Ketcherside Mountain Conservation Area: hunting and access
Ketcherside Mountain Conservation Area is 5,115 acres of MDC land in Iron and Reynolds counties, 3 miles from Arcadia. MDC lists deer hunting here (archery and firearms, antlerless permits allowed). Hunters checked 1,903 deer in Iron 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 forestNational wildlife refugesState parks and historic sitesCounty, city and regional landKetcherside Mountain Conservation AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 5,115 acres in 5 pieces |
|---|---|
| Counties | Iron County and Reynolds County |
| Deer harvest unit | Iron County, Reynolds County |
| MDC lists for hunting | Deer, Turkey and Squirrel |
| MDC area number | 7602 |
| MDC region | Southeast |
| Camping (MDC) | open camping - walk-in/float-in/backpack |
| Nearest towns | Arcadia (3 mi), Ironton (3 mi) and Pilot Knob (5 mi) |
What is Ketcherside Mountain Conservation Area like?
Ketcherside Mountain CA is home to a portion of the St. Francois Mountains Natural Area and Royal Gorge Natural Area. This CA has four parking areas, 15 fishless ponds, a fire lookout tower, the Ozark Trail (6.2 miles) and the Royal Gorge Trail (2.3 miles). St. Francois Mountains Natural Area (7,028 acres) encompasses portions of Ketcherside Mountain (1,600 acres) as well as Taum Sauk Mountain and Johnson's Shut-Ins State Parks. This rugged natural area includes the tallest wet-weather waterfall in Missouri (Mina Sauk Falls), the tallest point in Missouri (Taum Sauk Mountain at 1,772 feet), and the State's deepest valley through which flows Taum Sauk Creek, an Outstanding State Resource Water. Nearly 400 native plant species have been documented from the natural area that contains outstanding igneous glades, woodlands, and forests. The area supports a diverse array of reptile, amphibian, and bird species. Royal Gorge Natural Area (80 acres) contains an outstanding example of an igneous shut-ins geologic feature along Big Creek along with igneous glades and stunted old-growth trees.
In MDC's words, from the Ketcherside Mountain Conservation Area page.
What can you hunt on Ketcherside Mountain Conservation Area?
MDC's page for Ketcherside Mountain Conservation Area lists: Deer: archery and firearms, antlerless permits allowed; Turkey: archery and firearms; Squirrel.
What are the rules on Ketcherside Mountain 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 Ketcherside Mountain Conservation Area?
Ketcherside Mountain Conservation Area lies in 2 counties. Hunters checked 1,903 deer in Iron County in 2025, against 1,240 in 2024.
| County | Ketcherside Mountain Conservation Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iron County | 3,653 | 1,903 | 1,240 | 1,843 |
| Reynolds County | 1,461 | 2,746 | 1,766 | 3,135 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the conservation area alone: MDC deer harvest summaries (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Ketcherside Mountain Conservation Area?
MDC's directions: From Ironton, take Highway 21 south 4 miles. Take Route CC north to firetower, privy, etc.
Nearest towns: Arcadia (3 miles), Ironton (3 miles), Pilot Knob (5 miles) and Iron Mountain Lake (9 miles). Highways within 5 miles: MO 21, MO 72 and MO 49.
What other public land is near Ketcherside Mountain Conservation Area?
MDC lands within 10 miles:
- Buford Mountain Conservation Area: 4,058 acres, 7.6 miles away
- Lesterville Access: 42 acres, 9 miles away
- Roselle Access: 24 acres, 9.2 miles away
- Millstream Gardens Conservation Area: 1,004 acres, 9.7 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Ketcherside Mountain Conservation Area
Counting Ketcherside Mountain Conservation Area itself, 19,293 of the 75,333 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (25.6%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| MDC conservation areas | 10,803 |
| National forest | 5,155 |
| State parks and historic sites | 3,286 |
| County, city and regional land | 49 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Ketcherside Mountain Conservation Area?
In Iron and Reynolds counties, 3 miles from Arcadia.
Can you deer hunt on Ketcherside Mountain Conservation Area?
Yes, by MDC's page: archery and firearms, antlerless permits allowed.
How much public land is around Ketcherside Mountain Conservation Area?
19,293 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Ketcherside Mountain Conservation Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries. The closest other MDC area is Buford Mountain Conservation Area (7.6 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, Ketcherside Mountain 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.