October 2004

Worthwine Island becoming a hunter, angler haven

Habitat restoration at Worthwine Island Conservation Area will make the 584-acre area an island once again and make the area more attractive to a variety of wildlife, including ducks, geese and the endangered pallid sturgeon. (Missouri Dept. of Conservation photo)

Ongoing work at this conservation area on the Missouri River in northwest Missouri promises excellent hunting and fishing.

ST. JOSEPH, Mo.--Worthwine Island is one of those places that never seems quite permanent, but never quite goes away, either. For most landowners, that would be a problem. For the Missouri Department of Conservation, it is an asset. For people who enjoy wildlife, it is an opportunity.

Throughout history, the fickle current of the Missouri River has chewed away at the island's western bank for awhile, then snaked around behind the sliver of land to gnaw on its eastern shore. When Lewis and Clark's Corps of Discovery camped there on Sept. 11, 1806, the island lay on the western loop in the river. Today, the island does not exist.

The land that spent thousands of years on one side or the other of the river's main flow now is connected to the eastern bank. A low, damp area is all that remains where a torrent once flowed.

That isn't all bad for hunters, anglers, birdwatchers and other outdoor enthusiasts. The area is home to deer. turkey and squirrels. In the spring and fall, 2.5 miles of hiking trails make this a good place to look for migrating birds. Most years, the Conservation Department plants a few plots of wheat and sunflowers to benefit wildlife. Dove hunters like those spots, too.

Anglers can walk to the river from a parking lot just inside the levee and catch trophy channel, blue and flathead catfish. A campground also is within easy walking distance of the parking lot.

Canoeists can visit the river side of Worthwine Conservation Area (CA) by putting in at Nodaway Island Access three miles upriver and floating down to the French Bottom Access in St. Joseph, about 13 miles downriver. Power boaters will find the Island Marina, with a courtesy dock, fishing supplies, gasoline and convenience store, a few hundred yards up river from Nodaway Island Access.

Over the years, however, some things of interest to outdoors people have been lost at Worthwine CA.

In the first half of the 20th Century, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers confined the river between levees. The Big Muddy kept a narrow squiggle of land on the Missouri side in southwest Andrew County for its own. Eventually, even that sliver of wet land was off limits to the river most of the time, cut off behind a narrow rock dike.

That is how the Conservation Department found the area when it bought 290 acres of what once was an island in 1978. Subsequent purchases expanded the new area to its current 584 acres. The area had a lot going for it. However, it also lacked the diversity of habitats that once existed there.

One hundred years of straightening and deepening left Missouri's namesake river with only a fraction of the islands, sandbars, sloughs, side channels and wetlands it once had. These were the river's fish and wildlife factories. Without them, the abundance and diversity of river life also dwindled.

Most of the river corridor now is highly productive farmland. But between agricultural levees and the river were strips of land--like Worthwine Island CA--that still had the potential for natural productivity.

Such areas are mostly dry today due to the action of rock wing dikes. The Corps of Engineers used these structures to force the river's flow into the deep navigation channel. Soil particles settle in the slow water behind wing dikes, eventually forming new land.

The demise of a few high-profile species, including the piping plover, the interior least tern and the pallid sturgeon, raised public awareness of wildlife losses caused by such habitat changes.

Eventually, that awareness prompted remedial action. Earlier this year, the Corps of Engineers, in cooperation with the Conservation Department and other agencies, began working to restore the wildlife habitat potential of land between levees and the river on some public areas.

At Worthwine CA, the first step in this process was cutting notches in rock dikes between the main river channel and the bank. This will allow the river's flow to scour out shallow backwaters during high flows.

The Corps also dug deep, semicircular trenches in existing river banks to let the river back in these areas. Over time, these areas will become miniature islands and backwaters.

Those measures already are in place. A more dramatic change still planned for Worthwine CA involves a historic chute running between the levee and the current river bank. By reopening the upper end of this side channel, the Corps of Engineers will allow the river to flow through its old course. The current will scour out this low-lying area, recreating the historic 1.7-mile chute and the diverse wetland habitats associated with it.

With the chute in place, furbearers and waterfowl will find more habitat on the area. The chute and other restored shallow-water areas also will serve as nursery areas for a wide variety of fish, including the endangered pallid sturgeon.

Area manager Sean Cleary said the ongoing changes are exciting for people looking for an authentic Missouri River experience.

