Get Outside in September

Ways to connect with nature

Natural Events to See This Month

Here’s what’s going on in the natural world.

• Katydids sing in trees at night
• Fawns lose their spots
• Eastern tiger Salamanders move to ponds in the rain
• Persimmons start to ripen
• Freshwater Jellyfish may be abundant in reservoirs

Kansas City Region

Firearm Optics

Saturday, Sept. 15 • 9–11:30 a.m. Lake City Shooting Range 28505 E. Truman Road, Buckner, MO 64016 Registration required. Call 816-249-3194 beginning Aug. 15

We will discuss selecting and mounting optics, as well as sighting and zeroing your scope.

All-Natural Pesticide

You may spot black-and-yellow garden spiders in your garden this month. These harmless visitors build webs in gardens and grassy areas and help keep your flowers and veggies pest-free.

You Gonna Eat That?

Black bears gorge to prepare for winter hibernation. But don’t share your picnic with them! Keep black bears wild and let them enjoy their natural fare — grass, berries and other fruits, nuts and seeds, fish, frogs, small rodents, and more.

Nuts, Nuts, and More Nuts

If you enjoy nuts, this is your season! Hazelnuts, black walnuts, and hickory nuts begin to ripen.

• Hazelnuts
• Black walnuts
• Shagbark hickory

Bon Voyage

Monarch butterflies begin migrating south in large numbers, sometimes traveling 3,000 miles.

Ozark Region

Ladies Fishing Day

Saturday, Sept. 8 • 7:30 a.m.–7 p.m. Maramec Spring Hatchery 21304 Maramec Spring Dr., St. James, MO 65559 No registration required. Call 573-265-7801 for more information Women, all ages

Women of all ages will have a chance to trout fish in a special, roped-off area of the spring. The area will be stocked with 100 tagged fish, and when an angler catches one, she can win an assortment of prizes ranging from a fishing rod to a vest, tackle box, or net. There is no fishing license or daily trout tag required for women during this event. Informal instruction will be offered including basic trout-fishing tactics, casting, and cleaning and cooking your catch. Bring the whole family to enjoy the day!

Xplor Inspire the Children in Your Life to Get Outside!

Looking for a way to coax your kids to put down their devices, climb off the couch, and get outside? Then check out Xplor, MDC’s free magazine for kids and kids at heart.

Six times a year, Xplor serves up stories about Missouri’s coolest critters, niftiest natural places, and liveliest outdoor activities. The magazine is free to Missouri residents (one subscription per household, please). Out-of-state subscribers pay $5 per year; out-of-country subscribers pay $8.

Don’t keep the door closed any longer. Sign up for your free subscription at mdc.mo.gov/xplor

Find more events in your area at mdc.mo.gov/events