Stay in Touch with MDC news, newsletters, events, and manage your subscription
Xplor reconnects kids to nature and helps them find adventure in their own backyard. Free to residents of Missouri.
A monthly publication about conservation in Missouri. Started in 1938, the printed magazine is free to residents of Missouri.
WEST PLAINS, Mo. – There are a number of ways to enjoy the outdoors at the Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) Peck Ranch Conservation Area, but in fall and winter, elk-viewing tops the list.
Get tips on the best places to see elk and learn what else you can do at this 23,049-acre MDC area in Carter and Shannon counties at the Sept. 23 MDC virtual program “Driving Tour Through Peck Ranch.” This online program will be from 10-11 a.m. and is being put on by the staff of MDC’s Twin Pines Conservation Education Center in Winona. This program is open to all ages. People can register at:
https://mdc-event-web.s3licensing.com/Event/EventDetails/179743
Elk roam across Peck Ranch Conservation Area (and parts of the surrounding area as well) throughout the year – not just in fall and winter. However, decreased foliage and dormant vegetation increase nature-viewing opportunities in fall and winter, which means these are the best seasons to see the more than 200 elk that have been in this region since MDC re-introduced elk at Peck Ranch in 2011, 2012, and 2013.
At the Sept. 23 program, Twin Pines Center Manager Reva Dow will discuss MDC’s elk reintroduction efforts and will have information on Peck Ranch’s Elk Driving Tour. This tour consists of a 10-mile gravel road that loops through the refuge portion of Peck Ranch, which is where the greatest number of elk are concentrated.
Though this program is free, registration is required. To participate, use the link above. Registrants must provide an e-mail, so a program link can be sent to them. This program will include a chat-based question-and-answer period where participants can interact with the presenters.
Program registrants should note that they now have the option to link their children’s accounts to their own, which will streamline the program registration process. Once a group account is set up, parents will be able to register their children for an event without having to log-off or log-in for each person. This allows parents to register an entire family or select family members for an event at the same time.
Staff at MDC facilities across the state are holding in-person and virtual programs. A listing of these programs can be found at mdc.mo.gov/events.
