January 2008

Cuba teen sets Missouri fish record

Jordan Brown capped a banner year of hunting and fishing by gigging this state-record silver redhorse on Dec. 21. Earlier in the year the 14-year-old from Cuba, Mo., bagged a whitetail doe and a 10-point buck before sunrise on opening day of the November Portion of Firearms Deer Season and killed two wild turkey gobblers weighing 21 and 22 pounds with one shot during the fall turkey season.

Gigging a state-record redhorse capped an amazing year of hunting and fishing.

JEFFERSON CITY-Saying that Jordan Brown had a good year outdoors is akin to saying the MU Tigers football team had a good season. The only downside to the 14-year-old Cuba, Mo., resident’s envy-inspiring string of 2007 successes is that he might never have another year that measures up.

Brown’s year got off to a good start when he killed a nice gobbler during the spring turkey season. He was excited when the month-long fall turkey season opened Oct. 1, but his wildest dreams fell short of what actually happened.

“We went to the area where I killed the gobbler in the spring season,” said Brown, “We didn’t have any luck up there. I had two farm tags that I could use on 20 acres right around home, and dad had been seeing a little group of gobblers there. We were trying set up on those turkeys, but we came up on them in the middle of a field. We didn’t really set up; we just sat down with nothing but grass to hide us. When they started stretching their necks out looking at us, dad said ‘You better shoot when you get an open shot.’

“I didn’t really line them up. I just shot and one of them flew off. I thought the others had run off, but I ran up there and there were two gobblers flopping around. I was just in awe.”

The pair of gobblers weighed 21 and 22 pounds.

If Brown thought his season couldn’t get any better, he was mistaken. He started opening day of the November Portion of Firearms Deer Season by shooting a doe, then bagging a 10-point buck, both before sunrise. While the buck isn’t record-book material, it is trophy most hunters would cherish.

Was Brown’s banner year over? Not quite. He, his father, Bruce Brown, and two friends were gigging on the Big Bourbeuse River in northeastern Phelps County four days before Christmas when he sank his spear into a big fish. Jordan thought it was a carp. He probably would have cleaned and eaten the fish, but for his father.

“Dad has gigged 12-pound river redhorse before,” said Jordan. “He was sure this fish was a redhorse, but it didn’t have a red tail, so he knew it wasn’t a river redhorse.”

Bruce Brown, a retired Conservation Department forester, pulled out a copy of The Fishes of Missouri, the authoritative reference book by William L. Pflieger, PhD. The best Bruce could make out, his son’s fish was a silver redhorse, a smaller species than the river redhorse. The book said silver redhorse typically weigh between .5 and 3.5 pounds. Pflieger noted that the largest one previously documented in Missouri measured 27 inches from snout to tail and weighed 9 pounds, 1 ounce.

Bruce knew they had killed a couple of similar fish in the 6-pound range in the same area last year. Jordan’s fish seemed bigger, so they decided to keep it and weigh it. It tipped the scales at weighed 9 pounds, 13 ounces.

The Conservation Department did not have a silver redhorse registered in the “Alternative Methods” category, which covers gigging, snagging, trotlining and everything else other than fishing with a pole, line and lure. Consequently, all they had to do to secure the record for Jordan was get Fisheries Management Biologist Jennifer Guyot and Conservation Agent Rob Brandenburg to confirm the fish’s species and weight.

The fish fell just 1 pound, 10 ounces short of the 1985 Wisconsin catch recognized as the all-tackle world record by the International Game Fish Association.

“It has been my best season ever,” said Jordan, “probably the best one I’m going to have, too.”

Time will tell.

-Jim Low-

Missouri archery, firearms hunters post third-largest deer harvest on record

Continuing adjustments in hunting regulations and permit fees increase hunting opportunities while keeping a lid on the state’s prolific deer herd.

JEFFERSON CITY-Archers killed the second-largest number of deer on record during Missouri’s bowhunting season, boosting the overall deer harvest to the No. 3 spot in historical standings. While not a record-setting deer-hunting season, 2007-2008 is likely to be remembered for a rollercoaster ride of strange weather and other conditions.

Archers checked 39,866 deer during the four-month bowhunting season. That is down 6 percent from last year’s record archery harvest of 42,322. Female deer made up 51 percent of the archery deer harvest, compared to 46 percent of the firearms deer harvest.

Missouri’s top three archery deer harvest counties were St. Louis, with 966 deer checked, Jefferson with 878 and Callaway with 808. Jackson County was close behind, with 804 deer checked by archers. Lonnie Hansen, a resource scientist and deer specialist for the Missouri Department of Conservation, said the full bowhunting potential of counties in and around urban areas still has not been tapped.

The strong archery deer harvest, combined with a harvest of 260,162 deer during the five firearms deer season segments and deer taken during managed hunts brought the overall 2007-08 deer harvest to 302,666. That is a 7 percent decrease from the previous season but still the third-largest harvest in Missouri history.

Hansen said the 2007-08 deer season was characterized by a host of contradictory factors.

“On one hand, acorn production was down,” said Hansen. “That tends to make hunters’ job easier by concentrating deer around limited food supplies. On the other hand, overly warm, often windy weather during the November Portion of Firearms Deer Season was not in hunters’ favor. We got a break from the weather during the Muzzleloader Portion and actually set a record there, only to have a catastrophic ice storm cut into hunter success in the Antlerless Portion.”

