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Warm, dry weather and a strong deer population enabled Missouri hunters to top last year's record kill.
JEFFERSON CITY – Missouri hunters enjoyed nearly perfect weather for the second year in a row and posted a record harvest of 205,867 deer during the November firearms deer hunt.
Daytime high temperatures ran 10 to 20 degrees above normal during the 11-day November segment of firearms deer season. Lack of rain also encouraged hunters to stay in the field during the segment, which is open to hunting with modern firearms and muzzle-loading rifles.
Conservation Department officials said last year that a repeat of the record 2000 deer harvest – 201,165 – was as unlikely as a repetition of the nearly flawless weather. But this year's conditions were even better than last year's, and hunters topped the previous mark by 4,702 deer.
The 2000 harvest was more than 6,000 larger than the previous record, set in 1998.
The bad news is that Missouri deer hunters also duplicated last year's tally of four nonfatal and two fatal deer hunting accidents. While this is less than half the number of accidents routinely reported 15 years ago, Conservation Department officials say they continue to strive for an accident-free firearms deer season. They attribute a general decline in hunting accidents to public information campaigns focusing on hunting safety and to hunter education classes, which became mandatory in 1988.
Top harvest counties this year were Howell, 3,935; Callaway, 3,821 and Franklin, 3,788. Regional harvest totals were: Northeast, 36,769 (down 176 from last year); west-central, 32,742 (+3,261); northwest, 30,249 (-2,258); central, 24,664, (+491); east-central, 21,078 (+1,404); southwest, 19,319 (+1,300); Ozark, 18,738 (+449); southeast, 14,253 (+294); Kansas City, 4,230 (-273); St. Louis, 3,825 (+210).
- Jim Low -
Only six of the potentially devastating forest pests turned up statewide.
JEFFERSON CITY – Missouri's 2001 gypsy moth population monitoring was anything but a great counting effort. Only six moths turned up in 11,900 traps set by state and federal agencies this year. You won't hear complaints about that. Low numbers of trapped moths mean the exotic forest pest has not become established in the state.
Four moths were found in St. Louis County and one each was found in Stone and Callaway counties. Missouri Department of Conservation Forest Entomologist Rob Lawrence said a few moths consistently turn up in the tourist hot spots of Branson and St. Louis.
Although this is not the first time a moth has been captured in Callaway County, Lawrence said the occurrence of gypsy moths in central Missouri is rare. The forestry entomologist suspects the trapped moths were inadvertently imported into the state.
"The captures are an indication of the number of moths being transported into Missouri," Lawrence said. "We do not have any established populations of gypsy moths in the state. A new national program called Slow-The-Spread is working to delay their spread by trying to eradicate moth populations that build up ahead of the advancing front of the gypsy moth infestation."
The leading edge of the infestation front extends from Wisconsin to North Carolina. Gypsy moths have been moving westward since their introduction in Massachusetts in 1869. One estimate by the USDA Forest Service had predicted that the insects would become established in parts of Missouri around 2015.
Efforts to forestall the establishment of gypsy moth populations in Missouri are aimed at protecting the state's forests, especially oak trees. Oaks, which dominate Missouri's forests, are the primary food source for gypsy moths. The animals can defoliate trees. Each gypsy moth caterpillar consumes about nine square feet of leaves before changing into an adult. Their appetite, combined with the insects' prodigious reproductive capacity, could be very destructive to the state's forests.
Delaying establishment of a gypsy moth population is more critical now than ever, because of the threat oak decline poses to state forests. Oak decline is a phenomenon that causes oaks to weaken and die. Red oaks stressed by age, poor soil and drought are especially vulnerable. Affected trees are more susceptible to attacks from insects and diseases. A combination of oak decline and a gypsy moth infestation could kill many oak trees throughout the state.
"We have lots of older, stressed trees that could not withstand a gypsy moth infestation," Lawrence said. "Delaying the establishment of a gypsy moth population gives us time to better manage our forests. As we lose trees to oak decline, or as people landscape, I encourage them to plant a variety of trees. Planting a diversity of species makes us less vulnerable to oak decline or gypsy moths."
