January 2007

Conservation Department offers tips on caring for storm-damaged trees

The three-cut method of limb removal prevents bark tears by removing most of the weight before the limb is severed from the trunk. Make Cut A first to stop tearing, then Cut B to lighten the stump, and finish with Cut C just above the bark collar. Main trunk branches or "leaders" should be removed with a diagonal cut that starts just above the ridge of bark marking its junction with the adjacent branch. The angled cut prevents water from collecting on the wound and causing rot. Do not cover the wound with paint or other material. This can interfere with natural healing.

Many damaged trees can be saved through judicious pruning.

JEFFERSON CITY-Ice storms that left hundreds of thousands of Missourians without electric and phone service last week also devastated trees across a wide swath of southwestern Missouri. Rural forests will have to recover on their own, but cities and neighborhoods that act now can salvage many damaged trees and replace those that are beyond saving. The Missouri Department of Conservation can help with such efforts.

The first thing tree owners have to determine is whether a tree is worth saving. The amount of damage a tree can survive depends on the species. Weak-wooded species like silver maples, poplars, Bradford pears and Siberian elms are prone to rot, so they are hard to salvage if they lose more than a few limbs. Their wood is so soft that when damage occurs, it often is extensive. Those species are short-lived anyway, so it usually makes sense to replace them rather than trying to save them.

Trees that are more resistant to damage and better able to recover from storm damage include oaks, sugar maples, hickories and other native hardwoods. Even with these species, however, there is a limit to how much damage they can sustain before removal is the best option. The choice depends not only on the extent of the damage but on where it occurs.

Foresters and professional arborists have the training and experience needed to give sound advice about whether a particular tree is worth trying to save. They also have the equipment needed to prune large trees safely.

If only a few low limbs are damaged, homeowners may be able to remove them without professional help. It is important to remove hanging limbs, not only because they threaten the safety of people below, but because they create entry spots for parasites or disease organisms that can shorten trees' lives. Prompt removal of damaged limbs reduces the danger of infection and promotes quick healing.

It is possible, however, to cause further damage when pruning. The most common pruning problem is bark tears. This occurs when a branch is cut on its upper surface and breaks before the saw cuts all the way through. As the limb falls, it pulls downward on the remaining bark, tearing the bark below the branch.

To avoid this, first cut a few inches into the damaged branch's bottom surface a foot or two from its junction with the main branch. This will prevent bark tearing. Make a second cut a foot or so above the first one, severing most of the limb and thereby taking its weight off the remaining stump. Make a final cut just above the raised ridge of bark that forms a sort of collar around the base of the limb. Leave the collar intact. It will produce new growth to cover the wound left by the limb. The cut should be a little closer to the collar on the upper side than on the bottom.

When a main branch breaks off, the best procedure is to remove the remaining stump back to the next-largest remaining branch. This branch can become the replacement "leader." This also involves making three cuts to avoid bark tears. The final cut should be started just above the ridge of bark that marks the junction of the broken limb with the rest of the tree, and should have a slight downward angle to avoid collecting water, which can lead to rot.

Bark tears can occur when ice breaks limbs near their bases. Clean up these tears to reduce the chance of disease or parasite infestation. Use a chisel or sharp knife to remove bark that is not firmly attached to the tree and smooth ragged edges where fungus or parasites can hide. Do not enlarge the exposed area any more than necessary.

Do not paint the exposed surface of bark tears or pruning wounds. This actually hampers healing.

The Conservation Department has publications that provide detailed information about tree pruning and about selecting and planting trees for different purposes. Conservation Department urban foresters, consulting foresters and certified arborists also can be helpful in replacing lost trees. To tap these resources, visit www.mdc.mo.gov/forest/, or write to Missouri Department of Conservation, Tree Care After Storms, P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180 or e-mail pubstaff@mdc.mo.gov.

-Jim Low-

Archers push 2006-07 deer harvest to new record

Missouri's total deer harvest exceeded 324,000, topping last year's record mark by 18 percent.

JEFFERSON CITY-Bowhunters killed 43,524 deer during Missouri's archery deer season, setting a record for their sport and helping push the 2006-07 deer harvest to nearly a third of a million.

The previous archery deer harvest record of 37,036 was set during the 2005-06 season. The 2006-07 harvest is an 18 percent increase from the previous record.

