February 2003

Missouri River near record low

Continued drought in the river's upper and lower basins could lead to the lowest water levels on record.

JEFFERSON CITY - Barge owners have noticed it. Sohave fishermen and pleasure boaters. Even the commuters crossing the Missouri River on their way to work have noticed that the "Big Muddy" is neither as big nor as muddy as usual. Experts say low flows on Missouri's namesake river are likely to stay low. They could get even lower.

Winter is when the river's flow normally reaches low ebb. In late February this year, the river's flow at Kansas City was only a little below the normal winter flow of approximately 28,000 cubic feet per second (cfs). But this year is different, according to Dan Witter, chief of the Missouri Department of Conservation's Policy Coordination Section.

"This year there is no promise of more water to come," Witter said. Of course, we could always get a spring rise as a result of seasonal rains, but an important part of the water that typically feeds the river throughout the spring and early summer comes from melting snow pack in the Great Plains and the northern Rocky Mountains. That snow pack is far below normal again this year."

Last year, runoff in the Missouri River Basin was the 10th lowest since 1898, with reservoirs like Lake Sakakawea, in North Dakota, and Lake Oahe, in South Dakota, far below their normal levels. Lake Oahe is 20 feet below normal, leaving many boat ramps and docks high and dry.

Altogether, reservoirs on the main stem of the Missouri River currently hold 13 million acre feet less water than normal. John LaRandeau, Navigation Program Manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), said Missouri River storage was 42.4 million acre feet on Feb. 18 of this year. The lowest on record was 40.8 million acre feet in June 1991, following an extended drought. "It is possible that we could hit a record low for system storage this year," LaRandeau said.

About 70 percent of the Missouri River water that flows past Hermann, Missouri, enters from tributaries below the last main-stem reservoir, Gavin's Point Dam, in Yankton, S.D. However, the combination of low tributary inflow and reduced storage in main-stem reservoirs could make it difficult to support barge traffic reliably through late summer and fall.

Looking at reduced lake levels, below-average snow pack and an ongoing drought to rival the one in the mid to late 1980s, the Corps recently announced plans to go to a "steady-release" of water from April through October. Corps officials say this release plan provides a 90 percent chance that the river will have enough water to keep barges afloat. However, drier than normal weather in the lower Missouri River Basin could leave barges without enough water to operate.

"Even if Missouri has a wet spring, the river is likely to be considerably lower than normal this summer and into the fall," said Witter. "In 1993 and 1995, we learned that the river is a dynamic system with normal variations that are beyond the control of humans. This year we may learn the same lesson again."

- Jim Low -

Low river means increased recreation

Low water levels on the Missouri River won't reduce opportunities for recreation and relaxation this year. (Missouri Dept. of Conservation photo)

Missouri's namesake river is more inviting with more predictable fishing and hundreds of miles of sandbars and islands to explore.

JEFFERSON CITY - Near-record lower water on the Missouri River could be bad news for barge operators, but there is a silver lining for Missourians who enjoy picnicking, fossil collecting, camping, fishing and waterfowl hunting.

"The Missouri River is a tremendous recreation area," said Dan Witter, chief of policy coordination for the Missouri Department of Conservation. "It is most accessible and inviting when the water is low, exposing loads of sand bars, islands and sandy banks where people can get out and enjoy it."

Normal summer flow on the river is approximately 60,000 cfs at Kansas City. At that level, most sand bars and islands are covered. At a flow of about 41,000 cfs, many large bars and islands are exposed, though barge traffic still is possible. Flows this year could be far less than 41,000 cfs, exposing hundreds of miles of shoreline along sand bars and islands

Rain and snowfall has been below normal throughout the Missouri River Basin for the past five years, leaving reservoirs in the Dakotas 18 to 20 feet below normal level. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which regulates the river's flow, says it hopes to keep the river high enough for barge traffic this summer. Even so, lower-than-normal flows are virtually guaranteed for most of the coming year.

Witter said the low water level will leave the tops of rock dikes and other obstructions well above water. "This coming summer will be a terrific time for people who have never explored the river to get their feet wet," he said. "With the wing dikes easily visible, boating is much easier."

Witter said a low river also is more inviting because the current is not as swift and floating debris is scarce. "The water is going to be clearer, the current more gentle and boating conditions ideal," Witter said.

