Mobile Devices and MDC

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2012 Conservation Recap

Drought and public involvement dominated conservation news.

JEFFERSON CITY–2012 will go down in Missouri’s conservation history as a year when adversity brought people of diverse backgrounds together in common cause. Along the way, they caught some big fish and made progress in restoring some natural treasures.

JANUARY

The year was only a few days old when a Reynolds County man called the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) to report that he had captured a mountain lion in a cage-type trap. MDC took DNA samples and released the 122-pound male cougar onto Current River Conservation Area (CA). Later in the month, MDC’s Mountain Lion Response Team (MLRT) confirmed the authenticity of a photograph of a mountain lion taken by a trail camera, also in Reynolds County.

By year’s end, the MLRT confirmed eight more mountain lion sightings, all from trail-camera photos. Several of these sightings occurred in the same areas and around the same times. However, there was no DNA or other evidence that would have enabled MDC to determine if these were repeated sightings of the same cats. For more information about mountain lions in Missouri, visit mdc.mo.gov/node/3505.

Results from tests performed on tissue samples from deer taken in the 2011 firearms deer season showed that two of 1,077 deer tested had chronic wasting disease(CWD). It was the first evidence that CWD had entered Missouri’s wild deer herd. Subsequent testing found three additional positives among 656 free-ranging deer collected in the area around Macon County, where the first two positives turned up.

Missouri took on a magical air as hundreds of snowy owls – the same species featured prominently in the Harry Potter movies – visited the state.

FEBRUARY

Kansas City hosted the National Pheasant Fest and Quail Classic. MDC biologists joined experts from other agencies and private conservation groups in sharing the latest information on managing grassland birds.

With Missouri’s four trout parks preparing for the catch-and-keep fishing season, MDC reminded anglers that porous-soled waders no longer were permitted in the trout parks or other specific trout waters to prevent the spread an invasive algae. MDC has a video with instructions for converting porous-soled waders to a non-porous surface at mdc.mo.gov/node/18453.

The Department invited photographers around the state to enter its 75th Anniversary Photo Contest.  More than 20,000 photos were submitted by 2,000-plus photographers.  The winning photos were featured in the October 2012 issue of the Missouri Conservationist.

MARCH

In response to the discovery of CWD in free-ranging deer, MDC held open-house meetings in Linn and Macon counties to inform the public about CWD and measures being considered to manage the disease.

The Conservation Federation of Missouri (CFM) named Dave Pace, Salem, itsConservationist of the Year for his involvement in elk restoration and conservation in Missouri and nationally. CFM also honored seven other Missourians for work in various conservation fields.

The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a red-flag warning for much of Missouri, indicating the potential for explosive fire growth. 

Recognizing the critical role of private landowners to the success of Missouri’s ongoing elk-restoration effort, MDC held an elk-habitat workshopwhere landowners from Reynolds, Shannon, and Carter counties met with biologists to discuss management techniques and cost-sharing opportunities.

Missourians set the first records of the year on March 24, when 1,169 young archers fired more than 40,000 arrows during the fourth Missouri National Archery in the Schools (MoNASP) State Tournament.

One year into e-Permits, the system continues to provide an easy and convenient way for citizens to purchase and print hunting and fishing permits from a computer. By year’s end, more than 160,000 hunting and fishing permits were sold with the new system.

Cooperation between MDC, Ameren Missouri, and the World Bird Sanctuary (WBS) gave Missourians a birds-eye view of peregrine falcons raising chicks in a nest box at Ameren’s Sioux Energy Center in St. Louis. A “falcon cam” near the birds’ nest box provided video feeds to the sponsors’ websites and MDC, and WBS staff provided commentary on what was happening.

MDC and Ameren also created a new program, Wires Over Wildlife, to preserve and enhance wildlife habitat on private land under Ameren transmission lines. MDC staff provides technical advice, and Ameren reimburses property owners for wildlife-friendly management practices.

MDC and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers biologists determined thatzebra mussels were present in 7,200-acre Smithville Lake north of Kansas City.

