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1. Fishing Prospectus Has Inside Info. for Anglers
2. 1996 Deer & Fall Turkey Harvests Down
3. Conservation Nature Centers Offer Holiday Programs
4. Waterfowl Hunt Reservation System in Its Last Year
5. Outdoor Calendar
"At the time of the 1937 survey, Missouri's wildlife resource was at rock-bottom, due to a 100-year history of abuse." -- Werner O. Nagel, Conservation Contrasts
1. Fishing Prospectus Has Inside Info. for Anglers
Wouldn't it be great if you could learn what fisheries biologists with the Missouri Department ofConservation know about the state's best fishing? You can, in the 1997 Fishing Prospects Report.
JEFFERSON CITY -- Need a few good tips on the best places to pursue your favorite fish in Missouri? Then check out the 1997 Fishing Prospects report from the Missouri Department of Conservation. It has detailed information on prospects for fishing success at 22 streams and 58 lakes across the state.
The report includes the most up-to-date information on the sizes and species of fish you can expect to find on the selected streams and lakes, as well as tips on gear and methods that are likely to lead to a successful fishing venture. The prospects are based on recently conducted fish population sampling by fisheries management biologists with the MDC.
The report is a great source for information on fishing regulations, where you're likely to catch big fish, fishing facilities for persons with disabilities and telephone numbers to call for more information about particular fishing areas.
"We're trying to provide everything we know about fish in this publication, so that anglers have the best chance to enjoy fishing and be successful at it", says Cindy Borgwordt, MDC fisheries information specialist.
Copies of the 1997 Fishing Prospects will be available beginning in December from MDC offices and fishing permit vendors who request copies for distribution. To receive free copies by mail, write to: Missouri Department of Conservation, "Fishing Prospects," P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102 0180.
2. 1996 Deer & Fall Turkey Harvests Down
Wind, rain and sleet discouraged Show-me State deer hunters, holding down the kill during the 11-day firearms deer season. Fewer fall turkey hunters meant a smaller turkey harvest.
JEFFERSON CITY -- Missouri hunters killed 6,302 fewer deer during this year's firearms deer season and 542 fewer turkeys during the fall turkey season than in 1995, according to figures from the Missouri Department of Conservation.
Deer hunters checked 180,395 deer during the statewide firearms deer season Nov. 16 through 26. Last year's record-setting harvest for the 11 day November season was 186,697. The MDC recorded 11 deer-hunting accidents -- none fatal -- during the firearms deer season.
MDC Wildlife Research Biologist Lonnie Hansen attributed the dip in the state's firearms deer harvest to weather that kept hunters in front of fireplaces and televisions rather than in the woods.
"We never got awful weather conditions, but we never had good conditions for deer hunting like we did the previous year," said Hansen, who oversees the state's deer management program. "If we'd had the weather we had during the 1995 season, we probably would have shot quite a few more deer, because we had a lot more opportunity with 50,000 more bonus permits. On balance, though, I'm pleased. With the weather we had during firearms deer season, I thought it would be down a little more than it actually was."
Hansen noted that this year's deer hunting season includes two days in January, when hunters with unused bonus permits for management units in northern Missouri will be able to use guns to take antlerless deer only. "With the Jan. 4 and 5 extension in the north, we could see the total harvest end up greater than it was in '95," he said, "but it's hard to predict just how many deer we'll take then."
The state's top three deer harvest counties were Macon (4,122), Howell (3,805) and Boone (3,661). As usual, North-central Missouri led regional harvest totals with 32,576 deer checked. Other regional totals were: Northeast, 31,300; Northwest, 24,363; West-central, 22,927; Ozark, 20,217; Central, 16,415; East-central, 15,202; Southeast, 9,040; and Southwest, 8,355.
The fall turkey harvest was 13,144, down from 13,686 last year. Leading counties were DeKalb (490), Adair (473) and Macon (466). North-central Missouri led regional totals with 2,887, followed by the Northwest (2,044), West-central (1,730), Northeast (1,717), Central (1,488), East-central (1,114), Ozark (1,089), Southeast (701) and Southwest (374) regions.
Larry Vangilder, the MDC wildlife research biologist in charge of turkey management, says the lower turkey harvest reflects decreased participation in fall turkey hunters.
"When hunters don't see many turkeys, they tend not to buy permits and hunt in the fall. We actually had a better turkey hatch last spring than we did in 1995, but there was a big mast crop in northern Missouri, so the birds were in the woods, and they were not as visible. We sold fewer fall turkey permits, so naturally the harvest was down."
