May 2001
Website offers tips on where to go fishing
Friday, May 25, 2001
The Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation wants everyone to enjoy the nation's water resources.
JEFFERSON CITY -- Want to go fishing but don't know how? Want tips on places for water skiing or motoring around in your new pleasure craft? You need look no farther than the Water Works Wonders website sponsored by the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation (RBFF). A visit to www.WaterWorksWonders.org puts you in touch with a nationwide network of boating and fishing information sources.
The website is part of the RBFF's ongoing effort to increase awareness of the benefits of pleasure boating and fishing. It contains extensive information about how to fish. Included are equipment needs and fishing techniques for fresh-water, salt-water and fly fishing. It even helps beginners identify fish species they catch and directs them to local fishing clubs and other organizations where they can find mentors.
Another section of the website lists the names of public and private boating and fishing sites and the counties where they are located. After finding a conservation area lake or stream access you want to visit, you can turn to Missouri's Conservation Atlas, available from regional Conservation Department offices statewide, for further details about access to the site.
Missouri Department of Conservation Fisheries Division Administrator Norm Stucky says the Water Works Wonders website makes fishing too easy to pass up. "Fishing is about as enjoyable and affordable an outdoor activity as you can find," he says. "The Conservation Department has hundreds of places to fish, from community lakes to small stream accesses where you can cool your heels while catching fish. Even people who didn't learn to fish when they were growing up can get started easily with this Water Works Wonders website."
Stucky noted that the weekend of June 9 and 10 is an especially good time to try fishing, since this is Free Fishing Days in Missouri. On that weekend, the Conservation Department suspends fishing permit requirements to encourage people to sample the Show-Me State's fishing resources.
Requirements for special permits still may apply at some county, city or private fishing areas. Although Missouri residents and nonresidents alike can fish without state permits on Free Fishing Days, all other fishing regulations remain in effect.
The Conservation Department and other organizations will sponsor fishing clinics and other events throughout June to help Missourians learn about fish and how to fish.
This year, Free Fishing Days are being held in conjunction with National Fishing and Boating Week. Check with your local Conservation Department office for details about programs in your area. Or visit the fishing section of the Conservation Department's web page, www.missouriconservation.org.
- Jim Low -
Regulation change produces selective otter harvest
Friday, May 25, 2001
Dividing the state into zones with different seasons and limits increased the number of otters taken in areas where they have caused the most problems.
COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Missouri's 2000-2001 river otter harvest was up 30 percent from the previous year. To people in the Ozarks, however, the most important news is a 115 percent increase in otters taken in their area.
Missouri trappers caught 1,378 river otters last year, compared to 1,058 the year before. Trappers benefit from the growing supply of otters, whose pelts are the most valuable of any Missouri furbearer. However, the tremendous success of the Missouri Department of Conservation's otter restoration program has been a mixed blessing for others, especially in central and southeastern Missouri. Having the water-loving predators back in their old haunts adds to the state's biological diversity, but the animals' dietary habits have put them at odds with some fish fanciers.
For fish farmers, the arrival of a pack of hungry otters can spell economic disaster. Similarly, landowners who enjoy fishing in their ponds are dismayed when otters clean out fishing holes. Complaints about otters damaging private property climbed from 12 in 1996 to 29 in 1997, 49 in 1998, 67 in 1999 and 108 in 2000. Some anglers believe otters are beating them to most of the smallmouth bass in small Ozark streams.
Further complicating the Conservation Department's job of managing river otters are animal-rights groups, whose cries for an end to otter trapping run, head-on, into anglers' and fish-farmers' demands for increased trapping. Animal-rights activists have challenged the legality of otter trapping, but the courts have upheld the Conservation Department's position that trapping is a legitimate tool for managing otters and other furbearers.
Responding to the concerns of fish farmers, pond owners and Ozark anglers, the Conservation Commission divided the state into five zones during the 2000-2001 trapping season. Its goal was to concentrate the harvest of otters in areas where they were causing the most complaints.
Trappers in northwest, southwest and east-central Missouri Otter Zones A, D and C, were allowed to take a season limit of five otters from Nov. 20 through Jan. 20. In Otter Zone E, a crescent-shaped area stretching from Cooper County to the Bootheel, otters could be taken in any numbers from Nov. 20 through Feb. 20. In the remainder of the state Otter Zone B otter trapping season ran from Nov. 20 through Jan. 20 with a season limit of 20.
The harvest in Otter Zone E increased from 381 in 1999-2000 to 819 last year. One-third of the otters taken in Zone E were caught during the extended portion of the otter trapping season from Jan. 21 through Feb. 20.
