Fall

1. Wander Around a Fall Forest

The Show-Me State’s forests reach their showiest in mid-October when oaks and hickories blaze with color. But pretty leaves aren’t the only wonders you’ll find in a fall forest. Lots of critters — from squirrels to songbirds — are busy gathering food for winter.

September/October 2016

2. Peek in on Pelicans

It’s hard to miss an American white pelican. Weighing up to 30 pounds and with a 9-foot wingspan, a pelican is one of the biggest birds in North America. Their striking white feathers and enormous orange beaks make them even easier to spot. Peek in on these jumbo jets of the bird world at Missouri’s marshes and lakes in October.

September/October 2024

3. What Is It?

My eyes are big, but I am small.

I usually jump before I crawl.

I use a rope to catch my fall.

You might spot me on a wall.

For the answer, go to No. 23.

May/June 2024

4. Tag a Migrating Monarch

In mid-September, orange-and-black monarch butterflies flutter thousands of miles south to spend winter in Mexico. You can help biologists track their movements by netting migrating monarchs and putting tiny identification tags on their wings. Learn more at monarchwatch.org.

August/September 2010

5. Welcome Back Elk

Huge herds of elk once grazed across most of Missouri, but by the late 1800s the last wild elk had disappeared into some hunter’s stew pot. Now the big browsers are back, baby! Biologists rounded up elk from Kentucky and turned them loose in a wild corner of the Ozarks. To see Missouri’s mightiest mammal, follow the driving tour at short.mdc.mo.gov/ZY3.

November/December 2021

6. Make a Milkweed Bracelet

Native Americans made cord from plants like milkweed. Collect milkweed in the fall, when it’s brown and dormant. Cut off stems a few inches above the ground, so they will regrow next spring.

1.   Snip branches off the main stems then step on the stems to crack them open.

2.   Peel tough outer fibers from the stem’s spongy inner core and gather the tough fibers in a skinny bundle, about 3 feet long. Spray the bundle with water.

3.   Grab the middle of the bundle with your hands 2 inches apart. Pinch the bundle with one hand and twist the fibers in only one direction with the other. When the fibers are tight, bring your hands together, and a loop will form.

4.   Hold the loop in one hand. With your other, twist one strand of fibers.

5.   When that strand is tight, bring it up and over the top of the other strand. Repeat with the other strand. Pinch the junction of the strands to keep the twisting tight.

6.   Continue twisting and swapping strands until the cord is long enough to fit around your wrist. Tie a knot in the end of the cord to keep it from unraveling. 

7.   Place it around your wrist and stick the knot through the loop.

October/November 2010

7. Find a Forest Flyer

At night, while other squirrels are curled in leafy nests dreaming of acorns, flying squirrels dive through the dark, gathering the real thing. To see these nocturnal nut-munchers, put your bird feeder near a porch light. If you hear a soft whump, flip on the light to catch a flying squirrel eating seeds.

October/November 2012

8. Get a Mushroom’s Autograph

Mushrooms release dust-like “seeds” called spores. To see what they look like and create some cool art, place a mushroom cap on white and black paper taped side by side. Cover the cap with a bowl and leave it alone overnight. In the morning, lift off the cap to reveal a beautiful pattern.

October/November 2011

9. Hunt for Huge Trees

A bald cypress in New Madrid County has a trunk over 325 inches around. A scarlet oak in Wayne County is 150 feet tall. And a cherrybark oak in Scott County has branches that stretch out 138 feet! Other giant trees may be waiting for you to find them. For tips on measuring big trees, check out the September/October 2021 issue.

10. Look for Life in the Litter

In an Ozark forest no bigger than two football fields, trees drop about 10,000 pounds of leaves every autumn. This layer of discarded tree parts is called leaf litter — but there’s nothing trashy about it! Tucked beneath the crunchy brown blanket is a hidden world of centipedes, shrews, and skinks. Rake 
through some litter to see what you might find.

March/April 2026

11. Survive a Zombie Invasion

Zombies aren’t real. Right? Who believes in them, anyway? Not us. But still … it pays to be prepared. In our October/November 2013 issue we offered tips for lighting a fire, finding shelter, and gathering food to help you survive getting lost in the woods — or evade brain-munching monsters.

12. See a Swarm of Swallows

Swallows swallow insects — and not much else. So when bugs bug out in the fall, swallows fly south. Before they leave, they gather in enormous flocks on power lines and near wetlands. Practice your swallow ID on this puzzle, then grab binoculars and get out to see the real thing!

