Conservation Department Southeast Regional Office, 2302 Country Park Drive, Cape Girardeau.
Commissioners present were: Cynthia Metcalfe, St. Louis, Chairman Anita B. Gorman, Kansas City, Vice-Chairman Lowell Mohler, Jefferson City, Secretary Stephen C. Bradford, Cape Girardeau, Member
The next meeting of the Conservation Commission was set for April 13 and 14 at Shaw Nature Reserve, Gray Summit.
PRESENTATION: 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 March 30.
The Commission received presentations from:
- Bill McConnell, Mike Stuart and Clay Thompson, Mansfield, Mo., expressing concerns about gigging on Missouri rivers.
- Private Land Services Field Program Supervisor Rex Martensen, Wildlife Damage Biologist Tom Meister and Wildlife Control Biologist Scott McWilliams about wildlife damage control;
- Resource Scientist Lonnie Hansen about the 2004 deer hunting season.
- Public Involvement Coordinator David Thorne about efforts to involve Missouri citizens in forest, fish and wildlife management decisions.
- Assistant to the Director Bob Ziehmer with an update on the current legislative session. Specific items of legislation discussed were SJR 3 (requiring a statewide vote on the continuation of the Conservation Sales Tax) and House Appropriation amendments (proposing to withhold $25 million of Conservation Sales Tax revenue from the Conservation Commission Fund).
ADMINISTRATION: The Commission took the following action:
- Approved the purchase an approximately 21-acre inholding in Dunklin County as an addition to Ben Cash Conservation Area (CA);
- Accepted two 1.6-acre parcels from the United States General Services Administration that have been declared surplus properties as additions to Grandfather Prairie CA in Pettis County and Schell-Osage CA in St. Clair and Vernon counties;
- Approved the purchase of 167 acres in Putnam and Sullivan counties as a new CA that includes 47 acres of prairie;
- Approved the purchase 104 acres in Vernon County, including an all-native prairie, as an addition to Bushwhacker Lake CA;
- Approved the disposal of the 2-acre Twin Rivers Access in Lincoln County on the Cuivre River.
- Approved a recommendation to name the recently acquired Sharp's Lake property in Pemiscot County Black Island CA.
- Suspended or revoked all hunting and fishing privileges of 85 Missouri residents who are not in compliance with applicable child support laws.
- Suspended or revoked all hunting privileges of one Missouri resident for 5 years for killing another person in a firearms-related hunting incident.
| Brian A. Eskridge | Gallatin | 1 year | all privileges |
| Jerry R. Grandstaff | Birch Tree | 1 year | all privileges |
| Clinton J. Landrigan | Bunker | 2 years | all privileges |
| James Piatt | Bunker | 5 years | all privileges |
| Christopher M. Sundquist | St. Robert | 1 year | all privileges |
| Kevin L. Todd | New London | 3 years | all privileges |
| Ernie L. Williams, Jr. | Essex | 3 years | all privileges |
| Andrew W. Wisdom | Bunker | 1 year | all privileges |
