2. Fall Colors May Be Spotty This Year
3. Deer Increase Road Hazards in Autumn
4. MDC to Auction Excess Property in Springfield
5. MDC Now on the Internet
Available for computer download; BBSphone (314) 526-1689.
"Who can paint like nature? Can imagination boast, amid its great creation, hues like hers?" -- James Thomson
1. Missouri Grouse Having a "Ruff" Time
ROLLA -- It isn't easy being a ruffed grouse. Damp springs ruin their nests, parched summers kill their chicks, and bitter winters thin the ranks of adults. Even when the elements give grouse a break, the birds sometimes fall prey to inexplicable population dips.
Officials with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) say the Show-me State's grouse population has suffered all those ills in recent years. Consequently, grouse hunters will have to wait at least one more year for good news about their favorite game bird. But MDC continues to monitor grouse populations and do what it can to nurture the birds.
Ruffed grouse are similar in appearance but a full size larger than their close relatives, bobwhite quail. They inhabited Missouri forests until shortly after the turn of the century, when market hunting forced them out of the forest and into history books.
MDC conducted experimental releases of grouse from other states in the mid-1960s, then launched a reintroduction program for the species in 1978. Since that time, it has released 4,249 grouse at 65 sites in 37 counties.
The effort continues. MDC has released about 40 grouse from Minnesota at a site in Camden County so far this year. A second Camden County site and two additional sites in Benton County are scheduled for grouse reintroduction in the next year or two. That will complete the program, and it will be up to the grouse to colonize remaining suitable habitat.
To keep track of the birds' progress, MDC conducts an annual survey in April. That is when male ruffed grouse "drum" to proclaim their territories and attract females for mating. Standing atop logs, ruffed grouse cocks beat their wings in ever- increasing cadence to produce a low-pitched drumming sound. But grouse hens aren't their only audience. Grouse surveyors traveling routes along rural roads record the number of drumming grouse they hear. MDC Wildlife Research Biologist Eric Kurzejeski tabulates their observations.
"Grouse numbers are down again this year," says Kurzejeski. "We're probably as low as we've ever been since we began monitoring grouse abundance. It's not going to be a banner year."
Kurzejeski says grouse numbers are most depressed in Boone, Callaway, Montgomery and Warren counties. Grouse numbers also are down in west-central and southwestern Missouri, but not as much as in central Missouri. Least affected are grouse in the northern Missouri counties of Adair and Putnam.
"I'd like to blame it on the weather not being conducive to good hatches," says Kurzejeski, "but in all honesty, we're not sure exactly what causes these declines. Grouse populations go through cycles, and it's just our time to be in a down cycle. We have seen lows like this before; it's still within normal range."
Kurzejeski says the low ebb of Missouri's grouse population cycle makes it unlikely that additional counties will be opened to hunting soon. He says the northeastern river hill country between Hannibal and Louisiana, Mo., is the most promising prospect for the future.
To gain a foothold, grouse need an area where at least 50 to 75 percent of the land is forest and where timber harvests are conducted every eight to 10 years. They need a mix of brushy areas, young timber and old forest. Some of Missouri's best grouse habitat is on state and national forest land, because it is managed for a variety of purposes, including commercial timber harvest. MDC has released grouse on most of this land.
Extensive acreage of tall trees with little undergrowth is not attractive to grouse. Most of Missouri's forest is privately owned, so timber harvest on private land is very important to the long-term welfare of Missouri's grouse.
Grouse hunting season opens Oct. 15 and continues through Jan. 15. The daily limit is two grouse. The possession limit is four. Areas open to hunting are Carter, Crawford, Iron, Madison, Oregon, Reynolds, Ripley, Ste. Genevieve, Shannon, Adair, Sullivan, Putnam, Schuyler and Washington counties, those parts of Boone, Callaway, Montgomery and Warren counties south of I-70 and that part of Macon County north of Highway 36.
2. Fall Colors May Be Spotty This Year
JEFFERSON CITY -- Colorful fall foliage is to many Missourians what the Pied Piper's music was to the children of Hamlin, an irresistible attraction that tears them away from cities and towns. Fortunately for those who can't resist the lure of a picturesque skyline, Missouri is one of the country's prime locations for viewing brilliant fall color.
"Some of the most spectacular fall color can be found here in Missouri," says Bruce Palmer Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) forestry information specialist. "People come from as far away as the upper Midwest, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas to see our fall color."
Woodlands along the Missouri and Mississippi rivers are among the best spots for viewing fall color. A wide variety of trees and shrubs set those areas aglow with golden yellows, deep oranges, and rich reds and purples.
Palmer says the peak of fall color is expected to occur slightly earlier than usual this year due to droughty conditions in August and September. Good color is predicted for northeastern Missouri, where peak colors are expected Oct. 8-14. Colors are expected to peak around Oct. 7 in southwestern Missouri, where the drought was especially severe. Throughout the state's midsection, the peak of fall color should occur Oct. 14-21. In southern Missouri, the peak will occur Oct. 14-28.