Gypsy moth monitoring is a cooperative effort of the Conservation Department, Missouri Department of Agriculture, University of Missouri Integrated Pest Management Unit and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Traps are baited with female moth pheromone, which attracts males. In most areas, trap density ranges from one per eight square miles to one trap per square mile. In areas where moths were captured in previous years, one trap is placed per quarter square mile. This year, agencies set approximately 12,000 traps.
- Arleasha Mays -
Part of the revenue from sales of conservation plates is used for education. The rest goes to on-the-ground conservation work.
JEFFERSON CITY -- Conservation license plates are helping to put conservation education on the road to success. Since the introduction of the license plates in 2000, the Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation (MCHF) has raised more than $135,000 for conservation programs throughout the state.
Conservation license plates cost $25. This money is earmarked for the MCHF. The Missouri Motor Vehicle Bureau charges an additional $15 for the personalized plate number.
The Foundation, a private, nonprofit organization, uses some of its share of the license plate money for conservation education. This year the MCHF provided $35,000 for education programs and services through the Missouri Department of Conservation. Part of the money will go to the Conservation Department's Outdoor Classroom Grants program. Thirty-five elementary, middle and high schools received grants to develop and maintain outdoor learning sites. Along with funding, schools approved for Show-Me Conservation Outdoor Classroom Grants receive one-on-one assistance from conservation education consultants to help plan and implement their projects.
Schools interested in developing outdoor classrooms can get more information from regional conservation education consultants or from the Office of Environmental Education, Missouri Department of Conservation, P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180, 573/751-4115.
For more information about Conservation license plates and the work of the Foundation, contact Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation, P.O. Box 366, Jefferson City, MO 65109, 573/634-2080 or 800/227-1488.
- Arleasha Mays -
Above-average temperatures, lack of rain and a strong deer population statewide enabled Missouri hunters to kill more than 205,000 deer during the 11-day November segment of firearms deer season.
JEFFERSON CITY -- Missouri hunters got flawless weather for the second year in a row and posted a record harvest of 205,165 deer during the November firearms deer hunt.
Daytime high temperatures ran 10 to 20 degrees above normal during the 11-day November segment of firearms deer season. Lack of rain also encouraged hunters to stay in the field during the segment, which is open to hunting with modern firearms and muzzle-loading rifles.
Conservation Department officials said last year that a repeat of the record 2000 deer harvest – 201,165 – was as unlikely as a repetition of the nearly flawless weather. But this year's conditions were even better than last year's, and hunters topped the previous mark by 4,702 deer.
The 2000 harvest was more than 6,000 larger than the previous record, set in 1998.
The bad news is that Missouri deer hunters also duplicated last year's tally of four nonfatal and two fatal deer hunting accidents. While this is less than half the number of accidents routinely reported 15 years ago, Conservation Department officials say they continue to strive for an accident-free firearms deer season. They attribute a general decline in hunting accidents to public information campaigns focusing on hunting safety and to hunter education classes, which became mandatory in 1988.
Top harvest counties this year were Howell, 3,935; Callaway, 3,821 and Franklin, 3,788. Regional harvest totals were: Northeast, 36,769 (down 176 from last year); west-central, 32,742 (+3,261); northwest, 30,249 (-2,258); central, 24,664, (+491); east-central, 21,078 (+1,404); southwest, 19,319 (+1,300); Ozark, 18,738 (+449); southeast, 14,253 (+294); Kansas City, 4,230 (-273); St. Louis, 3,825 (+210).
- Arleasha Mays -
Jerky is easy to make, efficient to store and, best of all, tasty.
JEFFERSON CITY-- Venison, sometimes gamey, sometimes tough and often too abundant, poses something of a challenge for hunters. After solving the problems of how to kill a deer and dress the carcass, the final question is what to do with all the resulting meat. One answer is to "jerk" it.
Most of us know jerky as leathery brown strips of dried meat wrapped in plastic in convenience stores. But jerked meat has been around as long as humans have hunted. There are many reasons for this.
First, jerking meat can be as simple as hanging strips of meat over a smoldering fire. Jerked meat is light and compact. With reasonable care it keeps almost indefinitely. The smoke and spices used in many recipes go a long way toward making gamey-tasting meat delicious. Finally, you can jerk any piece of meat, solving the problem of what to do with less-choice venison cuts.
