September 2004

Carroll County farm headed back to the future

Federal grants for wildlife habitat are helping Kevin Casner maintain his family's historic connection to farming and duck hunting.(Missouri Dept. of Conservation photo)

A farm family with a 200-year history of innovation and adapting to change is finding new ways to blend production agriculture and wildlife values.

CARROLLTON, Mo.--Kevin Casner isn't going anywhere, but the land he farms is. This isn't a story about soil erosion. It's the tale of a family that knows how to blend the best of the past with opportunities for the future. It's also about a government program that helps farm families preserve the value of their land and the values of their forebears.

Casner's family was the first to settle in what is now Carroll County early in the 19th century. His well-tended brick home north of Carrollton is just 4.5 miles from the original homestead. He and his father farm 2,350 acres there.

For nearly two centuries, Casners have changed with the times, adopting the best of new agricultural practices and demonstrating the business acumen it takes to succeed in farming. But, as the saying goes, the more things change, the more they stay the same. In some ways, Casner's farm is headed back to the future.

For decades, the family worked to increase their farmable acreage. In southern Carroll County, where the Missouri River Valley is as wide as 12 miles, that meant draining more and more low-lying, flood-prone land.
Up to a point, this worked. But in the lowest spots, even normal summer rains sometimes drowned out crops. That meant wasted work, seed and fertilizer. Sometimes they replanted, only to see the spot flooded again. In wet years, this land was useless.

Then one day Mike McClure visited the Casner farm. Kevin, who was a lifelong hunter, a member of Ducks Unlimited (DU) and Delta Waterfowl and chairman of his levee district, was well acquainted with McClure, who works in the Missouri Department of Conservation's Private Land Services Division.

McClure had an interesting idea. Why not let the few acres that clearly wanted to be marsh be marsh? A combination of state, federal and private conservation programs would pay 75 percent of the cost of establishing permanent wetlands in two core areas. They comprised 10 acres of old Missouri River sloughs that had resisted drainage for almost two centuries. The Casners manage the land for an absentee landowner, Jim Icenogle, who is conservation-minded, too.

If they were interested, said McClure, money also was available to pay the full cost of building the levees around the sloughs a little higher, making it possible to flood adjacent cropland during the hunting season.

The programs were voluntary. The decision about whether to flood cropland around the two swales each year would be up to the owners. So would the question of how much land to flood and for how long. That allowed them to make winter crops on the land when weather permitted.

The offer was particularly interesting in light of other things going on at the time. North American waterfowl numbers were rebounding from lows in the 1980s. Duck season length and bag limits were increasing, and growing numbers of hunters were flocking back to the sport of duck hunting.

"Hunters would drive 200 miles from St. Louis to Grand Pass (Conservation Area) to hunt," said Casner. "If they didn't have a reservation, they had to take their chances on the morning draw. When they didn't get drawn the first day, they might get a motel room and try again the next day. You strike out again. . .that's pretty disappointing. It starts to sound pretty good to lease some land like ours and be sure of getting in when you want to hunt."

Casner and some partners--including his son--have taken this idea and run with it. After getting waterfowl habitat established on some of the land they farm, they leased it to a group of hunters from St. Louis. The Casners and the Icenogles keep the two swales for their own hunting.

All this seemed natural to Kevin, who grew up hunting ducks with his family and whose grandfather guided duck hunters for decades.

Some aspects of the duck guiding business are new, however. Visiting hunters need a place to stay while they are in the area, so Casner and his partners bought a motel and fitted it out as a hunting lodge. Income from the lodge augments the Casners' farm profits. This isn't traditional farming, but the income still depends on the land's natural productivity.

The Casners aren’t the only farmers cashing in on the increasing value of wetlands. Landowners who enrolled flood-damaged land in the Wetland Reserve Program following the Great Flood of '93 typically got around $1,000 per acre for doing so. Now the going rate is around $1,200. And where the same land used to be worth only $400 to $500 with restrictions due to wetland easements, some now fetches $1,000 an acre. Again, the reason is hunting.
"Sixty-day duck seasons are making a big difference in the value of land that is marginal for farming," says McClure. "It can be worth more for hunting now."

