Places to Go

Southeast Region: Ten Mile Pond Conservation Area

Abundant waterfowl draw hunters … and more.

By Larry Archer

Like most conservation areas, Ten Mile Pond Conservation Area (CA) in southeast Missouri’s Mississippi County is off the beaten path, but this time of year, there’s plenty of traffic, according to Wildlife Management Biologist Josh Hager, the area’s manager.

“During December, we’re pretty much exclusively open for waterfowl hunting,” Hager said. “Everything else shuts down, and we’re pretty much a managed hunt for waterfowl.”

The 3,755-acre area’s location in the Mississippi River flyway, and its combination of managed wetlands and cropland, makes Ten Mile Pond CA a destination for migrating and wintering waterfowl.

That, in turn, makes the area, one of the department’s 15 intensively managed wetlands, a destination for waterfowl hunters.

Throughout the waterfowl season, up to 100 prospective hunters regularly show up before dawn to draw for one of the area’s 12 to 22 hunting spots. And waterfowl hunters are not the only ones attracted to the abundant game, Hager said.

“The eagles feed on the snow geese pretty heavily,” he said. “You can find an eagle most days down here, but where you might find one or two in the fall, there might be 60 or 80 during the winter when the snow geese are here.”

In the winter months, the wetlands at Ten Mile Pond CA in southeast Missouri draw a variety of waterfowl and shorebirds, including large flocks of mallards.

“We manage for migrating and wintering waterfowl. That’s our number-one goal.”

—Ten Mile Pond CA Manager Josh Hager

Ten Mile Pond Conservation Area consists of 3,755 acres in Mississippi County. From East Prairie, take Highway 80 east, then take gravel County Road 515 south 5 miles to the tee. At the tee, go left 300 yards to headquarters on the right.

• N36° 42’ 10.6632” | W89° 20’ 26.0124”
• short.mdc.mo.gov/Z5b 573-649-2770

What To Do When You Visit

• Bird Watching Included on the Great Missouri Birding Trail (greatmissouribirdingtrail.com). Sizeable populations of waterfowl, shorebirds, and eagles during December.
• Dog Training Dog training is allowed in designated areas from the end of the south zone waterfowl season through Oct. 31.

Hunting

• Waterfowl (good). Waterfowl hunting requires a valid daily tag, issued at area headquarters. A drawing for units is held each morning during waterfowl season. Waterfowl regulations are subject to annual changes, so refer to the Waterfowl Hunting Digest for current regulations.
• Deer (good). Deer regulations are subjectto annual changes, so refer to the Fall Deer and Turkey booklet for current regulations.
• Dove (good). This area has a managed dove hunt. Contact area headquarters for more information.

What to Look For When You Visit

• White-tailed deer
• Snow geese
• Horned lark
• Bald eagle