June 2002
Cicadas are back, but not as many
Thursday, June 27, 2002
Put away the earplugs. This year's emergence won't be as noisy as the double whammy that hit here in 1998.
SULLIVAN, Mo. -- Periodical cicadas, with voices capable of drowning out lawn mowers and making normal conversation impossible, are back. But their noise and the tree damage they cause won't be as severe as it was four years ago.
Cicadas come in two varieties, annual and periodical. Every year, in late summer, some of the annual or "dog-day" cicadas living in a given area emerge from the ground, where they have lived as larvae for years, sucking juice from plant roots to nourish themselves. When they emerge, they molt and unfold their wings. Males fly into nearby trees, where they sing to attract mates. Their rhythmic, monotonous song is a pleasant reminder that cooler weather is not far off.
Periodical cicadas are of two types. The life cycle of one takes 13 years to complete, the other 17 years. Their synchronized mating behavior results in the formation of regional "broods," or communities of the same type periodical cicadas that inhabit a well-defined geographical area and emerge in the same year. Insect scientists - entomologists - have identified 15 broods nationwide and mapped their ranges.
This year, some of the 13-year periodical cicadas emerged in an irregular region reaching from central Illinois to the Gulf of Mexico and from central Kentucky to Missouri. In Missouri, the Missouri Department of Conservation has received reports of periodical cicada sightings in Bollinger, Dent, Laclede, Oregon and Ripley counties, as well as Boone and Cole counties in north central Missouri. Smaller numbers of the insects likely emerged in an area extending to extreme southwestern Missouri.
In 1998, Missouri witnessed a historic simultaneous emergence of two cicada broods, both the 13-year cicadas and 17-year type. The simultaneous convergence of two broods occurs only once every 211 years, but when it does the results are spectacular. Millions of red-eyed cicada nymphs crawl out of their burrows, transform into adults and begin singing, mating and laying eggs.
Besides driving some people bonkers, periodical cicadas also can be hard on trees. Females use a knife-like appendage on their abdomens to slice into pencil-sized tree branches where they deposit their eggs. Damage caused by the egg laying kills many branch tips. The dead tips droop and turn brown, a phenomenon known as "flagging."
In the coming weeks, residents of southeastern Missouri may see flagging in affected trees. Conservation Department Forest Entomologist Rob Lawrence says giving damaged trees proper care can help them heal with little harm. "As far as the health of the tree, the flagging is not a major concern," says Lawrence. "Large trees should recover easily. Young trees or trees that are in poor health due to other insects, disease or injury will require more care. It's best just to keep them well watered and place mulch around them to retain moisture and help avoid damage from lawnmowers and trimmers."
Water is essential because it helps the trees deal with stress due to damaged branches and leaves. The entomologist advises homeowners to saturate soil near the drip line of damaged trees regularly during dry periods.
Mulch should be placed at least three inches away from the base of the tree. Lawrence says placing mulch against the bark could promote the growth of fungal or bacterial diseases that could further damage a tree.
Even with proper care, some of the cicada damaged branches will continue to turn brown as late as next spring or summer, but it is unlikely that the entire tree will succumb.
The leading theory to explain periodical cicadas' synchronized emergence is that coming out only once every 13 or 17 years prevents birds and other predators from fully exploiting the food source the insects' juicy little bodies represent. Their enemies can only eat so many cicadas before the noisy insects finish mating, and without the superabundance of cicada snacks to sustain them year after year, predator's numbers remain too low to put much of a dent in periodic emergences.
If you think eluding predators by infrequent emergence is impressive, consider another fact. Both 13 and 17 are prime numbers - they can be divided only by the number one and themselves. This means that a predator species - say a wasp - that staggers its reproduction by a few years in "pursuit" of cicada prey can't just luck into a free lunch by developing a reproductive cycle whose multiple happens to coincide with that of their prey.
Even with several broods in Missouri, concurrent emergences are rare. Prior to 1988, the last time it happened was 1946
The 1998 convergence was particularly unusual because it involved two very large broods. Their combined distributions covered the entire state. It was the first time since 1777 that these two groups emerged at once. Less spectacular cicada emergences are expected in central Missouri in 2006 (17-year cycle), in eastern Missouri in 2011, in northern Missouri in 2014 and in west-central and southeast Missouri in 2015.
Migratory bird hunters need to be HIP
Thursday, June 27, 2002
Buying a Migratory Bird Hunting Permit does more than keep you on the right side of the law.
JEFFERSON CITY -- Federal wildlife management officials remind hunters of the importance of buying a Missouri Migratory Bird Hunting Permit if they plan to hunt any migratory bird this year.
Missouri was one of three pilot states that introduced the Migratory Bird Hunting Information Program (HIP) card in 1992. The HIP program was designed to help biologists gather information that would enable them to more effectively manage migratory birds. That first year, hunters were required to buy the HIP card ($2), a state duck stamp ($5) and a federal duck stamp to hunt doves, snipe, rail, woodcock, ducks, geese or other migratory birds.
