September 2001
Start now to get gun dogs in shape for hunting season
Friday, September 28, 2001
Preseason conditioning and refresher training will enhance your enjoyment of the upcoming hunting season.
JEFFERSON CITY -- Hunting dog owners who have the itch to get outdoors don't have to wait for opening day to scratch that itch. In fact, getting out with your dog now can substantially enhance your enjoyment of the hunting season.
Start with a trip to the veterinarian for a checkup of your dog's general health. Now is the time to update vaccinations and check for intestinal parasites. Have the vet check your dog's weight. If he's overweight, ask your vet about a diet plan to get your hunting companion fighting trim before the season.
Also ask your vet about diet adjustments during the hunting season. Dogs' dietary needs are much different during periods of frequent, strenuous activity than they are during the off season, when exercise is minimal.
Next, haul out your hunting gear -- whistle, lead, retrieving dummies, electronic collars, kennel, field feeding and watering paraphernalia - and make sure it's all in good order. This will make the whole season go smoother.
Launching into a heavy training schedule during the hot, dry weather of late summer can be disastrous. Dogs are more susceptible to heat stroke and even heart attack at this time of year. Furthermore, dogs, like people, can develop negative attitudes toward hunting if they are forced to work under adverse conditions.
Instead, start with low-demand obedience drills. Having a canine partner who responds reliably to the commands "sit," "stay," "come," "heel" and "whoa" can make the difference between enjoyable hunts and days where you shout yourself hoarse and waste precious time correcting your dog.
Perform drills during routine daily activities, such as walking, going to the mail box and doing yard work. This allows your dog to spend more time with you, which is his greatest reward in life. It also gets him accustomed to being outside his kennel so he isn't wild with excitement on your first hunt.
Increase the activity level of training sessions as the weather cools. You can get a jump on this by training early and late in the day. Keep early-season lessons short, 15 to 20 minutes for a dog that has been kennel-bound for months. Increase the time by five minutes a day, keeping an eye on your pooch to be sure he doesn't overheat. Frequent water breaks will minimize the chance of stroke and keep your canine pal comfortable enough to enjoy and get the most from training sessions.
Before beginning your training regimen, trim your dogs' toenails to reduce the likelihood of splitting and nail bed injuries. As you build endurance, check his feet during and after each session to make sure that kennel-soft pads aren't getting raw.
Experienced dogs may grow bored of retrieving dummies, so look for ways to make drills exciting. The additional challenge of making blind retrieves is enough to keep many dogs interested. If you need an extra boost, try doctoring the dummies with artificial bird scents.
The ultimate interest holder for dogs is retrieving real birds. You can provide this motivation week after week by saving a few whole birds from early-season dove hunts and keeping them in the freezer in sealable plastic bags. A dog that drops dummies short of a full retrieve will carry real birds all the way home. Working with frozen birds also discourages hard-mouthed dogs from chewing. Frozen birds can be used repeatedly. Just towel off excess moisture after each use and refreeze them.
If you can't get real birds, add realism to pre-season training by taking a blank pistol afield and firing a shot each time the dummy is thrown. Launchers that use .22 caliber blanks to propel dummies also can stimulate your dog's interest.
While you have your dog's full attention is a good time to work on more difficult challenges, such as taking a line and multiple retrieves. Change the drill each time out to keep things exciting for your pooch.
Besides getting your dog in better physical and mental condition, pre-season training provides the same benefits for hunters. Inviting a hunting buddy to accompany you on training sessions at favorite hunting areas will allow you all to get in shape and discover changes in hunting conditions. A second hunter also allows your dog to retrieve dummies thrown from different distances and angles, as he will have to do during hunting season.
When done properly, preseason training is both productive and fun.
- Jim Low -
Jump in fall turkey hunting accidents shows need for caution
Friday, September 28, 2001
Shooters ultimately are responsible for their actions, but it makes sense for all hunters to take every measure possible to protect themselves.
JEFFERSON CITY -- A 100-percent increase in fall turkey hunting accidents has officials with the Missouri Department of Conservation concerned about hunters' safety. They say that identifying your target before shooting is only half the equation for fall turkey hunting safety. The other half is defensive hunting.
Missouri recorded two accidents during the 14-day fall firearms turkey season in 1999, and four during the same period in 2000. None of the accidents proved fatal, but all resulted in serious injuries.
"Being struck by dozens of lead pellets is always life-threatening," said Protection Programs Supervisor Bob Staton. "Even when the victim doesn't die, the impact of such injuries is absolutely devastating. Sometimes victims are disabled for years as a result."
