October 2005
New deer hunting traditions are in the making
Friday, October 28, 2005
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| Deanna and Mike Boolin's country store in Elkton is ahead of the curve when it comes to actively pursuing deer hunters' business. (Missouri Dept. of Conservation photo) |
ELKTON, Mo.-Hunters around this Hickory County hamlet know where to go for coffee and gossip during firearms deer season. Elkton store is the place to be if you want to see big deer and meet the hunters who shot them.
A visit to the Elkton Store also lets hunters check their standing in the annual big-buck/big-doe contest. Owners Deanna and Mike Boolin look on with satisfaction as friends come and go. And as neighbors chatter, so does the cash register.
This homey store with a corrugated metal awning and a hand-painted sign occupies the junction of Highway 83 and Route H near the west arm of Pomme de Terre Lake. It was hosting big-deer contests even before the Boolins bought it. By now, the procedure is familiar throughout the community.
Hunters come in before deer season and enter the buck or the doe contest or both. On opening day, the Boolins provide a scale to weigh contestants' deer. Also on display are the prizes-two brand new deer rifles.
"It's real popular," said Deanna. "We have a lot of hunters around here and a lot of people come from out of town. They enjoy trying to get that big buck, and they look at those guns whenever they come in."
If this sounds like an effort to draw hunters to a check station, think again. The Elkton Store was never a check station, even before the Missouri Department of Conservation phased out the tradition of physical game checking with a system using telephones and computers. The Elkton Store's big-deer contest is simply a pleasant conjunction of community and commerce.
The Bullseye Store occupies a similar location a few miles to the west of Elkton. Situated at the junction of Highways 54 and 13, it contrasts sharply with the Elkton Store. The convenience store is a bustling hub of activity with a big parking lot and a large selection of food, drink and merchandise. The nine-bearded turkey on display in a glass case proclaims owner Leland Smith's interest in the sporting trade. The bright, newly remodeled exterior demonstrates that he is interested in keeping up with the times. Nevertheless, Smith worries about change.
"I don't like it," he said of the Conservation Department's move to eliminate check stations. "It has been a huge, huge deal here."
Smith says he checked 650 deer in one day last year, and most of those hunters visited his store or the adjacent restaurant. This swarm of hunters drew Skoal and Copenhagen representatives, who set up booths in the parking lot and handed out samples of their new tobacco products.
Asked if he planned any special promotions to keep hunters coming to his store, now that they don't have to check deer, Smith said, "As of right now, I'm not planning anything, no."
"I hate it (the end of check stations) mostly for the kids," he said. "If they kill a big buck they can't take it somewhere and show it."
To the suggestion that youngsters might still bring their deer to the Bullseye Store, especially if there were a big-buck contest there, Smith said simply, "I never have done that."
However, he remembered that years ago an adjacent business conducted a big-buck contest every year.
"The guy next door used to do it. He decided he didn't want to anymore, and he asked if I would like to try it. That's something I always wished I had done and never did. If I had done it 14 or 15 years ago, by now it would be quite a deal."
Smith admitted that habits are hard to break, and some people probably will visit his store this year, even though they don't have to.
"I know a lot of people who live around here will come here to meet, and their tailgates will be down. I'm anxious to see what happens."
Conservation agents used to be regular visitors to wildlife check stations. Dennis Steward, now head of the Conservation Department's Protection Division, remembers how, when he was an agent, he would answer questions and gather information from hunters at check stations.
"There's no question that check stations have been important local institutions in the past," said Steward. "They are no longer needed for their original purpose, which was mainly to gather biological information for deer and turkey management. But we would like to salvage the social tradition of the check station."
To achieve that, the Conservation Department suggested strategies that former check station operators might use to keep hunters coming back. The agency even put them in a flier. Ideas included: --Providing a telephone or computer that hunters can use to Telecheck deer and turkeys. --Displaying photos of hunters with their game on a "wall of fame." --Providing scales and rulers to weigh and measure game. --Setting up a tent or other covered area with picnic tables where hunters can socialize. --Working with local news media to promote these services.
Smith seemed to be thinking more and more about a big-buck contest.
"It's something I still could do. I would want it to be in a building where I could have a table scale. I don't know. I'm going to kick it around this year and see what happens and kind of go from there."
Jim Low
Deer will be scattered in some areas, but larger in others
Friday, October 28, 2005
Deer will be scattered in the Ozarks, but hunters will find bigger bucks in counties where antler-point restrictions went into effect last year.
JEFFERSON CITY-A bountiful acorn crop will have hunters in the Ozarks searching high and low during Missouri's firearms deer season Nov. 12 through 22. Meanwhile, those who hunt in 29 designated counties will see an increased number of mature bucks.
Autumn is a time of abundance for white-tailed deer, which take the opportunity to bulk up for the cold months ahead. In southern Missouri, nutrient-rich acorns are whitetails' most sought-after food. In years when acorns are scarce, those oak trees that do produce fruit are deer magnets.
Hunters who take time to find pockets of acorn abundance in lean years have a much better chance of getting deer. However, in years when all oaks bear fruit, locating deer can be much more difficult. That will be true this year, according to Lonnie Hansen, the Missouri Department of Conservation's deer management specialist.
"There are so many acorns in most places this year that deer are scattered," said Hansen. "In the Ozarks, the result often is reduced harvest. Hunters who planted food plots may find them deserted until the acorns run out."
Hansen said acorn abundance isn't as important to deer or hunters in northern Missouri. That is partly because deer there rely more on agricultural crops. Also, woodlands tend to occur in smaller patches, making deer travel routes more predictable, so hunters find it easier to locate them.
Another difference hunters are likely to notice this year is a larger number of mature bucks in certain counties. This is the result of a regulation that went into effect last year. The change prohibited shooting antlered deer unless they had at least four points measuring 1 inch or more on one side.
Affected counties are Adair, Andrew, Atchison, Boone, Chariton, Cole, Daviess, DeKalb, Franklin, Gasconade, Gentry, Grundy, Harrison, Holt, Howard, Linn, Livingston, Macon, Maries, Miller, Mercer, Nodaway, Osage, Pulaski, Putnam, Randolph, Schuyler, Sullivan and Worth.
Due to the antler restriction, the number of 1.5-year-old deer killed by hunters in these counties decreased 66 percent compared to the previous year. Thousands of deer were spared and got an extra year to grow. Hansen said he expects the number of 2.5-year-old bucks in those counties to increase by 20 percent this year.
"Hunters there will see more adult bucks and more deer sign, such as scrapes and rubs," said Hansen. "The results of antler restrictions will be noticeable this year, but the difference will be even more noticeable in years to come."