Some of the value the Casners and other farmers are getting from their wetland acres is harder to calculate in dollars and cents. Because all the land on their farm drains through the two permanent wetlands, marsh vegetation now filters soil and nutrients out of runoff water. That means cleaner water.
"Right or wrong, agriculture gets blamed a lot for chemicals in ground water," said McClure. "The dead zone around the mouth of the Mississippi River in the Gulf of Mexico is caused by excess nutrients in the water, and farmers take a hit for that, too. Kevin Casner has the satisfaction of knowing he is doing his part to stop it."

Casner got help with the work through several federal and state incentive programs, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Continuous CRP program and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Partners for Wildlife program. The Missouri Agriculture Wetland Initiative, a cooperative program of Ducks Unlimited, MDC and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, made much of the wetland work economical.

One new source of funding for such work is federal State Wildlife Grants. The program has broad bipartisan support. It is based on the idea is that it is easier and less expensive to prevent wild species from becoming endangered than it is to save them after they become endangered.
SWG is in its fourth year. Congress appropriates money for the program annually as part of the Department of the Interior's budget. For more information, visit www.teaming.com.

- Jim Low -

Soil and Water Society cultivates conservationists

State and local soil and water conservation organizations have scholarships for students in resource management.

JEFFERSON CITY-If soil and water conservation is your passion, the Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS) might be able to help advance your career.

The Missouri SWCS Chapter offers Betty Broemmelsiek Memorial Scholarships of $500 to $1,000 for students pursuing studies related to soil and water resource management. Applications and scholarship details are available online at www.swcs.missouri.edu/ or from Beverly Maltsberger, Missouri SWCS, c/o Buchanan County Extension Center, 4125 Mitchell Ave., P.O. Box 7077, St. Joseph 64507-7077, 816/279-1691, maltsbergerb@missouri.edu. Applications must be postmarked no later than Nov. 29.

The National SWCS offers three scholarships to SWCS members. The Kenneth E. Grant Research Scholarship is available to members conducting graduate-level research on soil & water conservation topics. The Donald A. Williams Soil Conservation Scholarship is available to members who are already employed, but who wish to improve their technical or administrative competence in a conservation-related field through course work or through a special program of study. The Melville H. Cohee Student Leader Scholarship is available to SWCS student members who have demonstrated leadership abilities and participated in soil and water conservation activities.

For more information on scholarships for SWCS members and application deadlines, visit www.swcs.org.

- Jim Low -

Fall foliage display could be early but unpredictable

Unusually cool, rainy weather in August could lead to an earlier-than-usual appearance of autumn colors in some areas.

JEFFERSON CITY--Missouri experienced unusual weather in July and August, but officials with the Missouri Department of Conservation say the unseasonably cool, wet weather isn't expected to have a significant effect on the intensity of fall color.

The leaves of hardwood trees change color in the fall partly because cool weather shuts down production of chlorophyll, a green pigment that enables trees to turn sunlight, oxygen and water into carbohydrates. Changes in the amount of sugar present in leaves during late September and October also play a role in producing red, orange and purple foliage.

The most important factor in triggering fall color is length of day. That doesn't change from year to year.

Less predictable is the onset of cool weather. Nighttime temperatures in the 50s and 60s cause leaves to stop producing chlorophyll, a green pigment. As existing chlorophyll breaks down, underlying yellow pigments show through. At the same time, chemical changes in sugars left in the leaves create reds and purples. Colors are most intense when cool, but not freezing, nighttime temperatures coincide with sunny days.

Some plants are more sensitive to temperature changes than others. Sumac bushes, Virginia creeper vines and sassafras and walnut trees are the first to change colors. Some individual plants of these species began changing color in August.

