The Conservation Commission met Aug. 4 and 5 at Conservation Department Headquarters, in Jefferson City.
Commissioners present were:
- William F. “Chip” McGeehan, Marshfield, Chairman
- Lowell Mohler, Jefferson City, Vice Chairman
- Don R. Johnson, Festus, Secretary
- Becky L. Plattner, Grand Pass, Member
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. 11.
The Commission heard presentations from:
Kelly Gillespie, co-chair of the Avian Conservation Alliance of the Americas, and Burroughs Audubon International Conservation chair regarding international migratory bird conservation and potential partnership opportunities. Fisheries Division Chief Bill Turner with an overview of division activities.
The Commission presented special awards and service awards. Honorees include:
Award of Excellence – Resource Scientist Lonnie Hansen, Outreach Programs Chief Eric Kurzejeski and Resource Science Center Chief Larry Vangilder, all of Columbia.
Midwest Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Biologist of the Year – Resource Scientist John Schulz, Columbia.
Service Awards:
35-Year – Accounting Assistant Debra Hillen, Jefferson City.
30-Year – Sign Shop Supervisor Dennis Case, Lecoma; Accounting Technician Janet Rademan, Centertown; Information Technology Specialist David Miller, Holts Summit; Heavy-Equipment Operator Edward Welch, Salem; Heavy-Equipment Operator Robert Stephens, Eolia; Assistant Hatchery Manager I Brent Filley, Hunnewell; Fisheries Regional Supervisor Mark Haas, Jackson; Resource Technician Gary Flockhart, Cole Camp; Urban Forester Helene Miller, Liberty; Resource Technician Alan Peck Anderson; Protection Regional Supervisor Kenneth Barncord, Grain Valley; Conservation Agent Terry Daughtrey, Jefferson City; Conservation Agent Michael Helland, Pacific; Conservation Agent William Bryant Ward, Shell Knob; Wildlife Management Biologist Kent Korthas, Sedalia; Wildlife Unit Chief David Urich, Centertown; Wildlife Regional Supervisor Harriett Weger, Jackson.
25-Year – Maintenance SupervisorWayne Bass, Odessa; Conservation Agent Brian Boyd, Bolivar; Conservation Agent Robin Brandenburg, Steelville; Lead Equipment Operator James Call, Jefferson City; Outdoor Skills Specialist Dennis Cooke, St. Louis; Forestry District Supervisor Clint Dalbom, Houston; Lead Carpenter Mark Davis, Van Buren; Wildlife Programs Supervisor Dennis Figg, Jefferson City; Network Services Supervisor James Garr, Columbia; Mail Services Assistant Michael Grellner, Linn; Information Technology Specialist Thomas Hamilton, Versailles; Lead Equipment Operator Gordon Howell, Summersville; Wildlife Regional Supervisor Micheal Jones, Kirksville; Resource Technician Kirby Miller, Lone Jack; Resource Forester Lorren Leatherman, Albany; Protection District Supervisor Daniel Love, Chilhowee; Conservation Agent Patrick Masek, Jefferson City; Protection District Supervisor Steven Moore, Cape Girardeau; Protection District Supervisor David Jeff Purcell, Brookfield; Conservation Education Consultant Barbara Sandhagen, Ballwin; Grounds Supervisor Douglas Starke, Bonnots Mill; Conservation Agent Paul Veatch, Thayer; Survey Crew Supervisor Gary Voss, Jefferson City; Protection Regional Supervisor Kenneth West, Jackson; Protection Regional Supervisor Roger Wolken, Savannah; Information Technology Chief Douglas Young, Jefferson City.
REGULATIONS:
The Commission accepted the report of the Regulations Committee and approved recommendations for 2008-2009 waterfowl hunting seasons and related changes to the 2009 Wildlife Code of Missouri.
Waterfowl hunting season dates are:
Regular Duck Season:
- North Zone, Oct. 25-Dec. 23
- Middle Zone, Nov. 1-Dec. 30
- South Zone, Nov. 27-Jan. 25
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 2 females)
- Black ducks, 1
- Mottled ducks, 3 (new this year)
- Pintails, 1
- Scaup, 1 (new)
- Wood ducks, 3 (increased from 2 last year)
- Redheads, 2
- Hooded mergansers, 2
- Other species may be taken in any number up to the daily bag limit of six ducks total.
- The season for canvasbacks is closed. (new)
Possession Limit: Twice the daily bag (12 total, varies by species).
Youth Duck Hunt
- North Zone Oct. 18-19
- Middle Zone, Oct. 25-26
- South Zone, Nov. 22-23
Bag Limits: Bag limits for ducks and geese are the same as during the regular waterfowl season (including two Canada geese daily and four in possession).
Coot Season: Concurrent with duck seasons in the respective zones with a daily bag limit of 15 and a possession limit of 30.