Staton says a common thread runs through turkey hunting accidents, whether they happen in the spring or fall. Nearly all involve shooters who failed to identify their targets.
Examples include two accidents that happened Oct. 9, 2000. In both incidents, the shooters and victims were hunting partners. In one, the hunting partners split up. The shooter, a 45-year-old man, mistook his 40-year-old partner for a turkey later in the day and shot him, spraying 40 to 45 pellets along the right side of the man's body.
In the second accident of the day, the shooter, 64, stayed within sight of the 65-year-old victim, but shot his hunting buddy when he stood up and walked about 10 yards toward the shooter. He suffered 15 pellet strikes to his head and upper body.
Another incident on Oct. 20 left the 17-year-old victim with 36 pellets from head to toe. He had shot a turkey and whistled to get his partner's attention, then held the bird up. The 18-year-old shooter saw the turkey and fired one shot.
These three cases show the importance of keeping track of your hunting partner and identifying your target positively before shooting. They also show the importance of defensive hunting.
"The young man who was shot while holding up a turkey for his partner to see and the case of the gentleman who got shot even though he was never out of his partner's sight are textbook illustrations that you have to take responsibility for your own safety while turkey hunting," said Staton. "If either of them had called out to his partner before standing up, they probably wouldn't have been hurt. Whistling or waving isn't enough to ensure your safety when you are so thoroughly camouflaged that even a wild turkey can't see you."
Wearing hunter orange is not required for turkey hunters, but wearing the protective color when moving through the woods is one of the surest ways to avoid being shot.
"Hunter orange reduced deer hunting accidents dramatically when it was introduced, and it is just as effective for turkey hunters," says Staton.
Orange garments don't have to be worn all the time to keep a hunter safe, says Staton. They can be donned while moving from one place to another, then removed before sitting down to call. For an added measure of safety, an orange vest can be wrapped around the trunk of the tree where the hunter is seated, alerting others to his presence.
Other defensive turkey hunting safety tips include:
* Ensure a clear field of view. Choose a hunting spot that enables you to see an approaching hunter.
* Sit with your back against a tree at least as broad as your shoulders to provide protection from behind.
* Camouflage your entire body and head. An exposed hand or face can be mistaken for part of a turkey.
* Don't wear or carry anything colored red, white, blue or black. These colors are associated with turkey gobblers.
* When you kill a turkey, tag it immediately and cover it completely with a bag or wrap it in a hunter-orange cloth before carrying it out of the woods.
* Never hunt in areas that you know others are using. They could mistake you for game or unknowingly catch you in their line of fire.
* Never assume you are the only hunter in the area.
* If you see another hunter, shout to identify yourself. Never wave. The movement of your camouflaged form could draw fire from a careless shooter.
* Exercise extreme caution in the placement of turkey decoys. These may draw fire.
* Don't try to stalk a turkey. You could be stalking another hunter, who could shoot you by mistake. Besides, it is virtually impossible to sneak up on a turkey. Sitting still as a stone is the only effective way to get close to a turkey.
* Never run with a firearm. When you shoot a turkey, return your gun's safety to the safe position before running to subdue the downed gobbler.
While it makes sense to protect yourself when hunting turkeys, Staton says ultimate responsibility lies with the shooter in accidents where the victims are mistaken for game. He says hunters must hold their fire until they have seen the entire animal.
- Jim Low -
New law puts teeth in exotic plant ban
Friday, September 28, 2001
Stiff penalties outlined to protect state from invasive exotic plants.
JEFFERSON CITY -- Controlling the spread of noxious weeds is serious business in Missouri. Under a new state law, residents must try to control kudzu and eradicate common and cut-leaved teasel on their lands or face fines of up to $1,000 and one year in jail.
The three exotic plants have been declared noxious and dangerous weeds because of their potential to damage the state's agriculture industry. The exotics also pose a threat to Missouri's native plant species, according to Missouri Department of Conservation Botanist Tim Smith.
"Once they are allowed to establish, kudzu and common and cut-leaved teasel can change diverse habitats into ones where nothing else grows," Smith said. "That's happened in other parts of the country. Fortunately, the spread of these exotics has been limited in Missouri. This new law should help us prevent the further spread of these plants and possibly enable us to eradicate them."
Kudzu is a vine that spreads over the ground or climbs on brush or trees. It grows best in rough, well drained eroded land or disturbed, sandy, deep-loam soils in full sun. Kudzu also will invade well drained, acid-soil forests. It forms a dense tangle of vines that shades out all vegetation beneath it. The plant, brought to the United States from Japan in the late 1800's, has been used for livestock forage and erosion control. Much of the kudzu found in Missouri grows along our highways.