The good news was that MDC recorded no accidents during the fall turkey hunting season. That is a first in the season's 19-year history. The 11 non fatal deer hunting accidents reported during this year's deer season is about average. However, it is well above last year's record-tying season low of seven non-fatal accidents and no fatalities. Most of this year's deer hunting accidents either were self-inflicted or happened before or after the victims' actual deer hunts.
MDC deer hunting accident statistics include only mishaps directly connected with hunting. That is why this year's figures include no fatalities, even though a Maryland Heights man died Nov. 9 after being struck by a bullet from a deer rifle. The shooter was firing at cans in a wooded area for target practice before deer season.
The MDC maintains shooting ranges at conservation areas around the state where Missourians can sight in deer rifles and practice shooting skills safely.
3. Conservation Nature Centers Offer
Holiday Programs Conservation Nature Centers in Springfield, Kansas City and St. Louis have some great ideas for natural family fun -- indoors and outdoors -- during the holiday season.
JEFFERSON CITY -- Let the Missouri Department of Conservation add to your holiday festivities with special activities at conservation nature centers in Jefferson City, Kansas City, Springfield and St. Louis. Nature game shows, animal tracking and conservation videos are just a few of the activities that will entertain and teach you about Missouri s great outdoors in December.
Runge Conservation Nature Center in Jefferson City will offer its annual "Holiday Array" Dec. 26-28. Nature hikes start off each day s activities at 10 a.m. followed by nature crafts sessions and nature games. Special guest performers also will be on hand at 2 p.m. each day giving demonstrations or discussing plants and animals. Dec. 26 enjoy a performance by The Graces, a Columbia singing and dancing family group. MDC Education Consultant Mike Fraser will play the fiddle and discuss the native woods, culture and heritage of the Scots-Irish people Dec. 27. Birds will be the topic of interest Dec. 28. Participants in the nature crafts will make bird feeders, and renowned nature film maker Glen Chambers will host a live eagle show.
Holiday Array programs are free and require no reservations. Children must be accompanied by adults. To learn more about holiday programs at Runge CNC, call (573) 526-5544.
If you re in Southwest Missouri during the holiday season, you ll find many programs that the whole family will enjoy at the Springfield CNC. Conservation videos will be featured Dec. 26, 27 and 31. Also on those days the nature center staff will spin a half hour of "Toddler Tales" for tots at 10 and 11 a.m. and you can increase your knowledge, win prizes and have family fun in the "Nature Game Show."
Springfield CNC's holiday programing Dec. 27 includes a winter bird walk on the area's trails. Rounding out the day's programs will be a 7-9 p.m. "owl prowl." Participants will get to see live owls indoors and then venture onto hiking trails in hopes of glimpsing or hearing Missouri's nocturnal birds of prey in the wild.
Some of the Springfield CNC's holiday programs require reservations. To save your place or receive more information about programs, call (417) 888-4237.
Powder Valley CNC in Kirkwood will offer holiday hikes for kids aged 11 and older at 11 a.m. Dec. 27. Children ages 7-12 can enjoy the Animal Tracking program Dec. 29 at 1 and 3:30 p.m.. They will learn how to identify animal tracks left in the mud. A Sunday Morning Nature Hike is scheduled for Dec. 28. For more information on programs at Powder Valley CNC, or to make reservations, call (314) 821-8427.
Burr Oak Wood CNC in Blue Springs will offer a bird hike for children ages 10 and up. Youngsters should bring binoculars, bird field guides and warm clothing to learn all about this popular activity. Holiday crafts for kids 5 years old and up will be offered Dec. 12 and 14. Children will make and wrap nature gifts for their families while mom and dad watch movies in the auditorium. Treat the family to an afternoon at the movies Dec. 29. An array of nature films will be shown from 1 to 4 p.m. Details about film titles and other programs are available by calling (816) 228-3766.
4. Waterfowl Hunt Reservation System in Its Last Year
With duck and goose numbers soaring and an abundance of public areas to hunt them, having a guaranteed place to hunt no longer is the most important factor in hunting success.
JEFFERSON CITY -- A system that has been used to divide the waterfowl hunting pie at conservation areas for 50 years is on its way out. Next year it will be gone entirely. The reason: An abundance of public wetland areas and surging waterfowl populations that have made the system of waterfowl hunting reservations obsolete.
Until 1994, waterfowl hunters who wanted to hunt at the Missouri Department of Conservation's biggest, most popular wetland areas had to apply for reservations the preceding summer. Those lucky enough to be chosen in a random drawing were guaranteed a hunt on a given date. Those not drawn could just show up and take a chance of picking up the reservation of a no-show.
