News & Events

by Joe Jerek

Department Needs Hunters’ Help for CWD Sampling Firearms Opening Weekend

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a deadly deer disease that has been found in northeast, central, and east-central Missouri. To find and limit the spread of CWD, the Missouri Department of Conservation needs the help of hunters.

Hunters who harvest deer during the opening weekend of the fall firearms deer season (Nov. 12 and 13) in any of the 29 counties of the Department’s CWD Management Zone are required to present their deer for CWD sample collection on the day of harvest at one of 75 sampling locations. Hunters also have the option of presenting just the deer head with about 6 inches of neck attached. Sampling locations will be open from 7:30 a.m. through 8 p.m.

The 29 counties of the CWD Management Zone are Adair, Boone, Callaway, Carroll, Chariton, Cole, Cooper, Crawford, Franklin, Gasconade, Jefferson, Knox, Linn, Livingston, Macon, Miller, Moniteau, Morgan, Osage, Putnam, Randolph, St. Charles, St. Louis, Schuyler, Scotland, Shelby, Sullivan, Warren, and Washington.

CWD sampling involves collecting tissue samples from the necks of harvested deer. Hunters can get free test results after samples are processed.

Hunters can help reduce their wait times at CWD sampling locations by:

• Telechecking their deer before going to a sampling location,
• Having their completed permit information ready,
• Positioning their deer in the vehicle so thehead is easily accessible for staff to take tissue samples from the neck, or
• Having the detached head and neck bagged and ready.

Get a map of the 29 CWD Management Zone counties, a list of the 75 CWD sampling locations, and sampling instructions online at mdc.mo.gov/CWD and in the 2016 Fall Deer & Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information booklet, available where hunting permits are sold.

Out of State Harvests

The Department reminds hunters who harvest deer, elk, or moose outside of the state and bring the animal back to Missouri that they must report the animal’s entry into the state within 24 hours by calling 877-853-5665 or reporting it online at mdc.mo.gov/carcass. Reporting is required by law. The carcass must be taken to a licensed meat processor or taxidermist within 72 hours of entry.

Hunters just passing through Missouri on their way to another state are exempt from this requirement as long as they are not in Missouri for longer than 24 hours.

The reporting requirement is only for whole carcasses and carcasses that have the head and spinal column attached. Parts that do not require reporting and that are at low risk for harboring CWD include: meat that is cut and wrapped, boned-out-meat, quarters or other portions of meat with no parts of the spine or head attached, hides or capes from which excess tissue has been removed, antlers, including those attached to skull plates or skulls where all muscle and brain tissue has been removed.

Learn About CWD at Oct. 13 Wild Webcast

Join Conservation Department experts on Thursday, Oct. 13, from 6–7 p.m. to get information and ask questions about chronic wasting disease (CWD) in Missouri. Participate through the convenience of a computer or mobile device. The online conversation will include a brief presentation on Department efforts to limit the spread of the deadly deer disease and what hunters, landowners, and others can do to help.

For more information or to register, visit bit. ly/2bsJt3M.

Get Hunting Prospects for Small Game

The Department’s Small Game Hunting Prospects blends small-game population research and management with hunting tips in one convenient guide. Sections include profiles of popular small game species, managers’ notes from quailemphasis areas across the state, and tips and tricks for small game hunters. The information also highlights conservation areas where various species are found.

Get the guide at short.mdc.mo.gov/Zon. For hunting information by species, visit short. mdc.mo.gov/ZZn, and get hunting prospect information under the Getting Started section for each species.

Fall Hunting Opens for Rabbits, Game Birds, Deer, and Waterfowl

October marks the opening of firearms season for rabbits and wild turkey, along with youth weekends for deer, quail, and pheasant. Hunters can also pursue woodcocks beginning mid-month. Waterfowl season opens for Canada geese and

brant Oct. 1, followed by waterfowl youth hunting in the North and Middle zones Oct. 22–23, and ducks and coots in the North Zone starting Oct. 29.

