1. Nostalgia, Challenge Lure Muzzleloaders
2. Big River Lives Up to Its Name
3. MDC Initiative Tackles Deer Dogging Issue
4. Commission to Meet Dec. 15 in Jefferson City
"Ugliness is not the inevitable cost of modernity." -- Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas
1. Nostalgia, Challenge Lure Muzzleloaders
Taking a deer with a gun like Dan'l Boone might have owned isn't easy. But muzzleloading offers special benefits for those who adopt historic weapons "lock, stock and barrel."
JEFFERSON CITY -- Jim Keefe remembers the time when he finally managed to call a big wild turkey gobbler within range of his muzzle-loading shotgun. He took aim and pulled the trigger, which produced a shower of sparks and puff of smoke. The brief silence that followed was broken by the sound of startled turkeys fleeing.
As he watched his turkey dinner depart on foot, Keefe realized with dismay that the priming charge in his flintlock's flash-pan had failed to ignite the main charge. He had always known that "a flash in the pan" meant "a disappointment." But on that day the expression from pioneer days took on a new depth of meaning.
Keefe, who lives in Jefferson City, is one of 15,000 or so Missourians who have traded the sure efficiency of modern firearms for the colorful past. Their rifles and shotguns must be loaded from the front end. The black powder used in muzzle-loading firearms produces clouds of white smoke. But muzzleloading enthusiasts willingly accept the handicaps inherent in their sport. These historic firearms don't have as long a range as modern guns. They only fire once, and reloading takes time. And, of course, the hunter who fails to "keep his powder dry" can experience a misfire, forfeiting the opportunity to make a kill.
Nevertheless, black-powder hunters believe that what they give up in game-killing convenience they more than recoup in other ways. For Butch Hilkemeyer, Freeburg, part of the allure of muzzle-loading lies in getting a taste of what his pioneer forebears experienced. "I like getting out there and hunting like they did 150 years ago," he says.
A century and a half ago, hunters had to make their own hunting gear, and so does Hilkemeyer. He has made his own powder horn, knife, ball starter and capper. He wears hunting clothes made of wool instead of high-tech fabrics, and he fashioned his "capote" hunting coat out of a wool blanket the way mountain men did.
Butch's father, Norb, got him and his two brothers started in black-powder hunting 15 or 20 years ago, by buying each of them a .54-caliber percussion rifle for Christmas. "It was something new in this area back then," says Butch. "For a long time we just shot target with them. I first hunted deer with my muzzleloader eight or 10 years ago, before there was a special deer season for muzzleloaders."
Missouri's special muzzleloader deer season is another reward that hunters who use muzzle-loading firearms get in return for the handicaps they accept. They are allowed to hunt deer during the 11-day modern gun season, plus a nine-day muzzleloaders-only season in December. This year muzzleloader season runs from Dec. 2 through 10.
The opportunity to spend more time afield is a welcome bonus for Hilkemeyer, who was moving toward less technological hunting methods before he got a muzzleloader. "I went from a scoped .30-30 to iron sights looking for more of a challenge," he says. "Muzzleloading was just the next step. It's kind of hard to explain. I could take my Weatherby .270 and kill a deer at 400 yards. But with a muzzleloader, I have to be a better hunter. I have to be patient and get closer. And I just like being out there."
Not that hunting with muzzleloaders makes it impossible to kill game. Hilkemeyer has harvested five deer (including a six-point buck this year) and two elk with his Thompson-Center Renegade rifle. In 1994, Missourians took 3,312 deer with black-powder firearms.
Keefe, too, has harvested game with his hand-made rifles and shotguns. But his interest in muzzle-loading guns has taken him in a different direction. He got started in 1964, when he found a rusty old .45-caliber rifle barrel in a gun shop. It weighed 12.5 pounds without a stock and was stamped with the names "Noble & Little." He bought the barrel and later traced the names to two barrel makers who were active in Pittsburgh in the 1850s.
Not knowing there were companies that made parts for restoring historic weapons, Keefe haunted gun shops and antique stores until he found the hardware to rebuild the gun. He carved the stock from a walnut plank. Once finished, he used the gun to hunt groundhogs. "I think I actually killed two groundhogs," he says, "and I missed a hell of a lot of them."
