Huckleberry Ridge Conservation Area: hunting and access
Huckleberry Ridge Conservation Area is 2,063 acres of MDC land in McDonald County, 3 miles from Pineville. MDC lists deer hunting here (archery and firearms, antlerless permits allowed). Hunters checked 1,907 deer in McDonald 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 sitesHuckleberry Ridge Conservation AreaCounty lineHighway
| Size | 2,063 acres |
|---|---|
| County | McDonald County |
| Deer harvest unit | McDonald County |
| MDC lists for hunting | Deer, Bear, Turkey and Squirrel |
| MDC area number | 6314 |
| MDC region | Southwest |
| Camping (MDC) | designated camping sites and individual campsites |
| Nearest towns | Pineville (3 mi), Jane (3 mi) and Lanagan (5 mi) |
What is Huckleberry Ridge Conservation Area like?
Huckleberry Ridge Conservation Area is in southern McDonald County, east of Pineville. Visitors can access the area from several area roads that originate from Route K. This 2,106-acre area is almost entirely forested. Purchased in the early 1960's and originally named Huckleberry Ridge State Forest, this area was the first large forested tract acquired by the Conservation Department in southwest Missouri. The forest primarily consists of oaks and hickories with a few scattered groves of shortleaf pine. Huckleberry Ridge Conservation Area is on the edge of the range for shortleaf pine, Missouri's only native pine. The species used to be more abundant. In fact, the nearby community of Pineville was named for the abundance of pines in the nearby hills at the time of settlement. Indiscriminate cutting in the 1800's and past land use practices have significantly reduced the occurrence of short leaf pine in this region of Missouri. The Conservation Department is seeding and planting new pines and encouraging natural reproduction of existing pines on the area. According to legend, locals used to harvest huckleberries, a type of blueberry belonging to the Vaccinium family in this area. The area hosts 17.3 miles of multiuse trails that are open to hiking, biking, and horseback riding.
In MDC's words, from the Huckleberry Ridge Conservation Area page.
What can you hunt on Huckleberry Ridge Conservation Area?
MDC's page for Huckleberry Ridge Conservation Area lists: Deer: archery and firearms, antlerless permits allowed; Bear: archery and firearms; Turkey: archery and firearms; Squirrel.
What are the rules on Huckleberry Ridge 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 Huckleberry Ridge Conservation Area?
Huckleberry Ridge Conservation Area lies in McDonald County. Hunters checked 1,907 deer in McDonald County in 2025, against 1,802 in 2024.
| County | Huckleberry Ridge Conservation Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McDonald County | 2,063 | 1,907 | 1,802 | 2,294 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the conservation area alone: MDC deer harvest summaries (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Huckleberry Ridge Conservation Area?
MDC's directions: From Pineville, take Route K east 4 miles.
Nearest towns: Pineville (3 miles), Jane (3 miles), Lanagan (5 miles) and Ginger Blue (6 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 71, I-49, MO 90 and MO 76.
What other public land is near Huckleberry Ridge Conservation Area?
MDC lands within 10 miles:
- Deep Ford Access: 45 acres, 0.5 miles away
- Mount Shira Access: 31 acres, 6.2 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Huckleberry Ridge Conservation Area
Counting Huckleberry Ridge Conservation Area itself, 4,223 of the 37,540 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (11.2%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| MDC conservation areas | 3,713 |
| State parks and historic sites | 510 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Huckleberry Ridge Conservation Area?
In McDonald County, 3 miles from Pineville.
Can you deer hunt on Huckleberry Ridge Conservation Area?
Yes, by MDC's page: archery and firearms, antlerless permits allowed.
How much public land is around Huckleberry Ridge Conservation Area?
4,223 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Huckleberry Ridge Conservation Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries. The closest other MDC area is Deep Ford Access (0.5 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, Huckleberry Ridge 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.