The top three archery deer harvest counties were St. Louis, with 1,151, Callaway with 966 and Jackson with 964. This is the first time that counties included in the four-day urban firearms deer season have occupied the top three archery deer harvest positions.

Missouri's archery deer season opens Sept. 15 and runs through Jan. 15, closing only during the 11-day November portion of firearms deer season.

Archers checked 2,939 wild turkeys during the archery turkey hunting season, which runs concurrently with the archery deer season. Top archery turkey harvest counties were Franklin with 84, Bollinger with 56 and Osage with 53.

-Jim Low-

Five turkey gobble counters will win lifetime permits

The Conservation Department is looking for volunteers for a study of turkey gobbling. Five will win lifetime hunting permits.

JEFFERSON CITY-Five lucky wild turkey aficionados will win Resident Lifetime Conservation Partner Permits in the next five years, according to Resource Scientist Jeff Beringer with the Missouri Department of Conservation.

Beringer is looking for up to 500 volunteers to take part in a five-year study of turkey gobbling habits. The objective is to discover when the peak periods of gobbling activity occur so the Conservation Department can time Missouri's spring turkey season to coincide with the period when gobblers are most receptive to calling.

As an incentive for participating in the study, the George Clark Memorial Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, in cooperation with the Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation, will hold a drawing among volunteers each year of the study. Each of the winners will receive a lifetime small-game hunting and fishing permit. Volunteers must be Missouri residents to qualify for the drawing, since nonresident lifetime permits are not available.

Volunteers will count the number of gobbles and the number of gobbling birds they hear during a 20-minute period before sunrise twice a week between March 15 and May 15. These "gobbleteers" will choose their listening locations.

The study will begin this spring and run through 2011. To sign up, e-mail Beringer at Jeff.Beringer@mdc.mo.gov. Type "Gobble Study" in the subject line, and provide your name, address and county in the body of the e-mail.

Tom turkeys are most vocal just before hens become receptive to mating and just after hens begin incubating their eggs. This creates two peaks in gobbling. Volunteer reports will help Beringer determine whether the current timing of spring turkey season meets the goal of putting hunters in the woods during the second peak in gobbling.

The study also seeks to discover any relationships between gobbling and other factors, such as weather and spring leaf-out. The results will be published on the NWTF Missouri Chapter's website.

For years, Missouri's spring turkey season opened on the Monday closest to April 21. That changes this year, with the season opening on the third Monday of the month. As a result, turkey season opens April 16 this year - a week earlier than it would have under the old system. In the long run, the change will result in opening dates that average three days earlier than in the past. The change was made to accommodate the desire many hunters have expressed for an earlier opening date.

The youth season will be much earlier this year as a result of the formula change and to avoid a conflict with Easter weekend. Instead of opening nine days before the regular season as usual, this year's youth hunt will open on the Saturday before the Easter weekend, which is the last weekend in March. The youth season will take place in March only twice during the next 20 years.

-Jim Low-

Missouri certifies 1 millionth hunter education grad

Sam Enright of Wildwood, Mo., (right) became the Show-Me State's 1 millionth hunter education graduate in December. His instructor was Kevin Dixon (left). (Missouri Dept. of Conservation photo)

Thirteen-year-old Sam Enright will get some cool prizes, but the biggest benefit is a desire to be a safe, ethical hunter.

ST. LOUIS-Sam Enright was only pursuing his interest in hunting when he signed up for a hunter education class last November. He hit the hunting jackpot, however, when he became Missouri's 1-millionth hunter education graduate.

Enright, 13, has been fortunate to have more than one mentor. His hunting education began at the age of 7, when he accompanied his father, Dan, on deer and turkey hunts. Nurtured in this way, his interest in hunting grew. Last fall his dad bought him his first gun, a .30-30 deer rifle.

To meet the responsibility of gun ownership, Sam enrolled in a hunter education class taught byh volunteer instructor Kevin Dixon at the Four Rivers Career Center in Washington. Good instruction and his own keen interest enabled Enright to score 96 percent on the final exam. He missed only one question.

Successfully completing the hunter education course entitled Enright to buy firearms hunting permits and hunt on his own. As it turns out, he won't ever have to buy some hunting permits. In recognition of his special place in hunter-education history, the Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation gave Enright a Resident Lifetime Small Game Hunting Permit, a $275 value.