In 1996, the Conservation Department changed to the point-of-sale permit system and rolled the HIP card and the state duck stamp into the state Migratory Bird Hunting Permit. This reduced the number and cost of permits that migratory bird hunters had to buy. Some hunters missed the change, however.
Today, hunters who pursue doves, snipe, rails, woodcock or other migratory birds in Missouri need the $6 Migratory Bird Hunting Permit and a state hunting permit. Those who hunt ducks, geese or other waterfowl also need a federal duck stamp.
Federal officials say a significant number of people who hunt doves and other migratory birds besides waterfowl aren't buying the state migratory bird permits or HIP cards. This is particularly true in the increasing number of states with point-of-sale permit issuing systems like Missouri's.
Poor compliance with the requirement to buy a HIP card or the equivalent permit is a problem for two reasons. The obvious one is that hunters who aren't aware of the requirement can get expensive citations if caught hunting without the permit.
The other reason is that not participating in the HIP program reduces the effectiveness of post-season harvest surveys that help biologists set seasons and limits. Each year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service sends questionnaires to a representative sample of hunters who bought state migratory bird hunting permits or HIP cards the previous season. Survey responses and statistics about the number and location of permit buyers help federal and state waterfowl managers understand how hunting affects migratory bird populations. Without HIP data, they can't provide maximum hunting opportunity while still protecting migratory bird populations.
"Reliable information is the foundation of scientific wildlife management," said Conservation Department Wildlife Research Biologist Dale Humburg. "Our management of migratory birds can only be as good as the data we have to work with. Buying a Migratory Bird Hunting Permit is more than just a legal requirement. It's an investment in the future of hunting."
Frogging season opens at sunset June 30
Thursday, June 27, 2002
Frogs taste like fish, but you can take them with a hunting permit.
JEFFERSON CITY -- Time to brush up on your frog-catching techniques. Missouri's frog season opens at sunset June 30 and runs through Oct. 31.
Frogging is one of the few fishing or hunting activities that allows participants to go afield at night and use artificial light to pursue wildlife. A wide variety of methods can be used to capture frogs. Legal methods vary, depending on the type of permit the frogger has. Those with fishing permits may take frogs by hand, with a handnet, gig, longbow, trotline, throwline, limb line, bank line, jug line, snagging, snaring, grabbing or pole and line. With a hunting permit, froggers can use a .22 caliber rimfire rifle or use a pistol, pellet gun, longbow, crossbow, their hands or a hand net. Firearms may not be used when frogging on Missouri Department of Conservation lands.
Hunters should take precautions with firearms at all times. A .22-caliber bullet, like all firearms projectiles, can ricochet off water or rocks. For safety's sake, use hollow-point ammunition or a less powerful pellet gun for shooting frogs.
Almost any recipe that works for fish will do for frog legs. Battering or rolling in beaten eggs and bread crumbs and then deep-frying is a traditional favorite. For a switch, sauté in garlic butter and serve with lemon wedges.
Cooper's Landing makes the Missouri River safer, more convenient for anglers and boaters
Thursday, June 20, 2002
The Conservation Department and Fish and Wildlife Service helped provide a place for boaters to gas up and pump out septic waste.
EASLEY, Mo. -- Bikers and hikers on the Katy Trail stop at Cooper's Landing for bottled water and trail food. Campers get a deli sandwich and Alka-Seltzer and listen to live music on weekends. Anglers can buy frog gigs and live bait, and now boaters can buy gasoline and pump out their septic tanks without leaving the water.
Cooper's Landing, located about a mile north of Easley, at the site of the historic river port of Nashville, combines all these services and more at one of Missouri's fastest-growing recreational crossroads. Katy Trail State Park draws between 300,000 and 400,000 visitors per year, and the Missouri River is increasingly popular with hunters, anglers, campers and pleasure boaters. Yet, Cooper's landing is the only place in Missouri where river recreationists can fuel their boats or pump out septic tanks.
"This place is a luxury for fishermen and pleasure boaters on day trips," said Mike Cooper, whose dream of a river landing goes back 15 years. "For people on long river trips and folks who keep big boats on the river, it's more than just a convenience. Trailering a house boat to gas stations and campgrounds with pump-out facilities isn't an option when you're miles from where you launched. If you couldn't fill up here, you would have to carry gasoline to your boat and carry extra tanks. That can be a safety problem."
Cooper's Landing is equipped to serve transient boaters and those whose craft are too big for easy transportation by trailer. You can pull up to the dock, gas up, load drinkable water, buy supplies and go on your way.
One of the landing's most surprising amenities is Thai cuisine. Chim's Thai Kitchen offers a wide variety of authentic dishes cooked to diners' specifications. More predictable services include a public rest room with shower and laundry, a three-bedroom lodge, 2 campgrounds, a recreational vehicle dump, a convenience store and an indoor recreation room. Live music is available most Friday and Saturday nights.
