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to MDC Home Page1. African Americans's legacy of conservation activism runs deep in Missouri
2. Hybrid sunfish latest in string of state records
3. Commission approves deer seasons, fishing rule changes
4. Spelunkers to meet in Sullivan June 23-28
Seen in full sunlight, when the brilliant red of (the pileated woodpecker's) long, slanting, rakish crest gleams like flame and the black and white of his long neck and powerfully built body stand out in sharpest contrast, he is a sight to be remembered; while of all the sounds of the woods there is no other, except the scream of the red-shouldered hawk, that has the carrying power of the logcock's bold, resonant, oft-repeated cry, which to my ear sounds always like mad, exultant laughter. -- Herbert Ravenel Sass, On the Wings of A Bird, 1929
The love of the outdoors knows no racial boundaries. The MDC wants to increase African Americans' awareness of opportunities at conservation areas, and to meet their unique needs.
JEFFERSON CITY --While segregation of years past has kept them out of most history books, the works of Missouri's only African American Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) company stand as monuments to their contributions to the state's conservation efforts. The Missourians who comprised Company 1743 were among the more than 200,000 African-Americans who made up 10 percent of the CCC labor force. While all CCC units shared the same mission, they were racially segregated into companies of all African Americans, American Indians, or whites.
First organized on April 13, 1933, as Company 694 at Jefferson Barracks in St. Louis, the unit first was sent to Pierre, S.D., where it was redesignated as Company 1743. A project at Lake Contrary, just outside St. Joseph, was its first assignment in Missouri. In 1934 the 1743rd was ordered to Washington State Park, where they built Camp Thunderbird and spent the next five years working on a park development project. Members of the 1743rd then spent four years working on development projects at Mark Twain State Park.
John Cunning, Director of the Missouri State Museum, says much of the construction done by the 1743rd at Missouri state parks and historic sites still is in use. "They constructed trails and maintenance facilities," says Cunning. "They are best known for building the dining lodge at Washington State Park and the Mark Twain State Park mess hall, Buzzard's Roost picnic area and trails and roads."
The mess hall, the unit's largest construction project, was used by thousands of 4-H members who attended Camp Clemens during the 1950s and '60s. Company 1743 also built fire towers and helped construct fishing and boating facilities on the Salt River.
Company 1743 disbanded in July 1942, shortly after the United States entered World War II. Many of its members transferred to active army units.
Other African Americans in Missouri have made their mark on conservation by becoming actively involved in conservation organizations. One example is Don Johnson, an avid angler from St. Louis. For the past eight years, Johnson has served on the Conservation Federation of Missouri (CFM) board of directors. Johnson has held the positions of chairman and vice chairman of CFM's fisheries and waterways committee. His activities in the organization have provided him an opportunity to have input in the establishment of state conservation policies.
Johnson says he's been interested in outdoor pursuits since he was a toddler. "I have had an abiding love for the outdoors and conservation since I was three years old," he says. "That's when my father first took me fishing. I consider myself lucky because I am a member of a generation of African Americans who came from families with great outdoor traditions. A lot of us grew up on farms or had relatives with farms. Outdoor activities had a lot of meaning for us. Despite the racial and economic tensions that prevented you from becoming involved in many other activities, you could always go hunting or fishing."
"When I was very young, my mother got me a subscription to Outdoor Life magazine. By reading it or similar publications, kids can learn that there is great beauty to be found in the outdoors, and you can enjoy yourself."
Johnson has made it a point to get his family involved in outdoor activities. His current fishing partner is his 3-year-old grandson, one in a long line of family members whom Johnson has taught to fish or hunt. His efforts are not limited to family members, however. Whenever Johnson gets the chance he works to convince others that they, too, will enjoy outdoor pursuits if they give them a try. He says he is especially concerned about the next generation of African Americans.
"We are in big danger that the next generation will lose all connections with conservation," says Johnson. "For many African Americans a stigma has been attached to participation in outdoor activities. If you like to hunt and fish they will call you 'country,' or you're not considered cool. We have to figure out a way to make those activities cool. Parents must spend time making outdoor opportunities available to children. I've always felt very strongly that young people must be exposed to these types of wholesome activities."
