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| Hunters killed fewer turkeys during the first week of Missouri's 2007 spring turkey season than they have since 1997. Experts cite poor reproduction in recent years as the cause. (Missouri Dept. of Conservation photo) |
Boat owners' help is critical to keeping the destructive pest out of Missouri.
JEFFERSON CITY-State officials say that without boat owners' help, Missouri could suffer serious damage to the state's economy and ecology. Prevention can avert boat and motor damage, too.
The alert concerns the zebra mussel, a fingernail-sized clam with a capacity for destruction that is vastly out of proportion to its size.
"The problem with zebra mussels is their numbers, not their size," said Resource Scientist Stephen McMurray, with the Missouri Department of Conservation. "They can go from a few individuals to millions in a few years. Their reproductive capacity can swamp mechanical systems and ecosystems under the right conditions."
Those conditions are fairly broad. McMurray said zebra mussels can survive in fresh water from 46 to 104 degrees Fahrenheit. They do best in water that is slightly acidic and has high calcium content.
"Most, if not all waters in Missouri are ripe for infestation," said McMurray. "Most at risk are waters that have upstream lakes or reservoirs, because these can serve as seed sources for downstream areas and adjacent lakes."
Missouri already has many species of freshwater mussels. Those unfamiliar with the zebra mussel might ask why it matters if one more joins the crowd. The answer to that question lies in the mussels' prodigious reproductive capacity. The results are clear in the zebra mussel's history in the Great Lakes region, where it first appeared in North America.
After a brief period of living free in the water, microscopic zebra mussel larvae, known as veligers, attach themselves to solid objects. One female zebra mussel can produce millions of young annually. Subsequent generations attach to surrounding surfaces or existing mussels. When this happens on municipal or industrial water intake pipes, the mussels eventually clog the pipes.
The same thing happens to boat hulls, marine motors, fishing and boat docks, sea walls, hydro-electric power generating plants and other submerged objects. Even a fine coating of tiny zebra mussels on boat hulls increases water drag, which reduces speed and raises fuel bills. On boat motors, zebra mussel infestation can cause overheating or increased drive-train wear. Infestations can become so heavy that docks and other structures buckle under the weight.
The cost of removing zebra mussels from water intakes and other equipment costs Great Lakes region businesses and taxpayers millions annually.
Nor are economic costs the only problem the exotic mussels create. They smother native mussels with sheer numbers, hastening the decline of many already-endangered species.
Zebra mussels also alter their environment. They feed by filtering phytoplankton - microscopic plants - out of the water. This puts them in direct competition for food with native animals, such as fish. When they are present in large numbers, zebra mussels eat so much plankton that the surrounding water becomes clearer. This allows light to penetrate deeper in lakes and streams, encouraging greater vegetative growth and dramatic habitat changes that other plants and animals may have trouble surviving.
"The consequences of those kinds of changes are unpredictable," said McMurray. "The cost of dealing with zebra mussels never ends, so it makes much more sense to prevent their arrival than to fight them after they are established."
Prevention is possible. One alert marina employee single-handedly forestalled the arrival of zebra mussels at Lake of the Ozarks by six years when he discovered a heavy infestation on a boat brought to the lake in 2000.
"Every boat owner is a potential hero or villain," said McMurray. "That is how important it is for people to check for zebra mussels. It doesn't take a lot of time, or any special expertise. You just have to care enough to check for them."
McMurray said the recent discovery of adult zebra mussels inside the lower unit of an outboard motor and in recessed areas on the exterior of the boat illustrate the need for careful inspection. He said a casual look while launching or trailering your boat may be enough after a short visit to a water body, but more careful inspections are important after a stay of a week or more. Boaters need to look in nooks and crannies, using a light and removing covers when necessary to inspect recessed areas.
McMurray offered 10 tips for boaters to avoid spreading zebra mussels.
1) Learn what to look for by visiting www.missouriconservation.org/8260 or writing to MDC, Zebra Mussels: Missouri's Most Unwanted, P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102 or e-mail pubstaff@mdc.mo.gov.
2) Inspect your boat's hull, drive unit, trim plates, trolling plates, prop guards, transducers, anchor, anchor rope and trailer.
3) Scrape off any visible zebra mussels, however small.
4) Remove vegetation from boats or trailers before leaving a lake or stream.
5) Put zebra mussels, vegetation, bait and other unwanted items in a plastic trash bag and deposit the bag in a trash receptacle away from water.
6) Drain all water from live wells, bait buckets, motors, transom wells, bilges and other parts of your boat before leaving a body of water.
7) Rinse boat, trailer and other equipment at a car wash before moving to new areas. If you have been in waters known to have zebra mussels - including Lake of the Ozarks - be sure to use water 104 degrees Fahrenheit or hotter.
