John Baumgardt Memorial Conservation Area: hunting and access
John Baumgardt Memorial Conservation Area is 490 acres of MDC land in Barry County, 4 miles from Eagle Rock. MDC lists deer hunting here (archery and firearms, antlerless permits allowed). Hunters checked 2,538 deer in Barry 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 areasNational forestFederal land, mostly Corps of Engineers lakesState parks and historic sitesOther state landJohn Baumgardt Memorial Conservation AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 490 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Barry County |
| Deer harvest unit | Barry County |
| MDC lists for hunting | Deer, Bear, Turkey, Rabbit and Squirrel |
| MDC area number | 202006 |
| MDC region | Southwest |
| Nearest towns | Eagle Rock (4 mi), Cassville (5 mi) and Chain-O-Lakes (6 mi) |
What is John Baumgardt Memorial Conservation Area like?
John Baumgardt Memorial Conservation Area consists of 503 acres in Southern Barry County. The area was donated to the Missouri Department of Conservation by the late Dr. John Philip Baumgardt.
Upon graduating from high school, Dr. Baumgardt enlisted in the United States Army where he served his country during World War II. According to his obituary, he was on a reconnaissance team behind enemy lines during the Battle of the Bulge. After the war, he received his PhD in botany from the University of Missouri. Dr. Baumgardt authored several books on horticulture and traveled the world gathering rare plants. His extensive knowledge of botany offered him opportunities to conduct garden restorations at palaces in Europe following the war; and for prestigious families such as the Rockafellers and the Kennedys in the United States. Later in life, he was also a professor at the University of Missouri and served as the director of the Parks Department in Kansas City, Missouri. His legacy lives on through this property. This area is open to the public for their enjoyment. Hunting is...
In MDC's words, from the John Baumgardt Memorial Conservation Area page.
What can you hunt on John Baumgardt Memorial Conservation Area?
MDC's page for John Baumgardt Memorial Conservation Area lists: Deer: archery and firearms, antlerless permits allowed; Bear: archery and firearms; Turkey: archery and firearms; Rabbit; Squirrel.
What are the rules on John Baumgardt Memorial 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 Baumgardt Memorial Conservation Area?
John Baumgardt Memorial Conservation Area lies in Barry County. Hunters checked 2,538 deer in Barry County in 2025, against 2,446 in 2024.
| County | John Baumgardt Memorial Conservation Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barry County | 490 | 2,538 | 2,446 | 2,855 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the conservation area alone: MDC deer harvest summaries (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to John Baumgardt Memorial Conservation Area?
MDC's directions: From Cassville, follow signs to stay on highway 86 East for 7.5 miles. Entrance to the conservation area will be on your left.
Nearest towns: Eagle Rock (4 miles), Cassville (5 miles), Chain-O-Lakes (6 miles) and Emerald Beach (6 miles). Highways within 5 miles: MO 86, MO 76, MO 112 and MO 248.
What other public land is near John Baumgardt Memorial Conservation Area?
MDC lands within 10 miles:
- Roaring River Conservation Area: 434 acres, 2.7 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of John Baumgardt Memorial Conservation Area
Counting John Baumgardt Memorial Conservation Area itself, 13,899 of the 25,455 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (54.6%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| National forest | 11,082 |
| State parks and historic sites | 2,199 |
| MDC conservation areas | 615 |
| Other state land | 3 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is John Baumgardt Memorial Conservation Area?
In Barry County, 4 miles from Eagle Rock.
Can you deer hunt on John Baumgardt Memorial Conservation Area?
Yes, by MDC's page: archery and firearms, antlerless permits allowed.
How much public land is around John Baumgardt Memorial Conservation Area?
13,899 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, John Baumgardt Memorial Conservation Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries. The closest other MDC area is Roaring River Conservation Area (2.7 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, John Baumgardt Memorial 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.