Conservation agents around the state also mentioned an increased incidence of epizootic hemorrhagic disease, often mistakenly called “blue tongue,” as a possible factor in the reduced deer harvest.

In spite of all the negative factors, the 2007-08 deer harvest was surprisingly strong. Total deer harvests for the past five years have been:

--2003-04 - 290,631
--2004-05 - 312,983
--2005-06 - 286,943
--2006-07 - 326,315
--2007-08 - 302,666.

Hansen said the relatively stable annual deer harvest of approximately 300,000 should reassure those who worry that liberalized deer hunting regulations might be cutting into deer numbers.

“Some hunters have expressed concern that the availability of unlimited antlerless tags in many counties will lead to deer population declines and reduced hunting opportunity,” said Hansen. “Recent years’ harvests indicate to me that overall the deer herd is stable. There may be local decreases in deer numbers as a result of epizootic hemorrhagic disease or overharvest, but overall our deer herd is in good shape.”

The Conservation Department has adjusted deer-hunting permit availability and fees in recent years in response to deer population trends in some areas and in an effort to change demographics of the deer hunting population. In 2002, hunters could only buy two antlerless deer permits. Residents paid $11 for the first antlerless permit (called “bonus” permits then) and $7 for the second. Nonresidents paid $75 for their first bonus deer permits and $50 for the second, while nonresident landowners could get the first bonus permit for $40 and the second for $25.

In 2003, hunters still could buy only two antlerless deer tags, but the price was $7 for residents and nonresidents alike. In 2004, the Conservation Department removed the limit on how many antlerless permits hunters could buy in many counties. The agency also doubled the number of free permits available to landowners that year.

The increase in landowner permits resulted in a substantial decrease in permit sales. In 2003, the Conservation Department sold 733,016 resident deer hunting permits. In 2004 the number dropped to 664,997, and in 2005 it fell to 623,665. Sales of resident deer hunting permits increased slightly in 2006, coming close to 645,000, but fell back to 630,726 in 2007.

The Conservation Department’s Financial Services Section predicted a $600,000 decrease in deer permit revenues as a result of the changes made in 2004. The actual decrease was nearly $639,000. Deer permit sales revenues dropped another $219,000 in 2005. An increase in nonresident deer permit sales in 2006 returned revenues to slightly less than 2003 levels. Last year, deer permit revenues finally exceeded pre-2004 levels, this time due to increases in both sales and cost of nonresident permits.

During this period of permit changes, the number of archery and firearms landowner deer permits issued by the Conservation Department skyrocketed. In 2003, the agency gave out 124,457 landowner any-deer and antlerless permits. In 2004 it jumped to 518,621, and in 2005 it went up to 523,521. Since that time, the number has fallen slightly, reaching 502,102 in 2007.

A wild card in these figures is the fact that in 2003, landowners did not need printed permits to take antlered deer on their land. They could check one antlered deer on a hand-written “farm tag.” Nevertheless, Conservation Department officials say the number of people hunting under landowner permits unquestionably has increased since the liberalization of 2004. Meanwhile, sales of resident antlerless and any-deer permits dropped by 93,000 from 2003 to 2005.

“Increasing the availability of landowner permits and requiring hunters to pick up those permits from vendors is a win-win-win deal,” said Resource Scientist Lonnie Hansen, the Conservation Department’s deer specialist. “For starters, landowners get more permits. In turn, they are more able to help keep deer numbers in check. And we finally have a good handle on how many people are hunting deer in Missouri, which enables us to make better decisions about deer management.”

Hansen said the large number of antlerless deer permits issued in recent years has not led to a proportional increase in the antlerless harvest, although the number of antlerless deer harvested has increased.

“Very few hunters are willing to harvest more than one or two deer a year,” he said. “Getting deer out of the woods can be hard work, and there is only so much meat a family can eat in a year. Consequently, the average hunter is not likely to harvest multiple deer, no matter how many permits are available or how inexpensive they are.”

Hansen said he would like to see hunters shoot more does for several reasons. For one thing, he said, Missouri’s deer hunters are getting older. As they age, they harvest fewer deer. The only way that hunters can kill fewer deer and still have the same braking effect on deer numbers is to kill more female deer.

“Taking bucks out of the population does very little to slow population growth,” he said. “If we are going to kill fewer deer in the future, more of them need to be does. Otherwise, we will see an increase in deer numbers and deer problems, such as deer-vehicle accidents and damage to crops.”

To encourage hunters to shoot more deer than they and their families and friends can eat, the Conservation Department, in cooperation with the Conservation Federation of Missouri, offers Share the Harvest. This program allows hunters to donate whole deer to food banks and other charities to help feed needy Missourians.

In many cases, hunters pay nothing for processing the deer. This expense is shared by the Conservation Department, corporate partners, sporting groups and local sponsors.

For more information about Share the Harvest, visit missouriconservation.org/hunt/deer/share or contact the Conservation Federation at (573) 634-2322, mofed@socket.net

-Jim Low-

Australian crayfish concern Missouri biologist

Officials with the Missouri Department of Conservation are concerned about ecological problems that could result if Australian red-claw crayfish were brought into the Show-Me State. The Wildlife Code of Missouri prohibits the importation or possession of Australian crayfish. Only species on the Approved Aquatic Species List may be brought into the state legally. (Photo courtesy of Clive Jones, Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries)

Check with the Conservation Department before bringing any crayfish from out of state.

