Return to the All Outdoors PageReturn to the MDC News PageReturn to MDC Home Page1. Waterfowl hunters get extra days, ducks
2. New law protects anglers from harassment
3. Missourian is world-champion quail caller
4. Zebra mussel could be trouble in Mississippi River
5.Missouri 1997-98 Waterfowl Hunting Seasons
6. Outdoor Calendar
I suspect that the child plucks its first flower with an insight into its beauty and significance which the subsequent botanist never retains. Henry David Thoreau
The sensational recovery of duck numbers has prompted hunting season
liberalizations that include a six-duck daily limit with up to four mallards
and three pintails.
JEFFERSON CITY: Waterfowl hunters have heard the good news from duck and
goose nesting grounds, and on Wednesday, they got more happy tidings from
the Missouri Conservation Commission. This year's waterfowl hunting regulations
will be the most liberal seen in years.
At its monthly meeting in Kansas City, the Commission approved duck and
goose hunting regulations that include a 60-day duck season with a six-duck
limit, a 107-day season on blue, snow and Ross' geese and a 70-day season
on Canada and white-fronted geese and brant in most zones.
Other features of the 1997-98 waterfowl hunting seasons include:
* Species limits. The six-duck daily bag limit may include no more than
four mallards (maximum of two hens), three pintails, two wood ducks, two
redheads, one black duck, one hooded merganser and one canvasback.
* Youth hunting days. Duck hunting will be allowed for persons less than
16 years of age on the Saturday prior to the opening of the regular season
in each zone. Youth hunters must be accompanied by a licensed adult at least
18 years of age who will not be permitted to hunt. Adults need not be licensed
if the youth possesses a valid hunter education certification card.
* Elimination of the Canada goose harvest quota in the Swan Lake Zone.
* A limit of 10 blue, snow and Ross' geese daily and 30 in possession.
"After the drought period of the 1980s it's extremely gratifying to
be able to offer this increased waterfowl hunting opportunity to Missourians,"
said Department of Conservation waterfowl biologist Dale Humburg. "Several
years of ample rainfall, together with concerted international conservation
work by private and government organizations have brought us to this point.
It's a nice payoff to be able to enjoy using this resource with the knowledge
that it is strong and can sustain increased hunting during this period of
improved habitat."
Full details of waterfowl hunting regulations will be published in the 1997-98
Missouri Migratory Bird Digest, which will be available from hunting permit
vendors statewide about Oct. 1.
-jim low-
Don't tug on Superman's cape; don't spit into the wind; don't pull
the mask off that old Lone Ranger, and don't mess around with anglers.
JEFFERSON CITY: Anti-fishing activists be forewarned. Missouri lawmakers
take a dim view of those who would use more than persuasion to deter Show-me
State anglers from pursuing their favorite pastime.
The Legislature passed a bill in May making it a Class A misdemeanor to
interfere intentionally with lawful fishing or to fail to obey a peace officer's
order to cease harassment. The law also makes entering an area with intent
to interfere with lawful fishing a Class B misdemeanor.
Norman Stucky, Fisheries Division Administrator for the Missouri Department
of Conservation, said the Legislature's action to outlaw the harassment
of anglers was timely, and could prove helpful to Missouri anglers who confront
animal-rights activists who are intolerant of others' values and viewpoints.
"Angling is one of Missouri's most popular outdoor activities and a
cherished tradition in many families. Last year a national animal-rights
group launched an anti-fishing campaign, and for a while it seemed possible
that they might target some Missouri lakes. As it turned out, they focused
their attention on other areas, but our lawmakers decided to take preventative
action. I think it's a good thing. There is no reason why people taking
part in a healthy outdoor activity like fishing should be subjected to disrespect
and abuse."
The legislation, sponsored by State Rep. Bill Ransdall (D-Waynesville),
expresses the Legislature's recognition that citizens have the right to
hunt, fish and trap lawfully. Missouri already had a law making it a misdemeanor
to harass persons engaged in legal hunting.
-jim low-
Ralph Duren, already nationally renowned for his turkey-calling prowess,
has a new title to add to his list of honorifics.
