November 2003

Discovery Center has unique approach to education

The Conservation Department's Kansas City Discovery Center offers hands-on learning opportunities unlike anything most students have ever experienced. (Missouri Dept. of Conservation photo)

Hands-on learning makes conservation issues real to city youths.

KANSAS CITY, Mo.-When the Missouri Department of Conservation was planning the Discovery Center in Kansas City, agency officials knew they wanted something unique. They already had traditional nature centers in Blue Springs, Kirkwood, Springfield and Jefferson City.

Whereas nature centers are more oriented toward programs, exhibits and interpretation, the Discovery Center was conceived to create more interaction with its six educational workshops: Nature's Bounty, Nature's Garden and Greenhouse, Nature's Palette, Exploring the Outdoors, Woodworking for Wildlife and Nature's Aquarium.

"All six are two hours in length, where the kids actually do hands-on activities," said Todd Meese, the Discovery Center's outdoor skills supervisor. "They learn about our natural resources by actually taking part with their hands and minds."

Now, a year and a half after its opening in Kauffman Legacy Park near the city's Country Club Plaza district, youngsters are, indeed, discovering a special conservation experience. Each workshop offers a unique K-12 active curriculum. Nature's Aquarium offers a course of study unlike any that students have experienced before, in their classrooms or in textbooks.

In Nature's Aquarium, students learn about the traditional topics of aquatic plants and animals. But they also get a hands-on feel for how streams shape the land and how human activities on the land affect streams. A particularly pertinent issue for urban youth is urban and suburban sprawl.

The lab in the workshop is equipped with three specialized stations: stream table, watershed model and the invertebrate sorting table. The first two use moving water to simulate the effects of erosion and flooding on poorly managed or heavily developed stream banks.

"The workshop leader, Shea Bergman, provides great curriculum for teachers before they even get here," Meese said. "He gives them a good background about what to expect and what they need to know before arriving so they will have that background."

One station is a model of nearby Brush Creek, which is a major watershed for highly-developed Johnson County, Kan., and flows into the Missouri River. The lessons begin with a look at Brush Creek as it was before development in Johnson County and in Kansas City's busy Plaza commercial district. As study progresses, the pre-settlement panels are replaced with sections representing today's paved realities. Differences in water flow two centuries ago and today are dramatic and have a great impact on students.

"They get to see what it was like 200 years ago and how fast the water was moving then, with plants, trees and bushes along the banks," said Meese. "Then they see how it has changed and what effects urbanization has had. Not only that, but how it can be improved by putting habitat and side channels back."

As a result, students get to see and experience first-hand just how much impact proper watershed management can have, not only on their city, but on their neighbors as well.

-Gene Fox-

Final deer tally down from last year

Deer hunters bought more permits than last year, but weather helped hold down the number of deer killed.

JEFFERSON CITY--Unseasonably warm weather the first week of firearms deer season and rainy conditions the second weekend combined to keep Missouri's November deer harvest below the record set in 2002.

Hunters bagged 207,516 deer Nov. 15 through 25. That is 9,919 below last year's kill of 217,435 and 1,649 more than the 2001 harvest of 205,867.

Texas County led statewide harvest totals with 4,132 deer checked. Howell County was second with 3,797, and Benton was third with 3,708. Northwest Missouri led regional harvest totals with 34,844. Other regional harvest totals were: Northeast, 34,295; Central, 32,551; Kansas City, 25,461; Ozark, 25,258; Southwest, 25,026; Southeast, 14,396; and St. Louis, 14,338.

The Missouri Department of Conservation recorded 12 firearms-related deer hunting accidents during the 11-day November portion of firearms deer season. Two of those accidents resulted in deaths.

Since 1980, Missouri has averaged 13.5 firearms-related deer hunting accidents during the November firearms deer season. In the past five years, the average has been 8.2 per year. The safest November deer season on record was 2000, with four accidents, including two fatalities.