Statewide, Missouri's deer population is the same as last year, just over 1 million animals. Deer numbers are stable in northern Missouri and slowly increasing in the south. Lack of hunting in Missouri cities and suburbs continues to contribute to deer-herd growth in those areas.
Hansen said deer numbers in small areas are subject to annual increases or decreases, depending on local conditions. He has received reports of deer deaths, probably from epizootic hemorrhagic disease, (commonly but incorrectly called blue-tongue) in more than a dozen counties. The largest number of reports came from Osage, Dallas and Lawrence counties. However, he said he has seen no evidence of a widespread outbreak of the disease, which is most prevalent in drought years.
The Conservation Department completed statewide testing for chronic wasting disease (CWD) last year. More than 22,000 deer from all 114 counties were tested without detecting a single case of the disease. This year the Conservation Department will conduct surveillance monitoring, randomly testing sick deer.
-Jim Low-
Deer-hunting regulations mostly the same as last year
Friday, October 28, 2005
Hunters will check deer by telephone or computer this year. Antler-point restrictions remain in effect in 29 counties.
JEFFERSON CITY-Missouri deer hunters will find regulations mostly the same as last year. The major exception is the elimination of the requirement to take deer to check stations.
Nearly three-quarters of Missouri's annual deer harvest takes place in the 11-day November portion of firearms deer season. This year, the segment runs from Nov. 12 through 22. Hunters are allowed to take one antlered deer during the season.
Hunters can buy as many permits as they want to take antlerless deer in 81 counties. They are limited to one antlerless permit in 19 counties in southeastern and south-central Missouri. Antlerless permits are unavailable in 13 southeastern counties.
Other segments include the urban portion Oct. 7 through 10, the youth portion Oct. 29 and 30, the muzzleloader portion Nov. 25 through Dec. 4 and the antlerless portion Dec. 10 through 18. Archers are allowed to hunt deer Sept. 15 through Nov. 11 and Nov. 23 through Jan. 15.
Regardless of segment or hunting type, hunters this year will not take their deer to check stations. Instead, they will follow directions on their permits and check deer by telephone or computer. Deer and turkeys must be checked by 10 p.m. the day they are taken.
Hunters must attach the transportation tag portion of their permit to deer and turkeys as soon as they are taken. After checking their game and writing the telecheck confirmation number on the permit, the hunter must attach the permit to the animal and leave it there until processing begins.
Only the taker may transport deer and turkeys until they are checked. Furthermore, the heads of deer and the heads and plumage of turkeys must remain on the animal until it is checked. All deer and turkeys must be telechecked before being taken out of Missouri.
The Conservation Department will continue to gather biological data during the November portion of firearms deer season. This will be done at meat processors.
The antler-point restrictions established in 29 counties last year remain in place for 2005. Archery hunters and firearms hunters during all but the youth portion of firearms deer season in these counties may take antlered deer only if the deer have at least four antler points measuring at least one inch on one side of their rack. Deer without antlers and those with spike antlers shorter than 3 inches are legal.
Affected counties are Adair, Andrew, Atchison, Boone, Chariton, Cole, Daviess, DeKalb, Franklin, Gasconade, Gentry, Grundy, Harrison, Holt, Howard, Linn, Livingston, Macon, Maries, Miller, Mercer, Nodaway, Osage, Pulaski, Putnam, Randolph, Schuyler, Sullivan and Worth.
The increase in antlerless deer harvest in the 29 counties helped fuel a 12 percent increase in the 2004 doe harvest and a 1 percent decrease in buck harvest statewide.
Also in its second year is the requirement that landowners obtain printed permits in place of the informal "farm tags" they used prior to 2004. Formerly, those who owned at least five contiguous acres could hunt without a permit and tag their game with hand-written notes. Starting last year, the Conservation Department issued free landowner deer and turkey permits through permit vendors statewide. To obtain the permits landowners need to know how much acreage they own and in what county or counties.
Hunters should note that deer hunting regulations on many conservation areas have changed this year. Rules for all affected areas are listed in the 2005 Fall Deer and Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information booklet. The booklet is available wherever hunting permits are sold. The same information is available online at www.mdc.mo.gov/hunt/deer/deertuk/.
-Jim Low-
Communities find hunters willing partners in deer population control
Friday, October 21, 2005
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| Twenty years ago, deer were rare in Missouri's urban and suburban areas, and no one would have thought of hunting there. Today, cities in populous areas are recruiting hunters-especially archers-to help thin overabundant deer herds. (Missouri Dept. of Conservation photo) |
CLARKSON VALLEY, Mo.-Connie Stoecker has given up planting day lilies around her home in this St. Louis suburb. She says her plants are "just salad for the deer," which nip off lily buds before they can open.
Stoecker's husband, Norm, has thrown up his hands in frustration, too.
"I have given up on euonymus. The spreading yews I put in looked awful all year. I finally gave up and tore the roots out of the ground. You know, that's an expensive plant."
In another St. Louis County community, Chesterfield, some residents now can wave hello to neighbors whose homes used to be hidden by strips of wooded land. Deer have browsed out low vegetation and denuded tree branches as high as they can reach by standing on their hind legs. Spring walks in the woods no longer feature wildflowers.
These aesthetic sacrifices are not suburban Missourians' biggest worry, however. Commuters play a dangerous game of dodge-the-deer on their ways to and from work. One unlucky Columbia resident has hit five. Areas of high deer population density in Kansas City, Blue Springs, Independence and Lee's Summit are marked by the mangled carcasses of deer on highway shoulders.
Deer-car accidents kill more than 150 people nationwide each year. In Missouri, the average deer collision causes more than $2,000 in vehicle damage. With more than 8,000 such accidents reported in Missouri each year, the bill tops $16 million.
There are other dangers to consider, too. Residents of neighborhoods with large numbers of deer report increases in fleas. Ticks, which transmit diseases including Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tularemia and Lyme disease, also multiply along with deer numbers.
As city dwellers come to grips with the practical facts of living with Bambi, they are increasingly turning for help to a group that would have been unthinkable a few years ago-hunters.
Last year, Clarkson Valley joined a group of municipalities in an urban deer task force organized by the Missouri Department of Conservation. The goal was to discover the causes of deer proliferation and find solutions. The causes were easy to identify.
Wendy Geckeler, who represents the city of Chesterfield on the task force, said one major contributor is the trend toward greener neighborhoods. People are building homes on larger lots, leaving undeveloped space and placing subdivisions near parks, conservation areas and other wildlife habitat.
