Blinds open to photographers at MDC's Cooley Lake

Wetland and nearby forested bluff provide good birding and hiking opportunities

Kansas City, Mo. – Blinds added to the Cooley Lake Conservation Area wetland are open for use by wildlife watchers. Missouri Department of Conservation crews built the blinds last autumn. They are available for photography at the area east of Liberty off Missouri 210, just northeast of Kansas City in Clay County.

   Cooley Lake is an old oxbow, or former channel, of the Missouri River. A shallow-water wetland, it attracts shorebirds, waterfowl, songbirds and birds of prey. On April 12, the spring waterfowl migration was still in evidence. Several species of ducks, a flock of pelicans and Canada geese were using the marsh.

   

MDC utilizes the blinds for a special managed youth waterfowl hunt in autumn. But they are available at other times for use by photographers and wildlife watchers. Access is only available by hiking on levees adjacent to the wetland, some blinds are a long walk from parking areas. Users should be aware that water levels fluctuate and conditions can range from dry to flooded at some blinds.

   The 1,348-acre area also includes a forested bluff and some upland areas north of the oxbow. A farm road and some trails provide hiking opportunities.

   For information on Cooley Lake Conservation Area, including maps, visithttp://on.mo.gov/1r09Cgi.

Waterfowl Hunting and Wetland Conservation in Missouri - A Model of Collaboration

Jefferson City, MO | October 6, 2014 - Discover the unique history of the "Missouri Model" of

wetland and waterfowl management in this large format and richly illustrated new book.

 

The success of Missouri's waterfowl and wetland conservation is not an accident.  Careful planning, skillful execution of well-designed strategies, public and private partnerships, strong citizen support and dedicated funding have all led to the quality wetland habitats and migratory bird populations that we enjoy today. This new book chronicles and celebrates this success through gorgeous color photographs, reproductions of well-known waterfowl artwork and historic black and white photos.

 

The book's authors, many of them former waterfowl biologists and wetland managers, have donated their services to produce this book.  Sponsors, anchored by Bass Pro Shops, the Missouri Department of Conservation, Ducks Unlimited, the Conservation Federation of Missouri, the Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation and private citizens, have covered all production costs.

 

This is a must have book for all serious migratory bird hunters, and all net proceeds from sales of the book will be dedicated to wetland and waterfowl conservation that benefits Missouri.

 

For more information about the book or to order a copy for yourself, visit the Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation at http://mochf.org/2014/04/book-waterfowl-hunting-and-wetlands-conservation-in-missouri/

 

To learn more about the Conservation Federation of Missouri, visit www.confedmo.org.

Conservation Commission approves waterfowl seasons

Season timing remains the same, but possession limits have been increased.

JEFFERSON CITY–Waterfowl hunting regulations approved by the Missouri Department of Conservation at its August meeting include a 60-day season for ducks and possession limits of three times the daily limits for most waterfowl species.

Season dates approved by the Commission follow.

Duck Season: 

North Zone:                  Oct. 26- Dec. 24

Middle Zone:                Nov. 2-Dec. 31                                               

South Zone:                  Nov. 28-Jan. 26          

Shooting Hours:            One-half hour before sunrise to sunset.

Bag Limit: Six ducks daily with species restrictions of:

§  4 mallards (no more than 2 females)

§  3 scaup (decreased from 4 last year)

§  3 wood ducks

§  2 redheads

§  2 hooded mergansers

§  2 pintails

§  2 canvasbacks (increased from 1 last year)

§  1 black duck

§  1 mottled duck

Possession Limit: Three times the daily bag (in total 18; varies by species).

Coot season:  Concurrent with duck seasons in the respective zones with a daily bag limit of 15 and a possession limit of 45.

Goose Season:

§  Snow, blue, and Ross’s geese:  Statewide, Oct. 26-Jan. 31 (98 days)

§  White-fronted geese: Statewide, Nov. 28-Jan. 31 (65 days)

§  Canada geese and brant: Statewide, Oct. 5-Oct. 13 (9 days)   

                                              Nov. 28-Jan. 31 (65 days)

Shooting Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset.

Bag/Possession Limit: The bag and possession limits include no more than three Canada geese daily (nine in possession), 20 snow, blue, or Ross’s geese daily (no possession limit), two white-fronted geese daily (six in possession), and one brant daily (three in possession).

YOUTH HUNTING DAYS:  Any person 15 years of age or younger may participate in the youth waterfowl hunting days without permit, provided they are in the immediate presence of an adult 18 years of age or older.  If the youth hunter does not possess a hunter education certificate card, the adult must meet permit requirements that allows small-game hunting and have in his or her possession a valid hunter-education certificate card unless they were born before Jan. 1, 1967.  The adult may not hunt ducks but may participate in other seasons that are open on the special youth days.