Two portions of firearms deer season remain, totaling 19 days. The Muzzleloader Portion runs from Nov. 28 through Dec. 7. The Antlerless-Only Portion runs from Dec. 13 through 21 in units 1 through 27, 33 through 38, 58 and 59.

- Jim Low -

CORRECTION

A late correction in deer harvest figures puts the statewide deer kill at 208,940. An earlier report listed the Central Region deer kill as 32,551. The corrected figure is 33,975, increasing the statewide total by 1,424. The harvest during the Nov. 15-25 firearms deer hunting season is 8,495 less than the record set in 2002.

Nutty roast recipe guarantees deer camp fame

Nothing beats this easy recipe prepared in a Dutch oven over a campfire.

JEFFERSON CITY--Hunters who already have bagged a deer and are headed back to the woods for the muzzleloader or antlerless-only portions of deer season can guarantee their deer camp fame with the following simple, delicious venison roast recipe. It works best with loins or back straps, but can be used with any moderately tender cut.

Grind 1 cup of pecans in a blender, food processor or meat grinder. Mix the nuts with 1/2 cup of Italian flavored bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh or dried parsley, 2 teaspoons of pepper and 2 teaspoons of salt. Add enough cooking oil to give the mixture a pasty consistency.

Put a 2-pound roast in a greased Dutch oven. Coat the roast with the nut mixture. Cover and cook 30 to 45 minutes with about half of the oven lid covered with coals and a little less heat on the bottom. Serve when the meat is still pink in the middle.

Charcoal briquettes provide even, long-lasting heat. If cooking in an oven, bake the roast at 350 degrees in an uncovered baking pan.

-Jim Low-

Weather, selective hunters cause dip in deer harvest

Warm weather and hunters' desire to shoot antlered deer contributed to a smaller opening-weekend deer harvest than last year's record. However, Conservation Department officials say hunters probably will make up most of the difference in the remaining days of firearms deer hunting season. (Missouri Dept. of Conservation photo)

Hunters probably will make up for the opening-weekend deficit during the remaining nine days of firearms deer hunting season.

JEFFERSON CITY--A significant drop in the number of deer taken during the opening weekend of Missouri's 11-day November firearms deer season probably resulted from warm weather and confident hunters, according to officials with the Missouri Department of Conservation. They say the dip probably is temporary and will even out during the remainder of the season.

Hunters brought 110,995 deer to check stations Nov. 15 and 16. That is 16,256 fewer than last year's record opening-weekend harvest of 127,251. The last time Missouri's opening weekend harvest was smaller than this was 1999, when hunters checked 94,481 deer.

Hunting mishaps were few. The Conservation Department recorded two firearms-related deer hunting accidents, both non-fatal, on opening weekend. This is the same number as in 2001 and 2002

The weather on opening morning was not quite as favorable for hunters as it was last year. The temperature on opening morning was fairly normal, but the rest of the weekend was unseasonably warm, and damp, foggy conditions prevailed in many areas. Conservation Department Resource Scientist Lonnie Hansen said this likely had two effects.

"Warm weather doesn't affect deer's breeding behavior much," said Hansen, "but it does affect their feeding behavior. They have their winter coats, and when it's warm they don't need to eat much to maintain body temperature. They may visit a nearby oak tree to get acorns and not move much otherwise."

Hansen said an ample acorn crop this year further complicates things for hunters. When this staple food is scarce, deer tend to concentrate around food sources. In times of plenty, deer are scattered and harder to find.

Weather affects hunter behavior, too. In cold weather, hunters can shoot a deer and hang it outdoors while continuing to hunt. In warm weather, hunters must refrigerate deer immediately to avoid spoilage. They hesitate to shoot a deer early in the season, knowing they will have to stop hunting.

Hansen said changes in hunting seasons and the price and availability of deer hunting permits probably changed hunter behavior, too. The Conservation Department increased the length of the December muzzleloader and antlerless-only hunting seasons by a total of six days. It also lowered the price of bonus permits for shooting antlerless deer and allowed hunters to buy as many as they want in 39 of the state's 59 management units.

