Clearwater Lake Management Lands: hunting and access
Clearwater Lake Management Lands is 16,791 acres of MDC land in Reynolds and Wayne counties, 3 miles from Piedmont. MDC lists deer hunting here (archery and firearms, antlerless permits allowed). Hunters checked 2,746 deer in Reynolds 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 areasNational forestFederal land, mostly Corps of Engineers lakesClearwater Lake Management LandsCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 16,791 acres (12,659 by MDC's page) |
|---|---|
| Counties | Reynolds County and Wayne County |
| Deer harvest unit | Reynolds County, Wayne County |
| MDC lists for hunting | Deer, Bear, Turkey, Rabbit, Squirrel, Dove and Quail |
| MDC area number | 7914 |
| MDC region | Southeast |
| Camping (MDC) | open camping - walk-in/float-in/backpack and individual campsites |
| Nearest towns | Piedmont (3 mi), Annapolis (5 mi) and Ellington (6 mi) |
What is Clearwater Lake Management Lands like?
The Clearwater Lake Managment Lands are owned by the US Army Corps of Engineers and managed by the MDC. The area consists of land adjacent to the lake and is located in watershed bottoms or on upland slopes. Much of the low bottom lands are inaundated with water in spring and vegetation is kept in check at an early successional stage by the water coverage. Higher flood plain terraces that are not inaudated allow limited open land management opportunities via permittee farming to keep land in an open condition for associated species. Uplands are typically forested in oak and hickory stands.
In MDC's words, from the Clearwater Lake Management Lands page.
What can you hunt on Clearwater Lake Management Lands?
MDC's page for Clearwater Lake Management Lands lists: Deer: archery and firearms, antlerless permits allowed; Bear: archery and firearms; Turkey: archery and firearms; Rabbit; Squirrel; Dove; Quail.
What are the rules on Clearwater Lake Management Lands?
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 Clearwater Lake Management Lands?
Clearwater Lake Management Lands lies in 2 counties. Hunters checked 2,746 deer in Reynolds County in 2025, against 1,766 in 2024.
| County | Clearwater Lake Management Lands acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reynolds County | 16,723 | 2,746 | 1,766 | 3,135 |
| Wayne County | 68 | 4,081 | 2,680 | 4,014 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the conservation area alone: MDC deer harvest summaries (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Clearwater Lake Management Lands?
MDC's directions: From Piedmont, take Route HH west 5 miles west to Clearwater Lake Dam to access much of the area by water. Other parts of the area can be accessed via high-clearance vehicles from Reynolds County Roads as listed on the map.
Nearest towns: Piedmont (3 miles), Annapolis (5 miles), Ellington (6 miles) and Des Arc (7 miles). Highways within 5 miles: MO 34, MO 49 and MO 21.
What other public land is near Clearwater Lake Management Lands?
MDC lands within 10 miles:
- Clearwater Conservation Area: 11,405 acres, next to it
- Riverside Conservation Area: 2,654 acres, next to it
- Funk Memorial State Forest and Wildlife Area: 182 acres, 1.4 miles away
- Lon Sanders Canyon Conservation Area: 128 acres, 2.9 miles away
- Miller Community Lake: 60 acres, 5.4 miles away
- Current River Conservation Area: 29,828 acres, 5.4 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Clearwater Lake Management Lands
Counting Clearwater Lake Management Lands itself, 32,742 of the 124,777 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (26.2%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| MDC conservation areas | 30,558 |
| Federal land, mostly Corps of Engineers lakes | 2,184 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Clearwater Lake Management Lands?
In Reynolds and Wayne counties, 3 miles from Piedmont.
Can you deer hunt on Clearwater Lake Management Lands?
Yes, by MDC's page: archery and firearms, antlerless permits allowed.
How much public land is around Clearwater Lake Management Lands?
32,742 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Clearwater Lake Management Lands included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries. The closest other MDC area is Clearwater Conservation Area (next to it).
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, Clearwater Lake Management Lands; 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.