Locust Creek Conservation Area: hunting and access
Locust Creek Conservation Area is 3,742 acres of MDC land in Sullivan County, 2 miles from Milan. MDC lists deer hunting here (archery and firearms, antlerless permits allowed). Hunters checked 2,577 deer in Sullivan 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 areasLocust Creek Conservation AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 3,742 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Sullivan County |
| Deer harvest unit | Sullivan County |
| MDC lists for hunting | Deer, Turkey, Rabbit, Squirrel, Dove and Quail |
| MDC area number | 8235 |
| MDC region | Northeast |
| Camping (MDC) | walk-in, float-in or backpack camping (not during deer and turkey seasons) and designated camping sites |
| Nearest towns | Milan (2 mi), Humphreys (7 mi) and Osgood (8 mi) |
What is Locust Creek Conservation Area like?
This 3,451 acre area is approximately one-third bottomland and upland forest and woodland. The remainder is comprised of cropland, grassland, wetland and old field type habitats.
Locust Creek, recognized by the National Park Service as one of the last, largely unchannelized stretches of a typical prairie stream, flows along and through the area for 5.7 miles. Locust Creek Conservation Area was acquired in part through the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Conservation Department manages the forest, fish, and wildlife resources of this area to provide for public recreation and to protect soil and water quality. Cropping, timber management, and prescribed burning are used to improve wildlife habitat. Small wetland units provide fall and spring habitat for wetland wildlife.
In MDC's words, from the Locust Creek Conservation Area page.
What can you hunt on Locust Creek Conservation Area?
MDC's page for Locust Creek Conservation Area lists: Deer: archery and firearms, antlerless permits allowed; Turkey: archery and firearms; Rabbit; Squirrel; Dove; Quail.
What are the rules on Locust Creek 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 Locust Creek Conservation Area?
Locust Creek Conservation Area lies in Sullivan County. Hunters checked 2,577 deer in Sullivan County in 2025, against 2,737 in 2024.
| County | Locust Creek Conservation Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sullivan County | 3,742 | 2,577 | 2,737 | 2,754 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the conservation area alone: MDC deer harvest summaries (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Locust Creek Conservation Area?
MDC's directions: Western Portions - From Milan, take Highway 5/6 south 0.10 mile, then take River Road west 2.50 miles. Eastern Portions -From Milan take Highway 5/6 south 1.20 miles, then take Ribbon Road west 1.25 miles.
Nearest towns: Milan (2 miles), Humphreys (7 miles), Osgood (8 miles) and Browning (8 miles). Highways within 5 miles: MO 6 and MO 5.
What other public land is near Locust Creek Conservation Area?
MDC lands within 10 miles:
- Elmwood Lake (Milan): 199 acres, 3.1 miles away
- Sears Community Lake: 87 acres, 6.3 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Locust Creek Conservation Area
Counting Locust Creek Conservation Area itself, 3,743 of the 41,927 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (8.9%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| MDC conservation areas | 3,743 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Locust Creek Conservation Area?
In Sullivan County, 2 miles from Milan.
Can you deer hunt on Locust Creek Conservation Area?
Yes, by MDC's page: archery and firearms, antlerless permits allowed.
How much public land is around Locust Creek Conservation Area?
3,743 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Locust Creek Conservation Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries. The closest other MDC area is Elmwood Lake (Milan) (3.1 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, Locust Creek 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.