Ash, cherry, cottonwood and redbud trees typically change color a little later. These trees could begin changing weeks sooner than normal this year, because they are more sensitive to cool weather.

Oaks, maples, hickories and sweetgum trees are less sensitive to temperature changes and undergo fall color changes at pretty much the same time every year. However, even these species sometimes change early in years when they are stressed by drought, insect parasites, soil compaction or too much or too little moisture.

Normally, fall color peaks in northern Missouri around Oct. 10. In the state's midsection, the peak usually arrives between the third and fourth week in October, and in southern Missouri the best show sometimes occurs in late October. Those dates probably will hold true for the most part, with a few exceptions.

Because cold air tends to collect in river valleys, and because Missouri had unusually cool weather in August, trees in low areas may experience fall colors a week or two sooner than other areas.

The spectacular color display that Missourians enjoy so much can be significantly shortened by drought, which leaves to turn brown and drop early. That isn't likely to happen this year, however. Forestry Division Administrator Bob Krepps said abundant rain during the summer and early fall probably will encourage leaves to hold their leaves very well.

"I expect that trees are going to have some very dramatic fall color compared to recent dry years."

However, even with such favorable conditions, heavy rain coupled with strong wind during the period of autumn color can shorten the display by stripping leaves from branches prematurely.

To learn more about fall color in Missouri, pick up a copy of "Missouri's Fall Colors." This free, color brochure includes a map showing some of the state's best highway routes for fall color viewing and a list of places to go to enjoy fall color while hiking. It also has a list of autumn events around the state. The brochure available at Conservation Nature Centers and regional Conservation Department offices statewide and at http://www.missouriconservation.org/nathis/seasons/fall/.

- Jim Low -

Expansion of urban deer hunt could benefit Share the Harvest

A longer, more widespread Urban Portion of Firearms Deer Season means more time outdoors for Missouri hunters and more food for the hungry, thanks to Share the Harvest. For more information, visit http://www.mdc.mo.gov/hunt/deer/share (Missouri Dept. of Conservation photo)

A longer Urban Portion of Firearms Deer Season in a larger area will make it easier than ever for hunters to donate venison to food banks.

JEFFERSON CITY--The urban portion of Missouri's firearms deer season will be twice as long this year and will include 11 counties in four areas of the state. Besides bringing more opportunities for hunters, the liberalization promises to increase meat donations to Missouri's burgeoning Share the Harvest Program.

Last year the Conservation Commission approved Missouri's first-ever urban deer hunting season. It lasted two days in the deer management units around St. Louis and Kansas City. This year, the event has been expanded to four days (Oct. 8-11) and includes:

--St. Louis and St. Charles counties in the St. Louis area
--Platte, Clay, Jackson and Cass counties in the Kansas City area
--Greene, Webster and Christian counties in the Springfield area
--Boone and Cole counties in Central Missouri.

These counties all have large human populations and high deer population density. As a result, deer-automobile accidents, damage to landscape plantings and other human-deer conflicts are increasingly common.

"Finding ways to control deer numbers in and around cities is one of our biggest deer management challenges," said Conservation Department Resource Scientist Lonnie Hansen. "We are very encouraged that a number of communities are using the Urban Portion of the Firearms Deer Season as a tool for reducing deer problems. We want to make that tool as useful as possible."

Last year, hunters could only use historic hunting methods--muzzleloading rifles, crossbows or bows--during the urban hunt. This year, they can use modern firearms, too.

Regulations for the urban hunt do not supersede local laws. Hunters must check ordinances in the areas they want to hunt to ensure that their chosen hunting method is allowed.

Like last year, hunting is restricted to antlerless deer only. Hunters can buy as many permits as they want for use during the urban hunt. That creates the potential for hunters to take more deer than they and their families can eat.

The Conservation Federation of Missouri hopes this will encourage even more hunters to donate venison to food banks through the Share the Harvest program.