"I thought that was real cool," said Enright. "I want to make sure I use it a lot."

Enright also received a full set of camouflage clothing and a guided spring turkey hunt from Bass Pro Shops and a 20 gauge Browning BPS semiautomatic youth shotgun donated by the manufacturer. He will be recognized at the annual meeting of the Missouri Hunter Education Instructor's Association Feb. 9 through 11 at the Lodge of Four Seasons, Lake Ozark.

"Cool" as all the prizes he received are, Enright counts the knowledge he gained as the most important benefit of the 10-hour course. "The most important thing I learned is to always be safe," he said. "I learned about shotgun gauges and stuff I never knew before. I thought that was pretty interesting."

As Enright discovered, hunter education has several purposes besides the primary goal of promoting safety. Students also learn about outdoor ethics, first aid, the types and uses of firearms, wildlife management, hunting laws and caring for game after the hunt.

The landmark represented by Enright's hunter education certification coincided with the 50th anniversary of Show-Me State hunter education in 2006. It took nearly 40 years for the Missouri Department of Conservation and its corps of volunteer instructors to train the first 500,000 hunter education students. The second half-million took only 16 years.

That was due in part to the fact that hunter education became mandatory in 1988. Since then, anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 1967, has had to successfully complete an approved hunter education course to qualify to buy firearms hunting permits. In the first year of mandatory hunter education, a whopping 64,000 Missourians took the course.

Mandatory hunter education was a response to popular demand for safer hunting. Before the hunter education requirement went into effect, Missouri averaged nearly 100 firearms-related hunting accidents annually. Of those accidents about 18 a year were fatal. Today, the figures are approximately 30 accidents and one or two fatalities per year.

Thanks to hunter education, hunting is safer than many other recreational activities. A study of sports injuries conducted by American Sports Data, Inc., ranked hunting 29th out of 100 sports in the number of reported injuries per capita. The injury rate for hunting was just 1.3 per hundred participants, compared to 1.7 for aerobics, 1.8 for horseback riding, 9.0 for cheerleading and 9.3 for soccer. Football was the most dangerous, with 18.8 injuries per 100 participants.

Young hunters must be at least 11 to take the hunter-education course. More than 27,000 Missourians complete the course annually. This would be impossible without a cadre of 2,000-plus instructors, who donate their time and energy through Conservation Department programs to ensure that hunting remains safe and ethical.

For more information about hunter education in Missouri, write to MHEIA, P.O. Box 4505, Springfield, MO 65808 or visit www.mohuntered.com/.

-Jim Low-

Quail Unlimited continues educational tradition

Every summer for more than a decade, Missouri high-schoolers have gathered to learn about the bobwhite quail and its management.

WARRENSBURG, Mo.-High school freshmen or sophomores with an interest in wildlife and hunting have until March 15 to apply for a spot in the 2007 Missouri Quail Academy. Successful applicants will get a week-long, total-immersion course in quail biology, management and hunting.

The event June 10 through 15 is a joint effort by Quail Unlimited (QU), the Missouri Department of Conservation and the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg. Now in its 12th year, the academy is a tradition that has helped foster the next generation of professional and citizen conservationists. The benefits extend beyond the bobwhite quail to the many species of birds and other wildlife that share the bobwhite's grasslnd habitat.

QU Missouri State Director Jef Hodges said any high-school freshman or sophomore is eligible to apply for the academy. The academy also accepts a small number of teachers to staff the event each year.

"This is an exceptional opportunity for advanced conservation participation and exposure to students and teachers alike" said Hodges. "The five-day academy is provided at no charge to students or teachers, and teachers can earn college credit for their participation."

The academy curriculum includes working with university faculty and Conservation Department staff. Quail "cadets" learn first-hand about conservation practices in the field. They also learn leadership and communication skills to enable them to spread their knowledge in their home communities.

The academy accepts 25 students and five teachers annually. Students are chosen on the basis of scholastic achievement and demonstrated interest in conservation. Applicants must have a grade point average of 2.5 or higher, and they must complete a hunter education course before entering the academy.

Successful teacher applicants become "covey leaders," participating in every aspect of the course and learning the latest in conservation techniques.

Academy applications are available at www.qu.org/MOAcademy/. Applications must be submitted by March 15th, 2007 to MO. Quail Academy, Quail Unlimited, 382 NW Hwy 18, Clinton, MO 64735 or by fax to 660-885-7152.