JEFFERSON CITY-One person’s dream can be another’s nightmare. The Australian red-claw crayfish is a perfect example, with serious implications for ecological damage to Missouri.

The Australian red-claw, Cherax quadricarinatus, sometimes is called the “freshwater lobster,” because it grows much larger than most crayfish, topping out at more than a pound. Under favorable conditions, it can grow much more rapidly than crayfish native to Missouri, reaching three-quarters of a pound in its first year of life.

Naturally, commercial crayfish growers are interested in a species with that kind of growth potential. Actually, that is just the start. Equally important to crayfish culturists are the red-claw’s ability to tolerate a wide range of living conditions and spawn several times a year. On top of that, Australian red-claws lack the burrowing habit that makes some crayfish species difficult to maintain in man-made ponds with earthen dams.

In short, the red-claw seems to be an aquaculturist’s dream. So it is not surprising that the Missouri Department of Conservation receives periodic inquiries from crayfish producers asking about the possibility of importing the Australian species. Those calls send cold shivers up Resource Scientist Bob DiStefano’s spine.

DiStefano’s experience with crayfish goes back to graduate research into the effect of acid rain on North American species. His early work for the Conservation Department included studies of the importance of crayfish as food for smallmouth bass and other sport fish. He also is active in the International Association of Astacology (IAA), a group whose members include both scientists and commercial crayfish culturists.

DiStefano says that crayfish form a tremendously important link in Missouri’s aquatic food chain. They inhabit every watery habitat in the state, from muddy Mississippi River bayous to pristine springs and caves. In many habitats they are extremely abundant.

Crayfish will eat almost anything. One of their staple foods is detritus - bits of leaves, dead insects and other organic debris that settles to the bottom of lakes and streams. Crayfish are, in turn, eaten by everything from bullfrogs to herons. They make up the overwhelming majority of the diets of some predators, such as goggle-eye sunfish, smallmouth bass and, in the warm months, river otters.

“The more than 30 crayfish species native to Missouri are a huge part of the food chain that sustains our lakes and streams,” said DiStefano. “Our studies showed that goggle-eye eat almost exclusively medium-sized crayfish, hardly ever large ones. There is no telling what would happen to fish populations if those native species disappeared and were replaced by crayfish that grow too large for most fish to eat.”

DiStefano said there is reason for concern that red-claw crayfish could replace native species if the Australian species was ever introduced into Missouri waters.

“Their size is a concern,” he said. “In the crayfish world, size is a very big factor in competition. Large crayfish usually displace smaller ones. We are worried about our native crayfish fauna because these Australian crayfish are so much bigger.”

Competition is not the only worrisome prospect for DiStefano. He says the introduction of North American crayfish into Europe provides a sobering case study in what can happen when people transplant crayfish to new areas. A fungus carried by new world crayfish without ill effects proved devastating to European species, decimating the native crayfish fauna.

“We have very little idea what these Australian crayfish might carry or what effect their parasites and diseases might have on our local fauna. Based on the European situation, it is not unreasonable to think that these Australian crayfish might carry some pathogen that could get out into our environment and cause a lot of damage. It has been a huge problem in Europe and a wake-up call to those of us who work with crayfish.”

For instance, said DiStefano, the red-claw crayfish is known to carry a 1-inch parasitic flatworm. Whether this parasite might devastate Missouri crayfish species is unknown.

He said Australian red-claw crayfish can survive out of water and often move short distances overland to new habitats.

“I have a friend who is a crayfish biologist in Australia who raises these crayfish,” says DiStefano. “He cautions me that they are nearly impossible to contain in a culture situation, even indoors. He says he would be very skeptical of anyone’s claim that they could totally contain Australian red-claw crayfish in a culture situation without a few of them escaping to the wild.”

DiStefano said the Conservation Department is not opposed to crayfish culture. In fact, he routinely advises people on crayfish culture, and has contacts in the crayfish culturing community both in Missouri and worldwide through the IAA.

He said many international crayfish biologists and crayfish culturists do not support the establishment of red-claw crayfish in the United States until they are thoroughly researched. He said he is not aware of any federal restrictions on importation of Australian crayfish, but the Conservation Department is taking a cautious approach and trying to keep them out of the state at this time.

The Wildlife Code of Missouri prohibits the importation or possession of Australian crayfish. Only species on the Approved Aquatic Species List may be cultured.

“I’m not sure if that will be forever,” said DiStefano, “or if at some point, years down the road, these crayfish will be researched well enough to convince us that they are not a potential threat.”

The Approved Aquatic Species List is available at www.sos.mo.gov/adrules/csr/current/3csr/3c10-4.pdf. DiStefano urged people who want to import crayfish or other aquatic plants or animals into Missouri to contact the Conservation Department first. Further information about invasive aquatic species is available at www.protectyourwaters.net/.

-Jim Low-

Online survey asks Missourians about wetland values

Anyone can express their opinion about values from flood control to wildlife and recreation.

JEFFERSON CITY-Missourians have an opportunity to tell state officials how they feel about wetland management and preservation through an online survey.

