Missouri hunters harvest 80,525 deer during opening weekend of fall firearms season

(From the Missouri Department of Conservation)

Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) shows that deer hunters in Missouri harvested 80,525 deer during the opening weekend of the November portion of the fall firearms deer season Nov. 14 and 15. Of the 80,525 deer harvested, 48,695 were antlered bucks, 6,867 were button bucks, and 24,963 were does.

Top harvest counties for opening weekend were Howell with 1,499 deer harvested, Bollinger with 1,453, and Franklin with 1,446.

Last year, hunters checked 88,760 deer during the opening weekend of the 2019 November portion of firearms deer season.

For current ongoing preliminary harvest totals by season, county, and type of deer, visit the MDC website at extra.mdc.mo.gov/widgets/harvest_table/.

For harvest summaries from past years, visit huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/species/deer/deer-harvest-reports/deer-harvest-summaries.

MDC noted that poor weather during much of the weekend affected this year’s harvest total. In many areas of the state, hunters dealt with rainy conditions on Saturday, particularly during the morning. Although rain moved out by Sunday, hunters were greeted by strong, gusty winds for most of the day.

The November portion of firearms deer season continues through Nov. 24. Archery season resumes Nov. 25 through Jan. 15, 2021. The late youth portion runs. Nov. 27-29. The antlerless portion of firearms deer season runs Dec. 4-6 followed by the alternative methods portion Dec. 26 through Jan. 5, 2021.

Find more information on deer hunting from MDC’s 2020 Fall Deer & Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information booklet, available where hunting permits are sold and online at short.mdc.mo.gov/ZXv.

MSSU men's basketball ranked 21st in national preseason poll

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern men's basketball team will open up the regular season this Thursday night ranked No. 21 in the National Association of Basketball Coaches Preseason Poll as announced by the organization today.

The Lions are coming off of a 23-8 season last year that saw the team make the NCAA Tournament before it was cancelled due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. Southern had recently been picked to finish second in the MIAA Men's Basketball Preseason Poll.

Northwest Missouri is a unanimous No. 1 pick atop the poll, while Washburn and Rogers State are both receiving votes. From the Central Region, Northern State comes in at No. 8, while Augustana is No. 17 and Sioux Falls is No. 23. The complete poll is listed below.

Southern opens up the regular season on Thursday night as the Lions travel to Central Oklahoma for a 7:30 pm tip with the Bronchos.


1. Northwest Missouri State 31-1 400 1
2. Lincoln Memorial (Tenn.) 32-1 367 2
3. West Texas A&M 32-1 366 3
4. Indiana (Pa.) 28-2 318 6
5. Florida Southern 29-2 309 5
6. Nova Southeastern (Fla.) 23-6 295 20
7. West Liberty (W.Va.) 27-4 282 7
8. Northern State (S.D.) 26-6 255 17
9. Missouri-St. Louis 27-6 240 19
10. Queens (N.C.) 24-7 223 23
11. Azusa Pacific (Calif.) 25-4 195 8
12. St. Thomas Aquinas (N.Y.) 25-5 190 11
13. Colorado School of Mines 22-10 177 NR
14. Alabama Huntsville 26-5 165 12
15. Ferris State (Mich.) 27-6 152 16
16. Point Loma (Calif.) 24-6 137 24
17. Augustana (S.D.) 19-11 127 NR
18. St. Edward's (Texas) 27-4 264 9
19. Valdosta State (Ga.) 26-4 245 10
20. Fairmont State (W.Va.) 23-7 91 NR
21. Missouri Southern 23-8 84 21
22. Charleston (W.Va.) 25-6 80 NR
23. Sioux Falls (S.D.) 22-8 78 NR
24. Bridgeport (Conn.) 24-4 50 13
25. Southern Indiana 22-8 47 NR

Records final from 2020-21 season. 

Last ranking is from final poll of 2020-21 season.

First place votes - Northwest Missouri State (16).

Others receiving votes: Augusta (Ga.) 37, Truman State (Mo.) 33, Saint Anselm (N.H.) 25, Southern Nazarene (Okla.) 25, Chico State (Calif.) 24, Findlay (Ohio) 24, Seattle Pacific (Wash.) 22, UNC Pembroke 22, Angelo State (Texas) 20, Indianapolis (Ind.) 17, Mercyhurst (Pa.) 16, Lubbock Christian (Texas) 13, Miles (Ala.) 13, Washburn (Kan.) 12, DBU (Texas) 11, Jefferson (Pa.) 9, Shippensburg (Pa.) 9, Biola (Calif.) 7, Cal Poly Pomona 6, Black Hills State (S.D.) 4, Western Oregon 4, Minnesota State 3, Concordia (Calif.) 2, Colorado Mesa 2, Daemen (N.Y.) 2, Stonehill (Mass.) 2, Union (Tenn.) 2, Embry-Riddle (Fla.) 1, Fort Lewis (Colo.) 1, Rogers State (Okla.) 1, Walsh (Ohio) 1.

Major changes announced for attending Missouri Southern basketball games

(From MSSU Athletics)

Fellow Lionbackers and season-ticket holders:

Lionbacker members at the $300 level and above are invited to a drive-through event from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19, to pick up apparel and season tickets in front of Young Gymnasium. 

Athletics and Foundation staff will be there to assist in the distribution. Other members and season ticket holders are also invited to pick up season tickets at this time.

We would also like to announce the attendance plan for home games this calendar year.

During the first two home games on Dec. 3rd and 5th, only families of the MSSU men's and women's basketball student-athletes will be allowed to attend. 

For the Dec. 17th and Dec. 19th games, Lionbacker season ticket holders will be able to attend in person, with the following conditions.

There will be no single game tickets sold for any of these contests and for the remaining season.

There will be limited overall capacity of approximately 10% for the games.

No students, faculty or staff will be permitted to enter the game with use of their ID card; however, they are able to attend if they are current season ticket holders.

In order to enter Leggett & Platt Athletic Center, only Doors No. 1 (main entrance through Young Gym) and No10 (Southwest large stairwell entrance) are to be used to enter the facility.

Social distancing should occur at all times, including while moving throughout the facility.

Temperature checks will take place while entering the facility. An initial failure will require a five-minute wait until a recheck is permissible.

Masks are required to enter and must be worn at all times while inside the facility (with the exception of consumption of water).

There will be no concessions available; however, upon entrance to the facility, we will be distributing free bottled water to each spectator.

You will be required to sit in your assigned seats at all times. These seats will be strategically placed to allow for social distancing. 

Many Lionbackers will be relocated near their or remain in their original seats. Athletics Ticketing Manager Terrence Scott will be in contact with you regarding any changes to seating location.

There will be no visiting fans permitted to the games.

No spectators are permitted on the game court at any time, including pregame and postgame.

No cheer, dance or band will be present.

University Police will be monitoring the entrances along with Athletic staff. We are very fortunate to be able to watch and support our basketball student-athletes in these unprecedented times. It is imperative that we follow the guidelines in order to maintain this great opportunity for our fans.

We will re-evaluate this policy after the first of the year and will release any new information as it becomes available.

Thank You - MSSU Athletics