"This partnership with the Corps of Engineers is a super opportunity to get back some of the wild values that we have given up in the past," said Cleary. "We expect to see tremendous wildlife benefits without hurting navigation or agriculture. Worthwine isn't one of the biggest conservation areas along the river, but it is going to be a gem for people who care about fish and wildlife."

He noted that restoration of the river chute will cut off the existing campground from foot access. Although the chute will be an excellent place to catch fish much of the year, it will be very shallow or dry when the river is low.

Maps of Worthwine CA are available on request by calling 816/271-3100. To visit the area, take the Amazonia exit off Highway I-29 north of St. Joseph. Follow Highway K south through Amazonia to County Road 392/396. Take this road 3 miles west to the parking lot on the river side of the levee.

Nodaway Island Access is off Highway T 3 miles west of Amazonia.

- Jim Low -

Commission to meet Nov. 19 in St. Louis

ST. LOUIS, Mo- The Missouri Conservation Commission will meet Nov. 18 and 19 at Forest Park in St. Louis.

The Commission will meet in executive session at 1 p.m. Nov. 18 and in open session at 8:30 a.m. Nov. 19 in the Trolley Room at the Dennis and Judith Jones Visitor and Education Center, 5595 Grand Drive in Forest Park, St. Louis.

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 Nov. 4.

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

Commissioners 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 -

Waterfowl viewing blinds provide windows on seasonal spectacle

Blinds, towers, overlooks and boardwalks around the state offer non-hunters a chance to enjoy the spectacle of waterfowl migration. This blind is on Fountain Grove Conservation Area in Linn County. (Missouri Dept. of Conservation photo)

Autumn is a great time to witness the miracle of migration.

JEFFERSON CITY--Like living tides, millions of ducks, geese and shorebirds ebb and flow across North America each spring and fall. Waterfowl viewing blinds at sites across Missouri provide windows on this spectacular phenomenon. Now is an excellent time to see the show.

Birds have been migrating north to nesting grounds and returning south to wintering areas for tens of thousands of years. Theories abound concerning the origins of this seasonal wanderlust. So far, however, no one has fully explained how creatures as different as ruby-throated hummingbirds and Canada geese learned to traverse vast distances in an annual cycle.

Scientists have found partial answers to questions such as how birds navigate at night (stars and sensitivity to the earth's magnetic field) and how they know when to fly north and south (length of day, temperature). Much of birds' migratory behavior remains mysterious, however.

These mysteries have always captivated humans. Hunters from time immemorial have watched the stars and sky for clues about when their winged quarry will return. Others use birds' passage to regulate season activities, such as crop planting. Hearing the cries of wild geese overhead at night leads irresistibly to musings about where they come from and where they are going.

Missouri's location astride two great rivers ensures that many of North America's 30 million ducks and 10 million geese pass through the Show-me State each spring and fall. The state has lost 90 percent of the wetlands that historically attracted and sustained these birds. Today, state and federal reservoirs and wetlands provide most of the food and resting spots for migrating waterfowl.

Several public areas have facilities for viewing migrating water birds. Those with waterfowl viewing facilities open throughout the fall and spring include:

• August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area (CA) in St. Charles County, 636/441-4554.
• Fountain Grove CA in Linn County.
• Diana Bend CA in Howard County, 573/6861.
• Grand Pass CA in Saline County, 660/595-2444.
• Binder Lake in Cole County, 573/884-6861.
• Mark Twain Lake in Ralls County, 573/735-4097.
• Wappapello Lake in Wayne County, 573/222-8562.
• Bob Brown CA in Holt County.
• Nodaway Valley CA in Holt County, 660/446-3371.
• Mingo National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in Stoddard County, 573/222-3589.
• Squaw Creek NRW in Holt County, 660/442-3187.

Some CAs managed for waterfowl hunting have handicap-accessible blinds that can be used for viewing before and after duck hunting season. These areas include:

• Ted Shanks CA in Pike County, 573/754-4333.
• Eagle Bluffs CA in Boone County, 573/445-3882.
• Four Rivers CA in Vernon County, 417/395-2341.