8) Dry all parts of boats, trailers and other equipment that comes in contact with water in direct sunlight for at least five days before relaunching in new waters.
9) Run your boat frequently. Running at top speed dislodges zebra mussels before they are firmly attached.
10) Keep outboard motor's lower units out of the water when not in use. If you boat in zebra mussel-infested waters, pump hot water through the cooling systems on a regular basis to prevent zebra mussel buildup.
- Jim Low -
Record high and low temperatures created hardships for individual plants and animals, but natural resiliency will enable their species to persist.
JEFFERSON CITY-The last week in March was the warmest in Missouri since record-keeping began 118 years ago. The first week in April was the coldest on record. Caught off guard by the yo-yo weather, some wild plants and animals suffered serious setbacks, but nature experts say the effects will be small and temporary.
Pat Guinan, a climatologist with the University of Missouri, said temperatures across Missouri were 14 to 16 degrees above average from March 21 through April 3. The following six days were 16 to 18 degrees below normal across the state. Missourians will see the effects of those back-to-back extremes in the coming months.
Forest health specialists with the Missouri Department of Conservation say the severity of frost damage to trees depends largely on how advanced leaf-out was. Trees in many parts of southern Missouri were as much as four weeks ahead of average when the cold weather hit, making damage there the most serious. In central Missouri, trees were two weeks ahead of normal leaf-out. Those in the northern part of the state were at a more or less normal level of budding and will be least affected.
Resource Scientist Bruce Moltzan said he has received a number of calls from people expressing concern about how morel mushrooms might be affected by the freeze. He said "morels are up and the frost has not impacted their arrival."
The most serious impact from the freeze on wildlife likely will be reduced production of acorns and other "mast," fruits that provide food for everything from deer and turkeys to rodents and insects.
Acorns are the primary type of "hard mast" - durable fruits from trees and shrubs. In any given year, there is a certain amount of natural crop insurance built into Missouri's oak-dominated forests. White oaks produce fruit from flower buds that grow and mature in the same year. Red oak acorns come from flowers that formed the previous spring. So, while this year's white oak acorn crop could be dramatically reduced in some parts of southern Missouri, acorns from red oaks likely will help buffer the loss.
Conservation Department Resource Scientist David Gwaze noted that acorn production is influenced by many factors, including weather, nutrition, overall tree health and previous year's production.
"Mother nature works in mysterious ways," said Gwaze. "There is a lot we do not know about the effects of frost damage on trees. The issue is made more complex by the fact that resistance to frost damage varies between trees, species, stage of growth and sites. We will not know for sure what the effects of this spring's strange weather are until autumn."
One effect Gwaze was willing to predict was that the George O. White State Forest Nursery at Licking will have fewer seedlings of some tree species in 2008 due to frost damage to developing seedlings.
The Conservation Department's April 11 update on state forest health said the state forest nursery also may have difficulty finding white oak acorns to plant for next year's seedling crop. It said trees that lost leaves to record cold will replace the foliage and be back on schedule by the end of May. The long-term effects will vary, however, depending on the freeze's effects on insect pests.
Insects that followed trees out of dormancy could have suffered as much as their hosts. In those cases, trees will have a little advantage in replacing damaged foliage. However, other insects, which emerge later, could deliver a serious second blow to trees already low on reserves due to lost leaves. Tent caterpillars are cold-resistant and could cause particularly serious problems for trees this year. Being defoliated twice - once by cold and once by insects - could leave some trees seriously weakened. On the other hand, caterpillars could be in trouble if they emerge only to find their host trees without leaves to feed them.
To help landscape trees, the Forest Health Update recommends watering, mulching and fertilizing damaged trees. For more information, visit: intranet/features/20070410freeze.asp.
Small plants and animals suffered most. For example, some tree and shrub seedlings planted just before the surge of arctic air dropped temperatures into the teens were seriously hurt. With leaf and flower buds already opening, and their root systems not yet well established, they might struggle to replace frost damage. In some cases, frost damage could be so extensive the plants die.
Established trees and shrubs that were in good health before the several-day freeze will shrug off the damage. Those that were stressed by disease, parasites or declining vigor due to age could go into decline, though many will recover, given favorable conditions.
Small animals, such as rodents, lizards and salamanders, that can take cover are likely to fare well in spite of the cold. More vulnerable are birds, whose normal migration timing landed them in a deep freeze.
Among animals most visibly hit by the cold were purple martins. Male martin "scouts" begin arriving in Missouri as early as February. This year's unprecedented warmth encouraged early arrivals. Conservation Department Ornithologist Andy Forbes said he has received numerous reports of martins that died, either from cold or from starvation when the untimely freeze killed all their insect prey.
"Cold, rainy weather is a killer for purple martins if it lasts more than a few days," said Forbes. "Massive mortality can occur as a result. While this is unpleasant, it is common when these types of weather conditions occur, and normal. The martin population will rebound over the next few years."
