The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is proposing incremental increases to non-resident and select resident permit prices for 2025. The Missouri Conservation Commission gave initial approval to the proposed adjustments during its open meeting on May 24.
MDC Director Sara Parker Pauley explained, “Costs continue to increase for habitat management and improvements, cost-share funding, fuel, equipment, contract and construction work, and other aspects of the work MDC staff does. We need to keep up with rising costs and can do that by adjusting permit prices. Even with the minor price adjustments we propose, Missouri permit prices remain good bargains when compared to surrounding states.”
Missouri is home to over one million anglers, 500,000 hunters, and several thousand trappers. The MDC issues nearly 2.6 million hunting, fishing, and trapping permits annually. While permit prices have only slightly increased over the past two decades, the cost of conservation work has risen significantly.
Most of the proposed adjustments focus on non-resident permits, with slight increases for migratory bird hunting, trout fishing, and daily fishing for both residents and non-residents.
Pauley noted that the additional revenue from permit sales will help MDC maintain and improve its nationally recognized programs and services. It will also assist with the rising costs of upgrading buildings and infrastructure at conservation areas, fish hatcheries, shooting ranges, and nature centers that are decades old and require significant repairs or replacements. Other states are also continuing to increase their permit prices.
Proposed Permit Price Adjustments for 2025
| Permit | Current $ | Proposed $ | Avg $ SS 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| NR Annual Fishing | $51.00 | $53.50 | $57.50 |
| Daily Fishing | $8.00 | $9.00 | $8.31 |
| Trout | $10.00 | $12.00 | $12.75 |
| Youth Trout | $5.00 | $6.00 | $7.00 |
| NR Small Game Hunting | $98.00 | $102.00 | $126.84 |
| Daily Hunting | $14.50 | $15.00 | $66.04 |
| NR Furbearer Hunt/Trap | $200.50 | $208.50 | $258.69 |
| Migratory Bird | $6.50 | $7.50 | $14.81 |
| NR Conservation Order | $49.00 | $51.00 | NA |
| NR Spring Turkey | $233.50 | $243.50 | $255.22 |
| NR Fall Turkey | $135.50 | $141.50 | $202.67 |
| NR Firearm Deer | $276.50 | $288.00 | $374.31 |
| NR Antlerless Deer | $26.00 | $27.00 | $43.63 |
| NR Archery | $276.50 | $288.00 | $436.69 |
| NR Managed Deer | $276.50 | $288.00 | NA |
| NR Landowner Spring Turkey | $172.00 | $179.50 | NA |
| NR Landowner Fall Turkey | $100.00 | $104.50 | NA |
| NR Landowner Archery | $203.50 | $212.00 | NA |
| NR Landowner Firearm Deer | $203.50 | $212.00 | NA |
Public Comments Sought
MDC will seek public comments on the proposed permit price adjustments from July 2 to Aug. 1. For more information and to submit comments, visit MDC Public Commenting Opportunities.