For detailed hunting information by species — along with places to hunt, recipes, and more — visit huntfish.mdc.mo.gov. Information is also available through the Department’s hunting booklets, available where permits are sold and online at short.mdc.mo.gov/ZZf. Hunting permits are available online at mdc.mo.gov/buypermits.

Auction Set for Oct. 15

The Department will hold a public auction Saturday, Oct. 15, starting at 10 a.m. at its Salem Maintenance Center, located at the junction of Highway 72 and Highway 32. The auction will include boats, outboard motors, tractors, trailers, farm equipment, and vehicles.

View auction items Friday, Oct. 14, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with auction preregistration starting at 9 a.m. Registration the day of the sale begins at 7:30 a.m. A complete lot listing and terms of sales will be available at the registration desk the day of the auction.

Cash, check, and credit/debit cards will be accepted. As required by state statute, the Department must charge a processing fee to all customers who pay by credit or debit card.

For more information, including a list of auction items and procedures, visit mdc.mo.gov/ auction.

Deer and Turkey Regulation Changes for Fall

The Department reminds deer and turkey hunters of regulation changes that go into effect this fall.

To offer youth additional hunting opportunities, the Department has expanded the late youth portion of the fall firearms deer season from two to three days and moved it earlier in the season. It will now start on the first Friday after Thanksgiving instead of early January.

The Department has reduced the length of the antlerless portion of the fall firearms deer season from 12 to three days, and it now begins on the first Friday in December.

Due to low harvest numbers, the Department has eliminated the urban portion of the firearms deer season and moved the areas under statewide regulations.

Crossbows have been added as a legal method during the archery deer and turkey season and also during the fall firearms turkey season. As a result, the Department has removed the hunting method exemption requirement. The regulation change will provide additional hunting opportunities for young hunters and help prolong hunting activities for older participants.

To help protect young bucks and increase the number of mature bucks, the bag limit of antlered deer has been reduced from three to two during the combined archery and firearms deer hunting season. No more than one antlered deer may be taken during the firearms deer hunting season and only one antlered deer may be taken prior to the November portion of firearms season.

Get more information on fall deer and turkey hunting in the 2016 Fall Deer & Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information booklet, available where hunting permits are sold and online at short.mdc.mo.gov/ZZf.

Buy Permits Through MO Fishing

The Conservation Department announced a name change and new features to its free mobile fishing app, Find MO Fish. With the updated app, now called MO Fishing, users can:

• Buy, save, and show permits right from their mobile devices.
• Access a database of more than 950 public places to fish.
• See what selected bodies of water offer, such as boat ramps, docks, parking lots, fish-attractor structures, restrooms, and other amenities.
• View detailed maps of more than 4,000 fish-attractor locations for selected bodies of water.
• Read annual fishing prospects and weekly fishing reports for many bodies of water.
• Use the app’s fish guide to help identify the catch of the day.
• Get information on fishing regulations, seasons, catch limits, and more.

Download MO Fishing through Google Play for Android devices or the App Store for Apple devices. For more information on MO Fishing, visit short.mdc.mo.gov/Zoh.

Tom Martin Named State Logger of the Year

Congratulations to Tom Martin of Birch Tree on being named Missouri’s State Logger of the Year. Martin was also named Regional Logger of the Year for the Ozarks. He has been a contract logger for Smith Flooring for almost a quarter century and has worked on private, state, and federal land timber sales across the Ozarks.

In recognition of his award, Martin received a framed print from the Department and a new Stihl chainsaw from Crader Distributing at the Missouri Forest Products Association summer meeting.

The Missouri Department of Conservation gives annual awards to loggers who have demonstrated good working relationships with landowners and foresters. The loggers are recognized for minimizing damage to trees and natural resources and using best management techniques that preserve Missouri’s forested lands for generations to come. For more information, visit short.mdc.mo.gov/Zoi.