The Forest Health Report echoed this perspective.
"Trees are amazingly resilient and should come through with a new crop of leaves. Damage is going to be more severe in low-lying areas and in places that had the most consecutive days of freezing temperatures. *In the urban landscapes, proper tree-tending measures such as mulching, fertilizing and watering will go a long way in assisting your tree's recovery."
Fish are unlikely to suffer serious stress, thanks to the insulating properties of water. However, cold air, rain and snow could set back their spawning activity by weeks. That has been bad news for paddlefish anglers, whose sport is especially dependent on upstream spawning runs to locate fish.
Fisheries Management Biologist and paddlefish specialist Trish Yasger said this year's paddlefish snagging season has been disappointing.
"So far, the weather is not cooperating," she said. "With the decrease in water temperature and a very small increase in flow, snagging hasn't been as good as it has been the last couple of years. Snagging has been very spotty to say the least. Cold rains and snow the first week in April kept water temperatures below where they needed to be to trigger a good spawning run. There is still a chance that warm weather and increased rainfall could give us some good fishing before the season ends April 30, though."
-Jim Low-
JEFFERSON CITY--After reviewing mounting evidence that catfishing regulations are too liberal, the Missouri Department of Conservation has voted to end a two-year experiment with handfishing. Fisheries biologists say that carefully selected fishing regulations could increase the number of large catfish available to anglers within a few years significantly.
The Conservation Commission voted at its meeting April 20 to approve a recommendation from the Conservation Department's Regulations Committee to discontinue the experimental handfishing season. That recommendation was based on information about catfish behavior, angler surveys and data about the number and size of catfish taken by various methods, including handfishing.
'The inescapable conclusion was that current regulations prevent catfish from reaching their growth potential," said Conservation Department Assistant Director John Smith, who chairs the Regulations Committee. "In light of the knowledge we have gained in the past two years, it is clear that several changes are needed if anglers desire larger catfish. Discontinuing handfishing is the first and most obvious one."
The end of the experimental handfishing season is effective this year, although season dates and other details are found in the 2007 fishing regulations booklet.
"The Regulations Committee and the Conservation Commission agreed that the need was urgent enough to make the change immediately," said Fisheries Division Chief Steve Eder. He said any further changes to catfishing regulations will not take effect before 2008. The Conservation Department plans to hold meetings in several regional locations to publicize catfish research findings to date and gather public opinion about catfish management.
For the past two years, people who bought a special handfishing permit could take catfish with bare hands from June 1 through July 15 on parts of the Fabius, Mississippi and St. Francis rivers. Handfishing is effective only during the nesting period, when adult catfish are holed up in overhanging stream banks, in hollow logs or under rocks, laying and guarding their eggs.
Handfishers typically try to catch large catfish. A survey of handfishers showed that the average catfish they consider desirable is a little over 17 pounds. Catches of 30- to 50-pound flathead and blue catfish are not unusual for noodlers, as handfishers also are known.
Fisheries biologists have always expressed concern that targeting the largest, most productive spawners could hurt catfish numbers. The same is true for other fish species that live a long time, have relatively low reproduction, nest in protected sites and are subjected to high fishing pressure. Without more extensive study of catfish, however, the Conservation Department had no way to gather data that would shed light on catfish populations and fishing impacts.
The Conservation Commission approved the experimental season for the past two years as part of a comprehensive study of catfish biology and behavior and the effects of all kinds of fishing on catfish populations in lakes and rivers. The Catfish Harvest Evaluation Project (CHEP) has allowed biologists to gather information about the size and number of catfish present in different Missouri waters, the number and size of catfish taken by handfishing and other methods and the portion of the catfish population harvested by anglers each year. Part of CHEP was a study to determine the effects of handfishing on flathead catfish nest success.
"Over the past 40 years the Conservation Department has been a national leader in developing effective fisheries management strategies based on reliable scientific data," said Eder. "We implemented harvest restrictions on largemouth bass in lakes, crappie in large reservoirs and smallmouth bass in streams -- based on a good understanding of their biology and the effects of fishing -- we improved the numbers of fish that were available and the average size that could be harvested. Now it's time to determine if catfish anglers would prefer more abundant, large catfish."
The decision to end the experimental handfishing season was based in part on findings of an experiment designed to learn how removing catfish from nests affected the survival of their eggs. Researchers discovered that when an adult fish no longer was present to fan eggs with its tail, bathing them in oxygen-rich water and keeping mud from settling on them, all of the eggs fell prey to fungus within 12 hours and died.
A 2002 survey of Missouri anglers showed that 64 percent fished for catfish the previous year. That makes catfish the state's third most popular sport fish in Missouri, after bass and crappie. Forty-seven percent of catfish anglers said they wanted more trophy-sized fish.
