In Brief

by Holly Dentner

Last September, Conservation Agent Makayla Ryan received a call from the local electric cooperative to report suspicious activity near a fiber optic line in Christian County. Technicians had responded to the location due to an outage, and when they arrived, they saw the line had been shot. There were seeds and feathers scattered around a burnt patch of ground, indicating that hunters were shooting doves off the powerline. 

“The evidence of the fiber optic line damage and spread seed told us that someone might be hunting over bait,” said Ryan. “I began working the area with Corporal Alex Walker to monitor the situation, and it didn’t take long before we discovered what was going on.” 

Shortly after daybreak in mid-September, she heard gunshots coming from the property. She and Walker approached a man and woman who appeared to be dove hunting. 

“They were hunting over the baited field and weren’t the property owners,” said Walker. “So, our next step was to contact the landowners to find out more.”

After interviewing everyone involved, the agents learned that both individuals had permission to hunt on the property, and one of them had been hunting on opening day with a larger group of people. 

“The landowner had spread the seed and was part of the hunting group on opening day,” said Ryan. “We found out about the additional people involved after speaking with him.”

According to the men, there were seven adults and two juveniles who were hunting on the property on opening day of dove season. They were issued warnings for taking/attempting to take migratory birds by bait. The man caught in person by Agents Ryan and Walker received citations for taking/attempting to take migratory birds by bait and subjecting others to the violations of the baiting rule. 

If you have questions about the regulations for hunting doves, contact your local conservation agent. See Page 29 for information.

Dove season runs Sept. 1 through Nov. 29, 2026. For more information, consult the Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest 2026–2027 online at short.mdc.mo.gov/4SZ.

Black-Tailed Jackrabbit

Black-tailed jackrabbits (Lepus californicus) are the largest lagomorph species (rabbits, hares, and pikas) in Missouri. Related to rabbits, the black-tailed jackrabbit is a hare belonging to the genus Lepus (cottontail rabbits are in genus Sylvilagus). Black-tailed jackrabbits, while common in the west and southwest United States, are found only in southwest Missouri in shortgrass prairies, overgrazed dairy farms, and pastures with legumes and crops less than 2 feet tall. A state endangered species, black-tailed jackrabbits have not been officially reported in Missouri since 2009, and most sightings occurred in the 1980s.

Why It’s Imperiled

Since Missouri is on the eastern edge of its range, black-tailed jackrabbits were never common. They likely expanded into Missouri in the 1930s due to the Dust Bowl and overgrazing. The species has likely suffered a natural range reduction due to healthier tallgrass prairie habitats and overhunting. Missouri’s current population may be small to nonexistent.

What Can You Do?

Protect their remaining habitat, including shortgrass prairies and overgrazed agricultural fields, and avoid using nonnative plants such as fescue. Replant fields with native forbs and warm-season grasses and remove woody vegetation in open grasslands. To avoid damage to crops, build rabbit fences using chicken wire or woven wire at least 3 feet high and 6 inches underground. 

If you or someone you know has seen a black-tailed jackrabbit in Missouri, please contact Shelly.Colatskie@mdc.mo.gov to report your sighting so MDC can assess their current population.