"The urban hunt has tremendous potential to do good things for lots of people," said Dave Murphy, executive director for the Conservation Federation of Missouri, which administers Share the Harvest. "It didn't generate a great deal of interest the first year it was offered, but communities with deer problems are beginning to sit up and take notice. Hunters are excited about having more days to hunt, sometimes in areas where they could never hunt before."

The Conservation Federation is working to develop more local Share the Harvest programs and raise a record amount of money to pay the cost of processing donated deer. That could mean thousands of additional pounds of venison for needy Missourians. "We are really excited about the prospects this year," said Murphy.

For more information about the Urban Portion of Firearms Deer Season, get a copy of the 2004 Fall Deer and Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information guide, available wherever hunting permits are sold. The booklet also has information about existing local Share the Harvest programs and how to set up one in your area.

- Jim Low -

Share the Harvest sponsors aim to increase food donations

The Conservation Federation is beating the drum for increased venison donations and beating the bushes for sponsors to make this year's meat donation program the biggest ever.

JEFFERSON CITY–Share the Harvest, the program that puts tons of venison on needy Missourians' tables each year, is expanding. Program sponsors are looking for new underwriters and meat processors to join the effort.

Share the Harvest is sponsored by the Conservation Federation of Missouri and the Missouri Department of Conservation. As originally set up, the program simply allowed local sponsors to work with meat processors and food banks to get venison to needy families. Hunters had to pay for processing themselves. Now they can get help with processing costs.

The Columbia Area Archers started Share the Harvest in 1992. That year, venison donations totaled a few hundred pounds. Since then, the number of local Share the Harvest programs has grown dramatically.

The program really took off when sponsors began putting up cash to help hunters pay venison processing costs. This, along with increased deer numbers and expanded hunting opportunities, led to phenomenal growth.

Last year, hunters had their choice of more than 90 participating meat processors, and venison donations nearly doubled from the previous year. In all, hunters donated more than 88 tons of ground venison to food banks last year.

Conservation Federation Executive Director Dave Murphy says he expects the program to continue expanding rapidly. His optimism is based on several factors.

"For one thing, we have even more hunting opportunity this year," said Murphy. "The urban portion of firearms deer season has been expanded, and antlerless-only deer permits are more available than ever. Conservation agents and Conservation Federation members are working hard to expand the number of local programs and get more hunters interest in donating whole deer."

Murphy said the Missouri Legislature gave Share the Harvest another boost earlier this year when it allowed participating meat processors to be certified by state inspectors. In the past, a federal inspection was required.

The program also will enjoy increased financial support this year. In 2003, the Conservation Commission put up $65,000 to help pay for processing donated venison. This year they have approved $95,000, and the Federation is looking for other sponsors.

"I expect this thing to continue to grow," said Murphy. "It's limited mostly by the amount of money we can raise to pay for processing. We already pay $35 toward processing a whole deer. This year we hope to have dozens of local programs that pay the remainder of processing costs so hunters can donate venison at no cost to themselves."

To learn more about Share the Harvest, contact Murphy at 573/634-2322, mofed@sockets.net or visit http://www.mdc.mo.gov/hunt/deer/share/.

-Jim Low-

Deer-turkey season overlap calls for added caution

Stealthy hunters in head-to-toe camouflage will share the woods with orange-clad deer hunters for one day.

JEFFERSON CITY--Deer and turkey hunters in 11 Missouri counties will need to be on the lookout for one another and show extra caution, due to the overlap of their hunting seasons, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation.

The Urban Portion of Firearms Deer Season is two days longer this year than last year, extending from Oct. 8 through 11. The season is open in St. Louis, St. Charles, Platte, Clay, Jackson, Cass, Greene, Christian, Webster, Boone and Cole counties. This causes an unprecedented one-day overlap with the Fall Firearms Turkey Season Oct. 11 through 24. Conservation officials say this calls for extra caution.