A 2004 survey of Missouri handfishers by a researcher at the University of Missouri estimated their number at 1,915 statewide. They reported taking an average of 10 catfish totaling 186 pounds per noodler annually. Based on these figures, the potential statewide handfishing harvest could be 20,000 fish with a combined weight of 356,000 pounds annually.
However, when a sample of all Missouri anglers was asked whether they would take part in a legal handfishing season, 11 percent said they would. Eleven percent of Missouri's 664,000 licensed anglers is estimated at 73,000 handfishers.
Other phases of the ongoing catfish study revealed that:
* Of 17,000 flathead catfish and 2,850 blue catfish counted by fisheries workers, 1.7 percent of flatheads and 1.8 percent of blue cats were 36 inches (approximately 22 pounds) or larger. This amounted to approximately one large catfish per two miles of stream.
* Tracking the movement of radio-tagged catfish, researchers found that 14 percent of flatheads and 8 percent of blue cats moved up into tributary streams from larger waters. Since nine out of 10 handfishers said they target small streams, migration is unlikely to replace fish taken by handfishing.
* Flathead and blue catfish do not begin spawning until they are 5 to 10 years old. They take approximately 10 years to grow to 7 pounds and 13 years to reach 17 pounds -- the minimum weight handfishers say they want to catch.
* Preliminary data based on tag returns indicate that at least 13 percent of flathead and blue catfish in a body of water are taken by all types of fishing each year. These data are not adjusted for normal tag loss, nonreporting by anglers and natural mortality, so this is a minimum estimate. The number likely will increase with information gathered in the next two years. Computer modeling of the catfish population indicates that few fish survive long enough to reach trophy size. Biologists call this "growth overfishing."
"This information raises serious questions about all our catfishing regulations," said Eder, "not just handfishing. We need to determine the desires of catfish anglers, and if they want to catch catfish bigger than 10 pounds more frequently, we need to consider changes to our regulations."
Besides ending the experimental handfishing season, the Conservation Department is considering whether length limits for flathead and blue catfish, reduced daily limits on these two species " which can reach 60 to 100 pounds if they live long enough " and changes in regulations governing other methods of taking catfish are needed to improve catfishing in selected waters.
For example, one plan currently being considered would test more stringent harvest regulations on the Lamine River and the Missouri River between Glasgow and Jefferson City. Anglers could find more 24- to 30-inch catfish in the first three years after such regulations went into effect.
"There is nothing sacred about current statewide catfish regulations," said Eder. "They were set decades ago, with limited understanding about catfish populations and fishing impacts. Both have changed today. We are not going to change current regulations simply for the sake of change, but as we gain more knowledge about catfish population dynamics and how they are affected by fishing, we will fine tune regulations to provide better fishing."
Eder said he and other fisheries biologists are excited about prospects for catfish management. He said regulations will have to be tailored to fit particular waters, since catfish population dynamics vary from stream to stream and lake to lake.
-end-
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| Kids Fishing Days at Missouri's four trout parks give children age 15 and younger special opportunities to enjoy unstructured time outdoors with friends and family. For information about these and other youth fishing events, visit www.mdc.mo.gov/4164. (Missouri Dept. of Conservation photo) |
Missouri motorists can make a difference in the survival of the state's most beloved reptile.
JEFFERSON CITY-Spring may come in fits and starts, but its arrival is verified by a predictable round of firsts. The first flower and the first butterfly are heartening signs of renewal. However, one sign of spring - the first turtle crossing the road - is the harbinger of carnage. The Missouri Department of Conservation hopes motorists will do their best to protect the state's most familiar and beloved reptile from harm.
The most common of Missouri's land turtles is the three-toed box turtle, Terrapene carolina triunguis. Similar in appearance but more likely to be found in northern and western Missouri is the ornate box turtle, Terrapene ornata ornata. Ornate box turtles have contrasting light lines radiating from the tops of their shells, which are flatter than those of the three-toed variety.
Both species normally are homebodies, living out lives of up to 65 years on as little as 5 acres. In the spring, however, they go on the prowl for mates, and this takes them across the highways and byways that divide the state into smaller and smaller pieces each year. More than a few end up under the wheels of automobiles. The result is a population drain.
"Box turtles are such long-lived animals, it takes a long time for them to get to the age where they can reproduce," said State Herpetologist Jeff Briggler, with the Conservation Department. "Their nests are vulnerable to raccoons and other predators, so females don't produce young every year. It takes a lifetime to replace themselves. With a species like that, anything that takes away a certain percentage of the adults every year can spell serious trouble over the long haul."
Motorists can help reduce highway carnage by watching for turtles and avoiding them. Briggler said drivers have to think of their own safety first, but missing a turtle seldom creates any danger for humans.
