The Conservation Commission met at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center, Kansas City. Commissioners present were:
- Cynthia Metcalfe, St. Louis, Chairman
- Anita B. Gorman, Kansas City, Vice-Chairman
- Stephen C. Bradford, Cape Girardeau, Member
The next meeting of the Conservation Commission was set for Oct. 7 in Maryville, Mo.
PRESENTATIONS:
Commission meetings are open to the public. Those wishing to be placed on the agenda for a presentation or other business must send a written request to Director, Department of Conservation, P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180, or FAX 573/751-4467, at least 10 working days before the meeting date. The deadline for the next meeting is Sept. 23.
The Commission heard the following presentation:
--Randy Wisthoff, President, CEO & Director, Kansas City Zoo, presented an opportunity to help fund the zoo entry project.
The Commission presented Volunteer Service Awards to Jim Hawes and Jerry Montgomery for 2,000 hours of volunteer service at Burr Oak Woods Conservation Nature Center, Blue Springs.
REGULATIONS:
The Commission approved 2004-2005 waterfowl hunting regulations recommended by the Regulations Committee. Highlights include:
| Season | Zone | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Youth Duck hunt | North Zone | Oct. 23-24 |
| Middle Zone | Oct. 30-31 | |
| South Zone | Nov. 20-21 | |
| Duck Season | North Zone | Oct. 30-Dec. 28 (Oct. 30-Nov. 28 for pintails & canvasbacks) |
| Middle Zone | Nov. 6-Jan. 4 (Nov. 6-Dec. 5 for pintails & canvasbacks) | |
| South Zone | Nov. 26-Jan. 24 (Nov. 26-Dec. 25 for pintails & canvasbacks | |
| Canada Geese & Brant | North Zone | Sept. 25-Oct. 11 |
| Oct. 30-Nov. 28 | ||
| Dec. 26-Jan. 24 | ||
| Middle Zone (Except Southeast Zone) | Sept. 25-Oct. 14 | |
| Nov. 6-Nov. 30 | ||
| Jan. 1-30 | ||
| Southeast & South zones | Oct. 2-12 | |
| Nov. 26-Jan. 30 | ||
| White-fronted geese | North Zone | Oct. 30-Jan. 23 |
| Middle Zone (Except Southeast Zone) | Nov. 6-Jan. 30 | |
| Southeast & South zones | Nov. 6-Jan. 30 | |
| Blue, Snow & Ross's Geese | North Zone | Oct. 30-Jan. 24 |
| Middle | Nov. 6-Jan. 30 | |
| Southeast & South zones | Nov. 6-Jan. 30 |
The Swan Lake Zone has been eliminated this year. North Zone regulations now apply in this area.
Shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. The daily limit on ducks is six, including no more than:
- Mallards, 4 (no more than two hens)
- Scaup, 3
- Redheads, 2
- Wood Ducks, 2
- Black Ducks, 1
- Hooded Mergansers, 1
- Pintails (during the prescribed season), 1
- Canvasbacks (during the prescribed season), 1
- Other species may be taken in any number up to the daily bag limit of six ducks total.
The daily bag and possession limits include no more than 20 blue, snow or Ross's geese daily (no possession limit) and one brant daily and two white-fronted geese.
In the North Zone, the bag limit is three Canada geese Sept. 25-Oct. 11, two Canada geese daily Oct. 30-Nov. 28 and one Canada goose per day Dec. 26-Jan. 24.
In the Middle Zone, the bag limit is three Canada geese daily Sept. 25-Oct. 14, two Canada geese daily Nov. 6-30 and one Canada goose per day Jan. 1-30.
In the South and Southeast zones, the daily bag limit is three Canada geese per day Oct. 2-12 and two Canada geese per day thereafter.
The possession limit for ducks and geese is twice the daily limit. The daily and possession limits on coots are 15 and 30, respectively.