"Hunters look at all those days of hunting and all those doe permits," said Hansen, "and they decide to concentrate on bucks. They aren't in a hurry to take a deer on opening weekend."

Hansen admitted he was surprised at the size of the drop in opening-weekend harvest, but said he thinks hunters will get down to the business of putting venison in the freezer later in the season.

"It wouldn't surprise me if we caught up with last year's harvest by the end of the season," said Hansen. "It has happened before. If the weather got so bad that it kept hunters out of the woods the second weekend we might see a significant decrease in harvest. Otherwise I will be surprised if we don't come close to last year's harvest."

As of opening day, the Conservation Department had sold 508,647 deer hunting permits. That is 4,477 more than at the same time last year. Hunters bought 21,458 fewer any-deer permits, but this was offset by bonus permit sales, which topped last year's figure by 25,935.

The Conservation Department also gave landowners 123,206 deer permits. That is 20,164 more than last year.

Regional harvest totals were: Northwest, 19,745; Northeast, 19,353; Central, 18,399; Kansas City, 13,239; Southwest, 12,450; Ozark, 12,444; Southeast, 7,669, and St. Louis, 6,976. The top three harvest counties statewide were Benton with 2,118, Macon with 1,980 and Howell with 1,927. Hunters checked 720 deer by phone under a trial "telecheck" program.

- Jim Low -

Commission to meet in Jefferson City Dec. 18-19

JEFFERSON CITY--The Missouri Conservation Commission will meet Dec. 18 and 19 at Conservation Department Headquarters, 2901 W. Truman Blvd., Jefferson City.

The Commission will meet in open session at 9:00 a.m. on Dec. 18 to review the book Boards That Make A Difference, by John Carver. Closed session will begin at 3 p.m. Dec. 18 and regular open session will begin at 8:30 a.m. Dec. 19. Commission meetings are open to the public. Items to be placed on the agenda for presentations or other business should be sent in writing to Director, Missouri Department of Conservation, P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180; fax 573/751-4467 at least 10 working days before the meeting date. The deadline for the next meeting is Dec. 4.

People requiring special services or accommodations to attend the meeting can make arrangements by writing to the same address, or by phone at 573/751-4115.

Commission officers are: Stephen C. Bradford, Cape Girardeau, chairman; Cynthia Metcalfe, St. Louis, vice-chairman, Anita B. Gorman, Kansas City, secretary and Lowell Mohler, Jefferson City, member.

-Jim Low-

Promising quail season off to a slow start

A good year for bobwhite quail in Missouri means a good year for Show-Me State quail hunters. (Missouri Dept. of Conservation photo)

Bobwhite numbers are up in several areas, but weather has kept hunters out of the field.

JEFFERSON CITY--What promises to be Missouri's best quail season in several years has gotten off to a slow start on account of weather. However, hunters in areas with increased quail numbers say the wait is likely to be worthwhile.

Quail season opens on Nov. 1 in Missouri, and this year that date fell on a Saturday. Normally, that would bring crowds of hunters to public areas. Unseasonably warm weather and rain in some areas reduced turnout for the opener. However, many of those who ventured out during the first week of the season were rewarded for their efforts.

Mitch Miller, Northwest Region wildlife supervisor for the Missouri Department of Conservation, said weather conditions were terrible for hunting in his area. Nov. 1 was hot and dry, and rain fell for several days after that.

Nevertheless, he estimated 200 hunters flocked to Bilby Ranch Conservation Area (CA) in Atchison County on opening day and bagged about 100 quail. He said Nodaway Valley CA in Holt and Nodaway counties also hosted a large number of hunters. One man reported bagging five bobwhites and two pheasants, an excellent day by almost any public-land quail hunter's standards.

Miller said farmers are in a good position to notice quail population trends due to the hundreds of hours they spend driving combines in the fall. He said farmers in northwest Missouri have reported seeing more big coveys of quail this year than they have in many years.

