Charlie Heath Memorial Conservation Area: hunting and access
Charlie Heath Memorial Conservation Area is 1,651 acres of MDC land in Clark County, 8 miles from Luray. MDC lists deer hunting here (archery and firearms, antlerless permits allowed). Hunters checked 2,750 deer in Clark 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 areasCharlie Heath Memorial Conservation AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 1,651 acres in 2 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Clark County |
| Deer harvest unit | Clark County |
| MDC lists for hunting | Deer, Turkey, Rabbit, Squirrel and Quail |
| MDC area number | 7703 |
| MDC region | Northeast |
| Camping (MDC) | walk-in, float-in or backpack camping (not during deer and turkey seasons) and designated camping sites |
| Nearest towns | Luray (8 mi), Granger (8 mi) and Arbela (10 mi) |
What is Charlie Heath Memorial Conservation Area like?
An initial donation in 1975 by Charlie Heath, a longtime resident and sportsman established this area. Subsequent acquisitions by the Conservation Department have brought the area to its present size of 1,635 acres. Charlie Heath had made his donation with the hopes that a lake would be constructed on the conservation area. After much deliberation and searching for a suitable site a tract of land approximately five miles to the east was purchased and a lake was built in the county. This lake is called Fox Valley Lake. Charlie Heath Memorial Conservation area is nearly 90 percent forested. The remainder is grasslands and idle fields. Oak-hickory dominates the upland forests, and the bottomlands are a mix of hardwood and softwood species. Over 3.7 miles of the Fox River meanders through the area. The area is characterized by gently rolling timbered hills and includes such natural habitats as a small remnant stand of native grass, wetlands, streams, shallow ponds, and a cottonwood plantation. An active heron rookery can be found along the Fox River in the southeast portion of the area. The Conservation Department manages Charlie Heath Memorial Conservation Area to provide public recreational opportunities, provide habitat for game and non-game species and to protect soil and water quality. Management techniques include farming, timber harvest, prescribed burning, discing, wetland development, water manipulation, and wildlife food plots. Portions of the area are managed for upland wildlife species, such as quail, rabbits, and songbirds. Timbered portions are managed for deer, turkey, squirrel, woodland songbirds, as well as for timber products.
In MDC's words, from the Charlie Heath Memorial Conservation Area page.
What can you hunt on Charlie Heath Memorial Conservation Area?
MDC's page for Charlie Heath Memorial Conservation Area lists: Deer: archery and firearms, antlerless permits allowed; Turkey: archery and firearms; Rabbit; Squirrel; Quail.
What are the rules on Charlie Heath Memorial 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 Charlie Heath Memorial Conservation Area?
Charlie Heath Memorial Conservation Area lies in Clark County. Hunters checked 2,750 deer in Clark County in 2025, against 2,750 in 2024.
| County | Charlie Heath Memorial Conservation Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clark County | 1,651 | 2,750 | 2,750 | 2,707 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the conservation area alone: MDC deer harvest summaries (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Charlie Heath Memorial Conservation Area?
MDC's directions: From Kahoka, take Highway 136 west, then Route K north 8 miles.
Nearest towns: Luray (8 miles), Granger (8 miles), Arbela (10 miles) and Revere (10 miles). Highways within 5 miles: MO 81.
What other public land is near Charlie Heath Memorial Conservation Area?
MDC lands within 10 miles:
- Clark Conservation Area: 621 acres, 1.5 miles away
- Fox Valley Lake Conservation Area: 2,144 acres, 4.6 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Charlie Heath Memorial Conservation Area
Counting Charlie Heath Memorial Conservation Area itself, 1,949 of the 38,402 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (5.1%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| MDC conservation areas | 1,949 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Charlie Heath Memorial Conservation Area?
In Clark County, 8 miles from Luray.
Can you deer hunt on Charlie Heath Memorial Conservation Area?
Yes, by MDC's page: archery and firearms, antlerless permits allowed.
How much public land is around Charlie Heath Memorial Conservation Area?
1,949 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Charlie Heath Memorial Conservation Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries. The closest other MDC area is Clark Conservation Area (1.5 miles).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: MDC, Charlie Heath 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.