All Outdoors December 31, 1998

1. Missourians get chances to eyeball eagles

2. Book outlines shooting range development steps

3. Financial aid available for conservation-oriented students

News contact: Jim Low, Jefferson City, Missouri, (573) 751-4115

Available via Internet at: http://www.mdc.mo.gov/news/out

"Human footprints, I find, are always a disappointment in the wilderness, even when they are my own"-Joe Hutto, Illumination in the Flatwoods

1. Missourians get chances to eyeball eagles

Eagle Days programs in January and February offer opportunities to learn about our national symbol and observe wild eagles in their natural element.

JEFFERSON CITY-Winter is the best time to see eagles in Missouri, and Eagle Days events are the best places. Seven upcoming events offer Missourians a chance to see captive eagles up close and also view wild eagles going about their daily business.

Eagle Days events typically include two components. Educational programs indoors put visitors in close proximity to tame birds. The birds come from zoos, captive breeding programs and organizations dedicated to restoring birds of prey and building public understanding of the problems they face.

The second component of Eagle Days programs provides access to telescopes at spots where eagles gather, sometimes by the score. Naturalists from the Missouri Department of Conservation are on hand to point out the birds and answer questions about their behavior.

"These programs are quite a thrill if you haven't ever seen an eagle," says Conservation Department Interpretive Coordinator Deb Beringer. "If you've never attended an Eagle Days event, you owe it to yourself to check one out. It's a great way to enjoy nature on a winter day."

Upcoming Eagle Days events and numbers to call for more information about each are:

--Jan. 9 at School of the Osage Elementary, Lake Ozark ((573) 522-4312);--Jan. 16 at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Jerry Litton Visitor Center and Paradise Point Golf Course Clubhouse on Smithville Lake; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with live eagle programs at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. (816/532-0174);

--Jan. 16 & 17 at Springfield Conservation Nature Center ((417) 888-4237);

--Jan. 30 & 31 at the Apple Shed Theater in Clarksville ((314) 441-4554, ext. 244) and a 10-mile Wintering Eagle Auto Tour at Ted Shanks Conservation Area ((573) 248-2532)

--Feb. 6 & 7 at Mingo National Wildlife Refuge and Duck Creek Conservation Area ((573) 222-3589);

--Feb. 6 & 7 at Chain of Rocks Bridge, St. Louis. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. ((314) 552-1495 or 416-9930)

Unless otherwise noted, Eagle Days events are free of charge and run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Live eagle programs begin every hour on the hour, with the last program starting at 4 p.m. at each location. Some program buildings are not heated, so dress for winter weather.

- Jim Low -

2. Book outlines shooting range development steps

Estimating the size of the facility can make or break the success of a range.

JEFFERSON CITY-Communities and sporting clubs interested in building their own ranges for increasingly popular shooting sports now have help available in a booklet from the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF).

The 24-page booklet, "So You Want to Build a Shooting Range . . . ," recognizes that creating a shooting facility is a complex task. The booklet addresses costs and issues associated with planning the development of a successful shooting range. According to the NSSF, developers need to make ranges large enough to serve most shooters, but not so large as to be underused. Extra land for future expansion is another consideration.

The guide is in workbook format. Readers are walked through the process of estimating demand, calculating facility size to meet the demand, and estimating land requirements, construction costs and potential revenue. After all the calculations are done, the guide helps you arrive at a "go" or "don't go" decision.

The workbook is designed to help potential range developers understand what is required to make a facility profitable, and provides guidelines on obvious and not-so-obvious costs related to range construction.

Monetary figures derived from use of the workbook will help communities or clubs get an idea of whether a project warrants hiring an accountant to conduct a feasibility study. "An accurate and detailed feasibility study will be your blueprint and springboard for the entire project," the booklet notes.

The booklet suggests "that you write a Mission Statement that reflects your goals by creating either a public or private facility. Perhaps the best question to answer is 'What can I provide that isn't already being provided?' The Mission Statement is an important cornerstone for future planning."

