Vonaventure Memorial Forest and Wildlife Area: hunting and access
Vonaventure Memorial Forest and Wildlife Area is 203 acres of MDC land in Lincoln County, next to Silex. MDC lists deer hunting here (archery only, 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 areasVonaventure Memorial Forest and Wildlife AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 203 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Lincoln County |
| Deer harvest unit | Lincoln County |
| MDC lists for hunting | Deer, Turkey and Squirrel |
| MDC area number | 7111 |
| MDC region | St. Louis |
| Nearest towns | Silex (next to it), Whiteside (4 mi) and Eolia (7 mi) |
What is Vonaventure Memorial Forest and Wildlife Area like?
Vonaventure Memorial Forest and Wildlife Area is located in Lincoln County, one mile north of Silex on Route UU. This area was donated by Henry von Phul Thomas in 1971 to perpetuate the forest on the 203 acre area.
In MDC's words, from the Vonaventure Memorial Forest and Wildlife Area page.
What can you hunt on Vonaventure Memorial Forest and Wildlife Area?
MDC's page for Vonaventure Memorial Forest and Wildlife Area lists: Deer: archery only, antlerless permits allowed; Turkey: archery and firearms; Squirrel.
What are the rules on Vonaventure Memorial Forest and Wildlife 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 Vonaventure Memorial Forest and Wildlife Area?
Vonaventure Memorial Forest and Wildlife Area lies in Lincoln County. Hunters checked 4,503 deer in Lincoln County in 2025, against 4,098 in 2024.
| County | Vonaventure Memorial Forest and Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln County | 203 | 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 Vonaventure Memorial Forest and Wildlife Area?
MDC's directions: From Silex, take Route UU north about 1 mile.
Nearest towns: Silex (next to it), Whiteside (4 miles), Eolia (7 miles) and Cave (8 miles).
What other public land is near Vonaventure Memorial Forest and Wildlife Area?
MDC lands within 10 miles:
- William R. Logan Conservation Area: 1,800 acres, 0.5 miles away
- William G. and Erma Parke White Memorial Wildlife Area: 821 acres, 2.5 miles away
- Kessler Memorial Wildlife Area: 155 acres, 8.8 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Vonaventure Memorial Forest and Wildlife Area
Counting Vonaventure Memorial Forest and Wildlife Area itself, 2,114 of the 22,616 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (9.3%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| MDC conservation areas | 2,114 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Vonaventure Memorial Forest and Wildlife Area?
In Lincoln County, next to Silex.
Can you deer hunt on Vonaventure Memorial Forest and Wildlife Area?
Yes, by MDC's page: archery only, antlerless permits allowed.
How much public land is around Vonaventure Memorial Forest and Wildlife Area?
2,114 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Vonaventure Memorial Forest and Wildlife Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries. The closest other MDC area is William R. Logan Conservation Area (0.5 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, Vonaventure Memorial Forest and Wildlife 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.