"You should never slam on your breaks to avoid a turtle," said Briggler, "but if you are paying attention, you usually can see turtles on the road a long way away. Normally you have time to go around a turtle on the shoulder of the roadway. If there is no shoulder and another car is coming toward you, slow down enough to let the other car pass so you can drive around the turtle."
Some drivers actually stop and move turtles to safety on the side of the road they are trying to reach. Briggler encourages this, but again urges caution.
"I love turtles, but no turtle is worth taking a chance of being hurt yourself," he said.
Briggler said automobile mishaps are not the only way that humans cause turtle deaths. He said many turtles die in captivity each year. He said he understands why people want to keep turtles as pets, but suggested a compromise that lets children keep turtles without endangering turtles' lives.
"Turtles are so different from us, they are fascinating. It's actually a good thing that people are interested in them. But like all wild animals, they aren't adapted to living in captivity. Their diets are hard to duplicate, and when they are taken out of their familiar surroundings they have trouble finding food and shelter. As much fun as it is to have one or two around, it's no fun when you discover that one has died."
Briggler suggests that people keep turtles only for a few days - a week at most - and then return the animals to the exact spot where they were captured. This allows them to return to their lives without harm.
-Jim Low-
Check out the winners in the Missouri Forestkeepers Network's Annual Hunt for Strange & Extraordinary Trees.
JEFFERSON CITY-If you are in the mood for a laugh, or prepared to be creeped out by the weirdness that nature can produce, you might want to visit the Missouri Forestkeeper Network's Web site and check out entries in the 2006 Hunt for Strange and Extraordinary Trees at www.forestkeepers.org/.
The gallery of 19 photos of trees includes one with a sinister face peering out of the trunk and two that are sure to evoke sympathy from anyone who has experienced "middle-aged spread." Accompanying the gallery are explanations of various tree abnormalities.
"This program has really turned into a lot of fun," said Forestry Field Programs Supervisor Justine Gartner, who coordinates the program for the Missouri Department of Conservation. "Everyone has seen trees that have odd shapes or designs in their trunks. Giving people a place to share their oddest finds over the Internet also gives us a chance to talk about what causes those oddities and help people understand tree health better."
To encourage people to send in odd-tree images, the Network administrators enter every contributor's name in a drawing for prizes. This year's winners received a Kodak EasyShare Z710 digital camera, tree-pruning equipment and a copy of the Conservation Department book, Trees of Missouri.
The Forestkeepers Website also has a gallery of odd-tree photos collected in 2005. These include tree trunks that look like twining cobras, gnarly knots resembling alien life forms and tree tops that might have appeared in a Dr. Seuss book.
The Conservation Department launched the Forestkeepers program in 1996 to give Missourians the opportunity and knowledge to care for trees, whether they are found in remote forests or urban parks. Members choose their own type and level of involvement, ranging from occasionally checking the health of trees near home to working with trees in their home areas.
-Jim Low-
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| Carrying a turkey decoy or a dead turkey through the woods can cause careless hunters to mistake you for game. Cover your decoy or gobbler - preferably with a hunter orange vest or cloth. Wearing hunter orange when moving between calling locations also decreases the chance of accidents. |
Ecological treasures scattered around the state ensure that Missouri “keeps all the pieces.”
JEFFERSON CITY-In his conservation classic Round River, ecological visionary Aldo Leopold wrote that “To keep every cog and wheel is the first precaution of intelligent tinkering.” That is half the reason for the existence of Missouri’s Natural Areas System. He expressed the other half when he wrote “We seek contacts with nature because we derive pleasure from them.”
On May 9, Gov. Matt Blunt is scheduled to celebrate the system’s 30th anniversary by proclaiming 2007 Natural Areas Year in Missouri. In three decades Missouri has set aside more than 180 areas to save the best examples of the state’s natural communities. Those areas, encompassing more than 60,000 acres in 74 counties are a tremendous recreational resource. If you haven’t visited at least a few of these you are missing some of the best that outdoor Missouri has to offer.
The Natural Area System got its start when the departments of Conservation and Natural Resources (DNR) signed an agreement to find and preserve high-quality examples of all the state’s plant and animal communities. The agencies hit the ground running, designating 43 natural areas in 1977.
Since its inception, the Natural Area System has received substantial support from other partners, including the USDA Forest Service, the National Park Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, The Nature Conservancy, Pioneer Forest and other corporations, nongovernmental organizations and individuals.
Because some natural areas (NAs) are fragile and others are privately owned, not all are open to public use. Most are, however, and visitation is encouraged. Natural areas are excellent places to see wildflowers, birds and natural features. A few examples include:
● Paint Brush Prairie NA in southern Pettis County features original tallgrass prairie with a multitude of wildflowers and grassland birds to observe. Call (660) 530-5500 for information.
● Little Bean Marsh NA in northern Platte County offers visitors a rare chance to glimpse marshes and bottomland forests along the Missouri River floodplain on paved hiking trails with viewing blinds. Call (816) 655-6250 for more information.