Once on the river, boaters will find a wealth of sandy beaches, which are much more inviting than the steep mud banks that border the river during high flows. Gradually sloping beaches and nearby shallow water off the main channel are perfect for camping, picnicking and family fishing trips, according to Witter.

"Youngsters don't always have the patience to spend hours in a boat holding fishing rods," said Witter. "On a sand bar, they can put down their fishing gear, run around, pick up shells play catch or just splash around in the water for awhile to burn off energy."

Low water also enhances fishing for flathead, channel and blue catfish, drum and other river fish. "The trouble with having lots of water in the river is that it's harder to guess where the fish will be," said Vince Travnichek, a fisheries research biologist for the Conservation Department. "Much of the bottom structure where fish like to hang out is covered with water, making it hard to home in on good spots."

Also, said Travnichek, when the river is spread out, so are fish. "It's much easier to focus your efforts on a few good spots when you can see where the dikes, bars and points are and the fish are concentrated in a smaller area."

The same conditions that benefit anglers also work to hunters' advantage. Canada geese flock to sand islands, while shallow sloughs, side channels and mud flats give ducks an incentive to linger in the Show-Me State in dry years, when the surrounding landscape is without flooded land to entice them.

Missouri River waterfowl hunting starts with the early teal season in September, when the weather is warm. The main event for duck hunters comes later. As shallow pools at managed wetland areas freeze, mallards, pintails, ringnecks and gadwalls go looking for open water, and they find it on the river. Canada and snow geese carry waterfowl hunting on the river well into the winter.

Witter said the wealth of wildlife that inhabits the river corridor makes it an excellent place for bird watching, wildlife photography and other nature study. Deer, turkey, beavers, otters, minks, bald eagles, ospreys and a wide array of shorebirds, such as American avocets, stilts, sandpipers and plovers are highly visible in the open landscape of the Missouri River.

Beachcombing, normally not associated with Midwestern states, is a little-known opportunity on the Missouri River. An astonishing variety of collectibles appear when the river is low.

One O'Fallon resident recently got the surprise of her life when she discovered a 10,000-year-old skull of an extinct, ice-age bison on a sand bar near Weldon Spring Conservation Area in St. Charles County. Although finding an intact skull measuring nearly three feet across certainly is unusual, bones, teeth, arrowheads and other evidence of past life on the river are common.

Other standard Missouri River beachcombing fare includes potsherds, river-polished agates, driftwood and antique bottles, occasionally with messages inside.

Collecting such artifacts is legal as long as they no longer are in their original locations, according to Brant Vollman, an archaeologist with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Anything washed onto a sandbar is fair game. However, Vollman said human remains and intact archaeological sites, such as Indian mounds and buried shipwrecks, must not be disturbed, and should be reported immediately.

Trespass is another issue that beachcombers should consider. According to Chris Wickern of the Corps of Engineers' Kansas City office, the property of landowners adjacent to the river extends to the ordinary low-water mark of the river. "As a rule of thumb, this is where the riverside vegetation ends," he said.

Wickern said islands are another story. While low-lying sand islands that exist only at low-water levels are part of the river, some larger, permanent islands are platted and privately owned.

As the bicentennial of Lewis and Clark's 1804-1806 journey approaches, the Missouri River offers a way of experiencing some of the wonder the Corps of Discovery felt as it explored uncharted territory.
Increased recreational opportunities resulting from low flows in the Missouri River create economic good news, too. The Missouri River nets a significant amount of tourist income for the state. A 1983-87 survey of recreational activities showed that the river was the destination for more than 400,000 recreational trips annually in Missouri and generated expenditures of $7.3 million for equipment, supplies, food, lodging, fuel and services. This money generated another $14.4 million in economic activity as it filtered through river communities' economies.

Three brochures B AUpper Missouri River,@ AMiddle Missouri River@ and ALower Missouri River,@ show accesses, conservation areas and other information about recreational opportunities. Single copies are available from Conservation Department regional offices in St. Joseph, Kansas City, Columbia and St. Louis.

Missouri River navigation charts are available from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Two books -- "Missouri River Navigational Charts B Sioux City, Iowa, to Kansas City@ and AMissouri River Navigational Charts B Kansas City to the Mouth@ -- cover all of Missouri's stretch of the river. They cost $8.50 each and are available from the Missouri River Information Center, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, P.O. Box 710, Yankton, SD, 57078, 866/285-3219.