How much land is required to build a shooting range? The book suggests that a combination pistol and rifle range with an adequate backstop and side berms requires a minimum of two acres. A shotgun range must include enough land to contain a shot-fall zone that is defined by the maximum potential distance for unimpeded flight of the shot pellets.

For example, for #7 1/2 shot at sea level, that maximum distance is approximately 660 feet, requiring about 35 acres for a trap and skeet field.

For an archery range, plan on 15 acres of a walk-through field of targets. For sporting clays, the booklet suggests, "The only limits are imagination and a design that takes into account the shot fall zones for each shooting position." This might be as much as 100 acres. The booklet includes a worksheet to help the reader figure land requirements.

Most important is how much building a shooting complex will cost. The booklet also has a construction cost worksheet. It shows sample costs for building a 25-position 100-yard rifle and pistol range. The total cost of concrete pads, canopies, baffles, a backstop and side berms is estimated at $259,570. The most expensive items on the list are side berms made with clean fill.

Figures for a combination trap and skeet field total $30,000 each, while a fully automatic sporting clays course is figured at about $10,000 per shooting position. Land and optional club house construction will add to the total cost of the facility.

"So You Want to Build a Shooting Range . . . " also includes a worksheet for estimating revenue from a shooting facility. The booklet shows national averages for what people pay per visit to a shooting facility. For outdoor handgun and rifle shooting, it is $7 per visit. For trap or skeet, it is $4.60 per round. For 50 targets of sporting clays, it is $19.25 per round.

The booklet also notes variables that can affect the success of a shooting range. It notes the facility should be an attractive place where people want to go, be large enough to handle rushes at certain hours and be managed creatively and responsively.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation says that every development project has its complexities, and outdoor shooting ranges are no different. The booklet will help you get started in the right direction and help you make an informed planning decision.

"So You Want to Build a Shooting Range . . ." is available from the National Shooting Sports Foundation, 11 Mile Hill Road, Newtown, CT 06470. There is no cost for NSSF members. The booklet is $5 for non-members.

- Jim Auckley -

3. Financial aid available for conservation-oriented students

If your career goals lie in the direction of wildlife law enforcement or another conservation-related field, you may want to look into these scholarship programs.

JEFFERSON CITY-If your future includes a career in conservation, it also could include a college scholarship of $500 to $1000. The Missouri Conservation Agents Association (MCAA) and the Conservation Federation of Missouri (CFM) are offering several scholarships for college students pursuing careers in wildlife law enforcement or environmental sciences.

MCAA is accepting applications for two $1,000 scholarships. The money can be used for tuition, books or room and board. Competition for one of the awards is open only to dependants of MCAA members. Any Missouri college undergraduate or high school student entering college may compete for the other MCAA scholarship. Eligible applicants much have a 2.5 grade point average and submit an application that includes a 50-word essay and a school transcript.

Application forms for the MCAA scholarships may be obtained from school counselors, financial aid advisors or conservation agents. Applications must be completed by the student and a school official. The application deadline is April 1, 1999.

For more information about MCAA and the scholarship competition call Kenneth Sowers at 573/634-6236, or write to: MCAA, 223 Dix Rd., Apt. 6, Jefferson City, Missouri 65109.

CFM will award two Charles P. Bell Conservation Scholarships to Missourians pursuing degrees in natural resources management. Undergraduates who have completed 60 hours of college credit are eligible for the organization's $500 scholarship. Graduate students may apply for the $600 Bell scholarship. Each applicant must submit three letters of recommendation, a college transcript or letter verifying college enrollment and a completed application form.

CFM also will issue six Bell scholarships to fund school or youth group conservation projects. The awards of $250 are designed to help groups promoting conservation education or working to protect the state's natural resources. The application deadline for Bell Scholarships is January 15, 1999.

For application forms or more information on Bell Scholarships write to: Conservation Foundation of Missouri Charitable Trust, 728 West Main Street, Jefferson City, MO 65101-1534 or call toll-free (800) 575-2322

- Arleasha Mays -