Most of Missouri’s historic wetlands have been converted to agricultural, residential or commercial uses. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) set up the online survey to gauge citizens’ estimation of the value of wetlands. Information from the anonymous survey will help the agency develop economic tools to evaluate wetland compensation and costs the public is willing to pay for wetland management and restoration.

The survey is available at dnr.mo.gov/env/wrc/survey.htm. Questions cover participants’ experience with wetlands and wetland-related activities. The nine-page survey also explores what value respondents place on the various functions of wetlands, including flood control, wildlife habitat, water quality enhancement, erosion control and recreation. Questions ask participants to place a value on each of these functions, relative to wetland acreage’s fair market value.

Any Missouri citizen may participate in the wetland survey. Results will later be published by the DNR.

-Jim Low-

Arbor Day Foundation urges caution in hiring arborists

Fly-by-night tree services sometimes do more harm than good.

JEFFERSON CITY - The National Arbor Day Foundation (NADF) has a warning for Missourians - beware of people who show up on your doorstep offering tree-repair and removal services.

According to the NADF, fly-by-night tree services often pour into areas after devastating storms. Local arborists and tree services may be overwhelmed by large-scale tree damage. Tree owners, eager to clean up and unable to tell the difference between qualified professionals and unscrupulous operators with no training, little experience and little interest in anything except making a quick buck.

“Legitimate arborists rarely go door-to-door to solicit business,” said NADF President John Rosenow. “Make sure you are dealing with a reputable individual or tree-care firm when you contemplate repairs or removal of any trees on your property.”

Companies with no local ties have little to lose by leaving dissatisfied customers. Unqualified workers can cause serious harm to trees by improper pruning. Furthermore, uninsured tree services may simply walk away from botched jobs, leaving property owners holding the bag for home repairs or worse.

The NADA offers the following suggestions to avoid becoming a victim.

--Hire local tree services and arborists listed in the phone book if possible.

--Confirm that workers are working for the company, not moonlighting.

--Ask for current certificates of insurance proving they are insured for property damage, personal liability and worker compensation.

--When possible, hire certified members of a professional association, such as the Missouri Consulting Foresters Association or the International Society of Arboriculture.

--Get estimates from more than one company to ensure a competitive price.

--Insist that the estimate take into account the value of products from your trees to you, or if they are sold to others. Large, straight, limbless hardwood tree trunks can be worth thousands of dollars as veneer or saw timber. A pile of firewood or wood chip mulch can save you money and defray the cost of tree work.

--Establish a clear understanding of who removes limbs and other debris and whether the price includes stump removal.


The NADF, based in Nebraska City, Neb., is dedicated to encouraging people to “plant, nurture and celebrate trees.” For more information, visit www.arborday.org/.

-Jim Low-

Some storm-damaged trees can recover

Limbs torn from trees by ice storms can be converted to useful mulch with a wood chipper. (Missouri Dept. of Conservation photo)

Careful pruning and tender loving care may save some trees.

JEFFERSON CITY-Missouri’s second devastating ice storm in 12 months damaged tens of thousands of trees in cities statewide. The Missouri Department of Conservation has advice about how to determine which trees are salvageable and how to nurse them back to health.

Long-lived hardwood trees, such as oaks, sugar maples and hickories, might have a future if they still have at least half their branches and were in good health before the damage occurred. Also, they must be structurally sound. Trees that have lost major limbs, creating large, ragged wounds on the trunk, are poor candidates for rehabilitation.

Soft-wooded species like silver maples, poplars, Bradford pears and Siberian elms are prone to breakage, so they are harder to salvage if they lose more than a few limbs. Those species are short-lived and grow fast, so it usually makes sense to replace them.

Professional foresters and certified arborists can provide advice about whether a particular tree is worth trying to save. They also have the equipment needed to prune large trees safely.

If only a few low limbs are damaged, homeowners may be able to remove them. It is important to remove hanging limbs to eliminate safety hazards to people.

If not done properly, however, pruning can cause further damage. The most common pruning problem is bark tears. This occurs when a branch is cut on its upper surface and breaks before the saw cuts all the way through. As the limb falls, it pulls downward on the remaining bark, tearing the bark below the branch.

To avoid this, first cut a few inches into the damaged branch’s bottom surface a foot or two from its junction with the main branch. This will prevent bark tearing. Make a second cut a foot or so above the first one, severing most of the limb and thereby taking its weight off the remaining stump. Make a final cut just above the raised ridge of bark that forms a sort of collar around the base of the limb. Leave the collar intact. It will produce new growth to cover the wound left by the limb. The cut should be a little closer to the collar on the upper side than on the bottom.

When a main branch breaks off, the best procedure is to remove the remaining stump back to the next-largest remaining branch. Again, the three-cut method will avoid bark tears. The final cut should start just above the ridge of bark that marks the junction of the broken limb with the rest of the tree. Make the cut at a slight downward angle, so the resulting surface does not catch water, which can promote rot.

Bark tears can occur when ice breaks limbs near their bases. Clean up these tears to reduce the risk of disease or parasites. Use a chisel or sharp knife to remove bark that is not firmly attached to the tree and smooth ragged edges where fungus or parasites can hide. Do not enlarge the exposed area any more than necessary.

