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Home Page1. 1996 a Landmark Year for Missouri Grouse
2. Waterfowl Recovery Means Good News for Hunters
3. Fall Turkey Hunters Must Think Strategy, Safety
4. MoSpecies - Southern Flying Squirrel
5. Outdoor Calendar
The original nesting range of the giant Canada goose, Branta canadensis maxima, included all of Missouri. The bird was considered extinct until its rediscovery by Dr. Harold C. Hanson in 1962. Giant Canada geese are the object of much management attention because they will nest at this latitude, seem to tolerate a certain amount of disturbance and can be induced to nest in protected, elevated sites." -- George K. Brakhage, Conservation Contrasts, Chapter 8
After 37 years of working to restore the ruffed grouse to Missouri forests the Missouri Department of Conservation is turning the page on another success story.
JEFFERSON CITY -- The story of the ruffed grouse in Missouri is one of booms and busts, caused largely by human activities. Today, the birds are more widespread than they have been in 50 years. And although the current state of affairs hardly can be called a "boom," the Missouri Department of Conservation is wrapping up a grouse reintroduction program that met initial expectations.
John Meyer, who ramrods MDC's wildlife reintroduction work, says Missouri's grouse population plummeted during the era of market hunting in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Grouse by the wagonload -- by the ton -- went to markets in St. Louis to feed a growing human population. Missouri was always at the southwestern fringe of the species' natural distribution, and the period of unregulated hunting, free-ranging of hogs and other livestock and indiscriminate burning of forest land was too much for the plucky bird with the distinctive fringe of feathers around its neck. Ruffed grouse disappeared from the state.
Today, however, Missouri has a stable ruffed grouse population and an annual hunting season that runs from Oct. 15 through Jan. 15 in 19 counties. Eric Kurzejeski, an MDC research biologist who manages the state's restored grouse population, is pragmatic about the species' slow progress.
"Our restoration effort certainly has succeeded in putting the bird back on the landscape," he says. "None of the populations are going gangbusters, but we don't really expect that in Missouri. We're on the southwest edge of the ruffed grouse's range, and we expect to see population cycles more or less like those that grouse go though in states to our north and east."
Kurzejeski says Missouri's grouse flock has declined slightly over thepast two to three years, but he says their numbers are reasonably stable. Areas with the strongest grouse numbers include the original grouse reintroduction area in central Missouri (Warren, Montgomery, Callaway and Boone counties) and north-central Missouri (state-owned land in Adair County).
According to Kurzejeski, grouse habitat in these and other areas actually is better now than it was 10 years ago. However, cold, wet spring weather has limited the birds' nesting success.
The decline of the ruffed grouse early in this century was part of an overall decline of wildlife that Missourians recognized somewhat belatedly in the 1920s and 1930s. They set out to remedy their mistakes, and in 1959, the MDC conducted the first grouse reintroductions in central Missouri. Serious grouse restoration work began in 1978, when the MDC began trading Missouri turkeys for grouse from Wisconsin, Indiana and Minnesota. Since then, the agency has released more than 4,300 grouse in areas carefully selected to meet grouse's habitat needs.
Ruffed grouse require a mosaic of old and young forest to prosper. "The most important thing for grouse is forest less than 20 years old," Meyer says. "Without timber harvest or a disaster of some sort -- say a tornado that knocks down all the trees in an area -- forest grows up and the grouse disappear. They need big areas where scattered forest regeneration is going on."
Meyer says grouse were so plentiful around the turn of the century partly because the first wave of settlers in Missouri "basically chopped down everything they could." The resulting flush of young forest regrowth brought a huge boom in grouse numbers.
Timber harvesting on small tracts on conservation areas and private forest land creates conditions ideal for grouse, and such areas have been the focus of the MDC's grouse restoration work. "Private land is as important to grouse management in Missouri as public land," says Meyer. "Forest management is the key. You won't have grouse if you don't remove trees somehow."
The last area identified as being suitable for grouse restoration is on 6,000 acres of private land in Camden County north of Macks Creek. Meyer says he has released 30 birds there this year, and expects that figure to top 50 by Nov. 1. He released 63 grouse on the area last year.
After conducting releases in a given area, the MDC monitors the progress of the newly established population for five years. This is accomplished by patrolling established routes each spring and listening for the sound of male grouse "drumming" their wings to attract females.
The area currently open to hunting includes 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. The daily limit is two birds, with a possession limit of four.