Bill Chapin, Kearney, sat out opening day, but he got up early the following Wednesday for a two-hour hunt at a conservation area before going to work. He flushed two large coveys of quail and several pheasants. His bag for the mini-hunt was four quail and two pheasants.

"I was very impressed to find so many birds so easily after the pounding that public areas get on opening day. I could have stayed with those two coveys and shot a limit of eight quail really easily, but I like to just take a couple of birds from each covey and move on."

Mike Jones, the Conservation Department's wildlife regional supervisor in northeastern Missouri, said the improvement in quail numbers is spotty in his area. Most hunters report seeing more quail than in the past two years, and where they are used to seeing one covey, they now are finding two or three. Jones and his co-workers have seen more quail on conservation areas all summer.

Conservation Department Wildlife Management Biologist Brad Jump said an unusually snowy winter has depressed quail numbers in southwest Missouri. Some parts of the region got as much as 50 inches of snow last year.

"We had over 3 inches of snow on the ground at Bois D' Arc Conservation Area from Dec. 4 through Feb. 25," he said. "We had very poor quail production in 2003, and quail population estimates are low right now. It's similar to 2001, when we had an extremely hard winter."

These experiences reflect improved population estimates issued by the Conservation Department. Each August, conservation agents drive established routes along back roads throughout the state and report the number of quail sighted. This year, they reported seeing 11 percent more quail statewide than last year.

The increase wasn't evenly distributed around the state, however. The Northwestern Prairie, Northeastern Riverbreaks, Western Prairie, Bootheel and Northern and Eastern Ozark border regions all posted significant gains, while the Northern Riverbreaks declined slightly. The Western Ozark Border remained stable, while the Ozark Plateau saw a significant decline in bobwhite quail counted.

"These numbers are what we call indices," said Conservation Department Resource Scientist Tom Dailey, who specializes in quail. "They give us a general idea of how quail are doing from year to year. The figures aren't censuses--actual counts of all the birds in the state--but they allow us to track quail progress over the long term."

Weather probably is the biggest factor contributing to the recovery, according to Dailey. He said two years of reasonably dry, warm springs have favored quail reproduction.

"Quail are extremely vulnerable right after they hatch," said Conservation Department Upland Wildlife Coordinator Elsa Gallagher. "When we get cold, rainy weather in June it takes a heavy toll on hatchlings. This year we had excellent conditions for quail chicks to survive, and we are seeing the results in the quality of hunting."

Gallagher said hunters also could be seeing the effects of quail habitat restoration work on conservation areas and private land. However, she said it is still too early to attribute statewide quail recovery to the Conservation Department's landscape-scale habitat efforts.

Quail are quick to exploit favorable habitat changes. These include:
● Widening weedy, brushy borders between fields and forests.
● Creating forest openings.
● Disking, prescribed burning and planting food plots, particularly on Conservation Reserve Program land.
● Building strategically placed brush piles near food sources.
● Diversifying pastures with legumes.

Landowners who make such changes can see the number of quail on their property double in a single year. Hunters who visit conservation areas where such practices are in place also reap quail bonanzas. But implementing those same changes across wide expanses of Missouri will take time.

"We are glad to get help from the weather," said Gallagher, "and good management on little islands of conservation land is a step in the right direction. Ultimately, though, quail recovery will depend on changing land management over broad expanses of private land."

For information about workshops and other educational resources to help with quail management, visit a Conservation Department office near you or call 573/751-4115.

A new, quarterly newsletter, The Covey Headquarters, provides practical information about quail management as well as quail success stories and the latest news about quail research. To subscribe, contact The Covey Headquarters, 3915 Oakland Ave, St. Joseph, MO 64506, E-mail Bill.White@mdc.mo.gov. You can get the same information online at www.coveyheadquarters.com.

- Jim Low -

Healthier forests, more natural landscape are goals of timber harvests at Peck Ranch and Sunklands CAs

Wildlife habitat and recreation, not revenue, guide forest management decisions.

