Hunting seasons are upon us.

Missouri Department of Conservation lists when hunting seasons are taking place on its website. Here's a rundown on what's ahead for hunters as far as black bear, white-tailed deer, elk and turkey hunting seasons.

The second annual bear season will be one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset Oct. 17 to Oct. 26 within Bear Management Zones (BMZ).

Bear permits are for one black bear of either sex with some restrictions, such as:

A random permit drawing was held in May with results posted in July. 

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Archery season for deer has two portions: Sept. 15 to Nov. 11 and Nov. 23 to Jan. 15, 2023 from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. An archer hunting permit is for two deer of either sex. Only one antlered deer may be taken before Nov. 12.

Firearms youth season is from Oct. 29-30 and Nov. 25-27 one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.

Hunters 15 years or younger on Sept. 15 are exempt from the antler-point restriction during the archery deer season and all portions of the firearms deer season. To participate, you must be at least 6 and no older than 15 on the opening day of the early youth portion.

The firearms November portion of deer season is from Nov. 12-22 from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.

If you harvest a deer from certain counties in the CWD Management Zone during the opening weekend, Nov. 12-13, you must take your deer to a designated CWD sampling station.

Antlerless portion of firearms season

As for the antlerless portion of firearms season, the dates are Dec. 3-11 from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.

There are prohibited methods, including:

Firearms portion for alternative methods

Alternative methods for deer season go into the New Year with starting Christmas Eve and going to Jan. 3, 2023 from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.

The limit for the season limit is one antler deer for all portions of the firearms deer season and an antler point restriction applies in some counties.

Methods allowed and prohibited under the firearms portion still apply as well as any additional methods prohibited by local ordinances.

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Elk season will have a nine-day archery portion Oct. 15-23 and a nine-day firearms portion Dec. 10-18 both one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.

Applications for elk permits were held earlier this year. Five permits were drawn for bull elk and valid for both portions.

Permit holders may take one elk with at least one antler no less than six inches in length.

Allowed methods during the firearms portion include:

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Archery for turkey season is Sept. 15 to Nov. 11 and Nov. 23 to Jan. 15, 2023 from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.

Allowed methods for this portion include: longbows, compound bows and recurve bows of any draw weight, crossbows, hand-held string-releasing devices, illuminated sights, scopes and quickpoint sights, atlatls and crossbows.

The fall firearms portion for turkey season is Oct. 1 to Oct. 31 from one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. Fall firearms turkey hunting is not allowed in Dunklin, McDonald, Mississippi, New Madrid, Newton, Pemiscot and Scott counties.

Allowed firearm methods for fall turkey season include:

Prohibited methods for fall firearms turkey season include:

For more information regarding these seasons and others, visit https://mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/seasons

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Sara Karnes is an Outdoors Reporter with the Springfield News-Leader. Follow along with her adventures on Twitter and Instagram @Sara_Karnes. Got a story to tell? Email her at skarnes@springfi.gannett.com.