QU was founded in 1981 with the goal of restoring quail habitat. Its 250 chapters raise money and use partnerships with private landowners and government agencies to create and maintain habitat at the local level. Fundraisers include banquets, auctions, sporting clays events and more. QU staff biologists help private landowners restore quail populations. In 2005 alone, QU chapters and partners invested more than $2.2 million dollars in quail habitat. For more information on QU, visit www.qu.org.

-Jim Low-

QU now in seventh Quail Habitat Initiative

Saline County landowners Danny Dillon, left, and Mike Gremaud, right, celebrated the completion of the Quail Unlimited's fifth Quail Habitat Initiative by examining some of the program's successes at the two men's farms. Saline County leads the state in participation in private, state and federal incentive programs aimed at conserving soil and water and bringing back grassland wildlife, including the bobwhite quail. (Missouri Dept. of Conservation photo)

Coveys are multiplying on participants' farms.

MARSHALL, Mo.-Mike Gremaud enjoys hunting quail and is active in the Gary R. Pointer Memorial Chapter of Quail Unlimited. You might think it strange, then, that he doesn't own a single bird dog. The reason is simple - he doesn't need to.

Gremaud was one of six hunters who uncased shotguns the morning of Jan. 5 in Saline County. There were plenty of dogs on hand, including a bouncy English setter, three stylish German shorthairs and a Brittany spaniel with boundless energy.

"I never have trouble finding somebody with dogs," Gremaud said cheerfully as the party waded into a field of head-high grass. "There's always somebody who says, 'I've got dogs if you've got a place to hunt.'"

Gremaud and a friend, Dave Cramer, bought a 60-acre Saline County farm specifically to manage for quail. When they got the land, it was almost entirely in row crops.

"We knew there was at least one covey there. We heard them. We decided to do something different with it, and got with Brent to develop a plan. It has paid off. The last couple of years we have had four coveys here."

Brent Vandeloecht, a private land conservationist with the Missouri Department of Conservation was along for the hunt, too, enjoying the fruits of his collaboration with Gremaud. Quail Unlimited (QU) Missouri Council Chairman Wayne Nierman organized the hunt to celebrate the success of QU's Quail Habitat Initiative (QHI) Program. He invited the Conservation Department's upland wildlife coordinator, Aaron Jeffries, to see what is happening in Saline County.

Others on hand included QU Missouri State Director Jef Hodges and Danny Dillon, who owns the farm where the hunt would move later in the morning.

QHI brings together private landowners, local QU chapters and the Conservation Department to promote grassland wildlife. The bobwhite quail is the poster child for the effort, but the program benefits a wide array of other wildlife, not to mention fish and soil and water conservation.

On this day, however, the focus was on bobwhites. Fanning out across one field after another, dogs and men found the hunting surprisingly challenging. The problem was not lack of birds - the dogs repeatedly found bird scent and went on point - but the abundance of cover.

Locating quail is simple when they are confined to a few islands of cover in a sea of harvested fields. However, when they have large expanses of managed warm-season grasses mixed with wildflowers and legumes, plus miles of wide, brushy field borders to get lost in, the birds' chances of eluding dogs increase dramatically. So do their chances of eluding wild predators.

The group did find three coveys of about 20 birds each in the morning. They located two more coveys in the afternoon. The birds were skittish, flushing as the dogs went on point and before hunters could catch up. Although they missed the "covey rise" that is the gold standard of quail hunting, the hunters had plenty of action chasing down singles and pairs.

Between shooting opportunities, talk frequently turned to quail management. Gremaud, still relatively new to the game, had lots of questions, such as how often to burn native grass pastures and how dense to make brushy "feathered edges" where trees are felled to create quail cover near fields. Vandeloecht, whose job is working with private landowners, had ready answers.

Gremaud and Cramer have enrolled nearly the entire farm they own jointly in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), taking advantage of incentives for soil, water and wildlife conservation under the federal farm bill. They have used various CRP practices to address soil conservation and wildlife management needs.

QHI contributed further to the affordability of quail habitat work that Gremaud and Cramer have done on their farm. Through the program, QU's national organization coordinates the activities of local QU chapters and the Conservation Department, which match one another's funding of habitat work on private land. Since the program's inception in 2000, QHI has poured nearly $500,000 into such habitat projects.