Smith says Missouri's cold winters likely have helped control the spread of kudzu, but ridding land of kudzu takes vigilance and persistence. Efforts to control the stubborn weed could take several years and require a combination of cutting, grazing, digging, discing, prescribed burning and application of herbicides. The age and extent to which the weed has spread will determine the eradication measures to be used.
Cut-leaved and common teasel are flowering plants that can grow up to six feet tall. They were brought to North America from Europe as early as the 1700's for use in the textile industry. The spiny seed heads of the teasel plants were used to raise the nap of cloth. Teasel grows in sunny habitats, ranging from wet to dry conditions. It forms large, dense stands that exclude other vegetation. It is common along Missouri roadsides, but it can spread to pastures, gravel bars and any open areas.
Mechanical eradication methods work well on small teasel populations. Young rosettes can be dug up using a dandelion digger. Just as in digging up dandelions, the most effective treatment requires removal of as much of the teasel root as possible. Small teasel seedlings can be pulled by hand from moist soil. Flowering plants should be cut before their seeds grow. After flowering begins, the flower heads should be removed. Herbicides also can effectively control the spread of teasel.
State law requires landowners to use only teasel and kudzu eradication methods approved by the federal Environmental Protection Agency. Descriptions and control methods for those and other exotic plants are available on the Conservation Department website at www.missouriconservation.org, keyword "vegmanual." You also can get information by writing to:
Natural History Division
Missouri Department of Conservation
P.O. Box 180
Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180.
- Arleasha Mays -
Tree stand awareness critical to deer hunting safety
Friday, September 21, 2001
Safety harnesses and sturdy tree stands are as important as well-tuned bows.
JEFFERSON CITY—The Missouri Department of Conservation reminds hunters that not all accidents in the field involve firearms. Some injuries result from falls from tree stands.
Archery deer and turkey hunters commonly hunt from tree stands that are 10 to 20 feet above ground. Hunting from an elevated stand offers the element of surprise, since deer generally don't look for danger from above. Tree stands also give hunters a better view of their surroundings and make their scent more difficult for deer to detect. But on the down side, falls from stands easily break bones, compress spines, puncture lungs or worse. Almost one in 20 falls proves fatal.
Tree-stand hunters, just like occupants of a car or truck, can increase their chances of surviving accidents and reduce the severity of injuries by wearing safety belts.
Even better, as demonstrated by Air Force tests, is a harness that distributes the weight of a fall over the whole body. In a fall, a simple body belt restricts breathing more than a harness.
Hunters should buy the best safety equipment they can afford, including both belts, harnesses and tree stands. All such equipment should be inspected and thoroughly tested before the beginning of each hunting season and periodically during the season.
In a survey, "Deer and Deer Hunting" magazine found that more than a third of tree stand hunters will at some time fall from a stand, and that about 3 percent of them will suffer crippling injuries. The magazine noted that more than 70 percent of falls occur when a hunter is climbing a tree, descending from the tree or entering or leaving the stand; their survey showed that only about 20 percent of hunters wear a safety belt while doing these things.
After reaching their stand, the survey noted, about half of hunters always wear safety belts, while another third often wear them and some 20 percent rarely or never use them.
The magazine suggests that, at the least, hunters should attach their safety belt before stepping onto a stand, and not remove the belt until safely stepping off the stand. Hunters should show extra care during periods of rain and snow when tree bark and stand equipment are slick.
Screw-in steps should be installed at right angles to tree trunks. If the step is more sharply angled it can bend or break. The chains or bands that hold portable stands snug to trees should be inspected for strength and durability. Welded chain links may be better than twisted links
Hunters on private property sometimes use permanent tree stands (they are prohibited on most public hunting areas) built with nails and wood. These should be inspected as closely as portable stands before the hunting season begins. Such stands and wooden steps leading to them can become dangerous as the wood deteriorates.
The National Bowhunter Education Foundation opposes the use of permanent tree stands, saying they take away from the aesthetic appeal of the forest. Nails left in the tree, they add, diminish its value to the landowner as lumber.
The Foundation promotes the use of ladder-type stands, which it says have larger platforms, can be used on different types and sizes of trees and are safer and easier to use than other types of stands.
