Bee Hollow Conservation Area: hunting and access
Bee Hollow Conservation Area is 257 acres of MDC land in Macon and Randolph counties, 2 miles from Excello. MDC lists deer hunting here (muzzleloader and archery, antlerless permits allowed). Hunters checked 4,525 deer in Macon 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 areasState parks and historic sitesBee Hollow Conservation AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 257 acres (271 by MDC's page) |
|---|---|
| Counties | Macon County and Randolph County |
| Deer harvest unit | Macon County, Randolph County |
| MDC lists for hunting | Deer, Turkey, Rabbit and Squirrel |
| MDC area number | 9232 |
| MDC region | Northeast |
| Camping (MDC) | walk-in, float-in or backpack camping (not during deer and turkey seasons) and designated camping sites |
| Nearest towns | Excello (2 mi), Jacksonville (2 mi) and Cairo (7 mi) |
What is Bee Hollow Conservation Area like?
In 1986, the Missouri Department of Conservation acquired the property in a land transfer with the Farmers Home Administration.
This 271-acre area contains 170 acres of forest, 52 acres of cropland, 22 acres of wetlands, and 13 acres of old fields. Walk-in access to the East Fork of the Little Chariton River is available. One mile of stream frontage lies along the western boundary of the area. The eastern half of the area is spoil ridges left after coal mining. The western half of the area consists of low lying river bottom fields and beaver ponds. The wetland pools and oxbow sloughs on the western half of the area attract a variety of nesting and migrating waterfowl. Management of the area includes farming, moist soil wetland management, timber harvest, and controlled burns to improve wildlife habitat and increase species diversity. Bee Hollow Conservation Area is managed primarily for waterfowl, deer, and turkey. The wetland pools are managed to provide fall and spring migration habitat while providing habitat...
In MDC's words, from the Bee Hollow Conservation Area page.
What can you hunt on Bee Hollow Conservation Area?
MDC's page for Bee Hollow Conservation Area lists: Deer: muzzleloader and archery, antlerless permits allowed; Turkey: archery and firearms; Rabbit; Squirrel.
What are the rules on Bee Hollow 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 Bee Hollow Conservation Area?
Bee Hollow Conservation Area lies in 2 counties. Hunters checked 4,525 deer in Macon County in 2025, against 4,489 in 2024.
| County | Bee Hollow Conservation Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Macon County | 237 | 4,525 | 4,489 | 4,746 |
| Randolph County | 20 | 2,476 | 2,545 | 2,987 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the conservation area alone: MDC deer harvest summaries (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Bee Hollow Conservation Area?
MDC's directions: From Macon, take Highway 63 south 8 miles, then Jackpot Road west 2 miles.
Nearest towns: Excello (2 miles), Jacksonville (2 miles), Cairo (7 miles) and Macon (9 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 63.
What other public land is near Bee Hollow Conservation Area?
MDC lands within 10 miles:
- Thomas Hill Reservoir Conservation Area: 9,320 acres, 3.9 miles away
- Sugar Creek Lake (Moberly): 310 acres, 7.8 miles away
- Macon City Lake: 189 acres, 8.8 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Bee Hollow Conservation Area
Counting Bee Hollow Conservation Area itself, 261 of the 24,712 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (1.1%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| MDC conservation areas | 258 |
| State parks and historic sites | 3 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Bee Hollow Conservation Area?
In Macon and Randolph counties, 2 miles from Excello.
Can you deer hunt on Bee Hollow Conservation Area?
Yes, by MDC's page: muzzleloader and archery, antlerless permits allowed.
How much public land is around Bee Hollow Conservation Area?
261 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Bee Hollow Conservation Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries. The closest other MDC area is Thomas Hill Reservoir Conservation Area (3.9 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, Bee Hollow 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.