Dec. 31 marked the end of QHI-5, the fifth sign-up period for the program. QU put more than $106,000 into 119 Missouri projects during that period. More than $167,000 was allocated for Missouri in QHI-6, which ends Dec. 31, 2007. More than $66,000 of that money still is available to QU chapters.

Some QU chapters have become so adept at using QHI funds that they already have spent approximately $40,000 allocated for QHI-7, which runs through 2008.

"This is one of the most effective tools in our toolbox," said Vandeloecht. "It is a great way to make a piece of land better for quail and other grassland wildlife."

Hodges said QHI also is one of the simplest programs to use. Checks go directly from QU to participating landowners. Twenty-five farmers participated in QHI-5 in Saline County. Saline County farmers also are taking advantage of conservation incentives offered through the federal farm bill. In that county alone 49 producers have enrolled an average of more than 650 acres each in the Conservation Security Program.

"We're talking about big, landscape-type changes here," said Vandeloecht. "People in this county have really jumped on the CP-33 program for field buffers. A lot of these guys are really proud of putting in those buffers. They want signs to show everyone they are doing it for a reason."

One reason, besides benefiting wildlife, is that cost-sharing improves their bottom line. Vandeloecht said the average yield on some crop fields has increased from 170 to 190 bushels of corn per acre because incentive payments allowed them to take marginal land out of production.

"They like it because they get to concentrate on farming their best land," he said.

Along with other private and government conservation incentive programs, QHI is making a difference. With more habitat available, quail were able to take advantage of favorable nesting conditions in 2006 and post population increases in six of the state's eight regions. Jeffries said habitat work may take several years to bear fruit in a particular area, but eventually landowners begin to notice increased numbers of quail, rabbits and other wildlife.

As the shadows lengthened,Gremaud suggested ending the hunt. "There's a lot more farm to cover, but daylight's running thin," he said. Having too much high-quality quail habitat to hunt in one day is a dilemma many Missourians would like to have. To learn more about how to face that dilemma, contact the nearest office of the Conservation Department, the Farm Service Agency or the Natural Resources Conservation Service. For information about QHI, contact Jef Hodges, 382 N.W. Highway 18, Clinton, MO 64735, phone (660) 885-7057, or visit www.qu.org/.

-Jim Low-

Missouri to host cave symposium in October

Intrigued by the dark and mysterious world of caves? This event is for you.

ST. LOUIS-Missouri residents who are curious about caves and interested in learning how to keep them healthy have a rare opportunity this year. The Missouri Department of Conservation and the Missouri Caves and Karst Conservancy are sponsoring the 16th National Cave and Karst Management Symposium Oct. 8 through 12 in St. Louis.

The symposium is designed to give people of diverse backgrounds and interests a chance to share information and coordinate efforts to care for one of Earth's least familiar and most interesting biological communities. Cave researchers, spelunkers, experts on cave biology and amateur cave enthusiasts from around the globe are expected to attend.

The symposium is held every other year. It has taken place in Missouri only once before, in 1984, when cave experts, or "speleologists" met in Rolla. This year's event will be held at the Holiday Inn Southwest and Viking Conference Center, 10709 Watson Road, St. Louis, MO 63127. To register for the symposium, visit www.nckms2007.org. Further symposium details are available at www.utexas.edu/tmm/sponsored_sites/biospeleology/. Click on "NCKMS 2007."

The nearby Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center will host a free cave photo exhibition along with guest speakers Oct. 9. For more information about this event, contact Powder Valley CNC, 11715 Cragwold Road, Kirkwood, MO 63122, phone (314) 301-1500, or visit www.mdc.mo.gov/areas/cnc/powder/. The symposium also will feature a field trip to Meramec State Park Oct. 10.

Missouri is a natural venue for the event, since the Show-Me State has more than 6,300 known caves, many of which are on public land. Missouri's innovative cave management and research efforts will figure prominently in symposium offerings.

Conservation Department Cave Biologist Bill Elliott is the symposium chairman. He can be contacted at P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180, phone (573) 522-4115, ext. 3194, e-mail Bill.Elliott@mdc.mo.gov.