The Foundation also warns against carrying a bow or gun while climbing. Tree-stand hunters should use a rope to haul their gear (unloaded, in the case of a rifle) into tree stands. Tying the free end of the line to a belt or belt loop keeps the hunter's hands free for climbing.
The Foundation also suggests tying the haul line to the top of the bow when climbing and to the bottom when descending to avoid catching arrows in tree branches.
The National Rifle Association offers the following tree-stand safety tips:
--Tell someone where you will be hunting, and leave a note at your vehicle detailing your location to help searchers find you if you do not return.
--Securely attach the tree stand no more than 12 feet high.
--Use a safety belt to secure yourself to the tree. Harnesses made for this purpose are much safer than a rope.
--Use a rope to raise hunting equipment to your stand after climbing up. This keeps hands free for climbing and avoids injuries from falling on gear.
--Keep your tree stand in good working condition. Replace any worn or missing parts.
--Select straight, live trees for tree stand sites. Inspect for bees' nests and animal dens before erecting the stand.
--Climb down if you become drowsy. Falling asleep is a common cause of tree-stand accidents.
--Never use alcohol or drugs on any kind of a hunt.
--Keep your safety belt on when climbing up to or down from your stand.
- Jim Low -
Eagle nest survey shows continuing recovery
Friday, September 21, 2001
Since their first successful nesting in Missouri in 1985, bald eagles have established 75 nesting territories and now fledge about 100 eaglets per year.
JEFFERSON CITY -- Missouri's flock of bald eagles continues to grow and expand, according to an annual survey conducted by the Missouri Department of Conservation.
Each year Conservation Department personnel count the number of active bald eagle nests in the state. They also estimate the number of young eagles fledged. The first survey in 1984 showed one active nest. None of the young survived that year. Contrast that with 2001, when Missouri eagles fledged 98 to 116 young. Just five years ago, Missouri eagles fledged a mere 37 to 44 young.
The number of nesting territories jumped from 64 in 2000 to 75 this year. The number of productive territories – those where young survived to fledging – soared from 48 to 59.
Benton County led the 39 counties that produced eagles this year, fledging between 12 and 17 birds fledged from eight sites. Since the first nesting in that county in 1993, it has fledged between 52 and 58 eaglets. All-time honors go to Wayne County, where three sites, active since the 1980s, have fledged 61 to 65 eaglets.
Hazards facing young eagles include being blown out of their nests, having their nest trees blown down or being struck by lightning.
The Conservation Department began its bald eagle restoration program in 1981. This involved bringing nestling eagles from healthy populations in northern states and releasing them from artificial nests in Missouri.
The birds were extirpated from Missouri decades earlier. Chemicals such as DDT contaminated eagles' food supplies, poisoning the birds or causing them to lay defective eggs. Loss of nesting habitat due to human development and agriculture also reduced the number of areas suitable for eagle nesting.
The banning of DDT and other pesticides and the reintroduction of bald eagles throughout the Midwest have helped the national bird make a comeback. While some eagles nesting here were released in Missouri, others moved here on their own as the number of eagles increased in northern states.
- Jim Low -
Tough times ahead for Missouri oaks
Friday, September 21, 2001
Age, drought and parasites are contributing factors in the deaths of trees.
JEFFERSON CITY -- Missouri landowners are advised to check oak trees for brown and shedding leaves. Those symptoms could indicate the trees are infected with oak wilt.
Oak wilt is caused by a fungus that attacks the water conducting systems of oak trees. The disease plugs the system that moves water and minerals through the tree. This leaves trees unable to absorb water or transfer nutrients to their leaves. During the onset of oak wilt, leaves appear half bronze and half green, with a clear line between the two colors. Infected trees often drop leaves throughout much of the summer. Other symptoms include wilted branches and brown discoloration of the tree's sap wood.
"The symptoms of oak wilt progress differently in the red, white and Texas live oak groups," said Missouri Department of Conservation Forest Pathologist Bruce Moltzan. "But the disease seems to progress more quickly in red oaks, with infected trees becoming almost entirely defoliated in a matter of weeks. White oaks die slowly, one branch at a time, over a period of one to many years."
Moltzan said the disease is native to North America, so there is no reason to believe that it will wipe out Missouri's oak trees. But because it kills thousands of trees each year, it is essential to quickly diagnose the disease and remove infected trees.
The symptoms of oak wilt are similar to the symptoms of several other diseases. Only laboratory testing can provide accurate diagnosis. Accurate testing may require several samples. The samples should include branches 1 to 2 inches in diameter that still have affected leaves attached. The items should be packaged separately and sent to a lab as quickly as possible.