Options for deer control are a harder nut to crack. Geckeler called nearby Town and Country's three-year experiment with trapping deer and moving them to new, rural homes, "a disaster." Besides being enormously expensive, the strategy turned out to be fatal to many deer.
Contraception for free-ranging deer remains appealing but prohibitively expensive and ineffective. That leaves only two options, living with deer problems or lethal controls.
Clarkson Valley Alderperson Susan Shea represents her town on the urban deer task force. She said city officials believe it is their job to protect both citizens and the environment from deer overpopulation. "We can't coexist with deer at this level," she said, voicing the opinion of most Clarkson Valley residents.
"Many people who fed deer when they were rare now are among the strongest advocates of hunting," said Clarkson Valley Mayor Scott Douglass. He noted that his town legalized bowhunting in the city limits last year, and Chesterfield is considering doing so.
Hunters shot 81 deer in Clarkson Valley last year. Although the city has removed legal barriers to hunting, it doesn't sanction hunts. That, said Douglass, is up to individual landowners and community associations.
Douglass said some citizens expressed concerns about safety when his town began discussing bowhunting as a remedy for deer problems.
"They couldn't believe we were going to expose them, their children and their pets to danger," said Douglass. "We were very concerned about that, too, so we took measures to ensure that hunting would be done safely."
Those measures included requiring hunters to complete a Conservation Department-approved bowhunting safety course. The agency set up a special class so archers who wanted to hunt in Clarkson Valley could qualify.
The city also set ground rules for hunting in the city. Hunting can only be done with bows and arrows. These have a short range, and because even a small twig can deflect an arrow, archers must have unobstructed shots. This helps ensure positive target identification.
Archers are allowed to hunt only from elevated stands, so arrows that miss their targets will not travel far. They can't hunt on less than 1 acre, and they must observe a minimum distance from the nearest home.
"We took people's safety concerns very seriously," said Douglass. "I think those concerns have pretty much been put to rest."
Kansas City's experience has been similar. Deer-vehicle collisions are the No. 1 concern there, too. In 2002 alone, state and local government agencies removed 1,267 deer carcasses from streets and highways in Jackson, Clay, Platte and Cass counties.
Kansas City is different from St. Louis in one respect. The area has more rural and agricultural land. Consequently, the second-biggest deer-related problem there is property damage.
"Agricultural crop damage is a big concern in this area," said Urban Wildlife Biologist Debra Burns, with the Missouri Department of Conservation. Deer also can be very destructive to trees and shrubs in nurseries. Home landscape plantings are at risk, too."
Burns said neighborhoods that border agricultural land or urban green space are most likely to experience deer problems. As in the St. Louis area, Kansas City and surrounding communities are becoming more receptive to the idea of hunting as deer problems grow more common. Kansas City, Liberty, Raymore, Belton, Lee's Summit, Grandview and Smithville all allow archery deer hunting under some circumstances. Hunting with modern firearms has always been legal in unincorporated portions of Jackson, Cass, Clay and Platte counties.
According to Burns, the Conservation Department will conduct 18 managed deer hunts in the Kansas City metro area this year. Seventeen private landowners in Kansas City proper now allow archery deer hunting on their property. Sharpshooters control deer numbers at Kansas City International Airport.
Burns said firearms deer hunting is the most effective, affordable way to control deer populations, but not every community is ready for that yet.
"Most cities want to use archery because they feel it is safer, but it isn't as efficient as firearms hunting," said Burns, "so it takes longer to bring the population down."
Deer numbers and annual harvest levels are stable in some areas where hunting has been going on for years. She cited Fleming Park as an example. The 7,800-acres oasis of urban green space is Jackson County's largest park. To prevent the deer herd there from becoming overpopulated, damaging the area's ecology and causing problems in surrounding neighborhoods, the county conducts managed hunts. Participants use black-powder rifles, whose shorter range makes them more suitable than modern firearms for suburban settings.
Towns taking an active interest in deer management are not all in metropolitan areas. Boonville, population 8,200, is the biggest town in Cooper County. Citizens of this Missouri River community began reporting the usual deer-related problems about five years ago. Elected officials responded by instructing their staff to work with the Conservation Department to find solutions.
Gary Nauman, director of the Boonville Parks and Recreation Department, said the Boonville Police Department and Conservation Agent Paul Wunderlich arranged to have sharpshooters remove deer from city property. Deer taken this way were given to local charities or to citizens who put their names on a waiting list.
More recently, Boonville changed its ordinances to allow archers to thin the local deer herd. Hunters must get landowners' permission, and follow state deer hunting regulations.
Last year, sharpshooters removed 89 deer from Boonville's city limits. The city doesn't keep records of bow kills.
Lonnie Hansen, the Conservation Department's deer management specialist, said urban and suburban deer control efforts have best success when local officials tackle the problem before it gets out of hand. He said it also is important to recognize that one community cannot solve deer problems alone.
"It takes a coordinated effort of all the communities in an area," said Hansen. "Otherwise, deer from areas of abundance continue moving into neighboring communities."
For information about managing urban deer populations, call the nearest Conservation Department office.
-Jim Low-
Trout parks reopen Nov. 11
Friday, October 21, 2005
Maramec Spring Park will be open every day of the week from Nov. 11 through Feb. 12.
JEFFERSON CITY-The summer fishing season at Missouri trout parks ends Oct. 31, but that doesn't mean you have go elsewhere or hang up your trout fishing gear. The winter no-creel season follows close on the heels of the regular fishing season.
Bennett Spring, Montauk and Roaring River state parks open to catch-and-release fishing Nov. 11. Anglers may fish from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Feb. 12.
This year, Maramec Spring Park will be open every day during the no-creel season. This regulation change came too late for inclusion in the Wildlife Code book or the annual fishing regulation summary.
Trout at all four parks must be returned to the water unharmed immediately after being caught. Releasing fish "immediately" means just that, not taking photos or weighing them. These delays increase stress on fish and decrease their chance of survival.
Catch-and-release fishing is an art in itself. Tricks of the trade include bending down barbs on hooks, landing fish as quickly as possible and keeping them in the water while removing hooks from their mouths.
Experienced catch-and-release anglers also know it is better to cut their line than to chance injuring fish while removing deeply embedded hooks. Flesh around hooks left in place eventually dies back, permitting the hooks to fall out.
The slippery mucous that makes trout so hard to hold also protects the fish from parasites and infections. To avoid disturbing this "slime," wet your hands before grasping fish, and don't handle them any more than necessary.
The best place to grasp a fish is across the back of the head. Never put your fingers in the gills or eye sockets. Holding fish upside down reduces struggling.
