SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Deer hunters are gearing up for their biggest weekend of the year.

The November firearm deer season starts around 6:17 a.m. this Saturday and runs through November 21.

More than 1.5 million deer reside in Missouri and to help stop the spread of chronic waste disease in deer, the MDC is adding a new firearms portion from Nov 22 to the 26 and will be open to all counties within the CWD management zone.

Hunters can use any unfilled firearms permits and must abide by the statewide limit of one antlered deer.

If you’re hunting in a CWD management zone county during opening weekend, remember you must take your deer to a designated sampling station.

Officials said using bait, grain, and other feeds is prohibited. 

This week, Ozarksfirst paid a visit to Texas County where no county in the state bagged more deer than them last November. 

One local gun shop owner in Cabool said this Saturday is like a national holiday for hunters.

“Most parents wouldn’t let kids miss school for a football game or something like that but during deer season, I know a few schools that go ahead and shut down,” said Pete Peterson, owner of Missouri Gun Co. 

In this year’s youth season, Texas County youngsters harvested the 3rd most deer in the state.

“You’ll hear the big fish stories is what I like to call them you know, where every time they tell it in here it keeps getting bigger. There’s already been some big ones killed this year,” said Peterson.