Indian Hills Conservation Area: hunting and access
Indian Hills Conservation Area is 3,987 acres of MDC land in Scotland County, 5 miles from Baring. MDC lists deer hunting here (archery and firearms, antlerless permits allowed). Hunters checked 2,640 deer in Scotland 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 areasIndian Hills Conservation AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 3,987 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Scotland County |
| Deer harvest unit | Scotland County |
| MDC lists for hunting | Deer, Turkey, Rabbit, Squirrel, Dove and Quail |
| MDC area number | 8622 |
| MDC region | Northeast |
| Camping (MDC) | walk-in, float-in or backpack camping (not during deer and turkey seasons) and designated camping sites |
| Nearest towns | Baring (5 mi), Rutledge (7 mi) and Memphis (9 mi) |
What is Indian Hills Conservation Area like?
The Conservation Department established Indian Hills Conservation Area with the purchase of two tracts in 1986. Purchases in 1990, 1991, and 2006 brought the area to its present size of 3,974 acres.
This area is a mix of bottomlands and gently rolling hills. Approximately 25 percent of the area is forested and the remainder is cropfield, hayland, or old fields. Over five miles of permanent stream flows through the area. The South Fork of the Middle Fabius River and the North Fork of the Middle Fabius River converge on the area's east side. There are no boat ramps. The forest is predominately oak-hickory in the uplands and mixed hardwoods along the bottomlands. The area features a managed marsh and several oxbow lakes, which seasonally attract a variety of wetland wildlife species. Ducks, geese, shorebirds, wading birds, and song birds regularly use the area. The Department manages the resources of Indian Hills Conservation Area to provide public recreation and to protect soil and water quality. Management practices, including timber harvest, tree and shrub plantings, controlled...
In MDC's words, from the Indian Hills Conservation Area page.
What can you hunt on Indian Hills Conservation Area?
MDC's page for Indian Hills Conservation Area lists: Deer: archery and firearms, antlerless permits allowed; Turkey: archery and firearms; Rabbit; Squirrel; Dove; Quail.
What are the rules on Indian Hills 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 Indian Hills Conservation Area?
Indian Hills Conservation Area lies in Scotland County. Hunters checked 2,640 deer in Scotland County in 2025, against 2,961 in 2024.
| County | Indian Hills Conservation Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scotland County | 3,987 | 2,640 | 2,961 | 2,571 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the conservation area alone: MDC deer harvest summaries (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Indian Hills Conservation Area?
MDC's directions: From Memphis, take Highway 15 south 8 miles, then Route T west 3.50 miles, and south 1 mile at the area sign.
Nearest towns: Baring (5 miles), Rutledge (7 miles), Memphis (9 miles) and South Gorin (10 miles). Highways within 5 miles: MO 15 and MO 11.
What other public land is near Indian Hills Conservation Area?
MDC lands within 10 miles:
- Lake Showme (Memphis): 253 acres, 5.6 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Indian Hills Conservation Area
Counting Indian Hills Conservation Area itself, 3,991 of the 47,534 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (8.4%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| MDC conservation areas | 3,991 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Indian Hills Conservation Area?
In Scotland County, 5 miles from Baring.
Can you deer hunt on Indian Hills Conservation Area?
Yes, by MDC's page: archery and firearms, antlerless permits allowed.
How much public land is around Indian Hills Conservation Area?
3,991 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Indian Hills Conservation Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries. The closest other MDC area is Lake Showme (Memphis) (5.6 miles).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: MDC, Indian Hills 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.