CONSERVATION ACTION
April 15, 1997 report of news and decisions of the
Missouri Conservation Commission
Contact: Shannon Cave or Jim Low, (573) 751-4115;
E-mail: Shannon.Cave@mdc.mo.gov
The Conservation Commission met April 15 at the Missouri Department of Conservation headquarters in Jefferson City. The open meeting began at 8:30 a.m. with all Commissioners present:
John Powell, Rolla, Chairman
Ronald J. Stites, Plattsburg, Vice Chairman
Randy Herzog, St. Joseph, Secretary
Anita B. Gorman, Kansas City, Member
Commissioners presented an award for 2,000 hours of volunteer service at the Runge Conservation Nature Center to Volunteer Naturalist Pearl Gentili of Jefferson City. It also recognized Jill Friedman, Governor Carnahan's Deputy Chief of Staff for Governmental and Community Relations in St. Louis, for her valuable assistance during negotiations with the City of St. Louis for acquisition of Columbia Bottoms.
A staff report of public comment about mineral exploration on conservation areas was accepted and a motion to visit those areas in May failed to pass. The Commission Chairman instructed staff to place an item on the May agenda to discuss whether or not exploratory drilling would be permitted on department lands. The next meeting was set for May 29 and 30 in Stockton.
Regulations
The Commission approved the following 1997-98 seasons:
>> An eleven-day firearms deer hunting season from November 15 to 25, with hunting hours from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.
>> Completion of the harvest log printed on the permit will no longer be required; successful hunters need only notch the permit to invalidate it after killing a deer. Hunters may use either an official transportation tag available from permit vendors, or one of their own making.
>> Persons who have an unfilled firearms any-deer or bonus permit valid in units 1 through 17, 20, 22, 23, 58 or 59 may hunt antlerless deer on January 3 or 4, 1998, only in the unit for which they have a permit. All deer hunters, including archers, will be required to wear hunter orange on these two dates.
>> Muzzleloading deer hunting season will run from November 15 through 25, and from December 6 through 14. Those who have unfilled any-deer or bonus permits valid in units 1 through 17, 20, 22, 23, 58 or 59 may hunt antlerless deer January 3 or 4, 1998, only in the unit for which they have a permit.
>> Archery deer (and turkey) hunting season will run from October 1 through November 14 and November 26 through January 15, with two deer and two turkeys of either sex allowed, provided only one antlered deer may be taken on or before November 14.
>> Landowners in units 22, 58 and 59 may take up to 5 additional antlerless deer during the archery season without a permit.
Presentations
Commission meetings are open to the public, and those wishing to be placed on the agenda for a presentation or other business need to write to Director, Missouri Department of Conservation, P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180, at least 10 working days before the meeting date.
Conservation Commissioner Emeritus Andy Dalton, Springfield, presented a proposal to establish a Missouri Fish, Forest and Wildlife Foundation.
The following individuals presented their views about mineral exploration on certain Conservation Areas:
Lloyd Smith, Administrative Assistant to Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson, Cape Girardeau
Senator Mike Lybyer, Huggins
Representative Mark L. Richardson, Poplar Bluff
R. Joe Wagner, The Doe Run Company, Virburnum
Danny Haim, Missouri Coalition for the Environment, Saint Louis
Ken Midkiff, Ozark Chapter Sierra Club, Columbia
Mary Ann Carr, Scenic Rivers Stream Team Association, Willow Springs
Scott Dye, Missouri Stream Team 714, Columbia
Eric Hempel, Heartwood, Columbia
Sarah Bantz, Heartwood, Columbia
Dr. Nord Gale, Department of Life Sciences, University of Missouri-Rolla
Area Names
The Commission named a recently acquired 140-acre tract in Clay County "Liberty Bend Conservation Area."
Approval to
>> Enter into a Community Assistance Program (CAP) agreement with the City of Van Buren, Carter County, under which the Department would provide a cash grant reimbursement for public use developments at City-owned frontage on Current River.
>> Enter into a CAP agreement with the City of Downing, Schuyler County, under which the Department would provide fishery management and a cash grant reimbursement for public use developments at the City's 14-acre water supply lake.
>> Negotiate an agreement with Shady Creek Nature Sanctuary of Webster Groves to help purchase a heavily wooded tract which will be managed to meet the objectives of MDC's Urban Wild Acres Program.
>> Release a draft "Conservation Commission Statement of General Forest Management Policy and Direction" for public review and comment.
Land Acquisitions
The Commission acquires land only from willing sellers, making annual payments to compensate local governments and schools for lost tax revenues at assessment levels current when acquired. Public access to acquisitions will be appropriate only after closing of real estate transactions, at which time boundaries will be marked and further information will be available. Approval was given to proceed with acquisition of the following:
>> accept as a donation 2 acres on the Mississippi River in Jefferson County as an addition to Truman Park Access.
>> purchase 207 acres in Holt County as an addition to Deroin Bend Conservation Area (CA).
>> purchase 163 acres in Bollinger County as an addition to Castor River CA.
>> purchase two tracts totaling 106 acres in Buchanan County as additions to Pigeon Hill CA.
>> purchase 36 acres in Mercer County as an addition to Lake Paho CA.
>> purchase 29 acres in Lewis County as an addition to Deer Ridge CA.
>> purchase 0.48 acres in Lincoln County as an addition to B. K. Leach Memorial CA.
>> exchange a 0.6-acre portion of Logan Creek CA, Reynolds County, for 0.5 adjacent acres to improve the area boundary.
Last Date Revised: 11/17/97