Yellow Creek Conservation Area: hunting and access
Yellow Creek Conservation Area is 593 acres of MDC land in Chariton County, 4 miles from Mendon. MDC lists deer hunting here (archery only, antlerless permits allowed). Hunters checked 2,331 deer in Chariton 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 refugesYellow Creek Conservation AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 593 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Chariton County |
| Deer harvest unit | Chariton County |
| MDC lists for hunting | Deer, Turkey and Squirrel |
| MDC area number | 8802 |
| MDC region | Northwest |
| Camping (MDC) | individual campsites |
| Nearest towns | Mendon (4 mi), Sumner (5 mi) and Triplett (5 mi) |
What is Yellow Creek Conservation Area like?
Yellow Creek Conservation Area is in Chariton County and borders the Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge.
The Conservation Department purchased this predominately timbered area for use as a natural history area in order to protect the wet mesic bottomland forest and the unchannelized portion of Yellow Creek that meanders through it. The area contains several oxbows and sloughs as a result of historic Yellow Creek floods. These wetlands are home to a diverse population of wildlife and offer visitors a variety of aesthetic experiences. Several miles of trails and a suspension foot bridge are maintained for hiking and visitor access. Deer, turkey, and songbirds are commonly seen along the trails' winding routes. The area is managed primarily for protection and preservation of its natural resources, however public recreation is encouraged. Yellow Creek Natural Area is one of the largest blocks of bottomland forest in northwest Missouri. The trail paralleling Yellow Creek goes through stands of...
In MDC's words, from the Yellow Creek Conservation Area page.
What can you hunt on Yellow Creek Conservation Area?
MDC's page for Yellow Creek Conservation Area lists: Deer: archery only, antlerless permits allowed; Turkey: archery and firearms; Squirrel.
What are the rules on Yellow Creek Conservation Area?
Waterfowl Hunting: Waterfowl hunting is prohibited after 1:00 p.m. on designated portions of this area (one of several MDC lists for this rule).
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 Yellow Creek Conservation Area?
Yellow Creek Conservation Area lies in Chariton County. Hunters checked 2,331 deer in Chariton County in 2025, against 2,096 in 2024.
| County | Yellow Creek Conservation Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chariton County | 593 | 2,331 | 2,096 | 2,258 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the conservation area alone: MDC deer harvest summaries (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Yellow Creek Conservation Area?
MDC's directions: From Sumner, take Route RA south 1 mile, turn west (right) onto Hog Ridge Avenue, then immediately south 3.50 miles to the area.
Nearest towns: Mendon (4 miles), Sumner (5 miles), Triplett (5 miles) and Hale (6 miles). Highways within 5 miles: MO 139 and MO 11.
What other public land is near Yellow Creek Conservation Area?
MDC lands within 10 miles:
- Little Compton Lake Conservation Area: 545 acres, 3 miles away
- Fountain Grove Conservation Area: 8,511 acres, 6.2 miles away
- Helen K. Wiese Conservation Area: 110 acres, 7.3 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Yellow Creek Conservation Area
Counting Yellow Creek Conservation Area itself, 6,952 of the 26,901 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (25.8%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| National wildlife refuges | 6,353 |
| MDC conservation areas | 599 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Yellow Creek Conservation Area?
In Chariton County, 4 miles from Mendon.
Can you deer hunt on Yellow Creek Conservation Area?
Yes, by MDC's page: archery only, antlerless permits allowed.
How much public land is around Yellow Creek Conservation Area?
6,952 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Yellow Creek Conservation Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries. The closest other MDC area is Little Compton Lake Conservation Area (3 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, Yellow Creek 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.