Do not paint the exposed surface of bark tears or pruning wounds. This actually hampers healing. The Conservation Department has publications that provide detailed information about tree pruning and about selecting and planting trees for different purposes. Conservation Department urban foresters, consulting foresters and certified arborists also can be helpful in replacing lost trees. To tap these resources, visit http://www.mdc.mo.gov/forest/, or write to Missouri Department of Conservation, Tree Care After Storms, P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180 or e-mail pubstaff@mdc.mo.gov.

To avoid the waste and smoke that go with burning downed wood, consider renting a chipper and turning tree limbs into useful mulch. Cedars, which were among the tree species hit hardest by ice storms, make fragrant, long-lasting mulch that is excellent for acid-loving shrubs, such as rhododendrons and azaleas. Hardwood chips make excellent general-purpose mulch.

For information about getting rid of tree debris, visit www.mdc.mo.gov/wildfire.

-Jim Low-

Communities can get help removing, replacing trees

The Conservation Department and Forest ReLeaf offer help replacing trees on public land.

JEFFERSON CITY-Dozens of Missouri communities lost trees in parks and other public areas to the ice storm in December. If your town is among them, The Missouri Department of Conservation and Forest ReLeaf of Missouri have ways to deal with damaged trees and repair or replace them affordably.

The Conservation Department’s Tree Resource Improvement and Maintenance (TRIM) program is designed to help communities grow and manage trees that make cities healthy, pleasant places to live. Pre-approved grants through the program help pay for removal or pruning of hazardous trees, tree inventory, tree planting and training volunteers and public employees in tree care.

Applicants submit information about project cost and funding, site maps and drawings, management plans and a letter of approval from the governmental body that owns the proposed project site. The application deadline is June 1.

Grants are awarded competitively. A panel of judges assesses each proposal for value to the community, thoroughness of the tree management program, economic feasibility and the applicant's ability to promote, improve and develop a community urban forest.

Grant recipients get up to 60 percent of total project funding. Communities with The National Arbor Day Foundation's Tree City USA designation are eligible for an additional 15 percent cost-share.

To receive a TRIM grant application and workbook, write to Community Forestry Coordinator, Forestry Division, Missouri Department of Conservation, P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180.

Forest ReLeaf of Missouri was founded in 1993 as the local response to Global ReLeaf. Global ReLeaf is an international project of American Forest intended to combat global warming through tree planting. Today, Forest ReLeaf is an independent, not-for-profit organization dedicated to inspiring volunteers to plant and care for trees and forests, especially those in cities and towns.

Forest ReLeaf provides trees and presents educational programs to promote stewardship of trees and forests.

One of Forest ReLeaf’s programs, Project ReLeaf, offers reduced-cost trees each spring and fall for planting on public or not-for-profit organizations’ property. Since 1994, it has distributed more than 28,000 balled and burlapped 5- to 10-foot-tall trees from its nursery in Creve Coeur Park in Maryland Heights. The trees are ideal for parks or city streets.

Forest ReLeaf publishes catalogs listing available tree species, sizes and prices in January and August. Ordering deadlines are in February and September. For more information, contact Mike Walsh, Forest ReLeaf of Missouri, 4207 Lindell, Suite 301, St. Louis, MO 63108, phone (888) 473-5323. Or visit www.moreleaf.org.

-Jim Low-

Calendar a must for landowners who want quail

This wall calendar has 12 months of management tips and landmarks in the bobwhite’s annual cycle.

JEFFERSON CITY-Landowners who want to increase quail and other grassland wildlife on their property can get help keeping track of seasonal management needs with the 2008 quail management calendar from the Missouri Department of Conservation.

“Your Key to Quail Habitat” is a 32-page outline for quail management success. Whether you want to know when bobwhite chicks hatch, when to burn, plant, spray or disk, the answers will be found on your wall.

The calendar notes key events, such as the start of quail nesting season, average dates of first and second brood hatches and other important milestones in the bobwhite quail’s year. Also included are reminders about the best times for management activities, such as planting food plots, and the last day for managing fields enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program. The calendar has tips for easy quail habitat creation.

Illustrations by Conservation Department artists David Besenger and Mark Raithel accompany each monthly page. The calendar also devotes pages to prairie chicken management and how to enhance the effectiveness of individual management efforts by forming a quail co-op with neighbors.

Although the calendar focuses on quail, the activities outlined in it benefit all sorts of wildlife, from colorful songbirds to box turtles. To receive a free copy of the calendar, call the nearest Conservation Department office and ask to speak to a private land conservationist.

-Jim Low-

Darrow, Dent are new Wildlife, Resource Science division chiefs

DeeCee Darrow and Ron Dent (Missouri Dept. of Conservation photos)

Both new division chiefs have broad experience within the agency.

JEFFERSON CITY-DeeCee Darrow and Ron Dent have been chosen to lead the Missouri Department of Conservation’s Wildlife and Resource Science divisions, respectively. In announcing the appointments, Conservation Department Director John Hoskins noted the depth and breadth of both new chiefs’ experience.

“I am confident DeeCee and Ron will bring a wealth of talent and vision to the Conservation Department’s administrative team, and that they are very enthusiastic about the opportunities that await them in their new positions,” said Hoskins.

Darrow holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in fisheries and wildlife management from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Her first resource-management job was as a research aid with MU on contract with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. She also served as a research project coordinator and worked for the MU Cooperative Extension Service as a fish and wildlife specialist.