Jerking consists of three steps – cutting, seasoning and drying. The object of cutting is to make the meat thin enough to dry fully. The uncooked strips should be no thicker than a quarter of an inch. Some pieces of meat, such as sheet muscle in the belly or just under the hide along the flanks, are naturally thin and not much good for anything else. These are easy to prepare.
Slicing thicker pieces of meat thinly can be difficult. Meat at room temperature is flabby and tends to shift under pressure. This makes uniform slicing almost impossible. To solve this problem, put meat in the freezer until it becomes stiff, but not solid. With a sharp knife, you can easily shave one-eighth-inch slices from slabs of stiff meat.
Another way of getting thin jerky material is to grind the venison and roll it flat. This offers the added advantage of breaking down the fibers in stringy cuts.
Purists season their jerky with nothing more than salt and wood smoke, but most hunters use marinades based on either soy or Worcestershire sauce. Pepper and garlic are the most common seasonings. Adding vinegar or monosodium glutamate to marinades tenderizes the meat. If you don't want to take time to smoke the meat, you can add smoke flavorings, which grocery stores stock in their spice aisles.
"Slow" is the key word in cooking jerky. Smoker grills specially designed to provide sustained low heat are ideal. However, you can get the same effect with any charcoal grill that has a tight-fitting lid. Adjusting top and bottom vents allows you to control air flow to the coals, which in turn determines temperature. Indoors, you can use an oven set on low – 150 to 200 degrees. Keep the door ajar so moisture can escape.
Wherever you cook your jerky, place it on a wire rack so hot air circulates freely around it. Check the meat often to avoid overcooking. Finished jerky should be stiff, but not crisp.
Smoking provides the greatest protection against spoilage. However, all jerky should be kept in the refrigerator or freezer unless it will be eaten within a few days. Drying significantly reduces the weight and volume of meat. When freezer space is limited, jerking will help you fit in all your venison.
Consider recipes starting points in your quest for the perfect jerk. Here are two good ones.
GROUND MEAT JERKY
(from "Jerky" by A.D. Livingston, The Lyons Press, available in book stores)
4 pounds venison
1 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 Tablespoon Tabasco® sauce
1 Tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 Tablespoon garlic powder
1 Tablespoon Liquid Smoke® (optional)
Cut the meat into chunks and mix with seasonings. Grind with a 3/16- or 1/8-inch screen. Refrigerate 12 hours. Divide into two loaves and spread each out ½ to ¼ inches thick in a cookie sheet. Cut into strips with a knife but don't separate strips. Place cookie sheet in the center of a 150-degree oven and cook for four hours or until almost done. Separate strips and return to oven until done.
GINGERED VENISON JERKY
(from "Duck Gumbo to Barbecued Coon" by Keith and Theresa Sutton, C& C Outdoor Productions, 15601 Mountain Drive, Alexander, AR 72002, www.ccoutdoors.com)
1 pound venison steak or loin, cut against the grain into 1/8-inch slices.
Marinade:
½ cup soy sauce
¼ cup white vinegar
1 Tablespoon minced ginger root
1 teaspoon minced garlic
6 dashes Tabasco® sauce
2 Tablespoons sugar
Spice Rub:
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons black pepper
Place the slices of venison in a sealable plastic bag with marinade ingredients. Make sure all the strips are covered with liquid. Refrigerate for 12 hours. Remove meat and discard marinade. Place meat strips on a wire rack on a cookie sheet. In a bowl, combine spice rub ingredients and mix well. Sprinkle liberally over meat. Cook in a 160-degree oven for eight hours, then check and continue cooking until done. To check for doneness, remove a piece and let it cool to room temperature, then try to bend it. It should break, not bend.
- Jim Low -
The number of deer hunting accidents reported so far this year is about half what it has been in recent years, but two hunters lost their lives needlessly.
JEFFERSON CITY -- For many people the definition of an excellent deer season is one in which there is a record harvest. For Missouri Department of Conservation Protection Programs Supervisor Bob Staton, an excellent season is one without hunting accidents. Six hunting accidents, including two fatalities, prevented the November segment of the 2001 firearms deer season from meeting Staton's standard for excellence.