For more information about waterfowl migration, visit the following Web sites.

www.missouriconservation.org/wtrfowl/info/30years/
www.missouriconservation.org/hunt/wtrfowl/info/migrations/
www.ducks.org/Waterfowling/MigrationMap/
www.remington.com/magazine/ducks/flyways.htm
www.bsc-eoc.org/lpbo/swans/swans.html

Urban deer harvest increases twenty-fold

Hunters donated approximately 1,000 pounds of venison to needy families through the Share the Harvest program.

JEFFERSON CITY--A record number of Missouri hunters took advantage of the state's second urban portion of firearms deer season Oct. 8 through 11, taking 1,955 deer and donating tons of venison to needy families.

The hunt took place in 11 counties around St. Louis, Kansas City, Springfield and the Columbia/Jefferson City area. One-hundred fifty successful participants chose to donate their deer to the Share the Harvest program, which channels venison to food banks and other charitable organizations.

The Conservation Department offered the urban portion of firearms deer season for the first time last year. The season ran for two days that first year and was open in deer management zones around St. Louis and Kansas City.
Initial harvest figures last year showed 91 deer brought to check stations in the hunt areas. However, this number did not include 43 deer brought to check stations outside the area. These boosted the final tally to 134. This year's urban segment total also will increase when deer checked outside the hunt area are taken into account.

"This year's end-of-season tally is more than 20 times last year's number," said Conservation Department Resource Scientist Lonnie Hansen. "If the proportion of deer checked in other counties is similar this year, the harvest during the urban portion of firearms deer season could top 2,800. That is terrific news."

The urban deer harvest is good news for commuters, for whom deer-car collisions are a real worry. It also is encouraging to homeowners whose tulips, azaleas and prize rose bushes are nipped in the bud by deer.
Needy Missourians will benefit from the urban hunt in a big way. The average deer donated to Share the Harvest yields 65 pounds of venison. That translates into nearly 5 tons of lean red meat for area food banks.

"The urban portion of firearms deer season is still fairly new," said Hansen. "The increase in deer harvest compared to last year is evidence that hunters are discovering this added opportunity and taking advantage of it. As the process of discovery continues, and as communities adjust their ordinances to permit hunting, the urban segment could become a powerful tool for controlling deer numbers in urban areas."

Hunters checked 626 deer in Greene, Webster and Christian counties, 535 deer in Boone and Cole counties, 313 in Jackson, Clay, Platte and Cass counties and 238 in St. Louis and St. Charles counties. Another 243 hunters used the new telecheck system to check their deer.

The Conservation Department received no reports of hunting accidents during the urban segment of firearms deer season.

Missouri's firearms deer season has five segments totaling 36 days. The next portion is a youth hunt Nov. 6 and 7. The regular firearms deer portion is Nov. 13 through 23, followed by the muzzleloader portion Nov. 26 through Dec. 5 and the antlerless portion Dec. 11 through 19. The harvest for last years' 34-day firearms deer season totaled more than 250,000.

To learn more about Share the Harvest, call 573/634-2322.

- Jim Low -

Call Oct. 30-31 for answers to deer hunting questions

Conservation Department experts will clear up misunderstandings toll-free.

JEFFERSON CITY-The Missouri Department of Conservation is devoting a weekend to answering questions about deer hunting regulations.

The Conservation Commission made extensive changes in deer hunting regulations this year. Anticipating questions, the Conservation Department will operate a toll-free deer regulation hotline Oct. 30 and 31. From 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. those days, you can call 866/403-3899 and get answers to any deer hunting questions you have.

"We have some significant changes in deer regulations this year," said Conservation Department Resource Scientist Lonnie Hansen. "We think all those changes are pretty well explained in the fall deer and turkey hunting pamphlet that hunters get when they buy their permits, but changes always leave uncertainty. We want to be sure everyone gets good answers to their questions."

Changes in this year's deer hunting regulations include:
•New restrictions on the harvest of antlered deer in some counties.
•The ability of landowners to check in deer by telephone or online instead of in person.
•Increased availability of antlerless deer permits.
•Easier availability of landowner permits.
•Elimination of farm tagging.
•Elimination of the old deer management zones in favor of county-by-county management.
•Drawings for lifetime hunting permits for hunters who buy deer hunting permits early.

"There is a lot new this year," said Hansen. "If you read through the deer and turkey hunting booklet and still aren't sure about something, call us."