The publication "The Lewis & Clark Bicentennial Lower Missouri River Guide to Recreation and Visitor Safety" shows the places Lewis and Clark camped, and sites where interpretive signs will be erected starting this year. You can get a free copy by calling 866-285-3219. The guide also is available at Conservation Department offices and nature centers in St. Louis, Jefferson City and Kansas City.

The U.S. Geological Survey Web site offers up-to-date river level information. For example, http://water.usgs.gov/mo/nwis/uv?06910450, shows a chart tracking the river=s level at Jefferson City.

- Jim Low -

Missouri to have two fishing openers

Years of fish stocking and patient waiting are about to pay off for walleye anglers on the St. Francis River. (Missouri Dept. of Conservation photo)

The reopening of walleye fishing on the upper St. Francis River will give anglers an alternative to opening day at trout parks.

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- On March 1, trout normally occupy the attention of Missouri anglers. This year, however, imported brown and rainbow trout will have to share the limelight with a fish native to Missouri, the walleye.

March 1 marks the beginning of catch-and-keep fishing at Missouri's four trout parks. The annual rite draws thousands of anglers from all over Missouri and other states. However, anglers who value solitude and savory, flaky walleye fillets have an alternative to the brawling atmosphere of the trout opener. Missouri's second March 1 opener will take place on the St. Francis River in southeastern Missouri.

Until the late 1960s, catches of walleye weighing 10 to 12 pounds were not uncommon on the St. Francis. After that, however, the fishery declined. By 1990, catching any walleye -- much less a trophy -- from the St. Francis River was a rare event.

Fisheries biologists believed that anglers were catching more walleye than the fishes' natural reproduction could replace. The Conservation Commission closed walleye fishing on the St. Francis above Wappapello Dam in 1997, requiring anglers to release any walleye they caught. This allowed nearly 200,000 walleye fingerlings the Conservation Department put in the river to grow.

March 1 will mark a new chapter in St. Francis River walleye history, as anglers once again are allowed to catch and keep walleye in the St. Francis River and its tributaries above Wappapello Dam.

Conservation Department fisheries workers have been monitoring walleye numbers and size in the upper St. Francis and say the fish are reproducing and can sustain a carefully regulated harvest. They will continue monitoring the population so fishing regulations can be adjusted if necessary.

Effective regulation is the key to maintaining walleye numbers and size, according to Fisheries Management Biologist Mark Boone.

"Every fish population can produce only so many fish every year," he said. "We need to make sure that the number of walleyes anglers take home each year is within the number the population can replace."

This year, anglers can keep up to four walleyes daily. To be legal, the fish have to be at least 18 inches from tip of nose to tip of tail. The possession limit is eight. These limits include saugers, a fish that resembles the walleye so closely that many anglers would have trouble telling them apart.

After March 1, walleye season will be open throughout the year. The only exception is that from Feb. 20 through April 14 walleye and sauger may be taken and possessed on the St. Francis River above Wappapello Dam only between 6:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Central Standard Time. This is to protect the fish during their spawning season, and it means that walleye and sauger may not be possessed until 6:30 a.m. on opening day.

Legal methods for taking walleye and sauger include pole and line, trotline, throwline, limbline, bank line, jug line and falconry. Gigging, grabbing, or snagging are not legal methods.

Anglers also should remember that 2002 fishing permits expire Feb. 28, so they will need 2003 permits for walleye fishing. Also, March 1 is when black bass season closes in the unimpounded portions of streams in southern Missouri, so possessing bass will be illegal on the St. Francis River and its tributaries when walleye fishing opens.

"Some anglers have been concerned about this fishery," said Boone, "and I know many of them are very excited about getting to put walleyes on their stringers and in their live wells again. The Conservation Department has invested a lot of time and effort in bringing this fish back to the upper St. Francis. We couldn't have done it without the cooperation of anglers, who have been very patient while the walleye population recovered. Now we get to reap the benefits."

Boone said the continued cooperation of anglers is critical to the success of walleye management on the St. Francis River.

"Regulations are only effective if anglers believe in them," Boone said. "We need people not only to abide by the rules themselves, but to encourage other anglers to obey them, too. It won't take many people keeping undersized fish or catching more than their limit to send this fishery back down the tubes."

Madison County Conservation Agent Scott Bumgardaner said local officials are committed to protecting the St. Francis River walleye fishery.

"I am asking the folks who are out there fishing for walleye to help police their own ranks," said Bumgardaner. "There is no way a conservation agent can be effective without help. This whole effort on the walleye in the upper St. Francis was done in response to public concern.