The Conservation Department received reports of two fatalities during the final weekend of the season. A 45-year-old hunter, Charles Flaugher of Tuscumbia, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest. Flaugher's rifle discharged when he fell while walking through the woods.
The accidental discharge of a .30-30 rifle caused the death of 15-year-old Chad Schetzler. The youth suffered a fatal wound to the chest when his firearm discharged while he and his brother were walking home from deer hunting.
"You've got to think ahead," says Staton. "The safest practice is to unload a firearm while transporting it. When you are moving with a loaded firearm you've got to anticipate the actions you'll take if you fall or drop the gun. If you keep your muzzle pointed in a safe direction and the gun fires accidentally, you won't harm anyone."
Following the hunting rules of safety might have prevented the four non-fatal accidents that occurred. Those accidents involved a hunter shooting himself in the foot while removing a loaded firearm from a tree stand, a shooter mistaking another hunter for game and two injuries caused by stray shots from hunters who failed to assure they had a safe backstop.
Over the past five years, the number of deer hunting accidents in the state has averaged 10.6 annually. Deer hunting accidents peaked in 1986, when the opening weekend saw 10 firearms-related accidents. That year, the Conservation Department recorded 25 nonfatal deer hunting accidents and one fatality
Staton attributes the decrease in deer hunting accidents to public education about accident causes and to the requirement that hunters born on or after Jan. 1, 1967 complete a hunter education course before buying a hunting permit.
Staton said virtually every hunting accident is avoidable if hunters follow a few basic rules. Hunters preparing for the muzzleloader and January portions of the firearms season should keep the following rules of safety in mind:
--Always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.
--Treat every firearm as though it were loaded.
--Always make sure the firearm is unloaded and keep the action open except when actually hunting or preparing to shoot.
--Be sure the barrel and action are clear of obstructions and that you have the proper ammunition for the firearm you are carrying.
--Be sure of your target before you pull the trigger.
--Never point a gun at anything you do not want to shoot. Avoid all horseplay with a firearm.
--Never climb or jump over an obstacle with a loaded firearm.
--Never shoot at a flat, hard surface or water.
--Store firearms and ammunition separately and under lock and key.
--Avoid alcohol and other drugs before and while handling firearms.
- Arleasha Mays -
Missouri's largest citizen conservation organization needs to know about people and organizations who have made contributions to resource conservation.
JEFFERSON CITY -- Some of Missouri's best conservation preservation programs are created by citizens who are dedicated to the improvement of our natural and outdoor resources. A cleaner, more diverse environment is just part of the rewards such conservation innovators can receive. They also can get recognition for their work from the Conservation Federation of Missouri (CFM).
Each year, CFM issues Missouri Conservation Achievement awards to individuals or groups who have performed outstanding service in conserving fish, forests, wildlife, soil, air and water. Conservationist of the Year is the highest honor given by the organization. Some Conservationist of the Year Award recipients are honored for years of service, others for a single remarkable achievement.
"We are very fortunate to live in a state where many of our citizens express their appreciation for our natural resources through hard work to protect and improve them," says CFM Director Denny Ballard. "Some of the best ideas for conserving those resources came from ordinary citizens who were concerned about the environment. Missouri Conservation Achievement awards are a way to thank them for those efforts."
Nominations may be submitted for the following categories: Conservationist of the Year, Conservation Communicator of the Year, Conservation Educator of the Year, Air Conservationist of the Year, Forest Conservationist of the Year, Soil Conservationist of the Year, Water Conservationist of the Year, Wildlife Conservationist of the Year, Professional Conservationist of the Year, Youth Conservationist of the Year, Hunter Education Instructor of the Year and Conservation Organization of the Year. Awards are based largely on accomplishments during 2001.
Nominations for Missouri Conservation Achievement Awards are open to all state residents. Nominations must include triplicate copies of the following information: your name and address, the nominee's name, address and occupation, a statement detailing the nominee's accomplishments and the category for which the person is being nominated. The deadline for submitting applications is Jan. 19.
- Arleasha Mays -
Ideal weather pushes the opening harvest to another record.
JEFFERSON CITY -- A healthy deer herd and perfect hunting conditions contributed to a record opening-weekend deer harvest in Missouri. Hunters bagged 116,553 deer Nov. 10 and 11.