To accomplish his goal, Johnson supports Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) efforts to introduce African Americans to outdoor activities. He says the fostering program teaches and encourages urban families to get out and learn about the outdoors through fishing and hunting seminars and hunter education programs. He says these have provided excellent opportunities for African Americans to participate in outdoor activities.
Making African Americans aware of state-owned facilities and services could be key to increasing their involvement in outdoor activities. According to the latest MDC survey findings, fear of racial intimidation is the No. 1 reason African Americans give for not pursuing outdoor activities. Many respondents said they were reluctant to go into rural areas and ask strangers for permission to hunt their properties.
"That's not easy for anyone to do," says Dan Witter, MDC policy coordination chief. "Many of the areas where African Americans live have become urbanized, so often you no longer have a family member or family friend with land you can hunt. And given the problems of the past it's understandable that African Americans wouldn't want to go knocking door to door in areas where they don't know anyone."
Witter says it would be wrong to assume that African Americans are not interested in conservation or enjoying the outdoors. He says they were a key component in the vote to provide sales-tax funding of the MDC. And he says a majority of those surveyed expressed approval of fishing, participated in outdoor activities and were interested in nature. Many respondents mentioned involvement in walking, gardening and outdoor activities that lend themselves to social interaction and provide security through numbers.
Witter says these results may show that the MDC has had success getting minorities involved in programs that can be made readily available to city dwellers, such as fishing. Survey results also point to the possibility of providing programs that are more in line with minorities' unique interests.
While Don Johnson supports proposals to provide programs aimed at minority interests, he discourages offering such programs in place of traditional outdoor pursuits. He understands concerns about approaching strangers to ask permission to hunt on their lands, but says it's worth a try. He says experience has taught him that seven out of 10 times you'll be successful. After permission is granted, show the landowner your gratitude by sharing your game or catch and keeping the land clean. He says respect for landowners and their property is key to overcoming barriers.
-arleasha mays-
This central Missouri woman is taking a keener interest in angling since tasting fishing fame.
JEFFERSON CITY --- Michelle Morton didn't think of herself as a serious angler until she caught a serious fish. Then she made the transition from casual worm dunker to confirmed angler in less time than it takes to say "2-pound sunfish."
Morton's dad showed her the ropes when she was a little girl, but as an adult she fished only once or twice a year. She could have picked a nicer day for her annual outing than May 11, when she decided to try her luck at a farm pond near her hometown of Jefferson City. The action wasn't great; she and a friend landed half a dozen small bass all afternoon. Then, just as a chill rain started dimpling the water, her big red-and-white bobber took a dive. It resurfaced before she could react, but when it dove again, she was ready and set the hook.
"It was close to the bank when it took my bobber under," said Morton. "I could tell he was bigger than the other ones I had caught, but he really didn't put up any more of a fight than the bass did. I just pulled him up on the bank."
Morton may need to work on her fish storytelling skills. Fortunately her fish speaks for itself. The average sunfish tips the scales at around 8 ounces and is smaller than the average adult hand. In contrast, Morton's prize lends new meaning to the term "panfish." Anything smaller than a 12-inch frying pan would be a tight fit for her catch. She says she hopes to repeat the experience and expects to spend more time fishing in the future.
Morton showed excellent judgement in caring for her fish. Although too excited to stop fishing and head for a certified scale to weigh her catch, she put the fish on ice. This careful handling may have made the difference between a state pole-line-lure record and an also-ran. Morton's fish just edged out the previous record hybrid sunfish, a 1-pound, 14-ounce hybrid sunfish caught by Republic resident Jerry Applegate from a Polk County farm pond in 1994.
The hybrid sunfish category is for fish that are crosses between bluegill and green sunfish. Hybrid sunfish occur naturally in the wild. Others are produced deliberately in fish hatcheries. Whatever the combinations and however they occur, hybrid sunfish often exhibit a phenomenon known as "hybrid vigor," growing faster and larger than either parent and showing an aggressive appetite that makes them favorites of anglers.
