Maintz Wildlife Preserve: hunting and access
Maintz Wildlife Preserve is 809 acres of MDC land in Cape Girardeau County, 3 miles from Millersville. MDC lists deer hunting here (archery and firearms, archery antlerless permits only). Hunters checked 3,186 deer in Cape Girardeau 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 areasMaintz Wildlife PreserveCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 809 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Cape Girardeau County |
| Deer harvest unit | Cape Girardeau County |
| MDC lists for hunting | Deer, Bear, Turkey, Rabbit, Squirrel, Dove and Quail |
| MDC area number | 7712 |
| MDC region | Southeast |
| Camping (MDC) | designated camping sites |
| Shooting range (MDC) | archery |
| Nearest towns | Millersville (3 mi), Oak Ridge (3 mi) and Sedgewickville (6 mi) |
What is Maintz Wildlife Preserve like?
The Maintz Wildlife Preserve is an 804-acre area of rolling hills located in northwestern Cape Girardeau County. The area is named after Ty Maintz, an Oak Ridge bird hunter and nature lover who in the mid 1970s donated 250 acres and funds to buy more land.
Before acquisition by the Conservation Department, the Maintz area was comprised of small, intensively used farms. On the area, the Department emphasizes upland game management especially for bobwhite quail by managing for early successional habitat. Prescribed burning, disking, timber stand improvement, edge feathering, and farming are used to create and maintain early successional habitat. Warm-season grass and prairie wildflowers have been planted in some of the area's fields to provide nesting cover and brood rearing habitat for wildlife. Area crop fields are planted by local farmers and a portion of the crop is left standing in the fields over winter for wildlife food. There are several small ponds stocked with largemouth bass, bluegill, and channel catfish. Some small fishless ponds, and one larger seasonal wetland have been created for amphibians, shorebirds, and waterfowl.
In MDC's words, from the Maintz Wildlife Preserve page.
What can you hunt on Maintz Wildlife Preserve?
MDC's page for Maintz Wildlife Preserve lists: Deer: archery and firearms, archery antlerless permits only; Bear: archery and firearms; Turkey: archery and firearms; Rabbit; Squirrel; Dove; Quail.
What are the rules on Maintz Wildlife Preserve?
Target Shooting and Shooting Ranges: An unstaffed range is located on this department area. Target shooting is not allowed anywhere on this area except for designated shooting range(s). Shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. Ranges may be closed to public use at any time for maintenance or department sponsored events or programs. Possession of alcoholic beverages is prohibited on all ranges and associated parking lots. Groups of more than 10 people must obtain a special use permit prior to using the range. To obtain a special use permit, contact the area manager at the phone number listed...
Field Trials: Field trials are allowed on this department area only by special use permit. To obtain a special use permit, contact the area manager at the phone number listed for this area in the area details section.
Dove Hunting: Use or possession of lead shot is prohibited for hunting doves on this area.
Every conservation area also follows MDC's standard rules in Chapter 11 of the Wildlife Code; the area's full rules are on MDC's site.
How many deer are taken around Maintz Wildlife Preserve?
Maintz Wildlife Preserve lies in Cape Girardeau County. Hunters checked 3,186 deer in Cape Girardeau County in 2025, against 3,111 in 2024.
| County | Maintz Wildlife Preserve acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Girardeau County | 809 | 3,186 | 3,111 | 3,299 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the conservation area alone: MDC deer harvest summaries (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Maintz Wildlife Preserve?
MDC's directions: From Jackson, take Highway 72 west, then Route B north, then County Road 472 west 1.50 miles to the area.
Nearest towns: Millersville (3 miles), Oak Ridge (3 miles), Sedgewickville (6 miles) and Burfordville (7 miles). Highways within 5 miles: MO 72 and I-55.
What other public land is near Maintz Wildlife Preserve?
MDC lands within 10 miles:
- Old Plantation Access: 74 acres, 2 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Maintz Wildlife Preserve
Counting Maintz Wildlife Preserve itself, 934 of the 29,404 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (3.2%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| MDC conservation areas | 934 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Maintz Wildlife Preserve?
In Cape Girardeau County, 3 miles from Millersville.
Can you deer hunt on Maintz Wildlife Preserve?
Yes, by MDC's page: archery and firearms, archery antlerless permits only.
How much public land is around Maintz Wildlife Preserve?
934 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Maintz Wildlife Preserve included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries. The closest other MDC area is Old Plantation Access (2 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, Maintz Wildlife Preserve; 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.