Zone B is the largest otter trapping zone in the state, encompassing all or part of more than 60 counties. The 2000-2001 otter harvest in this zone decreased by 18 percent, from 642 to 527. Whereas this zone provided 61 percent of the statewide harvest in 1999-2000, it accounted for only 38 percent of last year's otter harvest.
The remaining three zones accounted for only 2.3 percent of the statewide harvest. Trappers caught 12 river otters in Zone A (northwestern Missouri), down from 16 in 1999-2000. In Zone C (east-central Missouri), trappers caught 16 otters last year, up from 14 in 1999-2000, and in Zone D (southwestern Missouri), the harvest was four otters, the same as the previous year.
Dave Hamilton, a Conservation Department wildlife research biologist who tracks the state's furbearer populations, said the increase in the 2000-2001 otter harvest is only partly due to changes in trapping regulations.
"Trapping effort always depends heavily on the price that pelts bring at auctions," said Hamilton. "This year, otter pelts were bringing $60 each. That created an incentive for trappers to continue their work until Feb. 20."
Hamilton said he was pleased at the increase in the otter harvest in Zone E, where area residents asked for helping in reducing otter numbers. "The new regulations worked the way we hoped they would," he said. "We got the biggest harvest where we needed it most."
The most otters taken by a single trapper was 56. However, most trappers caught no otters at all, and the majority of those who did catch otters took fewer than five.
In the fall of 1999 fall, the Conservation Department estimated the state's otter population would reach 11,000 the following year. A study by the University of Missouri suggested there might be as many as 18,000 river otters in the state by then. Either way, otter numbers were increasing in spite of trappers taking approximately 1,000 of the animals per year. Conservation Department biologists believed that if the annual harvest continued at 10 to 16 percent of the total state population annually, otter numbers would continue to grow.
River otters feed largely on crayfish, but fish become an important item in their diet in the winter, when crayfish go dormant. Complaints have come from anglers in southern Missouri, especially people who fish the headwaters of some Ozark streams. In winter, fish are often isolated in pools in these streams, making them more susceptible to predators. Otters sometimes also feed on fish in fish hatcheries and farm ponds. Conservation Department officials hope that allowing trappers to take more otters in this target zone will reduce such problems.
In areas where otters have not fully occupied suitable habitat, complaints of conflicts with people are few. A 1997 poll conducted by the Gallup Organization for the Conservation Department showed 70 percent of Missourians support regulated trapping.
- Jim Low -
Surplus property auction set for June 16 at Springfield
Friday, May 25, 2001
Boats and motors, SUVs, vans , pickup trucks and sedans are on the sale bill.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Boats, boat trailers and motors will go on sale in the Missouri Department of Conservation's next surplus property auction in Springfield. Buyers looking for pickup trucks, sport utility vehicles, vans, farm tractors and cars ranging from Dodge Spirits to Ford Crown Victorias will find plenty of items of interest when the bidding starts June 16.
Boats in the sale will be mostly 14-foot flat- and V-bottoms. Motors will include a 1995 Mariner 155 horsepower outboard and a 2000 Mercury 115 horsepower outboard, which is in need of repair.
Cars will include several 1994 to 1996 Ford Taurus sedans, one 1995 Oldsmobile station wagon and 28 4X4 Dodge and Ford half-ton pickup trucks from 1991 to 1997 models. One of the Fords is an extended cab, and several come with camper shells, tool boxes or bed covers. Three two-wheel-drive half-ton pickups will be sold, also.
Sport utility vehicles for sale will include Jeep Cherokees and three Chevrolet Suburbans. Other vehicles on the bill will include a 15-passenger Ford van, a 1996 Dodge Caravan and a 1996 Ford cutaway van
Auction items will be on display from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. June 15 and at 8 a.m. June 16 at the Conservation Department office at 2630 Mayfair, Springfield. The sale will begin at 10 a.m. June 16. Items may be added or deleted before the sale. A complete listing and terms of sale will be available at the registration desk the day of the sale.
All property must be paid for on the day of the sale and before removal. The Conservation Department will accept cash, MasterCard or Visa credit cards or personal checks with proper identification. For a list of sale items, call the Conservation Department General Services Division at 573/751-4115, ext 3675.
- Jim Low -
Youth hunt puts spring turkey harvest over the top
Friday, May 18, 2001
This year's harvest topped last year's figure by nearly 1,000 birds.
JEFFERSON CITY -- Turkey hunters killed 55,302 gobblers during Missouri's spring turkey season, just slightly shy of last year's record mark. But adding the 2,530 birds checked during Missouri's first-ever youth spring turkey season, the 2001 spring turkey harvest is a record.