The opening-weekend harvest topped last year's record figure by 5,551. The Missouri Department of Conservation recorded two firearms-related hunting accidents during the opening weekend. Neither of the accidents was fatal.
The opening weekend harvest usually represents 50 to 60 percent of the season total. Based on that fact, the total kill during the November firearms deer season could top 230,000. But Conservation Department Wildlife Research Biologist Lonnie Hansen says the annual deer harvest depends heavily on weather.
"The big harvest during the opening weekend reflects the terrific weather we had," said Hansen. "It was cool enough to feel like deer season in the mornings, but not cold enough to drive hunters back to campfires and kitchens after a few hours. Hunters spent lots of time in the woods, and that's what it takes to kill a deer."
Hansen said dry weather made fallen leaves dry and crunchy, making it easier for hunters to hear deer moving around. Dry weather also allows hunters to drive farther into hunting areas, giving them better access to deer.
Callaway County led county harvest totals with 2,270 deer checked. Benton County was second with 2,215, followed by Macon County with 2,179.
Regional totals were: Northeast, 22,729; west-central, 19,146; northwest, 17,745; central, 14,451; east-central, 11,693; southwest, 9,966; Ozark, 9,096; Southeast, 7,685; Kansas City, 2,264; St. Louis, 1,778.
"Some hunters were concerned that last weekend's youth season might spook deer and have a negative effect on the regular season," said Hansen. "I think this lays that fear to rest pretty convincingly."
Other news of the season included word of a 35-point deer killed in Saline County. Rumor has it that the deer could rival the world record for a nontypical white-tailed deer. That deer, which was found dead beside a road in St. Louis County in 1981, got 333 7/8 on the Boone and Crockett scoring system.
Hansen estimated the size of the state's deer herd at almost a million. He said an annual harvest of approximately 240,000 deer – including the muzzleloader and archery seasons and special hunts – is necessary to maintain that level.
"If we didn't harvest that many deer every year, we would quickly see the results of deer population growth. It would mean increasing damage to agricultural crops and home landscaping and a sharp increase in deer-vehicle collisions." He said increasing deer numbers eventually would lead to ecological damage. As deer pushed the limits of their habitat, their physical condition would decline, and reproduction would decrease.
Last year the season opener saw only one nonfatal deer hunting accident, but by the end of the season the number had risen to four nonfatal accidents and two fatal ones.
Six accidents during an 11-day season is about half the number normally recorded 15 years ago, when the season ran just seven days. Conservation Department officials say they are gratified by deer hunters' improved safety record, but not content with the progress. The decrease in deer hunting accidents has paralleled the implementation of mandatory hunter education as a requirement for buying hunting permits.
- Jim Low -
Missouri officials are exercising extreme caution to avoid infection of wildlife here with a brain wasting disease.
JEFFERSON CITY -- The Missouri Department of Agriculture is working to find out if chronic wasting disease has found its way into captive elk herds here. So far, the news is good, and agriculture officials say they want to keep it that way.
Colorado veterinary health officials recently announced plans to destroy more than 1,500 elk from ranches that raise the animals for meat, antlers and hunting. The move came on the heels of the discovery that elk at Elk Echo Ranch in Stoneham, Colo., are infected with (CWD).
Colorado officials said the infected facility shipped elk to buyers in 15 states, including Missouri. Some of the elk arrived here as long as a year ago. The Missouri Department of Agriculture responded by imposing new rules requiring livestock owners to obtain permits to bring elk, deer or other related animals into Missouri and prohibiting the importation of elk or deer from areas known to have CWD.
Of the elk that entered Missouri from the Elk Echo Ranch, some were later shipped out of Missouri. The Agriculture Department has located those that remained here and quarantined them. All will be killed and tested for CWD. The only reliable way to learn if an animal has CWD is to examine its brain.
The Missouri Department of Conservation plans to obtain deer from the areas around farms that received shipments from Elk Echo Ranch and have them tested if any of the elk test positive for CWD.
"Missouri has never had a case of chronic wasting disease in deer or elk, and we want to keep it that way," said Dr. David Hopson, Missouri's acting state veterinarian. "We will be working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to purchase the elk that came from Colorado to test them for chronic wasting disease. Three of the elk from the Colorado herd were tested previously and showed no signs of the disease, which we find very encouraging."
