Weldon Spring Conservation Area: hunting and access
Weldon Spring Conservation Area is 8,539 acres of MDC land in St. Charles County, next to Weldon Spring Heights. MDC lists deer hunting here only on managed hunts. Hunters checked 2,141 deer in St. Charles 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 areasNational wildlife refugesState parks and historic sitesCounty, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landWeldon Spring Conservation AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 8,539 acres in 3 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | St. Charles County |
| Deer harvest unit | St. Charles County |
| MDC lists for hunting | Rabbit, Squirrel and Dove |
| MDC area number | 7404 |
| MDC region | St. Louis |
| MDC managed hunts | deer and turkey |
| Nearest towns | Weldon Spring Heights (next to it), Weldon Spring (next to it) and Defiance (next to it) |
What is Weldon Spring Conservation Area like?
Hikers and mountain bikers should delight in what Weldon Spring Conservation area has to offer. The Lewis and Clark Trail affords hikers either a five-mile or eight-mile loop, either which involves a few challenging hills and superb overlooks of the Missouri River. An intermittent stream and nice assortment of both ridgetop and bottomland environments make for a varied experience. The 10-mile Lost Valley trail invites hikers and mountain bikers for a more extended journey. There are also connectors to the Katy Trail. Boaters have a large boat ramp that puts them into the Missouri River for tremendous big river fishing. Both Fire and Prairie Lakes give anglers a good chance at catfish, crappie, sunfish, black bass, and white bass.
In MDC's words, from the Weldon Spring Conservation Area page.
What can you hunt on Weldon Spring Conservation Area?
MDC's page for Weldon Spring Conservation Area lists: Rabbit; Squirrel; Dove. It also lists managed hunts for deer and turkey; MDC's managed deer hunt list has the dates and how to apply.
What are the rules on Weldon Spring Conservation Area?
Dove Hunting: Use or possession of lead shot is prohibited for hunting doves on this area.
Every conservation area also follows MDC's standard rules in Chapter 11 of the Wildlife Code; the area's full rules are on MDC's site.
How many deer are taken around Weldon Spring Conservation Area?
Weldon Spring Conservation Area lies in St. Charles County. Hunters checked 2,141 deer in St. Charles County in 2025, against 2,231 in 2024.
| County | Weldon Spring Conservation Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Charles County | 8,539 | 2,141 | 2,231 | 2,297 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the conservation area alone: MDC deer harvest summaries (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Weldon Spring Conservation Area?
MDC's directions: Accessible from several parking areas along Highway 94, south of Interstate 64.
Nearest towns: Weldon Spring Heights (next to it), Weldon Spring (next to it), Defiance (next to it) and Dardenne Prairie (2 miles). Highways within 5 miles: MO 94, US 61, US 40, I-64 and MO 364.
What other public land is near Weldon Spring Conservation Area?
MDC lands within 10 miles:
- August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area: 6,999 acres, next to it
- Howell Island Conservation Area: 2,707 acres, next to it
- Engelmann Woods Natural Area: 155 acres, 1.3 miles away
- Rockwoods Reservation: 1,923 acres, 4.7 miles away
- Rockwoods Range: 1,461 acres, 5.1 miles away
- August G. Beckemeier Conservation Area: 52 acres, 7.1 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Weldon Spring Conservation Area
Counting Weldon Spring Conservation Area itself, 19,880 of the 82,807 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (24%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| MDC conservation areas | 17,618 |
| State parks and historic sites | 1,208 |
| National wildlife refuges | 553 |
| County, city and regional land | 493 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 8 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Weldon Spring Conservation Area?
In St. Charles County, next to Weldon Spring Heights.
Can you deer hunt on Weldon Spring Conservation Area?
Only on MDC managed hunts, by MDC's page. Managed hunts are applied for through MDC.
How much public land is around Weldon Spring Conservation Area?
19,880 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Weldon Spring Conservation Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries. The closest other MDC area is August A. Busch Memorial Conservation 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, Weldon Spring 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.