In spite of a slow start, the regular spring turkey harvest came within 1,539 of last year's record harvest of 56,841. Adding the harvest during the two-day youth turkey hunt brings the 2001 spring turkey harvest total to 57,832. That is 991 more than in 2000.
The number of turkeys taken by hunters jumped in 1998, when Missouri held its first three-week spring season and recorded a harvest of 48,323. The third-largest harvest ever recorded came in 1999, when hunters bagged 50,338 birds.
Resident and nonresident spring turkey permit sales totaled 113,253 this year, compared to 112,003 last year. This was the first year that Missouri offered a two-day youth turkey hunting season before the regular season. An estimated 10,000 to 12,000 youth hunters under 12 years old and an undetermined number between ages 12 and 15 checked 2,530 gobblers during that season.
Mike Hubbard, a wildlife research biologist specializing in wild turkeys for the Missouri Department of Conservation, said before the season that he expected a harvest of approximately 52,000 birds. He expressed pleasure that his estimate proved conservative.
"The strength of this harvest reflects a strong turkey population, good weather for hunting and the skill and dedication of our turkey hunters," said Hubbard. "They got through the wet, windy weather during the first couple of days of the season and went on to a very successful season. If the weather holds and we have another good year for reproduction, like we have the past three, we can look for continued super hunting at least for the next few years."
Ten hunting accidents marred the three-week season. None was fatal, however.
Macon County came from behind to take the top spot in county harvest totals, with 1,188 birds checked. Texas County, which posted a harvest of 1,080 birds, occupied the second-place, where it had been all season. Franklin County, which led harvest totals for the first two weeks of the season, fell to third in the final standings with 1,069 gobblers checked.
Regional totals were: northeast, 10,229; northwest, 8,401; west-central, 7,977; east-central, 6,120; central, 6,074; Ozark, 4,712; southwest, 4,567; southeast, 4,417; Kansas City, 1,422; and St. Louis, 1,383.
Immature male turkeys, also known as "jakes," made up 26 percent of the 2001 harvest. Hubbard said this confirms surveys indicating strong reproduction last year and is a good sign for next year's turkey season.
"These are the good old days for turkey hunting in Missouri," he said.
- Jim Low -
Celebrate National Trails Day at a conservation area.
Friday, May 18, 2001
Missourians can choose from dozens of areas with hundreds of miles of trails.
JEFFERSON CITY -- Missourians looking for a place to celebrate National Trails Day don't have to look far. Conservation areas across the state offer a wide range of settings in which to burn a little shoe leather.
National Trails Day is June 2. The event promotes awareness of and appreciation for America's trails. Areas owned by the Missouri Department of Conservation have tremendous opportunities for hiking and viewing nature close to home. The agency has more than 600 miles of trails at conservation areas and nature centers across the state. Virtually no Missourian is more than a 45-minute drive from at least one such area.
Some of the best-known Conservation Department trails are at Conservation Nature Centers (CNCs). The Burr Oak Woods CNC in Blue Springs, Powder Valley CNC in Kirkwood, Runge CNC in Jefferson City and Springfield CNC in Springfield each has several trails for exploring a variety of habitats. Each of these areas has trails with varying degrees of accessibility to people with handicaps.
Some of the best nature viewing can be found along trails at Conservation Department conservation areas. The Devils's Honeycomb Trail at Hughes Mountain Natural Area near Potosi travels through woodlands and glades and around the summit of the igneous rock mountain. The rock outcroppings on the mountain are among the oldest exposed rocks in the United States. The Devil's Honeycomb Trail is 1.5 miles long. No facilities are offered at the area and camping is prohibited.
The Danville Glades Trail lets hikers explore the largest high-quality limestone glade complex north of the Missouri River. The trail is located at Danville Conservation Area (CA) near Warrenton. The three-mile trail winds along narrow ridges and numerous creeks. Much of the trail is level, with a moderately steep slope at either end.
The Ironwood Hollow Foot Trail is a 1.8-mile natural-surface loop at Sugar Creek CA near Kirksville. The wide and well-marked trail leads through white oak and oak-hickory forests. Horses and bicycles are permitted on a separate, designated trail, which forms a loop of more than 10 miles around much of Sugar Creek CA.
Hikers can see wildlife ranging from white-tailed deer to waterfowl and turtles on trails at Mark Youngdahl CA. This area in the heart of St. Joseph features a two-mile trail system. The .8-mile Ridge Trail leads to a picnic shelter and small pond. The Pond Trail winds .7 mile through woods and around the area's largest pond.
The trail system at Otter Slough CA southwest of Dexter treats hikers to a mix of cypress swamp, open marsh and river sloughs. The Tupelo Tail is a 1.2-mile path that borders Beaver Lake on the south and Otter Lake, an old cypress-tupelo slough, on the north. Halfway along the trail route, you'll find a spur trail to a deck that overlooks Otter Lake. Allow 45 minutes to walk the wood-chip trail.