"Samples sent in to be tested for oak wilt should be fairly fresh," Moltzan says. "They shouldn't be sent through the mail on a Friday afternoon, and you shouldn't drive around with it in the car for several hours because heat kills the fungus. Once the fungus is dead, it cannot be positively identified, even though the tree may be infected."
Oak wilt is always fatal. Infected trees must be removed to prevent spread of the disease to healthy trees. According to Moltzan, oak wilt is easily spread by insects and through root grafts – places where the roots of infected trees contact those of healthy trees.
To protect healthy oaks, Moltzan advises landowners to avoid pruning from late March to early July. Beetles that spread oak wilt are attracted to open wounds in pruned trees in the spring. If you must prune during this time, dress all wounds on the tree.
Other preventive measures include trenching around trees, using a vibratory plow to disrupt root grafts and injecting trees with a systemic fungicide. Fungicides will protect trees from the disease for about two years.
Moltzan says trenching and applying fungicides are expensive and should be done by a certified arborist. If improperly done the procedures could cause wounds that would serve to further spread the disease.
Landowners who suspect their trees are infected with oak wilt should contact the local Conservation Department forester for assistance in diagnosing the disease.
- Arleasha Mays -
Missourians help quell western blazes
Friday, September 14, 2001
Missourians participate in all phases of firefighting effort in western U.S.
JEFFERSON CITY -- Charred trees and barren ground soon will be all that remains of fires that raged through forests in the western United States this summer. The U.S. Forest Service reports blazes burned more than three million acres in California, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and Washington.
Many Missouri firefighters participated in the efforts to extinguish western wildfires. Fifty-eight foresters with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), Mark Twain National Forest and several of the state's rural fire departments helped man firefighting crews. Their duties included battling blazes, dispatching fire crews and assuring equipment, food and safety needs were met.
Helping fight fires is one of many jobs the Conservation Department staff does during fire emergencies. As part of a cooperative agreement with the Forest Service, the MDC maintains one of four fire mobilization centers in the north-eastern United States. Fire crews from throughout the eastern U.S. are flown into St. Louis, where MDC's forestry staff work cooperatively with Forest Service and National Park Service personnel to arrange transportation and assure the crews are properly trained, equipped and prepared to assist in fire fighting efforts. The Forest Service reimburses MDC for personnel costs associated with fire fighting outside of the state.
Missouri receives many benefits from assisting with western wildfires. Working in the fires is excellent training for the state's foresters. They learn about fire behavior and fuels, and how to handle fires under adverse conditions. The practical experience also helps the firefighters learn incident management and organizational skills. Assisting with wildfires in the west also assures that Missouri will get help with its fire emergencies. Under the MDC agreement with the Forest Service fire fighters from other states will be called in to fire emergencies that exceed the state's fire fighting capabilities.
It is unlikely more Missouri firefighters will be called to assist with the western wildfires. The fire danger status has been downgraded to level three. Preparedness levels are rated on a scale of one to five, with level five being the most serious fire danger. The fire danger status had been at level five since August 16 when blazes erupted in Northern California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon and Washington. At this level, the potential exists to exhaust all fire fighting resources, and often the U.S. military is called upon to supplement federal firefighting crews.
- Arleasha Mays -
Fall colors likely to be spotty
Friday, September 14, 2001
Drought across much of Missouri is expected to produce a patchwork of bright colors and drab foliage.
JEFFERSON CITY -- How colorful will Missouri's fall foliage be this year? The answer, according to foresters with the Missouri Department of Conservation, is "It depends."
First, it depends on where you live. If you live in central, northwestern, east central or southwestern Missouri, chances are you will get to see a nice display of autumn reds and golds, maybe even an excellent one. If you live in the Ozarks, prospects are fair to poor. This could change with improved weather.
Prospects for fall color are good to excellent in the Kansas City area due to adequate soil moisture and a good growing season. An early freeze like the one that hit the area last year could ruin things, but otherwise the peak of color should occur around the third week of October, with color starting the last of September and continuing through the end of October.
Woodlands along the Missouri and Mississippi rivers are among the best spots for viewing fall color. A wide variety of trees and shrubs set those areas aglow with golden yellows, deep oranges and rich reds and purples. Valleys along Missouri's smaller rivers also are likely to sport more vivid foliage than higher, drier areas.