JEFFERSON CITY--Healthier forests, more diverse, abundant wildlife and a more natural landscape are the goals of timber harvests planned for two conservation areas in the Ozarks.

At its meeting in Caruthersville Nov. 13, the Conservation Commission approved the sale of approximately 825,000 board feet of timber from 351 acres at Peck Ranch Conservation Area (CA) and approximately 1.2 million board feet of timber from 703 acres at Sunklands CA. Peck Ranch covers 23,128 acres in Carter County. Sunklands is 37,522 acres in Shannon County.

Only loggers who have completed the Missouri Forest Products Association Best Management Practices Training Course are eligible to bid on the timber. The Conservation Department will supervise the logging to ensure that best management practices are followed to protect soil and streams.

Logging will take place in 2004 unless weather conditions make it impossible to do the work without unacceptable damage. In that case, the work could continue into 2005.

Some of the timber harvests will be uneven-aged cuts. These consist of removing selected trees to reduce crowding and increase forest health and productivity or to allow loggers to harvest full-grown trees. The remainder will be even-age cuts, where all trees are removed from tracts of 16 acres or smaller.

The harvests are part of normal forest management on conservation areas. The Conservation Department divides state forest land into compartments of 500 to 1,000 acres. Ten to 15 percent of each compartment is designated as old-growth forest and never disturbed. In the remainder of each compartment the agency conducts an inventory every 15 years to evaluate forest conditions. Using these inventories, foresters make recommendations for treatments to improve the forest.

Some of the treatments are timber stand improvement cuts aimed at thinning overcrowded timber to increase the productivity of remaining trees, promote new growth of young trees and improve wildlife habitat. As trees reach maturity, some are harvested for commercial use. The Peck Ranch and Sunklands timber harvests have another purpose--restoring a more natural, diverse ecosystem.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, cut-and-run logging changed the face of forests across most of the Ozarks. Loggers removed the commercially valuable shortleaf pine and oak trees with no thought for the future.

Wholesale removal of mature pine trees eliminated the source of seeds to replenish the forest. Oak trees came back by sprouting from stumps, but shortleaf pines lack the ability to sprout from stumps. Pines almost disappeared overnight from tens of thousands of acres they once occupied.

In the following years, forest use--including livestock grazing and frequent burning--favored red oaks. Red oaks survived on exposed ridges and on dry south- or west-facing slopes, but drought, disease and parasites sapped their vigor. Today, tens of thousands of acres of red oak forest are reaching maturity and are in declining health.

Rather than allow these trees to die and repeat the cycle, the Conservation Department is targeting areas of oak decline for harvest. Selective cutting will provide material for flooring, veneer and other commercial uses, boosting the state's lagging economy. Selective cutting also will make it possible to return pine trees to areas where they historically existed. In other areas, a more diverse, natural mix of oaks and other species will take over.

Diversity is more than a trendy buzzword in this case. Red oak acorns take two years to mature. White oaks produce their acorns in one growing season. In pure stands, neither white nor red oaks guarantee a source of wildlife food in a given year. But acorn crop failures are rare in mixed stands. The new forests will consist of mixed stands of all oak species and shortleaf pine.
Pines have unique ecological values, too. Their seeds provide food and nest sites for birds that don't use oaks and acorns. The open savannas where they often grow produce food for deer and turkey in the spring long before forest vegetation greens up.

"Currently, pines aren't as commercially valuable as oaks," said Forest Management Chief Mike Hoffmann, "but none of our timber sales are done for the revenue. They are aimed at habitat changes. In this case, it's ecosystem restoration. Selling timber allows us to make the changes we want for forest health and wildlife."

Hoffmann noted that selling timber also enables the Conservation Department to get paid for accomplishing its management goals instead of spending money achieving the same results. At the same time, the buyers get to use a valuable, renewable resource that benefits the state's economy.