Revive exhausted fish by holding them upright underwater, facing upstream. Support them in this position until they swim away on their own.
Lures used during the no-creel season must meet the Conservation Department's definition of an artificial fly. This is defined as an artificial lure constructed on a single-point hook using any material except soft plastic, natural or scented bait that is tied, glued or otherwise permanently attached to the hook.
All anglers need a $7 Trout Permit to fish during the no-creel season. Permits are available at the parks or from hunting and fishing permit vendors statewide. Missouri residents ages 16 to 64 and non-residents age 16 and older also need Missouri fishing permits.
-Jim Low-
Eagle Day events set for December through February
Friday, October 21, 2005
Indoor and outdoor options are available to see and learn about eagles.
JEFFERSON CITY-The arrival of cold weather in Missouri coincides with the arrival of eagles, and that means it is time for the Missouri Department of Conservation's annual Eagle Days. This year's events will run from Dec. 3 through Feb. 4.
In years when weather conditions are right, thousands of eagles gather in Missouri. Only Alaska and Washington have larger winter eagle populations. This creates a tremendous opportunity for Missourians to see the impressive birds, whose wingspans can exceed 6 feet. The Conservation Department offers Eagle Days to help people take advantage of the opportunity.
You can experience eagles two ways at these events. Telescopes are available for visitors to watch wild eagles perched in trees and catching fish. Naturalists help locate eagles and answer questions.
If being outdoors in cold weather is not your idea of fun, you can go to an indoor program. In some cases, these programs include live, captive eagles, giving visitors a chance to see the big birds up close. Naturalist programs cover the bald eagle's life history, its brush with extinction and its continuing recovery. Eagle videos, exhibits and activities for children also are part of the indoor programs.
Check the following list for Eagle Day events near you. You can call the accompanying phone numbers for more information.
--Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge, Mound City,. Dec. 3-4, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m, (816) 271-3100.
--Little Platte Park Course Complex, Smithville, Jan. 7, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Jan. 8, noon to 4 p.m., (816) 532-0174
--Willmore Lodge, Lake Ozark, Jan. 7, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Jan. 8, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., (573) 526-5544.
--Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, St. Louis, Jan. 14-15, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., (314) 877-1309.
--Springfield Conservation Nature Center, Jan. 21, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Jan. 22, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., (417) 888-4237.
--Lock and Dam 24 and the Apple Shed Theater, Clarksville, and Ted Shanks Conservation Area (CA) northeast of Bowling Green, Jan. 28, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Jan. 29, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., (660) 785-2420.
--Schell-Osage CA west of Taberville, Feb. 4, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., (417) 876-5226.
Missourians who can't make it to any of the organized events can view eagles on their own. Public areas frequented by eagles include: --Swan Lake NWR south of Sumner, (660) 856-3343. --Table Rock Lake and Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery near Branson, (417) 334-4865. --Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area (CA) southwest of Columbia, (573) 445-3882. --Bagnell Dam Access at Lake of the Ozarks, (573) 346-2210. --Lock and Dam 25 east of Winfield, (636) 566-8120. --Riverlands Environmental Demonstration Area east of West Alton, (636) 899-2600 --Schell-Osage CA north of El Dorado Springs, (417) 432-3414. --Truman Reservoir west of Warsaw, (660) 438-2836.
Look for eagles perched in large trees along the water's edge at any of these locations.
To receive a brochure with directions to Eagle Days events, contact the Missouri Department of Conservation, P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180, (573) 522-4115, ext. 3289. General information about Eagle Days is available at www.missouriconservation.org/events/eagledays/.
-Jim Low-
Late rains fuel hopes for improved duck hunting
Friday, October 21, 2005
This year's waterfowl outlook probably is brighter than habitat surveys and nesting pair counts would lead hunters to believe.
JEFFERSON CITY-Duck hunters who only look at statistics from annual breeding-pair and habitat surveys are apt to think hunting will be lackluster this year. But the Missouri Department of Conservation's waterfowl specialist says the picture is more complicated and brighter than last year.
Resource Scientist Dave Graber said that although numbers of breeding ducks counted early in the spring were similar to 2004 numbers, summer rains improved nesting conditions significantly. That improvement may not be adequately reflected in fall-flight projections.
Last year, waterfowl managers estimated North America's mallard fall flight at 9.4 million birds. This year's estimate is 9.3 million.
"The number of young mallards flying south this year is likely to be better than we expected based on early pond counts," said Graber. "Early surveys showed that Canadian wetlands had increased compared to 2004. Those in the U.S. had not. However, conditions improved in the U.S. after the May survey, and they continued to improve in Canada."
As a result, ducks that lost their broods early in the year had improved opportunities to renest. Graber said experts also think expanding wetlands in the north will lead to better-than-expected survival of young birds.
Hunters tend to focus on mallard numbers. This is partly because this species is highly sought-after by hunters. Mallards also are the only species for which the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issues fall flight estimates. Graber noted, however, that all ducks benefited from the same nesting conditions.
"I think there is good reason to hope for a somewhat larger fall flight than initially predicted and better hunting this year."
Last year wasn't bad for duck hunting in Missouri. The average hunter bagged 1.74 ducks at state-run wetland areas. That is down slightly from 1.94 per hunter in 2003, but it is close to the 10-year average of 1.76 ducks per hunter. The best year during the period was 2000, when hunters bagged an average of 2.09 birds each. In 1990, hunters averaged fewer than one bird per hunter.
Graber also noted that an increase in the proportion of young birds in this year's fall flight is good news for hunters. Young birds are less experienced and wary than older ones, so they are easier to hunt.
Missouri faced early water woes, too. A severe drought in July and August made wetland-area managers wonder if they would be able to fill wetland pools. The lack of rain also stunted corn and other row crops on many areas. This is important to duck hunters, because flooded row crops help attract and hold waterfowl.
Wetland managers hedge their bets by managing some areas for seed-producing native plants, such as smartweed. These hardy natives thrive under adverse conditions. Seeds available in such "moist-soil" management units offset crop losses.
Graber said abundant rain starting late in August erased the water shortage on many areas. At a few, flooding may actually have damaged crops. This happened at Four Rivers Conservation Area (CA) in west-central Missouri.
For the second year in a row, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has shortened the Missouri River navigation season. This means reduced water flow earlier than usual in response to drought in the upper river basin. Wetland areas that rely on river water to flood wetland pools could have trouble pumping enough water again this year. Low river levels also affect the water table, so even if pumping occurs the water-holding capacity of some wetland areas will suffer. These areas include Bob Brown, Grand Pass and Eagle Bluffs CAs.
