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In spite of foul weather, hunters managed to kill the second-largest number of birds on record for the opening day of spring turkey season.
JEFFERSON CITY --The weather conspired to ruin Missouri's spring turkey hunting season opener. In the end, though, wind, rain and lightning were no match for superior numbers of lusty gobblers.
Hunters brought 8,219 birds to check stations on April 23, the first day of Missouri's three-week spring turkey season. That's 884 fewer than last year's record opening-day harvest of 9,103, but still the second-largest number on record.
Hunters who struck out on opening day may find these figures hard to believe. Conditions were frightfully bad for turkey hunting in many parts of the state on opening day. Strong, gusty wind prevailed in most areas, a condition that makes always-wary turkeys even more skittish. Widespread thunder showers made hunting a miserable affair for many hunters, which may have prompted many to return home or cool their heels in camp.
Balancing these negatives was a strong turkey population statewide. Mike Hubbard, a wildlife research biologist with the Missouri Department of Conservation, said turkey reproduction was good in 1999 and 2000 and "amazing" in 1998. With more than 80,000 hunters licensed to chase gobblers, a strong harvest was all but guaranteed.
The breakdown of the statewide total shows Franklin County in first place and far ahead of the pack with 239 birds checked. Macon County was second with 160 and Jefferson County with 153.
Regional totals were: northeast, 1,446; northwest, 1,217; west-central, 1,168; central, 992; east-central, 979; southeast, 743; southwest, 714; Ozark, 495, St. Louis, 254; Kansas City, 211.
The Conservation Department reported one hunting accident on opening day. The incident involved two hunters who were standing side-by-side when a third hunter mistook them for a turkey. Both men were struck by pellets from a 10-gauge shotgun from a distance of 63 yards. Neither of the victims was seriously hurt.
- Jim Low -
Spring and early summer are lean months for black bears, and the time when bruins are most likely to create problems for people.
WEST PLAINS, Mo. -- Eugene Gerve was awakened by the furious barking of his dog on May 9, 1998 at his home southeast of Sycamore. He flicked on a flashlight, and when he shined it out the window he spotlighted a 300-pound bear a scant 15 feet away. The bear had been helping itself to the contents of a self-feeding cat food dispenser.
Gerve is among the 250 or so Missourians who report close encounters with black bears each year. The Missouri Department of Conservation estimates the number of black bears in Missouri is between 50 and 150. This relatively small number, together with the animals' shy nature, makes Missouri bear encounters rare. Still, a few bears create problems for people each year.
The number of nuisance bear reports begins to climb in April and peaks between the middle of May and the middle of June. "This is a very difficult time for bears," said Conservation Department Research Biologist Dave Hamilton. "When the weather warms up they get more active. It takes a while for their digestive systems to get reactivated, but when they do, they are really hungry."
To satisfy their voracious appetites, bears eat succulent spring vegetation, but this diet of bear salad often leaves them craving more. They are constantly alert for new food sources, and their spring hunger pangs sometimes overwhelm their natural shyness. If they smell livestock feed, garbage or even birdseed, they may venture close to homes or businesses to check it out.
Compounding the problem is the fact that female bears with two-year-old cubs chase off their young so they can mate again. The young, abandoned bears must find food on their own. Young males move miles away from their mother's home range in search of territory to call their own. Some young bears seen in Missouri at this time of year are males dispersing from northern Arkansas, where they are more numerous.
"Bears are still enough of a novelty in Missouri that most people are excited when they see one rummaging around in their back yard," said Hamilton. "But unless they are discouraged right away, bears can develop unhealthy habits. By the time people's excitement wears off, the bear's natural fear of humans may have decreased to the point where it is a danger to property or, rarely, even people and certainly to the bear itself."
Hamilton said most bear problems occur in Iron, Shannon, Carter, Ripley, Reynolds, Howell, Ozark, Barry, Taney, Christian, Stone and Douglas counties. In recent years, however, sightings have become more common in the northern half of the state.
Hamilton urges people who live in areas where bears have been seen to keep pet food and other foodstuffs where bears can't reach them. Even bird feeders can be targets of bear foraging. If bears are known to frequent your area, it is a good idea to clean up seed residues beneath feeders and stop feeding birds during the summer. An alternative is to bring feeders inside at night.
Hamilton noted that bears are protected by the Wildlife Code of Missouri. However, people who experience bear problems can scare them away by shouting or banging pots and pans. If these measures don't deter a bear, call your county conservation agent or the nearest Conservation Department office.
"The Conservation Department has people trained to deal with bear problems of all kinds," said Hamilton. "Like most Missourians, we are thrilled that bears are slowly returning to our forests. They are an exciting and important part of Missouri's wildlife, and when conflicts arise, we can handle them."
Hamilton said it's a big mistake to feed a bear so you can watch it. Bears that lose their fear of humans can be dangerous to people, and that is dangerous for the bears.