David Warren was bowfishing at Duck Creek CA March 23 when he shot an11-pound, 4-ounce bowfin, setting a new alternative-methods record for the species.   

APRIL

MDC advised outdoors people and landowners to be bear aware. Bear encounters spikes at this time of year because bears are hungry when they come out of their winter dormancy and are easily tempted by garbage, pet food and livestock feed in unsecured containers.

MDC certified a tree in Morley as the state-champion black oak. The tree, which stands on land owned by Doug Sikes, stands 75 feet tall, has a circumference of 246 inches and shades an area 105 feet across.

Oscar “Oz” Hawksley, known for teaching thousands of Missourians about the outdoors during a six-decade career, received the title of “Master Conservationist” at a ceremony in Jefferson City. Hawksley, 91, is Missouri’s 59^th Master Conservationist. The award is among the highest honors given by the Conservation Commission.

To celebrate Arbor Day, the Department distributed more than 102,000 trees to Missouri 4^th graders. The Department continued to work with Joplin to replant trees in areas affected by the devastating tornado. To date, more than 8,000 trees have been replanted with the help of MDC, partners, and citizens.

MDC inducted Engineer/entrepreneur Earl Hoyt Jr. and career conservationistPaul Jeffries into the Missouri Conservation Hall of Fame. Hoyt was a pioneer of compound bows, while Jeffries built government-citizen partnerships to promote conservation. The two collaborated to establish Missouri’s first archery deer season and founded the Missouri Bow Hunters Association.

MDC confirmed the discovery of white-nose syndrome in three bats from two caves in Lincoln County. The disease, caused by a fungus, has killed millions of bats in other states but has not been found to infect humans or other animals.

Young hunters took advantage of warm, dry weather during the youth spring turkey season, checking 4,319 turkeys. That was an increase from the 2011 harvest of 3,898.

MDC wrapped up its five-year program of trapping greater prairie chickens in Kansas and relocating them to Wah’kon-tah Prairie. It will continue monitoring the birds’ progress, using radio collars and leg bands.

Rachel Davis of Climax Springs set a state pole-and-line record for goldeye while fishing from the bank at Lake of the Ozark April 14. The fish weighed 1 pound, 12 ounces.

On April 28, Dylan Gilmore of Perry caught a 9-pound, 2-ounce largemouth bass on a trotline at Ka-Tonka Lake in Ralls County. The fish set a new state record in the alternative-methods category.

That same day, more than 750 students from all over the state participated in the Missouri Trap Shooters Association state tournament in nearby Linn Creek.  The Department of Conservation cosponsors the championship and more than 40 staff helped with scoring at the event.

MAY

Hunters checked 40,447 turkeys during Missouri’s regular spring turkey season, up by 2,120 from 38,327 last spring. When combined with the harvest during the youth season, the spring harvest totaled 44,766, up about six percent from 2011.

Nicholas J. Wray of Harrisonville caught his second state-record river carpsucker on May 6, adding an alternative-methods record to his existing pole-and-line record for the species.

Leading experts on safe and skillful hunting gathered in Kansas City May 29 through June 2 for the International Hunter Education Association’s annual convention. Speakers included Missouri Conservation Commission Chairman Don Johnson and MDC Director Robert L. Ziehmer.

Table Rock Lake and Lake Taneycomo are among 10 “Waters to Watch” selected by the National Fish Habitat Partnership.  The designation recognizes the importance of strategic conservation partnerships in protecting, restoring and enhancing the two lakes’ condition.

DNA analysis showed that four mountain lions seen in Missouri last year came from three Western states, illustrating the species’ capacity for long-distance travel. All four big cats were seen in Missouri in 2011. Two of the cats documented in Missouri were from the Black Hills of South Dakota. Another matched DNA from Montana mountain lions, while the fourth was related to Colorado cougars.

Missouri’s elk herd doubled in size on May 19, with the arrival of the Show-Me State’s second batch of wild elk from Kentucky. Within an hour, Missouri’s newest four-legged residents were resting in the shade and grazing on lush clover.

Observers atop Kansas City’s 30-story Commerce Tower thrilled to the aerobatics of a pair of peregrine falcons nesting in a box provided for them by MDC and NAI Capital Realty, which manages the building.

