John Alva Fuson, MD Conservation Area: hunting and access
John Alva Fuson, MD Conservation Area is 1,517 acres of MDC land in Wright County, 3 miles from Grovespring. MDC lists deer hunting here (archery and firearms, antlerless permits allowed). Hunters checked 3,625 deer in Wright 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 areasJohn Alva Fuson, MD Conservation AreaCounty lineHighway
| Size | 1,517 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Wright County |
| Deer harvest unit | Wright County |
| MDC lists for hunting | Deer, Bear, Turkey, Rabbit, Squirrel, Dove and Quail |
| MDC area number | 8831 |
| MDC region | Ozark |
| Camping (MDC) | designated camping sites and individual campsites |
| Nearest towns | Grovespring (3 mi), Evergreen (6 mi) and Phillipsburg (9 mi) |
What is John Alva Fuson, MD Conservation Area like?
John Alva Fuson, MD Conservation Area is in Wright County, 16 miles northwest of Hartville.
The late Dr. Fuson practiced medicine throughout Wright County. To commemorate his years of service, his daughter, Maurine Fuson Raidler, left funds in her estate to purchase this area. This area is approximately 85 percent forested. The remainder of the tract is a mixture of remnant native upland, annual wildlife food plots, and bottomland old field habitat that was historically used as rangeland or cropland. The east side of the area features three caves: Smittle, Little Smittle and Lowell caves. Smittle Cave is one of the largest caves in the state, with over two miles of mapped passages. All caves on this and other Conservation Areas are currently closed or restricted to public access. The fungus that causes White-nose Syndrome in bats was found in Missouri in 2010, resulting in the Missouri Department of Conservations White-nose Syndrome Action Plan that limits public access to...
In MDC's words, from the John Alva Fuson, MD Conservation Area page.
What can you hunt on John Alva Fuson, MD Conservation Area?
MDC's page for John Alva Fuson, MD Conservation Area lists: Deer: archery and firearms, antlerless permits allowed; Bear: archery and firearms; Turkey: archery and firearms; Rabbit; Squirrel; Dove; Quail.
What are the rules on John Alva Fuson, MD 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 John Alva Fuson, MD Conservation Area?
John Alva Fuson, MD Conservation Area lies in Wright County. Hunters checked 3,625 deer in Wright County in 2025, against 3,079 in 2024.
| County | John Alva Fuson, MD Conservation Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wright County | 1,517 | 3,625 | 3,079 | 3,926 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the conservation area alone: MDC deer harvest summaries (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to John Alva Fuson, MD Conservation Area?
MDC's directions: From Grovespring, take Highway 5 north 3.75 miles, then Smittle Cave Road west 1.75 miles to Parks Creek Road, which runs through the area.
Nearest towns: Grovespring (3 miles), Evergreen (6 miles), Phillipsburg (9 miles) and Conway (10 miles). Highways within 5 miles: MO 5.
What other public land is near John Alva Fuson, MD Conservation Area?
MDC lands within 10 miles:
- Rader Access: 67 acres, 4 miles away
- Osage Fork Conservation Area: 281 acres, 7.2 miles away
- Goose Creek Conservation Area: 882 acres, 7.7 miles away
- Long Ford Access: 40 acres, 9.7 miles away
- Niangua Conservation Area: 855 acres, 9.8 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of John Alva Fuson, MD Conservation Area
Counting John Alva Fuson, MD Conservation Area itself, 1,517 of the 32,673 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (4.6%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| MDC conservation areas | 1,517 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is John Alva Fuson, MD Conservation Area?
In Wright County, 3 miles from Grovespring.
Can you deer hunt on John Alva Fuson, MD Conservation Area?
Yes, by MDC's page: archery and firearms, antlerless permits allowed.
How much public land is around John Alva Fuson, MD Conservation Area?
1,517 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, John Alva Fuson, MD Conservation Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries. The closest other MDC area is Rader Access (4 miles).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: MDC, John Alva Fuson, MD 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.