"Bears that get too accustomed to people often get into trouble and have to be destroyed," said Hamilton. "That's the reason for the saying among park rangers, 'A fed bear is a dead bear.'"
- Jim Low -
No one has been attacked by a wild bear in Missouri in modern times. All the same, it's worth knowing what do to in case an encounter turns dangerous.
JEFFERSON CITY Though Missouri's bear population is small, and black bears (the only kind found in Missouri) are naturally shy of humans, attacks do occur in other parts of the United States every year.
"The possibility of a bear attack does exist in Missouri," said Dave Hamilton, a wildlife research biologist with the Missouri Department of Conservation. "It's a good idea to know what to do in an encounter with a bear."
Most black bear attacks occur because the animal is frightened or defending its cubs against a perceived threat. Black bears are excellent climbers, so trees offer no refuge.
Hamilton recommends that Missourians talk, whistle or sing to warn bears of their approach when hiking in the Ozarks. If you encounter a bear and it has not seen you, he recommends leaving the area quietly and quickly.
If the bear is aware of your presence, avoid making eye contact. Bears perceive a stare as a threat. Instead, turn and walk away slowly and quietly while speaking in a normal tone of voice. Don't show fear, run or make sudden movements.
Bears' poor vision sometimes makes it difficult for them to identify humans, even at close range. In such situations, bears often stand on their hind legs and lift their noses high in the air. This is not a threat. The bear is just trying to use its keen sense of smell to identify an intruder.
Avoid making a bear feel cornered. Black bears seldom attack if they can retreat. On a trail, step off the trail on the downhill side and slowly leave the area.
If you see a cub, move slowly and calmly retrace your steps. Be on the lookout for other cubs and avoid getting near them or between them and the female, which could trigger the mother's protective instincts.
If a bear attacks, fight back. Black bears have been driven away when people fought back with rocks, sticks, even bare hands. Recent events indicate that southern Missouri may also have a small number of free-ranging mountain lions. The chances of being attacked by a mountain lion in Missouri are exceedingly small, but such attacks are occurring with increasing frequency in western states as the big cats' numbers increase there. It doesn't hurt to know what to do in case of a mountain lion attack.
Mountain lions are less afraid of humans than bears are. In fact, they may regard people as potential food. Consequently, the first rule of avoiding mountain lion attack is not to act like prey.
Don't run away. In fact, don't turn your back on a mountain lion. Make yourself look as large as possible by standing tall and extending clothing, such as a jacket, to increase your apparent bulk. Speak to the cat in a normal tone of voice and maintain eye contact while slowly backing away. Throw objects at the cat if possible, but don't stoop to pick up objects.
It is important to fight back if a mountain lion attacks. Hitting the cat's face, gouging its eyes, stabbing with a knife and kicking all have proven effective in stopping attacks. When a mountain lion attacks, it intends to kill.
- Jim Low -
The Conservation Department wants youngsters to discover the fun of "wetting a line" at special events around the state.
JEFFERSON CITY -- Youngsters who would like to learn more about fishing will have a perfect opportunity when the Missouri Department of Conservation celebrates Kids' Fishing Day at locations around the state in May.
Missouri does not require fishing permits for youths under age 16, except at the state's four trout parks. But they can also fish free at trout parks on May 19 Kids' Fishing Day in Missouri. To make the prospect even more attractive, Missouri's trout parks sponsor special events for kids 15 and younger that day.
Maramec Spring Park near St. James celebrates Kids Fishing Day in a big way. The entire upper half of the fishing area at the park, which is owned and operated by The James Foundation, will be reserved just for kids 15 and younger on May 19. The Conservation Department will restock rainbow trout in this area all day long. Kids who fish must get a free tag at the Millfield Shelter, located next to the fishing area.
When they pick up their tags at Maramec Spring Park, youths will receive free fishing "goody bags" and water bottles and register for contests and prizes. Fishing will start at 6:30 a.m. and conclude at 8:15 p.m. Department personnel and volunteers will be on hand all day to help the youth.
Hands-on activities that emphasize conservation and respect for the environment will take place throughout the day. Among these will be a stream organism touch table, a make-your-own fish print T-shirt station, critter stamp headbands, and a casting game. Kids can take part in a casting contest at 11 a.m., and free hotdogs and soda will be provided from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
The Maramec Spring Trout Fishermen's Association will sponsor several contests throughout the day, including the biggest fish and first limit. Attendance prizes will be given away also. In addition, two $50 savings bonds and two bicycles will be given away by drawing.
The World Bird Sanctuary will present shows featuring live birds of prey at noon and 3 p.m. Fly Fishing demonstrations will take place throughout the day. The National Wild Turkey Federation and other private conservation groups will have booths, too.
For more about Kids Fishing Day at Maramec Spring Park, visit http://www.conservation.state.mo.us/areas/ecentral/MaramecSpring/kidsday.htm.
For information about Kids Fishing Day at Missouri's other three trout parks, contact: Roaring River Hatchery near Cassville, 417/847-2430; Bennett Spring Hatchery near Lebanon, 417/532-4418; Montauk Hatchery near Licking, 573/ 548-2585.
