Rebel's Cove Conservation Area: hunting and access
Rebel's Cove Conservation Area is 4,174 acres of MDC land in Putnam and Schuyler counties, 3 miles from Livonia. MDC lists deer hunting here (archery and firearms, antlerless permits allowed). Hunters checked 2,336 deer in Putnam 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 areasRebel's Cove Conservation AreaCounty lineHighway
| Size | 4,174 acres |
|---|---|
| Counties | Putnam County and Schuyler County |
| Deer harvest unit | Putnam County, Schuyler County |
| MDC lists for hunting | Deer, Turkey, Rabbit, Squirrel, Dove and Quail |
| MDC area number | 7944 |
| MDC region | Northeast |
| Camping (MDC) | walk-in, float-in or backpack camping (not during deer and turkey seasons) and designated camping sites |
| Nearest towns | Livonia (3 mi), Glenwood (5 mi) and Lancaster (7 mi) |
What is Rebel's Cove Conservation Area like?
Approximately 60 percent of this 4,225-acre area is forested. The remainder is broken up into various habitat types, including croplands, grasslands, old fields, numerous wetlands, and ponds.
Nearly five miles of the unchannelized Chariton River runs through the area. This portion of the river is known locally as "The Narrows," because the river makes a 2.5 mile loop around Parson's Bend in the center of the area. At this point the river doubles back to within a few hundred feet of itself. A 100 to 200-foot-wide forested corridor is maintained along the river to protect the banks and maintain a healthy ecosystem. The meandering river channel has created several oxbow lakes and natural marshes along the river, providing unique fish and wildlife habitat. The area also contains a heron rookery. The Henry Clay Dean House site, once located on the northwest side of the area, is listed in the Missouri Historic Sites Catalog. A shelter house and marker now designate the site. The Conservation Department manages the area to provide public recreational opportunities and to protect...
In MDC's words, from the Rebel's Cove Conservation Area page.
What can you hunt on Rebel's Cove Conservation Area?
MDC's page for Rebel's Cove Conservation Area lists: Deer: archery and firearms, antlerless permits allowed; Turkey: archery and firearms; Rabbit; Squirrel; Dove; Quail.
What are the rules on Rebel's Cove 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 Rebel's Cove Conservation Area?
Rebel's Cove Conservation Area lies in 2 counties. Hunters checked 2,336 deer in Putnam County in 2025, against 2,465 in 2024.
| County | Rebel's Cove Conservation Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Putnam County | 3,017 | 2,336 | 2,465 | 2,418 |
| Schuyler County | 1,157 | 1,512 | 1,681 | 1,658 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the conservation area alone: MDC deer harvest summaries (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Rebel's Cove Conservation Area?
MDC's directions: From Livonia, take Route N north 4.60 miles.
Nearest towns: Livonia (3 miles), Glenwood (5 miles), Lancaster (7 miles) and Worthington (9 miles). Highways within 5 miles: MO 149, US 136 and MO 202.
What other public land is near Rebel's Cove Conservation Area?
MDC lands within 10 miles:
- Lancaster City Lake: 43 acres, 6.5 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Rebel's Cove Conservation Area
Counting Rebel's Cove Conservation Area itself, 4,176 of the 44,039 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (9.5%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| MDC conservation areas | 4,176 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Rebel's Cove Conservation Area?
In Putnam and Schuyler counties, 3 miles from Livonia.
Can you deer hunt on Rebel's Cove Conservation Area?
Yes, by MDC's page: archery and firearms, antlerless permits allowed.
How much public land is around Rebel's Cove Conservation Area?
4,176 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Rebel's Cove Conservation Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries. The closest other MDC area is Lancaster City Lake (6.5 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, Rebel's Cove 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.