Fountain Grove CA will have reduced hunting opportunities this year due to ongoing renovations. Pools 1, 2 and 3 will be closed to hunting on account of construction.
Areas reporting excellent row-crop food availability include Bob Brown, Grand Pass and Ted Shanks CAs. Those with excellent food availability in moist-soil units include Nodaway Valley, Grand Pass and Ten-Mile Pond CAs. Good to excellent moist-soil food conditions exist at Ted Shanks, B.K. Leach, Schell-Osage and Four Rivers CAs.
Graber said that in any given year, weather conditions during and immediately before duck season can be more important to hunter success than the number of birds in the fall flight. "We have been up and down in the past couple of months in terms of water condition," he said. "Right now things are getting dry, and we need some rain."
Changes in this year's duck hunting regulations include: --The daily limit on scaup has been reduced to two. --Pintails will be legal during the entire duck season, with a limit of 1 daily. --The canvasback season will be later (Dec. 25-Jan. 23) in the South Zone. --The daily limit on Canada geese has returned to two during the late portion of the season in the North and Middle zones. --The daily limit on white-fronted geese has been decreased to one.
For more information about waterfowl hunting seasons, bag limits and conditions, visit www.mdc.mo.gov/hunt/wtrfowl/.
-Jim Low-
Commission to meet Nov. 15-16 at Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge
Friday, October 21, 2005
MOUND CITY, Mo.-The Missouri Conservation Commission will hold its next meeting at Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge in Holt County. The Commission will meet in executive session Nov. 15 and in open session Nov. 16.
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. 1.
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: Lowell Mohler, Jefferson City, chairman; Stephen Bradford, Cape Girardeau, vice-chairman; Cynthia Metcalfe, St. Louis, secretary; Chip McGeehan, Marshfield, member.
-Jim Low-
Lake Taneycomo produces second state-record brown trout in less than three months
Friday, October 14, 2005
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| Rick Osborn, Camdenton, caught this 27-pound, 10-ounce brown trout at Lake Taneycomo Oct. 3. His catch topped the previous record-another Lake Taneycomo fish caught July 16-by 2 ounces. (Missouri Dept. of Conservation photo) |
BRANSON-A hook-jawed, hump-backed fish measuring more than 3 feet is Missouri's new state record brown trout. Rick Osborn says he is "still kind of in a spin about it."
Osborn was fishing near water outlets from the Missouri Department of Conservation's Shepherd of the Hills Trout Hatchery at Lake Taneycomo Oct. 3 when he hooked the fish. He was casting a No. 14 long-shank gray scud, an artificial fly that mimics an aquatic sowbug.
His line was tipped with 4-pound test nylon monofilament, so he had to play the enormous fish carefully to avoid losing it. When he got it to shore, he hiked back upstream to a friend who had a small scale.
"It showed almost 30 pounds, and my buddy said we better go get it checked out at the hatchery."
There, Hatchery Manager James Civiello certified the fish's species, brown trout, and weight, 27 pounds, 10 ounces. It measured 38.5 inches from nose to the tip of its tail.\
"I had no clue it was a record when I landed it," said Osborn. "I was going to release it like we do all our big fish. It still hasn't really sunk in yet. My phone has been ringing off the hook with my fishing buddies calling."
Osborn's fish edged out the previous record by a mere 2 ounces. The previous record, another Lake Taneycomo fish, held the state title for less than three months.
Osborn is sold on Lake Taneycomo's trout fishing.
"I have been going down there since about 1975. The fishing is fabulous, and it just keeps getting better. I know there are bigger fish out there."
Anyone can catch a record fish with luck, but most lunkers fall to persistent anglers. Osborn makes the 125-mile pilgrimage to Lake Taneycomo from his home at Camdenton once a week. He arrives around dark and fishes until 1 or 2 a.m., takes a nap and then fishes again around dawn.
Asked if he might take a rest now that he has caught a record fish, Osborn said, "Probably not. I went back after I left the big one at the hatchery and caught a 4.5-pounder."
- Jim Low -
Urban deer harvest dips slightly in third year
Friday, October 14, 2005
Homeowners and motorists will benefit from the harvest of deer in Missouri's most populous counties.
JEFFERSON CITY- Hunters checked 1,838 deer during the urban portion of Missouri's firearms deer season, providing relief from dented fenders and overgrazed gardens.
This year's urban deer season harvest fell 239 short of last year's record.
Boone County led harvest totals with 427 deer checked during the season Oct. 7-10. Webster County was second with 220, followed by St. Charles County with 191. Other county totals were: Christian, 174; Greene, 171; Cass and Cole, 144; Clay, 105; St. Louis, 93; Jackson, 86; and Platte, 83.
The Conservation Department instituted the urban season to help control deer numbers in the state's most populous areas. The first such hunt took place in 2003 with a two-day urban season in the St. Louis and Kansas City areas.
Counties included in the urban deer season are those whose high human and deer population densities lead to greater frequency of deer-vehicle accidents and nuisance deer complaints.
The first year's urban deer season harvest was 129 deer. Last year hunters shot 2,077 deer during the urban hunt, a 16-fold increase. Even though the number of deer taken in the urban season dipped slightly this year, the harvest still is encouraging to Lonnie Hansen, the Conservation Department's deer-management specialist.
"New seasons tend to follow a predictable pattern," said Hansen. "There is rapid growth in participation at first as people learn about the opportunity, find places to take advantage of it and establish traditions. At some point, the growth tapers off. While we may not see the exponential growth in this season that took place between 2003 and 2004, I expect the urban season harvest to increase in the future."
Hansen said the urban season is Missouri's newest tool for addressing deer management challenges in and around human population centers. Deer in these areas have not drawn much attention from hunters in the past. The urban hunt provides an incentive for hunters to focus on such areas, where human-deer conflicts are on the rise. The four-day hunt is a practical, economical way for landowners and municipalities to reduce deer problems.
"It may be several years before this season takes hold fully and we know how big a part of the solution it will be," said Hansen. "That depends partly on how landowners and municipalities make use of it. Hunters can't thin deer numbers where they aren't allowed to hunt."
-Jim Low-
Hunters urged to stop aquatic hitchhikers
Friday, October 14, 2005
Cleaning boats between uses is the only way to stop exotic pests.
JEFFERSON CITY-Anglers are getting used to the idea of disposing of live bait and washing their boats and trailers after fishing trips. Now wildlife officials say it is time for hunters to wake up to the threat of invasive aquatic species. Waterfowl hunters should lead the way.