Morton isn't the only recent arrival on the rolls of Missouri's state fishing records. On March 23 this year, Gregory Rippee of Willard caught a 35.5-pound common carp while bowfishing at Lake Taneycomo and set a record in the category for "other" methods of taking fish. Alex Carter of Oregon, Mo., used a trotline in a farm pond to catch a 7-pound, 11-ounce largemouth bass that set a record in the "other" category. Darrell Hudspeth of St. Charles hauled in a 77.5-pound flathead catfish from the Missouri River for a pole, line and lure record.
A state-record catch that wasn't new but was recently added to the books was Moberly resident Russell Tarr's pole-line-lure catch of a 50-pound, 6-ounce common carp. The fish came from Rothwell Park Lake west of Moberly.
To receive details of how to certify state-record catches or receive a copy of the Missouri State Record Fish sheet, contact: Fisheries Division, State-record Fish Program, Missouri Department of Conservation, P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180.
-jim low-
Deer hunters will find it easier to tag game,and anglers will have more latitude in where and how they use their motorized boats, thanks to upcoming regulations changes.
JEFFERSON CITY -- A busy agenda at the Missouri Conservation Commission's regular meeting May 30 included approval of deer and early waterfowl seasons, liberalization of rabbit hunting regulations and several changes to fishing regulations. Conservation officials say the net effect should be more, better and easier hunting and fishing opportunities.
The Commission approved firearms deer season dates of Nov. 15-25 statewide and Jan. 3-4 in Deer Management Units 1-17, 20, 22, 23, 58 and 59. The January portion of the firearms deer season will be only for persons with unused Any-Deer or Bonus-Deer hunting permits for the units listed above.
Muzzleloader deer season dates will be Nov. 15-25, Dec. 6-14 statewide and Jan. 3-4 in the units listed above. Archery deer and turkey season will run from Oct. 1 through Nov. 14 and Nov. 26 through Jan. 15. Fall firearms turkey season dates will be Oct. 13-26.
Deer hunters will find it easier to tag their game this year. Transportation tags showing the successful hunter's full name and address can be either homemade or MDC issue. Hunters will simply invalidate the harvest log portion of their deer hunting permits by notching the edge of the permit. The date and time of kill on deer hunting permits is no longer necessary. The commission made the change in response to hunter requests to simplify the procedure. Blank, adhesive deer/turkey transportation tags will be available at permit vendors statewide if hunters prefer to use these rather than make their own. Some hunters who purchased their deer permits early will receive convenience stickers in the mail. These stickers will simplify the deer checking process, but are not mandatory.
The opening of Units 20 and 23 in Central Missouri to firearms deer hunting Jan. 3-4 represents an addition to last year's January deer hunt. Other deer and fall turkey hunting regulations remain the same as last year. Full details will be listed in the 1997 Fall Deer and Turkey Hunting Information guide available from hunting permit vendors in July.
The Commission also approved a regulation allowing the hunting of rabbits and squirrels with dogs during deer season in most of the state. Only Bollinger, Butler, Carter, Dent, Iron, Madison, Oregon, Reynolds, Ripley, Shannon and Wayne counties will be closed to hunting these species with dogs during the firearms deer season.
The Commission approved early teal season Sept. 13-21, subject to final federal approval. Other regulations remain unchanged from last year. The Commission also approved hunting seasons the same as last year's for mourning doves (Sept. 1-Oct. 30), snipe (Sept. 1-Dec. 16), sora and Virginia rails (Sept. 1-Nov. 9) and woodcock (Oct. 15-Dec. 18).
The Commission also approved changes in regulations on fishing effective March 1, 1998.
The Commission voted to prohibit fishing within 75 yards of Bagnell Dam on the Osage River during paddlefish snagging season (March 15-April 30) to protect fisheries resources. At present, the area in question is a no-boating zone, but paddlefish anglers can cast into the area.