That early exposure planted a seed of interest that took root in Keefe's mind. He studied the history of American gun making. Eventually, he became intrigued with the development of American gun design from heavy firearms with massive stocks to the slender, graceful rifles we now associate with the American frontier. Following that interest, he built replicas of guns representing steps in that transition. The guns that line his office wall comprise a sort of evolutionary catalog of early American firearms.
Keefe killed a couple of deer with guns he built. "After that," he says, "I had no further interest in hunting deer." His interest in turkey guns and hunting lasted longer. From 1961 to 1994 he built progressively bigger muzzleloading shotguns, hoping that more wallop would help him bag a gobbler. He still has yet to tag a bird, however.
In addition to 20-, 12- and 10-gauge "long-tom" turkey guns, Keefe has built squirrel rifles in .32, .36, .38 and .45 caliber and dozens of other muzzle-loading rifles as big as .62 caliber. For some, he used replica barrels and locks. (The lock is the spring-loaded hammer mechanism that detonates a percussion cap or, in the case of a flint-lock, strikes sparks to ignite the powder charge.) Other of Keefe's guns incorporated authentic, original hardware.
Although Keefe has sold or traded away some of the guns he has built, he doesn't make them for sale. "Mostly I build them to satisfy something in me," he says. "I want to make a gun with a certain kind of stock or for a particular kind of hunting. I kept track of how long it took me to build a gun one time. I had over 160 hours in that one. Even at minimum wage, you can't get your money out of that job."
Money isn't what Keefe is hunting. Like Hilkemeyer, he has his sights on something more rewarding than profit, meat or trophies. They are among the thousands of Missourians who are sold on muzzle-loading firearms, "lock, stock and barrel."
2. Big River Lives Up to Its Name
This eastern Missouri stream offers "Big" recreational opportunities for hunters, anglers, bird watchers, campers, history buffs and others who love the outdoors.
CALEDONIA, Mo. -- In 1720 when Philippe Francois Renault discovered the stream flowing just north of here he was so impressed with its beauty he named it Grande Riviere. As English influence replaced French, the translation of the stream's name resulted in somewhat of a misnomer - Big River.
Beauty can still be found along the stream, but Big River is not large in size. It is big on public lands and accessibility, however. As Big River descends from Council Bluffs Lake in the granite mountains of Iron County it flows past 10 Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) public fishing accesses and a number of traditionally used stream put-ins before it meets the Meramec River.
Big River provides more than stream recreation. There are enough public lands nearby to keep an outdoors person busy for a year's worth of weekends. St. Francois and Washington State Parks are operated by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and provide camping. MDC areas like Hughes Mountain Natural Area, and Young and Pea Ridge Conservation Areas (CAs) offer hunting opportunities. Nature study, miles of hiking trails, wildlife photography and birdwatching are available at all these areas.
With a lazy gradient of about two feet per mile, Big River is attractive to float fishers. Of course, the big draw for these anglers isn't the easy paddling - it's the great fishing. Smallmouth bass, catfish and goggle-eye are high on the list of favorite fish.
From Mammoth Road bridge to Brown's Ford bridge in Jefferson County, a special black-bass regulation limits anglers to one smallmouth, which must be at least 15-inches in length, in a daily limit of six black bass. On the other hand, there is no length limit on spotted (Kentucky) bass from Highway 21 bridge south of DeSoto to the stream's confluence with the Meramec. This combination of regulations provides a real "win-win" situation for those who can distinguish between the two black bass.
The open season for Big River black bass begins the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend and ends the last day of February. For information on identifying largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass or about fishing regulations write: Fisheries Division, Missouri Department of Conservation, P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180.
Bootleg Access is MDC's first stream site on Big River, and it provides more than just a place to launch a canoe. It's a favorite with hunters in August and September, when hickory nuts attract squirrels. The access is surrounded by over 300 acres of public land, and has a well-marked hiking trail.
Monsieur Renault was prospecting for mine sites when he discovered Big River. Across the St. Francois County line, mountains of mine tailings prove he was looking in the right place. Leadwood Access lies in the shadow of one of those tailing piles. This small tract is a good place to wade with light spinning gear or a fly rod. If you can deal with shallow riffles, you may find a float from Leadwood Access to St. Francois County's Bone Hole access productive.