"We are at the point where the walleye resource can once again be enjoyed and walleye fishing secrets passed down to younger generations. Don't let this resource be lost again. If you see or hear of walleye violations, or if you have questions about regulations, call me at 573/783-7043. Information will be kept in the strictest confidence, and rewards are available."

- Jim Low -

Trout parks braced for record opening day crowds

A Saturday opener promises to draw thousands to Missouri's four trout parks.

JEFFERSON CITY - Fair-weather fisherman is anything but an apt description of Marshfield, Mo. resident Joe Jackson. Sub-zero temperatures, sleet and driving snow storms are among the weather conditions he has endured to attend the opening day of the trout park fishing season at Bennett Spring State Park, west of Lebanon.

"The first time I attended the season opener was in 1953," says Jackson. "I was a young lad who had been enticed there by some older friends. I paid 50-cents for a tag. It was a drought year and the water flow wasn't very strong, but the water was clear and lots of people had come out to fish. I can't remember now whether I caught anything or not, but I had a good time."

For the past 49 years Jackson has enjoyed every March 1 at the trout season opener at Bennett Springs. When the siren sounds to start the season he's usually found casting a fly rod from his favorite fishing spot, between the new dam and the bridge. It's a place that has brought him his share of good times.

"Most years catching the limit and having a good time meeting and talking with other anglers are about the most exciting things that happen," Jackson said, "but 1961 was my most memorable opener. My feet tangled up in some rocks and I went in backwards right up to my head. A fellow fisherman grabbed me and set me back up.

"A few minutes later I went to fighting it again and went totally under. It was 10 above zero and by the time I got from the bank to my friend's tent my clothes were frozen. Luckily I had brought a change of clothes with me. I peeled off the frozen clothes, dried off, warmed up and headed back to the stream."

Jackson also has had his share of good luck at the season openers. He said he usually takes home four fish. The key to fishing success is using a lure with enough weight to get down close to the fish. Jackson advises novice to equip themselves with a spinning rod, four-pound-test line and a wooly worm. But he says enjoying quality fishing is not the reason he recommends anglers attend the opening day of the trout park season.

"If you're an avid outdoorsman like I've always been," said Jackson, "this is a wonderful way to celebrate spring. It's a good way for people to get rid of cabin fever. Don't go there expecting a great fishing experience because there will be a lot of people there and you're going to get tangled up. The opener is not a time for serious fishing; it's a good time for socializing."

Jackson's faithful attendance has earned him the honor of sounding the alarm to start the trout opener at Bennett Spring this year. The trout season kicks off at 6:30 a.m. March 1 at Bennett Spring, Montauk State Park, southeast of Licking, Roaring River State Park, near Cassville, and Maramec Spring Park, southeast of St. James.

The Missouri Department of Conservation estimates that 12,000 anglers will take advantage of this year's first opportunity to enjoy catch and keep fishing at the trout parks. The Conservation Department will stock approximately 36,000 rainbow and brown trout, including hundreds of lunkers -- fish weighing three to five pounds. The daily limit at the parks is five.

All anglers must buy daily trout tags to fish in the parks. The tags, sold only in the parks, cost $3 for adults and $2 for children under age 16. Missouri anglers aged 16 to 65 and nonresidents also need valid fishing permits to cast lines in the trout parks. Since current fishing permits expire Feb. 28, anglers are advised to purchase permits before March 1 to avoid waiting in long lines for new permits at the trout parks.

Fishing permits are available at Conservation Department service centers and nature centers and from private vendors throughout the state. Anglers may pursue trout with a Daily Fishing Permit ($5), a Resident Fishing Permit ($11) or a Resident Hunting and Fishing permit ($19). Annual Nonresident Fishing Permits cost $35. Trout anglers fishing outside the four trout parks also need a $7 Trout Permit if they plan to keep any trout.

Each trout park has unique regulations regarding lure restrictions and zones. Details of these regulations are provided in leaflets at each park. Anglers should pick up one of these leaflets and familiarize themselves with fishing zones and bait restrictions before fishing.

- Arleasha Mays -

Your wallet just got bigger

2003 hunting and fishing permits are more compact.

JEFFERSON CITY - Missouri hunters and fishers will find more room in their wallets this year, as hunting and fishing permits get smaller and thinner.