-Jim Low-

Tiny treasure found in southwest Missouri

Vergial Harp's work with the U.S. Fish and wildlife Service includes managing the nation's second-smallest national wildlife refuge (NWR). Cavefish NWR in Lawrence County contains part of a cave system that harbors one of the few remaining populations of the eyeless, 2-inch fish. (Missouri Dept. of Conservation photo)

Size is less important than diversity at Ozark Cavefish National Wildlife Refuge.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo.-Late-August heat beat down from above and radiated from the very earth as Vergial Harp set out across a pasture in southwest Missouri. Ponds along the gravel road where he left his government truck were shrunken and algae filled. A thick layer of dust gave vegetation an ashen pallor.

A quarter-mile trek brought him to the verge of a creek burbling with clear water, despite a drought of three years and counting. The air was still, and only cicada songs broke the stillness.

Parting the streamside vegetation and scrambling down the bank, he entered a different world. The air was easily 10 degrees cooler and damp enough to fog eyeglasses. The water felt refreshing on his fingers when he stooped to test its coolness.

Turning upstream, he picked his way along the bedrock, skirting spots deeper than his boot tops. The water grew cooler as he went along. One bank backed up to a steep hillside, almost a bluff. He stopped where a small declivity punctuated the rock. The plants growing in the water changed here, growing more succulent, and Harp could feel an extra chill, even through his waterproof boots.

"This is Hearrell Spring," he said, indicating a shallow expanse where rising water tickled the sand-and-gravel bottom. "That is the outlet for an underground stream that runs through a cave."

Harp is a Refuge Ranger with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) based in Puxico, Mo. On this August day, he was visiting one of the areas for which he is responsible, Ozark Cavefish National Wildlife Refuge (NWR).

At just over 40 acres, it has the distinction of being the second-smallest national wildlife refuge. The heart of the refuge lies beneath the surface of the land, and much about the area remains mysterious, even to Harp. Concern for its unique and largely uncatalogued biological contents currently keep the area closed to public use, but Harp hopes that eventually will change.

Ozark Cavefish NWR came into existence in 1991, with the acquisition of 40 acres in Lawrence County. The land adjoins two areas owned by the Missouri Department of Conservation. One of the conservation areas has an extensive cave system known to harbor the federally threatened Ozark cavefish. Preserving the eyeless, 2-inch fish is the refuge's reason for being. A separate, 1.3-acre tract adjacent to the Neosho National Fish Hatchery, also known to harbor Ozark cavefish, comprises the remainder of the NWR.

Ozark cavefish are known to live only in a few caves in southwestern Missouri, northwestern Arkansas and northeastern Oklahoma. Early settlers in the region called the tiny, pinkish-white fish "well keepers," because their presence was proof of clean water. Their sensitivity to pollution makes them good environmental barometers even today. Pesticides, chemical spills, soil erosion, and runoff from roads, parking lots, garbage dumps, septic systems and livestock operations may account for their limited present-day distribution.

Cavefish protection drives most management decisions at Ozark Cavefish NWR. This cautious approach accounts for the fact that the refuge currently is closed to public use.

"We don't have a good grasp of what is here," said Harp. "I can't say there are cave fish on this site. It's what we don't see here that's critical. It's kind of like seeing the tracks of an animal. You know they have been there. You know that area is probably important to them. We know they have been in the cave, but right here, we can't say that."

Harp said FWS officials are moving with deliberate care to learn enough about the area to ensure they can manage it wisely before opening it to public use. Understanding the area, says Harp, includes conducting inventories of plants and animals that live on - and beneath - the land. It includes learning how activities above ground might affect subterranean water quality.

The FWS is working to establish a partnership with the Conservation Department for managing the area. The endangered gray bat is known to inhabit the cave on the conservation area, and the flying mammals' droppings are one of the major sources of nutrients that cavefish need to survive. The state agency's efforts to ensure the survival of the bats plays into the FWS's goal of preserving the cavefish.

The FWS also is looking for area residents who might be interested in getting involved in the area's management.

The 15-year management plan currently under development contemplates adding a half-time refuge operations specialist to oversee refuge management. Other ambitions include hiring a half-time specialist to monitor and manage Ozark Cavefish NWR and placing a webcam at Hearrell Springs to provide a public window on the area. An interpretive kiosk also is part of long-term plans.

At present, only scientific, educational and interpretive uses are allowed on the refuge. Eventually, however, the FWS hopes to open at least part of the area to wildlife-based recreation, including hunting, fishing, environmental education, wildlife observation and photography.

