Missouri’s Department of Conservation says hunters took nearly 205,000 deer during November’s 11-day firearms season. That’s the highest number in four years and 7.7 percent higher than last year.

Not the case in Northern Missouri though as the numbers are on a decline.  The decline in north Missouri’s deer harvest mirrors a decline in deer populations there in the past 10 years. Meanwhile, deer numbers have increased slowly across southern Missouri.

County-by-County Totals for Northwest Missouri 

Andrew 1107

Atchison 649

Buchanan 690

Clinton 773

DeKalb 1029

Gentry 1367

Holt 935

Nodaway 1839

Worth 772

Eight of the 10 highest-performing counties were south of the Missouri River, led by Howell County with 4,037 deer bagged. Texas and Benton counties were next.

Wednesday’s report says the figures bear out earlier predictions for a big hunt in southern Missouri. Scientists had said a poor acorn crop was forcing deer to concentrate in places where acorns were plentiful.

Firearms season began November 10th and ended Tuesday. The department says does (dohz) accounted for roughly 44 percent all deer bagged. The number of antlered bucks taken was up by more than 6 percent.