Possible first-ever Missouri deer taken with air gun

In urban areas where homeowners cringe at the pop-pop of gunshot, a new hunting method may prove to be more socially acceptable.

In what may be a first for Missouri deer hunting, a 14-year-old hunter shot a yearling doe Oct. 5 with an air rifle. Using a 422grn hollow point out of a .458 cal Quackenbush air rifle, at about 40 yards out, the shot went completely through the deer, with a large exit wound.

The deer was taken in Wildwood, Mo., a St. Louis suburb, by Jeff Cox (pictured), a freshman at St. John Vianney high school in Kirkwood, Mo. He has been hunting since he was eight years old.

Missouri Department of Conservation has established rules for urban deer hunting, a practice that is important to keeping populations in check in areas where there is no natural predator for deer. The urban portion does not give hunters free rein to hunt anywhere in an urban county. You must abide by all local ordinances.

Scroll about halfway down this page for more information on urban deer hunting.

Also, see this Missouri Conservationist article on urban deer hunts.

Recently, deer in urban environments have been making the news. See this news item from the St. Louis area. Also, here is how the city of Osage Beach is looking at managing its deer population.