Amidon Memorial Conservation Area: hunting and access
Amidon Memorial Conservation Area is 1,988 acres of MDC land in Madison and Bollinger counties, 6 miles from Cobalt. MDC lists deer hunting here (archery and firearms, antlerless permits allowed). Hunters checked 2,892 deer in Madison County in 2025.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: MDC's conservation area data, read 2026-10. Harvest: MDC deer harvest summaries, 2021 to 2025.
MDC conservation areasNational forestState parks and historic sitesCounty, city and regional landAmidon Memorial Conservation AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 1,988 acres (1,878 by MDC's page) in 3 pieces |
|---|---|
| Counties | Madison County and Bollinger County |
| Deer harvest unit | Madison County, Bollinger County |
| MDC lists for hunting | Deer, Bear, Turkey, Rabbit, Squirrel and Dove |
| MDC area number | 8426 |
| MDC region | Southeast |
| Camping (MDC) | designated camping sites |
| Nearest towns | Cobalt (6 mi), Junction City (7 mi) and Marquand (7 mi) |
What is Amidon Memorial Conservation Area like?
Amidon Memorial Conservation Area is a 1,878-acre area located on the upper reaches of the Castor River in Bollinger and Madison counties. The forest's timber species range from mixed hardwoods to shortleaf pine to cedar glades. A granite shut-ins on the Castor River adds an interesting geologic feature. During your visit, you may see various forest improvement practices designed to improve wildlife habitat and maintain watershed quality. Any physical disturbance is only temporary and normal aesthetic appearance will return soon. MDC has created watering ponds and planted food plots and agricultural crops within the forest to provide additional food sources for wildlife.
In MDC's words, from the Amidon Memorial Conservation Area page.
What can you hunt on Amidon Memorial Conservation Area?
MDC's page for Amidon Memorial Conservation Area lists: Deer: archery and firearms, antlerless permits allowed; Bear: archery and firearms; Turkey: archery and firearms; Rabbit; Squirrel; Dove.
What are the rules on Amidon Memorial Conservation Area?
MDC's standard conservation area rules (Chapter 11 of the Wildlife Code) apply; the area's rules on MDC's site list any it adds.
How many deer are taken around Amidon Memorial Conservation Area?
Amidon Memorial Conservation Area lies in 2 counties. Hunters checked 2,892 deer in Madison County in 2025, against 1,887 in 2024.
| County | Amidon Memorial Conservation Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison County | 1,570 | 2,892 | 1,887 | 2,702 |
| Bollinger County | 417 | 3,992 | 3,291 | 4,048 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the conservation area alone: MDC deer harvest summaries (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Amidon Memorial Conservation Area?
MDC's directions: From Fredericktown, take Route J east, then Route W south, then County Road 208 east.
Nearest towns: Cobalt (6 miles), Junction City (7 miles), Marquand (7 miles) and Fredericktown (7 miles). Highways within 5 miles: MO 72 and MO 51.
What other public land is near Amidon Memorial Conservation Area?
MDC lands within 10 miles:
- Little Whitewater Conservation Area: 85 acres, 1.5 miles away
- Hawn Access: 81 acres, 8.2 miles away
- Marquand Access: 72 acres, 9.9 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Amidon Memorial Conservation Area
Counting Amidon Memorial Conservation Area itself, 4,133 of the 43,552 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (9.5%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| MDC conservation areas | 2,073 |
| National forest | 2,057 |
| State parks and historic sites | 3 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Amidon Memorial Conservation Area?
In Madison and Bollinger counties, 6 miles from Cobalt.
Can you deer hunt on Amidon Memorial Conservation Area?
Yes, by MDC's page: archery and firearms, antlerless permits allowed.
How much public land is around Amidon Memorial Conservation Area?
4,133 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Amidon Memorial Conservation Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries. The closest other MDC area is Little Whitewater Conservation Area (1.5 miles).
Get a Missouri hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Missouri are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Missouri included.
Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: MDC, Amidon Memorial Conservation Area; MDC conservation area boundaries.
- Boundary and acres: MDC's map layer above. Surrounding public land: USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public) and MDC conservation area boundaries.
- Deer harvest: MDC deer harvest summaries (2021 to 2025 seasons).
FilledTag is not part of the Missouri Department of Conservation. Check MDC's rules and posted signs before you go.