August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area in St. Charles County will host a Kids Fishing Fair from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. May 19. Ponds 1, 2 and 15 will have stations where kids can learn about fish filleting and cooking, casting, knot tying, baiting hooks, boating safety, catch-and-release fishing and fly tying. Participants need to bring their own fishing equipment. For more information about this event, call 636/441-4554.
The Kids' Fishing Pond at Lost Valley Hatchery near Warsaw is open to children 12 and younger whenever the visitor center is open. Visitor Center hours are 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. daily until Memorial Day, when evening hours are extended to 6 p.m. The pond is handicap accessible, and fishing equipment is available for use on the area. For more information, call 660/438-4465.
Two kids' catch-and-release fishing clinics will be offered during Kids' Fishing Day from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. May 19 at the Conservation Department West-Central Regional Office at 2010 S. Second Street in Clinton. Clinics will begin at 8:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. and last for about 90 minutes. Equipment will be available for children without rods, reels and bait. Fishing demonstrations will be conducted with the Conservation Department's mobile aquarium on the hour between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Other activities available as part of the event will include pellet gun shooting, a nature walk, conservation exhibits and a nature gift shop.
More information will be posted at the MDC website at http://www.conservation.state.mo.us/events/kidfishdays/.
- Jim Low -
Young hunters finished their first special season without mishap.
JEFFERSON CITY -- Young turkey hunters posted a respectable harvest of 2,530 gobblers during the first-ever youth spring turkey hunting season and did so without a single reported accident.
The youth season April 14 and 15 gave hunters under age 16 an early crack at Missouri's abundant turkey flock. They could hunt with either a Resident Spring Turkey Hunting Permit or a Youth Deer and Turkey Hunting Permit. Either way, they were allowed to take one bird during the two-day youth hunt, which preceded the regular spring turkey hunting season by eight days.
Of those participating in the youth hunt, 3,571 had Youth Deer and Turkey Hunting Permits. Sales of Resident Spring Turkey Hunting Permits are not broken down by age of the buyer, so an accurate count of youth hunters isn't possible. However, the Missouri Department of Conservation estimates that between 7,000 and 10,000 youngsters participated in the youth season.
That makes the youth hunters' success rate 25 to 36 percent. This is slightly below the success rate of hunters in the regular spring turkey season. However, hunters have 21 days to hunt during the regular season, and they spend an average of 4 days afield. "I consider 25 percent a great success rate for a two-day season," says Conservation Department Wildlife Research Biologist Mike Hubbard. "It probably says something about the skill of the adult hunters who went with the kids."
Hubbard also noted that holding the youth hunt before the regular turkey season gives youngsters a chance to hunt birds that have not been pursued by other hunters recently. Hunting pressure during the youth hunt was rated as light statwide.
Texas County led harvest totals with 67 gobblers checked, followed closely by Laclede County with 63 and Franklin County with 55. West-central Missouri led regional totals with 359 checked. Other regional totals were east-central, 340; northeast, 339; northwest, 328; central, 290; southwest, 258; Ozark, 254; southeast, 212; Kansas City, 76; and St. Louis, 74.
Two-thirds of the birds checked during the youth hunting season were mature gobblers.
- Jim Low -
Forget the cheap perfume and hand-painted ties. Outdoorsy moms and dads would rather have videos or fishing permits for Mother's or Father's Day.
JEFFERSON CITY The question of what to buy your mom for Mother's Day or dad for Father's Day is easy to answer if you have a parent who loves being outdoors. The Missouri Department of Conservation has dozens of answers.
As Mother's Day (May 13) and Father's Day (June 17) approach, it's sometimes a challenge finding an appropriate gift for those who have given us so much. Items available from The Conservation Department can be great gifts, because they continue giving months or even years after the holiday is past.
The Conservation Department's publication list includes dozens of solutions to gift-buying quandaries. Among the more modest items are the free booklet "Woodworking for Wildlife" and the leaflet "Landscaping for Backyard Wildlife." Combine these with the video titled "Landscaping for Wildlife" ($9 plus Missouri sales tax), the "Missouri Bird Calls" audio tape ($5 plus tax) or the book "About Mammals and How They Live" ($12.50 plus tax).
Practical-minded parents may be interested in "Wild Edibles of Missouri" ($6 plus tax), "Conservation Trails" ($4 plus tax) or "Missouri Ozark Waterways" ($5 plus tax). Field guides to trees, wildflowers, amphibians and reptiles provide help in sorting out the state's diverse animal and plant life.
Books are just the beginning, though. The Conservation Department also has video tapes on subjects ranging from how to manage your forest to tips for beginning birdwatchers. Audio tapes help listeners identify birds, frogs and toads by their calls. The Conservation Department even has an interactive CD-ROM game that allows players to have fun while learning how and where wild animals live.
