Buffalo Wallow Prairie Conservation Area: hunting and access
Buffalo Wallow Prairie Conservation Area is 1,144 acres of MDC land in Barton County, next to Sheldon. MDC lists deer hunting here (muzzleloader and archery, archery antlerless permits only). Hunters checked 1,844 deer in Barton 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 Wallow Prairie Conservation AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 1,144 acres in 3 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Barton County |
| Deer harvest unit | Barton County |
| MDC lists for hunting | Deer, Bear, Turkey, Rabbit, Squirrel and Quail |
| MDC area number | 8738 |
| MDC region | Southwest |
| Nearest towns | Sheldon (next to it), Irwin (2 mi) and Milford (7 mi) |
What is Buffalo Wallow Prairie Conservation Area like?
Buffalo Wallow Prairie Conservation Area is in Barton County, 8.5 miles north of Lamar. This area, now totaling 1,113 acres, combines the original 320-acre Buffalo Wallow Prairie Conservation Area (to the west), land purchases in 1993 and 1997 (central) and the previously named Catlin Prairie Conservation Area (to the east). The name originates from what appears to be the remains of a buffalo wallow on the area. The entire area, except for the wooded creeks and drainages was once prairie.
Before it became public land, much of the area was plowed for cropland. However, more than 400 acres of native prairie still exist and are managed for their rich plant and animal diversity. Approximately 250 acres of cropland are farmed by local farmers following conservation practices, and 200 acres of former cropland have been converted to native warm-season and cool-season grasses to provide food and cover for wildlife. This combination of native prairie, cropland, old fields and wooded drainages makes this area rich in wildlife. Grassland birds, deer, rabbit, quail and turkeys are frequently found across the area. The area's wildlife habitat is restored and improved with a combination of farming, prairie reconstruction, prescribed burns, haying, tree removal, discing, and shrub plantings. Deer hunting is allowed by Archery and Muzzleloader methods only (only archery antlerless...
In MDC's words, from the Buffalo Wallow Prairie Conservation Area page.
What can you hunt on Buffalo Wallow Prairie Conservation Area?
MDC's page for Buffalo Wallow Prairie Conservation Area lists: Deer: muzzleloader and archery, archery antlerless permits only; Bear: archery and firearms; Turkey: archery and firearms; Rabbit; Squirrel; Quail.
What are the rules on Buffalo Wallow Prairie 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 Buffalo Wallow Prairie Conservation Area?
Buffalo Wallow Prairie Conservation Area lies in Barton County. Hunters checked 1,844 deer in Barton County in 2025, against 1,850 in 2024.
| County | Buffalo Wallow Prairie Conservation Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barton County | 1,144 | 1,844 | 1,850 | 1,966 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the conservation area alone: MDC deer harvest summaries (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Buffalo Wallow Prairie Conservation Area?
MDC's directions: From Sheldon at exit 88 on I-49, go west on Route N, then (immediatley) take the Outer Road S south, Outer Road S swings west becoming NW 100th Road, then take NW 10th Lane south, and NW 80th Road east to the west side of the main tract, or NW 80th west to the 320 acre west tract. To access the east side of the main tract, from Sheldon at the junction of Route B and 1st Street take 1st Street south, at the junction of S 1st Street and NW/NE 100th Road continue south on NE Division Lane to the area.
Nearest towns: Sheldon (next to it), Irwin (2 miles), Milford (7 miles) and Iantha (8 miles). Highways within 5 miles: I-49 and US 71.
What other public land is near Buffalo Wallow Prairie Conservation Area?
MDC lands within 10 miles:
- Clear Creek Conservation Area: 980 acres, 1.1 miles away
- Edward B. and Marie O. Risch Conservation Area: 173 acres, 3.4 miles away
- Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area: 4,817 acres, 3.8 miles away
- Mo-No-I Prairie Conservation Area: 302 acres, 4.3 miles away
- Redwing Prairie Conservation Area: 166 acres, 6.5 miles away
- Osage Prairie Conservation Area: 1,562 acres, 6.5 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Buffalo Wallow Prairie Conservation Area
Counting Buffalo Wallow Prairie Conservation Area itself, 2,124 of the 35,569 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (6%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| MDC conservation areas | 2,124 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Buffalo Wallow Prairie Conservation Area?
In Barton County, next to Sheldon.
Can you deer hunt on Buffalo Wallow Prairie Conservation Area?
Yes, by MDC's page: muzzleloader and archery, archery antlerless permits only.
How much public land is around Buffalo Wallow Prairie Conservation Area?
2,124 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Buffalo Wallow Prairie Conservation Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries. The closest other MDC area is Clear Creek Conservation Area (1.1 miles).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: MDC, Buffalo Wallow Prairie 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.