Tingler Lake CA south of West Plains has three trails that offer views of a variety of habitats. The half-mile Wetland Trail circles Tingler Lake, a naturally occurring sinkhole pond. The Grassland Trail traverses the area's rolling uplands for nearly 1.5 miles. Woodland Trail is a 1.2-mile natural-surface path that winds through a riparian corridor of elm, ash and sycamore.
Follow these tips to help keep your hikes safe and enjoyable:
--Before leaving, tell a friend or family member where you are going and when you expect to return.
--Stay on designated trails.
--Dress appropriately for the weather, and dress in layers so you can shed layers for comfort.
--Wear sturdy hiking boots on natural-surface trails.
--Use sun screen and insect repellant.
--Carry a hiking stick to clear spider webs or debris from your path, for support on long uphill or downhill stretches and to provide balance when crossing streams.
--Be considerate of other trail users. Yield to people with disabilities.
--Hikers and bicyclists should yield to horseback riders.
--Limit the size of your group to reduce impact to the trail. Groups of 10 or more bicyclists or horseback riders should obtain special use permits before their trips.
--Pack out all of your litter.
To learn more about trails on conservation lands visit www.missouriconservation.org. Use the keyword "trails" to find trail information. You also can contact the Conservation Department regional office for your area.
Information on National Trails Day is available at the American Hiking Society website, www.americanhiking.org.
- Arleasha Mays -
Giant Canada goose management enters a new era
Friday, May 18, 2001
With populations of the big birds burgeoning, the Conservation Department now can authorize lethal measures to control their numbers.
JEFFERSON CITY -- Missourians have a new partner in solving problems with resident Canada geese -- the Missouri Department of Conservation.
Until recently, Missourians who found themselves in conflict with giant Canada geese had no choice but to make a federal case of it. If you were chased by an aggressive gander, if your municipal water supply was contaminated by their droppings or the big birds caused tens of thousands of dollars of damage to your golf course, you had to go to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for a remedy. Waterfowl are protected by federal law, and only the federal government could give the go-ahead for control measures that involved harassing the big birds, interfering with their nesting or killing them.
That changed recently when the Fish and Wildlife Service granted the Conservation Department authority to issue permits for such control measures.
For decades, giant Canada geese were welcome just about everywhere in the Show-Me State. After nearly being extirpated in the first half of the 20th century, a few of the giant subspecies -- Branta canadensis maxima -- turned up in remote areas. Restoration efforts here and in other states encouraged these remnant birds.
Early on, people went out of their ways to attract the birds. They provided nest tubs for their use and guarded the stately black-and-gray geese and their fluffy young against harm.
More important to the geese, suburban lawns, golf courses and corporate campuses provided everything they needed to thrive. Without predators and with acre upon acre of lush grass to eat, they multiplied rapidly. Today, every county in the state has resident giant Canada geese.
For the most part, people still are delighted by the giant Canada goose's recovery from the brink of extinction. But in the past 10 years Missourians have increasingly discovered that, where geese are concerned, it's possible to have too much of a good thing.
"I think people love geese as much as they ever did," said Conservation Department Private Land Field Programs Supervisor Tom Hutton. "But they draw the line when they can't walk to their car in safety or let their kids go out to play because the yard is covered in slimy green feces."
The Conservation Department draws the line at 40,000. That's the agency's target for statewide giant Canada goose numbers. It's slightly fewer than the more than 50,000 currently inhabiting the state. It's far fewer than the 300,000 that biologists predict could mob lakes and ponds in the next eight years without aggressive control measures.
Hutton says the Conservation Department isn't looking to exclude the birds from areas where they are welcome. However, where people decide they want fewer geese, the agency will help.
The first thing the Conservation Department advises goose-troubled Missourians to do is quit feeding the birds and remove artificial nest structures. Next, they can try altering the landscape to make it less attractive to geese. For instance, letting grass grow at least a foot tall around ponds makes geese nervous, since they can't see what might be lurking there. Physical barriers, such as short chicken wire fences, also deter geese.
If these measures fail, geese can be harassed with dogs, propane canons and other devices that startle them. Chemical repellents are available, too, though these are expensive and must be reapplied periodically.
All the preceding measures can be taken without special permission from the Conservation Department. If they fail, landowners who demonstrate that they are making reasonable efforts to solve their goose problem can contact the Conservation Department for information about the next step -- preventing goose reproduction. Shaking eggs or coating them with vegetable oil prevents their hatching. Approximately 75 landowners around the state currently have permits for this type of control.