Harp said Ozark Cavefish NWR's size makes it especially important.

"The fact it is so small makes it really special, because it is so concentrated. It is home to these endangered species, and without it, you won't have those and the various other species. They all go together, the gray bats' guano is the food source for the cavefish and the cavefish is a component of the system, too."

He said the refuge's location near Springfield, Joplin and Neosho gives it potential value for environmental education. "There is an opportunity to bring groups here and show them what the ecological components are in this area. As far as recreation such as fishing, if the stream is carefully managed from the outset so you don't get overcrowding or adverse effects, there are opportunities to have public use here in some form over the next five to 10 years."

For more information about Ozark Cavefish NWR and other small, high-quality examples of Missouri's many unique ecosystems, visit www.fws.gov/midwest/, or www.mdc.mo.gov/areas/natareas/, or contact Natural Areas Coordinator, Missouri Department of Conservation, P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, Missouri 65102-0180.

-Jim Low-

2006 was a year of conservation landmarks

Four fishing records, 3,000 stream teams and 1 million hunter education graduates helped make 2006 a year to remember

.JEFFERSON CITY-The year gone by was a memorable one for Missourians with an interest in nature-based recreation or conservation. 2006 offered moments for the books, from streams and fishing to hunting and historic anniversaries. Here are a few highlights.

PRAIRIE CHICKEN RECOVERY PLAN APPROVED

In March, the Missouri Conservation Commission received a presentation about a plan for reversing the decline of the greater prairie chicken (Tympanuchus cupido pinnatus). The plan is built around cooperation between private landowners, citizen conservation groups and state and federal conservation and farm agencies. It calls for releasing wild-trapped prairie chickens from other states, but not until land protection and management have created favorable conditions for their survival. For more information, visit www.mdc.mo.gov/cgi-bin/news/arc5-2006.html.

THE NEXT GENERATION OF CONSERVATION

In March, the Conservation Commission unveiled a new strategic plan entitled The Next Generation of Conservation which provides the framework for conservation efforts for the years to come. The plan identifies 61 specific actions the Department will work to achieve in partnership with Missourians and Missouri communities. For more information, visit www.missouriconservation.org/conmag/2006/09/.

MISSOURI'S 3,000TH STREAM TEAM

In July, the Conservation Department announced the formation of the 3,000th group dedicated to preserving and improving one of the state's most cherished resources. The wildly successful Missouri Stream Teams Programs, a joint effort of the Conservation Department, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and the Conservation Federation of Missouri, originally aimed to form 250 citizen-directed teams, a goal it exceeded in less than two years. Today more than 45,000 Missourians spend in excess of 130,000 hours annually working on their own goals for stream conservation.

THE 1 MILLIONTH HUNTER EDUCATION GRADUATE

Since hunter education became mandatory for Missouri hunters in 1988, the hunting accident rate has fallen steadily, in spite of a steady increase in the number of deer and turkeys and dramatically increased harvests of those species. The heroes in this fight against hunting accidents are a cadre of thousands of citizen hunter education instructors. Information about hunter education classes is available at www.mdc.mo.gov/hunt/heclass-search.html or from any Conservation Department office.

A RECORD FIREARMS DEER HARVEST

Missouri hunters checked a record 280,856 deer during the urban, youth, November, muzzleloader and antlerless portions of the 2006 firearms deer season. Thanks to the Conservation Federation of Missouri and financial sponsors of the Share the Harvest Program, hunters were able to donate more than a quarter of a million pounds of venison to food banks and other charities, helping fight hunger and make the holiday season brighter for thousands of Missourians.

FOUR NEW FISHING RECORDS

Missouri anglers set four new state fishing records in 2006, including: --A 9-pound, 10-ounce river redhorse caught by John "Buck" Hennessey from the Osage River between Cole and Osage counties in January --A 5-pound black crappie caught by John Horstman at a Callaway County lake in April --A 6-pound, 6-ounce yellow bullhead caught by John Irvin at Old Drexel Lake in Bates County in May --A 13-pound shortnose gar caught by Brad Smith from Mark Twain Lake in Monroe County June 16.

For more information about Missouri fishing records and how to apply for a record, visit www.mdc.mo.gov/fish/.

