August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area: hunting and access
August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area is 6,999 acres of MDC land in St. Charles County, next to Weldon Spring Heights. MDC lists deer hunting here only on managed hunts. Hunters checked 2,141 deer in St. Charles 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 wildlife refugesState parks and historic sitesCounty, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landAugust A. Busch Memorial Conservation AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 6,999 acres |
|---|---|
| County | St. Charles County |
| Deer harvest unit | St. Charles County |
| MDC lists for hunting | Rabbit, Squirrel and Dove |
| MDC area number | 4901 |
| MDC region | St. Louis |
| MDC managed hunts | deer and turkey |
| Shooting range (MDC) | archery |
| Nearest towns | Weldon Spring Heights (next to it), Dardenne Prairie (next to it) and Weldon Spring (2 mi) |
What is August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area like?
The August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area was purchased by the Missouri Department of Conservation in 1947 from the federal government. Mrs. August A. Busch Sr. donated a portion ($70,000) of the cost toward the purchase of the area as a memorial to her late husband.
In the early 1940s, the area was used by the Department of Army as a TNT munitions plant to support the World War II effort. There are still 100 of the old TNT storage bunkers that exist on the area. The Department encourages recreational use of the area by the public, while furnishing fish and wildlife with the resources necessary to be healthy and abundant. We encourage you to walk the hiking trails, drive the auto tour, photograph the wildlife, or simply sit under a tree and enjoy the sights and sounds of the outdoors. Hunting for a variety of wildlife species is allowed on the area. Special regulations exist for most of the hunting activities, please check the Area Regulations section or with the office for current regulations. Portions of the August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area were used by the Department of Army in the 1940s for TNT and DNT production and by the Atomic...
In MDC's words, from the August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area page.
What can you hunt on August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area?
MDC's page for August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area lists: Rabbit; Squirrel; Dove. It also lists managed hunts for deer and turkey; MDC's managed deer hunt list has the dates and how to apply.
What are the rules on August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area?
Closings: Special hours apply on this department area. This area is open to public use only as authorized by posting.
Target Shooting and Shooting Ranges: A staffed shooting range is located on this department area. Target shooting is not allowed anywhere on this area except for designated shooting range(s). Shooting range(s) on this area are open to public use only as authorized by posting. Ranges may be opened or closed at any time for maintenance or department sponsored events or programs. Range use fees apply on this department area. Possession of alcoholic beverages is prohibited on all ranges and associated parking lots. Groups of more than 10 people must obtain a special use permit prior to using the range. To obtain a special use...
Field Trials: Field trials are allowed on this department area only by special use permit. To obtain a special use permit, contact the area manager at the phone number listed for this area in the area details section.
Dove Hunting: Use or possession of lead shot is prohibited for hunting doves on this area.
Every conservation area also follows MDC's standard rules in Chapter 11 of the Wildlife Code; the area's full rules are on MDC's site.
How many deer are taken around August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area?
August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area lies in St. Charles County. Hunters checked 2,141 deer in St. Charles County in 2025, against 2,231 in 2024.
| County | August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Charles County | 6,999 | 2,141 | 2,231 | 2,297 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the conservation area alone: MDC deer harvest summaries (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area?
MDC's directions: From Interstate 64 in St. Charles County, take Highway 94 south to Route D, then west 1.50 miles to the area.
Nearest towns: Weldon Spring Heights (next to it), Dardenne Prairie (next to it), Weldon Spring (2 miles) and Lake St. Louis (3 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 61, US 40, I-64, MO 364 and MO 94.
What other public land is near August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area?
MDC lands within 10 miles:
- Weldon Spring Conservation Area: 8,539 acres, next to it
- Howell Island Conservation Area: 2,707 acres, 1.9 miles away
- Engelmann Woods Natural Area: 155 acres, 8.2 miles away
- Rockwoods Reservation: 1,923 acres, 8.4 miles away
- August G. Beckemeier Conservation Area: 52 acres, 9.1 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area
Counting August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area itself, 16,448 of the 55,516 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (29.6%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| MDC conservation areas | 15,999 |
| County, city and regional land | 440 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 8 |
| State parks and historic sites | 1 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area?
In St. Charles County, next to Weldon Spring Heights.
Can you deer hunt on August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area?
Only on MDC managed hunts, by MDC's page. Managed hunts are applied for through MDC.
How much public land is around August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area?
16,448 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries. The closest other MDC area is Weldon Spring Conservation Area (next to it).
Get a Missouri hunt plan when they open
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: MDC, August A. Busch 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.