"Separately, each of these types of hunting has a very good safety record," said Hunter Education Program Coordinator Rick Flint. "We don't expect that to change. However, the difference in the way these two kinds of hunting are done does slightly increase the potential for problems. The fact that deer and turkey hunters aren't used to being in the woods at the same time is a concern, too."

Flint noted that deer hunters are required by law to wear hunter-orange clothing. This reduces the chances of firearms-related injuries. In contrast, turkey hunters wear camouflage to make themselves less visible. Deer hunters have come to expect other hunters to stand out like light bulbs, so they might mistakenly assume that every other hunter will be plainly visible.

Fall turkey hunters are required to wear hunter orange while hunting in urban deer hunt counties on Oct. 11.

Flint said the limited area in which the urban deer hunt occurs and the brief overlap of the two seasons minimizes the risk of accidents. However, he offered the following cautions.

--Never assume you have the woods to yourself.
--Watch for tracks and other signs of human activity.
--Check out every sound or movement to ensure it isn't another hunter.
--If you encounter another hunter, shout to alert them to your presence. Never wave to get their attention.
--If turkey hunting, wear hunter orange clothing when entering or leaving your hunting area or when moving between hunting spots.
--Hang an orange hat or vest in a tree near your turkey hunting position to warn others of your presence.
--If deer hunting, remember that a camouflaged hunter could be between you and your target or beyond it. Hunt from a tree stand, so missed shots go into the ground.
--Wait to see the entire deer or turkey before taking aim.

Awareness is the key, said Flint. Remembering that dove and turkey hunters are sharing the woods Oct. 11 is essential to avoiding problems.

Master Naturalists express their passion for nature

Missouri's growing cadre of Master Naturalists increase their understanding of the natural world. They share their passion for nature with others and use their knowledge to launch conservation projects of their own. (Missouri Dept. of Conservation photo)

State agencies and local sponsors put resources at volunteers' disposal.

JEFFERSON CITY--If the words "master naturalist" make you think of a khaki-clad academic eying a butterfly with a magnifying glass, you need to rethink your stereotype. The ranks of Missouri master naturalists include people of all ages and walks of life. A diverse group of newly minted naturalists in the Ozarks is the vanguard of a movement that eventually will create a cadre of citizen conservationists and educators statewide.

The Missouri Department of Conservation launched the Master Naturalist Program earlier this year. Working in partnership with the University of Missouri Extension and the Bryant Watershed Project, they recruited and trained 19 volunteers who shared an interest in the natural world. The goal was to feed their passion for learning and send them forth to enjoy nature and share it with others.

James Ware, Pottersville, was among the first graduates of the Master Naturalist training course. An artist and part-time postmaster, Ware had no formal training or experience as a naturalist before taking the 40-hour Master Naturalist Basic Training.

"I live on 54 acres in the middle of the Devil's Backbone Wilderness Area," he said. "I wanted to learn more about the place I live and share it with others."
Share he will. Ware, 54, said he was surprised at how thoroughly the Master Naturalist instruction covered teaching techniques. The basic training took place in a classroom and on field trips to conservation areas. Master naturalists also get eight hours of advanced field experience focusing on their special interests. Topics covered in the training include the history of Missouri's natural resources, the state's ecological regions, wetland and river ecosystems, wildlife populations, prescribed burns, wildlife and natural resource management, botany and ornithology.

David Evans, West Plains, is an associate circuit judge. But his lifelong interest in camping and fishing prompted him to sign up to become a master naturalist.

Evans, 44, said he is particularly interested by the unique ecosystems of the Ozarks and was fascinated by presentations from biologists with different specialties. "Each speaker did a good job in making technical material interesting. The class sponsors went out of their way to get knowledgeable and entertaining speakers."

He said the highlight of the training for him was a presentation by Private Land Services Regional Supervisor Bob Cunningham about the ecological history of the Ozarks. He described what the region was like before European settlement, how the forests, fish and wildlife fared during the age of exploitation in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and how conservation officials are trying to manage the land with this history in mind.