In cases where none of the preceding measures work, the Conservation Department can issue permits to round up geese and remove them. This is effective, but it's also labor-intensive and expensive.
Missouri currently has no commercial nuisance wildlife control companies that are qualified to conduct goose roundups. The Conservation Department has conducted roundups for decades to keep track of the birds' numbers. To help communities that want birds removed, the agency will conduct the first few trap-and-removal roundups and use the occasions to train commercial nuisance wildlife control services to do them.
Communities requesting roundups will pay the Conservation Department for the cost of the service -- a $500 setup fee plus $15 per bird removed. The Conservation Department has not issued any permits yet, but expects to conduct four to six roundups and removals this summer. All will take place on private property where landowners have requested them.
"We don't have the resources to provide this service to every community in the state with difficult goose problems," said Hutton. "The idea is to pass on our expertise so private businesses can take over and perform safe, humane roundups in the future."
Hutton said rounding up geese and removing them isn't a one-time solution. It will require ongoing control measures. The number and frequency of roundups needed to keep goose populations at tolerable levels will vary from place to place. He said a typical situation might require roundups a few years in a row to reduce the population to the desired level, accompanied by harassment of new birds that try to move into the site. After that, additional roundups might be required, depending on the success of harassment efforts.
Many landowners who want geese removed prefer that the birds be relocated to new areas. This isn't an option with adult birds, since their migratory instincts lead them back to where they were captured. If moved when they are young, goslings will stay in their new homes. But areas where suitable habitat exists and the birds are wanted are few and dwindling fast.
Most birds captured and removed will be taken to USDA-inspected poultry plants and processed. The resulting meat will be donated to local food banks for needy families. In researching the feasibility of donating processed geese to food banks, the Conservation Department sent samples of meat from 34 geese from several areas for contaminant testing. Test results for a broad range of contaminants showed the meat met human consumption standards.
"Bringing giant Canada geese back to Missouri has been a tremendous thing for Missouri," said Hutton. "They're part of the natural landscape that belongs here. Now that we are reaching the point where we have plenty -- in some places even too many -- we can help people manage their local goose populations while providing food for people who need it."
- Jim Low -
Missouri muskies making progress
Friday, May 11, 2001
Spring sampling at lakes around the state reveal meaty torpedoes waiting to surprise and delight anglers.
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. -- Anglers beware. Dunking minnows can lead to heart-stopping scares.
Finding a bigger-than-expected fish at the end of your line is part of the attraction of fishing. However, seeing a 30-pound meat torpedo with a mouth full of needle-like teeth charge your boat in pursuit of a fishing lure is enough to cause even the stoutest heart to skip a beat. That's increasingly possible at seven Missouri lakes.
Since 1996, the Missouri Department of Conservation has stocked thousands of muskellunge fingerlings at Binder Lake in Jefferson City, Fellows Lake in Springfield, Lake Girardeau in Cape Girardeau, Henry Sever Lake north of Newark, Pomme de Terre Lake near Hermitage, Hazel Creek Lake near Kirksville and Pony Express Lake east of St. Joseph. Taking advantage of abundant shad and other foods, these fish have grown rapidly, as shown in annual population surveys.
Conservation Department fisheries biologists set nets at these seven lakes periodically to check on the progress of their toothy protégées. This year's survey showed fisheries poised on the brink of heart-stopping action.
The biggest fish documented came from Pomme de Terre Lake, which has had muskellunge, also known as "muskies," for 35 years. Netting there during the fish's spawning period in early April produced one fish measuring 46 inches. Fisheries Management Biologist Rich Meade said 36- to 42-inchers were common. He noted that he has seen muskies up to 48 inches long in past surveys and called muskie prospects for the next few years at the western Missouri lake "excellent." The length limit on muskies at Pomme de Terre is 36 inches.
The next-largest fish came from Pony Express Lake, which has had muskellunge for nearly 18 years. Fisheries Management Biologist Joe Bonneau reported catching a 43.5-inch muskie there this year, and has caught 47.5-inch fish in the past. These are well above the lake's 36-inch minimum length limit.
At Hazel Creek Lake, which got muskies at the same time Pony Express Lake did, Fisheries Management Biologist Mike Anderson reported finding a 43-inch specimen. "We really expected to find bigger fish," he said. "Weather and other work limited our effort at Hazel Creek, and I really think most of the females had spawned and were out of the area where we net them by the time we got there. The biggest muskie caught by a fisherman at Hazel Creek last year measured 45.5 inches." The minimum length limit at Hazel Creek Lake is 42 inches.