The Conservation Department responded to permit buyers' suggestions by reducing the size of the basic permit form by 20 percent. The size of deer and turkey transportation tags that accompany deer and turkey hunting permits remain unchanged. As in the past, however, the transportation tag tabs can be removed from permits other than deer and turkey, substantially reducing their size.

The permits also are made of thinner material, reducing bulk. Besides saving space in your wallet, the new permits will save the Conservation Department money on material costs.

You can buy permits online at www.wildlifelicense.com/mo. You will pay $2 for the convenience of buying online, and deer and turkey hunters must wait for permits with transportation tags to arrive in the mail before they can hunt legally.

- Jim Low -

Missouri, Kansas plan quail management strategy

The northern bobwhite quail, along with rabbits, songbirds and a host of other wildlife species, will benefit from the Northern Bobwhite Conservation Initiative. The NBCI will pool the efforts of state, federal and private conservation organizations in an effort to reverse a long-term quail decline. (Missouri Dept. of Conservation photo)

A landscape-scale approach is needed, they say.

JEFFERSON CITY - Wildlife managers who gathered for the Northern Bobwhite Quail Symposium Feb. 1 agreed that past attempts to halt the decline of the popular game bird have failed. They discussed the causes of quail decline and explored ambitious new approaches that focus on larger-scale habitat restoration.

Approximately 120 people from Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Texas attended the symposium at the Doubletree Hotel in Overland Park, Kan. They came to learn about the Northern Bobwhite Quail Initiative (NBCI) and discuss how to put it into practice in their regions.

The NBCI encompasses all or part of 22 states from the East Coast to Texas, Oklahoma and Nebraska. The approach is similar in some ways to the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, but considerably more ambitious.

The overall goal is restore bobwhite numbers to their 1980 levels. Of the 2.77 million new coveys needed to achieve this goal, approximately 100,000 are to be restored in Missouri.

The Southeast Quail Study Group estimates that habitat improvements are needed on 81 million acres to reach quail population goals. The North American Waterfowl Management Plan targeted 2 million acres.

Speaking at a dinner following the symposium, Conservation Department Director John Hoskins said, "I am not here to mourn the disappearance of wild bobwhite quail from Midwestern landscapes. Yet, the recovery of quail populations to desired levels is indeed a daunting challenge.

"There is no 'silver bullet' when it comes to restoring quail populations. Quick fixes, such as stocking pen-reared birds, making local habitat improvements, passing restrictive hunting regulations can only distract our attention from the important work of providing the wide-scale habitat these tough and resourceful little birds need to thrive."

Key elements of the NBCI are:

*Approaching quail restoration at a larger scale than previously attempted

"We have been in 40-acre rut," said the Wildlife Management Institute's Don McKenzie introducing the NBCI. "We will have to think and act on a larger scale than we have in the past if we are to succeed."

Toward this goal, the NBCI has divided the eastern United States into 15 Bird Conservation Regions. These "BCRs" are defined by climate and habitat factors rather than by state boundaries.

Missouri has major portions of two BCRs -- the Tallgrass Prairie Region in northern and western Missouri and the Central Hardwoods Region in southern and eastern Missouri. A small part of the Mississippi Alluvial Valley BCR lies in Missouri's southeastern corner.

he Eastern Tallgrass Prairie Region has experienced the second-smallest quail decline of all regions, but quail numbers still are down by 50 percent. The NBCI sets a goal of 94,000 new quail coveys for the Missouri portion of this region. The easiest way to achieve this goal will be encouraging more wildlife-friendly management of farmland enrolled in the federal Conservation Reserve Program (CRP).

The bobwhite's decline in the Central Hardwoods BCR is more dramatic -- 69 percent since 1980. The recovery goal for Missouri's portion of this region is 101,000 new coveys. In the Ozarks, public agencies will concentrate on restoring glades and savannas with natural plant communities. On private land, quail will benefit from Federal Farm Bill programs that encourage landowners to diversify pastures with legumes, such as Korean lespedeza, manage forest grazing better and increase the use of prescribed burning in forest management.

*Using financial resources available through the Federal Farm Bill of 2002

The new federal farm bill is the most conservation-friendly in history, allocating billions of dollars for practices that enhance the wildlife value of farmland and even mentioning quail restoration as a goal of the legislation. The Conservation Department, Quail Unlimited and the Natural Resources Conservation Service already have cooperative programs in place to capture Missouri's full entitlement under the CRP and Environmental Quality Enhancement, the Wildlife Habitat Improvement, Conservation Security, Wetland Reserve and the Forest Land Enhancement programs.