Until this year, grouse hunters have been required to buy a $3 grouse hunting permit, but that permit has been discontinued. Kurzejeski said the permit had two purposes. One was to keep track of how many people hunted grouse. The other was to generate a list of hunters who could be surveyed to gather information about the annual grouse harvest. With the restoration program finished and a good feel for the impact of regulated hunting on grouse numbers, the MDC no longer felt the permit was necessary.
-jim low-
With numbers of many duck and goose species soaring, the news for hunters is "ducky."
JEFFERSON CITY -- Ducky just might be the perfect word to describe the prospects for Missouri waterfowl hunters this season. The projected fall flight of 90 million ducks is the highest in more than two decades.
Dale Humburg, Missouri Department of Conservation wildlife research biologist, says the resurgence in duck numbers is mostly the result of rains that broke a decade-long drought in the north-central United States and south-central Canada. Also contributing to the recovery are efforts to preserve and improve wetland habitat in this region. Humburg says with continued cooperation from the weather, Missouri's waterfowl hunting prospects should be good to excellent.
Mallards comprise 50-70 percent of the duck harvest in Missouri. This year's survey showed 7.94 million mallards, close to the 1995 number of 8.1 million and the second-highest since 1973. The No. 2 and No. 3 birds in the bag for Missouri waterfowl hunters will vary among green-winged teal, wood ducks and gadwalls. Green-winged teal are at a near-record 2.5 million. Gadwalls also were at a record-high population of about 3 million. The locally produced wood duck population is hard to gauge according to Humburg, but he estimates their production was fair and that there will be plenty of them to harvest.
In Missouri, 1996 habitat conditions are generally good, says Humburg. If we get a cold front that pushes the ducks southward into the state along with periodic rains during duck season, we could have an excellent season.
Humburg cautions against getting hopes too high based on current habitat conditions. Last year, a cold front pushed ducks through the state quickly during the first week of November, despite the fact that Missouri had ample water and food for migrating waterfowl.
That was good news for folks out during that time, Humburg says, but the problem was only the north and middle zones were open to hunting then. The result was the northern two-thirds of Missouri had really good hunting that week. After that, all of Missouri had a good, average season, but not outstanding for the entire 50 days as many hunters had expected.
Last season 27,300 Missouri waterfowl hunters harvested 222,500 ducks. Humburg expects hunters to do just as well this year. He says careful research of migration timing, weather patterns and harvest data for the past 50 years have been used to set the season at a time that will provide the best chance for successful hunts.
The 1996-97 duck hunting season will be among the most liberal in 25 years. It is 50 days long, with the season set for Oct. 26-Dec. 14 in the North Zone, Nov. 2-Dec. 21 in the Middle Zone and Nov. 23-Jan. 11 in the South Zone. Shooting hours are from one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. Waterfowl hunters aged 16 and older must have a valid federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp ($15) and a Missouri Small Game Hunting permit ($9 for an annual permit for Missouri residents). Starting this season MDC also requires waterfowl hunters to purchase a Missouri migratory game bird hunting permit ($4). This permit replaces the Missouri waterfowl stamp ($5) and the migratory bird Harvest Information Program Card ($2) required in previous years.
The daily limit of five ducks can include up to four mallards (only one of which may be female), two wood ducks, two redheads, one black duck, one hooded merganser, one pintail and one canvasback. The possession limit is ten, including no more than eight mallards (of which only two may be females), four wood ducks, four redheads, two black ducks, two hooded mergansers, two pintails and two canvasbacks.
Goose hunting prospects range from very good for snow and giant Canada geese, to average for Richardson's geese, according to Humburg. He says the nesting season is the best indicator for the number of geese that will be available for fall and winter hunting seasons. The earlier the nesting season, the better production. Snow and Canada geese had average to slightly delayed nesting seasons, while Richardson s geese had a delayed nesting season.
The projected fall flight of Canada geese is expected to be as good as last season, when hunters bagged 44,200 geese. That was the highest Canada goose harvest in 14 years. The snow goose harvest was 13,100.
Hunters have plenty of reasons to pursue snow geese. Daily bag and possession limits for this season have been set at 10 and 30, respectively. The limits have been raised on snow geese because they are literally eating themselves out of house and home, says Humburg. The birds are colonial nesters, raising their young in concentrated areas around Hudson Bay. You can easily have a half million snow geese gathered together. Because there are so many of them, they are beginning to damage their breeding habitat. We're concerned about snow geese and other birds that use the same habitat. Because of that concern, a more liberal season on snow geese has been set.
High numbers of snow geese don't always mean high harvest. The birds are very mobile and have inconsistent feeding patterns. Success in hunting them requires scouting for their feeding areas and intensive study of their flight patterns. Many successful hunters use several hundred field decoys.