Well-known invasive species include: --Zebra mussel, which damage boats, motors and industrial water intakes and devastate native mussel populations --Silver carp, which crowd out native fish and endanger boaters with their acrobatic jumps. --Rusty crayfish, which hitch rides to new lakes and streams in bait buckets and then cause natural ecosystems to crash.
These represent only the vanguard of the invasion, however. Dozens of other exotic invaders-many just as potentially destructive-threaten Missouri waters. Other exotics on the watch list include curly-leafed pondweed, reed canary grass, purple loosestrife, the New Zealand mudsnail and the Chinese snakehead.
"The trouble with some of these plants and animals is you can bring them to your favorite lake or stream without even knowing it," said Steve Eder, Fisheries Division administrator for the Missouri Department of Conservation. "It might be years before they reach problem numbers. By then it is terribly difficult and expensive to get rid of them, if it can be done at all."
Missouri's many wetland areas are magnets for ducks and geese. Hunting opportunities at these areas attract hunters. This makes them potential points of entry for invasive aquatic plants and animals. It only takes one boat traveling from an infested water body to a Missouri wetland to create a beachhead for destructive species.
The best way to avoid unwittingly giving a destructive pest a ride to a new home is conscientious equipment cleanup. Boats, trailers, waders and other recreational equipment that comes in contact with water must be cleaned every time it is taken from one body of water to another. Preventive measures include the following steps: --Remove any visible mud, plants, fish or animals before transporting decoys and other equipment. --Power wash boats and trailers with hot water. --Scrub waders and other small equipment with a stiff brush. --Drain motors, live wells and other places that hold water. --Clean and dry anything that comes in contact with water, including clothing and pets. --Dispose of live bait in trash bags deposited in secure trash receptacles away from water. --Never release fish or other animals or plants into a lake or stream unless they came from that body of water.
More information about stopping aquatic hitchhikers is available at www.protectyourwaters.net.
-Jim Low-
Missouri quail conservationists score a threepeat
Friday, October 14, 2005
Missouri's oldest quail conservation group must be doing something right. This is the third year the national organization has honored their achievements.
HARRISONVILLE, Mo.-If the West Central Missouri Chapter of Quail Unlimited (QU) were a cartoon character, it would be Mighty Mouse. For the third year in a row, this tiny group of bobwhite fanatics in Cass County has put every other QU group in the United States to shame. The key to their success is one-on-one contact with landowners.
Receiving the National Quail Habitat Award once is a noteworthy achievement. Each year QU's national office scores all 300 chapters from coast to coast according to the habitat work they accomplish. Chapters are divided into three divisions, according to how much money they raise at their annual banquets.
In most cases, this helps small, rural groups, ensuring that they don't have to compete against huge, wealthy chapters from big cities. In the West Central Missouri Chapter's case, however, it just holds them back.
"They are far and away the most active and productive chapter in the United States," said QU National Habitat Coordinator Roger Wells. "They score higher than any chapter in the nation, regardless of size. They still would have won if they had been competing against chapters that raise nearly $150,000."
How does a QU chapter with a mere 125 members and annual banquet income of $3,650 achieve those results?
"These guys understand that lots of landowners are needed to make quail conservation happen, and they spend a lot of time knocking on doors," said QU Great Plains Regional Director Jef Hodges, who works out of his home in Clinton. "They don't just throw money at the problem. They build relationships with people. They get to know them, find out about their needs and ambitions for their land and find ways to meet those goals while making places for quail to live. They also know the value of partnerships."
To date, the West Central Missouri Chapter's partners include 226 landowners, plus the Missouri Department of Conservation, the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Farm Service Agency. These agencies bring knowledge, equipment and state and federal conservation incentive money to the table.
The measure of such partnerships' power is easy to see on the ground around Harrisonville. Since 2000 the West Central Missouri QU Chapter has refurbished more than 39 miles of hedgerows to make them more hospitable to quail.
The benefits of this work go far beyond the actual acreage on which the work is done. Quail experts say the variety of cover types created in hedgerow renovation improves the quail-carrying ability of approximately 10 surrounding acres for each acre under management.
Tom Lampe, chairman of the West Central Missouri QU, said one of the most exciting things about his chapter's effort is the way it has caught on among landowners. His group provided signs for cooperators to put up touting their efforts. It wasn't long before neighbors began asking how they could get more quail on their land.
Citizen quail conservation action took its first step in Missouri in 1981 with the formation of the Lafayette County QU Chapter. It was the third QU chapter nationwide. Since then, 3,072 Missourians have formed 23 chapters.
To celebrate its silver anniversary in Missouri, QU plans a gala event in Kansas City next July.
For information about QU in Missouri, contact Regional Director Jef Hodges, 382 NW Hwy 18 Clinton, MO 64735 (660) 885-7057. For more information about QU nationally, visit http://www.qu.org/.
-Jim Low-
Cash is available for school field trips
Friday, October 07, 2005
 |
| The Missouri Department of Conservation has a grant program to help cash-strapped schools maintain quality education through field trips. Conservation Field Trip Grants of up to $700 are available to reimburse transportation costs. To learn more, visit www.missouriconservation.org or contact Veronica Feilner, 573/522-4115 ext. 3285, veronica.feilner@mdc.mo.gov. (Missouri Dept. of Conservation photo) |
JEFFERSON CITY-"It will take me all night to tell my mom what I did here today."
Those words, penned by a fifth-grader from Jefferson City after a field trip to a nature area, tell a lot about the Missouri Department of Conservation's Field Trip Grant Program. In its first year, the program paid $88,636 in transportation costs to enable cash-strapped schools to provide conservation-related curriculum enrichment. Grant coordinator Veronica Feilner said she hopes to award $250,000 in 2006.
Feilner sent details of the 2006 Field Trip Grant Program to elementary and secondary school principals in September. Grants are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Teachers who didn't apply last year might want to consider the following excerpts from thank-you notes sent in by teachers whose classes already have benefited from the program.
"I love nature, and was eager to get these city kids out to a place with no roads or buildings. They LOVED the experience! One second-grader said to me on the trail, 'Man, my head hurts from all this learning.'"
"For our children in the special education department, this was a very special trip. None had ever been to the zoo before, and the excitement on their faces was indescribable*This field trip would not have been possible without the assistance of the Missouri Department of Conservation."
Middle-school students from the New Covenant Academy in Springfield traveled to the Current River, where they learned about water quality. Later, one wrote, "I went home and tested my creek the next day. It turns out that the water is pretty polluted. ... I will remember this forever because it helps me understand the ecosystem in my backyard!!! How cool is that?"