Darrow went to work for the Conservation Department in 1988 as a wildlife management specialist. Her jobs have included stints as a wildlife programs supervisor, resource science supervisor and forest management chief. She has worked with the Missouri Ozarks Forest Ecosystem Project, the environmental health, special permits, landowner permits, waterfowl reservation, wildlife restoration and federal aid programs.

Her professional involvements have included terms as president of the Missouri chapters of The Wildlife and Ruffed Grouse societies, as well as president of the North Central Section of The Wildlife Society, serving eight states.

Darrow said she does not plan any dramatic changes in the way the Wildlife Division operates, but she doesn’t intend to settle for status quo, either.

“Over the next several months I hope to visit regional staff all around the state,” said Darrow. “The division management team will continue to meet at field locations occasionally to further promote communication between planners and those who get work done on the ground. This is critical for making good decisions.”

Darrow said top priorities include wetland, prairie and quail conservation efforts, full implementation of Missouri’s Comprehensive Wildlife Strategy, using technology to enhance staff effectiveness and continued partnerships with other government agencies and private conservation organizations.

Dent graduated from Southern Illinois University (SIU) with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in biology and zoology. His first resource-management job was as an aquatic biologist for Wapora, Inc., of Washington, D.C. He also worked as a research assistant at SIU.

He went to work for the Conservation Department in 1976 as a fisheries biologist evaluating the effects of a 15-inch minimum length limit on black bass at Pomme de Terre Lake and Lake of the Ozarks. Since then he has worked as a fisheries management biologist, fisheries regional supervisor, fisheries research chief and resource science field chief.

Dent’s professional affiliations include The Wildlife Society, the Society for Conservation Biology and the American Fisheries Society (AFS), whose Missouri chapter he served as president. He has received the Missouri Lifetime Achievement Award from Muskies, Inc., the Fisheries Management Employee of the Year Award, the John L. Funk Award of Excellence, the AFS Meritorious Service Award and the Resource Science Achievement Award.

Dent noted that conservation challenges are more complex today than ever before and require collaboration across professional disciplines. He said the problems that wildlife and fisheries managers face today are interrelated with the problems of society at large. Solving those problems will require blending societal values and biological principles and cooperation with a wide range of public and private partners. He said he plans to meet with staff and other divisions to look for ways to meet this goal.

Dent’s professional and personal interests blend well. He is an avid hunter, angler and canoeist and manages his cattle farm in Benton County to benefit wildlife.

“We can manage our wild resources for the benefit of Missourians and still sustain the ecological integrity of our grasslands, wetlands, streams, agricultural lands and forests,” said Dent. “My goal is to provide a sound scientific basis for management decisions. With the incredible expertise of Resource Science Division employees, we are well prepared to support the Department of Conservation and Conservation Commission.”

-Jim Low-

Twin Pines Conservation Nature Center open, many events already on calendar

The new facility brings nature-centered crafts, games and outdoor activities to the heart of the Ozarks.

WINONA, Mo.-Southeast Missouri residents have a new educational and recreational resource in their back yard. Visitors to the heart of the Ozarks also might want to visit the newly opened Twin Pines Conservation Education Center (CEC) for a glimpse into the region’s natural and cultural history.

This 456-acre area on Highway 60, 1.3 miles east of the junction with Highway 19 North in Winona, is the home of an interpretive center that emphasizes Missouri’s forest heritage.

Currently scheduled program offerings include:

--Volunteer Orientation Jan. 8 - People interested in volunteer work at the education center can learn details from 6 to 8 p.m.
--Environmental Science Merit Badge - 6 to 8 p.m. Jan. 10. Boy Scouts can fulfill all requirements for this badge by attending sessions Jan. 17, 24 and 31. Registration required.
--Learning Outdoor School - Aquatics for Homeschoolers - 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 6. This science series is designed for grades 5 through 9. Students completing the training on Feb. 20 and March 12 and 19 will receive 20 hours of science credit for chemical water testing, water cycle, food webs, thermodynamics and… fishing! Registration required.
--Scenic Riverways Homeschool Workshop - 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 14. No registration. Call for details.
--Soaring with the Eagles - 6 to 7 p.m. Feb. 15. See a live bald eagle from Dickerson Park Zoo close up and learn how this species came back from the brink of extinction. Registration required. Daytime programs available for schools.
--Scenic Rivers Watershed Partnership public meeting - 1 p.m. March 5.
--We’re done testing…Now what? -9 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 8. Educators can garner teaching ideas for every grade level to help students learn things they need to know for next year’s tests.
--Stream Team Introductory Training - March 29. Learn how to care for your favorite creek or river. Register online at mostreamteam.org.
--GRAND OPENING - 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 19. Enjoy food and fun as we celebrate our official opening.
--Waterfest - 9:20 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. April 25. Fourth-graders will spend the day celebrating water and addressing grade-level expectations. Call for more information or to register.
--Flying into Bird Week - 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 3. May 10 is International Migratory Bird Day. Educators can learn how to get the most out of this national event with suggestions for hands-on activities and materials. This session will address grade-level expectations. Registration requested. Educators only, please.
--Day Shift, Night Shift and Garbage Man - 6 to 7 p.m. May 8. Learn about Missouri’s birds of prey and their roles in our ecosystem. See live “raptors,” including a peregrine falcon, Swainson’s hawk and a vulture. Daytime programs available for schools. Call for information and registration.
--Missouri Outdoor Families: Travelers on the Sky Highway - 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 10. Discover fun-filled facts about the newly arrived migratory birds at observation areas. Parents can register to help their young birders identify birds at observation areas or on guided hikes.
--Travelers on the Sky Highway - 4 p.m. May 10. Join members of the Greater Ozarks Audubon Society and learn more about birds of the Ozarks. A dawn hike also is available on request.