Catfish and other non-target species are concentrated in this area, and many are hooked and injured by anglers trying to snag paddlefish. Many fish shorter than the legal minimum are snagged and released in this area. During the 1996 paddlefish season, fisheries biologists observed paddlefish snagging in the no-boating zone and found that anglers snagged 35 sublegal paddlefish for every one that was large enough to meet the 24-inch minimum length limit. They also noted that paddlefish snaggers hooked more than two catfish for every paddlefish snagged. The restriction is intended to reduce deaths of catfish and sublegal paddlefish due to hooking injuries.
Similarly, the Commission voted to ban fishing on the portion of the Osage River and Lake of the Ozarks immediately below Truman Dam to fishing. The new no-fishing zone will extend 700 feet downstream from Truman dam on the left descending bank and 1,020 feet downstream from the dam in the right descending bank. This is the same as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' restricted area. At present, anglers can fish these waters from the banks outside the restricted area by using big fishing rods and remote-controlled boats. Large numbers of fish gather in this area, increasing their vulnerability to anglers. The fishing ban there is intended to prevent excessive catches that could impair fishing quality in the Truman Dam tailwaters.
Fishing regulations on part of the Current River also will change in 1998. To reduce the loss of trout fishing opportunity due to hooking mortality, the Commission voted to limit anglers to the use of flies and artificial lures in the Current River and its tributaries from Montauk State Park to Cedar Grove. Soft plastic baits and natural and scented baits will be specifically prohibited in this area.
This stretch of the Current River already has a 15-inch minimum length limit, requiring anglers to release smaller fish. Fish hooked on soft plastic, natural and scented baits frequently swallow the bait and suffer fatal injuries as a result. This reduces the number of fish available for catch-and-release fishing and the number that grow to keeper length.
The Commission also approved a regulation making it illegal to "wantonly leave, abandon or needlessly waste any edible portion" of legally taken wildlife. The regulation is aimed at such behavior as catching large numbers of paddlefish or sturgeon, removing their eggs for sale as caviar and then discarding the fish or shooting a buck deer, removing the antlers and discarding the body. Such "wanton waste" encourages excessive harvest that can deplete wildlife populations.
The Commission voted to liberalize regulations regarding the use of outboard boat motors larger than 10 horsepower at most Missouri Department of Conservation lakes and many Community Assistance Project lakes 70 acres or more in size. At present, the use of motorized boats on these waters is restricted to those with electric motors or outboard motors 10 horsepower or smaller. The change will permit the use of boats with larger motors as long as they are operated at slow, no-wake speed. To be sure of motor restrictions and other regulations, anglers should check rules posted at each lake before launching their boats.
Other fishing regulation changes approved by the Commission include:
--Minimum length limits of 15 inches for largemouth and smallmouth bass and 12 inches for spotted (Kentucky) bass at Bull Shoals and Norfork lakes and Lake of the Ozarks. (Intended to allow anglers to harvest smaller, slower growing spotted bass, while maintaining the quality of black bass fishing on the three reservoirs.)
--A daily limit of four channel catfish, blue catfish and flathead catfish in the aggregate and no more than one of these catfish more than 24 inches long from the no-boating zone downstream from Truman Dam.
--A 15-inch minimum length limit on black bass at Pershing State Park ponds, Union Ridge Lake and Worth County Community Lake.
--A 42-inch minimum length limit on muskellunge at Henry Sever Conservation Area and Lake Girardeau.
--A minimum length limit of 18 inches on walleye at Mozingo Lake.
--Restrictions on methods allowed for commercial take of mussels, changes in mussel size limits and requirement that non-resident mussel dealers purchase a $2,500 permit.
-jim low-
Some "cavers" are drawn to the bowels of the Earth by adventure. For others, spelunking is a way to experience and help protect the wonders of the outdoor world.
SULLIVAN, Mo. -- "My grandfather was the last of the old-time pioneers," said Joe Walsh, explaining how he became interested in caving as a child. "He had a cave on his land, and I fell in love with it." More than 40 years later, Walsh, a high school chemistry teacher in Fenton, Mo., still enjoys the adventure of caving. "I just like to explore," Walsh said. "It's like nothing else I know. Underground, it's a whole new world."