● Weldon Spring Hollow NA in south-central St. Charles County features natural surface hiking trails that wind through old-growth forests with outstanding views of the Missouri River. Call (636) 441-4554 for more information.
● Grand Bluffs NA in southern Montgomery County has 300-foot bluffs accessible by a natural-surface hiking trail with outstanding views of the Missouri River valley. Call (573) 884-6861 for more information.
● Pickle Spring NA in central Ste. Genevieve County contains outstanding sandstone canyons, wet-weather waterfalls and interesting rock outcrops that can all be seen from a natural-surface interpretive hiking trail. Call (573) 290-5730 for more information.
● White River Balds NA in northwest Taney County features natural-surface hiking trails that traverse scenic and wildflower-rich dolomite glades or “balds.” Call (417) 895-6880 for more information.
● Diamond Grove Prairie NA in north-central Newton County features an extensive tallgrass prairie with many showy wildflowers throughout the growing season. Call (417) 895-6880 for more information.
● Stegall Mountain NA in northern Carter County is traversed by over 6 miles of the Ozark Trail. Visitors to this area can enjoy views of open Ozark glades, expansive woodlands and deep Ozark hollows. Call (417) 256-7161 for more information.
● Morris Prairie NA in northeast Sullivan County is one of the best last prairie remnants in north Missouri and features over 200 native plant species on a 47-acre natural area. Call (660) 785-2420 for more information.
● Allred Lake NA in south-central Butler County contains a natural-surface trail and boardwalk that allows visitors to experience an original example of the swamps, sloughs and bottomland forests of the Mississippi Lowlands. Call (573) 840-9788 for more information.
● Tingler Prairie NA in southern Howell County includes natural-surface hiking trails that wind through an upland Ozark prairie and around a sinkhole pond marsh. Visitors can see a variety of unusual plants and animals. Call (417) 256-7161 for more information.
● Burr Oak Woods NA in central Jackson County has a natural-surface hiking trail that allows visitors to see mature oak-hickory forests and interesting limestone outcrops. Call (816) 228-3766 for more information.
For a full listing of Missouri natural areas by county or by name, visit mdc.mo.gov/nathis/naturalareas/.
-Jim Low-
Vehicles, boats and trailers are among the offerings
BROOKFIELD, Mo.-Get your checkbook or credit card, and mark May 19 on your calendar. That is when the Missouri Department of Conservation will hold its surplus property auction, selling vehicles, boats, motors and trailers to the highest bidders.
This year’s sale will include johnboats, boat trailers, boat motors, gooseneck and van trailers up to 30 feet long, office equipment, farm tractors and 40 vehicles, ranging from sedans to 2-ton trucks with rollerback beds and all-terrain vehicles.
For a tentative list of sale items, call (573) 522- 4115, ext. 3279 or 3283. A complete list of sale items will be available at the registration desk the day of the sale. Auction items are on display from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. the day before the auction and starting at 8 a.m. the day of the auction. The auction will begin at 10 a.m.
All property must be paid for on the day of the sale and before removal. Acceptable methods of payment include cash, MasterCard or Visa or personal checks with proper identification.
-Jim Low-
Up to 70 boats will compete in this year’s Missouri River 340.
JEFFERSON CITY-Call them river lovers, adrenalin junkies, obsessive competitors or just plain crazy. Labels will never do justice to participants in the 2007 Missouri River 340. This year’s extreme race is drawing entrants from coast to coast and two foreign countries.
Organizers call the Missouri River 340 the world’s longest nonstop canoe and kayak race. The first race was arranged on a shoestring last year, bringing together 22 paddlers for a 340-mile, 100-hour dash between Kansas City and St. Charles. The contest played out in sweltering August heat, punctuated by violent thunderstorms. In spite of punishing conditions, many first-year competitors vowed to return. Those who do will find the field larger and diverse this year.
The 2007 Missouri River 340 will start at 8 a.m. July 24 and end at noon July 28 - sooner if the last boat reaches the finish line in less than 100 hours. Participants use paddles only. No motors, rowing devices or sails allowed. Full race rules, entry forms and other information about the race are available at www.rivermiles.com. The site also has online forums where you can discuss equipment, race strategy, training tips, camping and sleeping arrangements and other practical matters pertaining to the race.
Organizers also are offering a training race on June 30 to help contestants prepare. The “Gritty Fitty” will give participants a chance to paddle 50 miles on the Kansas River. This race is a scaled-down version of the main event. Information is available at the Missouri River 340 Web site.
“We expect to have 70 boats on the water this year,” said Don Wilkison, who competed in last year’s event. “There are going to be some interesting folks in this year’s race, including a Malaysian team with an outrigger canoe.” Others who have entered so far come from Oregon, California, North Carolina and Ontario, Canada.