But the MDC has been phasing out that arrangement, according to MDC Wildlife Division Assistant Chief Dave Erickson, because circumstances have changed.
"The whole purpose of the reservation system was to allocate a scarce resource fairly among those who wanted to use it," says Erickson. "That resource isn't as scarce as it once was, so we're changing the way we allocate opportunities to give hunters more flexibility in when, where and how they hunt."
Erickson notes that in 1947, the MDC had only one large, intensively managed wetland area where hunters could enjoy duck and goose hunting. That area was Fountain Grove Conservation Area in Linn and Chariton counties.
"Hunting was one reason for developing Fountain Grove," says Erickson. "But the primary goal there and at other wetland areas is to provide habitat that waterfowl need during their annual migrations between areas where they nest in the summer and where they spend the winter."
Like all of North America, Missouri lost a huge amount of wetlands during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In Missouri, the loss amounted to more than 90 percent of the state's original wetland acreage. Those wetlands once supported hundreds of millions of ducks, geese and other waterfowl. When a long-term drought struck the continent's midsection, in the 1980s, remaining wetlands dried up and waterfowl numbers plummeted.
Missouri, along with other state and provincial governments, federal agencies and hunters' organizations like Ducks Unlimited responded by creating or restoring millions of acres of wetland from Canada to Mexico. Wetland areas developed in Missouri included Duck Creek, Schell Osage, Ted Shanks, Montrose, Bob Brown, Grand Pass, Otter Slough, Ten Mile Pond, Marais Temps Clair, Four Rivers, Coon Island and Eagle Bluffs CAs. Many smaller wetland sites also were restored. Much of the funding for this work came from the one-eighth of one-percent sales tax administered by the MDC. Other support came from the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, Ducks Unlimited and other partners.
As these and hundreds of other wetland areas north and south of Missouri came into being, waterfowl began to recover. With the end of the drought, duck numbers rebounded rapidly.
"In recent years, we've found that the increased number of hunting areas and better duck populations have eased competition for hunting spots," says Erickson. "At some of our areas, less than half the people who had reservations bothered to use them. Having reservations just wasn't that critical to finding a good place to hunt. Outside of opening day and holidays, the number of hunters at these areas depended mostly on how many ducks were there and hunter success, not on the number of blinds available. Only occasionally are hunters turned away for lack of space."
In response, the MDC has quit taking reservations for waterfowl hunting blinds at five of eight areas. Only Duck Creek, Ted Shanks and Swan Lake have reservation systems now. At areas where reservations have been discontinued, hunters simply come to the office at their desired hunting area early the morning of the hunt and take part in drawings for available hunting spots. If the number of hunters exceeds the area's capacity, those who are not drawn can wait until other hunters leave their spots and then fill those hunting sites as they open up.
Erickson says this new system will be in effect at all public waterfowl hunting areas administered by the MDC next year.
"With the new system, there are occasionally times when we can't accommodate all those who want to hunt," says Erickson, "but it also means that hunters don't have to plan their hunts months in advance. It reduces the loss of hunting opportunity that we used to experience when people decided not to use their reservations or just couldn't make it to a hunt for which they were drawn.
"The best advice for hunters coming to state-managed areas under the new system is to come prepared to take advantage of other hunting or recreational opportunities in the area. Most of these areas are close to other conservation areas that provide a variety of hunting opportunities, including waterfowl hunting."
Many conservation areas offer waterfowl hunting without the need to take part in drawings. These and other areas are listed in the MDC publication, "Missouri Wetlands," an excellent reference for waterfowl hunters. It lists recreational opportunities and services available statewide. For a free copy, contact an MDC regional service center or write to: Missouri Department of Conservation, Wildlife Division, P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102 0180.
HUNTING
Bag Limit
Opens Closes (Daily-Possession)
Bullfrogs 6/30/97 10/31/97 8-16 (See Wildlife Code)
Common Snipe*+ 9/ 1/96 12/16/96 8-16
Coyotes 5/ 6/96 3/31/97 Some restrictions during
deer season. (See Wildlife Code)
Crows 11/ 1/96 3/ 3/97 No Limit
Deer/Turkey (Archery) 10/ 1/96 11/15/96 See Regulations, available mid-July
11/27/96 1/15/97 See Regulations, available mid-July
Deer (Firearms) 11/16/96 11/26/96 See Regulations, available mid-July
Deer (Muzzleloader) 11/16/96 11/26/96 See Regulations, available mid-July
12/ 7/96 12/15/96 See Regulations, available mid-July
Deer 1/ 4/97 1/ 5/97 Open only to hunters with unfilled
(Firearms & Muzzleloader Any-Deer Bonus Deer Tags for
in units 1-17, 22, 58 & 59) open units. See Regulations
Dove*+# to be announced
Ducks and Coots*
North Zone 10/26/96 12/14/96 Five ducks daily with no more
Middle Zone 11/ 2/96 12/21/96 than 4 mallards (no more than 1 female),
South Zone 11/23/96 1/11/97 2 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 1 pintail,
Youth-only Duck Hunting Dates 1 black duck, 1 hooded merganser or
1 canvasback. Daily bag for coots is
15. Possession limits are twice the
South Zone 11/16/96 11/16/96 daily limit.
