Registration for draw to win three reallocated waterfowl blinds on Upper Mississippi CA opens July 7-20

St. CHARLES, Mo.—The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is conducting a reallocation drawing for three waterfowl hunting blind sites in the restricted zone on the Upper Mississippi River Conservation Area (UMCA).  Waterfowl hunters may register online for the reallocation drawing from July 7 - 20.  MDC will select the winning applicants by random drawing July 22.  The winning hunters will have from July 23 – Aug. 3 to add co-registrants.

The blind site available for reallocation are:

• #W6 in Pool 25 (Stag Island)
• #W9 in Pool 25 (Stag Island)
• #A12 in Pool 26 (West Alton/Dresser Island)

Hunters may opt to build a permanent blind on the site, construct a temporary blind, or hunt from a boat blind.

Registrants for the reallocation drawing must meet the following requirements:

• Must be at least 16 years old
• Those between age 16 and 64 are required to have a current annual resident or nonresident Small Game Hunting Permit and a Missouri Migratory Bird Hunting Permit
• Any honorably discharged military veteran having a service-related disability of 60% or greater, a prisoner of war during military service, or any member of the U.S. military currently assigned as a patient to a Warrior Transition Brigade, Warrior Transition Unit, or a military medical center will only need a Missouri Migratory Bird Hunting Permit
• Missouri residents age 65 or older only need to have a Missouri Migratory Bird Hunting Permit
• Nonresidents age 65 or older need to have a nonresident Small Game Hunting Permit and a Missouri Migratory Bird Permit
• A Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp (Federal Duck Stamp) is not needed to apply, but will be necessary while hunting

To register for the reallocation drawing, go to http://short.mdc.mo.gov/4TA.  The page also contains a link to scalable aerial maps of the blind sites.

Hunters should note that this will be the final drawing to be held for waterfowl blinds on the UMCA.  Starting with the 2026 waterfowl hunting season the blind drawing system will be discontinued, and the area will transition to open pool hunting only.  This change will make hunting on the UMCA consistent with other waterfowl hunting opportunities on rivers and lakes in Missouri.

For more information, call the UMCA at 573-898-5905 or the MDC St. Louis Regional Office at 636-441-4554, or visit http://short.mdc.mo.gov/47z.

The UMCA includes federal lands along the Mississippi River north of St. Louis. These sites include Pools 24, 25, and 26, and consist of 87 separate tracts totaling 12,500 acres between Melvin Price Lock and Dam and LaGrange, Mo.