Don't look for much color in the west and southwest sections of the state. Dry conditions caused leaves to die or turn color early in those areas.
Well-distributed rainfall throughout summer and fall is one of the factors that contribute to good fall color. The change of seasons also affects leaf color. Cooler temperatures stop the production of chlorophyll, the green substance in leaves. As chlorophyll fades, underlying yellow and orange pigments become visible.
Cooler temperatures also prevent the food produced in leaves from moving into the rest of the tree. The trapped sugars turn leaves red or purple. The MDC free poster, "Missouri's Season of Splendor," explains in-depth why leaves change color and has information on where to see fall color.
Information on viewing fall color in the Mark Twain National Forest is only a phone call away. The National Forest Service has set up a toll-free hotline at (800) 898-8895. The hotline provides information on the peak of fall color in the forest and routes for viewing color.
3. Deer Increase Road Hazards in Autumn
JEFFERSON CITY -- Why do male white-tailed deer risk their lives crossing roads each fall? To get to the female deer on the other side. Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) wildlife research biologist Lonnie Hansen says during the breeding season in late October through November, the drive to mate almost exclusively dictates deer behavior. "If a buck is on the trail of a doe and she's crossed the road, he's going to follow her," Hansen says. "The normal caution a deer takes before crossing a busy road just isn't there during the rut."
The animals' lack of caution increases your risk of getting involved in a deer-vehicle accident. MDC research has found that more than a fourth of such accidents occur in November, when the deer mating season or "rut" is at its peak.
Deer behavior can't be changed, so drivers must change their driving habits to avoid accidents. Slow down and watch for deer when you're near a wooded area or where deer crossing signs are posted. It's especially important to drive cautiously during evening and early morning hours when the animals are actively seeking food and shelter. The sooner you spot a deer, the more time you'll have to react to its movements.
Upon sighting a deer, slow down immediately if you can do so without causing a traffic hazard. Do this even if a deer already has crossed the road. The animal could turn back into your path. It's also good to slow down because deer travel in groups and there may be more following the one you've spotted.
Hansen says flashing your car lights or honking your horn may stimulate a deer standing in the middle of a road to move, or discourage one from moving onto the road.
Some deer-vehicle accidents are unavoidable. They usually occur when a deer runs into the side of a moving vehicle or leaps out in front of a car. If this happens and you cannot stop, slow down, but don't swerve wildly trying to avoid the animal.
"Some of the most serious accidents occur when a deer jumps out onto the road, a driver swerves to avoid it and loses control of his car," Hansen says. "You're at less risk of serious injury if you hit the deer, than you are if you lose control and hit another car or a tree."
Deer-vehicle accidents should be reported to local law enforcement officials. Your report will help MDC track the incidence of deer-vehicle accidents. You must contact MDC if you want to keep a road-killed deer for the meat. The law requires that you get a disposition from a conservation agent to possess the deer before you can take it home.
4. MDC to Auction Excess Property in Springfield
Jefferson City-- Could you use a plasma cutter? If so, you won't want to miss the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) surplus property auction in Springfield.
The plasma cutter (a piece of welding equipment, not a small, maneuverable space ship) is just one of dozens of items to be sold at the auction Oct. 14. The event is also a good place to pick up bargains on such used goods as a three-quarter-ton, 4X4 pickup truck, BB guns and boats. Other property to be sold includes minivans, Jeeps, pickup trucks, trailers, boats, outboard motors, trolling motors, lawn mowers, chain saws, power trimmers, a pressure washer, an engine analyzer, radio equipment, typewriters, copy machines, fax machines, movie projectors, 16mm movies, computer equipment and an Airflex movie camera system.
The auction will start at 10 a.m. at the MDC maintenance center at 2630 Mayfair. Auction goods will be on display from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Oct. 13 and beginning at 8 a.m. Oct. 14. All property must be paid for before removal on the day of sale. Personal checks with proper ID are acceptable for payment.
JEFFERSON CITY -- Have you ever cruised the Internet's World Wide Web? If so, you may want to visit the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) on your next trip. A home page packed with information about Missouri conservation is now available at:
http://www.conservation.state.mo.us/welcome.html
"The Internet is a new way for us to communicate." says Shannon Cave, chief of MDC's Information Services Division. "We're eager to learn how to use it to better meet citizen needs for conservation information. We know many Missouri outdoors writers use the Internet, and 10 million people nationally have access. This home page will help us serve them at any hour, day or night."
Included in MDC's home page are the last two issues of Missouri Conservationist magazine, recent news releases (including All Outdoors), and a variety of files about hunting and fishing seasons, nature centers, shooting ranges, pond management, and other conservation subjects.
"If you don't find what you are looking for on the first trip," Cave said, "let us know. We've only begun, and will continuously be adding more and better information."
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