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1. Quail numbers still down, rabbits rebound slightly
2. Tree stand awareness critical to deer hunting safety
3. Outlook bright for fall foliage colors
4. Next Commission meeting Nov. 6 in St. Joseph
"In fall, the hunter exercises the senses, seeing and smelling and feeling and hearing more intensely than at any other time of the year.--Charles Fergus, "A Rough-Shooting Dog"
Cottontails posted modest gains statewide, but bobwhite quail remain near historic lows, owing to cold, wet weather during their nesting season.
JEFFERSON CITY--Missouri's quail and rabbit hunting season forecasts are mirror images of last year's, and that's not good. These two popular game animals continue to suffer from bad luck with the two primary factors affecting their success-weather and habitat.
Last year, Missouri Department of Conservation Wildlife Research Biologist Tom Dailey reported that quail populations had rebounded slightly, while rabbits continued in a slump. This year, quail are still near the all-time population low reported in 1996, while rabbit numbers show a slight increase statewide.
The good news-such as it is-has to do with rabbit reproduction. Rabbits begin bearing young as early as February and continue producing litters throughout the summer. Mild winter weather gave cottontails a jump on reproduction this year. By midsummer, bunnies born early in the year were nearing adult size, leading to reports of increased numbers of adult rabbits in many areas.
Quail numbers are virtually the same as last year statewide. Northwestern and northeastern Missouri have a few more quail than last year, but bobwhite numbers have dipped substantially in north-central counties. In the western prairie region between Kansas City and Joplin, quail numbers have declined by nearly one-third.
Dailey says states adjacent to Missouri report similar patterns of small regional ups and downs in their quail populations, with the continuation of an overall slump.
Dailey says Missouri quail didn't share rabbits' good luck with weather this year. "We had high expectations due to the mild winter, but it didn't pan out as we had hoped," he says.
Temperatures ran two to six degrees below average during the bobwhite's egg-laying period. Dailey says the Columbia area experienced its coldest April and May since 1907. "In early June, when the bobwhite egg hatch was nearing its peak, we had rain and daytime highs in the 60s. That's quail chick killing weather."
As for quail and rabbits' other primary need-habitat-Dailey says the picture hasn't improved. Changes in the new Conservation Reserve Program are expected to provide better conditions for both bobwhites and cottontails, but the program still is in its early stages, and little has been accomplished on the ground.
Dailey says he is especially hopeful that the Conservation Department's new private land program will bring about positive changes in small-game habitat. The Conservation Department is working more closely than ever before with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, local soil and water conservation districts and farmers.
"It will be several years before we see the benefits of more wildlife-friendly CRP provisions and private land programs," says Dailey. "I know people get tired of hearing that it's the weather and habitat that are preventing quail and rabbits from increasing to their former levels. They want us to do something. But at this point, about all I can do is get down on my knees and pray for better weather."
He said hunters still can find locally abundant game in areas with an abundance of habitat. Find a farm with lots of brushy hedgerows and wide borders, brush piles and other shelter from the elements, and you'll find rabbits.
- Jim Low -
Safety harnesses and sturdy tree stands are as important to hunters as straight-shooting rifles and well-tuned bows.
JEFFERSON CITY--The Missouri Department of Conservation reminds hunters that not all accidents in the field involve firearms. Some are caused when a deer hunter falls from a tree stand. At the least, minor scrapes and cuts result, but in severe cases the victim may be permanently injured or killed.
Firearms deer hunters and archery deer and turkey hunters commonly hunt from tree stands that are 10 to 20 feet above ground. Hunting from an elevated stand offers the element of surprise, since deer generally don't look for danger from above. Tree stands also give hunters a better view of their surroundings and make their scent more difficult for deer to detect. But on the down side, falls from stands easily break bones, compress spines, puncture lungs or worse.
In one state, over a 10-year period, deaths occurred in almost 4 percent of tree-stand falls.
Tree-stand hunters, just like occupants of a car or truck, can increase their chances of surviving accidents and reduce the severity of injuries by wearing safety belts.
Even better, as demonstrated by Air Force tests, is a harness that distributes the weight of a fall over the whole body. In a fall, a simple body belt restricts breathing more than a harness.
Hunters should buy the best safety equipment they can afford, including both belts, harnesses and tree stands. All such equipment should be inspected and thoroughly tested before the beginning of each hunting season and periodically during the season.
In a survey, "Deer and Deer Hunting" magazine found that more than a third of tree stand hunters will at some time fall from a stand, and that about 3 percent of them will suffer crippling injuries. The magazine noted that more than 70 percent of falls occur when a hunter is climbing a tree, descending from the tree or entering or leaving the stand; their survey showed that only about 20 percent of hunters wear a safety belt while doing these things.
After reaching their stand, the survey noted, about half of hunters always wear safety belts, while another third often wear them and some 20 percent rarely or never use them.