North Zone:                              Oct. 19-20

Middle Zone:                            Oct. 26-27

South Zone:                              Nov. 23-24

            Bag Limit:                                 Bag limits and shooting hours for ducks and geese are the same as during the regular waterfowl season. 

FALCONRY SEASON FOR DUCKS, COOTS, AND MERGANSERS:   The federal framework allows 107 days.  Falconry is open during teal season (16 days), regular gun duck season (60 days), and youth season (two days) in the respective zones, leaving 29 days remaining for extended falconry.  

Statewide, Feb. 10-March 10

Shooting Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset.

Bag Limit: The daily bag and possession limits shall not exceed three and nine birds, respectively, singly, or in the aggregate during the regular duck hunting seasons (including teal and youth seasons) and extended falconry seasons.

LIGHT GOOSE CONSERVATION ORDER:  Persons must possess a Conservation Order permit to chase, pursue, and take snow, blue and Ross’s geese between the hours of one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset from Feb. 1 through April 30, 2014. An exception to the above permit requirement includes any person 15 years of age or younger provided either 1) s/he is in the immediate presence of a properly licensed adult hunter (must possess a Conservation Order Permit) who is 18 years of age or older and has in his/her possession a valid hunter education certificate card, or was born before Jan. 1, 1967 or 2) s/he possesses a valid hunter education certificate card.  Any other regulation notwithstanding, methods for the taking of snow, blue and Ross’s geese includes using shotguns capable of holding more than three shells, and with the use or aid of recorded or electronically amplified bird calls or sounds, or recorded or electronically amplified imitations of bird calls or sounds. A daily bag limit will not be in effect during the Conservation Order.

ZONE DESCRIPTIONS:

NORTH ZONE:  That portion of Missouri north of a line running west from the Illinois border at Lock and Dam 25; west on Lincoln County Hwy. N to Mo. Hwy. 79; south on Mo. Hwy. 79 to Mo. Hwy. 47; west on Mo. Hwy. 47 to I-70; west on I-70 to the Kansas border.

SOUTH ZONE:  That portion of Missouri south of a line running west from the Illinois border on Mo. Hwy. 74 to Mo. Hwy. 25; south on Mo. Hwy. 25 to U.S. Hwy. 62; west on U.S. Hwy. 62 to Mo. Hwy. 53; north on Mo. Hwy. 53 to Mo. Hwy. 51; north on Mo. Hwy. 51 to U.S. Hwy. 60; west on U.S. Hwy. 60 to Mo. Hwy. 21; north on Mo. Hwy. 21 to Mo. Hwy. 72; west on Mo. Hwy. 72 to Mo. Hwy. 32; west on Mo. Hwy. 32 to U.S. Hwy. 65; north on U.S. Hwy. 65 to U.S. Hwy. 54; west on U.S. Hwy. 54 to U.S. Hwy. 71; south on U.S. Hwy. 71 to Jasper County Hwy. M; west on Jasper County Hwy. M to the Kansas border.

MIDDLE ZONE:  The remainder of Missouri.

NONTOXIC SHOT:  Shells possessed or used while hunting waterfowl and coots statewide, and for other species as designated by posting on public areas, must be loaded with material approved as nontoxic by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

-Jim Low-

Quick Draw option for waterfowl hunting increases “poor line” spots

MDC decision based on hunter feedback and analysis of past hunting seasons.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Based on feedback from waterfowl hunters and analysis of past waterfowl seasons, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is implementing a minor change to “Quick Draw.” This online draw system is used for allocating waterfowl hunting spots at three of the Department’s 15 conservation areas that offer managed waterfowl hunting.

For 2013 and 2014, the Quick Draw system for Grand Pass, Eagle Bluffs and Otter Slough conservation areas will increase the “poor line” ratio from 20 to 25 percent of available hunting spots.The poor line is an on-site drawing for hunting spots held each morning during waterfowl season. No reservations are needed and hunters can just show-up and vie for a poor line spot.

“For the past several years, 80 percent of hunting spots at the three Quick Draw areas have been randomly drawn and offered to applicants,” said MDC Wildlife Programs Supervisor Shawn Gruber.“The remaining 20 percent of spots, along with any unfilled spots from applicants, go to the poor line.”