Other programs, special events and classes are available by appointment. For event information and registration, call (573) 325-1381.

Twin Pines CEC’s regular hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, closed Monday and Tuesday.

Besides organized activities, Twin Pines offers opportunities for hiking, birdwatching, nature photography and other nature-related activities. A trail through the area provides access to pine-oak woodland and several other forest types.

Because of its location in the midst of Missouri’s most productive forests, Twin Pines CEC places a special emphasis on the history of the Ozarks’ timber industry. Displays at Twin Pines include vintage logging equipment, a log cabin and an early 20th century schoolhouse.

Youth fishing clinics for largemouth bass, hybrid sunfish and channel catfish is allowed in 2-acre Mule Camp Pond by special permit only. Hunting is not permitted at Twin Pines CEC.

-Jim Low-

Softening winter’s blows for trees, wildlife

Trees and animals are adapted to the rigors of winter, but people can help.

JEFFERSON CITY-Sitting in a warm house, watching birds swarm around feeders and seeing trees groan under hundreds of pounds of ice, it is natural to wonder how they survive the brutal treatment that Missouri winters dish out. Experts with the Missouri Department of Conservation say wild plants and animals are superbly adapted to their environments. Even so, they say, people can help.

HOW ANIMALS COPE

Cold weather requires birds and mammals to maintain a positive energy budget. If they take in fewer calories than they burn for several days in a row they freeze to death.

This is why birds become more visible at backyard feeders in cold or windy weather. Sunflowers, suet and other human offerings might not be their favorite foods, but when times get tough, quantity and availability trump perfect nutrition.

Birds and mammals use tactics like crowding into communal sleeping areas to share warmth when the mercury dips into frostbite territory. Birds of several species may crowd into tree cavities or man-made houses on extremely cold nights.

Birds such as cardinals and sparrows and finches, and mammals like rabbits take refuge in dense woody cover. This is because brush piles and shrubby thickets offer shelter from the wind. The ground beneath such cover is warm enough to remain relatively snow-and ice-free, permitting animals to forage for seeds and other food.

Such cover also provides protection from predators, which have an easier time finding their prey in snowy landscapes.

Where woody cover is not available, quail huddle together in dense clumps of weeds, forming tight circles with their sides and tails touching to minimize heat loss. However, the greater exposure to wind saps energy from their tiny bodies.

Quail, rabbits and other small animals survive even severe weather surprisingly well in areas with dense woody cover close to food sources, such as crop residue or seed-bearing weeds. Conservation Department researchers who were tracking radio-tagged quail during the January ice storm reported that no quail died during that event. They found them buried deep in brush piles created by felling trees along the forest edge. This “edge feathering” adjacent to crop fields and native grass pastures sustained the birds when those in more exposed locations perished.

FIRST AID FOR TREES

Trees and other plants deal with winter by going dormant. They are relatively unfazed by normal winter weather. However, the ice storms that blanketed most of Missouri in January or December created hardships that challenged even the strongest of trees.

With more than half an inch of ice coating every solid surface, the weight bearing down on limbs went from hundreds to thousands of pounds overnight. Trees with dense wood, sturdy central trunks and horizontal branches capable of bearing the weight of leaves and nuts - hardwood species like white oaks, walnuts and hickories - held up fairly well. Most lost only branches already weakened by diseases or parasites.

Much harder-hit were trees whose wood was less dense and whose structures were less adapted to bearing heavy loads. Many fast-growing softwoods, including silver maples, poplars and Bradford pear trees, lost all their branches or sheered off near the ground, collapsing under their own weight.

Evergreens like cedars, pines and firs also suffered terribly, because their foliage offered many times the surface area for ice formation. Isolation made things worse, since stand-alone trees did not have others to lean on. In some areas, nearly all the large evergreens lost branches in or near their tops.

Other tree species, such as elms and ashes, took a beating because their limbs branch off at acute angles. Elm and ash seeds weigh much less than nuts and are shed soon after flowering. Consequently, those trees’ branches are not as well-suited for supporting heavy loads. Gravity, tugging relentless on hundreds of gallons of frozen water for days on end, tore the tops out of many trees and ripped some weak crotches to the ground.

Conservation Department Resource Scientist Bruce Moltzan said the loss of limbs to storms is not entirely bad.

“Natural pruning is part of normal tree growth,” said Moltzan. “Wind, ice and frost merely act as agents that clear off weak wood and create openings in the forest canopy.”

He said those openings are good for wildlife, because they allow sunlight to reach the forest floor and stimulate a flush of new vegetation. That increases the variety of food and habitat available to wildlife.

Downed wood also benefits a wide range of wildlife, including quail, songbirds and rabbits, by creating natural brush piles.

The news isn’t as good for the trees themselves. Moltzan said wounds left behind by broken limbs create entry points for fungi and other tree diseases and parasites. The effects of such infections sometimes take years to become visible as hollow trunks or bulging cankers.

