Douglas Branch Conservation Area: hunting and access
Douglas Branch Conservation Area is 522 acres of MDC land in Vernon County, 5 miles from Metz. MDC lists deer hunting here (muzzleloader and archery, antlerless permits allowed). Hunters checked 3,131 deer in Vernon 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 areasLand trusts and other open landMRAP landDouglas Branch Conservation AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 522 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Vernon County |
| Deer harvest unit | Vernon County |
| MDC lists for hunting | Deer, Bear, Turkey, Rabbit and Squirrel |
| MDC area number | 9003 |
| MDC region | Kansas City |
| Nearest towns | Metz (5 mi), Nevada (5 mi) and Walker (7 mi) |
What is Douglas Branch Conservation Area like?
This 511-acre area contains good examples of wet-mesic bottomland woodland and wet prairie, both declining habitats.
The complex of seasonal wetland habitat provides birding opportunities for species of marsh and shorebirds, as well as species such as the sedge wren, associated with the prairie community. This area has been designated by Audubon Missouri as an Important Bird Area (IBA). IBAs are sites that have been identified by Audubon as those that are the most crucial for bird populations, due to their abundance and/or diversity of birds present. To find out more about the IBA program, visitAudubon Missouri.
In MDC's words, from the Douglas Branch Conservation Area page.
What can you hunt on Douglas Branch Conservation Area?
MDC's page for Douglas Branch Conservation Area lists: Deer: muzzleloader and archery, antlerless permits allowed; Bear: archery and firearms; Turkey: archery and firearms; Rabbit; Squirrel.
What are the rules on Douglas Branch 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 Douglas Branch Conservation Area?
Douglas Branch Conservation Area lies in Vernon County. Hunters checked 3,131 deer in Vernon County in 2025, against 3,183 in 2024.
| County | Douglas Branch Conservation Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vernon County | 522 | 3,131 | 3,183 | 3,197 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the conservation area alone: MDC deer harvest summaries (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Douglas Branch Conservation Area?
MDC's directions: From Nevada, take I-49/Highway 71 north 3 miles, at the Compton Junction exit take Route M east 0.20 mile, then outer road Infantry Pass north, and Indian Line Road west over highway to the parking lot.
Nearest towns: Metz (5 miles), Nevada (5 miles), Walker (7 miles) and Deerfield (9 miles). Highways within 5 miles: I-49 and US 71.
What other public land is near Douglas Branch Conservation Area?
MDC lands within 10 miles:
- Cephas Ford Access: 101 acres, 0.8 miles away
- August A. Busch Jr. Memorial Wetlands at Four Rivers Conservation Area: 13,960 acres, 2.1 miles away
- Balltown Access: 180 acres, 3 miles away
- Flight Lake Conservation Area: 160 acres, 3.6 miles away
- Gama Grass Prairie Conservation Area: 78 acres, 5.7 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Douglas Branch Conservation Area
Counting Douglas Branch Conservation Area itself, 1,574 of the 27,026 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (5.8%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| MDC conservation areas | 1,009 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 564 |
| State parks and historic sites | 1 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Douglas Branch Conservation Area?
In Vernon County, 5 miles from Metz.
Can you deer hunt on Douglas Branch Conservation Area?
Yes, by MDC's page: muzzleloader and archery, antlerless permits allowed.
How much public land is around Douglas Branch Conservation Area?
1,574 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Douglas Branch Conservation Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries. The closest other MDC area is Cephas Ford Access (0.8 miles).
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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, Douglas Branch 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.