Evans was especially interested in the Master Naturalist training because of his work as a Boy Scout leader. "In scouts, the boys spend a lot of time on outdoor activities, he said, "with merit badges and camping. As a youth leader, I thought the training would be helpful in teaching the kids about native plants and animals."

He said his troop has adopted a stream in a local green space and would like to develop it into a nature park.

Reid Grigsby is an office supplies and equipment salesman at Norman Orr Office Supply in West Plains. His interest in the Master Naturalist Program grew out of a thirst for knowledge.

"My lifelong goal is to get as much education as possible," he said. "I majored in psychology in college, with a minor in philosophy. This was a chance to learn about something new."

Grigsby, 28, says he wasn't disappointed. The first topic covered was the Ozarks geology, something he knew nothing about. It was very interesting learning about the karst topography (with caves, sinkholes and underground streams). It piqued my interest in something I didn't even know I could be interested in."

The classroom lesson took on new meaning when Grigsby and other master naturalists in training visited Grand Gulf State Park, Missouri's "Little Grand Canyon."

Grigsby said he has been impressed with the continued support his group has received since completing their training. This includes meeting places, help identifying potential projects and continuing education programs at their meetings. "They are always there for us," he said.

He said the Ozark chapter already has plans to clean up a 50- or 60-year old dump along a hiking trail in Ball Pond Hollow, just downstream from Rainbow Spring on the North Fork River.

A new father himself, Grigsby also looks forward to his group taking an active role in educating children in the region about the natural world. He said the in-depth training they received in educational programs and activities gives them a strong platform on which to build.

For Lois Reborn, the Master Naturalist Program is a tool for achieving her professional goals. She is director of the Bryant Watershed Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to building awareness of the importance of stream, soil and water conservation. She obtained a federal grant to start a volunteer group, and sponsoring the Ozarks Master Naturalist chapter was a natural fit.

For the Bryant Watershed Project, the Master Naturalist program is an excellent opportunity to train people so they can promote watershed conservation in schools. Teachers are eager to teach their classes about streams, but often they are too busy to plan and organize the lessons. Sending volunteer instructors to schools makes it easy by delivering exciting, innovative programs direct to the classroom.

Reborn attended the training sessions with the volunteers and found them very impressive. "I came out of it every week astounded by the knowledge and passion the teachers had for the subjects. They were just phenomenal."
"I hope to get more and more people to be able to be ambassadors for the landscape and nature. Just to be able to talk to their friends and neighbors about nature is important. It offers more people a chance to know more about where they live, and knowledgeable citizens are more likely to conserve and protect their natural surroundings."

The Ozark master naturalist chapter has held two meetings since completing the training course. Although they are still in the process of writing their bylaws and developing the focus of their group, several already have volunteered to help conduct a quail population survey at Cover Prairie Conservation Area in southern Howell County.

Master Naturalists commit to at least 40 hours of community service annually. That includes such work as conducting inventories of plants or wildlife, giving nature talks at schools, youth camps or civic clubs, advising landowners on wildlife management or doing hands-on work, such as restoring marshes or prairies, controlling exotic species and working on hiking trails.

For more information about forming a master naturalist chapter, visit www.monaturalist.org.

- Jim Low -

Conservation Department seeks ideas at public forums

Come offer your thoughts at one of eight events throughout the state this fall.

JEFFERSON CITY--"Conservation doesn't just work better when citizens are involved, that's the only way it works."

That's how John Hoskins, director of the Missouri Department of Conservation, sums up the reason for the latest round of public forums his agency is conducting around the state. The events are planned in each of eight regions starting this month and continuing into December.

The Conservation Department has always held public meetings to learn Missourians' ideas and preferences about matters of special interest, such as hunting seasons. The most visible effort in recent years was a series of meetings last fall to find out how people -- hunters and nonhunters alike -- viewed existing deer management efforts and what strategies hunters preferred for managing deer in the future.