*Establishing partnerships with organizations with common goals

Many of the goals of the NBCI parallel those of existing conservation efforts. Quail Unlimited and Pheasants Forever are obvious potential allies for the effort. Because a host of other wildlife species, including migratory songbirds, depend on the same habitat that supports quail, NBCI will establish working relationships with less traditional partners, such as the National Wildlife Federation Partners in Flight, the American Bird Conservation Initiative and the National Audubon Society.

*Rallying popular support, using quail as the signature species.

One advantage enjoyed by the NBCI is the bobwhite quail's popularity and wide distribution. Virtually every county east of the Rocky Mountains can support bobwhites. Their dapper plumage and cheery calls make bobwhites favorites of hunters and birdwatchers alike, and their role as recreational and table fare is deeply embedded in many family traditions.

Furthermore, projects that enhance quail habitat benefit migratory songbirds that are objects of international concern in the conservation community. Quail Unlimited will lead the charge to create a groundswell of popular support for habitat work.

"Quail restoration ranks among the most difficult wildlife management challenges facing resource agencies," said Hoskins. "Yet, I am optimistic because I believe society values the quail as one of a handful of signature species of our rural landscapes and an important barometer of environmental health. The Conservation Department is committed to the Northern Bobwhite Conservation Initiative, and with the help of landowners, bird lovers and other committed citizen conservationists, the cheerful whistle of the bobwhite quail will once again become a common sound throughout Missouri."

For more information about the NBCI, visit http://seqsg.qu.org.

- Jim Low -

Biologists say the old family farm ain't what it used to be

Subtle changes in the landscape are at the heart of the bobwhite quail's decline.

JEFFERSON CITY - "In the '60s, my dad and I could always find three or four coveys on our farm. Now my kids and I are lucky to find one. The habitat hasn't changed. Where did the quail go?"

It's an increasingly common story, one that every professional wildlife manager has heard many times in recent years. This particular story was told at the Northern Bobwhite Quail Symposium at Overland Park, Kan., Feb. 1. Dozens of biologists present sympathized with the discouraged landowner as the speaker tried to explain tactfully that the man might be missing some important facts about his beloved farm.

Later in the day, Conservation Department Director John Hoskins touched on the subject, and its implications for quail restoration.

"Many citizens, many hunters, sizeable numbers of landowners, and even some resource managers don't appreciate the degree to which the land has changed, or even that the land has changed at all. They report that the land is identical to what existed the 1950s, 1960s or even 1970s. But, that land is not the same."

Hoskins said people of his generation who grew up on Missouri farms raised some cattle, a few hogs and some poultry. Small pastures and hay fields sported a diverse mix of forages interspersed with corn, sorghum and other row crops. Fence rows and the edges where fields met woodlots were wide and brushy. Fields lay fallow for a few years and then were plowed again. Crop stubble stood in fields from autumn until spring. Farms like this covered the entire landscape.

Contrast this picture with the picture today. Most farms concentrate either on livestock or row crops. Many of the fences and hedgerows of yesteryear are gone, creating large fields that can be plowed, planted and cultivated more efficiently. Fields lay bare through the winter. Fallow fields grow up in cedar trees. Instead of having small, scattered patches of timothy, alfalfa or remnant native prairie grasses, thousands of acres of forage have been converted to tall fescue that is too dense for quail to penetrate and provides them no food.

Even when all the elements of good quail habitat are present, they often are separated by open areas, forcing quail to expose themselves to predators to satisfy their basic needs.

"All the basics -- crops, livestock, forage, woods -- are still there," said Private Lands Program Supervisor Bill McGuire. "If you're looking at a farm every day, it's easy to miss the change that takes place over time."

Quail generally don't fare any better when farms are developed for residential lots with acreage. People who move to the country often do so to enjoy wildlife, but they don't actively manage their land. Instead, they let it "go wild." Woody plants take over, eliminating habitat diversity as effectively as intensive farming.

Quail aren't the only wild animals that have suffered from changes in land use. Periodic surveys show declines in numbers of rabbits and migratory birds that nest in shrubby vegetation.

One striking example is the northern loggerhead shrike. At first glance the two species seem to have nothing in common. The bobwhite is social; shrikes are solitary. Quail are preyed upon by dozens of other species; shrikes are predators. Quail stay put year-round; shrikes are migratory. Quail nest on the ground; shrikes nest in trees or bushes. Quail are hunted; shrikes aren't. Yet, the two species population trends over the past 30 years are virtually identical.