The Providence Bend Boat Club has priority for launching boats and parking trailers at the private boat ramp, but it's open to the public on a space-available basis. The Missouri Department of Conservation's Providence Access is 1.5 miles upriver from Cooper's Landing and the Hartsburg Access is 10 miles down river.
Developing Cooper's Landing wasn't cheap, and probably would have been beyond the means of owner Mike Cooper if not for a grant he received with the help of the Missouri Department of Conservation. The source was the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Boating Infrastructure Grant Program, also known as "Big P." Authorized by Congress in 1998, the program is intended to provide facilities that enhance boating opportunities.
Money for Big P projects comes from the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Fund. The fund receives revenues from federal excise taxes on fishing equipment and marine fuel. Big P money can cover as much as three-quarters of the cost of qualifying projects. Cooper has spent more than $52,000 developing his facility, and has applied for a $39,000 Big P grant.
Missouri used to have another on-water fuel source at New Haven, but that facility is not currently operating. John McPherson, who administers Big P projects for the Conservation Department, said another Missouri River fuel and pump-out facility is on the drawing board for the River Towne Resort in St. Joseph and probably will open by late summer or early fall.
"The Missouri River is a fantastic recreational resource," said McPherson. "However, the river's usability is limited by a lack of essential services. We would like to see more places like Cooper's Landing, where transient boaters can stock up on groceries and ice, fill their gas tanks and maybe dock at temporary slip for a few days. There's matching money for projects like Cooper's, if we can find people who are interested in building them."
For more information about the BIG P program, contact McPherson at 573/751-4115, ext. 3598. For more information about Cooper's Landing, call 573/657-2544 or visit Cooper's Web site, www.cooperslanding.net. To learn more about Chim's Thai Kitchen, visit http://katytrail.net/thaikitchen.
Forests benefit from Missouri's conservation "Design"
Thursday, June 20, 2002
Ecological stability, wildlife habitat, recreation and fire protection
all are provided for by the one-eighth of 1 percent conservation sales tax.
JEFFERSON CITY -- "Priceless" is how many would describe opportunities to enjoy outdoor recreation on public lands, lower insurance premiums resulting from updated equipment for the local fire department and tree-lined green spaces in urban areas. For the past 25 years Missourians have gotten those things and many other benefits by dedicating a one-eight of 1 percent sales tax to state conservation programs.
A Missouri where all citizens share in the benefits and responsibilities of managing the state's forestry, fish and wildlife resources became reality in 1976. That year voters established the sales tax to help fund the Missouri Department of Conservation. Support for the tax was based on the agency's promise to enhance outdoor and wildlife resources, as well as expand opportunities for state residents to enjoy the resources. Those promises were outlined in a proposal called Design for Conservation.
Improved management of the state's forestry resources is one of the major accomplishments of the Design for Conservation. The stable funding provided by the one-eighth of 1 percent sales tax has enabled the Conservation Department to transform its Forestry Division from a fire control and farm forestry service to an innovator in forestry management.
Efforts to improve forestry resources began with enhancement of state forests. The Conservation Department acquired a number of tracts with significant forest cover in western and northern Missouri where public areas were rare. It also added 22 conservation areas totaling 68,000 acres, within 50 miles or less of urban areas.
Forest health and sustainable forest benefits are the Conservation Department's primary goals in managing the 580,000 acres of forest land it owns. One of the tools the agency uses to achieve these goals is timber harvesting. Typically, trees to be harvested are offered to loggers in a competitive bidding process. The Conservation Department supervises the successful bidders' activities to ensure the land is protected. The end results are healthy wildlife habitat, enhanced recreational opportunities and valuable forest products for Missouri businesses. Income from timber sales supports other conservation programs.
To ensure that the state's public and private forests are managed wisely and sustainably, the Conservation Department has developed a forest inventory system. Continuing surveys show that Missouri's forest acreage continues to increase, as it has for the past half-century
Expansion of Missouri's urban forests is among the most visible changes brought about by Design for Conservation. The Community Forestry program was in its infancy when the Design for Conservation was implemented. The Community Forestry program offers assistance to Missouri towns for managing or planting trees in public areas. The Conservation Department provides about $260,000 annually for community tree planting and maintenance programs.
With 85 percent of the state's forests in private ownership, addressing private landowners' forestry concerns was vital to forestry resource management. The Conservation Department has increased the number of professional foresters throughout the state. The forestry field staff offers advice and management assistance based upon landowner needs and interest in long-term forest management. Advisory services include group training sessions, office consultation, insect and disease identification and analysis, referrals to consultants and help with evaluating and choosing land management options. Management service includes assistance in developing and implementing a management plan for the property.
Providing seedlings continues to be among the Conservation Department's forestry management services. Upgrades to the George O. White State Forest Nursery have enabled the facility to meet public demand for seedlings. The nursery ships more than 5 million trees annually.
To address forestry health concerns the Conservation Department created a forestry research section. The section includes an insect and disease diagnostic laboratory. Research projects it conducts range from investigation of ways to improve the productivity of state forests to projects that focus on plant and animal community ecology and ways to maintain productive forest ecosystems.
The Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project (MOFEP) is among the Conservation Department's most innovative forestry research projects. MOFEP is a long-term study of the effects of typical forest management practices on Ozark forest plants and animals. The 100-year study focuses on 9,200 acres of forest in Shannon, Reynolds and Carter counties. One-third of the land is being managed by cutting all the trees on small parcels on 10 percent of the acreage each 10 years. On another third of the study area, loggers conduct selective tree cuts on a portion of the land every 10 years. On the remaining third, no trees are being cut. At the end of the study, two-thirds of the study area will have been logged using different methods. By comparing differences in plant and animal life on the three different areas, researchers hope to shed light on the ecological effects of different logging practices.
Many of the changes accomplished through funding from the one-eight of 1 percent sales tax have come in the form of better fire fighting services to communities throughout the state. The Conservation Department continues to provide fire control training to fire departments throughout the state.
Conservation Department participation in the Federal Excess Personal Property Program (FEPP) has helped the agency's fire services. Through FEPP, the Conservation Department helps rural fire departments obtain surplus military firefighting equipment at no cost. In addition, the agency provides grants to assist local fire departments with equipment purchases. Equipment valued at about $4 million is distributed annually to fire departments.
The Conservation Department's Master Fire Planning Project also is making communities safer. The program develops comprehensive fire plans that increase local fire departments' emergency response capability. The improved fire services have resulted in reduced insurance rates for homeowners.
"Missourians have every right to feel proud of their forests," said Conservation Department Forestry Division Administrator Bob Krepps. "The Design for Conservation has given the state a forest management program that values ecological research and commodity production, public and private forest management, wilderness recreation and urban forestry. In Missouri, everyone helps pay for forest management, and everyone benefits."
- Arleasha Mays -
(Editor's note: This is the third in a series of stories detailing changes and progress achieved with money that Missourians have provided through the one-eighth of one percent sales tax for conservation. Future installments will deal with non-game and endangered wildlife, research and recreational opportunities funded as part of the Conservation Department's "Design for Conservation.")
Survey reveals wildlife recreation trends
Thursday, June 20, 2002
Expenditures on hunting, fishing and other wildlife-based
recreation made up 1.1 percent of the gross domestic product in 2001.
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Would you be surprised to learn that the average American angler spent $1,046 a year on his hobby and that hunters spent $1,581 per person per year on theirs? Those are just a couple of the facts emerging from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's most recent survey of hunters, anglers, birdwatchers and others who depend on wildlife for their leisure activities.
Every five years since 1955, the Fish and Wildlife Service has asked Americans about their activities and expenditures that involve animals. The agency just released preliminary results from its latest survey, conducted in 2001. Among the findings:
--- 34 million Americans fished and spent $35.6 billion doing so.
--- Hunters numbered 13 million, and their expenditures totaled
$20.6 billion.
--- 66 million Americans reported watching, feeding or
photographing wildlife and spent $40 billion in the process.
The majority of expenditures for wildlife-related activities were for equipment. Food, lodging and transportation expenditures made up about one-fifth of the economic activity associated with wildlife-related recreation, or about $19 billion.
The preliminary report showed a slight decrease in numbers of Americans engaged in all three types of wildlife-related recreation compared to the survey conducted in 1991. However, they represented 39 percent of the nation's population, and their expenditures for these activities still made up 1.1 percent of the United States' gross domestic product.
"Policy makers sometimes seem to regard wildlife conservation as a nice-to-have budget item that can be sacrificed in the interest of programs that benefit the economy," said Dan Witter, policy coordination administrator for the Missouri Department of Conservation. "These figures make it pretty clear that wildlife is extremely important to Americans and that, far from being a drain on the national economy, it's an economic engine."
Witter said that if Americans couldn't find fish and wildlife at home, many of them would go elsewhere to find it. "We can't afford to disregard the importance of wildlife-related tourism to the state and national economies," he said. "Besides being a sign of a healthy environment, wildlife helps sustain us, spiritually and economically."
The survey showed that Missouri had 1.2 million anglers, 489,000 hunters and 2.3 million wildlife watchers, feeders and photographers in 2001. Of the last category, 738,000 came to Missouri from other states to enjoy wildlife. Total expenditures on wildlife-related recreation in Missouri were $1.99 billion.
The Fish and Wildlife Service will release full, final survey results of the survey in November. More information from the preliminary report is available online at http://federalaid.fws.gov/surveys/surveys.html.
Blue Springs man sets new common carp record
Thursday, June 13, 2002
Lake Lotawana produces its second state record in three years.
BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. -- Tim Dernosek probably doesn't need to worry about whether the fishing record
he set May 28 will be broken any time soon. The common carp he caught at Lake Lotawana topped the
previous record by nearly 20 pounds.
Dernosek was bowfishing at 11:15 p.m. when he shot the 55-pound, 1-ounce female common carp.
The previous record was a 35-pound, 9-ounce fish taken from Lake Lotawana in May 1999.