As of March 30, five contestants had registered for the women’s solo division, 20 for the men’s solo division and eight for the men’s tandem division. The women’s and mixed tandem divisions had no entries. The Missouri River 340 will accept a maximum of 70 entries.
As a safety measure, this year’s contestants will check in at checkpoints in nine communities at 23- to 50-mile intervals along the course. The checkpoints also will give the public an opportunity to share the excitement. Brad Hargrave, another Missouri River 340 organizer, said a similar event on the Guadalupe River in Texas draws tens of thousands of spectators each year.
“There are plenty of ways to get involved,” said Hargrave. “You can organize a race team or sponsor an existing team. You can volunteer to support a team of paddlers, bringing water, food and other supplies to them at checkpoints or other stops and you can organize events at checkpoints.”
To get involved in preparations for the Missouri River 340, contact:
● The Missouri River Communities Network, (573) 256-2602;
● Scott Mansker (913) 244-4666, scott@rivermiles.com or;
● Brad Hargrave, (913) 530-3643, jh427@gmail.com.
-Jim Low-
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| Missouri's spring turkey season opens earlier than ever before this year, eight days sooner than last year. Hunters will find plenty of turkeys, but they may hear fewer gobbling birds in some areas, due to a decreased number of two-year-old birds. (Missouri Dept. of Conservation photo) |
Resist the temptation to round up the length of spurs.
JEFFERSON CITY-In his classic book My Health is Better in November, Havilah Babcock wrote, "It is always disillusioning to weigh your fish and measure your golf drives. Smart men estimate them." Babcock had a deep understanding of outdoor pursuits and human nature. However, he might have given different advice if, like Resource Scientist Jeff Beringer, he had been responsible for managing game animals.
Beringer is the Missouri Department of Conservation's turkey biologist. To track the health of the state's turkey flock, he relies on measurements of turkeys killed by hunters. Until 2005, hunters brought their turkeys to check stations, where experienced personnel measured the length of each bird's spurs and beard. These data became part of a scientific management program.
"Spur measurements are particularly valuable," said Beringer. "The correlation between spur length and a gobbler's age is very strong. Knowing how many birds taken by hunters had spurs more than 1 inch long gave us reliable information about how many birds over two years old were being killed each spring."
Notice that Beringer used the past tense when describing the usefulness of spur-length data. With full implementation of the automated Telecheck game checking system in 2006, hunters became the official measurers of spurs and beards. Alas, they seem to have taken Babcock's advice.
"The year that Telecheck became mandatory, we saw a jump of almost 20 percent in the number of birds reported to have spurs longer than 1 inch," said Beringer. "We had never seen that kind of increase before. I don't think it reflected an actual increase in the age of turkeys checked last year."
What did it reflect? Unbridled optimism? The triumph of hope over reality? A tendency to exaggerate?
Beringer has a more charitable interpretation, based on a mathematical device - rounding up.
"In grade school, you learn how to round off numbers," he said. "If you want whole numbers, you round anything over half up to the next larger number. I think some hunters might be applying that to their turkeys' spurs."
Beringer has a request for turkey hunters. If both of a gobbler's spurs fall short of the one-inch mark on a ruler - even a tiny bit short- report it as less than an inch. You can still tell your friends that spur was an inch, and the Conservation Department will have a better basis for turkey management.
Page 6 of the 2007 Spring Turkey Hunting Information booklet has directions and a diagram illustrating correct spur measurement. The booklet is available wherever hunting permits are sold.
-Jim Low-
Protection is easy, and the possible results of carelessness are no fun.
JEFFERSON CITY-Rex Martensen wasn't thinking of tick-borne disease when he skinned a raccoon after a hunt on Christmas Day in 2005. He wasn't thinking of the raccoon when he got sick. He thinks of both now, every time he works with wild game.
Martensen is a private land field programs supervisor for the Missouri Department of Conservation in Jefferson City. As a wildlife expert, he knew that handling game carried a very small risk of contracting tick-borne diseases. Yet, he had never worn rubber gloves when cleaning game.
"I didn't think anything of it when I cut my thumb while cleaning that raccoon," he said. He had already forgotten about the cut when he started feeling feverish 11 days later. He stayed home from work Jan. 6 with aches, chills and a headache that "seemed to get worse by the hour, possibly by the minute."
Three days later, the headache was so severe that he was vomiting. "I knew I was in trouble," he said. "I had a high fever. Over-the-counter drugs did nothing. I might as well have been eating M&Ms. I got up in the night to use the bathroom, passed out, woke up on the floor and, like a typical male, didn't wake my wife and say 'Hon, I'm sick.' I went back to bed - like it was going to be fine. By the next afternoon I was begging my wife to take me to the hospital."