Canada geese & brant:
- Statewide, Sept. 27-Oct. 5
- Nov. 22-Jan. 30
White-fronted geese
- Statewide, Nov. 22-Jan. 30
Blue, snow & Ross's geese
- Statewide, Oct. 25-Jan. 30
Bag limits include:
- Twenty blue, snow or Ross's geese daily (no possession limit)
- One brant daily (two in possession)
- Two white-fronted geese daily (four in possession)
- Three Canada geese daily (six in possession) Sept. 27-Oct. 5 and two
- Canada geese daily (four in possession) thereafter.
Falconry season for ducks, coots and mergansers: Falconry is open during the teal and regular gun duck season, including the youth season in the respective zones. Federal hunting regulations, including seasons and hunting hours, apply to falconry. Regular season bag and possession limits do not apply to falconry. The falconry bag limit is not in addition to gun limits. In addition to the regular falconry season, the Conservation Commission approved extended falconry days of Feb. 10 through March 10, 2009 statewide.
Bag limits: three birds daily and six in possession.
LIGHT GOOSE CONSERVATION ORDER: People must only possess a valid migratory bird permit to take blue, snow and Ross’s geese from Jan. 31 through April 30, 2009. Methods for the taking of blue, snow and Ross’s geese during the Conservation Order include shotguns capable of holding more than three shells, and with the use or aid of recorded or electrically amplified bird calls or sounds or imitations of bird calls or sounds. Hunters may shoot from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. A daily bag limit will not be in effect during the Conservation Order.
The Commission set teal season dates and bag limits earlier this summer. That season will run from Sept. 6 through 21statewide. The daily limit is four blue-winged and green-winged teal in the aggregate, with a possession limit of eight. Shooting hours are from sunrise to sunset.
ADMINISTRATION
The Commission also approved:
- Entering into a contract with Cannon General Contractors, Inc., Troy, for the construction of the Larry R. Gale Access Parking Expansion Project on the Lake of the Ozarks in Camden County, at a total estimated cost of $261,260. The project includes the construction of a new additional concrete parking area with striped parking spaces for thirty vehicles and boat trailers.
- Selling an estimated 2.5 million board feet of timber located on 580 acres of Compartment 11, Current River Conservation Area (CA) in Reynolds County.
- Incorporating four smaller, previously designated natural areas – Regal Prairie, Hunkah Prairie, Tzi-Sho Prairie, and East Drywood Creek Natural Area – into one large landscape-scale prairie natural area to be named Regal Tallgrass Prairie Natural Area at Prairie State Park in Barton County.
- Accepting the donation of approximately 180 acres in Washington County as an addition to Pea Ridge CA in Washington County
- Exchanging 3.3 acres, more or less, of Daniel Boone Conservation Area in Warren County, for 6.6 acres, more or less, of land in Warren County.
- Consolidating Black Island, Desoto, Gayoso Bend and Wolfe Bayou CAs into a single entity to be known as Black Island CA in Pemiscot County, naming one management unit within the CA for Conservation Commissioner Emeritus Stephen C. Bradford, and naming three additional units within the CA as the Desoto, Gayoso Bend and Wolfe Bayou Units.
- Consolidating Duck Creek and Dark Cypress Swamp CAs into a single entity to be known as Duck Creek CA in Bollinger, Stoddard and Wayne counties, and naming two management units within the CA as the Dark Cypress Swamp Unit and the Greenbrier Unit of Duck Creek CA.
- Suspending hunting and/or fishing privileges of 20 people for Wildlife
Code violations. Those whose privileges were suspended are:
Albert, Larry D. Holts Summit All sport 1 year Albertson, John M. Richland All sport 1 year Cardwell, Casey L. Jackson All sport 2 years Engelhard, Robert M. Marceline All sport Additional 2 years Fishbeck, Jeremy L. Wapappello All sport 1 year Goodman, Donald E. Green Ridge All sport 1 year Heming, Donald J. Hamburg, IA All sport 1 year Henson, Lucas, J. Bixby All sport 1 year Hodge, Todd A. Salem All sport 3 years Houston, Jesse L. Moberly All sport 3 years Jackson, Frankie L. Cape Girardeau All sport 2 years Jobson, Jeremy C. Bucklin All sport Additional 7 ½ years Johnson, Adam D. Waynesville All sport 1 year Jones, Robert L., Jr. Elsberry All sport 1 year Merchant, Shane Macks Creek Hunting and, trapping only 3 months Norton, Randy D. Memphis All sport 1 year Shepard, Joey Laquey All sport Additional 4 years Silva, Daniel P. Ellington All sport 1 year Welker, Brian M. Doniphan All sport. 3 years Williams, Michael W. Walker All sport 1 year - Suspending or revoking all hunting and fishing privileges of 235 Missouri residents and two nonresident who are not in compliance with applicable child support laws.
- Suspending hunting and fishing privileges of 75 people under the provisions of the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact.
- Set the next Conservation Commission meeting for Sept. 25 and 26 at Three Rivers Community College, Poplar Bluff. - end -