"We were testing a new lighting system that my friend put on his boat," said Dernosek. "We started
seeing all these big fish, and I mean big fish. We decided we wouldn't shoot anything that looked like it
wasn't at least 35 pounds."
Dernosek, who has been active in archery fishing tournaments for years, has seen huge buffalo and
grass carp before, but the biggest common carp he had ever seen until that night was 15 pounds or so.
But that night on Lake Lotawana, they were surrounded by common carp none of which was smaller
than 20 pounds. He said he has heard that really big carp come into shallow water only once a year.
"They come up one night and spawn, and then they're gone for another year," he said. "We just
happened to be there."
The record fish is in Dernosek's freezer, waiting to be mounted by a taxidermist.
The Missouri Department of Conservation keeps separate records for fish caught with hand-held poles
and those taken by bowfishing, trotlines, limb lines, jug lines and other "alternative methods." The
pole-and-line record for common carp is 50 pounds, 6 ounces. That fish came from Rothwell Park Lake
in 1996.
Anglers whose sizable catches don't quite measure up to record standards can get recognition from the
Conservation Department through the Master Angler Program. Anglers who catch fish that meet
minimum requirements for eligible species receive certificates acknowledging their exceptional
catches.
To receive details of how to certify state record catches or participate in the Master Angler program,
contact: Fisheries Division, Missouri Department of Conservation, P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, MO
65102 0180, or visit the Conservation Department web site www.missouriconservation.org. ;
James River paddlefish wind up in hot water
Thursday, June 13, 2002
The Conservation Department searches for answers to fish kill.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Hot weather and a drop in the water level in the James River below Lake
Springfield contributed to the death of 88 paddlefish, according to the Missouri Department of
Conservation.
An angler alerted the Conservation Department June 4 after seeing dead paddlefish, some of them four
feet long, around the Missouri Department of Conservation's Tailwaters Access just below Lake
Springfield's dam. Besides the paddlefish, which ranged from 37 to 48 inches measured from the eye
to the fork of the tail, fisheries biologists found approximately 100 other dead fish of other species,
including black bass and catfish. They said evidence points to a combination of contributing factors. Hot
weather was the primary factor in the kill, according to Conservation Department Fisheries Regional
Supervisor Chris Vitello.
The City of Springfield uses water from the lake to cool its electric generating plant. Paddlefish swim
upstream to spawn in the spring, congregating below dams and other manmade barriers. Normally,
paddlefish would swim back downstream to escape adverse conditions, but a drop in the river's level
trapped them as water temperatures rose, and dissolved oxygen levels fell.
"This is an unusual set of circumstances," said Vitello. "It's late in the season to have paddlefish up by
the dam, and early in the year to have such hot weather. Plus, the fish didn't have anyplace to go.
Without any one of those factors, we probably wouldn't have had a fish kill."
Vitello said his staff, in cooperation with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and City
Utilities of Springfield continue to monitor the river for further problems. He said the James River is one
of the few streams where the paddlefish survives, thanks to captive rearing and regular stocking. He
said the Conservation Department sustains paddlefish, a fish species that otherwise would disappear
in Missouri. The economic value of the fish to Missouri as a popular sport and tourist attraction equals
hundreds of thousands of dollars to Missouri's economy. He said he hopes a change in weather will
help stabilize conditions for the fish in the affected area.
"Fortunately, recent rain and cooler temperatures have helped the current situation by lowering the
water temperature," said Conservation Department Fisheries Division Administrator Norm Stucky. "Hot
weather over the next few days could cause additional paddlefish deaths due to higher water
temperatures and lower oxygen levels. While we wait and search for answers, we are working with City
Utilities to stop preventable deaths. We are all hoping for cooler weather to help prevent further loss to
the fishery."
The Conservation Department is working with DNR and City Utilities of Springfield to discover the
short-term cause for the recent kill and to develop long-term solutions to prevent future problems.
"We've had a good relationship with City Utilities for many years and this relationship has resulted in
many cooperative efforts, including Community Assistance Program facilities at Lake Springfield and
Fellows Lake," Vitello said. "We're working together with City Utilities and DNR to remedy this current
situation."
"Our primary goal will be to ensure that fish and wildlife are reasonably protected from harm. We want
to help businesses find measures that will efficiently produce energy while minimizing damage to
Missouri's fisheries," said Stucky.
Poachers shell out hefty fines for turkey violations
Thursday, June 13, 2002
A grant from the National Wild Turkey Federation helped conservation agents catch game thieves in the
act.
JEFFERSON CITY -- Citizen involvement was the secret weapon that enabled conservation agents to
catch dozens of poachers violating turkey hunting regulations before and during this year's spring turkey
season. The net result was more than $16,000 in fines.
Hunters who were tired of having poachers steal wild turkeys by illegal and unsporting means planted
the seed for the operation. Their complaints about rampant poaching in a few Ozark counties
galvanized local conservation agents to take action. Then a second group of citizens, the Missouri
Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), stepped in to turn that outrage into action.