-Jim Low-

Burgeoning nonresident permit sales boost Missouri's economy

Sales of nonresident hunting permits brings tens of millions of dollars into Missouri annually, supporting thousands of jobs and generating business for motels, grocery stores, sporting goods retailers and a host of other businesses.(Missouri Dept. of Conservation photo)

Big increases in permit sales to hunters and anglers from other states are funneling millions of dollars into Missouri's wildlife-based economic sector.

JEFFERSON CITY--Dramatic increases in sales of nonresident hunting and fishing permits over the past two decades are channeling millions of dollars into Missouri annually. State officials say the economic impact of those out-of-state dollars has been critical to the Show-Me State's economic health during a time of economic uncertainty.

The Missouri Department of Conservation released the 2003 Annual Hunting and Fishing Permit Distribution and Sales Summary, last week. The report shows substantial increases in sales of nonresident deer and turkey hunting permits.

Sales of Nonresident Spring Turkey Hunting Permits soared more than 500 percent from 1980 to 2003. State revenues from the $145 permit topped $1.4 million last year.

During the same period, sales of the $145 nonresident deer hunting permit increased more than 300 percent. Sale of these and other nonresident deer hunting permits added more than $2.5 million to state fish and wildlife programs last year.

In all, nonresident hunting and fishing permit sales totaled $6.2 million in 2003. That is up from $4.6 million or 35 percent from 10 years ago. Nonresident hunting and fishing permits bring in 23 percent of Missouri's permit revenues.

Conservation Department Director John Hoskins said these figures do not come close to representing the economic benefits Missourians ultimately reap from their conservation successes.

"It is wonderful that people from other states help fund our conservation programs," said Hoskins, "but that is small potatoes compared to the economic activity they generate during their trips to Missouri. While other sectors of the economy have struggled through the past three years, Missouri's wildlife-based tourism has continued to grow, bringing in customers for a whole range of businesses."

Conservation Department surveys show that the average nonresident deer hunter makes 6.7 trips here each year and spends approximately $30 per trip. With 25,843 out-of-state hunters, that translates into $5.2 million in expenditures for fuel, food, lodging, supplies, equipment and clothing.

A 2001 study by The American Sportfishing Association (ASA) found that anglers spend an average of $1,046 on their hobby each year. That means the 49,000 out-of-state anglers spent more than $50 million in 2003. Not all of that amount is spent in Missouri. Again, however, out-of-state anglers need food, fuel, lodging, equipment and supplies while here.

Conservation Department calculations show that hunting and fishing support more than 40,000 jobs statewide and generate $3.2 billion in Missouri business income annually.

None of these figures take into account the food value of wild game and fish. Missouri's deer harvest alone puts more than 10 million pounds of venison on tables annually. In addition, Missouri hunters bring home and share an annual harvest of 70,000 wild turkeys, 929,000 squirrels, 529,000 rabbits, 806,000 doves, 427,000 quail, 487,000 ducks, 158,000 geese and 30,000 pheasants.

Although similar numbers aren't available for the number of catfish, largemouth bass, trout and other fish taken home by Missouri anglers each year, the food value of sport fish is substantial.

However, hunting and fishing are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of wildlife's economic value. People who enjoy wildlife through feeding birds, watching wildlife, nature photography and other nontraditional activities outnumber hunters and anglers. Missouri's 1.8 million wildlife watchers spend approximately $444 billion annually. These expenditures generate $997 million in business revenue.

"Missourians have always understood that taking care of forests, fish and wildlife is good for more than just the soul. It is smart business," said Hoskins. "That understanding is why Missourians amended the state constitution twice--first to create a unique commission to make conservation decisions and again to provide a stable, adequate funding base for their conservation program. Their investment of faith in conservation continues to pay off."

- Jim Low -

Public forums reveal keen interest in conservation

People who attended open forums statewide last year expressed strong opinions about everything from deer management to conservation education.

JEFFERSON CITY--Officials from the Missouri Department of Conservation asked Missourians what they thought about conservation at eight public forums last year. What they learned is contained in a recently released Missouri Conservation Forums: Autumn 2003.

The 61-page report summarizes comments received at eight meetings last fall. Two-hundred twenty-eight people attended the meetings, which took place in Hannibal, Farmington, Chillicothe, Rolla, Columbia, Union, Joplin and Clinton. Conservation Department Director John Hoskins attended all but the meeting in Union. Top Conservation Department staffers were present for all eight.