This year, Walsh is using his experience in caving as he co-chairs the annual convention of the National Speleological Society (NSS) June 23 through 29 in Sullivan. The 9,000-member organization gives professional and recreational cavers a chance to share their knowledge and experiences and discuss the efforts to conserve cave resources and the environment.
Walsh said that Sullivan is a favorable site for this year's convention because of its scenery and close proximity to caves, waterways and tourist attractions in St. Louis. "It's located along the I-44 corridor and near a great many caves, which is our primary interest," he said.
The convention offers cavers an excellent opportunity to see why Missouri's unofficial name is the "Cave State." There are approximately 5,500 reported caves in Missouri, according to NSS statistics. Only 30 are commercial caves.
The NSS convention provides a wide assortment of activities for registrants. The "howdy party" will kick off the event with a barbecue buffet, entertainment by an Ozark mountain music band and activities that include swimming and inner-tubing in the Meramec River, hiking and tours of the Onondaga Cave. And that is only the first day.
Throughout the week, participants can take canoe trips and field trips to caves and springs and attend workshops on everything from cave research to how to climb in caves. Learning sessions will focus on topics such as geology, geography, photography and cave management. Evening entertainment includes an auction and dinner, a hoedown and a closing banquet.
Walsh expects roughly 1,200 cave explorers from across the United States and a few from other countries. The NSS is funding the convention expenses of four Chinese professors and cave enthusiasts as part of an exchange program that has enabled cavers from the United States to visit China in past years.
Pam Saberton, co-chair of the convention, said that the cavers who attend have diverse backgrounds and levels of experience. "Some are professional, skilled cavers. Some are blue-collar workers. Some are whole families," she said.
Saberton, a recreational therapist from St. Louis, discovered the delight in caving nearly 14 years ago while leading a girl scout troop on a camping trip. "It's a great hobby that's so different from my day job," she said.
Saberton said that the NSS and other similar caving organizations are primarily concerned with preserving caves. "We're proactive as far as human impact on caves and how the environment affects caves," Saberton said. "We try to protect cave resources. It takes one thoughtless person to knock something off (a cave), and it's gone . . . what took years to form."
Walsh agreed that conservation is of primary importance. "The world of the cave is a unique and very fragile environment, and we seek more and better ways to enjoy our environment, to learn from it, but to protect it at the same time . . . not just the cave but the total environment of the earth, as well."
Caving organizations in Missouri are the principal source for public education programs about cave resources and cave cleanup and restoration efforts. Mark McGimsey, NSS member and Natural History Biologist for the Missouri Department of Conservation, says such endeavors are essential to the preservation of caves.
Caving clubs help the Missouri Department of Conservation through cave surveillance and repair, installation of gates and mapping. "The department doesn't have the expertise that the cavers have," McGimsey said.
The care cavers take with caves is important, because caves provide a crucial habitat for many species of bats. "Most of those (caves) are home to endangered species, including endangered bats. A lot of NSS members have helped us out so we can best protect them."
Saberton said the NSS also works with the Missouri Department of Highway and Transportation to divert highway construction and traffic from cave areas. The NSS believes that minimal human interaction with caves is imperative for the health of this fragile natural formation.
In addition to working to preserve cave resources, Saberton said that she derives the most enjoyment from surveying and mapping caves. "It's just pride," she said. "You work in a team and draw up these cave maps. It's almost artistic."
For Joe Walsh, caving means a chance to experience a rare challenge and spend time with those who share a common interest. "Why do we crawl around in the mud and get wet?" he asks. "Probably for the same reason some people climb mountains; it's a different kind of place. It has beautiful formations and minerals, and it's a challenge. You feel good when you're down there."
For additional information on the NSS national convention, contact: Pam Saberton, co-chair, (314) 772-6956 or Joe Walsh, co-chair, (314) 343-6875.
-amy glup-
Contact Jim Low
News Services Coordinator
(314) 751-4115, ext. 243
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