"This is a case where environmentalism and commercialism go hand in hand. Fifteen years from now, these areas will be forest again, and in 50 or 60 years we hope to see oak-pine woodlands and savannas like the ones that existed here when the first European settlers arrived. The increased diversity will benefit different species than you get with unbroken oak-hickory forest. The forest isn't just being converted, it's being renewed."

- Jim Low -

The key to winter trout park fun is letting go

Nov. 14 marks the opening of the no-creel fishing season at Missouri's four trout parks. Lack of crowds and big fish lure anglers on weekends through Feb. 8. (Missouri Dept. of Conservation photo)

Nov. 14 marks the start of the winter catch-and-release fishing season in Missouri's four trout parks.

JEFFERSON CITY--The arrival of cold weather doesn't have to mean the end of hot fishing opportunities at Missouri's four trout parks. The chance to catch fish--including big fish--continues after the regular season passes and crowds disappear from Montauk, Roaring River and Bennett Spring state parks and Maramec Spring Park.

Catch-and-keep fishing in the four parks ends Oct. 31 each year, but the parks reopen on the second Friday of November to "no-creel" fishing. The parks will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through Feb. 8. All you need to participate is a fishing permit and a statewide trout permit ($7), which is valid throughout the winter season. The same permits entitles anglers to catch and keep trout in public trout streams outside the parks.

Anglers at Montauk State Park near Licking will find more water open for the no-creel season. This year, the entire area upstream from the Campground Bridge will be open to catch-and-release fishing.

Anglers at Roaring River State Park near Cassville will not be able to buy fishing permits at the Roaring River Inn this year. However, permits will be on sale at the hatchery office.

Tackle for the winter catch and release season is restricted to flies only. Jigs on single point hooks meet the definition of a "fly," and are among the most effective lures for trout park fishing. Tiny jigs of 1/64th, 1/80th and 1/100th ounce work best and can be fished on fly rods or ultra light spinning tackle. Black-and-yellow and brown-and-white are favorite color combinations. Flies that imitate salmon eggs are also top producers.

The best fishing is generally before noon or on cloudy, snowy or rainy days. Any winter weekend when the daily high temperature is predicted to be near 40 degrees is prime fishing weather.

During this special winter fishing season it is especially important to release trout in good shape. The Conservation Department offers these tips on handling and releasing fish.
--Squeeze the barb flat on your flies or jigs with pliers.
--Land fish as quickly as possible, rather than playing them until they are exhausted.
--Remove hooks without taking the fish from the water.
--Carry a hook disgorger or a pair of needle-nosed pliers. Back hooks out gently, rather than tearing them out.
--Leave a deeply imbedded hook in the trout by cutting the line as close to the hook as possible. Flesh surrounding the hook will eventually die back and the hook will fall out.
--Release fish immediately, without trying to weigh them.
--Handle fish as little as possible. Avoid disturbing the mucous covering their skin, because it prevents infection.
--Hold the fish firmly and upside down to reduce its struggles. A fish dropped on the ground has a poor chance for survival.
--Grasp trout across the gill covers. Never put your fingers in the gills or eye sockets.
--A wet cotton glove or cloth can help you hold a trout without injuring it. Nets are allowed, and it is sometimes easier to grasp a fish in a net in order to remove the fly.
--If you take a photo of a fish, do it while holding the fish in the water.
--If a fish appears exhausted, hold it in the water facing upstream until it swims out of your hand.

- Jim Low -

Nature-related items perfect for holiday gifts

Don't know what to buy the nature lover who has everything? Check but the wide array of nature-related gifts available from The Nature Shop.

JEFFERSON CITY--With Halloween past, the aisles of department stores are filling up with holiday gift displays, and people are thinking about presents for friends and family. This year, instead of buying sweaters and video games for youngsters and ties and appliances for adults why not give something that will enhance your loved ones' outdoor enjoyment?

The Missouri Department of Conservation's Nature Shop has dozens of gift ideas in its online Nature Shop. The most popular item is the modestly priced ($5) and beautiful Natural Events Calendar. The 2004 calendar features more than 30 stunning color photos of subjects ranging from a flock of cardinals in the snow to skunks, and from the stark art of ice formations to lush flowers and dramatic skyscapes. Daily notes about everything from chipmunk hibernation to pawpaw fruits will keep lucky recipients informed about what's going on outside, even when they can't go see for themselves.