Many Conservation Department publications, videos and audio tapes are sold at conservation nature centers and service centers in Springfield, Blue Springs, Kirkwood, Jefferson City and Cape Girardeau. To receive a catalog, write: Nature Shop, Missouri Department of Conservation, P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180.
The Conservation Department's new E-commerce website makes shopping for mom and dad as easy as firing up your computer. A visit to www.mdcnatureshop.com/ allows you to buy nature books, videos, CDs, clothing, jewelry or other merchandise with the click of a mouse.
An outdoor gift that keeps on giving for five years is the Conservation Heritage Card. Priced at just $2, it entitles holders to a 15-percent discount on Conservation Department videos and books and on tree seedlings from state forest nurseries. The heritage card also allows holders to buy hunting and fishing permits faster and more easily. Finally, it doubles as a hunter-education card.
Have mom and dad bought their 2001 hunting and fishing permits yet? What gift could provide as many hours of enjoyment as a year's worth of hunting and fishing. You can buy most permits for no more than you would pay for a bottle of perfume or a necktie.
- Jim Low -
Missouri's threatened and endangered species had a mixed year.
JEFFERSON CITY -- "Variety is the spice of life" could be the motto for those who monitor Missouri's endangered species. In 2000, Conservation Department staffers who protect the state's imperilled natural legacy saw some encouraging trends and some discouraging ones.
The findings of endangered species biologists are distilled in the 2000 Biodiversity Activities Report from the Missouri Department of Conservation. The report highlights more than 60 projects aimed at maintaining or improving the state's rich variety of plants and wildlife.
The Niangua Darter Habitat Restoration Project seeks to address habitat damage and destruction that is contributing to the decline of the inch-long fish that only lives in eight streams in the Osage River system. Threats to the federally endangered fish include reservoir construction, general deterioration of stream habitat and introduced non-native species.
The Conservation Department provides technical assistance to private landowners who are willing to help the Niangua darter on their property. The key is implementing land management practices that improve water quality and stream health. The Landowner Cost Share program provides financial incentives to exclude livestock from steams, establish conservation easements and install bank stabilization projects.
Other projects included in the report are:
--The Pawnee Prairie Plant Nursery project, which provides native plants for use in prairie reconstruction and restoration.
--A survey to monitor the population size and nesting habitat of interior least terns in the lower Mississippi River valley.
--Monitoring the effects of efforts to restore native pines at the Peck Ranch Conservation Area.
--Restoring Ozark cavefish in nine caves in Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma.
--Monitoring the status of the Indiana bat population at selected sites in northern Missouri.
--Studying the genetics of tarantula spiders.
The Biodiversity Activities Report just skims the surface of Conservation Department activities aimed at protecting and enhancing the variety of native plant and animal communities. Since the agency began receiving proceeds from the one-eighth of one-percent sales tax in 1977, it has expanded efforts to conserve the full range of plant and animal species in Missouri, not just those few species of interest to hunters, anglers and trappers.
You can view the Biodiversity Activities Report on the Conservation Department's web site at www.missouri.conservation.state.mo.us/nathis/. To learn more about efforts to preserve Missouri's biological diversity, check out "Missouri's Web of Life," also on the Conservation Department's web site.
- Arleasha Mays -
Three years of good to record-breaking nest success foretell excellent prospects for Missouri's spring turkey hunting season.
JEFFERSON CITY -- If national weather experts are on target, Missouri turkey hunters can look forward to a terrific spring turkey season.
The 90-day forecast from the National Weather Service for the period leading up to turkey season predicted near-normal temperatures and rainfall through May. That, says Wildlife Research Biologist Mike Hubbard, is all that's needed to make 2001 a great year for turkey hunters.
Hubbard is the Missouri Department of Conservation's turkey expert. He says Missouri's wild turkey population is very robust, thanks to three years of good to excellent reproduction.
"We had good production of young turkeys the past two years," said Hubbard, "and three years ago we had an amazing year for turkey nesting."
Hubbard said severe cold weather may have caused some turkey deaths in the northern part of the state, but not enough to put a dent in the region's burgeoning turkey flock. He says wild turkeys can stay on their roosts in trees for extended periods without ill effects when snow covers the ground.
Still, he says he doesn't expect this year's spring turkey harvest to set a record. "To top last year's harvest of almost 57,000 birds, we would have to top last year's weather, and I don't know if that's possible," said Hubbard. Warm weather combined with an almost total lack of rain or windy weather during the three-week turkey season created ideal conditions for turkey hunters last year.
Hubbard said he expects a statewide harvest of about 52,500 gobblers. "I don't think we'll see another record harvest this year, but it won't be due to lack of birds. There are a lot of two- and three-year-old gobblers out there."
Turkey hunting regulations remain substantially the same as last year's. The season opens April 23 and runs through May 13. A regular turkey permit entitles the bearer to take one bearded turkey during the first week of the season and one per day during the remaining two weeks, up to a season limit of two.
Tagging and checking procedures remain unchanged. Full details of regulations are contained in the 2001 Spring Turkey Hunting Information booklet, which is available wherever hunting permits are sold.