Falconry season dates are:
| Zone | Dates |
|---|---|
| North Zone | Sept. 11-19 |
| Sept. 25-Dec. 28 | |
| Middle Zone | Sept. 11-19 |
| Sept. 29-Jan. 4 | |
| South Zone | Sept. 11-19 |
| Oct. 19-Jan. 24 |
The daily bag and possession limits for falconry are three and six birds
The Conservation Order for light geese will be in effect from Jan. 25-April 30, 2005, in the North Zone and from Jan. 31-April 30, 2005, in the Middle, South and Southeast zones. During the conservation order, hunters may use electronic calls, unplugged shotguns and shoot from one-half hour before sunrise until one-half hour after sunset with no daily or possession limit.
The Commission set teal season dates and bag limits earlier this summer. That season will run from Sept. 11 through 19 statewide. The daily limit is four, with a possession limit of eight. Shooting hours are from sunrise to sunset.
The Commission also approved changes in hunting and fishing regulations. These included the following items:
- Lowering the daily limit on trout in streams from five to four.
- Changes in other trout fishing regulations in some streams
- Prohibiting the release of transgenic fish or wildlife into the wild without written authorization.
- Restricted the species and number of amphibians that may be taken and used as bait.
- Allowing the use of bullfrogs and green frogs as bait.
- Requiring new hound running areas to be at least 40 acres.
- Clarifying that animal health, identification standards and movement of deer at breeders and big-game hunting preserves must meet all state and federal standards.
- Increasing chronic wasting disease testing standards for Class 1 breeders and big-game hunting preserves with a status of less than three years.
Details of these and other regulation changes will be published in the 2005 Missouri Wildlife Code as well as plain-language hunting and fishing regulation guides before the start of the new permit year March 1, 2005. These publications are available at Conservation Department offices or wherever hunting and fishing permits are sold.
ADMINISTRATION:
The Commission also took the following action:
- Authorized entering into a contract with Kissick Construction Company, Inc., of Kansas City, the low bidder for construction of the Blind Pony Lake Water Distribution System Upgrade Project in Saline County.
- Approved the purchase 225 acres in Howard County as an addition to Diana Bend Conservation Area.
- Approved implementation of hatchery improvements to cold-water hatcheries.
- Approved guidelines for audio- and video-taping Conservation Commission meetings.
- Suspended or revoked hunting and/or fishing privileges of 17 Missouri residents for Wildlife Code violations. Those whose privileges were suspended are:
- Approved the suspension or revocation of all hunting and fishing privileges of 76 Missouri residents who are not in compliance with applicable child support laws.
- Suspended or revoked Missouri hunting and fishing privileges of three Missouri residents and 171 nonresidents in accordance with the terms of the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact.
| Name | Location | Penalty Length | Privileges |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gary D. Bender | Green Castle | 3 years | All privileges |
| John T. Gardner | DeSoto | 1 year | All privileges |
| Danny T. Harris, Jr. | New London | 1 year | All privileges |
| Kerry A. Harvey | Atlanta | 10 years | All privileges |
| Alex Hayes | Higbee | 2 years | All privileges |
| Stephen G. Hayes | Higbee | until 2/2/07 | All privileges |
| Daniel W. Hayes | Mexico | 2 years | All privileges |
| Landon R. Lee | Wentworth | 3 years | All privileges |
| Billy J. Lusher | Green Castle | 3 years | All privileges |
| Roy L. McCoy | Windsor | 1 year | All privileges |
| Jordan J. Moore | Perryville | 6 years | All privileges |
| Shamus P. Obrien | Kingston | 1 year | All privileges |
| Herbert L. Owens | Urbana | 1 year | Hunting/Trapping |
| Keven L. Rogers | Higbee | 1 year | All privileges |
| Randall L. Sercu | Fayette | 10 years | All privileges |
| Justin L. Vaughn | Osceola | 4 years | All privileges |
| Benjamin A. Wood | Clarence | 3 years | All privileges |
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