Again, wildlife can benefit from tree’s woes. Squirrels, woodpeckers and other animals find shelter in tree trunks whose hearts rot out. In north Missouri, endangered Indiana bats have been observed moving into areas where many trees had died to set up maternity colonies and summer roosts beneath the loose bark of dead trees.

Although storm damage can lead to harmful infections, Moltzan said extensive research has shown that trees have a remarkable ability to wall off injury sites, preventing the spread of pathogens.

“Trees don’t just give up without a fight,” he said. “Most trees immediately begin the process of healing by compartmentalizing damaged areas.”

With a winter storm, cold weather works in the trees’ favor. They have a few months for damage control while fungi, insects and other pathogens are dormant.

“Careful pruning of damaged wood helps keep infection out,” said Moltzan. “After that, it is up to the tree.”

Proper pruning techniques are outlined at mocommunitytrees.com/.

Trees in developed areas are both more and less fortunate than those growing in forests. Trees along streets or highways often fall prey to “topping,” the practice of cutting off all large branches below power lines. This is only a temporary solution to the hazard of falling tree limbs, and weak branches that eventually grow from topped trees are much more vulnerable to ice and wind damage than normal growth.

Growing in cities or around houses has some benefits for trees, however. Home and business owners care for their trees in ways that are not practical in forests. Watering during dry weather - summer and winter - and fertilizing in the fall help urban trees stay strong and healthy and resist storm damage.

When damage does occur, property owners help trees by removing hanging limbs and pruning the stumps to minimize exposure to disease and parasites.

The Conservation Department has publications with detailed information about tree pruning and other after-storm tree care. To tap these resources, visit mdc.mo.gov/forest/features/tree_storm.htm or write to Missouri Department of Conservation, Tree Care After Storms, P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180 or e-mail pubstaff@mdc.mo.gov.

A certified arborist can tell you whether a tree is salvageable and recommend measures for saving damaged trees. Trees that lose more than half of their limbs in a storm usually need to be replaced. This process is an opportunity for property owners to ensure new trees’ long-term health.

The first step is choosing species that are suited to the particular location. Arborists also can help select trees that thrive under local conditions and ensure they get a good start.

Another wise move is planting a variety of tree species. This prevents wholesale die-offs due to a single health issue, such as emerald ash borers or Dutch elm disease.

To find a certified arborist near you, visit missouriforesters.com.

PREVENTING FIRES

Ice storms dump tons of woody debris on the ground, increasing the danger from wildfire. Storms early and late in 2007 multiplied the supply of natural fuels as much as 10 times in some areas. This could intensify wildfires and aid their spread.

Missourians who own homes and businesses near woodlands can reduce the fire risk by removing woody debris. Chipping or burning are effective, but the amount of debris can make chipping impractical in some areas. Burning runs the risk of starting fires while trying to prevent them.

Consolidating downed limbs into isolated brush piles reduces fire’s ability to sweep through a woodlot. Piling brush at least 100 yards from homes, barns and other structures reduces danger to lives and property, even if the material does catch fire.

The Conservation Department is working to raise awareness of the increased wildfire hazard and is developing detailed information about how to reduce the danger on your land. This information will be available at mdc.mo.gov/wildfire.

-Jim Low-

State Fish Art Contest application deadline is March 31

Aspiring artists can win tuition scholarships.

JEFFERSON CITY-Missouri youngsters can draw top honors in the Wildlife Forever State-Fish Art Contest with artworks depicting the channel catfish.

The State-Fish Art Project is an interdisciplinary conservation education program that uses art to spark the imagination of students and foster a sense of discovery of the natural world. It teaches valuable lessons about fish and the need for conservation of aquatic resources.

Entering its 16th year, the State-Fish Art program has two primary components - a comprehensive State-Fish Art Lesson Plan for students in grades 4-12, available free of charge at statefishart.com, and a national art contest that serves as an outreach initiative and showcase for youth in the arts. Through the program, youngsters develop an understanding of fish anatomy, behavior and habitat needs, as well as increased appreciation of the arts. Wildlife Forever promotes the contest and associated curriculum as a great resource for home-school families as well as classroom teachers.

The art contest draws entries from children across the United States. Students paint or draw their state’s officially designated fish in its natural habitat. Participants also write an essay that describes the fish’s habitat, physical characteristics and behavior. A committee of distinguished judges selects three winners from each state. State winners receive prizes including rods and reels and art supplies. National winners receive tuition scholarships to the Art Institutes International Minnesota.

Winning artwork is posted on the State-Fish Art website and the artists are honored at the State-Fish Art Expo, held annually at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota. The Expo includes an artist workshop, fishing outing, winners’ reception and an awards ceremony.

The entry deadline for the 2007 contest is March 31. For more information about the contest, visit www.statefishart.com, or contact Brett Richardson, brichardson@wildlifeforever.org, (763) 253-0222.

Wildlife Forever is a multi-species non-profit conservation organization that works to preserve America’s wildlife heritage through conservation education, preservation of habitat and scientific management of fish and wildlife species. Working at the grassroots level, Wildlife Forever has funded conservation projects in all 50 states, committing millions of dollars to “on the ground” conservation efforts. To learn more visit www.wildlifeforever.org.

-Jim Low-