"There were a few surprises," said Policy Supervisor Jane Epperson, "but mostly the meetings gave us a chance to fine-tune our understanding of what Missourians want and how those wants differ from region to region."

Among surprises documented in the report is the small number of people expressing concern about chronic wasting disease. "We expected that to loom large in people's minds, because of the national attention the issue has received in recent years," said Epperson. "But apparently they were reassured by Missouri's ongoing testing program. So far all the statewide tests have come back negative."

Epperson said she was not surprised that many people who attended the meetings were concerned about controlling local deer populations, increasing the number of bobwhite quail and maintaining strong conservation education programs, especially those for children.

"We were particularly pleased by positive comments about how the department is using the one-eighth of 1 percent sales tax for conservation," said Epperson.

Topics that cropped up repeatedly at meetings around the state included:

* Property damage and automobile accidents caused by deer.
* Desire for more mature male deer.
* Too few public hunting areas, stream and lake accesses and shooting facilities
* Need to control raccoons and other predators to protect quail.
* Need to give women, minorities and city dwellers more chances to enjoy outdoor activities.
* Desire for more youth hunting and fishing clinics.
* Otter depredation on fish.
* Desire for more equestrian trails
* Importance of maintaining a conservation program based on biology.
* Importance of maintaining conservation funding.
* Need to educate new legislators about conservation efforts.

Concerns of special interest in northeast Missouri included giving farmers incentives to leave fence rows in place as habitat for quail and other wildlife. Northwest Missouri residents said quail numbers were increasing and complimented the Conservation Department's efforts to help private landowners implement wildlife conservation measures.

In the southeast, people asked about wetland restoration and nature center development. In southwest Missouri, citizen concerns included water quality, public fishing areas and public shooting ranges.

St. Louis area residents expressed concerns about wetland conservation and programs of interest to people who do not fish or hunt. Kansas Citians' concerns focused on invasive exotic plants and management to benefit quail and other wildlife that share their habitat needs.

In the Ozarks, people expressed support for programs that help endangered species and eradication of multiflora rose, sericea lespedeza and other invasive exotic plants. They also asked about prospects for financial support for a nature center in Rolla.

Central Missourians voiced concern about invasive aquatic species, such as the rusty crayfish, and maintaining wetland habitat. They expressed appreciation for Conservation Department partnerships with city and county officials on projects of mutual benefit. The desire for more recreational facilities on the Missouri River came up, too.

Positive comments included:

* Compliments on buying Columbia Bottom CA before it was developed.
* Public and private forests are in good condition.
* Appreciate firefighting equipment available to rural fire departments through the Forestry Division.
* Support for the agency's promotion of best management practices for loggers.
* Support for educational programs, including curriculum materials, in-school programs and books and other publications.
* Support for Missouri Conservationist Magazine
* Appreciation for educational programs to support schools and universities.
* Partnerships with Ducks Unlimited have resulted in significant wetland gains.
* Missouri Cattlemen's Association members appreciate financial support of agriculture-related conservation programs.
* Support for youth hunting clinics.
* "Director Hoskins is listening and moving the Conservation Department in the right direction."
* "MDC is too low key: toot your own horn a little more."

The full report is available at www.mdc.mo.gov/about/. Click on "Missouri Conservation Forums, Autumn 2003" at the bottom of the page.

-Jim Low-

Correction

A story in last week's All Outdoors said the Conservation Department is holding a drawing for two Lifetime Conservation Partner Permits as an incentive for hunters to buy deer hunting permits early. It should have said that the independent, nonprofit Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation is holding the drawing.

-30-

Waterfowl season prospects a mixed bag

A mixed bag of duck hunting habitat and water conditions and waterfowl population trends makes the 2004-2005 duck and goose hunting season a hard one to predict. Timely rains would help in many areas. (Missouri Dept. of Conservation photo)

Some duck numbers are down; others are up. Some habitat conditions are excellent, others poor. Ultimately, weather will determine hunters' success.

JEFFERSON CITY--Missouri hunters will find fewer ducks and geese this year, but better habitat. They will have the later hunting seasons they asked for, but also a reduced late-season bag limit on Canada geese in some areas. This mixed bag of other good and bad news makes predicting Missouri's 2004-2005 waterfowl hunting season a chancy proposition.