Eighteen-year-old Cody Chaney of Belton caught a new state-record river carpsucker May 27 when he caught a 5-pound, 8-ounce specimen with archery tackle. The catch broke a record set a mere three weeks earlier.

JUNE

MDC worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), The Nature Conservancy (TNC), and the St. Louis Zoo to reintroduce the American burying beetle at Wah’kon-tah Prairie. The large, visually striking insects have some of the most elaborate social and behavioral adaptations in the insect world. They bury dead animals to provide food for their young.

MDC recognized the City of Neosho for its conservation efforts. The city did habitat-improvement work at Morse Park, conducted an Ozark Cavefish recharge delineation survey, developed a forestry stewardship plan for the city and an urban deer survey, and held a Hickory Creek “trout opener” event to promote urban fishing opportunities. 

MDC held an open house in Macon County to provide information on five recently found cases of CWD in free-ranging deer in the area, explain disease-management actions, answer questions, and provide information on managing private land for deer.

Common carp at Blue Springs Lake in Jackson County became some of the first wildlife casualties of a record heat wave and drought. The kill was estimated at 10,000 fish.

   Late in June, MDC issued a ban on open fires on conservation areas. The ban was an effort to prevent wildfires under extremely dry conditions. The USDA Forest Service and numerous counties and communities also issued fire bans.

JULY

July 2 was the 75^th anniversary of the Missouri Conservation Commission’s first meeting. The historic event was the culmination of tireless work by the Restoration and Conservation Federation of Missouri, the precursor of today’s Conservation Federation of Missouri.

Foresters confirmed the discovery of the emerald ash borer, a destructive forest pest, near Parkville and in Reynolds County.

The annual North American Duck Breeding Population Survey showedanother increase in duck numbers and projected an extremely strong fall flight.

MDC dedicated the new Central Regional Office and Conservation Research Center to E. Sydney Stephens, a conservation pioneer who played a critical role in the formation of the Conservation Commission 75 years ago.

Black-bear monitoring continued, as MDC biologists captured and radio-collared bears to learn more about their numbers and habits in Missouri. Forty-five bears currently are being tracked year-round.  

AUGUST

Everything from trees to fish felt the pinch of heat and drought this summer. The period from January through June was the hottest on record nationally. June was the sixth-driest on record in Missouri. The Show-Me State’s last rainfall of statewide significance fell on May 7. One-hundred-degree-plus temperatures began in June and lingered into August.

One-hundred-eighty fire departments around the state received checks for up to $3,000 each from MDC to help with the purchase of personal protective gear and firefighting equipment. The Department assigned more than $60 million in equipment to volunteer fire departments to help fight wildfires.

MDC normally sends crews to help fight fires in the western United States, but this year the agency’s entire force of 754 firefighters stayed home, responding to calls for help from local fire departments. Hummingbirds began flying south early to find more abundant food.

On the positive side, low water levels allowed maintenance work on boat ramps and other areas that normally are too wet. Lack of moisture also permitted habitat work in areas where soil normally remains saturated throughout the summer.

Warm, dry weather early in the nesting season gave bobwhite quail and other upland birds a much-needed break from the wet, cold weather that has plagued them in recent years.

MDC offered free deer-management workshops in August and September to help landowners, hunters, and others manage private land for deer.

MDC also hosted blue catfish open-house meetings to get anglers’ advice about managing blue catfish at Truman Reservoir and Lake of the Ozarks. Events in Camdenton, Clinton, and Warsaw allowed participants to ask questions of MDC staff and express their ideas about potential changes to catfishing regulations.

One-hundred fifty hearing-impaired campers and 70 volunteers got better acquainted with nature at the 11^th annual MDC Discover Nature Families Outdoor Skills Camp for the Hearing Impaired at the H. Roe Bartle Scout Reservation in St. Clair County.

MDC rolled out a new high-tech helper for locating fishing spots: the “Find MO Fish” mobile application for smartphones, tablets, and other mobile communication devices. Download the application for iOS devices athttp://tinyurl.com/brma6ef, or Android devices at http://tinyurl.com/csxgglc.

