Deer Season Starts

A hunter was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head at Mark Twain National Forest Saturday morning, coinciding with the opening day of deer hunting season. Boone County Sheriff’s Deputies told ABC 17 News they do not believe any foul play was involved, adding that they believe it could be an accident. Missouri Dept. of Conservation that oversees wildlife hunting activies said that hunters need to be careful out there and have a plan.”Make sure they have a plan of where they’re going to go hunting and what time they plan on returning, so if by chance something happens and the hunters don’t return by the designated time then their family members or their hunting partners know that there’s something that might not be right,” said Tom Strother III, regional supervisor in central Missouri.He adds that hunters need to make sure to observe wildlife regulations and obtain a permit to hunt and stay within deer hunting limits. The Dept. of Conservation reports that on opening day, they recorded 25,000 deer harvested by 3:30 P.M. There were still two more hours left on the first day of opening day, and they expect by the end of the weekend, it will rival last year’s harvest at around 90,000.