It’s a swallow bon voyage party! How many of each kind (barn swallow, bank swallow, cliff swallow, purple martin, rough-winged swallow, and tree swallow) can you find in the flock below? (Hint: there are 210 total.)

August/September 2011

13. Go Nuts With Nature

Leaves aren’t the only things that fall off of trees in the fall. Oak trees also drop acorns. This creates a forest feeding frenzy as everything from blue jays to black bears gobble up the snack-sized nuts.

September/October 2019

14. Strange but True

Baby dragonflies, which live underwater, have an … um … interesting way to move around. By sucking water into their hind ends and forcefully squirting it out, they can jet forward at speeds up to 4 inches per second.

November/December 2025

15. Make Some Suet

When winter arrives, birds need lots of energy. Whip up some suet to keep woodpeckers, chickadees, and other birds happy and flappy.

1.   In a large bowl, mix together 2½ cups of birdseed, ½ cup of oats, and ¼ cup of cornmeal.

2.   In a different bowl, combine 1 cup of vegetable shortening and ½ cup of peanut butter. Microwave the mixture until it melts.

3.   Pour the melted mixture into the dry ingredients and stir well.

4.   Spoon the suet into a small, shallow bowl and place it in a freezer overnight.

5.   Remove the suet from the bowl. If it’s stuck, set the bowl in warm water until the edges of the suet soften. Then, use a butter knife to pry it out.

6.   Put the suet in a suet cage, and hang it in a shady spot you can see from your house.

November/December 2020

16. Sprout Your Socks

Slip an old pair of socks over your shoes and go for a stroll in the weediest place you can find. Soon, the socks will be covered with seeds. Stuff soil inside the socks, stick them in a baking pan, and soak them with water. Keep them damp, and in a week or so, your socks will sprout!

July/August 2023

17. Go to Bat for Bats

Bats need help! Many species are losing numbers, and some may disappear completely. To help bats, stay out of caves that don’t allow visitors. Avoid using pesticides, which kill insects bats eat. And don’t cut down dead trees — bats raise their babies inside. To learn more about the only mammals that can truly fly, flutter over to the September/October 2022 issue.

18. Go Teal Hunting

If icy weather, frozen toes, and snotsicles hanging from your nose make you think twice about duck hunting in winter, give September’s teal season a try. For a beginner’s guide to hunting these early-migrating, fast-flying ducks, check out the September/October 2020 issue.

19. Predict Winter Weather with a Persimmon

At the end of September, purplish-orange persimmons drop out of their knobby-barked trees. Some people claim you can forecast winter’s weather by splitting open a persimmon seed. If the inside looks like a spoon there will be lots of snow. If it looks like a fork, winter will be mild. And if it looks like a knife, icy wind will slice through your coat like a blade.

September/October 2015

20. Cook Over a Campfire

Place a hamburger patty in the center of a 2-foot-long piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Sprinkle salt and pepper on the burger. Put potato slices and a handful of carrots, onions, celery, and bell peppers over the beef. Drop a tablespoon of butter over the veggies and sprinkle seasoning salt on everything. Fold the foil into a leakproof packet and place the packet on a bed of hot coals. Cook for 30 to 60 minutes until the burger is brown and the veggies are soft.

For more campfire recipes, check out the August/September 2014 issue.

21. See the Show-Me State in its Wildest State

Missouri may not have palm-lined beaches, snowcapped mountains, or a Grand Canyon. But we certainly have our share of jaw-dropping scenery. From deep blue springs where water magically bubbles out of the bedrock to waterfalls that crash down the side of Ozark cliffs, Missouri’s wildest nooks and crannies will make you wonder if you’re really in the Midwest. For a guide to the Show-Me State’s most spectacular scenery, check out the September/October 2025 issue.

22. Carve a Snack-o’-Lantern

Wondering what to do with your pumpkin after Halloween? Put it near a window and fill it full of birdseed. In no time, flocks of feathered foragers — and a few squirrels — will drop by for tricks and tweets.

October/November 2014

23. Celebrate International Jumping Spider Day

October 10 is International Jumping Spider Day. Why celebrate a spooky spider? Because these eight-legged athletes are super smart, have amazing eyesight, are good dancers, and leap long distances. Some people even think they’re cute! Autumn is a great time to look for these adorable arachnids (that’s a fancy word for spiders) on windowsills, deck railings, and tree trunks.

September/October 2018

24. Explore a Prairie

Early fall is the perfect time to visit a prairie. The muggy heat of summer has passed, yet there are still plenty of flowers abloom and interesting critters afoot. For a guide to these amazing grasslands, take a look at the September/October 2023 issue.