MDC worked to eliminate feral hogs from land it manages. Anyone spotting feral hogs can contact an MDC office or conservation agent.

Drought improved fish populations in some deeper ponds and lakes. Low water can force prey fish into deeper water, where predators such as largemouth bass have an easier time catching them and are able to grow rapidly. The remaining prey fish, such as bluegills, also grow better, thanks to reduced competition for food.

A rare albino ruby-throated hummingbird visited a feeder at Lake Waukomis north of Kansas City. Birdwatchers Nancy and Michael Morrison spotted the white hummingbird with a pink beak, pink legs, and pink eyes hovering at a feeder in their yard.

The remnants of Tropical Storm Isaac dropped enough rain across much of Missouri to justify MDC lifting the fire ban on conservation areas, but drought conditions persisted.

MDC and the National Wild Turkey Federation offered a free workshop to help private landowners improve wildlife habitat on their property.

MDC says trees that drop their leaves or turn brown aren’t necessarily dead and offered advice about how to tell if a tree is alive and how to help survivors. Some trees drop their leaves to reduce water loss and can recover with supplemental watering and mulching.

Reports of dead deer in ponds began to accumulate, providing evidence that the drought was increasing losses to hemorrhagic diseases. MDC staff kept a county-by-county tally of the reports to identify areas most affected.

MDC and Ducks Unlimited (DU) hosted four 75th Anniversary Celebrationand Wetlands Fun Days at MDC wetlands to recognize progress on their shared mission of conserving migratory birds and other wetland-dependent wildlife.  

SEPTEMBER

Jennifer Battson took over as chief of MDC’s Wildlife Division on Sept. 1. Growing up on and around farms in Osage County helped form her ambition to work with nature. Battson’s immediate goals include devising strategies for improving the division’s ability to conserve and restore wildlife habitat and game and non-game wildlife species for public benefit.

Visitors to Peck Ranch CA enjoyed the sight of Missouri’s growing elk herdalong a self-guided driving tour. The sound of bull elk bugling filled the hollows as the mature males gathered cow elk into small groups called harems.

OCTOBER

MDC held another series of open-house meetings, this time focusing on potential changes in paddlefish management.

Shooting ranges at the Apple Creek CA in Cape Girardeau County reopened following upgrades. The unstaffed shooting range is one of 70 managed by MDC. Jay Henges Shooting Range near High Hill received a four-star rating for new features and improvements, extended hours, and increased staff.

Burr Oak Woods Conservation Nature Center in Blue Springs celebrated its 30^th anniversary. It was MDC’s first urban nature center and now hosts 80,000 visitors annually.

Autumn rains were sparse but adequate to salvage the display of fall color.

MDC’s annual turkey brood survey showed a poult-to-hen ratio of 1.7 poults, the same as in 2011. These two years of strong turkey nest success were the best in several years.

Improved turkey reproduction contributed to the second increase in a row of the fall firearms turkey harvest. Hunters checked 8,498 turkeys during the month-long season, topping last year’s figure by 1,421.

The urban deer season harvest (1,108 deer checked) also was up, nearly doubling the 2011 figure and topping the 10-year average.

To slow the spread of CWD, the Conservation Commission authorized 80 landowners with five or more acres in and around a one-mile radius of where CWD was detected to take up to five additional deer during the fall hunting season. Deer harvested using the seals were checked using the Telecheck system, and a tissue sample was taken for CWD testing.

The Conservation Commission accepted accolades from Gov. Jeremiah “Jay” Nixon and State Rep. Sue Entlicher, Bolivar. Nixon and Entlicher each presented a framed proclamation congratulating the Conservation Department for 75 years of conservation leadership.

Missouri Stream Team’s annual report showed a growth of 196 citizen-led stream conservation teams. Stream Teams logged more than 202,900 hours of volunteer time, removed 573 tons of trash from streams, conducted 948 water quality monitoring trips, planted 17,759 trees, and completed 93 habitat improvement projects. 