Resource Scientist Andy Raedeke prefers to look on the bright side. "With the right weather, duck hunters could have as good a year as they did in 2003," said Raedeke, who works at the Missouri Department of Conservation's Resource Science Center in Columbia. That is music to the ears of Missouri duck hunters, who killed more ducks last year than the did in any of the 10 previous years.

Raedeke said several elements are in place for good to excellent hunting conditions this year. Those elements include abundant natural foods and water in most areas. Ample rainfall during the spring and summer encouraged good seed production from native plants and filled wetland basins.

However, dry weather in southeastern Missouri and heavy late-summer rains in parts of northern Missouri reduced the amount of wild foods available to ducks.

Duck Creek Conservation Area (CA) had so little water at the end of September that most of its duck blinds were high and dry. The popular timber areas might not be huntable unless substantial rains fall between now and opening day.

Summer floods at Thomas Hill Reservoir and Mark Twain and Long Branch lakes came so late that native plants had no time to recover and produce seeds that attract and hold migrating waterfowl. The same is true on parts of Fountain Grove CA.

The Conservation Department's managed wetland areas along the Missouri River could suffer from lack of water, too. While most of Missouri had ample rainfall this spring and summer, the upper Missouri River Basin suffered another dry year. Water levels in big reservoirs in the Dakotas are so low that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plans to reduce the amount of water it releases from Missouri River dams.

This could make it more difficult to pump water to maintain wetlands at Bob Brown, Grand Pass, and Eagle Bluffs CAs. That would mean fewer hunting spots at each of these areas.

Low river levels also result in poor habitat conditions on areas that make passive use of river water. Again, timely rains could turn this situation around, creating excellent hunting conditions.

Then there are the birds themselves. Population surveys show that duck numbers declined to levels similar to 2002. Ducks in the prairie pothole region of Canada and the north-central United States suffered through a late, cold spring that shortened their nesting season. On top of that, they found fewer ponds in which to nest. As a result, total duck numbers are down about 11 percent from last year. The good news is that duck numbers are down only about 3 percent from the long-term average.

The number of mallards, which make up most of Missouri hunters' bag, is similar to last year, but still down 9 percent compared to the long-term average. Poor production means that a larger-than-normal portion of mallards that arrive in Missouri this year will be adults. Mature birds are more wary and pose a greater challenge to hunters.

Numbers of the second-most-numerous duck species, blue-winged teal, are down 26 percent from last year and down 12 percent from the long-term average. Green-winged teal remained similar to last year, but are still up 34 percent over the long term.

Other good news includes the fact that gadwall numbers remain 70 percent above the long-term average. And in spite of dropping 22 percent this year, northern shoveler numbers remain 42 percent above their long-term average.
Scaup remain 39 percent below the long-term average. American wigeon numbers dropped 22 percent, putting them down 33 percent long-term. The population status of Northern pintails continues to be a concern, as this species is down 61 percent from the long-term average.

Canvasback numbers did not improve enough to warrant the removal of restrictive harvest regulations. Redheads numbers are similar to last year and the long-term average.

The story is similar for Canada geese. Missouri's resident population of giant Canada geese is stable at around 64,000. That's good news for hunters who take part in the early Canada goose season. Not so good is the news about this year's migratory Canada goose reproduction.

Spring came late to the Canadian provinces where most of Missouri's migrant geese nest. Deep snow and severe cold delayed the start of nesting, and surveys show one of the poorest hatches on record. As a result, the bag limit has been reduced from two to one bird daily during the late, 30-day segment of the hunting season in the North and Middle Zones.

The final factor in determining how good duck hunting will be in Missouri this year is weather.

"It looks like a mixed bag this year," said Raedeke, "less optimistic but with some bright spots here and there. It can still change prior to the season, depending on additional precipitation or lack of it. As always, the weather up north of Missouri will determine migration timing."

Raedeke said early cold fronts that push ducks into the state would benefit hunters. Fall rains will improve habitat conditions to keep ducks in Missouri. A late freeze-up could ensure hunting opportunities throughout the 60-day season.    "Weather is always the wild card. No matter how much food and water we have when the season starts, severe weather can push waterfowl on south and effectively end the season for Missouri hunters."

-Jim Low-

Waterfowl seasons to run later this year

Later seasons are among changes in this year's waterfowl regulations.

JEFFERSON CITY--Missouri waterfowl hunters get their wish this year in the form of later duck and goose seasons. Several other changes in duck and goose hunting regulations are outlined in the 2004-2005 Waterfowl Hunting Digest.

