Get Outside

Chicken Hunt

Chicken of the woods mushrooms appear through November. These edible mushrooms start popping up around Mother’s Day. Look for orange overlapping clusters on stumps, trunks, and logs of dead or dying trees. (Never eat a mushroom unless you’re sure it’s edible.)

Baby on Board

Baby deer, also known as fawns, are born through June. If you see one while you’re out enjoying a Missouri day, leave it alone. The mother is likely nearby and will return to care for it. Leave wildlife wild.

Kansas City Region: Blue Springs Get Outdoors Day

Saturday, May 18 • 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Lake Remembrance 1901 NE Jefferson St., Blue Springs, MO 64014 No registration required. Call 816-228-3766 for more information. All ages MDC partners with Blue Springs Parks and Recreation to offer this celebration of the outdoors. Activities include kayaking, fishing, wild edible plants, birding, outdoor yoga, archery, outdoor cooking, and more.

Legends of Conservation Presents: Jay Norwood “Ding” Darling Missouri State Tour

Join us for The Art of Conservation: A Visit with Ding Darling, a one-man play that reflects upon the life of the two-time Pulitzer Prize winning editorial cartoonist.

• Southeast Region Tuesday, May 14 • 7–8 p.m. Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center 2289 County Park Drive, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701
• Central Region Wednesday, May 15 • 7–8 p.m. Runge Conservation Nature Center 330 Commerce Drive, Jefferson City, MO 65109
• St. Louis Region Thursday, May 16 • 7–8 p.m. Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center 11715 Cragwold Road, Kirkwood, MO 63122
• Southwest Region Friday, May 17 • 7–8 p.m. Springfield Conservation Nature Center 4601 Nature Center Way, Springfield, MO 65804
• Kansas City Region Saturday, May 18 • 11a.m.–12 p.m. Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center 4750 Troost Ave., Kansas City, MO 64110

Leaving the Nest

Young bald eagles begin to fledge. Scope out the nearest eagles’ nests and see if you can catch a glimpse of these novice flyers.

Enjoy More Time Here

Ever have a lost or forgotten permit spoil your outdoor plans? Not anymore. MDC’s permits system lets you buy online, print your permit at home, and have it in hand immediately. You can even reprint the permit if you lose or damage it. Buy your permits online at mdc.mo.gov/permits

Natural Events to See This Month

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

• Young woodchucks leave dens
• Jack-in-the-pulpits bloom
• White-tailed deer begin growing antlers.