Other birds that share the bobwhite's habitat needs include the Henslow's, field and grasshopper sparrows, the dickcissel, bobolink, meadowlark, yellow-breasted chat, brown thrasher and prairie warbler.

Two habitat elements that seem to limit Missouri quail populations more than anything else are resting cover -- brushy areas with low, woody canopy -- and brood-rearing habitat, diverse stands of native, warm-season grasses with a sprinkling of seed-producing broad-leaf plants. Maintaining both these elements requires periodic disturbance. That can mean light disking, judicious grazing or prescribed burning.

"Farming and other active land uses aren't incompatible with quail habitat," said McGuire. "In fact, human activity is essential. But you have to understand what quail need and get all the elements close together."

McGuire said the Conservation Department's private lands biologists can help landowners identify strategies that contribute to both quail and profitable land management. In many cases, cash incentives are available under federal or state programs. "Quail don't have to be a luxury," said McGuire.

Hoskins noted that the Conservation Department has worked hand-in-hand with the Natural Resources Conservation Service for more than 20 years to help farmers blend good agricultural and wildlife management.

"We have the most comprehensive private land field staff in the nation," said Hoskins. "With a biologist assigned to every 3 or 4 counties, we are as prepared as anyone to put habitat programs on the ground"
- Jim Low -

New fishing regulations go into effect March 1

Anglers will want to familiarize themselves with changes outlined in the 2003 fishing regulation guide.

JEFFERSON CITY - New Missouri fishing regulations set to go into effect March 1 are designed to expand some angler privileges and protect the populations of several species.

Anglers no longer will need permits from both Missouri and Kansas to fish from both banks of the Missouri River. Expansion of a Missouri-Kansas reciprocal agreement lets anyone with a valid Missouri or Kansas permit fish the backwaters and oxbow lakes throughout the portion of the Missouri that borders the two states.

The agreement also allows anglers to attach fishing equipment to land on either side of the river. Anglers must abide by the regulations of the state in which they are fishing, regardless of the state in which they are licensed. They also must abide by the more restrictive of the two states' regulations when fishing in the other state's waters. These new reciprocal fishing privileges are the same as those already in effect on the portion of the river that Missouri shares with Nebraska.

Catch-and-keep fishing for walleye and sauger returns to Wappapello Lake, the St. Francis River and their tributaries. Starting next month anglers fishing those waters may keep walleye and sauger that are at least 18 inches long. Several years of stocking by the Missouri Department of Conservation has re-established a walleye population that is strong enough to support some harvest pressure. A ban on harvesting walleye and sauger had been in effect since 1997.

The sky is the limit when it comes to harvesting goldfish and bighead, common, grass and silver carp. The exotic species are considered undesirable in most of the waters where they occur, so limits to protect their populations are unnecessary.

New regulations have been created for St. Louis-area winter trout areas. From Nov. 1 through Jan. 31 at all urban winter trout areas, only one fishing pole may be used and the use of chum is prohibited. During this same season, at August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area lakes 22, 23 and 24, Carondelet Park-Boathouse Lake (St. Louis), January-Wabash Park Lake (Ferguson) O'Fallon Park Lake (St. Louis), Suson Park lakes 1, 2, 3 (St. Louis County) and Vlasis Park Lake (Ballwin), you must stop fishing for all species after having five trout in possession

Several of the new regulations are aimed at protecting fish species. Those regulations are as follows:

--While on waters of the state or adjacent banks, extracted paddlefish eggs may not be possessed, and bowfin and shovelnose sturgeon must remain whole and intact. These regulations are needed to help control illegal activities related to the harvest and sale of fish eggs.

--Bowfin and shovelnose sturgeon may not be used as bait.

--No fishing is allowed on the Osage River within 225 feet below Bagnell Dam. This area is being closed to fishing because of a serious, year-round problem with the illegal snagging of sport fish.

--On the Meramec, Big and Bourbeuse rivers and their tributaries, the daily and possession limit for black bass is 12 in the aggregate. This limit may include no more than six largemouth bass and smallmouth bass in the aggregate. Also, the daily limit may include no more than one smallmouth bass on the special management areas on the Big River from the Highway 21 bridge (near Washington State Park) to its confluence with the Meramec River, on the Meramec River from Scott's Ford to the railroad crossing at Bird's Nest, and on the Mineral Fork from the Highway F bridge (Washington County) to its confluence with the Big River.

