Crooked River Conservation Area: hunting and access
Crooked River Conservation Area is 1,412 acres of MDC land in Ray County, 3 miles from Rayville. MDC lists deer hunting here (muzzleloader and archery, antlerless permits allowed). Hunters checked 1,800 deer in Ray 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 areasState parks and historic sitesCrooked River Conservation AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 1,412 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Ray County |
| Deer harvest unit | Ray County |
| MDC lists for hunting | Deer, Turkey, Rabbit, Squirrel, Dove and Quail |
| MDC area number | 8314 |
| MDC region | Northwest |
| Camping (MDC) | individual campsites |
| Nearest towns | Rayville (3 mi), Vibbard (4 mi) and Wood Heights (6 mi) |
What is Crooked River Conservation Area like?
The Conservation Department purchased Crooked River Conservation Area property in 1983 with funds from the 1/8 of 1% Design for Conservation sales tax.
The area includes forest/woodland, several small ponds, and three miles of frontage on Crooked River. The area's diverse habitats create an ideal home for many species of wildlife, including deer, turkey, quail, squirrels, and songbirds.
In MDC's words, from the Crooked River Conservation Area page.
What can you hunt on Crooked River Conservation Area?
MDC's page for Crooked River Conservation Area lists: Deer: muzzleloader and archery, antlerless permits allowed; Turkey: archery and firearms; Rabbit; Squirrel; Dove; Quail.
What are the rules on Crooked River 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 Crooked River Conservation Area?
Crooked River Conservation Area lies in Ray County. Hunters checked 1,800 deer in Ray County in 2025, against 1,588 in 2024.
| County | Crooked River Conservation Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ray County | 1,412 | 1,800 | 1,588 | 1,746 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the conservation area alone: MDC deer harvest summaries (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Crooked River Conservation Area?
MDC's directions: From Richmond, take Highway 13 north 5 miles, then Route FF west 3 miles, then Wildlife Road north 1 mile to area entrance.
Nearest towns: Rayville (3 miles), Vibbard (4 miles), Wood Heights (6 miles) and Crystal Lakes (7 miles). Highways within 5 miles: MO 13.
What other public land is near Crooked River Conservation Area?
MDC lands within 10 miles:
- Foxglove Conservation Area: 56 acres, 2.5 miles away
- Blue Jay Trail Access: 32 acres, 3.8 miles away
- Ray County Community Lake: 166 acres, 4.9 miles away
- Crystal Lake: 65 acres, 6.6 miles away
- Frank E. Wagner Conservation Area: 133 acres, 7 miles away
- Lawson City Lake: 23 acres, 7.6 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Crooked River Conservation Area
Counting Crooked River Conservation Area itself, 1,491 of the 33,388 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (4.5%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| MDC conservation areas | 1,469 |
| State parks and historic sites | 22 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Crooked River Conservation Area?
In Ray County, 3 miles from Rayville.
Can you deer hunt on Crooked River Conservation Area?
Yes, by MDC's page: muzzleloader and archery, antlerless permits allowed.
How much public land is around Crooked River Conservation Area?
1,491 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Crooked River Conservation Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries. The closest other MDC area is Foxglove Conservation Area (2.5 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, Crooked River 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.