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Oct. 2003 - Vol. 64, No. 10

	Freelance writer Joan Banks watches blackbirds at her home southeast of Joplin. She has written three articles for Outside In, the children's section of the Conservationist.
	Thomas W. Blackburn, P.E.,was raised in St. Louis but says he spent many memorable days on Granny and Grandpa's Steelville farm, where he hunted, fished, swam, fixed fence, cut wood, pulled weeds and raced sticks down the creek.He is now a civil engineer in the state of California and enjoys outdoor adventures with his own kids,Donald,Amy and Isaac.
	Bill Heatherly has been a wildlife programs supervisor at the Conservation Department's central office in Jefferson City since February 1997.Before then,he spent two years as an urban wildlife specialist, resolving deer and other wildlife-related problems in the Kansas City area.
	Tom Hutton lives in Jefferson City and supervises the Wildlife Damage and Grassland Programs for Private Land Services Division. He spent 22 years of his Conservation Department career helping manage prairies,glades,savannas,forests and wetlands, and six years helping the public with wildlife damage problems. He enjoys hunting,bird watching,camping,canoeing,photography, farming and working with bird dogs.
	Wildlife biologist Brad McCord is the Conservation Department's Private Land Programs Coordinator.He works with state, federal and private conservation organizations to improve fish, forest, and wildlife habitats. Brad resides in California with his wife,Jennifer,and daughter,Sarah.When not on the family farm near Farmington,Brad enjoys wildlife art, antique decoys and all outdoor pursuits.
	John Wick was raised on a Pennsylvania farm but has resided in Missouri since 1976.He has a cow/calf beef cattle operation in Montgomery City, and he founded a company that designs and manufactures apparel and products for people who hunt with dogs. A nationally-known coonhound breeder, trainer and writer, he also enjoys hunting deer.