With a $14,000 grant from the NWTF, the Missouri Department of Conservation organized an operation
to educate ethical hunters about hunting regulations and to catch poachers on public and private land.
The NWTF grant paid for specialized equipment and helped pay the costs of hundreds of hours of
overtime spent catching poachers before turkey season opened and during the three-week season.
The Conservation Department put poachers on notice in February with news releases touting the
operation and even announcing that the effort would focus primarily on the area south of the Missouri
River. Meanwhile, agents were laying the groundwork for an intensive enforcement effort, gathering
intelligence through undercover operatives. As the season approached, agents took to the air in
helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. They focused night-vision goggles and infrared sensors on potential
trouble spots. They put out turkey decoys and staked out sites where they knew poachers had put out
grain and other bait to attract turkeys. By the time spring turkey season opened, they already had made
26 arrests.
When the season opened, agents again made their intent clear with high-profile saturation patrols by
uniformed agents. On the second day of the season, they conducted road checks to catch poachers
who hunted without permits or killed more than their limit of turkeys. Arrests during the season totaled
58.
A few of the cases remain to be settled in court, but most have been completed with fines and other
penalties. Fines and court costs ordered to date exceed $16,400. That's not the end of the bad news for
poachers, however. In Howell County, Associate Circuit Court Judge David Evans sentenced two men
each to 20 hours of community service and a year of supervised probation.
A Wright County man was caught killing a turkey on opening day of the spring turkey season while his
hunting privileges were revoked. Wright County Prosecuting Attorney Larry Tyrell sought stiff penalties in
the case, and Associate Circuit Court Judge Noble Leighton sentenced the man to 48 hours in jail and
a $250 fine. Conservation Commission policy dictates that his hunting privileges automatically will be
revoked for an extra year. That really hurts, because Missouri belongs to the Interstate Wildlife Violator's
Compact. Under that agreement, hunters whose privileges are suspended here can't buy a permit in
any of the other 16 member states.
The final day of the Spring 2002 turkey season signaled the end of a highly effective education and
resource law enforcement effort in the Ozarks. The idea for the comprehensive and innovative strategy
came when Ozark residents complained of violations on public and private land during the spring
season and poaching outside the hunting season.
Conservation agents in the Ozark Protection Region brought these concerns to a strategy session and
developed a plan to use all the resources at their disposal to achieve two goals. One was encouraging
hunters to comply with regulations. The other was educating the public about turkey hunting violations.
embers of the Missouri Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) and the NWTF Regional
Supervisor Dave Murphy met with Protection personnel and pledged $14,000 for the effort.
Conservation Department Ozark Unit Protection Field Chief Terry Roberson said the operation should
send a message to poachers and to law-abiding hunters.
"To those 99 percent of hunters who obey the law, we're saying that we appreciate their support in
protecting this precious resource," said Roberson. "We know they are doing it right, and we thank them
for supporting this special operation. To those who don't obey the law, we're saying that their behavior
isn't acceptable. We don't accept it, and neither do ethical hunters. And between the real hunters and
the Conservation Department, we're going to make it darned hard to steal game and get away with it."
Conservation officials want solution to Bagnell Dam fish kills
Friday, June 07, 2002
The Missouri Department of Conservation says fish kills are avoidable.
LAKE OZARK, Mo. -- As a fish kill at Lake of the Ozarks stretches into its second week, officials with the Missouri Department of Conservation say they are looking forward to working with AmerenUE and determining a solution to this serious problem.
Anglers alerted the Conservation Department to the fish kill early the week of May 19. Hundreds of mutilated fish, including paddlefish up to 40 pounds, were turning up below Bagnell Dam each day. Some of the fish were chopped up, apparently after being sucked into power generating turbines. Others showed injuries that they might have suffered when they plunged over the dam's floodgates or were caught in turbulent water below the dam.
About three-quarters of the game fish destroyed so far have been paddlefish. The Osage River system is one of a handful in the world where the paddlefish survives, thanks to captive rearing and annual stocking by the Conservation Department. The program sustains a fish species that otherwise would disappear in Missouri, not to mention a popular sport fishery worth hundreds of thousands of dollars to the state annually.
"We have been finding paddlefish for a week and a half that show signs of having come through the turbines at Bagnell Dam," said Conservation Department Fisheries Program Supervisor Bill Turner, "and we continue to find them. That continuing loss certainly will affect paddlefish numbers in Lake of the Ozarks. Those killed below the dam are going to affect fishing in the lower Osage River. Missouri taxpayers and fishing permit holders contribute much to sustaining this paddlefish population, and it's the Conservation Department's job to help businesses develop reasonable measures to avoid killing them."
Turner said the issue of fish kills is just one that the Conservation Department will raise when AmerenUE asks the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to renew its operating license for Bagnell Dam. The license expires February, 2006. To continue operating the dam, AmerenUE must submit a proposal for a new license to the FERC by February, 2004. The Conservation Department is hopeful that fish and wildlife resources in both the lake and the river below Bagnell Dam can be enhanced as part of the license renewal process.