NOVEMBER

The St. Louis Zoo announced that eight female Ozark hellbenders laid 2,809 fertile eggs in the zoo’s artificial nest boxes, and the zoo had produced hundreds of larvae. This marked only the second time endangered Ozark hellbenders had been bred in captivity.

The zoo also honored MDC Herpetologist Jeff Briggler with the 2012 St. Louis Zoo Conservation Award for his work with Missouri’s amphibians and reptiles.

Hunters age 6 through 15 checked 19,277 deer during the first weekend of Missouri’s youth deer hunt Nov. 3 and 4. The youth hunt, started in 2001, is one facet of MDC’s effort to recruit new hunters. In 2001, Missouri had approximately 40,000 deer hunters under age 16. Today, they number approximately 70,000. Missouri leads the nation in hunter recruitment.

MDC announced an expansion of its Discover Nature Schools (DNS) program, allowing participants in science fairs to gain added recognition for their work. To learn more, visit mdc.mo.gov/node/19569.

Hunters shot 204,668 deer during the November portion of Missouri’s firearms deer season, topping the past four years’ harvests. Deer hunting contributes approximately $1.1 billion annually to the state and local economies and supports more than 12,000 jobs in Missouri.

DECEMBER

A limited number of bronze renderings of the “Missouri Monarch,” the massive, world-record non-typical white-tailed deer, went on sale, thanks to collaboration between renowned wildlife artist Glenn Chambers and the Conservation Federation of Missouri (CFM). The 10-inch castings captured the deer’s massive, 333 7/8-inch antlers in minute detail. A maximum of 75 will be produced and sold for $1,500 each. Proceeds will benefit CFM programs, such as Share the Harvest, Operation Game Thief, and the Conservation Leadership Corps. For details, call 573-634-2322 or visitwww.confedmo.org.

Hunters checked 15,136 deer during Missouri’s antlerless deer season, a 5-percent increase from last year. The antlerless season gives hunters and landowners a way of regulating local deer numbers.

Starting December 1, 2012, the Department offered financial incentives to landowners wishing to enroll land into the federal Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). MDC also offered incentives to assist existing CRP contract holders with implementing mid-contract management activities in 53 counties across Missouri to improve CRP grasslands for small game such as quail and rabbits. More information is available from local MDC private land conservationists (PLCs). To find your PLC, click on the “Local Contact” box at www.mdc.mo.gov.

The Conservation Commission approved accepting land donations of 48 acres from the estate of Kathleen C. Lance as an addition to the Nodaway Valley Conservation Area in Andrew County and 241 acres from the estate of Robert C. Paillard as an addition to the Amidon Memorial Conservation Area in Bollinger County. Missourians have generously donated land to the Department for habitat management, natural community restoration, and for citizens to use and enjoy.

MDC learned that St. Louis will host the World National Archery in the Schools Program Tournament in June 2013.

-Jim Low-

Related articles

• November deer harvest biggest in four years (missourioutdoors.blogspot.com)
• Conservation Officials work with hunters to monitor deer herd (missourioutdoors.blogspot.com)
• Missouri Conservation Commission set dates for 2013 turkey- and deer-hunting seasons (midwestdeerhunting.blogspot.com)
• Trail Camera Captures Mountain Lion in Stafford County (kansas-outdoors.blogspot.com)
• Three state parks will close temporarily Dec. 8-9 for deer hunts (missourioutdoors.blogspot.com)
• MDC offers incentive payments for CRP enrollment, enhancements (missourioutdoors.blogspot.com)

He Gave Us His Son and Places Like Rocky Falls

Rocky Falls

Schools invited to fight litter through “No MOre Trash!” contest

Lands (owned and leased) that were managed by the Missouri Department of Conservation as of 2007. 

MDC and MoDOT sponsor “Yes You CAN Make Missouri Litter Free” trash-can contest.

JEFFERSON CITY Mo – Missouri elementary, middle and home school students K-8 are invited to help in the fight against litter in the Show-Me State -- and to have creative and educational fun -- by participating in the 2013 “Yes You CAN Make Missouri Litter-Free” trash-can-decorating contest.

