Scotland County, Missouri: deer harvest and public hunting land
Scotland County covers 439 square miles around Memphis. Hunters checked 2,640 deer here in the 2025 season, 1,128 of them antlered bucks, by MDC's harvest summary. That is down 11% from 2024. 1.5% of Scotland County is public land open to the public, the largest share MDC conservation areas (4,304 acres), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: MDC's deer harvest summaries, 2021 to 2025. Land: PAD-US 4.1 and MDC's conservation area and MRAP layers.
MDC conservation areasScotland CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 281,197 acres (439 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer checked, 2025 | 2,640 (1,128 antlered bucks, 248 button bucks, 1,264 does) |
| Firearms and archery, 2025 | 2,107 by firearms, 533 by archery |
| Public land | 1.5% (4,304 acres) |
| MDC lands | 3 (4,301 acres inside Scotland County) |
| MRAP land | None mapped this year |
| Towns in and near it | Memphis, South Gorin, Granger, Downing, Wyaconda and Luray |
How many deer are harvested in Scotland County?
Hunters checked 2,640 deer in Scotland County in 2025: 1,128 antlered bucks, 248 button bucks and 1,264 does. By method: 2,107 by firearms (1,369 of them in the November portion) and 533 by archery; the rest came on managed hunts.
| Season | Deer checked | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does | Firearms | November portion | Archery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,640 | 1,128 | 248 | 1,264 | 2,107 | 1,369 | 533 |
| 2024 | 2,961 | 1,199 | 328 | 1,434 | 2,420 | 1,574 | 540 |
| 2023 | 2,571 | 1,171 | 272 | 1,128 | 2,049 | 1,484 | 522 |
| 2022 | 2,797 | 1,260 | 275 | 1,262 | 2,247 | 1,702 | 550 |
| 2021 | 2,497 | 1,163 | 250 | 1,084 | 1,909 | 587 |
Source: MDC deer harvest summaries (2021 to 2025 seasons), Scotland County, from the county tables of each season (all methods, firearms, archery and the November portion). The 2021 summary has no separate November table.
How much public land is in Scotland County?
4,304 of Scotland County's 281,197 acres are public land open to the public (1.5%). The biggest share is MDC conservation areas: 4,304 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Scotland County |
|---|---|---|
| MDC conservation areas | 4,304 | 1.5% |
| All public land open to the public | 4,304 | 1.5% |
Measured by FilledTag inside the county line from USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public) and MDC conservation area boundaries. Hunting rules differ by manager: MDC conservation areas allow the hunting each area's page lists; national forest is open; Corps of Engineers lake land is open to hunting in many places under each project's own rules; refuges follow U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rules; the Ozark National Scenic Riverways allows hunting under state rules while most other national park land is closed; state parks and city and county land are closed to most hunting.
MDC lands in Scotland County
MDC lands in Scotland County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Indian Hills Conservation Area: 3,987 acres
- Lake Showme (Memphis): 253 acres
- Ella Ewing Lake Conservation Area: 61 acres
How do you get to Scotland County?
Highways through it: MO 15 (about 23 miles inside) and US 136 (about 22 miles inside). Towns inside: Memphis, South Gorin, Granger, Rutledge and Arbela. Nearby: Downing (on the line), Wyaconda (on the line), Luray (3 miles) and Baring (4 miles).
Which counties border Scotland County?
Scotland County touches 4 other counties. Their latest MDC harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land | MRAP land sites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knox County | 2,646 | 2025 | 0.4% | |
| Adair County | 2,639 | 2025 | 2.9% | |
| Clark County | 2,750 | 2025 | 2.8% | |
| Schuyler County | 1,512 | 2025 | 0.6% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Scotland County in 2025?
Hunters checked 2,640 deer: 1,128 antlered bucks, 248 button bucks and 1,264 does (MDC). In 2024: 2,961.
Is there public hunting land in Scotland County?
Yes. 4,304 acres, 1.5% of the county, are public land open to the public by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries, the largest share MDC conservation areas (4,304 acres). MDC's map shows 3 conservation areas here.
Does Scotland County have MRAP land?
Not on MDC's MRAP layer of tracts open to hunting.
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Where these numbers come from
- Deer harvest: MDC deer harvest summaries (2021 to 2025 seasons).
- Public land: USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public) and MDC conservation area boundaries. conservation areas: MDC conservation area boundaries. MRAP land: MDC Missouri Recreational Access Program (MRAP) lands.
- Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 cartographic county boundaries. Highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 primary and secondary roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer, places.
FilledTag is not part of the Missouri Department of Conservation. Numbers are copied from MDC and the federal sources above, or measured from their maps; nothing on this page is estimated by FilledTag.
Missouri hunting Knox County Adair County Clark County Schuyler County