Hunters under age 12 can take part in the spring turkey season with a Youth Deer and Turkey Hunting Permit. This $15 permit allows kids under the minimum legal age for hunter education certification to participate in the spring and fall turkey seasons. To do so, they must hunt in the immediate presence of adult hunters who are licensed to hunt and have successfully completed an approved hunter education course.
The youth permit allows young hunters to take one bearded turkey during the spring season and one during the fall season and one deer in the fall.
- Jim Low -
No one fully understands the importance of hunting safety until they have been injured in a firearms-related hunting accident.
JEFFERSON CITY -- To most people, hunting safety is an abstract concept. For Mike Swink of Lake St. Louis, it is a painful reality. He was shot in a turkey hunting accident in 1991. For him, thoughts of hunting safety bring back memories of searing pain and lost quality of life.
After a morning of hunting with a friend at Danville Conservation Area in Montgomery County, Swink decided to call it quits and removed his camouflage hood and gloves. The two were walking and talking, but paused long enough for Swink's companion to make a couple of clucks on his turkey call. Another hunter heard the sounds, saw the movement of Swink's uncovered hands and fired.
The 10-gauge shotgun blast left Swink with 34 copper-coated, No. 4 lead shot pellets in his back, head and right arm. He might easily have been blinded or killed, but calling him lucky would be stretching a point.
"Fortunately, my doctor had dealt with shotgun wounds before," said Swink. "She knew to use lots of antibiotics right away. That kept me from getting the huge boils that go with infections from the kind of wounds I had. To help me cope with the trauma and pain she put me on pain killers, muscle relaxers, sleeping pills you name it. I was pretty much incoherent for the next three months."
Swink, 45, suffered nerve damage to his right arm. Unable to travel, he lost part of the sales territory that he covered as an independent manufacturer's representative. That cost him $24,000 a year. But lost income was only the beginning of his tribulation.
When he began physical therapy to try to regain the use of his arm, another calamity struck. The tendon attaching his biceps muscle ruptured. Reattachment was impossible, so doctors tied the damaged biceps to muscles in his forearm. He has regained some use of his arm, but Swink will never be able to bowl or do many things he used to do.
The man who shot Swink was a hunter with 30 years' experience. He lost his hunting privileges for two years and had to take hunter education training. The shooter paid no other penalty, nor was he financially responsible for Swink's injuries.
"There's no excuse for 'mistaken for game' shootings," said Swink. "Still, I might have avoided all of my agony if I hadn't relaxed my guard when I decided to go home. Looking back on it, I'm sure that taking off my camouflage gloves is what got me shot."
Swink said he feels sick at heart when he hears about others who have been injured in avoidable hunting accidents. One of the safety measures Swink now advocates is the use of hunter-orange clothing. He said turkey hunters should always wear a day-glow orange vest or jacket and hat when moving in the woods. When calling turkeys, the vest should be wrapped around the tree above your head to alert other hunters to your presence. Sitting with your back to the same tree provides protection against gunshots from behind.
"That orange marker can actually improve your chances of killing a gobbler," said Swink. "If another hunter walks in on you, you might as well go home. No turkey is going to come to you after that. But if another hunter sees the vest, he is going to make a big detour around you so he won't get shot. Then you still have a chance of killing your bird."
Swink said an orange vest also is useful for getting a turkey out of the woods once you kill it. He said that carrying an uncovered gobbler in plain sight is an invitation to disaster.
Swink said he also is convinced that Missouri needs a law against negligent hunting.
"If you carelessly shoot someone, they could be blinded or crippled for life," said Swink. "They are going to have huge medical bills. They could lose their homes or be forced into bankruptcy. Their entire life is going to change dramatically because of your negligence. As it is now, careless hunters stand completely clear of any legal action except a civil suit. And if the shooter doesn't have any money or liability insurance, you can forget a civil suit, too.
"It's not right. There should be a law that makes the shooter responsible for his actions. There should be consequences, even if the victim can't get financial help."
Missouri does have a law against leaving the scene of a hunting accident. Under Section 577.068 of the Missouri Revised Statutes, which went into effect in 1999, it is a crime for a person who shoots another person to leave the scene without giving his name, address and driver's license number to a law enforcement officer. If a conservation agent or other law enforcement officer isn't available on the scene, the shooter must report to the nearest police station or law enforcement officer.
The law specifically allows the shooter to leave the scene to obtain medical help for the victim. The first offense under the law is a class A misdemeanor. Subsequent offenses are class D felonies.
- Jim Low -
City officials find that relocating 122 deer a year is difficult.
ST. LOUIS -- Going into its third year of trapping and relocating deer, Town and Country still is struggling to find a workable solution to its urban deer quandary.
Conservation Department biologists counted 441 deer in an aerial survey of the St. Louis suburb last December. Factoring in the number of deer normally missed in such surveys, biologists with the Missouri Department of Conservation estimated the municipality's whitetail population was between 555 and 576.