On the Meramec, Big and Bourbeuse rivers and their tributaries, there is no minimum length limit on spotted bass. The minimum length limit on largemouth and smallmouth bass is 12 inches, except in the smallmouth bass special management areas, where the minimum length limit on smallmouth bass is 15 inches.

Anglers who need more information on Missouri's fishing regulations are advised to pick up a copy of the 2003 Summary of Fishing Regulations. The booklet is available free of charge from Conservation Department offices and wherever permits are sold.

- Arleasha Mays -

Missourians get a chance to speak out about conservation

The Conservation Department asks taxpayers to rate its performance and tell what they want from conservation programs.

JEFFERSON CITY - Starting this month, 16,400 Missourians will get to tell the Missouri Department of Conservation what they think of existing state conservation efforts and how they want their conservation dollars spent in the future. The opportunity is part of the agency's continuing effort to ensure its programs meet taxpayers' needs and wants.

Over the next two weeks, the Conservation Department will mail questionnaires asking Missourians what they think about conservation issues. The survey will go to people throughout the state. Residents of rural areas and cities, including Cape Girardeau, Columbia, Joplin, Kansas City, Saint Joseph, Saint Louis and Springfield, will receive the questionnaires.

The survey will be similar to ones conducted in 1980 and 1990. It will include questions about Missourians' participation in outdoor activities, their satisfaction with conservation efforts and how Department staff can best meet their expectations.

According to Public Involvement Coordinator David Thorne, the Conservation Department has conducted public opinion and preference surveys for 25 years.

"Attitude and opinion surveys help conservation decision-makers be accountable to Missourians" said Thorne. "Department staff work hard to listen to Missourians, and the current survey provides a great way to hear from them on a wide variety of questions. I strongly encourage everyone who receives a form to complete it and return it to the Department."

The survey comes with a postage-paid return envelope. The survey forms are clearly identified with the Department of Conservation name and triangle logo and are being mailed in Department of Conservation envelopes. Survey recipients will first receive a letter from Department Director John Hoskins informing them that a questionnaire form will soon be arriving at their address. The survey questionnaire will arrive about a week after the first letter.

For more information about the survey contact David Thorne at 573/751-4115, Extension 3365, or by e-mail at thornd@mdc.state.mo.us.

- Jim Low -

Missourian to discuss conservation crises at North American wildlife conference

Diana Hallett

One of the Conservation Department's top wildlife research officials will talk about threats to the continent's forests, fish and wildlife.

JEFFERSON CITY - When the North American Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies meets in Winston-Salem, N.C., next month, Missourian Diana Hallett will help the group learn to cope with resource management crises.

Hallett heads the administrative arm of the Missouri Department of Conservation's new Resource Science Division and serves on the executive committee of The Wildlife Society as its past president. The focus of her presentation on March 29 will be "Crises in Conservation: A State Perspective." She and her co-authors, Rick Thom and Ollie Torgerson, will present proactive solutions to emerging disease outbreaks, fresh-water shortages and biodiversity destruction as examples of conservation challenges.

Sharing the podium with Hallett will be Mark Rey, who oversees the USDA Forest Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service. He will discuss how to meet large-scale conservation challenges.

Hallett holds bachelor's and master's degrees in zoology and wildlife biology from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She worked for the USDA Forest Service, the Mark Twain National Forest and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources before joining the Conservation Department as a wildlife research biologist in 1979.

"Continued learning is crucial for continued excellence in wildlife stewardship," said Hallett. "Our future depends upon our collective vision. As a society of practicing wildlifers we should share that vision across continents. Global connectivity is key to natural resource health and welfare.

Hallett lists her principal professional interests as integrating research across disciplines, agroecosystems, adaptive approaches to wildlife management and continuing education for wildlifers.

The 68th Annual North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference will take place March 26 through 29 at the Adams Mark -- Winston Plaza Hotel. Other sessions will focus on:
--Academic and timber industry perspectives on coping with conservation crises;
--The National Wildlife Refuge System: A Century of Conservation;
--Human/Wildlife Conflicts in Urban and Suburban North
merica;
--Natural Resources Policy: Science Under the Microscope;
--Bird Conservation: Winging It, or Banding Together?
--Conservation on Private Lands: The Buck Stops Where?

More information about the conference is available online at www.wildlifemanagementinstitute.org.

- Jim Low -