The annual contest is sponsored by the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) as part of the state’s “No MOre Trash!” (NMT)statewide litter campaign. This partnership between MDC and MoDOT, along with thousands of volunteers, is working to prevent and reduce litter in Missouri through education, prevention and cleanup activities.

The trash-can contest encourages school classes and groups to join in the fight against litter by decorating and displaying a large trash can with the “No MOre Trash!” logo and a litter-prevention message using a variety of creative media.

“In addition to teaching kids about how litter hurts them, their communities and their environment, the contest gives students an opportunity to help prevent littering by creating and providing a trash can with the No MOre Trash! message in their schools or communities,” says MoDOT NMT Coordinator Stacy Armstrong.  

Schools may submit one entry in each competition category: K-2, 3-5 and 6-8. Entries are judged based on creativity, adherence to contest rules and effective use of theme and logo. First-place winners from each competition category receive $200 awarded to the sponsoring schools. All first-place winners are then eligible for a grand prize of a trophy and $600 awarded to the sponsoring school.

There is no entry fee for the contest. Participating school groups must submit a completed entry form online and up to three photos to nomoretrash.org by March 8. Contest rules, entry forms, logo, past contest entries and winners, and educational information can also be found at nomoretrash.org.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average American generates 4.3 pounds of solid waste per day. Based on this average and the state’s population of approximately six million people, Missouri accounts for more than 25 million pounds of garbage in one day – more than nine billion pounds of trash per year.

“A great deal of that trash shows up on the Show-Me State’s roadsides, natural areas and waterways,” says MDC NMT Coordinator Joe Jerek. “Litter harms water quality and plant health, degrades natural areas and hurts wildlife. Litter poses health risks and creates roadway and waterway safety hazards. It hurts property values, housing prices, landscape appearance and our overall quality of life.”

Littering is illegal in Missouri and can result in a fine of up to $1,000 and one year in jail.

The Missouri Department of Conservation protects and manages the state’s forest, fish and wildlife resources. MDC also facilitates and provides opportunities for all citizens to use, enjoy and learn about these resources.

The Missouri Department of Transportation works with the public, transportation partners, state and federal legislators and other state and local agencies to provide a safe and efficient transportation system to the people of Missouri.

December Conservation Commission Meeting

The Conservation Commission met Dec. 13 and 14 at Conservation Department Headquarters, 2901 W. Truman Blvd., Jefferson City. Commissioners present were:

Don C. Bedell, Sikeston, Chair

James T. Blair, IV, St. Louis, Vice Chair

Becky L. Plattner, Grand Pass, Secretary

Don R. Johnson, Festus, Member

REGULATIONS

The Commission:

·        Set the following 2013 turkey-hunting season dates:

Ø  Youth season, April 6-7

Ø  Regular season, April 15-May 5

Ø  Fall firearms turkey season, Oct. 1-31

Bag limits, and shooting hours remain the same as last year. Additional details, including spring managed turkey hunts and regulations for spring turkey hunting on conservation areas, will be published in the spring turkey hunting regulation guide.

·        Set the following dates for 2013-2014 firearms deer seasons:

Ø  Urban portion, Oct. 11-14

Ø  Early youth portion, Nov. 2-3

Ø  November portion, Nov. 16-26

Ø  Antlerless portion, Nov. 27-Dec. 8

Ø  Alternative methods portion, Dec. 21-31

Ø  Late youth portion, Jan. 4-5, 2014

Other deer-hunting regulations will be set in the spring of 2013. Details will be published in the fall deer hunting regulation guide

·        Revised the requirement for hunters to immediately tag turkeys in the field, as long as they notch their permits. Applying the tag will only be required if the taker is not with the turkey. This change will not take effect until June 1, and so will not affect the 2013 Spring Turkey Season

·        Simplified requirements for tagging harvested deer, effective June 1, 2013.

ADMINISTRATION

The Commission:

• Received presentations from:

Ø  Fisheries Division Chief Chris Vitello regarding division goals

Ø  Deputy Director Tom Draper and Wildlife Programs Supervisor Dennis Figg regarding Missouri’s Comprehensive Conservation Strategy

Ø  Outreach and Education Division Chief Mike Huffman and Design and Development Division Chief Jacob Careaga regarding renovation of the August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area Shooting Range and Outdoor Education Center.