That is 60 to 80 deer per square mile. The Conservation Department tries to maintain deer populations between 20 and 40 per square mile in rural areas to minimize property damage and deer-vehicle accidents. In urban areas, it aims for deer population density between 15 and 20 per square mile.
Town and Country's deer population was estimated at about 600 before the start of the trapping and relocation program in December 1998. Conservation Department biologists say that removing 120 female deer from the local deer population for two years in a row would bring the population to a more desirable level. A contract trapper removed 59 does in 1998-99, 44 in 1999-2000 and 48 in 2000-2001.
- Jim Low -
Outdoor skills workshop designed to help Missourians safely enjoy outdoors
JEFFERSON CITY-- Learning outdoor skills can be a real hoot with training from the Missouri Department of Conservation. The Conservation Department Hands-On Outdoor Training, or HOOT program is a family outdoor skills workshop designed to help Missourians safely enjoy outdoor activities.
The goal of the HOOT program is to provide participants with a basic understanding of conservation, outdoors skills and safety. Training is offered for more than 30 outdoor activities. Following is a list of some of the courses:
--Aquatic Ecology, in which participants explore a pond and a stream to learn about aquatic plants and animals;
--Archery Basics provides training on selection and use of bows, arrows and other archery equipment;
--Birdwatching for Beginners teaches bird identification techniques and how to select bird watching locations;
--Firearms Safety gives instruction on the safety rules and responsibilities of firearms handling;
--Fishing Basics teaches the fundamentals of fishing equipment, bait, fish identification and habitat;
--Nature Arrangements shows participants how to select, collect and preserve materials from the natural environment;
--Turkey Hunting teaches the basic skills needed to hunt turkey in Missouri;
--Wilderness Survival teaches participants how to build fires, filter water and avoid being unprepared in the wilderness.
The Conservation Department will host two HOOT programs this year. The YMCA of the Ozarks is the site of the workshop April 27 through April 29, and the Jerry J. Presley Conservation Education Center in Shannon County hosts a smaller HOOT workshop July 20-22 that focuses on river fun.
The training courses are designed for those ages 10 and older. A kids' camp adventure is available during the workshop for children 4 to 9 years old. Children 10-16 must be accompanied by an adult to attend the training. Several of the courses for the April HOOT have been filled.
The Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) workshop scheduled for May 18 through May 20 at the YMCA of the Ozarks in Potosi also has openings. For information on available courses at HOOT and BOW and for details about program fees and registration, call 573/751-4115 ext. 3292.
- Arleasha Mays -
The three most important things about quail real estate are habitat, habitat and habitat.
JEFFERSON CITY -- Quail Unlimited (QU) and the Missouri Department of Conservation have developed a new quail habitat initiative to help bring back bobwhite quail to their former abundance.
QU chapters across Missouri have dedicated some or all of their wildlife habitat budgets to four cost-share or incentive practices promoted by the Conservation Department. These address Missouri's most significant quail habitat problems. The Conservation Department will match QU chapters' contributions one-to-one and provide technical assistance to qualifying landowners.
Since the late 1960s, quail populations have been steadily declining due to loss of high-quality habitat. The most important habitat losses have been caused by an increase of large, poorly managed or unmanaged fields with just one type of grass. Such fields provide poor nesting cover and suppress broadleaf plants that are important sources of insects and seeds for quail.
Annual disturbance provides essential elements of quail habitat -- bare ground and annual weeds. Such disturbance has been reduced or eliminated in many large, one-grass fields enrolled in the federal Conservation Reserve Program.
In many areas, lack of disturbance has allowed brushy fence rows and draws that once were excellent quail habitat to become choked with thick, over- mature trees. This shades out plants needed by quail. Such areas eventually become den sites for nest predators and perching sites for hawks and owls.
Old fields that used to provide excellent places for quail to roost, nest and rear their young have turned into brushy wood lots with low-quality trees and little or no value to quail.
The quail habitat initiative, called Bring Back Bob, provides 75 percent cost-share or incentive payments to landowners with a wildlife management plan to implement approved practices. Practices available for cost-sharing or incentive payments are: herbaceous vegetation control, nesting cover establishment, annual disturbance and old field/hedgerow renovation. Other practices may be available, depending upon local habitat needs.
Cost-share or incentive payments are not available for land enrolled in the CRP. However, acres enrolled in the Conservation Department's Environmental Quality Incentives Program or Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program are eligible for enrollment in continuous CRP buffer practices.
Quail Unlimited participation in Project Bring Back Bob is limited to counties served by participating QU chapters. Acreage limits and dollar limits apply. For more information, contact your local Conservation Department Private Lands Conservationist or Natural Resources Conservation Service office.
- Jim Low -
Plan to solve Missouri River water flow issue gains MDC Policy Coordination Chief Conservationist of the Year Award.
