Lake Paho Conservation Area: hunting and access
Lake Paho Conservation Area is 2,361 acres of MDC land in Mercer County, 3 miles from Princeton. MDC lists deer hunting here (muzzleloader and archery, antlerless permits allowed). Hunters checked 2,036 deer in Mercer 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 sitesLake Paho Conservation AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 2,361 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Mercer County |
| Deer harvest unit | Mercer County |
| MDC lists for hunting | Deer, Turkey, Rabbit, Squirrel, Dove and Quail |
| MDC area number | 4702 |
| MDC region | Northwest |
| Camping (MDC) | individual campsites |
| Nearest towns | Princeton (3 mi), Cainsville (5 mi) and Mount Moriah (8 mi) |
What is Lake Paho Conservation Area like?
Lake Paho Conservation Area is in central Mercer County.
The Conservation Department, assisted by a financial commitment from residents of Mercer and surrounding counties, built Lake Paho in the late 1940s. The lake was opened to public fishing in 1951. The area is rich in Native American history, and the 273-acre lake on the area was named "Paho" from the Indian word meaning "first" or "number one". Visitors to the area may enjoy the numerous prairie plants, such as Indian grass, compass plant, and wild indigo that occur naturally in the gently rolling uplands.
In MDC's words, from the Lake Paho Conservation Area page.
What can you hunt on Lake Paho Conservation Area?
MDC's page for Lake Paho Conservation Area lists: Deer: muzzleloader and archery, antlerless permits allowed; Turkey: archery and firearms; Rabbit; Squirrel; Dove; Quail.
What are the rules on Lake Paho 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 Lake Paho Conservation Area?
Lake Paho Conservation Area lies in Mercer County. Hunters checked 2,036 deer in Mercer County in 2025, against 2,044 in 2024.
| County | Lake Paho Conservation Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercer County | 2,361 | 2,036 | 2,044 | 2,109 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the conservation area alone: MDC deer harvest summaries (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Lake Paho Conservation Area?
MDC's directions: From Princeton, take Highway 136 west 4 miles, then right on Fathom Street to the area.
Nearest towns: Princeton (3 miles), Cainsville (5 miles), Mount Moriah (8 miles) and Mercer (8 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 136, US 65 and MO 145.
What other public land is near Lake Paho Conservation Area?
MDC lands within 10 miles:
- Chloe Lowry Marsh Natural Area: 113 acres, 1.9 miles away
- McClure Conservation Area: 240 acres, 6.1 miles away
- Peter and John Bagley Woods Conservation Area: 21 acres, 9.2 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Lake Paho Conservation Area
Counting Lake Paho Conservation Area itself, 2,475 of the 38,081 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (6.5%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| MDC conservation areas | 2,475 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Lake Paho Conservation Area?
In Mercer County, 3 miles from Princeton.
Can you deer hunt on Lake Paho Conservation Area?
Yes, by MDC's page: muzzleloader and archery, antlerless permits allowed.
How much public land is around Lake Paho Conservation Area?
2,475 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Lake Paho Conservation Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries. The closest other MDC area is Chloe Lowry Marsh Natural Area (1.9 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, Lake Paho 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.