Fall Colors on Display During Annual Poosey Driving Tour

The Missouri Department of Conservation invites nature lovers to its 30th annual fall driving tour at the Poosey Conservation Area in northwest Livingston County on Oct. 16. Visitors can enjoy the autumn colors of rugged hills and forests as they drive on roads not normally open to vehicles. The Department will have exhibits and conservation displays along the route. Gates will open at noon and the last vehicle will be allowed to begin the driving tour at 4 p.m. All roads are graded and graveled; however, some sections of the tour route involve steep slopes and crossings in low areas. Four-wheel-drive and high clearance vehicles are recommended. Visitors should allow time for stops to enjoy scenery and discussions at exhibit areas.

For more information, call 660-646-6122. For maps and more information about Poosey Conservation Area, visit short.mdc.mo.gov/Zo5.

Sites Added to Great Missouri Birding Trail Website

Discover nature by exploring the best places to birdwatch around Missouri. Find them through a new website, Great Missouri Birding Trail, at greatmissouribirdingtrail.com. The website includes an interactive map of the best birding sites around the Show-Me State, along with information on various aspects of bird conservation for the new and seasoned birder. Pages include beginner basics, birding tips, landscaping for birds, and ways to get involved with local birding organizations.

Central and southeast portions of the trail have recently been added. Other completed sites are St. Louis and Kansas City. Work continues on northeast and southwest portions.

The Great Missouri Birding Trail is a partnership between the Missouri Bird Conservation Foundation and the Department, with support from other state and federal agencies and birding organizations.

Conservation Commission Actions

The August Commission meeting featured presentations and discussions regarding the Black Bear Project, 2016 mandatory CWD sampling, permit suspensions for Wildlife Code violations, communications update, the Discover Nature Schools program, major construction projects, information technology projects, and the financial report. A summary of actions taken during the Aug. 25–26 meeting for the benefit and protection of fish, forests, and wildlife, and the citizens who enjoy them includes:

• Recognized Department staff members who have received recent national awards.
• Received comments on proposed regulations regarding smallmouth bass from Troy McAfee, Current River Smallmouth Association, Winona.
• Approved regulations related to smallmouth bass and rock bass and changes to the
• Wildlife Code identified during the mid-year review.
• Gave authorization to enter into a contract with Spencer Contracting Company of Arnold, Missouri, for construction of the Statewide Tower Replacement Project at various conservation areas and in various counties.
• Approved the purchase of 133.29 acres in Knox County as an addition to Henry Sever Lake Conservation Area.

The next Conservation Commission meeting is Oct. 20–21. For more information, visit

short.mdc.mo.gov/ZZe or call your regional Conservation office.

What Is It?

Marbled Orb Weaver | Araneus marmoreus

The marbled orb weaver is a colorful spider whose wide range includes all of the eastern

United States. It’s sometimes called “pumpkin spider” because the rounded abdomen of this species can be bright orange. The pattern is variable, and the color can be white, yellow, or orange, with mottling and spotting of black, brown, or purple. Females build their wheel-shaped webs among trees and tall weeds in moist woods, often near streams. —photograph by Noppadol Paothong

Did You Know?

We work with you and for you to sustain healthy fish, forests, and wildlife.

State Forest Nursery Helps You Help Habitat

Since 1947, the George O. White State Forest Nursery near Licking has offered Missouri residents seedlings for reforestation, windbreaks, erosion control, and wildlife habitat.

• The original nursery property was 40 acres and had about 15 acres of seedbeds.
• Today, the total acreage of the nursery is 754 acres, with 50 acres of seedbeds.
• The nursery now grows more than 70 different species of trees and shrubs.
• Except for a few pine species, all are native Missouri plants.
• To grow all these seedlings, the nursery collects or buys approximately 100,000 pounds of seeds each summer and fall.
• For example, about 2,000 bushels of walnuts (50,000 pounds), 7,000 pounds of white oak acorns, 3,000 pounds of hazelnuts, and 3,500 pounds of plum seed are needed just to establish seedlings for these four species.
• Each year the nursery processes more than 10,000 orders and ships about 3 million seedlings.
• The nursery accepts seedling orders online between Oct. 1 and April 15 every year. The printed Seedling Order Form appears in the November Conservationist.

To learn more about the nursery, browse planning and planting resources, and order conservation seedlings for your yard or farm, visit mdc.mo.gov/seedlings.