JEFFERSON CITY --Creation of a Missouri River water flow plan that addresses environmental and economic concerns has earned Dr. Daniel Witter the Conservation Federation of Missouri (CFM) 2000 Conservationist of the Year award. The award was announced at the annual CFM convention March 30 at Lake of the Ozarks.
Witter is part of a team of Missouri Department of Conservation staff members who proposed and promoted a plan to reduce the river flow at Kansas City to 41,000 cubic feet per second from August 1 through September 15. The goal of the plan is to produce hundreds of acres of shallow water habitat and sandbars to benefit the river's fish and wildlife and enable the river to meet other water uses. The proposal is considered among the best middle-ground alternatives for advancing fish and wildlife needs on the river, while meeting navigational and agricultural needs.
Throughout his 23-year career with the Conservation Department, Witter has worked diligently to protect and improve Missouri's outdoor and wildlife resources. As chief of the Policy Coordination section he seeks to increase the effectiveness and accountability of the Conservation Department's services to Missourians by gathering information, solving problems and recommending actions on conservation issues.
Dedication to service also is among Witter's personal pursuits. He has served as president of the Missouri Chapter of the Wildlife Society, associate editor of the Journal of Wildlife Management and head of the citizens' advisory group for the concerned impacts of the rapidly growing otter population.
Bill and Charlene Cooper of St. James, Missouri are the CFM Conservation Educators of the Year. Since 1996 the couple has been committed to introducing youth to the outdoors. They have provided training in hunter safety, ethics and outdoor skills to children and adults across the state. In December 2000 the Missouri National Wild Turkey Federation Board recognized the couple for outstanding contributions to the Hunter Apprentice School. The Coopers have worked with the program since its inception in 1993. They also have provided outdoor skills training at the National Wild Turkey Federation's Women in the Outdoors programs and the Conservation Department's Becoming an Outdoors Woman programs.
The CFM Soil Conservationist of the Year honor was awarded to Randy Freeland. Through his work as State Resource Conservationist with the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), Freeland has displayed outstanding leadership in soil conservation. He and his staff provide Missourians with the technical support and guidance needed to prevent or solve soil and water resource issues. In 1999 alone, assistance provided by Freeland and the NRCS staff resulted in the installation of more than 82,900 acres (nearly 23,000 miles) of buffers on farms across Missouri.
Rebecca Matthews, Emeritus Professor of Mathematics at Southwest Missouri State University, received the Conservation Communicator of the Year award. Since the 1960s, Matthews has worked to promote the causes of the Audubon Society and conservation. For 30 years she has written the monthly environmental column The Birdwatcher for the Springfield News-Leader and she has written several articles for the Missouri Conservationist, Missouri Life and Retirement Living. Matthews also has been editor of the Audubon Society of Missouri publication The Bluebird, a member of the Audubon Society Board of Directors and president for the Greater Ozarks Audubon Society.
Dr. Wayne Morton, an advocate for prairie chickens and prairie conservation, is recipient of the CFM Wildlife Conservationist of the Year award. Getting the Missouri Department of Transportation to plant roadsides with native grasses and forbes instead of fescue is among the conservation efforts Morton has led. Dr. Morton is a board member of the Missouri Prairie Foundation and the Taberville Focus Area Team.
Carl Moritz was chosen as CFM Hunter Education Instructor of the Year. Seldom a weekend goes by that Moritz is not teaching one or more hunter education courses in metropolitan St. Louis. In addition to teaching the principles of safe, ethical hunting to thousands of youths, Moritz serves as Deputy Director of the St. Louis Region Missouri Hunter Education Instructor's Association, assists with the Missouri Youth Hunter Challenge Program and is an active member of CFM.
The 2000 Water Conservationist of the Year award recipient is Burt Stewart. Stewart is a Boy Scout Troop leader and organized Stream Team 288. He prides himself on educating Missouri's youth on water quality issues and helping youngsters become environmental stewards. Much of his time is spent teaching students in Imperial's Windsor School District about water quality, recycling and protection of our natural resources. Stewart serves as chairman of CFM's Rivers and Streams Committee and is active with the Meramec River Recreation Association, Northern Ozarks River Partnership, Missouri Watershed coalition and Operation Clean Stream.
Conservation Department Natural History Division Administrator Richard Thom was honored as the Professional Conservationist of the Year. Thom helped lead efforts to establish a federal funding source for wildlife management, conservation education and outdoor recreation. That effort resulted in a $50 million federal allotment for state conservation programs. Protecting and improving Missouri's wildlife and natural resources has been part of Thom's mission since joining the MDC in 1978 as the state's first Natural Areas Coordinator. He has headed the Natural History Division since 1996 Under his guidance the Natural History Division works to protect and enhance the state's wildlife diversity and natural ecosystems and to raise public awareness and appreciation of Missouri's natural resources.
Gateway Parks & Trails 2004 earned the Conservation Organization of the Year Award for its successful effort to establish the Metro Park and Recreation Districts. The project will establish recreation districts in Missouri and Illinois. The conservation goals of the project include improvement of water quality in the metro St. Louis area, community trails, local parks and preservation of wildlife habitat.
