Buffalo Hills Natural Area: hunting and access
Buffalo Hills Natural Area is 494 acres of MDC land in McDonald County, 7 miles from Seneca. MDC lists deer hunting here (archery only, antlerless permits allowed). Hunters checked 1,907 deer in McDonald 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 areasBuffalo Hills Natural AreaCounty lineHighway
| Size | 494 acres |
|---|---|
| County | McDonald County |
| Deer harvest unit | McDonald County |
| MDC lists for hunting | Deer, Bear, Turkey and Squirrel |
| MDC area number | 8420 |
| MDC region | Southwest |
| Camping (MDC) | open camping - walk-in/float-in/backpack |
| Nearest towns | Seneca (7 mi), Goodman (8 mi) and Anderson (8 mi) |
What is Buffalo Hills Natural Area like?
Buffalo Hills Natural Area is a 486-acre tract about nine miles west of Goodman in McDonald County.
The land for this area was acquired in 1984. The area is forested in oak, hickory, eastern red cedar, and other species native to this region. A 340-acre portion has been designated as Buffalo Hills Natural Area. Natural Areas are formally established by the Missouri Natural Areas Committee and represent terrestrial or aquatic communities or geologic sites in a natural or nearly undisturbed state. Natural areas are permanently protected and managed to preserve these natural communities. The Buffalo Hills Natural Area is characterized by old growth black oak with a heavy understory of dogwood. The boundaries of this area are marked with Natural Area signs.
In MDC's words, from the Buffalo Hills Natural Area page.
What can you hunt on Buffalo Hills Natural Area?
MDC's page for Buffalo Hills Natural Area lists: Deer: archery only, antlerless permits allowed; Bear: archery and firearms; Turkey: archery and firearms; Squirrel.
What are the rules on Buffalo Hills Natural 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 Buffalo Hills Natural Area?
Buffalo Hills Natural Area lies in McDonald County. Hunters checked 1,907 deer in McDonald County in 2025, against 1,802 in 2024.
| County | Buffalo Hills Natural Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McDonald County | 494 | 1,907 | 1,802 | 2,294 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the conservation area alone: MDC deer harvest summaries (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Buffalo Hills Natural Area?
MDC's directions: From Goodman, take Route B west about 9 miles.
Nearest towns: Seneca (7 miles), Goodman (8 miles), Anderson (8 miles) and Lanagan (11 miles). Highways within 5 miles: MO 43 and MO 76.
What other public land is near Buffalo Hills Natural Area?
MDC lands within 10 miles:
- Cowskin Access: 44 acres, 6.6 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Buffalo Hills Natural Area
Counting Buffalo Hills Natural Area itself, 494 of the 25,891 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (1.9%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| MDC conservation areas | 494 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Buffalo Hills Natural Area?
In McDonald County, 7 miles from Seneca.
Can you deer hunt on Buffalo Hills Natural Area?
Yes, by MDC's page: archery only, antlerless permits allowed.
How much public land is around Buffalo Hills Natural Area?
494 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Buffalo Hills Natural Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries. The closest other MDC area is Cowskin Access (6.6 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, Buffalo Hills Natural 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.