Deer hunting season in Missouri is underway, and the Missouri Department of Conservation expects a rebound from the lower harvest last year.

The archery portion of the deer season started Sept. 15, and the firearms portions will begin as early as Oct. 10 with an estimated 475,000 hunters expected.

After a lower harvest in the 2024 deer hunting season, Jason Isabelle, the conservation department's cervid program supervisor, said last year was "a perfect storm" for less deer harvested with the calendar shift, warmer temperatures and a larger acorn crop.

But this year, as long as those conditions are not identical to 2024, the conservation department expects an increase in harvest.

"I don't think we'll be anywhere near that record harvest of 2023," Isabelle said. "But probably closer to w

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