Niawathe Prairie Conservation Area: hunting and access
Niawathe Prairie Conservation Area is 316 acres of MDC land in Dade County, 5 miles from Arcola. MDC lists deer hunting here (archery only, antlerless permits allowed). Hunters checked 1,702 deer in Dade 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 areasFederal land, mostly Corps of Engineers lakesLand trusts and other open landNiawathe Prairie Conservation AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 316 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Dade County |
| Deer harvest unit | Dade County |
| MDC lists for hunting | Deer and Turkey |
| MDC area number | 7410 |
| MDC region | Southwest |
| Nearest towns | Arcola (5 mi), Jerico Springs (7 mi) and Lockwood (8 mi) |
What is Niawathe Prairie Conservation Area like?
Niawathe Prairie Conservation Area is located in Dade County, and covers 320 acres. A portion of this area has been designated as a Natural Area.
The area is a remnant prairie, composed of prairie grasses, forbs, and dissected by various brushy draws. Management efforts focus on minimizing competition from woody species and encouraging native forbs. This is achieved through various regimes of haying, grazing, and prescribed burning. This prairie contains one of the most diverse plant communities in Missouri, which makes it attractive to many grassland bird species.
In MDC's words, from the Niawathe Prairie Conservation Area page.
What can you hunt on Niawathe Prairie Conservation Area?
MDC's page for Niawathe Prairie Conservation Area lists: Deer: archery only, antlerless permits allowed; Turkey: archery and firearms.
What are the rules on Niawathe Prairie 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 Niawathe Prairie Conservation Area?
Niawathe Prairie Conservation Area lies in Dade County. Hunters checked 1,702 deer in Dade County in 2025, against 1,593 in 2024.
| County | Niawathe Prairie Conservation Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dade County | 316 | 1,702 | 1,593 | 1,787 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the conservation area alone: MDC deer harvest summaries (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Niawathe Prairie Conservation Area?
MDC's directions: From Lockwood, take Highway 97 north 8 miles, then Route E west 1 mile, and County Road 61 north 0.50 mile.
Nearest towns: Arcola (5 miles), Jerico Springs (7 miles), Lockwood (8 miles) and Greenfield (9 miles). Highways within 5 miles: MO 97.
What other public land is near Niawathe Prairie Conservation Area?
MDC lands within 10 miles:
- Sons Creek Conservation Area: 299 acres, 1.1 miles away
- Stony Point Prairie Conservation Area: 981 acres, 1.5 miles away
- Wade and June Shelton Memorial Conservation Area: 322 acres, 3 miles away
- Stockton Lake Management Lands: 17,023 acres, 4.8 miles away
- Horse Creek Prairie Conservation Area: 77 acres, 6.9 miles away
- Dr. O. E. and Eloise Sloan Conservation Area: 314 acres, 8.1 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Niawathe Prairie Conservation Area
Counting Niawathe Prairie Conservation Area itself, 1,231 of the 24,142 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (5.1%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| MDC conservation areas | 1,225 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 6 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Niawathe Prairie Conservation Area?
In Dade County, 5 miles from Arcola.
Can you deer hunt on Niawathe Prairie Conservation Area?
Yes, by MDC's page: archery only, antlerless permits allowed.
How much public land is around Niawathe Prairie Conservation Area?
1,231 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Niawathe Prairie Conservation Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries. The closest other MDC area is Sons Creek Conservation Area (1.1 miles).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: MDC, Niawathe Prairie 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.