Lamberson Memorial Conservation Area: hunting and access
Lamberson Memorial Conservation Area is 1,716 acres of MDC land in Texas and Wright counties, 11 miles from Plato. MDC lists deer hunting here (archery and firearms, antlerless permits allowed). Hunters checked 4,974 deer in Texas 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 forestLamberson Memorial Conservation AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 1,716 acres |
|---|---|
| Counties | Texas County and Wright County |
| Deer harvest unit | Texas County, Wright County |
| MDC lists for hunting | Deer, Bear, Turkey, Rabbit, Squirrel and Dove |
| MDC area number | 201916 |
| MDC region | Ozark |
| Nearest towns | Plato (11 mi), Mountain Grove (13 mi) and Houston (14 mi) |
What is Lamberson Memorial Conservation Area like?
Lamberson Memorial Conservation Area is in Texas County on the Texas/Wright County line, approximately 19 miles west of Houston. The area was donated to the Conservation Department in 2018 by Mr. Carson Lamberson. The area is contained in one contiguous tract and is about 80% forested and 20% open land that is in the process of being converted into wildlife friendly native grasses and forbs. Visitors to the area will find deer, turkey, rabbits, furbearers, and other wildlife species. The Conservation Department is working to enhance wildlife habitat by implementing forest, woodland and old field management practices.
In MDC's words, from the Lamberson Memorial Conservation Area page.
What can you hunt on Lamberson Memorial Conservation Area?
MDC's page for Lamberson Memorial Conservation Area lists: Deer: archery and firearms, antlerless permits allowed; Bear: archery and firearms; Turkey: archery and firearms; Rabbit; Squirrel; Dove.
What are the rules on Lamberson 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 Lamberson Memorial Conservation Area?
Lamberson Memorial Conservation Area lies in 2 counties. Hunters checked 4,974 deer in Texas County in 2025, against 4,121 in 2024.
| County | Lamberson Memorial Conservation Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas County | 1,705 | 4,974 | 4,121 | 6,190 |
| Wright County | 11 | 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 Lamberson Memorial Conservation Area?
MDC's directions: From Houston, MO take Hwy 17 west 7 miles to Hwy 38. Travel 12 miles down Hwy 38 to reach the CA. Lamberson Memorial CA is on the north side of 38 Hwy and is 1 mile east of the Texas/Wright County line.
Nearest towns: Plato (11 miles), Mountain Grove (13 miles), Houston (14 miles) and Cabool (15 miles). Highways within 5 miles: MO 38 and MO 95.
What other public land is near Lamberson Memorial Conservation Area?
MDC lands within 10 miles:
- P. F. Barnes Conservation Area: 118 acres, 4.8 miles away
- Buzzard Bluff Access: 90 acres, 7.4 miles away
- Wilbur Allen Memorial Conservation Area: 383 acres, 8.1 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Lamberson Memorial Conservation Area
Counting Lamberson Memorial Conservation Area itself, 2,444 of the 33,439 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (7.3%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| MDC conservation areas | 1,716 |
| National forest | 728 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Lamberson Memorial Conservation Area?
In Texas and Wright counties, 11 miles from Plato.
Can you deer hunt on Lamberson Memorial Conservation Area?
Yes, by MDC's page: archery and firearms, antlerless permits allowed.
How much public land is around Lamberson Memorial Conservation Area?
2,444 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Lamberson Memorial Conservation Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries. The closest other MDC area is P. F. Barnes Conservation Area (4.8 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, Lamberson 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.