"That kind of excitement is hard to create in the classroom, no matter how talented a teacher is," said Feilner. "We know that money is tight in almost every school district, and we want to do our share to keep field trips affordable."
To do that, the Conservation Department reimburses travel expenses of up to $700 for participating schools. Eligibility criteria for 2005-2006 Conservation Field Trips Grants include:
--Field trips must take place between Jan. 1 and June 2, 2006.
--Field trips must be to fish, wildlife or habitat-related sites in Missouri.
--Field trips must address specific science or other academic instructional goals and be connected to classroom instructions.
--Grant requests must be for transportation costs only.
--Estimated transportation cost per student may not exceed $7.
--At least 25 students must attend the field trip.
--Applications must be postmarked from Oct. 15 through Nov. 4.
Neither faxes nor e-mails will be accepted. The Conservation Department will notify applicants by Dec. 15 of whether their proposals will be funded.
Field trip grants provide reimbursement for actual expenses. Schools that receive grant approval will submit transportation receipts and narratives describing the trip accomplishments and benefits. Documentation must be received by the Conservation Department within 15 business days after the field trip is taken or by June 8, whichever is earlier.
Educators in all Missouri elementary and secondary schools-including public, private, parochial and home schools-may apply. Applications are available from Conservation Department education staff and regional offices or may be downloaded from the agency's public website at www.missouriconservation.org. Click on keywords "Education" and then "Conservation Field Trip Grant."
Further information is available by contacting Feilner at Veronica.Feilner@mdc.mo.gov, 573/522-4115 ext. 3285, or assistant grant coordinator Norma Gilliland at Norma.Gilliland@mdc.mo.gov, 573/522-4115, ext. 3808.
-Jim Low-
Hunting is safe, but it could be safer
Friday, October 07, 2005
Hunting has a safety record few other sports can match, but hunter education volunteers are determined to make it even better.
JEFFERSON CITY-Here is a sports safety quiz. You are least likely to suffer an injury: a) playing soccer, b) cheerleading, c) doing aerobics, d) hunting, or e) horseback riding.
If you chose hunting, go to the head of the class. A study of sports injuries conducted by American Sports Data, Inc., ranked hunting 29th out of 100 sports in the number of reported injuries per capita. The injury rate for hunters was just 1.3 per hundred, compared to 1.7 for aerobics, 1.8 for horseback riding, 9.0 for cheerleading and 9.3 for soccer. Football was the most dangerous, with 18.8 injuries per 100 participants.
Knowing this, why do hunting accidents get so much attention?
"I think expectations have a lot to do with it," said Bryan Bethel, outdoor skills coordinator for the Missouri Department of Conservation. "People see gun violence on television and in movies, so they think of guns as being dangerous. That doesn't take into account the huge effort that goes into hunter education in Missouri and nationwide. You would have a hard time finding a more safety-conscious group than hunters."
Bethel said the nature of hunting accidents also contributes to the perception that hunting is dangerous. He noted that while firearms-related hunting accidents are rare, the resulting injuries often are much more severe than those associated with other sports.
"More people die every year in swimming accidents than in hunting accidents, and people die playing football and ice hockey and riding bicycles. But the run-of-the-mill injuries in those sports-sprained ankles, cuts that require stitches and so on-are not on par with the average gunshot wound. There is good reason to take hunting accidents seriously."
That, said Bethel, is why anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 1967, must complete a certified hunter education course before they can buy a hunting permit.
Hunter education has dramatically reduced the number and severity of hunting accidents. In 1987, the year before hunter education became mandatory in Missouri, the Conservation Department recorded 85 hunting accidents, including 11 fatalities. Last year the total was 28, including two fatalities.
The International Hunter Education Association estimates that hunters today suffer approximately one injury for every 347,000 days of hunting activity. Fatalities occur at the rate of approximately one per 3.2 million hunting days.
Nevertheless, hunting accidents do happen, and Bethel said hunters need to be aware of the most common causes of such accidents. Following are the leading causes of hunting accidents listed in the Conservation Department's 2004 Hunting Accident Summary. These four types of accidents accounted for 26 (92 percent) of the 28 hunting accidents recorded last year.
VICTIM MISTAKEN FOR GAME
This category leads the list every year. In 2004, nearly one-third of all hunting accidents were attributed to this cause. Six hunters were injured because the shooter failed to identify his or her target correctly. This type of accident also accounted for two of the three hunting fatalities recorded in Missouri last year.
One way to prevent this type of accident is to wear hunter-orange clothing. However, hunter-orange clothing is not required for every type of hunting. Ultimately, shooters are responsible for holding fire until absolutely certain of their targets.
VICTIM OUT OF SIGHT OF SHOOTER
Also known as "line-of-fire" incidents, these mishaps result when a victim is between the shooter and the intended target or beyond the target. Seven people were injured in this type of accident last year.
Hunters can protect themselves from these mishaps by staying out of other hunters' areas. Shooters can prevent line-of-fire accidents by shooting only when bullets that miss the mark will be stopped by a solid backstop. One of the cardinal rules of hunting safety is never to shoot at game silhouetted against the sky.
SHOOTER SWINGING ON GAME
Six hunters suffered injuries last year when other hunters were trying to hit moving targets and caught the victims in their line of fire. Several measures can prevent this type of accident.
One is keeping close track of partners' positions and pausing when necessary to let trailing hunters catch up with the group. This requires constant attention to hunting companions' locations.
Wearing hunter-orange clothing can help alert distracted hunters to danger. However, the only sure way to avoid this type of accident is to develop the mental discipline needed to maintain good judgment in spite of excitement.
VICTIM MOVED INTO LINE OF FIRE
Three of the five accidents of this type recorded in 2004 involved turkey hunters who moved into areas being used by other hunters. In four of the incidents, the shooter and victim were friends or relatives hunting together.
This also illustrates the critical importance of knowing where hunting companions are at all times and not infringing on others' hunting areas. In some cases, the use of hunter-orange clothing might have prevented the accidents.
PLANNING IS CRITICAL
Bethel summed up one highly effective preventive measure for a variety of accident types, saying "Plan your hunt, and hunt your plan." He said this starts by agreeing ahead of time on hunting positions and movements. By following details mapped out ahead of time, hunters can prevent unsafe situations from arising.
"Planning your hunt also means establishing safe-shooting zones," said Bethel. "Every hunter should have an agreed-upon zone where they can shoot. Deciding up-front that everything else is off-limits cuts down drastically on the chances of an accidental shooting."