Hoskins said strong public involvement and support are the foundation on which most of Missouri's outstanding conservation successes have been built. He said the Conservation Department will keep reaching out to ensure continued public involvement.

"These meetings always are tremendously helpful to the Conservation Department," said Hoskins. "We learn a lot about what is going on in the state, and it gives people a chance to ask us questions and tell us how we can serve them better."

Meetings are planned for the following places and dates:

--Sept. 21, 7 to 9 p.m. at the Anheuser-Busch Natural Resources Building at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Call 573/882-8388, ext. 222, for more information.
--Oct. 4 in Macon. Call 660/785-2424, ext. 236.
--Oct. 14 at the University of Missouri Extension Office meeting room in Jackson. Call 573/290-5858, ext. 229.
--Oct. 18 at the St. Louis Regional Office at August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area, St. Charles. Call 636/300-1953, ext. 226.
--Oct. 26 in Springfield. Call 417/895-6881, ext. 1046.
--Dec. 2 at Burr Oak Woods Conservation Nature Center in Blue Springs. Call 816/655-6254, ext. 239.
--Dec. 9 in Eminence. Call 417/255-9561, ext. 270.
--Dec. 14 in Maryville. Call 816/271-3111, ext. 227.

Hoskins noted that the Conservation Department owns or manages less than 2 percent of Missouri's land area. Private land makes up 93 percent of the state's area. He said this makes citizens the dominant force in conservation.
"Regardless of how good our stewardship is on conservation areas, the future of forests, fish and wildlife rests in the hands of citizens," he said. "Without their support, conservation programs will fail. It's the Conservation Department's job to come up with programs people can support and to help people practice conservation on their own land. That's what these meetings are about."

The Conservation Department held both spring and fall forums in each region last year. To learn more about what the Conservation Department learned from 2003 fall forums, visit www.mdc.mo.gov/documents/about/2003fallforum.pdf.

- Jim Low -

Conservation Commission to meet Oct. 7 in Maryville

MARYVILLE, Mo. - The Missouri Conservation Commission will meet Oct. 7 at Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville.

The Commission will meet in the Board Room of the J. W. Jones Student Union. It will meet in closed executive session at 8: 30 a.m. and in open session at 10 a.m.

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 Sept. 23.

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

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

- Jim Low -

Special duck blinds available to hunters with disabilities

Waterfowl blinds designed for use by hunters in wheelchairs are available at 12 conservation areas and one national wildlife refuge in Missouri. For more information, call 573/751-4115.     (Missouri Dept. of Conservation photo)

Hunters who use wheelchairs can choose from 12 wetland areas with blinds specially designed for their needs.

JEFFERSON CITY--Sportsmen and women with mobility impairments will have more opportunities this year than ever before to hunt waterfowl on areas owned by the Missouri Department of Conservation.

As part of the Conservation Department's continuing effort to increase the accessibility of its facilities and services, the agency has built wheelchair-accessible blinds on 12 conservation areas (CAs). Access to the blinds is by a combination of roads and boardwalks. Most are fully enclosed wooden structures camouflaged with natural vegetation.

These blinds are reserved for use by hunters with mobility impairments on a first-come, first-served basis starting Oct. 1. Reservations are made with regional offices, rather than through the Conservation Department's automated waterfowl hunting reservation system.

"Duck hunting is one of the most thrilling, engaging kinds of hunting in Missouri," said Wildlife Division Administrator Dave Erickson. "It is also one of the most physically demanding types of hunting. Making it available to hunters who use wheelchairs is really exciting to us as well as to the hunters."
Erickson said use of the disabled-accessible blinds varies from area to area. Demand is very light at most areas late in the 60-day hunting season.