The magazine suggests that, at the least, hunters should attach their safety belt before stepping onto a stand, and not remove the belt until safely stepping off the stand. Hunters should show extra care during periods of rain and snow when tree bark and stand equipment are slick.
Screw-in steps should be installed at right angles to tree trunks. If the step is more sharply angled it can bend or break. The chains or bands that hold portable stands snug to trees should be inspected for strength and durability. Welded chain links may be better than twisted links
Hunters on private property sometimes use permanent tree stands (they are prohibited on most public hunting areas) built with nails and wood. These should be inspected as closely as portable stands before the hunting season begins. Such stands and wooden steps leading to them can become dangerous as the wood deteriorates.
The National Bowhunter Education Foundation opposes the use of permanent tree stands, saying they take away from the aesthetic appeal of the forest. Nails left in the tree, they add, diminish its value to the landowner as lumber.
The Foundation promotes the use of ladder-type stands, which it says have larger platforms, can be used on different types and sizes of trees and are safer and easier to use than other types of stands.
The Foundation also warns against carrying a bow or gun while climbing. Tree-stand hunters should use a rope to haul their gear (unloaded, in the case of a rifle) into tree stands. Tying the free end of the line to a belt or belt loop keeps the hunter's hands free for climbing.
The Foundation also suggests tying the haul line to the top of the bow when climbing and to the bottom when descending to avoid catching arrows in tree branches.
The National Rifle Association offers the following tree-stand safety tips: --Tell someone where you will be hunting, and leave a note at your vehicle detailing your location to help searchers find you if you do not return.
--Securely attach the tree stand no more than 12 feet high.
--Use a safety belt to secure yourself to the tree. Harnesses made for this purpose are much safer than a rope.
--Keep your tree stand in good working condition. Replace any worn or missing parts.
--Select straight, live trees for tree stand sites. Inspect for bees' nests and animal dens before erecting the stand.
--Climb down if you become drowsy. Falling asleep is a common cause of tree-stand accidents.
--Never use alcohol or drugs on any kind of a hunt.
--Keep your safety belt on when climbing up to or down from your stand.
- Jim Auckley -
Droughty late-summer weather can drain the vivid hues from autumn foliage, but timely rains in September will keep this year's fall display bright.
JEFFERSON CITY--The colors in fall foliage will be bright and beautiful, thanks to rains that arrived just in time.
Bruce Palmer, forestry education coordinator for the Missouri Department of Conservation, says hot, dry weather in August and early September could have been bad news for those who treasure the reds and golds of autumn foliage. But rains in recent weeks saved the day.
"We got enough rain in late September to go into fall in good shape," says Palmer. "Trees may have started dropping their leaves in some areas like dry ridges and glades, but the rain we got has been enough to relieve the stress in most areas. It should be a beautiful fall in Missouri."
Palmer says fall color normally peaks around Oct. 15 in northern Missouri and the Branson area. The peak of fall color in central and southwestern Missouri usually comes around Oct. 20. The Bootheel area has the latest fall display, with colors peaking there around Oct. 25.
People who want to get out and enjoy the autumnal brilliance will find useful information in two Conservation Department publications. "Missouri's Season of Splendor" is a 23- by 33-inch poster showing a typical mid-October scene on the front and maps to some of the state's best scenic drives on the reverse side. Also included is information about why leaves change color.
The brochure "Fall Colors of Missouri" also includes a map of scenic drives, plus information on public lands with hiking trails through scenic areas. It even has a schedule of autumn events at communities throughout the state. Copies of these publications are available at Conservation Nature Centers and Conservation Department offices statewide.
The Conservation Department's computer home page offers information on the peak of fall color at: <http://www.mdc.mo.gov/nathis/fall>. The web site also contains an online version of "Fall Colors of Missouri," a game based on identifying fall leaves, and a quiz on fall leaves and their uses.
The Conservation Department and the Missouri Division of Tourism cosponsor a free fall color hot line to help Missourians catch the climax of the autumn display. Dialing 1-800-519-1600 gets you an update of the progress of color changes in different parts of the state so you can time your trip for best viewing. Callers also can order fall travel guides at this number.
- Jim Low -
ST. JOSEPH, Mo.--The Missouri Conservation Commission will not meet during the month of October. Its next meeting will be Nov. 6 at the Conservation Department's Northwest Regional Office at 701 N.E. College Drive in St. Joseph. The meeting will begin at 10 a.m., following a closed executive session.
Commission meetings are open to the public. Items to be placed on the agenda for a presentation 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. Requests must be received by Oct. 26. People requiring special services or accommodations to attend the meeting can make arrangements at the same address, or by phone at (573) 751-4115.
Commissioners are: Randy Herzog, St. Joseph, chairman; Anita B. Gorman, Kansas City, vice-chairman; Howard L. Wood, Bonne Terre, secretary; and Ronald J. Stites, Plattsburg, member.
-Jim Low-
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