JEFFERSON CITY: Although his family doesn¢t always appreciate his special
talent, Ralph Duren of Jefferson City continues to evoke a public fascination
that extends all the way to Hollywood. With the new title World Champion
Quail Caller, Duren is signing autographs, emerging on television and radio
programs and taking calls from *The Tonight Show.*
Duren literally whistled past the competition in the First Annual Quail
Calling World Competition Aug. 8 and 9 in Springfield. A new addition to
this year¢s Quail Unlimited National Convention, the championships
drew 25 competitors from across the nation and more than 400 spectators.
Duren mimicked the bobwhite quail call for the eastern division competition
and took home $1,000 cash, a customized trophy valued at $500 and the title
of world champion. Paul Bollinger of Perris, Calif. won in the western division.
"There wasn't a lot of pressure; it was real relaxed," said Duren.
"You just go up there and have fun."
Duren has what he refers to as a "weird talent," an ability to
imitate 60 birds, frogs, toads and mammals. "I used to call quail when
I was a kid standing in a blackberry patch. Growing up on the farm, I learned
to do different animal calls, and I add a couple every year."
The Department of Conservation employee is not a stranger to calling competitions.
Starting 33 years ago in a turkey calling competition, Duren has collected
30 trophies including 1st place at the 1995 Grand National Wild Turkey Gobbling
Championships.
"I figure if you're going to do something weird, you might as well
do it the best; so I¢ll take the title World Champion Quail Caller.
I'm not embarrassed about it."
During the convention, Duren promoted the competition by displaying his
special talent on local radio programs and television newscasts, and now
it looks like his quail whistling could be broadcast nationwide.
"I called my wife and she said I wouldn't believe it but a woman from
'The Tonight Show' called. She was the weird talent coordinator. My wife
said 'that about describes my husband.'" The NBC affiliate in Springfield,
KY3-TV, sent an Aug. 13 feature story about Duren to the entertainment show;s
coordinators, and Duren is waiting to hear back from them.
"My teenage kids are embarrassed because I'm all over the t.v. and
radio and because their friends see me and ask me to do a call for them.
But, my two little girls think it's pretty neat."
Officials with Quail Unlimited were pleased with the number of competitors,
the attendance and the excitement the first-ever quail calling contest generated.
Quail Unlimited plans to hold the contest again next year in conjunction
with its national convention in Charlotte, N.C. Being the only quail calling
competition in the world, Quail Unlimited anticipates more competitors next
year.
"As the prize money goes up, the competition will get tougher,"
said Duren. Not sure whether he'll defend his title in Charlotte, Duren
is cherishing his time in the limelight and hoping soon to be California-bound.
-amy glup-
Continued caution is needed to prevent zebra mussels from invading
Missouri's interior waters as they work their way down the Mississippi River.
HANNIIBAL : Boom and bust both describe the status of Missouri's zebra mussel
population. Fortunately the state's interior waters have no signs of the
exotic invaders. Unfortunately, however, the portion of the Mississippi
that borders the state is experiencing a population explosion of the pesky
creatures.
Missouri Department of Conservation Fisheries Biologist Travis Moore says
the contrasting population figures speak well for measures that have been
taken to prevent the spread of the zebra mussel, and give reason why those
efforts should continue.
"Our only defense is limiting the spread of zebra mussels," Moore
says. "Anglers and boaters appear to be doing that. It has worked out
kind of odd that the only place in Missouri with zebra mussels is the Mississippi
River because they have managed to move west of the state. They have been
found in parts of Arkansas and Oklahoma. Apparently anglers and boaters
here are aware of how the mussels are introduced to new locations and are
being careful not to transport them."
MDC Environmental Services Biologist Alan Buchanan says the zebra-free status
of Missouri's interior waters also is due to the Missouri River. He says
barge traffic has helped spread the zebra mussels into waters in Arkansas,
Oklahoma and other points west of the Mississippi River, but the swift moving
current and murky waters of the Missouri are providing natural defenses
against the exotic mussels for the Show-me State.
"Some combination of turbidity (muddiness) and high flows is keeping
zebra mussels from colonizing the Missouri,* says Buchanan." The average
speed of the Missouri is two mph. The speed of boats in combination with
the water speed apparently is shearing the zebra mussels off of boats and
barges where they¢ve attached themselves, so they aren't entering the
river."
Recent mussel samplings on the Mississippi River near Hannibal found up
to 400 of the thumbnail-sized mussels attached to the shells of native mussels.