Years of mining in this region have resulted in the erosion of lead tailings into the river. Predictably, the effect on fish has been disturbing. The Missouri Department of Health has issued advisories against eating carp, suckers and sunfish from the Big River in St. Francois and Jefferson counties due to high levels of lead contamination.
St. Francois State Park offers good public access downstream from the community of Bonne Terre. Steeped in history, this 2,735-acre park offers miles of hiking and equestrian trails through territory once frequented by civil war fighters and moonshiners. Coonville Creek Wild Area and Natural Area feature a high-quality Ozark stream in a wilderness setting. Of course, St. Francois State Park provides ample camping opportunity and access to Big River, which comprises 2.5 miles of its southern border. For more information on St. Francois State Park call 1-800-334-6946.
At 1,821 acres, Washington State Park is another favorite with hikers and campers. It also borders Big River, providing plenty of fishing, canoeing and swimming. Petroglyphs, or rock carvings, done by prehistoric Indians are unique features of the park, which also has open "glades" loaded with wildflowers. Call (314) 586-2995 for more details about Washington State Park.
Entering below Washington State Park is Mineral Fork Creek. During periods of ample water flow, floaters can get a taste of both Mineral Fork and Big River by putting in at MDC's Kingston Access on Washington County Road 317 (also known as Dug Out Road) and taking out at Mammoth Access on Big River.
Another attraction for hunters, hikers and nature watchers is Pea Ridge CA, consisting of several tracts totaling more than 8,300 acres along Highway 185 between Sullivan and Potosi.
MDC's Mammoth Access is west of De Soto off Highway H on Mammoth Road. It sports a concrete boat ramp and allows a fair amount of bank fishing. Mammoth Bridge is the upper boundary of the previously mentioned special smallmouth bass regulation area.
Highway H Bridge west of De Soto is the location of MDC's Merrill Horse Access. Merrill Horse has .5 mile of river frontage and a concrete boat ramp. No camping is allowed, and frogs may not be taken with a firearm. Otherwise statewide hunting regulations apply on this 74-acre tract.
Brown's Ford Access is 1.5-acres of MDC land between Highways WW and Y. Bank fishing is limited and there is no camping but there is a boat ramp. Brown's Ford Access is the lower end of the special smallmouth bass regulation area.
Between Cedar Hill and Hillsboro on Highway B is Valley View Glades Natural Area. This MDC property features a scenic dolomite glade with an abundance of wildflowers and provides hunting opportunities. Only shotguns and shotshells may be used at Valley View Glades.
Morse Mill, south of Highway EE on Morse Mill Road, is the first milldam river travelers will encounter. Caution is recommended for boaters dealing with this obstacle: any dam presents problems in low water, and high water can turn them into life threatening traps. There is a lot of bank fishing available and good canoe access below the dam. An entry fee is collected.
The next milldam encountered at Cedar Hill presents a more extreme situation. This relic of the past is a formidable obstruction that should be portaged by way of MDC's Cedar Hill Access on the left bank. Located between Highways B and BB south of Highway 30 on Cedar Hill Road, this MDC area has no boat ramp, but can provide good bank fishing in the spring and fall.
Continuing downstream, another portage (to the right) is required at Byrnesville milldam, which is privately owned. Again, at House Springs milldam, a left bank portage is necessary. Finally, at Byrnesmill floaters must contend with the last dam on Big River. Fortunately, Byrnesmill presents little difficulty except during low-flow periods.
House Springs Access is administered by Jefferson County. A boat ramp is available, but users must pay an entry fee. As with most milldam sites, fishing is good during the cooler months. Occasionally walleye are caught, but black bass and catfish provide consistent action.
This tributary of the Meramec ends its journey south of Eureka, where nearby Hilda Young CA offers 970 acres featuring a well-maintained, 2.5-mile hiking trail and over a mile of frontage on LaBarque Creek. Take Highway W off I-44 to Highway FF in northern Jefferson County.
Big River's opportunities and diversity transcend those of other streams. Ample public land within the watershed offers something for everyone, whether it's virtual solitude along upper reaches, or an urban atmosphere near the mouth; canoeing or tubing in the heat of summer, or trapping or hunting furbearers in December.