The quality of this year's fall colors also depends on weather in the coming weeks. The ideal weather for bright fall colors is warm, sunny days with cool -- but not freezing -- nighttime temperatures. The warm sunlight promotes formation of sugars and pigments, while cool nights stop production of chlorophyll, which gives leaves their green color. With green eliminated, red, yellow and orange pigments become dominant. Cool nights also prevent sugars from moving into the roots at the end of the growing season. The trapped sugars turn leaves red or purple. So cool weather throughout September could improve prospects for fall color.
When should you take a drive to enjoy Missouri's season of splendor? In a normal year, central Missouri sees peak autumn colors in mid-October. Peak colors appear a week or so earlier in northern Missouri and about a week later in the south. However, this hasn't been an average year in much of the state. Even in areas where rainfall has been adequate to produce good fall colors, August's scorching weather started trees on the road to turning colors early. Peak fall color may occur a week or two earlier than normal in some areas. The drier it is in your area, the sooner the change of foliage may occur.
Some of the best routes for fall color drives are:
Highways 87, 41 and 24 in Howard, Saline and Lafayette counties;
Highways 94, 47 and 19 in Warren, Montgomery and Callaway counties;
The "Ridgetop Trail" in Ozark and Douglas counties. Contact the Ava Chamber of Commerce, 417/683-4594, for more information.
Highways 19 and 99 in Shannon and Oregon counties and Highways 5, 76 and 181 in Douglas and Ozark counties.
A loop consisting of Highway 185 south from Sullivan, Rt. N west to Bourbon and old Route 66 back to Sullivan.
A loop taking 185 south from Sullivan to Potosi, Highway 8 west to Highway 68, Highway 68 north of St. James and I-44 back to Sullivan.
A loop taking Highway 100 west from I-44 through Washington to Hermann, Highway 19 south to Drake and Highway 50 through Rosebud, Gerald and Union back to I-44.
Some trees already are showing yellow color, due to dry conditions. This is fairly normal for walnuts, sycamores, hackberries and honey locusts. However, in other species early yellowing can be a warning sign of serious stress or ill health. If trees around your property turn colors prematurely, check for possible sources of root damage, such as construction, weed killer, or soggy soil from excessive watering or runoff from down spouts. Trunk damage from lawn mowers, string trimmers, or insects also can cause stress. Early fall color on one side of a tree almost always occurs in the same direction as the source of the problem.
- Jim Low
Late-migrating hummingbirds appreciate feeders
Friday, September 14, 2001
Missourians who keep nectar feeders filled beyond the normal migratory period for hummingbirds sometimes receive visits from rare birds.
JEFFERSON CITY -- If you leave your hummingbird feeders out late this year you may be rewarded with a sighting of a rare visitor, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation.
The Conservation Department encourages Missourians who don't mind going to some extra trouble, to leave their nectar feeders out well into Autumn.
Missouri's regular, ruby-throated hummingbirds are usually gone by mid-October, but a few rufous hummingbirds pass through later in the fall, en route from the mountainous West to Florida. Because they are mountain birds, they can stand colder weather and may sometimes stay in this area until December.
The extra trouble consists of continuing to clean and refill nectar feeders and taking them in on cold nights when they might freeze and break. Even with these efforts, the chances of attracting a rarity are small.
Unusual hummingbirds seen late in previous years include violet-ear hummingbirds, large, greenish-blue hummingbirds native to Mexico. In November 1994, an Anna's hummingbird showed up at a feeder in Columbia.
Other possible late-fall visitors at Missouri feeders include the Costa's, calliope, Allen's and broad-tailed hummingbirds. Leaving feeders out for these species will not delay the departure of ruby-throated hummingbirds. Shortening day length tells these birds to leave by early October.
If you see any hummingbirds after Nov. 1, report the sightings to the Conservation Department immediately by calling 573/751-4115, ext.3648.
-Jim Low-
Lake, river landowners see hope in dam relicensing
Friday, September 07, 2001
Landowners on both sides of Bagnell Dam want AmerenUE to acknowledge the effects their business has on others and
care for the resources it has been allowed to use for 70 years.
LINN CREEK, Mo. -- Imagine that it's Oct. 27, 1919. You are in Foster's Café, a popular gathering place in this tiny Camden County community. The place is jammed with an unusual mix of hill folk, big-city businessmen and politicians. The city people are there to announce plans to dam the Osage River near the town of Bagnell. They say the dam will create a 50,000-acre reservoir, jobs and lots of inexpensive electricity.
Look closely among the faded overalls and sharply creased business suits, and you might catch a glimpse of Buford Foster, son of the restaurant's proprietor. Just eight years old, Foster shares other area resident's opinion that the project is impossible. He can't imagine damming the powerful river, much less imagine his town under 40 feet of water.
