Riverside Conservation Area: hunting and access
Riverside Conservation Area is 2,654 acres of MDC land in Wayne, Reynolds and Iron counties, 3 miles from Annapolis. MDC lists deer hunting here (archery and firearms, antlerless permits allowed). Hunters checked 4,081 deer in Wayne 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 lakesRiverside Conservation AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 2,654 acres in 4 pieces |
|---|---|
| Counties | Wayne County, Reynolds County and Iron County |
| Deer harvest unit | Wayne County, Reynolds County, Iron County |
| MDC lists for hunting | Deer, Turkey, Rabbit and Squirrel |
| MDC area number | 4643 |
| MDC region | Southeast |
| Camping (MDC) | designated camping sites |
| Nearest towns | Annapolis (3 mi), Des Arc (3 mi) and Piedmont (6 mi) |
What can you hunt on Riverside Conservation Area?
MDC's page for Riverside Conservation Area lists: Deer: archery and firearms, antlerless permits allowed; Turkey: archery and firearms; Rabbit; Squirrel.
What are the rules on Riverside 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 Riverside Conservation Area?
Riverside Conservation Area lies in 3 counties. Hunters checked 4,081 deer in Wayne County in 2025, against 2,680 in 2024.
| County | Riverside Conservation Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne County | 1,276 | 4,081 | 2,680 | 4,014 |
| Reynolds County | 1,000 | 2,746 | 1,766 | 3,135 |
| Iron County | 378 | 1,903 | 1,240 | 1,843 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the conservation area alone: MDC deer harvest summaries (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Riverside Conservation Area?
MDC's directions: From Piedmont, take Highway 49 north 6 miles, then Route CC west 1.80 miles, and County Road 462 north to the area.
Nearest towns: Annapolis (3 miles), Des Arc (3 miles), Piedmont (6 miles) and Ellington (12 miles). Highways within 5 miles: MO 49, MO 34 and MO 143.
What other public land is near Riverside Conservation Area?
MDC lands within 10 miles:
- Funk Memorial State Forest and Wildlife Area: 182 acres, next to it
- Clearwater Lake Management Lands: 16,791 acres, next to it
- Graves Mountain Conservation Area: 3,275 acres, 1.8 miles away
- Lon Sanders Canyon Conservation Area: 128 acres, 3.7 miles away
- Flatwoods Conservation Area: 944 acres, 5.9 miles away
- Clearwater Conservation Area: 11,405 acres, 7.1 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Riverside Conservation Area
Counting Riverside Conservation Area itself, 8,907 of the 57,214 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (15.6%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| MDC conservation areas | 8,162 |
| Federal land, mostly Corps of Engineers lakes | 745 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Riverside Conservation Area?
In Wayne, Reynolds and Iron counties, 3 miles from Annapolis.
Can you deer hunt on Riverside Conservation Area?
Yes, by MDC's page: archery and firearms, antlerless permits allowed.
How much public land is around Riverside Conservation Area?
8,907 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Riverside Conservation Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries. The closest other MDC area is Funk Memorial State Forest and Wildlife Area (next to it).
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, Riverside 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.