- Arleasha Mays -
Events statewide let Missourians become environmental stewards.
JEFFERSON CITY --Missourians can make a world of difference for the environment by participating in Earth Day and National Wildlife Week events.
Communities throughout the state will celebrate Earth Day with stream cleanups, trail maintenance projects, educational games and other activities that focus attention on the importance of protecting our natural resources.
The 31st annual Earth Day will take place April 22. The event, now celebrated around the world, began in 1970. It was the brainchild of Senator Gaylord Nelson and Congressman Paul McCloskey. Disturbed by the failure of national leaders to address ecological concerns, the two called on Denis Hays, a Harvard student, to organize a student movement to raise environmental awareness. Nelson described that first Earth Day as an astonishing grassroots explosion that enlisted 20 million people in efforts to improve the environment.
Water Conservation will be the focus of Earth Day celebrations in St. Louis. The region's St. Louis Earth Day 2001 is a four-day event to raise awareness about water quality issues. The Earth Day kick off event begins at 7 p.m April 19 with presentations on the city's history and future as a river town from speakers Andrew Hurley and John Hoal.
Communities, businesses and environmental organizations throughout metro St. Louis will host a wide variety of activities April 21. The activities include:
* rides along the North Riverfront Trail;
* tours of the Metropolitan Sewer District Bissel Point wastewater treatment plant;
* hands-on wetlands restoration at the Green Center;
* Eco-adventures and environmental displays at the Missouri Botanical Garden;
* opportunities to create a personal biosphere and see more than 10,000 living creatures at the St. Louis Children's Aquarium;
* opportunities to personalize your T-shirt with nature stamps at Rockwoods Reservation.
* trees, mulch and perennials give-away at the Chesterfield Central City Park.
April 22 Earth Day in Forest Park begins with a cleanup of the River Des Peres. The Missouri Stream Team Operation Clean Stream event will begin at 8 a.m. at the lower Muny Opera parking lot. To participate in the stream cleanup call 636/282-2378 or 314/638-9648. The day's other activities are slated to begin at 10:30 a.m. at the World's Fair Pavilion in Forest Park. The festivities will include live animals, hands-on aquatic activities for the kids, story telling, tree give-aways and a parade.
The St. Louis Earth Day celebration concludes with a symposium at the Missouri Botanical Garden April 27. Panelist and speakers will discuss the values of rivers and streams. For more information on Earth Day festivities in the St. Louis region call 314/768-2727 or visit the St. Louis Earth Day 2001 website at: www.StLouisEarthDay.org.
"Let Every Day Be Earth Day" is the theme for events scheduled at the State Capitol April 20. The Earth Day 2001 celebration will include wetlands exhibits and games, other educational games, live bird demonstrations and musical performances. The activities begin at 10 a.m. on the Capitol grounds in Jefferson City. For more information call 800/361-4827.
Kids of all ages are encouraged to lend a helping hand at the Wears Creek Cleanup Saturday April 21. The Missouri Department of Conservation and Jefferson City Parks and Recreation Department is holding the cleanup in conjunction with the Parks and Recreation Nickelodean "Big Help" day. The event will be held at Washington Park at 10 a.m. Materials for the trash pickup will be provided. The event also will include educational booths and activities.
The Kansas City WildLands coalition is sponsoring a garlic mustard pull at Blue River Glades Natural Area on Saturday, April 21. Participants should meet at the old Lakeside Nature Center parking lot in Swope Park at 9:00 a.m. Please bring work gloves. Garlic mustard is an invasive exotic plant that threatens forest communities. For directions, details or more information about Kansas City WildLands, contact Larry Rizzo at the Kansas City Regional Office 816/ 655-6250 extension 246. Or visit the website: www.kcwildlands.org
A stream table demonstration, a fishing skills clinic and crafts for kids are among the activities at the Earth Day Festival in West Plains. The event takes place from 10 a.m. at the Yellow House at 209 West Cleveland.
Games and exhibits on Missouri's endangered species will be among the activities featured at Kirksville's Earth Day celebration. Other activities include a recycling relay, poster contest and demonstrations by local high school students. The Earth Day event will be held at noon April 22 on the County Courthouse lawn. For more information call the Kirksville Parks and Recreation Department at 660/627-1485.
The MDC encourages Missourians to celebrate National Wildlife Week by attending the Truman Lake Area Hunting and Fishing Review. The event will include conservation exhibits, a discussion of the new jug fishing regulation, fishing prospects on Truman Lake and Lake of the Ozarks, turkey season prospects and information on the Quail Unlimited Quail Habitat Initiative program. The event is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. April 17 at the Benson Convention Center in Clinton, MO. For more information call 660/885-6981.
April 16-22 is National Wildlife Week. The week, established by the National Wildlife Federation in 1938, was created to educate the public about conservation issues and encourage people to become stewards of wildlife and natural resources.
- Arleasha Mays -
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