Missouri Stream Teams now 2000 strong
Friday, June 07, 2002
A group of 15 home-schoolers joins 38,000 other Missourians who work to protect and improve creeks and rivers.
EDGAR SPRINGS, Mo. B After adopting Phelps County's Lane Spring in their hearts and minds, the DiGennaro family officially adopted the spring by signing up for the Missouri Stream Team program. The creation of the team was a milestone that increased to 2000 the number of groups working to protect and improve Missouri waterways.
Stream Teams is a volunteer program that enables Missourians to get involved in stream conservation. The program sponsors, the Missouri departments of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Conservation Federation of Missouri, provide the training and technical support volunteers need to conduct a wide variety of stream maintenance and improvement projects.
Stream Team volunteers are motivated by several things. Some want to see streams in their communities as attractive as possible. That means removing trash, from paper cartons to old tires and used appliances, from streams.
Others are concerned with clean water because of an interest in wildlife. Some are anglers, and still others are canoeists who want the streams they float to be as clean as possible. Many teams involve children who are stretching the bounds of their knowledge of the science of biological and chemical water monitoring.
Stream Team 2000 is a home-school group of about 15 members from Lenox, Mo., who use Lane Spring to study the environment.
"We signed up to learn what we could do to improve our stream," said Louise DiGennaro. "I believe we should leave the world a cleaner, more beautiful place than we found it. I'm hoping Stream Teams can help me make my children aware of the value of our streams and how their actions can impact streams. Finding out that we were the 2000th team added to the excitement of becoming involved in the program."
Nearly 38,000 Missourians have joined stream teams since the program was established 12 years ago. Last year alone, the teams provided nearly 100,000 hours of volunteer service. The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that volunteer service is worth $16.05 per hour. Based on that, Stream Team members contributed nearly $16 million worth of labor to Missouri streams last year.
Removing trash from streams is the most popular team activity. Last year Stream Teams collected 420 tons of trash. Stream Team-sponsored cleanups included last year's first ever large-scale cleanup of the Missouri River (Missouri River Relief).
Monitoring the purity of the water in streams is another popular stream team activity. Team members checked the water at 252 sites in 2001. The program trained more than 362 new volunteers, bringing the number of citizen water-quality monitors in Missouri to more than 2,494.
Steam Team volunteers can assess water quality directly by taking samples and having them tested for pollutants in a laboratory. Stream Teams also measure water quality indirectly by looking at the insects living in a stream. The absence of insects that are sensitive to pollutants is evidence of poor water quality.
Stream Teams also painted notices on 1,000 concrete storm drain inlets in 2001, warning people "Dump No Waste - Drains to Stream," planted more than 23,600 trees in stream bank stabilization projects and conducted two workshops to teach participants the life history, ecology and identification of crayfish.
Throughout the month of June, the Stream Team program will celebrate establishment of Stream Team 2000 and Stream Team successes.
"The goal of the celebration is to raise awareness about stream issues and encourage Missourians to take an active role in caring for our streams," said Conservation Department Fisheries Biologist Sherry Fischer. "The Stream Team program is just one way to do that. Learning how we impact streams and stopping actions that negatively effect streams is another great way to help protect water resources."
For information on Stream Teams and how you can get involved, visit www.missouriconservation.org or call 800/781-1989.
Return of rain puts trout hatcheries back in business
Friday, June 07, 2002
Hatchery managers at Missouri's four trout parks are breathing a sigh of relief.
LEBANON, Mo -- Looking at the mess that recent storms have left at Missouri's four trout parks, you might be puzzled by the smiles on local officials' faces. To understand their good mood, you have to look beyond the downed trees and washed-up flotsam to the springs that sustain on-site hatcheries. Throughout the Ozarks, spring flows are back to normal, and then some.
The Missouri Department of Conservation doesn't own any of the trout parks, but it provides fish for all four parks with hatcheries on site. Last fall, the future looked grim for these hatcheries. A three-year drought had seriously reduced flows from springs that provide the chilly water necessary to raise trout. But an unusually wet spring has turned that situation around.
Roaring River State Park near Cassville is a good example. The Missouri Department of Conservation's trout hatchery there needs at least 12 million gallons of spring water daily for normal operations. Last summer, the park's spring dwindled to a flow of just 5 million gallons per day. Hatchery Manager Jerry Dean had to pump water from the river into fish-rearing raceways. The hatchery falls, a landmark at the park, was shut down.
But above average - in fact often torrential - rains in April and May boosted the spring's flow to 111 million gallons per day. The stream jumped its banks in the fly-fishing area and toppled a big sycamore tree. When the water receded, hatchery personnel had to rescue several hundred trout stranded in a ditch in the park's lower campground. But all things considered, Dean didn't consider all this much of a problem. "I, personally, will take wet over dry any time," he said. "I am cautiously optimistic about the drought being over. Even if we don't get rain for some time, our spring will be in good shape."