Zebra mussels attach to any hard surface at the bottom of streams. They
reproduce so rapidly they can smother native mussels, which cannot avoid
or shed the smaller, introduced mussels.
The millions upon millions of offspring they produce filter microscopic
plants and animals from the water for food. Very young bass, sunfish and
shad also eat tiny plants and animals and likely would suffer from the competition
for food if zebra mussels took hold in Missouri's interior waters. Shad
serve as food sources for many fish species valued by Missouri anglers.
Moore says, "Although they're not in Missouri's interior waters , they
remain a threat to all bodies of water in the state. There are cases of
folks putting their boats into infected waters in the eastern U.S., then
driving home as far as California and some of the zebra mussels found on
their boats survived the trip across the country. That's why every angler
and boater should treat waters as if they are infected. Never take a boat,
or contents of a bait bucket or live well from one location to another.
The best thing to do is run your boat through a car wash. The hot soapy
water will weaken and kill the zebra mussels."
-arleasha mays-
*60 days in each of the state's three zones: North Zone: Oct. 23-Dec. 21
Middle Zone: Oct. 30-Dec. 28
South Zone: Nov. 13-Jan. 11
*Youth hunting days: North Zone: Oct. 18
Middle Zone: Oct. 25
South Zone: Nov. 8
Duck hunting will be legal on these days for persons less than 16 years
of age accompanied by a licensed adult at least 18 years of age who will
not be permitted to hunt. Adults need not be licensed if the youth possesses
a valid hunter education certification card.
Shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise until sunset. The daily
limit is six ducks, with the following species limits:
4 mallards (no more than two females) 1 canvasback
3 pintails 1 black duck
2 redheads 1 hooded merganser
2 wood ducks Possession limits are twice the daily limit.
GOOSE
Blue, snow and Ross' geese - 107 days in respective zones
North Zone (split season) Oct. 23-Jan. 16
Feb. 17- March 9
Swan Lake Zone (split season) Oct. 23-Jan. 16
Feb. 17-March 9
Middle Zone (split season) Oct. 30-Nov. 3
Nov. 28-March 9
Schell-Osage Zone (split season) Oct. 30-Nov. 3
Nov. 28-March 9
South Zone (split season) Nov. 13-Nov. 17
Nov. 28-March 9
White-fronted geese and brant - 70 days in respective zones
North Zone (split season) Oct. 4-Oct. 12
Oct. 23-Nov. 2
Nov. 28-Jan. 16
Swan Lake Zone (split season) Oct. 23-Oct. 26
Nov. 28-Jan. 16
Middle Zone (split season) Oct. 30-Nov. 3
Nov. 28-Jan. 31
Schell-Osage Zone (split season) Oct. 30-Nov. 3
Nov. 28-Jan. 31 South Zone (split season) Nov. 13-Nov. 17
Nov. 28-Jan. 31
Canada geese - 40 days in the Swan Lake and Schell-Osage zones
70 days in the remainder of the state
North Zone (split season) Oct. 4-Oct. 12
Oct. 23-Nov. 2
Nov. 28-Jan. 16
Swan Lake Zone (split season) Oct. 23-Oct. 26
(Daily limit of 10 shot shells) Nov. 28-Jan. 2
Middle Zone (split season) Oct. 30-Nov. 3
Nov. 28-Jan. 31
Schell-Osage Zone Nov. 28-Jan. 6
South Zone (split season) Nov. 13-Nov. 17
Nov. 28-Jan. 31
The limit for blue, snow and Ross' geese are 10 daily and 30 in possession,
for Canada geese 2 daily and 4 in possession, for brant 2 daily and 4 in
possession and for white-fronted geese 2 daily and 4 in possession.
COOTS -Concurrent with duck season in the respective zones. Daily limit
15, possession limit 30.
FALCONRY SEASON FOR DUCKS, COOTS AND MERGANSERS - 107 days.
Statewide (split season) Sept. 13-Sept. 21
Oct. 6-Jan. 11
The daily bag limit and possession limit should not exceed 3 and 6 birds
respectively, singly, or in the aggregate during both regular duck hunting
season and extended falconry season.
News Services Coordinator
(314) 751-4115, ext. 243
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