This year for the first time hunters will have access to a toll-free telephone number to report taking birds with leg bands. They can call (800) 327-BAND (2263) to report band information instead of having to mail it in. This information helps waterfowl managers track the birds' migratory patterns and survival and enables them to adjust hunting regulations accordingly.
Details of Missouri's 1996-97 waterfowl hunting seasons are given in the Missouri Department of Conservation's Migratory Bird Digest, a pamphlet available wherever hunting permits are sold.
-arleasha mays-
The 1996 fall turkey hunting season promises to be a memorable one.
JEFFERSON CITY -- Hunters who do a little scouting won't be disappointed this fall turkey season. Larry Vangilder, the Missouri Department of Conservation wildlife biologist who tracks the state s wild turkey population, says the state had a fair spring hatch and that there will be plenty of turkeys for the taking this fall.
Vangilder says 1996 brood survey found a 1.8 poult-to-hen ratio statewide. While that figure is about 25 percent below the state average for the past 10 years, Vangilder says it would be a mistake to assume that turkey numbers are on the decline. He says, It takes turkey populations about 20 years to stabilize, and we re at or past that 20-year point in most areas of the state. Lower poult-to-hen ratios are to be expected in stable turkey populations, where their numbers have reached the habitat's capacity to support them.
Vangilder says hunter numbers may go up a bit because the poult-to hen ratio is higher. Following last year s poor hatch, fall turkey season permit sales decreased by 30 percent. Last fall hunters bagged 13,866 turkeys. Vangilder says he expects the fall harvest this year to be about the same as last year.
Changes in fall turkey season should provide greater hunting opportunities. Starting this year, the season will open on the second Monday of October, enabling some hunters to take advantage of the Columbus Day holiday to hunt. Vangilder says it is unlikely that the change will have an impact on turkey populations, because hunting pressure typically is very light during the fall turkey season. The change also will lessen the chance of conflicts between turkey hunters and archery deer hunters, who are in the woods as the peak of the deer rut approaches.
The 14-day fall firearms turkey season runs from Oct. 14 through Oct. 27. Hunters may take two turkeys of either sex. Only one bird may be taken per week. A detailed summary of turkey season regulations can be found in the 1996 Fall Deer and Turkey Hunting Information booklet. Copies are available wherever hunting permits are sold.
Five non-fatal accidents marred last year's fall turkey hunting season. Vangilder says he hopes that number can be reduced to zero this season. He offers these tips for a safe turkey hunt:
-arleasha mays-
MoSpecies
Southern Flying Squirrel (Glaucomys volans)
The southern flying squirrel actually glides through the air using loose folds of skin attached at its feet and wrists. These flaps run the entire length of its body and are supported beyond the wrists by cartilage spurs.
When the flying squirrel leaps from a high tree branch, it spreads its legs to catch the wind. The squirrel controls its "flying" by varying the slack in its gliding flaps and steering with its tail.
Southern flying squirrels are strictly noctural and prefer oak-hickory forests of Missouri that have an abundance of dead trees for making dens. Although flying squirrels often forage on the ground (primarily for hickory nuts and acorns), they dwell mainly in trees.
For more information about the southern flying squirrels and other Missouri squirrels, write to: Missouri Department of Conservation, P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180.
Contact: Jim Low (News Services Coordinator)
(573) 751-4115 ext. 243
HUNTING
Bag Limit
Opens Closes (Daily-Possession)
Bullfrogs 6/30/96 10/31/96 8-16 (See Wildlife Code)
Common Snipe*+ 9/ 1/96 12/16/96 8-16
Coyotes 5/ 6/96 3/31/97 Some restrictions during
deer season. (See Wildlife Code)
Crows 11/ 1/96 3/ 3/97 No Limit
Deer/Turkey (Archery) 10/ 1/96 11/15/96 See Regulations, available mid-July
11/27/96 1/15/97 See Regulations, available mid-July
Deer (Firearms) 11/16/96 11/26/96 See Regulations, available mid-July
Deer (Muzzleloader) 11/16/96 11/26/96 See Regulations, available mid-July
12/ 7/96 12/15/96 See Regulations, available mid-July
Deer 1/ 4/97 1/ 5/97 Open only to hunters with unfilled
(Firearms & Muzzleloader Any-Deer Bonus Deer Tags for
in units 1-17, 22, 58 & 59) open units. See Regulations
Dove*+# 9/ 1/96 10/30/96 15-30
Ducks and Coots*
North Zone 10/26/96 12/14/96 Five ducks daily with no more
Middle Zone 11/ 2/96 12/21/96 than 4 mallards (no more than 1 female),
South Zone 11/23/96 1/11/97 2 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 1 pintail,
Youth-only Duck Hunting Dates 1 black duck, 1 hooded merganser or
North Zone 10/19/96 10/19/96 1 canvasback. Daily bag for coots is
Middle Zone 10/26/96 10/26/96 15. Possession limits are twice the
South Zone 11/16/96 11/16/96 daily limit.