Fisheries Management Biologist Mark Boone reported finding one muskie measuring 42.1 inches at Lake Girardeau. Lake Girardeau got its first muskies in 1995. The minimum length limit there is 42 inches.
At Fellows Lake, which got muskies in 1996 and has a 42-inch minimum length limit, the largest fish netted by fisheries workers this year measured 41 inches. Fisheries Management Biologist Larry Martien said anglers there can hope to find a few keeper-sized fish at Fellows Lake within a year.
The situation at Henry Sever Lake was similar. Anderson reported catching a 39.2-inch muskie in spring netting at the northeast Missouri lake.
The biggest fish that turned up in nets at central Missouri's Binder lake measured 37.5 inches, according to Fisheries Management Biologist Phil Pitts. Two of the five fish caught at Binder Lake were above the lake's 36-inch minimum length limit. He said he believes that few of the muskies stocked there in 1996 the initial stocking survived.
"Binder Lake has a low-density muskie population," said Pitts, "but those that are there are in great shape."
To provide additional information about muskie growth in the six lakes, some of the fish being stocked now are being marked. This allows fisheries workers to tell the newer fish from older ones and better track their growth.
An eighth lake, Lower Tom Sauk Lake in Reynolds County, received an initial stocking of muskies in 1998. Those fish are too young to be near legal length, but the Conservation Department is keeping an eye on their growth.
- Jim Low -
Turkey harvest continues at a brisk pace
Friday, May 11, 2001
The 2001 spring turkey season is on track to be the second-best on record.
JEFFERSON CITY -- Hunters bagged 16,219 gobblers during the second week of spring turkey season. That is 1,674 behind last year's record-setting pace. However, officials with the Missouri Department of Conservation say this season still is on track for the second-largest spring turkey harvest on record.
The second-week harvest brings the two-week turkey harvest to 44,985 birds. Hunters had checked 46,659 gobblers by this time last year
Meanwhile, turkey hunting accidents outpaced last year's record low. The Conservation Department reported nine firearms-related turkey hunting accidents and no fatalities in the first two weeks of the 2001 spring season, compared to two non-fatal accidents during the same period last year.
The decrease in turkey harvest is due in part to windy, wet weather during the opening week of the season. Wind and rains make hunting more difficult and discourage hunters from going afield. The opening-day harvest fell 884 turkeys short of the 2000 figure. The first week's harvest was down 1,564 from last year.
Counties leading the two-week harvest figures were Franklin, with 964 birds checked, Laclede with 855 and Macon with 827. Northeastern Missouri led regional totals with 8,366 birds checked. Other regional totals were: northwest, 6,652; west-central 6,511; east-central, 5,250; central, 4,770; southwest, 3,996; Ozarks, 3,753; southeast, 3,396; St. Louis, 1,153, and Kansas City, 1,138.
Missouri's spring turkey season runs for three weeks, ending May 13.
- Jim Low -
Bear killing lands Arkansas man in hot water
Friday, May 11, 2001
Black bears can be scary, but Missouri law protects them.
ALTON, Mo. -- A man who admitted shooting a nonaggressive black bear in Oregon County has found that frontier justice is the wrong way to deal with problem bears.
Missouri Department of Conservation Ozark Region Protection Supervisor Gary Cravens got a call April 25 from people camping and hunting turkeys in the Mark Twain National Forest north of the Eleven Point River. They said the bear had visited their camp, trying to get into food.
Cravens and Conservation Agent Paul Veatch visited the area the next day, but they weren't able to find the bear, and the caller had gone home. A wildlife damage biologist and two other Conservation Department wildlife biologists also spent two days in the area hoping to defuse the situation, but couldn't find the bear.
During their investigation, Cravens and Veatch questioned a 30-year-old Arkansas man who was camped and turkey hunting in the area. Cravens said the man told them that other campers had warned him about a bear in the area, and he said it had visited his camp the previous night. He said that he was from bear country, and lived around bears, so he knew how to handle the situation. He said the bear was persistent, but that it wasn't aggressive, and that he had taken a video tape of it.
On April 27, the man called Cravens and admitted that he had shot the bear two days earlier. Returning to the scene, Cravens and Veatch found the bear's carcass about 100 yards from the man's camp. It had been shot at close range with a shotgun.
The Arkansas man claimed he shot the bear out of fear. Veatch cited him for illegally killing a bear.
"This bear was right where a bear should be," said Cravens, "in a remote forested area nowhere near houses or a town. It was young and hungry, and it wasn't as shy of humans as most bears are, but that wasn't enough reason to kill it."
Cravens said he wishes the Conservation Department been given a chance to deal with the bear. He wishes the Arkansas man had told him immediately that the bear had been shot, instead of waiting until conservation agents and wildlife damage biologists had spent several hours looking for it around the hunting camp.
