Upper Mississippi Duck Blind Drawing July 14

ST. CHARLES, Mo -- Waterfowl hunters will have the opportunity to draw for prime fall hunting spots on the Upper Mississippi Conservation Area on Saturday, July 14. That’s when the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) will hold the bi-annual Upper Mississippi Conservation Area duck blind drawing for pools 24, 25 and 26.

Important to note is the change of location for the 2012 drawing. This year the drawing will be at the Heart of St. Charles Convention and Ballroom Center, 1410 South Fifth St. in St. Charles. Participants can register for the drawing starting at 9 a.m. Registration cut off is at 10:30 a.m. and the drawings begin at 11 a.m.

MDC will provide aerial maps for successful hunters to choose their blind sites as they are drawn. Successful hunters may also select up to three co-registrants to occupy the blind with them.

Blind drawing registrants must be age 16 or older. Hunters age 16 to 64 are required to bring a 2012 Missouri Small Game Hunting Permit. All participants will need a 2012 Migratory Bird Permit and signed 2012 Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, as well as a photo ID.

Successful hunters must also provide name, address, phone number, date of birth, email address and conservation number for all co-registrants they wish to add to their blind.

The Heart of St. Charles Convention and Ballroom Center is located just east of the I-70 Fifth Street exit, near the intersection of Main Street and Ameristar Boulevard.

The Upper Mississippi Conservation Area includes federal lands along the Mississippi River north of St. Louis. It consists of 87 separate tracts totaling 12,500 acres between Melvin Price Lock and Dam and LeGrange.

For more information, call Columbia Bottom Conservation Area at 314-877-6014 or the MDC St. Louis Regional Office at 636-441-4554.