Furbearers 11/20/96 1/20/97 No Limit
Geese and Brant
Blue, Snow and Ross' Geese*+# Daily bag limits include no more than
North and Swan 10 blue, snow or Ross' geese; 2
Lake Zones 10/26/96 1/19/97 Canada geese; 2 brant; and 2 white-
2/17/97 3/9/97 fronted geese. Possession limits for
Middle and Schell-Osage Canada geese, brant and white-fronted
Zones: 11/ 2/96 11/ 7/96 geese are twice the daily limit. For
blue, snow and Ross' geese, the
South Zone 11/23/96 3/ 9/97 aggregate possession limit is three the
White-fronted Geese and Brant daily limit.
North Zone 9/28/96 10/ 6/96
10/26/96 11/ 3/96
11/29/96 1/19/97
Swan Lake Zone 10/26/96 11/ 3/96
11/29/96 1/19/97
Middle and Schell-Osage
Zones 11/ 2/96 11/ 7/96
11/29/96 1/31/97
South Zone 11/23/96 1/31/97
Canada Geese
North Zone 9/28/96 10/ 6/96
10/26/96 11/3/96
11/29/96 1/19/97
Swan Lake Zone 10/26/96 11/ 3/96 (Unless a quota of 5,000 geese is
11/29/96 12/29/96 reached before Dec. 29; a daily limit
of 10 shot shells.)
Middle Zone 11/ 2/96 11/ 7/96
11/29/96 1/31/97
Schell-Osage Zone 11/29/96 1/ 7/97
South Zone 11/23/96 1/31/97
Groundhogs 5/ 6/96 12/15/96 No Limit
Pheasants and
Gray Partridge 11/1/96 1/15/97 (See Wildlife Code)
Quail 11/1/96 1/15/97 8-16
Rabbits 10/1/96 2/15/97 6-12
(may include only
2-4 swamp rabbits)
Ruffed Grouse 10/15/96 1/15/97 (See Wildlife Code)
Sora and Virginia Rails*+ 9/ 1/96 11/ 9/96 25-25
Squirrels 5/25/96 1/15/97 (See Wildlife Code)
Teal*+ 9/ 7/96 9/15/96 4-8
Turkey 4/21/97 5/ 4/97 1 bearded bird per week
Turkey (Fall Firearms) 10/14/96 10/27/96 (See Wildlife Code)
Woodcock*+ 10/15/96 12/18/96 5-10
FISHING
Trout Parks 3/ 1/96 10/31/96 5-10
Trout Parks 11/8/96 2/ 8/97 Catch & release Fri., Sat.,
(Winter Tag Required) Sun. 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Trout Management Areas Open All No Closed 5-10 (See Wildlife Code)
(Trout Permit Required) Year Season
Trout (Trophy and Wild) Open All No Closed 3-3 (See Wildlife Code)
Trout Management Areas) Year Season
(Trout Permit Required)
Black Bass
(streams, specified zone) 5/25/96 2/28/97 6-12 (See Wildlife Code)
(impoundments) Open All No Closed (See Wildlife Code)
Year Season
Bullfrogs 6/30/96 10/31/96 8-16 (See Wildlife Code)
Paddlefish 3/15/97 4/30/97 2-4 (See Wildlife Code)
Nongame Fish Stream Gigging 9/15/96 1/31/97 20
(See Wildlife Code for creel limits on other species.)
TRAPPING
Beaver 11/20/96 3/31/97 No Limit (See Wildlife Code)
Coyotes 11/20/96 2/15/97 No Limit (See Wildlife Code)
Furbearers 11/20/96 1/20/97 No Limit (See Wildlife Code)
___________
*Hunters of migratory birds are required to have a migratory bird
hunting permit in addition to other appropriate permits (See Wildlife Code).
+Subject to final federal approval
#Complete waterfowl details will be found in the Migratory Bird Hunting Digest,
to be available from permit vendors and MDC offices in early October.
CONSERVATION COMMISSION MEETING
October 21 Montauk State Park, Route 5, Salem, Mo.
(For additional information contact the Department Director.)
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