The emergency-room doctor's diagnosis was ehrlichiosis, a bacterial disease similar to Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Two doses of morphine dulled the pain in Martensen's head. Feeling better, he got a prescription for antibiotics and went home. He was back in less than 24 hours and spent four days in the hospital on intravenous antibiotics. Getting over the disease took two weeks.
"The doctor told me, 'This isn't a normal infection where you take the antibiotic, and after a day or two you are feeling better. You are going to feel bad for 10 to 14 days.' He was right."
Martensen's case was not typical because of the time of year. Doctors normally see ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tularemia, Lyme disease and other tick-borne ailments from spring through autumn. The typical source of infection is the bite of a tick that has previously bitten an infected animal.
While stories like Martensen's are sobering, it is important to keep the danger posed by tick-borne diseases in perspective. Many more people are injured in automobile accidents each year than get sick from tick bites. People don't let this stop them from driving or riding in automobiles. Instead, they take reasonable precautions to prevent injury. It makes just as much sense to continue enjoying healthful outdoor activities but take precautions against tick bites. Preventative measures are simple.
"I wear gloves every time I work with game now," said Martensen, "every time. I keep a box of latex gloves at home, and when I go hunting I take five or six pairs. Really, I don't know why I didn't before, not just for the disease aspect, but it's just so much cleaner. When you finish, instead of having blood all over your hands and wiping it off with leaves or a rag or something, you just peel them off and take them home and throw them away."
Martensen also is more careful about avoiding tick bites. He uses DEET or permethrin-based repellents when work or recreation takes him outdoors during the warm months. Permethrin-based repellants should be applied only to clothing and gear and allowed to dry before the clothes are worn. Do not apply permethrin directly to skin.
Other ways of avoiding ticks include wearing long sleeved shirts and long pants with pants tucked into socks or boots. Wear light-colored shirts and pants to make ticks easier to spot. Also, check for ticks immediately after outdoor activities. This allows you to remove many ticks before they have a chance to bite.
Even after a tick has bitten you, removing the tick promptly in the correct way reduces the chance of infection. Most tick transmitted diseases are not transferred to the host until ticks have been feeding for some time. If you are outdoors for an extended period, take time for a tick check every few hours.
Once bitten, it is important to remove ticks alive. Touching them with hot objects or covering them with nail polish or other irritating substances can make them expel their stomach contents into the bite, drastically increasing the risk of infection. It is also important to remove ticks without leaving their mouth parts embedded in the skin. Secondary infections from improperly removed ticks are much more common than tick borne diseases. While secondary infections are a risk, however, disease transmission will not occur just from remaining mouthparts.
Follow these steps to remove a tick that is already attached:
* Disinfect the area of attachment with alcohol.
* Grasp ticks near the head with tweezers or forceps. If using fingers, cover them with tissue or rubber gloves. Use only as much pressure as necessary. Squeezing can force material from the tick into your skin.
* Remove the tick with a firm outward movement. Do not jerk or twist.
* Disinfect the bite area again.
Many outdoor/hunting equipment outfitters and farm exchange stores sell tick-removal tools that are very effective at removing adult ticks. These are especially useful for those who have trouble handling tweezers.
-Jim Low-
JEFFERSON CITY- The Missouri Conservation Commission will hold its next meeting April 19 and 20. The Commission will meet in closed session at Bennett Spring State Park April 19. It will meet in open session at the Laclede Electric Cooperative in Lebanon at 10 a.m. April 20.
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 March 1. People requiring special services or accommodations to attend Conservation Commission meetings can make arrangements by writing to the same address, or by phone at (573) 751-4115.
Commissioners are: Stephen Bradford, Cape Girardeau, chairman; William F. "Chip" McGeehan, Marshfield, vice-chairman; Cynthia Metcalfe, St. Louis, secretary; Lowell Mohler, Jefferson City, member.
-Jim Low-
Windy conditions may have hampered young hunters.
JEFFERSON CITY-Missouri's seventh spring youth turkey season saw a dip in harvest, probably due to difficult hunting conditions. Hunters 15 and younger shot 3,513 turkeys statewide during the youth season March 31 and April 1. That is down 4.9 percent from last year's youth harvest of 3,694.
Top turkey-harvest counties in the youth season were Franklin with 94 turkeys checked, Callaway with 84, and Ste. Genevieve with 68.
Extremely windy weather and sometimes-severe thunderstorms during the two-day youth turkey season probably played a role in reducing this year's youth-season harvest. Wild turkeys rely heavily on their keen eyesight to detect danger. Windy weather keeps vegetation in constant motion, making the naturally wary birds even more skittish. Male turkeys gobble less in rainy weather, making them more difficult to find.
The largest spring youth turkey season harvest on record was 3,894 in 2005. Young hunters preserved their perfect safety record with no firearms-related turkey hunting accidents reported.
-Jim Low-
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