Tarkio Prairie Conservation Area: hunting and access
Tarkio Prairie Conservation Area is 633 acres of MDC land in Atchison County, 5 miles from Elmo. MDC lists deer hunting here (archery and firearms, antlerless permits not allowed). Hunters checked 540 deer in Atchison 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 areasTarkio Prairie Conservation AreaCounty lineHighway
| Size | 633 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Atchison County |
| Deer harvest unit | Atchison County |
| MDC lists for hunting | Deer, Turkey, Rabbit and Quail |
| MDC area number | 8603 |
| MDC region | Northwest |
| Camping (MDC) | designated camping sites |
| Nearest towns | Elmo (5 mi), Blanchard (5 mi) and Westboro (6 mi) |
What is Tarkio Prairie Conservation Area like?
The area contains one of the few known high quality prairies remaining in the glaciated plains of north Missouri. It features a very diverse prairie flora on loess and glacial till soils.
Vast prairies once stretched across Missouri, dominating the landscapes of the five northwestern counties in the state. Atchison County was 83 percent prairie. The French were the first to visit these extensive grasslands and call them prairies, their word for European meadow. The Conservation Department, which is committed to protecting the state's remaining prairie heritage, purchased a 160-acre tract in 1985, added 400 acres to the area in 1995, and added another 80 acres to the area in 2003. The area is available to the public for a variety of outdoor activities compatible with resource management. A portion of the area has been classified as a Missouri Natural Area.
In MDC's words, from the Tarkio Prairie Conservation Area page.
What can you hunt on Tarkio Prairie Conservation Area?
MDC's page for Tarkio Prairie Conservation Area lists: Deer: archery and firearms, antlerless permits not allowed; Turkey: archery and firearms; Rabbit; Quail.
What are the rules on Tarkio 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 Tarkio Prairie Conservation Area?
Tarkio Prairie Conservation Area lies in Atchison County. Hunters checked 540 deer in Atchison County in 2025, against 575 in 2024.
| County | Tarkio Prairie Conservation Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atchison County | 633 | 540 | 575 | 562 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the conservation area alone: MDC deer harvest summaries (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Tarkio Prairie Conservation Area?
MDC's directions: From Westboro, take Route C east 5 miles, then Y Avenue south 2 miles.
Nearest towns: Elmo (5 miles), Blanchard (5 miles), Westboro (6 miles) and Burlington Junction (8 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 136.
What other public land is near Tarkio Prairie Conservation Area?
MDC lands within 10 miles:
- Bilby Ranch Lake Conservation Area: 5,089 acres, 8.2 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Tarkio Prairie Conservation Area
Counting Tarkio Prairie Conservation Area itself, 641 of the 26,343 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (2.4%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| MDC conservation areas | 641 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Tarkio Prairie Conservation Area?
In Atchison County, 5 miles from Elmo.
Can you deer hunt on Tarkio Prairie Conservation Area?
Yes, by MDC's page: archery and firearms, antlerless permits not allowed.
How much public land is around Tarkio Prairie Conservation Area?
641 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Tarkio Prairie Conservation Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries. The closest other MDC area is Bilby Ranch Lake Conservation Area (8.2 miles).
Get a Missouri hunt plan when they open
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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, Tarkio 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.