Hopson said current research shows no evidence that CWD can spread to other livestock, such as cattle, or to people. Agriculture officials estimate that Missouri has about 2,000 elk on approximately 80 farms.
CWD could be devastating to Missouri elk farmers. The disease is one of a group of slow-developing diseases collectively known as transmissible spongiform encepalopathies, or TSEs. They cause degeneration of brain tissue that creates holes in brain tissue. There is no treatment, and CWD is always fatal to infected deer and elk.
TSEs are caused by protein fragments called prions. Another prion-caused disease is bovine spongiform encephalopathy, also known as BSE or mad cow disease. Unlike BSE, which has been known to infect a small number of humans who eat the brains and other nerve tissue of infected animals, CWD is not known to affect anything but elk and deer.
While considered rare, CWD is endemic to free-ranging deer and elk in a limited area of southeastern Wyoming, northeastern Colorado, and southwestern Nebraska. CWD has also been found in captive elk herds in Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Saskatchewan. All positive herds are under state quarantines.
"CWD has been around for 20 or 30 years in Colorado without there ever being a single documented case of infection in livestock or humans," said Jeff Beringer, a wildlife research biologist for the Missouri Department of Conservation specializing in white-tailed deer. "Our primary worry at this point is about how CWD could affect Missouri deer."
If any of the Elk Echo Ranch elk in Missouri are found to have
CWD, veterinary health officials will face a new set of challenges. Prions are tougher than most disease-causing agents. They aren't actually alive, so there is no such thing as killing them. Only extremely high-temperature incineration and very caustic chemicals can destroy the proteins, and Missouri doesn't possess the technology needed to exhume buried carcasses and render them harmless.
The Conservation Department is monitoring for CWD. Some deer taken by hunters during the upcoming firearms deer season will be tested for the disease. Hunters who turn over sick deer for testing can get replacement permits that will allow them to take another deer.
The Conservation Department asks hunters who kill or see deer that are weak or emaciated or behave abnormally to call the nearest Conservation Department office with as many details as possible, including the date and exact location of the sighting.
CWD is not related to epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD), which kills some deer in Missouri each year. Every eight to 10 years Missouri experiences a serious outbreak of EHD, which is closely related to a livestock disease known as bluetongue. These outbreaks can kill 20 to 50 percent of the deer locally, but have not affected the overall health of the state's deer herd.
EHD does not infect humans. However, the Conservation Department tracks the incidence of the disease. People who find dead or sick deer should report the sightings to the nearest conservation agent or Conservation Department office.
Symptoms of EHD include lameness, sores in the mouth and on the tongue, emaciation, swollen necks, tongue or eyelids and difficulty breathing. Deer with EHD experience insatiable thirst, and often die near water. The disease usually kills deer quickly. It is common for deer with EHD to exhibit few if any symptoms and appear healthy.
In contrast, deer and elk with CWD die very slowly. Symptoms that set CWD apart from EHD include behavioral changes, such as losing their fear of humans. Confusion, slow, aimless wandering, excessive salivation and emaciation all are common symptoms of CWD.
- Jim Low -
Come out and see some of the 2000 bald eagles that flock to Missouri in winter
JEFFERSON CITY -- When the weather outside is frightful, nature viewing for bald eagle observers can be delightful. Each year hundreds of eagles make the areas around the state's lakes and big rivers their winter home.
For an eagle-eye view of our national bird in its natural habitat, attend one or all of the Missouri Department of Conservation's six Eagle Day events. The programs are designed to let you view eagles in the wild and learn about their population recovery.
Eagle Days will include live eagle programs, videos documenting the biology and recovery of eagles in Missouri, displays and activities for children. Conservation Department staff and volunteers will be on hand with telescopes to help visitors view eagles. Bringing binoculars or a camera is a good idea, too. For some locations the Conservation Department also has mapped out auto tour routes for viewing eagles.
Missouri's winter eagle population averages about 2,000 birds. Only Alaska and Washington have larger wintering eagle populations.
Missouri's large lakes and rivers, which usually remain unfrozen during the winter, give eagles easy access to their dietary mainstay, fish. The birds also eat injured and dead waterfowl and other carrion.