"We have the knowledge and equipment to help people in rare instances, like this one, where a bear becomes a concern," said Cravens. " Chances are very good that this bear could have been discouraged from future human contact without killing it."
Cravens said that people need to "make an honest effort to work with us before taking things into their own hands."
The Arkansas man is scheduled to appear in Oregon County Associate Circuit Court June 12. Killing a bear is a Class A misdemeanor under Missouri law, punishable by a $1,000 fine and a year in jail. Because it was killed on federal land, he also could be charged under federal law. Federal penalties are considerably more severe than under state law. Cravens said law enforcement officials are still considering how to handle the case.
Black bears the only bears that live in Missouri are strongly attracted to food in the spring and early summer, when their natural foods are least abundant. Pet and livestock feed and trash should be kept indoors or in bear-proof containers to avoid attracting and encouraging bears to visit areas frequented by humans. Bird feeders also may attract bears, and should be taken down in parts of southern Missouri where bears are common. Most bear problems occur in Iron, Shannon, Carter, Ripley, Reynolds, Howell, Ozark, Barry, Taney, Christian, Stone and Douglas counties. Biologists estimate Missouri's black bear population at 150 to 300 animals. These are found mostly south of the Missouri River.
Campers must take extra precautions to avoid bear problems. This means keeping food or trash inside vehicles and not disposing of grease, table scraps and other bear attractants outdoors. Hikers should hang backpacks with food, soap and other toiletries from a rope between two trees. Food and cooking utensils should never be kept inside tents or campers.
Although Missouri has not had a reported bear attack in modern times, the possibility does exist. Most black bear attacks occur because the animal is frightened or defending its cubs against a perceived threat. Black bears are excellent climbers, so trees offer no refuge.
To avoid startling a black bear, it's a good idea for hikers to talk, whistle or sing to warn bears of their approach. If you encounter a bear and it has not seen you, leave the area quietly and quickly.
If the bear is aware of your presence, avoid making eye contact. Bears perceive a stare as a threat. Instead, turn and walk away slowly and quietly while speaking in a normal tone of voice. Don't show fear, run or make sudden movements.
Bears' poor vision sometimes makes it difficult for them to identify humans, even at close range. In such situations, bears often stand on their hind legs and lift their noses high in the air. This is not a threat. The bear is just trying to use its keen sense of smell to identify an intruder.
Avoid making a bear feel cornered. Black bears seldom attack if they can retreat. On a trail, step off the trail on the downhill side and slowly leave the area.
If you see a cub, move slowly and calmly retrace your steps. Be on the lookout for other cubs and avoid getting near them or between them and the female, which could trigger the mother's protective instincts.
If a bear attacks, fight back. Black bears have been driven away when people fought back with rocks, sticks or even bare hands.
- Jim Low -
Bronzebacks and bushytails are legal May 26
Friday, May 11, 2001
The season opens for squirrel hunting and keeping black bass caught in streams in southern Missouri on the Saturday before Memorial Day
JEFFERSON CITY -- Hunters who are itching to get back into the woods and anglers who relish frying up a mess of smallmouth bass should mark May 26 on their calendars. That's opening day for squirrel season statewide. It's also the first day that anglers on streams in most of southern Missouri can catch black bass and keep them legally.
The daily limit for squirrels is six fox and gray squirrels in the aggregate, and the possession limit is 12. The daily limit on black bass is six smallmouth, largemouth or spotted bass in the aggregate in most waters. However, some lakes and streams have special length or creel limits. For information about the waters you plan to fish, check the 2001 fishing regulations summary, available wherever fishing permits are sold.
- Jim Low -
Citizen's help is essential to wildlife law enforcement
Friday, May 04, 2001
Financial support from citizen groups provides cash rewards for those who turn in poachers.
JEFFERSON CITY There may be a few places in Missouri where poaching is an entrenched tradition and no one thinks much of it. Judging by calls to Missouri's Operation Game Thief (OGT) hot line, such places are dwindling.
Larry Yamnitz, protection programs supervisor for the Missouri Department of Conservation, said dozens of people picked up their telephones and dialed 800/392-1111 last year. They did it to turn in poachers. Most chose to remain anonymous, but their information was valuable, too. OGT tips led to 197 convictions in 2000.
The Conservation Federation of Missouri and other groups provide money to pay rewards to OGT tipsters. However, only one in four OGT callers was interested in a reward. Those who did accept money for their help got a total of $8,900 last year. Rewards averaged about $200 per incident.
In 2000, callers reported 81 violations related to deer, 25 for turkey poaching, 20 concerning fishing violations, 14 for migratory birds, 12 for road hunting, nine for small-game violations, five for incidents involving furbearers and 31 for "other" Wildlife Code violations.