Ø  Received public comments from Robert Brundage regarding chronic wasting disease.

• Presented awards to:

Ø  Clerical Employee of the Year Award, Tisha Holden, Montreal

Ø  Workforce Diversity Award, Mary Scott, West Plains

• Approved accepting the bequest of 48 acres in Andrew County as an addition to the Nodaway Valley Conservation Area (CA)
• Approved accepting the bequest of 241 acres in Bollinger County as an addition to the Amidon Memorial CA
• Approved exchanging 10 acres of Castor River CA in Bollinger County for a 10-acre tract in Bollinger County as an addition to the Castor River CA

• Approved purchasing 10 acres in Schuyler County as an addition to the Rebel’s Cove CA
• Approved purchasing 36.48 acres in Dallas County as an addition to the Barclay CA, with approximately 61 percent of the purchase price being paid with partnering funds.
• Approved purchasing 77.6 acres in Caldwell County as an addition to the Bonanza CA, with approximately 28 percent of the purchase price being paid with partnering funds.

• Approved purchasing 713 acres in Carter County as an addition to the Peck Ranch CA

• Approved entering into a contract with Steve and Associates, Fulton for the construction of the Hunnewell Lake CA Kettle Replacement Project located in Shelby County at a total estimated cost of $582,695.80. Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Program Funds will be utilized to cover 75 percent of the total project cost.

• Approved a nomination to the Missouri Conservation Hall of Fame for William “Bill” Bennett.
• Approved and authorized publication of the Conservation Department’s 2011-2012Annual Report
• Suspended hunting, fishing, and/or trapping privileges of 38 Missouri residents and one nonresident for Wildlife Code violations. Those whose privileges were suspended are:

Michael Casteel, Doniphan, hunting, 1 year

Renzie L. Cottrell, Monticello, hunting and fishing, 1 year

Steven M. Cunningham, Fairdealing, hunting, 1 year

Dan Dickson, Doniphan, hunting, 1 year

James D. Dickson, Doniphan, hunting, 1 year

Jeffrey C. Dickson, Doniphan, hunting, 1 year

Jackie Elliott, Doniphan, hunting, 1 year

Jimmy Foulks, Doniphan, hunting, 1 year

Nathan Foulks, Doniphan, hunting, 1 year

Willie D. Foulks, Doniphan, hunting 1 year

Ty W. Francis, Unionville, hunting and fishing, 1 year

Roy D. Friend, Doniphan, hunting, 1 year

Kristopher A. Gatewood, Grandin, hunting, 2 years

Jason A. Guehrer, Jefferson City, hunting, 1 year

Thomas Hart, Doniphan, hunting, 1 year

Dustin Hudson, Doniphan, hunting, 1 year

Henry L. Hudson, Doniphan, hunting, 1 year

Andy Johnson, Doniphan, hunting, 1 year

Arthur G. Johnson, Doniphan, hunting, 1 year

Bobby S. Jones, Doniphan, hunting, 1 year

Nicholas S. Keck, Doniphan, hunting, 1 year

Scott D. Keck, Doniphan, hunting, 1 year

Corey J. Landrigan, Salem, hunting, 2.5 years

Travis L. March, Gulfport, Miss., hunting, 4 years

Glenn C. Pearson, Fairdealing, hunting, 1 year

Mitchell G. Pearson, Fairdealing, hunting, 1 year

Jeff A. Pogue, Poplar Bluff, hunting, 1 year

Dennis J. Price, Doniphan, hunting, 1 year

Eric J. Rodgers, Belton, hunting, 1 year

Donald L. Turner, Fairdealing, hunting, 1 year

Jack B. Turner, Fairdealing, hunting, 1 year

Jerry L. Turner, Doniphan, hunting, 1 year

Kevin Turner, Doniphan, hunting, 5 years

Neil P. Turner, Naylor, hunting, 1 year

James S. Tworek, St. Joseph, hunting and fishing, 1 year

Billy Wheeler, Doniphan, hunting, 1 year

Jason M. Wheeler, Doniphan, hunting, 1 year

Paul Wheeler, Doniphan, hunting, 1 year

Matthew B. Wilbanks, Kennett, hunting, 1 year

• Approved the suspension or revocation of all hunting and fishing privileges of 352 people who are not in compliance with applicable child-support laws Privileges suspended for noncompliance are reinstated once the Division of Child Support Enforcement notifies MDC that suspendees have come into compliance with the required laws
• Suspended privileges of 211 nonresidents under the provisions of the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact

·        Set its next regular meeting for Feb. 7 and 8

This document is provided for public information only and is not an official record of the Missouri Department of Conservation or Missouri Conservation Commission.

Related articles

• Missouri Conservation Commission set dates for 2013 turkey- and deer-hunting seasons (midwestdeerhunting.blogspot.com)
• Conservation Commission sets 2013 turkey, deer season dates (missourioutdoors.blogspot.com)
• This Pure Michigan Hunt winner could be you - apply today for the hunt of a lifetime (midwestdeerhunting.blogspot.com)
• Meeting of the Missouri Conservation Commission (missourioutdoors.blogspot.com)
• Hunters check 15,000 deer during antlerless season (missourioutdoors.blogspot.com)

CWD Test Results Pretty Good

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has collected approximately 1,700 tissue samples from deer harvested during the fall archery and firearms deer seasons by hunters in MDC’s Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Containment Zone in north-central Missouri. The CWD Containment Zone consists of Adair, Chariton, Linn, Macon, Randolph and Sullivan counties, which surround northwest Macon County where CWD was found in five free-ranging deer in early 2012.

Test results from early sample submissions of deer harvested in the CWD Containment Zone are now available online. Participating hunters can get results for their individual deer at mdc.mo.gov/node/19829 by entering their conservation identification number.

Of the approximately 800 test results received so far, one adult buck has tested positive for the disease. It was harvested in northwest Macon County, where CWD was previously found. MDC has notified the hunter of the positive result, and will notify any other hunters should their deer test positive for the disease. MDC will share overall test results once testing is complete in early 2013.

The voluntary, cooperative sampling effort with deer hunters, landowners, taxidermy shops, and deer processors is part of MDC’s targeted CWD testing and containment efforts in the area. MDC has also been collecting tissue samples from hunter-harvested deer across north Missouri as part of its ongoing statewide CWD surveillance effort, which has been in place since 2002.

The hunter-harvest sampling effort continues until Jan. 15 in Adair, Chariton, Linn, Macon, Randolph and Sullivan counties.  Hunters who want to participate are encouraged to take their harvested deer to a participating taxidermist in the region, or contact their local MDC office. A list of cooperating taxidermists is in MDC’s “2012 Fall Deer & Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information” booklet and online at www.mdc.mo.gov/node/3656

Testing of the samples is being conducted by Southeast Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study (SCWDS) in Athens, Georgia, and results may take up to six weeks from the time of submission.

CWD is a disease fatal to white-tailed deer. It is spread from deer to deer by physical contact, or through contact with soil that contains urine, saliva, or feces from infected deer. The disease spreads across the landscape through the natural movement and dispersal of infected deer. CWD has not been shown to be transmissible to domestic livestock or people.

According to MDC, Missouri has more than 511,000 deer hunters who spend about $690 million in the state each year on deer hunting and related activities. This has an overall economic impact of $1.1 billion in Missouri each year and supports almost 12,000 jobs. Many Missourians also enjoy viewing deer. A 2009 Gallup survey found that about 91% of Missourians are somewhat or very interested in observing deer in the outdoors.

Related articles

• Iowa Dnr to Increase Number of Deer Tissue Samples As Part of Surveillance for Chronic Wasting Disease (midwestdeerhunting.blogspot.com)
• Electronic Registration of Deer Available (kansas-outdoors.blogspot.com)
• Conservation Officials work with hunters to monitor deer herd (missourioutdoors.blogspot.com)