Eagle Days events are scheduled for weekends December through February at locations throughout the state. Unless otherwise noted, each event begins at 9 a.m., and is free of charge. The Eagle Days event schedule is as follows:
--Dec. 1-2 at Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge, Mound City;
--Jan. 5 and 10 a.m. Jan. 6 at Willmore Lodge, Lake of the Ozarks;
--Jan. 12-13 at the Paradise Pointe Golf Complex on Smithville Lake;
--Jan. 19-20 at Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, St. Louis;
--Jan. 26-27 at Lock and Dam 24 and the Apple Shed Theater, Clarksville,
--Feb. 2-3 at the Springfield Conservation Nature Center;
Because many of the events take place outside or in unheated buildings, wear warm clothing.
Missouri has many locations where you can enjoy viewing eagles on your own in winter. Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge near Sumner, Table Rock Lake near Branson, Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area south of Columbia and Mingo National Wildlife Refuge near Puxico are among the sites where large numbers of eagles winter. Plan a visit to one, or all, of these locations, and watch for eagles perched in large trees along the edges of rivers or lakes.
For more information about Eagle Days, visit the Conservation Department website at www.missouriconservation.org, keyword: eagledays. To receive a brochure with directions to all Eagle Days events by mail, contact the Missouri Department of Conservation, P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180, 573/751-4115, ext. 3289.
- Arleasha Mays -
This lone wolf made a 600-mile trek, crossing the Mississippi River and countless highways before running afoul of a sheep owner.
TRENTON, Mo. -- Call him Ishmael. Or perhaps Marco Polo or Columbus. Whatever you call him, the lone wolf whose wanderlust drove it from Michigan's Upper Peninsula to north-central Missouri was a pioneering sort. Unfortunately for the wolf, the lower Midwest no longer has room for such large carnivores.
A Grundy County man was returning from a bowhunt on his land Oct. 23 when he said he saw the 80-pound canine peering into his sheep pen. Taking the predator for a coyote, he nocked an arrow and shot it. He realized his error when he discovered that the animal wore a numbered ear tag and a radio-tracking collar.
The hunter could have disposed of the wolf with little fear of discovery. Instead, he correctly took the carcass to Conservation Agent Jeff Berti. Conservation Department officials verified that it was a gray wolf and traced it back to its original capture site near Ironwood, Mich.
Records of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources show that the wolf killed here last month was a juvenile weighing 22 pounds when it was caught in July 1999. It was captured in a single foot-hold trap with a litter mate. Each animal was fitted with an ear tag and a radio collar.
Michigan DNR officials followed the movements of Wolf No. 18 for nine months, then lost track of it. They had a hard time believing the news when informed of the animal's death here.
"One of our wolves?" asked Michigan DNR Photographer Dave Kenyon. "No! How far is that?"
As the crow flies, the distance from Wolf No. 18's capture site to Grundy County is roughly 450 miles. By highway, or the way a wolf travels, crossing the Mississippi River and countless highways, it's more like 600 miles. That ranks among the longest wolf journeys documented by the Michigan DNR.
Young wolves, especially males, are prone to leave their birth places to carve out their own territories. Wolf No. 18 was exceptionally footloose.
"You have to wonder how many people saw this animal along the way and either kept it to themselves or told people and weren't believed," said Michigan DNR Biologist Dean Beyer.
Gray wolves, also known as timber wolves, once lived in Missouri. They were extirpated here and throughout most of the eastern United States by the end of the 19th century. Minnesota retained a wild population, which grew gradually after the species was granted protection. In recent years, Minnesota's gray wolf population has grown rapidly to a current total of 2,445. This led to the species being reclassified from endangered to threatened in Minnesota. The new classification allows more flexibility in dealing with wolves that cause problems for people.
Wolves from Minnesota have dispersed into Michigan and Wisconsin, where they have established independent populations and are classified as endangered.
Michigan's current wolf population is estimated at about 200. The Michigan DNR hopes to maintain the population at about that level. Wisconsin has an estimated 250 gray wolves, and hopes to develop a stable population of at least 350.
The Michigan wolf killed in Missouri is the first gray wolf documented here in modern times. Large coyotes and domestic dogs can resemble wolves, so Conservation Department investigators look for concrete evidence – photos, video, tracks, DNA or other physical evidence – before verifying a wolf sighting.
