Roger V. and Viola Wachal Smith Conservation Area: hunting and access
Roger V. and Viola Wachal Smith Conservation Area is 484 acres of MDC land in Moniteau and Cole counties, 2 miles from Centertown. MDC lists deer hunting here (muzzleloader and archery, antlerless permits allowed). Hunters checked 1,822 deer in Moniteau 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 areasRoger V. and Viola Wachal Smith Conservation AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 484 acres (517 by MDC's page) |
|---|---|
| Counties | Moniteau County and Cole County |
| Deer harvest unit | Moniteau County, Cole County |
| MDC lists for hunting | Deer, Bear, Turkey, Rabbit, Squirrel, Dove and Quail |
| MDC area number | 9337 |
| MDC region | Central |
| Camping (MDC) | open camping - walk-in/float-in/backpack |
| Nearest towns | Centertown (2 mi), St. Martins (6 mi) and Hartsburg (7 mi) |
What is Roger V. and Viola Wachal Smith Conservation Area like?
This area was donated to the Department in 1993 by Mrs. Smith with the intention that the area being used for public hiking, hunting, camping and a place where people could enjoy nature through recreational activities. Since the Department took ownership, a cedar harvest was conducted on ~100 acres of old field in order to restore native grasslands and glades back to the landscape. Furthermore, ~250 acres of woodland has been thinned and burned in order to improve forest health and wildlife habitat. Lastly, the remaining old fields in the middle of the area are being improved through fire, over seeding with native grasses and forbs, and are being treated for invasive species. Hiking and wildlife viewing are good activities on the area, and hunting pressure is fairly low.
In MDC's words, from the Roger V. and Viola Wachal Smith Conservation Area page.
What can you hunt on Roger V. and Viola Wachal Smith Conservation Area?
MDC's page for Roger V. and Viola Wachal Smith Conservation Area lists: Deer: muzzleloader and archery, antlerless permits allowed; Bear: archery and firearms; Turkey: archery and firearms; Rabbit; Squirrel; Dove; Quail.
What are the rules on Roger V. and Viola Wachal Smith 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 Roger V. and Viola Wachal Smith Conservation Area?
Roger V. and Viola Wachal Smith Conservation Area lies in 2 counties. Hunters checked 1,822 deer in Moniteau County in 2025, against 1,693 in 2024.
| County | Roger V. and Viola Wachal Smith Conservation Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moniteau County | 430 | 1,822 | 1,693 | 1,948 |
| Cole County | 54 | 2,029 | 1,866 | 2,049 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the conservation area alone: MDC deer harvest summaries (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Roger V. and Viola Wachal Smith Conservation Area?
MDC's directions: From Centertown, take Route NN north 2.50 miles, then Pea Ridge Road west 0.25 mile, and north on Bird Haven Road.
Nearest towns: Centertown (2 miles), St. Martins (6 miles), Hartsburg (7 miles) and California (7 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 50, MO 179 and MO 87.
What other public land is near Roger V. and Viola Wachal Smith Conservation Area?
MDC lands within 10 miles:
- Marion Bottoms Conservation Area: 2,943 acres, 3.7 miles away
- Hartsburg Access: 36 acres, 5.1 miles away
- Church Farm Conservation Area: 1,254 acres, 5.1 miles away
- Hart Creek Conservation Area: 659 acres, 5.6 miles away
- Binder Community Lake: 201 acres, 6.8 miles away
- Plowboy Bend Conservation Area: 2,678 acres, 7.2 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Roger V. and Viola Wachal Smith Conservation Area
Counting Roger V. and Viola Wachal Smith Conservation Area itself, 485 of the 26,351 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (1.8%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| MDC conservation areas | 485 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Roger V. and Viola Wachal Smith Conservation Area?
In Moniteau and Cole counties, 2 miles from Centertown.
Can you deer hunt on Roger V. and Viola Wachal Smith Conservation Area?
Yes, by MDC's page: muzzleloader and archery, antlerless permits allowed.
How much public land is around Roger V. and Viola Wachal Smith Conservation Area?
485 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Roger V. and Viola Wachal Smith Conservation Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries. The closest other MDC area is Marion Bottoms Conservation Area (3.7 miles).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: MDC, Roger V. and Viola Wachal Smith 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.