Today, Foster still lives a scant 8 miles from where he was born. He is one of the few residents of Old Linn Creek who stayed to see the unimaginable changes wrought by Union Electric's (UE) dam. Straight and trim at age 82, with a brisk, purposeful step, he has become a successful entrepreneur who owes much of his fortune to Lake of the Ozarks. Things worked out well for Foster, but he says Bagnell Dam could be much more beneficial to him and other Missourians.
Bill Thessen agrees. He was born the year that Foster learned of plans for Bagnell Dam. He has farmed the Osage River bottoms near Wardsville all his life, and the changes he has witnessed there rival those that Foster has seen.
It takes a day or so for water released from Bagnell Dam to reach Thessen's farm, but when it does, it can rise 10 feet overnight. These torrents flood his land. Frequent high flows kill trees and other vegetation that stabilized river banks and carve away at the bare soil, stealing valuable farmland, sometimes by the inch, sometimes by the foot. Over the years, it adds up to lost acreage.
Having lived and worked on the river all his life, Thessen possesses a wealth of first-hand knowledge about how the dam operates and how it affects people downstream. As president of the Osage River Flood Control Association (ORFCA), he can recite Bagnell Dam's seasonal and daily water discharge figures in cubic feet per second (cfs) and relate those numbers to the fortunes of farmers.
Bagnell Dam also has affected anglers, hunters, boaters and other people who value the lower Osage River's wildlife and recreational resources. Sturgeon and paddlefish once spawned in the river. Today, the sturgeon are gone, and the sport of paddlefish snagging exists only due to stocking by the Missouri Department of Conservation.
The water that turns Bagnell Dam's generators comes from the depths of the reservoir, so it is cold and oxygen-poor. Over the years, tens of thousands of bass, catfish, paddlefish and white bass have died in this inhospitable water. Thousands more have been ripped to pieces by violent currents just below the dam.
The Conservation Department has challenged AmerenUE to improve water quality in the downstream river so that bass, catfish, paddlefish and white bass are not killed by low oxygen levels. Equally important, say fisheries biologists, is AmerenUE's responsibility to do as much as possible to prevent fish from going through the dam and being mutilated.
Harder to measure are the effects of unnatural conditions on fish and wildlife downstream. The Conservation Department would like to know more about existing fish populations and how variations in river flow affect them.
The Conservation Department, Thessen, Foster and others hope that an upcoming event will lead to more changes, this time to benefit agriculture, recreation and wildlife on the lake and the river. The occasion for re-evaluating the dam and the changes it has caused is the relicensing of Bagnell Dam.
The dam's current owner, AmerenUE, operates the facility under a license from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). That license expires Feb. 28, 2006. To continue operating the dam, AmerenUE must submit a proposal for a new license to the FERC by Feb. 28, 2004. A new license could be good for up to 50 years. First, though, the company must satisfy federal regulators that it has addressed concerns about fish, wildlife, personal property and the river.
Besides a new operating license, AmerenUE wants to install new turbines. It already has approval to put in two and is seeking permission for more. The new turbines can move water from the lake into the river at much higher rates.
This worries Thessen, who has seen more floods on the lower Osage than he likes to contemplate. It's no more comforting to Foster, whose concerns focus on fluctuations in water levels at Lake of the Ozarks.
According to Bill Turner, the fisheries program coordinator at the Conservation Department's Sedalia office, very little is known about how Bagnell Dam already has affected natural resources and property, despite the dam's long history. He says even less is known about possible impacts from new turbines.
"When UE built Bagnell Dam 70 years ago, no one gave much thought to its environmental effects," says Turner. "That's understandable. The word 'ecology' probably hadn't even been coined yet. But we know better now. It's time to stop and think, ask some questions about how the next 50 years of this facility's operation will affect the river, people and their property. Then we need to find answers to those questions before we proceed."
Many of the questions already have been asked by the Conservation Department, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, ORFCA and by businesses, residents and recreationists at Lake of the Ozarks. AmerenUE is cooperating with these groups, hoping to remedy past problems and anticipate new ones.
For example, AmerenUE has suspended power generation several times this summer to allow survey crews to study the Osage River. They have sampled fish populations to learn what kind if fish are there, how many and where they live. They have examined archaeological resources along the river, and they have checked the number and distribution of an endangered species the pink mucket mussel that lives in the lower Osage River.