Furbearers 11/20/96 1/20/97 No Limit
Geese and Brant
Blue, Snow and Ross' Geese*+# Daily bag limits include no more than
North and Swan 10 blue, snow or Ross' geese; 2
Lake Zones 10/26/96 1/19/97 Canada geese; 2 brant; and 2 white-
2/17/97 3/9/97 fronted geese. Possession limits for
Middle and Schell-Osage Canada geese, brant and white-fronted
Zones: 11/ 2/96 11/ 7/96 geese are twice the daily limit. For
blue, snow and Ross' geese, the
South Zone 11/23/96 3/ 9/97 aggregate possession limit is three the
White-fronted Geese and Brant daily limit.
North Zone 9/28/96 10/ 6/96
10/26/96 11/ 3/96
11/29/96 1/19/97
Swan Lake Zone 10/26/96 11/ 3/96
11/29/96 1/19/97
Middle and Schell-Osage
Zones 11/ 2/96 11/ 7/96
11/29/96 1/31/97
South Zone 11/23/96 1/31/97
Canada Geese
North Zone 9/28/96 10/ 6/96
10/26/96 11/3/96
11/29/96 1/19/97
Swan Lake Zone 10/26/96 11/ 3/96 (Unless a quota of 5,000 geese is
11/29/96 12/29/96 reached before Dec. 29; a daily limit
of 10 shot shells.)
Middle Zone 11/ 2/96 11/ 7/96
11/29/96 1/31/97
Schell-Osage Zone 11/29/96 1/ 7/97
South Zone 11/23/96 1/31/97
Groundhogs 5/ 6/96 12/15/96 No Limit
Pheasants and
Gray Partridge 11/1/96 1/15/97 (See Wildlife Code)
Quail 11/1/96 1/15/97 8-16
Rabbits 10/1/96 2/15/97 6-12
(may include only
2-4 swamp rabbits)
Ruffed Grouse 10/15/96 1/15/97 (See Wildlife Code)
Sora and Virginia Rails*+ 9/ 1/96 11/ 9/96 25-25
Squirrels 5/25/96 1/15/97 (See Wildlife Code)
Teal*+ 9/ 7/96 9/15/96 4-8
Turkey 4/21/97 5/ 4/97 1 bearded bird per week
Turkey (Fall Firearms) 10/13/97 10/26/97 (See Wildlife Code)
Woodcock*+ 10/15/96 12/18/96 5-10
FISHING
Trout Parks 3/ 1/97 10/31/97 5-10
Trout Parks 11/8/96 2/ 8/97 Catch & release Fri., Sat.,
(Winter Tag Required) Sun. 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Trout Management Areas Open All No Closed 5-10 (See Wildlife Code)
(Trout Permit Required) Year Season
Trout (Trophy and Wild) Open All No Closed 3-3 (See Wildlife Code)
Trout Management Areas) Year Season
(Trout Permit Required)
Black Bass
(streams, specified zone) 5/25/96 2/28/97 6-12 (See Wildlife Code)
(impoundments) Open All No Closed (See Wildlife Code)
Year Season
Bullfrogs 6/30/97 10/31/97 8-16 (See Wildlife Code)
Paddlefish 3/15/97 4/30/97 2-4 (See Wildlife Code)
Nongame Fish Stream Gigging 9/15/96 1/31/97 20
(See Wildlife Code for creel limits on other species.)
TRAPPING
Beaver 11/20/96 3/31/97 No Limit (See Wildlife Code)
Coyotes 11/20/96 2/15/97 No Limit (See Wildlife Code)
Furbearers 11/20/96 1/20/97 No Limit (See Wildlife Code)
___________
*Hunters of migratory birds are required to have a migratory bird
hunting permit in addition to other appropriate permits (See Wildlife Code).
+Subject to final federal approval
#Complete waterfowl details will be found in the Migratory Bird Hunting Digest,
to be available from permit vendors and MDC offices in early October.
CONSERVATION COMMISSION MEETING
December 13 MDC Headquarters, Jefferson City, MO
(For additional information contact the Department Director.)
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