Since OGT began in 1982, callers have provided information that led to 3,743 convictions. Informants have received $226,875 in rewards through the program.
"Operation Game Thief has grown into a priceless tool for fish and game law enforcement," said Yamnitz. "Missourians have learned that they don't have to stand silently by while others steal their resources, and they can speak up without risking their own safety. Basically, OGT makes it easy for people to do what they know is right."
- Jim Low -
First week's turkey kill second-largest on record
Friday, May 04, 2001
The first seven days of Missouri's three-week spring turkey season fell short of last year's record-setting harvest, but it's still a great season by any standards.
JEFFERSON CITY Hunters bagged 28,876 gobblers during the first seven days of Missouri's three-week spring turkey season. That figure isn't a record, but it compares favorably with recent years.
Wet, windy weather kept the 2001 opening day harvest 884 birds below last year's record of 9,103 birds. The harvest continued to lag behind last year's pace throughout the first week of the season, finishing 1,564 short of the 2000 figure.
Franklin County led the state with 647 birds checked the first week. Texas County was close behind with 592 birds checked, followed by Macon County with 555.
Regional totals were: northeast, 5,010; west-central, 4,160; northwest, 4,114; east-central, 3,423; central, 3,247; southwest, 2,576; southeast, 2,568; Ozark, 2,423; Kansas City, 695 and St. Louis, 660. Northwest Missouri's first-week total was up 137, and central region's first-week bag was up 21 from 2000. All other regional totals were down slightly.
The Missouri Department of Conservation reported no fatal turkey hunting accidents during the first week of turkey season. It reported seven nonfatal accidents.
In spite of being down from last year, the 2001 first-week harvest still was the second largest in Missouri history. Before last year, the largest number of gobblers bagged in the first week of turkey hunting was 26,537 in 1994. Hunters checked 24,693 turkeys in the first week of hunting in 1995, 24,393 in 1996, 21,539 in 1997, 26,268 in 1998 and 25,294 in 1999.
Conservation Department officials say they expect this year's harvest to be in the neighborhood of 52,000 gobblers.
- Jim Low -
Big River Festival set for June 2
Friday, May 04, 2001
A dozen kinds of fun will be on display at this festival to honor a great stream.
DeSOTO, Mo. If you are attracted to streams, you may want to visit the Big River Festival from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. June 2 and 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. June 3 at Washington State Park near DeSoto.
The free event is sponsored by the Missouri Stream Team in cooperation with the Missouri Departments of Conservation and Natural Resources. Activities will include displays, storytellers, a re-enactment of an early settler's encampment, local foods and crafts, fishing and other demonstrations, guided nature walks, games, pony rides, hands-on stream activities such as a live otter program.
Exhibitors will include Missouri Stream Teams, the St. Louis Herpetological Society, the Missouri Smallmouth Alliance, the Missouri Archaeological Society, Gateway Bassmaster, the Conservation Federation of Missouri and Becoming an Outdoorswoman.
"The Big River and its watershed has a tremendous variety of natural, cultural and historical features," said event organizer Kevin Meneau. "The festival is a chance to let people discover and enjoy them."
Meneau said those who come will have a chance to canoe the Big River. They will also get to help Missouri Stream Team members gather water quality information on the river and learn how to hold a fish and a turtle safely. A natural treasure hunt will reward participants with prizes.
Experts will be on hand to explain the many interesting features of the Big River watershed in entertaining ways. Participants will get to view a scale model of a stream corridor undergoing erosion, learn about the history of mining in the area and look at equipment used to clean up pollution.
Food and entertainment are part of the plan, too. Vendors will offer a variety of food and beverages, and crafters will demonstrate their skills and sell their wares. Live music, face painting, boat displays and other attractions will round out the program. For more information, call Washington State Park, 636/586-5768.
- Jim Low -
Commission to meet May 29-30
Friday, May 04, 2001
LEBANON, Mo. The Missouri Conservation Commission's next meeting will be May 29 and 30 at Sand Spring Resort, Highway 64, Lebanon.
The Commission will meet at 1:30 p.m. May 29. The May 30 meeting will begin with a closed executive session at 8:15 a.m., with an open meeting immediately following.
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. Requests must be received by May 14. People requiring special services or accommodations to attend the meeting can make arrangements at the same address, or by phone at 573/751-4115.
Commissioners are: Randy Herzog, St. Joseph, chairman; Ronald J. Stites, Plattsburg, vice chairman; Anita B. Gorman, Kansas City, secretary; and Howard L. Wood, Bonne Terre, member.
- Jim Low -