Other concerns raised by the Conservation Department and other stakeholders include:
--fishing at Lake of the Ozarks
--management of the lake's 1,200-mile shoreline
--recreational use and availability of access to the lake and the river
--the quality of water from Bagnell Dam
--river bank erosion
--the effect of dam operations on wetlands
--how dam operations might be modified to benefit pink mucket mussel and walleye populations in the river.
Thessen says ORFCA wants AmerenUE to research the potential effects of installing new turbines at Bagnell Dam and address the financial repercussions if the upgrade worsens erosion and flooding downstream. The group wants AmerenUE to release above-normal amounts of water only when water flowing into the lake exceeds normal flows, and they want the company to set aside money each year for riverbank management downstream from Bagnell Dam, as it has for mosquito spraying and shoreline management on Lake of the Ozarks.
"We realize that we're going to have floods sometimes and we realize that they need to generate electricity," says Thessen, "but these manmade floods from generating power really give us problems. We see rises of six to eight feet a day. People living around Lake of the Ozarks would never put up with water level changes like that. It's damaging the river banks and the fish and it's damaging our land."
"Ameren has been using this river as a tool for 70 years," says Thessen. "You can't use any tool without operating costs. Taking care of the river is a cost of operation." Pointing to his aging but still serviceable pickup truck, he says, "Just like I use that pickup truck over there, they use the river. I need a set of wrenches to work on my truck. Ameren needs a set of tools, and they need to work on this river."
- Jim Low -
State residents encouraged to support CARA
Friday, September 07, 2001
MDC encourages Missourians who want federal funding for outdoor recreation and conservation programs to ask for it.
JEFFERSON CITY - Voter support is considered key to getting the U. S. House of Representatives to act on legislation to fund state wildlife, recreation and conservation education programs.
Although passed by the U. S. House Resources Committee in July, the Conservation and Reinvestment Act (CARA) has yet to be scheduled for consideration by the full house. The Missouri Department of Conservation and Missouri Parks and Recreation Association are encouraging state residents to request that their representatives call for a vote on the measure.
CARA seeks to provide approximately $46.5 billion dollars in funding for outdoor recreation and conservation programs. The funds would come from revenues generated from offshore oil and natural gas leases. Annual allotments of about $3.1 billion would be divided among the states over a 15-year period. Missouri's share of the money would be about $30 million each year.
Nationally, annual funding through CARA would include:
--Coastal conservation programs - $1 billion;
--Land and water conservation - $900 million;
--Wildlife conservation and restoration - $350 million;
--Conservation easements and species recovery - $150 million;
--Urban parks and recreation - $125 million.
Missouri's share of the money would be channeled through the Missouri departments of Conservation and Natural Resources. Much of the money would be available to local governments and conservation groups through grants administered by the two state agencies. Qualifying projects could include local parks, outdoor classrooms and wildlife habitat work.
Proponents say Missouri wildlife will benefit from CARA funding through conservation partnerships in which state agencies and local groups promote wildlife viewing, grants to schools, habitat restoration, urban green space and nature tourism. They say the program also would help songbirds whose populations are in decline, other wildlife and natural areas.
Community grants that would be available through CARA could provide support for development of trails, wildlife habitat, parks, green space, nature areas, outdoor classrooms, aquariums and nature-related tourism projects.
"I have no doubt that CARA can pass," says Conservation Department Director Jerry Conley. "It has strong bipartisan support, with 239 co-sponsors in the house. We in Missouri know the great impact dedicated funding for conservation can make. CARA will not only boost our efforts to protect wildlife diversity and declining species and assist landowners who want to manage their lands for wildlife, it also will help us enhance outdoor recreational opportunities here and across the country. We must now convince the house leadership that CARA is good for people, parks and wildlife."
- Arleasha Mays -
Commission to meet Sept. 27-28 in West Plains
Friday, September 07, 2001
JEFFERSON CITY The Missouri Conservation Commission's next meeting will be Sept. 28 at the Conservation Department Ozark Regional Office at 551 Joe Jones Boulevard, West Plains
The Commission meeting will begin with a closed executive session at 3 p.m. Sept. 27. The open portion of the meeting will begin at 8:30 a.m. Sept. 28.
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 Sept. 13. People requiring special services or accommodations to attend the meeting can make arrangements at the same address, or by phone at 573/751-4115.
Commission officers are: Anita B. Gorman, Kansas City, chairman; Howard L. Wood, Bonne Terre, vice chairman, Stephen C. Bradford, Cape Girardeau, Secretary, and Cynthia Metcalfe, St. Louis,member.
- Jim Low -