OTHER RISK FACTORS
A surprising number of hunting accidents involve self-inflicted gunshot wounds. One of Missouri's three hunting fatalities in 2004 involved a hunter whose deer rifle fell from his tree stand and discharged, mortally wounding him.
Another surprise in annual hunting-accident statistics is the number of injuries and deaths that occur before or after hunting. Taking loaded firearms out of vehicles, putting them into vehicles or transporting them is a perennial problem. Always unload firearms when not actually hunting.
Another recurring theme is triggers that catch on objects, causing firearms to discharge. In these instances, deaths or injuries could be avoided by obeying the first rule of safe firearm handling; "Always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction."
Thirteen of 2004's 28 hunting accidents involved shooters and victims who were relatives or friends. In one a father shot his son with shotgun pellets in the back, arms and head while the younger man tried to drive turkeys toward the shooter. In another incident a woman suffered wounds from shotgun pellets on her hands and face when her husband fired at a flushing quail. In yet another case, a 12-year-old boy was shot in the leg by his uncle when the shooter apparently forgot he had cocked his deer rifle and tried to set it down on the ground.
"Imagine how these shooters felt when their careless actions hurt loved ones," said Bethel. "No matter how much we reduce hunting accidents, it will always be too many. Our goal is no one injured, no one killed."
To learn about hunter education classes in your area, call the nearest Conservation Department office or visit www.mdc.mo.gov/hunt/heclass-search.html.
-Jim Low-
Abuse Missouri streams; lose hunting, fishing privileges
Friday, October 07, 2005
Running roughshod through creeks and rivers now can cost more than a fine.
JEFFERSON CITY-Misusing off-road vehicles (ORV) on public land in streams has long been illegal in Missouri. It can be expensive, too, with fines running into the hundreds of dollars. Now, however, state officials have raised the ante, adding the possibility of hunting and fishing privilege suspension to the penalties for taking vehicles into streams where they don't belong.
The Missouri Conservation Commission approved the new incentive for ethical ORV behavior at its August meeting. The policy change went into effect immediately. Dennis Steward, Protection Division administrator for the Missouri Department of Conservation, said damage to streams from all-terrain and four-wheel-drive vehicles is a growing problem.
"We see it more in the Ozarks, particularly on streams like the Black and other clear streams," said Steward, "but it is a statewide problem."
In-stream ORV use is a problem for several reasons. Vehicle tires tear up stream bottoms, destroying fish habitat and stirring up mud that chokes out aquatic life. This reduces streams' recreational value. Running vehicles in and through streams also causes bank erosion, which damages public and private land.
Conservation agents spend many hours each year patrolling streams and writing citations for illegal use of ORVs. During the past three years, more than 250 people have been ticketed for ORV violations in streams. However, the average fine is less than $100, and the problem persists.
"We think this new tool will help get violators' attention," said Steward. "Having to pay a fine is one thing. Losing your ability to hunt deer and turkeys or go fishing is quite a bit more painful to most violators."
Under the new policy, the Conservation Department will recommend that the Conservation Commission suspend hunting and fishing privileges following procedures already in place for other wildlife-code violations. One-year suspension recommendations will be the rule, but the periods can vary according to the seriousness of the offense.
Missouri's participation in the Interstate Wildlife Violator's Compact makes the new policy even more attention-getting for those ticketed. Under the terms of the compact, all 20 participating states may honor other members' suspensions. An irresponsible ORV user in Missouri could lose his or her chance to hunt elk in Wyoming or fish for muskellunge in Minnesota.
Steward said there are some times and places where ORVs can be taken into streams legally. These are explained in Section 304.013 of the Missouri Revised Statutes and include fording streams at recognized, customary road crossings or for agricultural purposes within the boundaries of land owned by the operator.
"The law recognizes that there are times when it is necessary and reasonable to take a vehicle into a stream," said Steward. "People going about legitimate business in appropriate ways don't have anything to worry about. What concerns us is people taking pickup trucks and ATVs running up and down streams for no good reason."
Missouri has public areas set aside especially for ATV riders. These include:
--Finger Lakes State Park in Boone County, 573/443-5315.
--St. Joe State Park, 8,238 acres in St. Francois County, 573/431-1069.
--Sutton Bluff Recreation Area in Reynolds County, 573/729-6656.
--Chadwick ATV and Motorcycle Area in Christian County, 417/683-4428.
-Jim Low-
Conservation Department wins USDA Innovation Grant
Friday, October 07, 2005
Federal money will help develop grazing strategies that benefit beef producers and grassland birds.
JEFFERSON CITY-The Missouri Department of Conservation is among 54 national Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) recipients, announced State Conservationist Roger Hansen of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
The Conservation Department is the only state fish and wildlife agency to receive a CIG grant this year. It will receive $190,600 from a pool of $19 million awarded to projects from 40 states and Guam. The money will fund a study of patch-burn grazing as a grassland management tool.
"We are pleased that NRCS could help a long-standing conservation partner like the Missouri Department of Conservation," Hansen said.
The study is a cooperative effort with Nebraska. Patch grazing uses grazing and fire to create a mosaic of habitat types that more closely resembles historical disturbance patterns where fire was a natural component on the prairie and bison were the grazers. This three-year study will document the effects of this management practice on vegetation structure and composition of tall-grass prairie plants and wildlife.
Under this management, one-third of each pasture will be burned annually. Investigators expect cattle to show a preference for grazing on recently burned patches. The intensity of grazing and resulting habitat structure will shift among patches through time as different patches are burned and previously grazed areas recover.
Investigators predict several results from patch-burn grazing:
--Vegetation structure and composition will differ among patches within a pasture.
--The habitat mosaic created by the fire-grazing interaction will support more diverse plant and wildlife populations.
--Patch-burn grazing will prove economically competitive with traditional cool-season grass grazing systems for raising beef cattle.
--Patch-burn grazing should yield competitive weight gains without expense of internal cross-fences or intensive supplemental feeding.
Researchers will monitor daily weight gains of cattle at five Missouri sites and two in Nebraska. They also will measure plant species diversity and height, cattle activity patterns, economic benefits and bird responses. The observations will continue through three years as the pasture is rotated, and a fourth year after the last pasture has been burned and grazed.
The study is being conducted by the Conservation Department's Resource Science Division staff from the Grassland Field Station in Clinton.
CIG Grants fund the development and adoption of innovative technologies and approaches through pilot projects and field trials. NRCS administers CIG as part of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). The multi-year projects must involve livestock producers who are eligible for EQIP.
The CIG grant complements USDA's cooperative conservation efforts with other partners.
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