The booklet summarizing waterfowl hunting rules is available wherever hunting permits are sold. One of the most important changes it contains is later hunting seasons.

"We conducted two surveys of hunters last year and found that hunters with late-season preferences were dissatisfied with the season dates," said Resource Scientist Andy Raedeke with the Missouri Department of Conservation. "This year we responded by giving hunters more late-season hunting opportunity. Duck and goose seasons open four to six days later this year than in 2003."

Other changes explained in the booklet include:

•Closing dates within zones. To use the maximum number of Canada goose hunting days allowed under federal guidelines, the Conservation Commission changed goose season closing dates. This makes them less consistent, with other goose season dates. The season for white-fronted geese in the North Zone will close one day sooner than the Canada goose season.
•Elimination of the Swan Lake Goose Zone. This zone was established in 1962 to manage the harvest of migratory geese around Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge. The number of geese still using that area has decreased to about 5 percent of its original size, so the zone was abandoned.
•Reduction of the Canada goose bag limit. The bag limit on Canada geese during the late, 30-day segment of the hunting season in the North and Middle Zones has been reduced from two to one bird daily. This was done to protect the Eastern Prairie Population, which had one of its worst nesting seasons on record.
•Light-goose conservation order. To accommodate the later Canada goose hunting season dates, the Conservation Commission set conservation order dates five to six days later than last year.

- Jim Low -

Early deer permit buyers could win a lifetime of hunting

Deer hunters have until Nov. 5 to get in on a drawing for two Lifetime Conservation Partner Permits.

JEFFERSON CITY-It is human nature to put things off, but the Missouri Department of Conservation is offering an incentive for hunters not to put off buying deer permits.

This year, the independent, nonprofit Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation is holding a drawing for two Lifetime Conservation Partner Permits. Only Missouri residents who receive 2004 deer hunting permits by midnight Nov. 5 will have a shot at the permits. The permits sell for as much as $800, depending on the buyer's age.

The incentive is aimed at heading off potential problems with the statewide permit sales system.

Carter Campbell, the Conservation Department's Administrative Services Division administrator said hunters have always tended to wait until the last minute to buy deer permits. In the past, however, supplies of some permits were limited, giving hunters an incentive to buy them before they ran out.

In recent years, permits have gotten easier to obtain, leading more hunters to wait until a day or two before the November firearms deer hunting season to buy permits. Five years ago, hunters bought 55,000 permits the day before the season opened. Last year the figure was 155,000.

"The computer system that handles permit sales works very well," said Campbell, "but that kind of volume the day before the season opens presents a risk of serious problems if a glitch occurred. The system is solid, but there are still some things--such as power failures or telephone outages--that are out of our control. If something like that cropped up when 150,000 people were lining up to buy permits, it would be a disaster."

Campbell said the Conservation Department knows it is human nature to put off permit buying, and that can't be changed. So, it is appealing to another human trait, the desire to get something for free.

"These are pretty valuable prizes. We really hope a large number of hunters will buy their permits on or before Friday, Nov. 5, instead of waiting until the next Friday, the day before deer season opens. If we can spread the permit-buying rush out over two weekends, it will significantly reduce the potential for problems."

He said spreading out the rush also would benefit permit vendors and buyers alike. "People don't like standing in long lines, and after several hours of doing nothing but selling permits, store owners and clerks get pretty frazzled. Hopefully this will help."

Campbell said the Conservation Department also will give away five framed wildlife art prints as second prizes.

Lifetime Conservation Partner Permits entitle holders to hunt or fish for all legal game and fish except deer and turkey. To learn more about this and the Resident Lifetime Small Game Hunting Permit, check the 2004 Summary of Missouri Hunting and Trapping Regulations, available wherever hunting permits are sold, or visit www.wildlifelicense.com/mo/.

For more information about deer hunting permits, get the 2004 Fall Deer and Turkey Hunting Regulation guide, also available from permit vendors, or visit www.mdc.mo.gov/hunt/deer/deertuk/.

Due to significant changes in this year's deer hunting regulations and permits, the Conservation Department will offer a special, toll-free deer hunting question hotline Oct. 30 and 31. From 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. on those two days, you can call 866/403-3899 and get answers to any questions about deer hunting.

-Jim Low-