Up Front

By Jason Sumners | February 1, 2025
From Missouri Conservationist: February 2025
Body

Our Missouri Department of Conservation logo was adopted in June 1970. Drawn by acclaimed MDC artist Charles Schwartz, the triangle containing an oak leaf, bass, and raccoon has become a recognizable symbol of conservation in the state. Many often ask why the raccoon was chosen for the logo, as opposed to the white-tailed deer or wild turkey. The raccoon reflects the long history and influence of trapping and fur trading in Missouri. Early pioneers sought raccoons and beavers as sources of fur and food. With Missouri at the convergence of the two great rivers, the fur trade played a huge role in shaping the lives of those who colonized Missouri (see Built on Fur, Page 16). 

For me, some of my earliest outdoor memories were times spent with my dad trailing our coonhounds through the dark Ozark woods in pursuit of a raccoon. We’d pause at a downed tree to sip on a can of tomato juice and listen to the dogs run with the light of a carbide lamp. In the days before the local fur buyer arrived, we’d pull the hides that had been neatly rolled and stored in bread bags from the freezer. These times had a lasting and significant impact on me and helped create the desire to pursue a career in conservation. So, while some today may not have such a positive view of raccoons, they have shaped our great state and me.

Jason Sumners, Director

JASON.SUMNERS@MDC.MO.GOV

This Issue's Staff

Magazine Manager – Stephanie Thurber
Editor – Angie Daly Morfeld
Associate Editor – Larry Archer
Photography Editor – Ben Nickelson
Staff Writer – Kristie Hilgedick
Staff Writer – Joe Jerek
Staff Writer – Dianne Van Dien
Designer – Marci Porter
Designer – Kate Morrow
Photographer – Noppadol Paothong
Photographer – David Stonner
Circulation – Marcia Hale