Cooley Lake Conservation Area: hunting and access
Cooley Lake Conservation Area is 1,338 acres of MDC land in Clay County, 2 miles from Missouri City. MDC lists deer hunting here (muzzleloader and archery, antlerless permits allowed). Hunters checked 1,139 deer in Clay 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 wildlife refugesCooley Lake Conservation AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 1,338 acres in 3 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Clay County |
| Deer harvest unit | Clay County |
| MDC lists for hunting | Deer, Turkey, Rabbit, Squirrel and Dove |
| MDC area number | 7945 |
| MDC region | Kansas City |
| Camping (MDC) | special use permit required |
| Nearest towns | Missouri City (2 mi), Sibley (3 mi) and Prathersville (3 mi) |
What is Cooley Lake Conservation Area like?
Cooley Lake was once the main channel of the Missouri River as it flowed along the north side of the river bottom. When the river changed course, a deep oxbow lake was left behind. As siltation occurred over the years, the oxbow became a shallow marshy lake. The area was notorious for outstanding waterfowl hunting, and around the turn of the century, a group of waterfowl hunters from Kansas City purchased the lake and surrounding land for a private hunting area. In 1971, the Kansas City Gun Club sold the property. Under the new ownership, the land was extensively farmed, and the oxbow was used as a waterfowl hunting area and fishing lake. A drainage ditch and levee complex were constructed to gain additional farm acres. This system reduced the integrity of the oxbow by creating seven individual units with only one remaining in near natural oxbow vegetation. On Oct. 23, 1979, The Missouri Department of Conservation purchased 867 acres of land including the oxbow lake. Since that time, an additional 481 acres have been purchased to make up what is now 1,348 acres of public land. Much of the expansion took place along the Missouri River, providing public access to the Missouri River.
In MDC's words, from the Cooley Lake Conservation Area page.
What can you hunt on Cooley Lake Conservation Area?
MDC's page for Cooley Lake Conservation Area lists: Deer: muzzleloader and archery, antlerless permits allowed; Turkey: archery and firearms; Rabbit; Squirrel; Dove.
What are the rules on Cooley Lake Conservation Area?
Camping: Youth group camping allowed with with special use permit.
Hunting: Nontoxic shot is required for all hunting with a shotgun on this area. Use or possession of lead shot is prohibited.
Every conservation area also follows MDC's standard rules in Chapter 11 of the Wildlife Code; the area's full rules are on MDC's site.
How many deer are taken around Cooley Lake Conservation Area?
Cooley Lake Conservation Area lies in Clay County. Hunters checked 1,139 deer in Clay County in 2025, against 1,059 in 2024.
| County | Cooley Lake Conservation Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clay County | 1,338 | 1,139 | 1,059 | 1,117 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the conservation area alone: MDC deer harvest summaries (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Cooley Lake Conservation Area?
MDC's directions: From Missouri City, take Highway 210 east 2.50 miles to the area.
Nearest towns: Missouri City (2 miles), Sibley (3 miles), Prathersville (3 miles) and Mosby (4 miles). Highways within 5 miles: MO 210, US 69, MO 33 and MO 10.
What other public land is near Cooley Lake Conservation Area?
MDC lands within 10 miles:
- Crystal Lake: 65 acres, 6.4 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Cooley Lake Conservation Area
Counting Cooley Lake Conservation Area itself, 2,350 of the 41,200 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (5.7%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| MDC conservation areas | 1,340 |
| National wildlife refuges | 1,010 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Cooley Lake Conservation Area?
In Clay County, 2 miles from Missouri City.
Can you deer hunt on Cooley Lake Conservation Area?
Yes, by MDC's page: muzzleloader and archery, antlerless permits allowed.
How much public land is around Cooley Lake Conservation Area?
2,350 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Cooley Lake Conservation Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries. The closest other MDC area is Crystal Lake (6.4 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, Cooley Lake 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.