An animal killed by coyote hunters near Hartsburg, Mo., in 2000 at first was believed to be a wolf, but turned out to be a cross between a wolf and a dog. Though such hybrids can look very much like wolves, they lack the fear of humans that purebred wolves have.
The gray wolf is classified as federally endangered in the Midwest. However, the species has grown numerous enough in Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin that federal officials are considering downgrading its listing to threatened. This would allow more flexibility in managing gray wolves when they cause problems for people. The man who shot the wolf won't be prosecuted, since he was protecting his livestock and reasonably believed the animal was a coyote.
"For years, we have believed and told people that there were no wild wolves in Missouri," said Conservation Department Wildlife Research Biologist Dave Hamilton. "We can't say that anymore, though the likelihood of seeing a genuine gray wolf here still is extremely small." Hamilton said the Conservation Department and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have never stocked wolves and have no plans to restore them to Missouri. He said the state lacks wilderness areas large enough to sustain wolves without unacceptable human conflicts.
- Jim Low -
The two-day was unmarred by hunting accidents.
JEFFERSON CITY -- Young hunters opened Missouri's firearms deer season in fine style Oct. 27 and 28, bagging 6,277 deer without a single hunting mishap.
The Missouri Department of Conservation reported that hunters age 15 and younger killed more deer in northeast Missouri than anywhere else. Northeast Missouri check stations processed 984 deer. East-central Missouri was second with 855 deer. Other regional totals were: west-central, 805; northwest, 727; central, 723; southwest, 692; Ozark, 691; southeast, 579; St. Louis, 113; Kansas City, 108.
Osage County led county harvest figures with 174 deer taken during the youth season. Montgomery County was second with 144, followed by Oregon County with 131.
Conservation Department officials say they don't think the youth season will significantly affect the total statewide firearms deer harvest, which is expected to top 200,000. The November segment of Missouri's Firearms Deer Season runs from Nov. 10 through Nov. 20, followed by the muzzleloader segment Dec. 1 through Dec. 9 and the January Extension Jan. 5 through Jan. 8.
- Jim Low -
Plants that provide food and habitat for quail are among the wide variety of native trees and shrubs available from MDC nursery.
LICKING, Mo. –This year's bumper crop at the Missouri Department of Conservation George O. White Nursery provides state residents with endless land management opportunities.
Nursery Supervisor Greg Hoss says 2001 has been a very productive year for virtually everything the nursery planted.
"The number of trees and shrubs available are as high as I have ever seen produced in a single year," says Hoss. "We have lots of oaks, pines, plums and many of the other popular species that are produced annually, as well as new species that can be used for everything from windbreaks to wildlife cover."
The new offerings include a Quail Cover Bundle. Each bundle contains 10 wild plum seedlings, 10 fragrant sumac seedlings and 10 silky dogwood seedlings, 10 rough-leaf dogwood seedlings and 10 false indigo seedlings. Quail Cover Bundles also come with planting tips for maximum benefit to quail.
Another new species available this year is the Norway spruce, an evergreen that makes great windbreaks and shelter belts for wildlife. One of the Norway spruce's most attractive features is that it is less attractive to deer than other evergreens.
Those interested in wildlife management also may consider ordering roundheaded bush clover and slender bush clover. The species provide food and cover for turkeys and small game species.
Landowners who have lost oak trees to oak wilt or oak decline have many options for replacing trees. The nursery has an abundance of several varieties of oaks.
Most are sold in bundles of 25 that cost $3 to $10. Order forms, including lists of available seedlings and bundles will be available November 15 at Conservation Department offices throughout the state, or online at www.missouriconservation.org. Use the keyword seedlings to access the seedling order form. If you would like to be placed on the mailing list for an order form call the George O. White Nursery at 573/674-3229.
Orders are filled on a first-come, first-served basis, so it's best to order early. In addition to spelling out which plants you want, the order form allows you to specify when you want the plants delivered by mail, or whether you prefer to pick them up at the nursery. MDC sends you a notice two weeks before the delivery date stating what plants it can furnish. This notice also serves as a billing statement. Seedlings are shipped after payment is received. Deliveries take place from February through May.
- Arleasha Mays -
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