New this year are:
--"Fiddles and Forests," an audio CD with music and lore of the Ozarks. ($10)
--"Fox in the Forest," a book for children ages 2-6 that chronicles the adventures of a young fox on its first trip beyond its den. ($8)
--"Trees of Missouri," a coffee table book that's as fascinating as it is informative. ($16.50)
--Bird greeting cards with artwork from the Conservation Department book "Birds in Missouri." ($8)
--Habitactics 2: Urban Oasis, a CD-ROM computer game that challenges players of all ages to make a safe, healthy place for wildlife to live in the midst of human habitations. ($10)

"Audio and video tapes, cookbooks and guide books to plants animals, nature trails and float streams are among the other offerings available at www.mdcnatureshop.com. Many items available through the online Nature Shop also are sold at conservation nature centers in Springfield, Kansas City, Kirkwood and Jefferson City or at Conservation Department regional offices statewide, or by calling toll-free at 877-521-8632. For a print catalog of Nature Shop offerings, contact MDC Nature Shop, P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180. E-mail publications.staff@mdc.mo.gov."

- Jim Low -

Urban, youth hunts top 9,000 deer

Hunters had excellent success during the first two segments of firearms deer season.

JEFFERSON CITY--Fair weather and an abundance of deer contributed to the harvest of more than 9,000 deer during the first two segments of Missouri's firearms deer hunting season.

Hunters bagged 91 deer during the state's first-ever urban deer hunting season Oct. 25 and 26. The urban portion of deer season is designed to give communities around urban areas a tool for controlling deer numbers. Hunters who take part in the season were allowed to use only historic weapons--compound bows, longbows, crossbows and muzzle-loading firearms--in Management Units 58 and 59, around Kansas City and St. Louis.

Hunters checked 9,054 deer during Missouri's third youth-only firearms deer season Nov. 1 and 2. That is 1,474 more than last year's record youth harvest of 7,580. Hunters age 6 to 15 can take part in the youth hunt.

The Missouri Department of Conservation recorded no firearms-related deer hunting accidents during the two early portions of deer season.

The number of deer taken during the youth and urban portions of firearms deer season is small compared to the 200,000-plus deer killed during the regular firearms season. The two early portions still are important, however.

"Not many towns and hunters took advantage of the urban hunting season this year," said Conservation Department Resource Scientist Lonnie Hansen, "but that could change. As hunters discover this opportunity, and as urban and suburban communities learn that archers and muzzleloader hunters can safely control deer numbers, this season will grow in popularity. It's a terrific tool for local governments to reduce property damage and deer-vehicle accidents."

Hansen said the youth portion of firearms deer season is very popular among Missourians who want to introduce youngsters to the sport of deer hunting without opening-day pressures. "Having their own season tells kids that they are important," said Hansen. "Because their adult companions are not hunting themselves, they can relax and give their full attention to showing daughters and sons, nieces and nephews or neighbors how to enjoy safe, ethical hunting. The numbers are small but growing, and the long-term rewards are tremendous."

- Jim Low -

Commission to meet Nov. 13 in Caruthersville

CARUTHERSVILLE, Mo.--The Missouri Conservation Commission will meet Nov. 13 at the Caruthersville Public Library, 1002 Ward Ave., Caruthersville.

The Commission will meet in closed session at 8:30 a.m., followed by an open session.

Commission meetings are open to the public. People requiring special services or accommodations to attend the meeting can make arrangements by writing to the same address, or by phone at 573/751-4115.

Commission officers are: Stephen C. Bradford, Cape Girardeau, chairman; Cynthia Metcalfe, St. Louis, vice-chairman, Anita B. Gorman, Kansas City, secretary and Lowell Mohler, Jefferson City, member.

- Jim Low -