Deer Outreach Specialists, show how much the agency values deer, working with partners and their commitment to engage hunters and other key stakeholders in Missouri’s deer management process.
“Driven by science and with public input, MDC has a deer management program that benefits deer, deer habitat, and all Missouri residents,” said Matt Ross, NDA Senior Director of Conservation. “Their entire team goes the extra mile to address limitations regarding disease management, landowner resources, hunter opportunity, and their integration of setting deer population objectives using social and biological science ranks among the highest in the country. We are proud to present this award to them and honored to have such a strong partnership with MDC.”