Bennett Spring State Park near Lebanon has had above-normal spring flows since March. Floods in April and May washed out a railroad tie retaining wall at the hatchery, but workers from the Conservation Department's Design and Development Division quickly had a concrete replacement in place. Raging waters toppled a few trees and damaged the road and approach to Whistle Bridge, but all these have been repaired through a cooperative effort of the Conservation Department and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
Bennett Spring Hatchery Manager Ron McCullough said he expects trout production to return to normal within a year, "unless the rains completely quit, and that's not likely."
At Montauk State Park near Licking, Hatchery Manager Tom Whelan said spring flow is twice its normal level. Three floods in the space of 10 days undermined a number of trees, which then fell into the river, and the stream briefly threatened to carve a new channel through one campground. However, the trees have been cleaned up, and Design and Development workers are working to make sure the stream stays put.
"We didn't have any serious damage or loss of fish as a result of the floods, and we haven't missed a stocking yet," said Whelan.
Maramec Spring Hatchery Manager Skip Doak reported the spring flow at 110 million gallons per day. That is only 10 percent above average, but far more than the low point of 33 million gallons per day recorded last fall. Heavy rains caused the spring branch to flood, creating quite a mess and forcing cancellation of a youth fishing event May 18. The hatchery crew covered fish rearing pools when flood water threatened to inundate them, avoiding the loss of any trout. The park is back to normal, and the kids fishing event has been rescheduled for July 27.
"We have rebounded completely from the drought," said Doak. "Our water quality was rather poor during the low flows, but we had enough water.
Unlike the other three trout parks, which are state parks operated by the DNR, Maramec Spring Park near St. James is owned and operated by the James Foundation. In spite of being flooded twice in one week, Maramec Park came through without significant damage. Roads along the spring branch were underwater, cutting off access to some camping areas. When the water receded, however, maintenance crews found no damage and not even much debris to clean up.
"This was definitely an instance where when it rained, it poured," said Conservation Department Fisheries Division Administrator Norm Stucky. "We were very fortunate to get all the rain we needed to solve our trout hatchery problems without doing serious damage to the parks or hatcheries. Folks who come out to the trout parks are going to find excellent conditions, and that's much better news than we expected."
Fish Kill Under Investigation in Springfield, Missouri
Wednesday, June 05, 2002
The Missouri Department of Conservation searches for answers to fish kill on James River.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. --Last weekend's heat wave is expected to be the primary cause of a fish kill on the James River below Lake Springfield in Greene County. The majority of the dead fish, which include a large number of paddlefish, have been found in and around the Missouri Department of Conservation's Tailwaters Access Area located just below the dam.
"We have confirmed 66 paddlefish, ranging in size from 37 to 48 inches in length. Other game fish include black bass and catfish, plus a few other species. We have collected--at this point--between 150 and 200 fish; we are continuing to monitor and investigate this problem, which could continue for days," said Conservation Department Southwest Regional Fisheries Supervisor Chris Vitello. "Personnel from City Utilities of Springfield were on-site yesterday. We appreciate their cooperation in getting the carcasses out and working with us and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR)." City Utilities of Springfield owns Lake Springfield.
The exact cause of the kill remains under investigation. "We suspect that the cause may be high temperatures and low oxygen, however, more work needs to be done. The fish may be migrating upstream into the James and becoming trapped by a low water bridge once the water recedes--the high temperature water released from the power plant may be contributing to low levels of oxygen in the water," said Vitello.
Conservation officials were alerted to the fish kill Tuesday when 60 dead paddlefish were discovered. "We are continuing to count dead fish and we are working with DNR to examine water quality. It is extremely unfortunate that we are losing so many high-quality large paddlefish," said Vitello. "This river system is one of few where the paddlefish survives, thanks to captive rearing and annual stocking."
The Conservation Department sustains paddlefish, a fish species that otherwise would disappear in Missouri. Additionally, the economic value of the fish to Missouri as a popular sport and tourist attraction equals hundreds of thousands of dollars to Missouri?s economy. It's hoped a change in the weather will help stabilize conditions for the fish in the affected area of the James River.
"Fortunately, last night's rain and cooler temperatures have helped the current situation by lowering water temperature," said Conservation Department Fisheries Division Administrator Norm Stucky. "Hot weather over the next few days could cause additional paddlefish deaths due to higher water temperatures and lower oxygen levels. While we wait and search for answers, we are working with City Utilities to stop preventable deaths. We are all hoping for cooler weather to help prevent further loss to the fishery."
The Conservation Department is working with DNR and City Utilities of Springfield to discover the short-term cause for the recent kill and to develop long-term solutions to prevent future problems. "We've had a good relationship with City Utilities for many years and this relationship has resulted in many cooperative efforts, including Community Assistance Program facilities at Lake Springfield and Fellows Lake," Vitello said. "We're working together with City Utilities and DNR to remedy this current situation."
"Our primary goal will be to ensure that fish and wildlife are reasonably protected from harm. We want to help businesses find measures that will efficiently produce energy while minimizing damage to Missouri's fisheries," said Stucky.
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