Report of news and decisions of the
Missouri Conservation Commission
Contact: Jim Low or Arleasha Mays, (573) 751-4115;
E-mail: Arleasha.Mays@mmdc.mo.gov
General news
The Conservation Commission met Aug. 27 at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center in Kansas City. The open meeting began at 8:30 a.m. with all Commissioners present:
Ronald J. Stites, Plattsburg
Randy Herzog, St. Joseph
Anita B. Gorman, Kansas City
Howard L. Wood, Bonne Terre
The next meeting was set for October 3, 1997 in Hannibal.
Regulations
The Commission approved waterfowl hunting regulations for 1997-98. Significant changes include¿providing a 60-day duck season with a six duck daily bag limit including four mallards (two females) and three pintails; elimination of the Canada goose harvest quota in the Swan Lake Zone; a mid-week opening for duck season to balance additional days among early and late season preferences; and a 54 (of a possible 70)-day season for white-fronted geese in the Swan Lake Zone to open concurrent with the Canada goose season in that zone and close with the snow goose season.
DUCK SEASON : 60 days within each of the three zones.
North Zone: October 23-December 21
Middle Zone: October 30-December 28
South Zone: November 13-January 11
Youth Hunting Days: October 18 - North Zone
October 25 - Middle Zone
November 8 - South Zone
(Participants in the Youth Hunting Days must be less than 16 years of age and must be accompanied by a licensed adult at least 18 years of age who will not be permitted to hunt. Adults need not be licensed if the youth possesses a valid hunter education certificate card.)
Shooting Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset
Bag Limit: 6 ducks daily with species restrictions of:
(4 mallards [no more than two females]; 2 wood ducks; 3 pintail; 1 black duck; 2 redhead; 1 hooded merganser; 1 canvasback)
Possession Limit: Twice the daily bag (in total 12; varies by species)
COOT SEASON : Concurrent with duck season in the respective zones with a daily bag limit of 15 and possession limit of 30.
GOOSE SEASON
Blue, snow and Ross' geese : 107 days in the respective zones.
North Zone (split season) October 23-January 16
February 17-March 9
Swan Lake Zone (split season) October 23-January 16
February 17-March 9
Middle Zone (split season) October 30-November 3
November 28-March 9
Schell-Osage Zone (split season) October 30-November 3
November 28-March 9
South Zone (split season) November 13-November 17
November 28- March 9
White-fronted geese and brant : 70 days in the respective zones.
North Zone (split season) October 4-October 12
October 23-November 2
November 28-January 16
Swan Lake Zone (split season) October 23-October 26
November 28-January 16 (54 days)
Middle Zone (split season) October 30-November 3
November 28-January 31
Schell-Osage Zone (split season) October 30-November 3
November 28-January 31
South Zone (split season) November 13-November 17
November 28-January 31
Canada geese : 40 days in the Swan Lake Zone and Schell-Osage Zone;
70 days in the remainder of the state.
North Zone (split season) October 4-October 12
October 23-November 2
November 28-January 16 (70 days)
Swan Lake Zone (split season) October 23-October 26
November 28-January 2 (40 days)
(The quota eliminated in 1997; the daily limit of 10 shot shells for goose hunting retained.)
Middle Zone (split season) October 30-November 3
November 28-January 31 (70 days)
Schell-Osage Zone November 28-January 6
South Zone (split season) November 13-November 17
November 28-January 31 (70 days)
The limits for Blue, Snow and Ross' geese are 10 daily and 30 in possession, for Canada geese 2 daily (4 in possession), for brant 2 daily (4 in possession) and for white-fronted geese 2 daily (4 in possession).
FALCONRY SEASON FOR DUCKS, COOTS AND MERGANSERS - 107 days
Statewide (split season) September 13-September 21
October 6-January 11
The daily bag limit and possession limit should not exceed 3 and 6 birds respectively, singly or in the aggregate during both regular duck hunting season and extended falconry seasons.
The Commission approved regulations allowing fishing at Columbia Bottoms in
St. Louis under statewide regulations and prohibiting hunting there. The regulations also established closed hours at Columbia Bottoms from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. CST from April 1 though September 30, and 7:00 p.m. to 6 a.m. CST from October 1 through March 31, except for authorized fishing activities or as otherwise provided. These regulations will become effective after title to the area has been transferred to the MDC.
Land Acquisition
The Conservation Commission acquires land only from willing sellers, based on identified conservation needs and current property value appraisals. Payments in-lieu-of taxes are made annually to compensate local government and schools for lost revenues. Approval was given to the following:
· acceptance as a donation of approximately 207 acres in Douglas County from the estate of Richard Massengill as a new conservation area.
· acceptance as a donation of approximately 8 acres on the Warm Fork of Spring River in Oregon County from Dan and Maureen Cover, Thayer, as a new public access area named "George and Vida Martin Access," as a memorial to Mrs. Cover's parents.
Community Assistance Agreements
The Commission approved entering into a Community Assistance Program agreement with the City of St. Joseph, under which the Department would provide a cash reimbursement for development of additional parking at the Commission's French Bottoms Access on the Missouri River.
Presentations
Commission meetings are open to the public, and those wishing to be placed on the agenda for a presentation or other business must 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.
· A schematic design for the Discovery Center/office complex in Kauffman Legacy Park on Brush Creek in Kansas City by Berkebile, Nelson, Immenschuh, McDowell Architects Inc., Kansas City.
· Discussion by Russ Wright, Maysville, of deer and turkey hunting prohibitions for persons under age 11 who are not the children of landowners.
· Proposal by David A. Ucko of a funding request for the Natural Kansas City area of Science City at Union Station in Kansas City.
· Appeal by A. Daryl Traylor of Hunting Sports Plus Inc., Blue Springs, of denial of access to names and addresses of licensed hunters in the Department's point-of-sale database.
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