THE FIRST MISSOURI RIVER 340 RACE

Kansas City residents Scott Mansker and Russ Payzant organized the first Missouri River 340, a paddling marathon that takes canoeists and kayakers from Kansas City to St. Charles in less than 100 hours. Conceived as a way to focus attention on the neglected recreational opportunities offered by Missouri's namesake river, the inaugural event drew 21 hardy participants from across the nation. Visit rivermiles.com/ for more information about the Missouri River 340.

70 YEARS OF CONSERVATION IN MISSOURI

Gov. Matt Blunt proclaimed Nov. 3 "Seventy Years of Conservation Day." The announcement was timed to coincide with the date in 1936 when an overwhelming majority (71 percent) of Missouri voters approved Amendment No. 4 to the state constitution. That amendment vested sole authority for the management of Missouri's forests, fish and wildlife in a four-person, bipartisan commission appointed by the governor. Gov. Blunt noted that Missouri's conservation program has become a national model and made possible forest, fish and wildlife programs that generate more than $7.5 billion in economic activity in Missouri annually.

THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY STABLE CONSERVATION FUNDING

In 1976, Missouri voters again approved a conservation-related amendment to the state constitution, establishing a one-eighth of 1 percent sales tax to support Show-Me State conservation. This tax provides the majority of the agency's funds. Unlike other states' conservation agencies, the Missouri Department of Conservation receives no general revenue funds from the legislature.

CONFIRMED MOUNTAIN LION AND ELK SIGHTINGS

Physical evidence enabled the Conservation Department to confirm the sightings of two mountain lions in December. Earlier in the fall, the agency confirmed two sightings of elk in northwestern Missouri. The agency said all four animals likely were migrants from Western states.

For more information about these and other conservation developments that made 2006 notable, visit www.mdc.mo.gov/news/out/.

-Jim Low-

Actions taken now can prevent nuisance goose problems

Discouraging geese is easier before they become problems.

JEFFERSON CITY-Homeowners were delighted when a pair of Canada geese built a nest near the neighborhood lake. They kept dogs on leashes and headed off other sources of disturbance as the handsome birds incubated their eggs and reared their young, then enjoyed the sight of fuzzy goslings waddling across roads and rejoiced when the once-gawky youngsters reached maturity and took wing.

Ten years later, the flock had grown to several dozen. The big birds' slimy green droppings were everywhere, turning evening walks into games of hopscotch. Their forays across roads caused traffic accidents. Aggressive males attacked passing pedestrians during the mating season. With everything they needed within a few hundred yards of the lake and no predators to worry about, the birds stubbornly resisted homeowners' attempts to scare them away. The birds' numbers grew with each passing year.

This scenario is familiar to nuisance wildlife specialists. The giant Canada goose, a native species that nearly disappeared from Missouri in the exploitive era of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, has returned to the Show-Me State with the help of the Missouri Department of Conservation. The state's flock now numbers more than 60,000. However, when wild birds lose their fear of humans and move into suburbs, conflicts arise. The Conservation Department has advice for avoiding such conflicts.

Part of the problem is that giant Canada geese, like their migratory relatives, are protected by federal law. This limits what landowners can do when geese become troublesome. Killing them is illegal except during hunting seasons and by prescribed methods or by special permit. Disturbing their nests without a special permit also is illegal.

There are things you can do to discourage giant Canada geese from frequenting your property, however. You also can take measures to prevent them from becoming more numerous. Since geese begin nesting early in the spring, now is the time to take the following actions to prevent Canada goose problems.

--Never feed geese.
--Leave grass at least 6 inches tall around the edges of lakes.
--Plant hedges or install fences (as short as 3 feet will do) between the lake shore and your yard.
--Remove manmade nesting structures.
--Keep an eye out for pairs of geese searching for nesting sites, and harass them before nesting begins
--Hang reflective plastic streamers to discourage geese from landing on your property.
--Use propane cannons or special pyrotechnics, where legal, to frighten them away.
--Harass geese every time they come on your property.

Noisemakers, dogs, brooms and rakes can be used to harass geese now, before nesting begins. These measures must stop once the birds begin laying eggs, however. The only way you can capture, injure or kill geese is by legal means during the hunting season or with a special permit. You also need a permit to destroy or collect their eggs.

For more information about dealing with problem geese, contact the USDA Wildlife Services, 1714 Commerce Court, Ste. C, Columbia, MO, 65202, phone (573) 449-3033, or contact the nearest Conservation Department office.

-Jim Low-