Bismarck Conservation Area: hunting and access
Bismarck Conservation Area is 1,159 acres of MDC land in St. Francois, Iron and Washington counties, 2 miles from Iron Mountain Lake. MDC lists deer hunting here (archery and firearms, antlerless permits allowed). Hunters checked 3,381 deer in St. Francois 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 areasBismarck Conservation AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 1,159 acres |
|---|---|
| Counties | St. Francois County, Iron County and Washington County |
| Deer harvest unit | St. Francois County, Iron County, Washington County |
| MDC lists for hunting | Deer, Turkey, Squirrel and Dove |
| MDC area number | 6112 |
| MDC region | Southeast |
| Nearest towns | Iron Mountain Lake (2 mi), Bismarck (2 mi) and Pilot Knob (6 mi) |
What is Bismarck Conservation Area like?
Bismarck Conservation Area is a 1,188-acre tract of land in St. Francois, Iron, and Washington counties. The area surrounds 210-acre DiSalvo Lake, which was constructed in 1944 by the Hanna Mining Co. to serve as a water reservoir for nearby lead mining operations. The Department of Conservation purchased the property from Hanna in 1981.
In addition to its upland forested areas, Bismarck features an igneous glade and savanna complex, which is currently being restored, and 50 acres of wet-mesic bottomland forest. The glades and savannas support little bluestem grass, post oak, blackjack oak, fragrant sumac, pineweed, and prickly pear cactus. The wet-mesic bottomland forest is one of the best such examples in the St. Francois Mountain region. It supports the rare oval ladies' tresses orchid, has an understory of pawpaw, spicebush and musclewood and a canopy dominated by pin oak and swamp white oak. A large stand of witch hazel grows near the dam of the lake. The geology of Bismarck Conservation Area is among the oldest in Missouri; it includes Precambrian igneous rock and lava-formed Cambrian-age LaMotte sandstone and Cambrian-age dolomites. DiSalvo Lake, which serves as the headwaters of the St. Francis River, contains...
In MDC's words, from the Bismarck Conservation Area page.
What can you hunt on Bismarck Conservation Area?
MDC's page for Bismarck Conservation Area lists: Deer: archery and firearms, antlerless permits allowed; Turkey: archery and firearms; Squirrel; Dove.
What are the rules on Bismarck 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 Bismarck Conservation Area?
Bismarck Conservation Area lies in 3 counties. Hunters checked 3,381 deer in St. Francois County in 2025, against 2,509 in 2024.
| County | Bismarck Conservation Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Francois County | 646 | 3,381 | 2,509 | 3,270 |
| Iron County | 474 | 1,903 | 1,240 | 1,843 |
| Washington County | 40 | 3,425 | 2,485 | 4,106 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the conservation area alone: MDC deer harvest summaries (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Bismarck Conservation Area?
MDC's directions: From Bismarck, take Route N south, then Grider Road west to Lakeview Road, which leads to the area.
Nearest towns: Iron Mountain Lake (2 miles), Bismarck (2 miles), Pilot Knob (6 miles) and Caledonia (7 miles). Highways within 5 miles: MO 32, MO 21 and MO 221.
What other public land is near Bismarck Conservation Area?
MDC lands within 10 miles:
- Buford Mountain Conservation Area: 4,058 acres, 1 mile away
- Hughes Mountain Natural Area: 460 acres, 4.6 miles away
- Bootleg Access: 289 acres, 7.9 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Bismarck Conservation Area
Counting Bismarck Conservation Area itself, 3,858 of the 30,520 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (12.6%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| MDC conservation areas | 3,858 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Bismarck Conservation Area?
In St. Francois, Iron and Washington counties, 2 miles from Iron Mountain Lake.
Can you deer hunt on Bismarck Conservation Area?
Yes, by MDC's page: archery and firearms, antlerless permits allowed.
How much public land is around Bismarck Conservation Area?
3,858 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Bismarck Conservation Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries. The closest other MDC area is Buford Mountain Conservation Area (1 mile).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: MDC, Bismarck 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.
Missouri hunting St. Francois County Iron County Washington County