Sandy Island Conservation Area: hunting and access
Sandy Island Conservation Area is 385 acres of MDC land in Lincoln County, next to Foley. MDC lists deer hunting here (archery and firearms, antlerless permits allowed). Hunters checked 4,503 deer in Lincoln 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 areasLand trusts and other open landSandy Island Conservation AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 385 acres (308 by MDC's page) |
|---|---|
| County | Lincoln County |
| Deer harvest unit | Lincoln County |
| MDC lists for hunting | Deer, Turkey and Squirrel |
| MDC area number | 8027 |
| MDC region | St. Louis |
| Nearest towns | Foley (next to it), Winfield (3 mi) and Old Monroe (6 mi) |
What can you hunt on Sandy Island Conservation Area?
MDC's page for Sandy Island Conservation Area lists: Deer: archery and firearms, antlerless permits allowed; Turkey: archery and firearms; Squirrel.
What are the rules on Sandy Island 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 Sandy Island Conservation Area?
Sandy Island Conservation Area lies in Lincoln County. Hunters checked 4,503 deer in Lincoln County in 2025, against 4,098 in 2024.
| County | Sandy Island Conservation Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln County | 385 | 4,503 | 4,098 | 4,515 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the conservation area alone: MDC deer harvest summaries (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Sandy Island Conservation Area?
MDC's directions: Take Route N east from Highway 79 to Lock and Dam #25. Visitors must then walk 300 yards north to reach the area.
Nearest towns: Foley (next to it), Winfield (3 miles), Old Monroe (6 miles) and Fountain N' Lakes (8 miles).
What other public land is near Sandy Island Conservation Area?
MDC lands within 10 miles:
- Upper Mississippi Conservation Area: 12,715 acres, 0.9 miles away
- B. K. Leach Memorial Conservation Area: 4,323 acres, 2.9 miles away
- Cuivre Island Conservation Area: 1,670 acres, 3.9 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Sandy Island Conservation Area
Counting Sandy Island Conservation Area itself, 525 of the 28,985 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 | 508 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 17 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Sandy Island Conservation Area?
In Lincoln County, next to Foley.
Can you deer hunt on Sandy Island Conservation Area?
Yes, by MDC's page: archery and firearms, antlerless permits allowed.
How much public land is around Sandy Island Conservation Area?
525 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Sandy Island Conservation Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries. The closest other MDC area is Upper Mississippi Conservation Area (0.9 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, Sandy Island 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.