To reserve a blind, call:

--B.K. Leach CA in Lincoln County, 636/441-4554.
--Bob Brown CA in Holt County, 816/271-3100.
--Duck Creek CA in Stoddard County, 573/290-5730.
--Eagle Bluffs CA in Boone County, 573/445-3882.
--Fountain Grove CA in Linn County, 660/646-6122.
--Four Rivers CA in Vernon County, 417/395-2341.
--Marais Temps Clair CA in St. Charles County, 314/877-6014 (if construction is complete).
--Montrose CA in Henry County, 660/693-4666.
--Nodaway Valley CA in Holt County, 816/271-3100.
--Otter Slough CA in Stoddard County, 573/290-5730.
--Schell-Osage CA in Vernon County, 417/432-3414.
--Ted Shanks CA in Pike County, 573/248-2530.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service also has a wheelchair-accessible blind at Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge in Chariton County. Call 660/856-3343 for information.

- Jim Low -

Motorists shouldn't get caught in a rut

Autumn is no time to get complaisant behind the wheel.

JEFFERSON CITY--In May, two motorcyclists died in collisions with deer in Nodaway and Audrain counties. In June, another motorcyclist died when he hit a deer in Jefferson County. Last October, a motorist lost his life when his car struck a deer on I-70 in Cooper County and he lost control of the vehicle.
Although fatal deer-automobile accidents are uncommon, these incidents illustrate the danger faced by drivers throughout the United States.

Nationwide, deer-vehicle accidents claim approximately 120 human lives annually.

Reports gathered by the Missouri Departments of Conservation, the Highway Patrol and the Highway and Transportation Department show that approximately 9,000 deer-vehicle collisions are reported each year. This is fewer deer/car accidents than some other states. Wisconsin has about 45,000 annually, and more than 65,000 Michigan motorists hit deer each year. Effective deer population control--provided free by hunters--make the Show-Me State relatively safe for motorists.

The number of deer-car accidents reported in Missouri has remained stable in Missouri over the past 10 years, even though the number of cars and development of suburban areas have increased.

Nevertheless, drivers need to be watchful for deer along roads and highways, particularly early and late in the day, and particularly in autumn.

Shorter days and cooler weather mark the start of deer's mating season or "rut." Throughout the fall, deer become increasingly active, with mating activity peaking in November and then tapering off in December and January.

Like many mammals, deer are most active early and late in the day. Shorter days put commuters on the road during these peaks of deer activity, increasing the potential for collisions.

Deer-car collisions used to be a rural phenomenon. Today, however, deer are common in suburbs and cities. Nearly half of all reported deer-vehicle accidents occur in counties around major population centers.

A study published in the Journal of Wildlife Management found that deer-car accidents were more likely to occur where roadside visibility was good than in areas where visibility was limited. The finding suggests that drivers incorrectly assumed they could safely increase their speed along straight, level highways with high visibility.

Several other deer vehicle collision studies have found that caution also is needed when driving near bridges. Streams serve as funnels that channel deer across roads near bridges.

To minimize the risk of deer-car accidents, take the following precautions:

--Stay off the road at dawn and dusk if you can.
--Wear a seat belt.
--Use high-beam headlights to help see deer early.
--Scan the road well to the sides of the pavement.
--Slow down if you see deer standing beside the road. They can dash back across the road in an instant, or others may cross the road to reach them.
--Sound your horn to warn the deer of your approach.
--Brake firmly when you notice a deer in or near your path. Be aware of surrounding traffic to avoid collisions with other vehicles.
--Do not swerve to avoid hitting a deer. This can confuse the deer about where to run or cause you to lose control.
--If you hit a deer, get your vehicle off the road. Then call the police.
--Don’t approach an injured animal. It could hurt you.
--Carry a cell phone to call for help if necessary.
--Report any injury or damage to your insurance agent or company.

To keep a road-killed deer for its meat you must contact the Conservation Department. The law requires written authorization from a conservation agent to possess a deer before you can take it home.

- Jim Low -