Big River is included in an annual event known as Operation Cleanstream. This effort is conducted by Stream Teams - citizen groups sponsored by the Missouri Conservation Federation and the Departments of Conservation and Natural Resources - who are dedicated to caring for the state's stream resources.
Another Stream Team project involves producing a video addressing lead pollution. Even the scars the stream bears provide an opportunity to learn, reclaim and heal. Perhaps "Big" River is an accurate translation after all.
3. MDC Initiative Tackles Deer Dogging Issue
Landowners and hound owners have some frictions, but they also have common interests. The Missouri Department of Conservation ishelping the two groups find common ground and forge partnerships.
JEFFERSON CITY -- They're known as "runnin' dogs" in the Ozarks. Bred for stamina and speed, they're used to hunt coyote, 'coon and fox in the rugged, forested hills of southern Missouri.
Conservation Agent Kevin Dixon spotted a "runnin' dog" on a blacktop road in Shannon County during the second day of deer season. The panting dog came to the agent's call and revealed a collar stained with blood and hair. That told Agent Dixon the dog had probably been involved in "deer dogging," the illegal use of dogs to hunt deer.
Deer doggers turn their hounds loose in the woods; when the hounds pick up a scent they give chase. The deer usually run in a wide circle; when the deer crosses a road, the deer dogger shoots it. Deer doggers usually work in teams, keeping in touch with each other by CB radios, and sometimes with their dogs by transmitters attached to collars. The "sport" becomes being at the right place in the road to pick off the deer when it crosses.
Deer dogging is a serious problem in the Ozarks. There is a short, limited season for deer dogging in Arkansas, but Missouri has never allowed the practice since modern deer seasons started in 1944. Most other states also outlaw deer dogging. Biologists say deer dogging activity in an area limits the size of the deer herd. A study conducted in the Ozarks in the early 1980s showed that dogs were responsible for 16 percent of fawn mortality.
Deer doggers are hard to catch and, in some counties, hard to prosecute, too. "In some counties, the agent has to see the deer dogger release his dogs, see the dogs pursue the deer, and see the deer dogger shoot the deer in order to get a conviction," said Dennis Steward, assistant chief of the Conservation Department's Protection Division.
To address law enforcement issues related to deer dogging and the associated problems of road hunting and free-running dogs, the Conservation Department developed the "Respect Landowners Initiative."
"The Conservation Department has received a growing number of complaints from landowners about dog-related problems on their property," says Conservation Department Director Jerry Presley. "Right now, landowners have little recourse when it comes to keeping free-running dogs from invading their property. 'The Respect Landowners Initiative' should provide some tools to fix this problem."
The Initiative is a three-pronged approach: 1.) Get citizens involved. 2.) Provide effective deterrence in the form of laws, regulations and enforcement and 3.) Make behavioral changes long-lasting through education.
To get citizen involvement, the Conservation Department is teaming up with the Missouri Farm Bureau and the Conservation Federation of Missouri to form an Advisory Council on Deer Dogging, Road Hunting and Free-Running Dogs. The Advisory Council will be made up of representatives from diverse groups, including hunters, landowners, farmers and legal and civic groups. It will hold its first meeting in early December.
You don't have to be part of the Advisory Council to take part in the Respect Landowners Initiative, though. Anyone with an interest in solving the problems of deer dogging, road hunting and free-running dogs may send comments to: Respect Landowners Initiative, Conservation Department, P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, 65102-0180.
4. Commission to Meet Dec. 15 in Jefferson City
JEFFERSON CITY -- The Missouri Conservation Commission will meet Dec. 15 at Missouri Department of Conservation Headquarters, 2901 W. Truman Blvd., Jefferson City. The Commission will meet in closed session at 8:30 a.m. The open meeting will begin at 10:15 a.m.
Commission meetings are open to the public. Anyone desiring to be placed on the agenda for a hearing or other business should write: Director, Missouri Department of Conservation, P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180, at least 10 days before the meeting date. Or, for information about Commission meetings, phone (314) 751-4115.
Persons with disabilities requiring special services or accommodations to attend the meeting can make arrangements at the same address or phone number.
Commissioners are: Anita B. Gorman, Kansas City, chairman; John Powell, Rolla, vice chairman; Ronald J. Stites, Plattsburg, secretary; and Randy Herzog, St. Joseph, member.
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