The Conservation Commission met at the Jerry J. Presley Conservation Education Center, Salem. Commissioners present were:
Stephen C. Bradford, Cape Girardeau, Chairman
Cynthia Metcalfe, St. Louis, Vice-Chairman
Anita B. Gorman, Kansas City, Secretary
Lowell Mohler, Jefferson City, Member
APRIL 25
STRATEGIC WORK SESSION
The Commission held a strategic work session at 1 p.m. for planning and long-range budgeting.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
The Commission met in closed session at 3:30 p.m.
APRIL 26
The Commission met in open session at 10 a.m. Commission meetings are open to the public. Those wishing to be placed on the agenda for presentations or other business must send a written request to Director, Department of Conservation, P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180, FAX 573/751-4467, at least 10 working days before the meeting date. The deadline for the next meeting is May 18.
PRESENTATIONS
The Commission heard presentations by:
- Daniel Hellmuth, Hellmuth+Bickness, St. Louis, concerning building renovations at the Jerry J. Presley Conservation Education Center.
- Jack Peters, Running River Canoe Rental, Salem, concerning building renovations at the Jerry J. Presley Conservation Education Center.
- 152nd Distr. State Rep. J.C. Kuessner, concerning building renovations at the Jerry J. Presley Conservation Education Center.
- Sara Rundle, Tunas, concerning access into Lead Mine Conservation Area and Jake's Creek Trail.
- The Commission presented special achievement awards to Lonnie Hansen and Eric Kurzejeski for promoting citizen involvement in a pilot deer management program.
- The Commission also presented Volunteer Service Awards to Ruby Ball and Sandy Corby for 2,000 hours of volunteer service at the Springfield Conservation Nature Center.
REGULATIONS
The Commission approved the following deer season dates and regulations, recommended by Regulations Committee.
- Archery Deer Season - Sept. 15-Nov. 12 and Nov. 24-Jan. 15 statewide
- Urban Portion of Firearms Deer Season - Oct. 8-11in Boone, Cass, Christian, Clay, Cole, Greene, Jackson, Platte, St. Charles, St. Louis and Webster counties.
- Youth Portion of Firearms Deer Season - Nov. 6 &7 statewide
- November Portion of Firearms Deer Season - Nov. 13-23 statewide
- Muzzleloader Portion of Firearms Deer Season - Nov. 26-Dec. 5 statewide
- Antlerless Only Portion of Firearms Deer Season - Dec. 11-19 in 74 counties
- Approved a pilot program to test a deer management strategy in 29 counties in central and northwest Missouri. The goal is increasing doe harvest and increasing the average age of bucks. In the pilot area, bucks can be taken only if they have antlers with at least four points one inch or longer on one side. The antler restriction will not apply during the Youth Portion of Firearms Deer Season. Counties included in the pilot area are Adair, Andrew, Atchison, Boone, Chariton, Cole, Daviess, DeKalb, Franklin, Gasconade, Gentry, Grundy, Harrison, Holt, Howard, Linn, Livingston, Macon, Maries, Mercer, Miller, Nodaway, Osage, Pulaski, Putnam, Randolph, Schuyler, Sullivan and Worth.
- Raised the permit vendor fee at Missouri's four trout parks from 2 percent to 3 percent of sales, contingent on agreement to accept credit card payment for permits.
- Approved reissuing no-cost, equivalent permit privileges to military personnel who bought hunting, fishing or trapping permits on or after Jan. 1, 2002, but were unable to fully exercise the privileges purchased, due to mobilization or deployment outside Missouri.
- Approved an incentive program to encourage citizens to buy firearms deer hunting permits early to reduce the potential for long lines at permit vendors the day before the opening of the November Portion of Firearms Deer Season.
OTHER ACTION
The Commission took the following action based on staff reports and recommendations:
- Approved entering into a contract with Kraus-Anderson Construction Company, Lenexa, Kansas, the low bidder for interior renovation of Burr Oak Woods Conservation Nature Center in Jackson County.
- Approved the purchase of a 40-acre inholding as an addition to Forest 44 Conservation Area (CA) in St. Louis County
- Approved the purchase of a 40-acre inholding as an addition to Pony Express CA in DeKalb County.
- Approved the purchase of a .4-acre inholding as an addition to Dalton Bottom Access in Chariton County.
- Accepted the donation of approximately 114 acres in Newton County.
- Approved the sale of:
- 827,126 board feet of timber on 555 acres of Sunklands CA in Shannon County,
- 886,736 board feet of timber on 262 acres of Logan Creek CA in Reynolds County,
- 915,366 board feet of timber on 203 acres of Current River CA in Reynolds County
- 1,576,976 board feet of timber on 728 acres of Angeline Conservation Area in Shannon County.
- Approved a new policy in the Conservation Department's "Area and Resource Management Policies and Procedures" manual regarding concealed weapon possession.
- Suspended or revoked hunting and/or fishing privileges of three Missouri residents for Wildlife Code violations. Those whose privileges were suspended are:
Name Location Privileges Penalty Length Shauna A. Cunningham Wentworth hunting & fishing until 11/24/05 Eric B. Elsbury Madison hunting until 4/8/06 Jeffery M. O'Bannon Madison hunting until 6/11/05 - Approved the suspension or revocation of all hunting and fishing privileges of 67 Missouri residents who are not in compliance with applicable child support laws.
- Suspended or revoked Missouri hunting and fishing privileges of six Missouri residents and 352 nonresidents in accordance with the terms of the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact.
- Set the next Conservation Commission meeting June 2 and 3 at Conservation Department Headquarters, 2901 W. Truman Blvd., Jefferson City.
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