He added that not all hunters who get selected under Quick Draw actually show up to hunt. “Our analysis of past seasons revealed that only 43 percent of hunters who actually went afield on the day of their hunt were drawn under Quick Draw,” said Gruber. “Hunters from the poor line accounted for 57 percent.”

The Department expects that by shifting to a 25 percent poor line ratio for the three Quick Draw areas, waterfowl hunters drawn from the poor line will make up about 62 percent of hunters who actually go afield. Quick Draw hunters will fill only about 38 percent of hunting spots.

The poor line increase for Quick Draw areas will also require a shift from one hunting spot out of every five being allocated to the poor line to one spot out of every four.

Depending on wetland conditions, there is generally a maximum of 40 daily waterfowl hunting spots atGrand Pass, 20 at Eagle Bluffs and 34 at Otter Slough.

Over the past three years, MDC gathered feedback from waterfowl hunters on Quick Draw through public meetings, online comments, a waterfowl hunter survey, and focus groups.

“The rationale for this change is based on hunter feedback,” Gruber said. “During the first two years, we received more than 1,100 comments with the most common recommendation being increasing the poor line ratio. In 2012 we conducted an online survey of waterfowl hunters. Of the nearly 3,700 hunters who responded, 54% wanted to increase the poor line ratio. It was not a significant majority so a modest adjustment seemed appropriate.”

Also based on feedback from waterfowl hunters and analysis of past hunting seasons, the Department will not limit the number of times a waterfowl hunter can be randomly drawn per season under Quick Draw.

In 2010, MDC implemented Quick Draw as an internet-based waterfowl hunting draw system for the three conservation areas. The new system was an effort by MDC to offer waterfowl hunters an alternative draw method.

“Quick Draw accommodates those waterfowl hunters who prefer to make plans within a week of their desired hunt dates,” explained Gruber. “The short lead time with Quick Draw also allows those hunters to focus their choices on dates with favorable weather and waterfowl numbers, and to know they will have a guaranteed hunt and a specific place in line for the morning draw before driving to the hunting destination.” 

Gruber added that the pre-season reservation system used at MDC’s 12 other managed waterfowl hunting areas accommodates hunters who need to make hunting plans up to several months in advance. The advance reservation process offers little control over which dates hunters may receive in random drawings and no indication of how those dates will relate to weather or waterfowl numbers.

He added that MDC will conduct a review of its entire managed waterfowl hunt program in 2015 and make changes as needed.

Conservation makes Missouri a great place to hunt waterfowl and the state has a variety of public and private options for waterfowl hunters. MDC intensively manages almost 32,000 acres of wetlands on 15 conservation areas that provide managed waterfowl hunts. Aside from Quick Draw areas, the other 12 managed waterfowl hunting conservation areas are: B.K. Leach, Bob Brown, Columbia Bottoms, Duck Creek, Fountain Grove, Four Rivers, Marais Temps Clair, Montrose, Nodaway Valley, Schell-Osage, Ted Shanks and Ten Mile Pond. MDC also maintains 80,000 acres of wetland habitat on 169 conservation areas where walk-in waterfowl hunting is allowed. More than 93 percent of Missouri land is privately owned, including extensive areas of private land used for waterfowl hunting.

For more information on waterfowl hunting in Missouri, go online to mdc.mo.gov/node/9619.

Related articles

• Oklahoma: Airborne surveys confirm state's waterfowl woes (family-outdoors.blogspot.com)
• Wisconsin: Applications available for wild turkey, pheasant and waterfowl stamp funds, due April 5 (family-outdoors.blogspot.com)
• North Dakota Spring Light Goose Licenses Available (family-outdoors.blogspot.com)
• Young hunters find success with small game hunts (family-outdoors.blogspot.com)

Waterfowl Hunting Forecast

Image by Arthur Chapman via Flickr

Duck numbers burgeon, but weather, habitat will determine hunter success

With duck numbers at an all-time high, Missouri

needs only a little luck for a memorable hunting season

JEFFERSON CITY–The number of breeding ducks surpassed all previous records this year, setting the stage for a bountiful harvest. All Missouri hunters need now is the right weather to push ducks into the Show-Me State and keep them here.

This year’s North American breeding-duck population was estimated at 45.6 million. That is 35 percent above the long-term average. This was only the fifth time in the survey’s history that the total duck population exceeded 40 million. In fact, this year’s breeding-duck population was the largest ever recorded since federal officials began counting waterfowl in 1955.

Missouri’s most popular waterfowl species, the mallard, went to the nesting grounds with 9.2 million individual ducks last spring. Nearly as numerous were blue-winged teal, which entered the breeding season with 8.9 million ducks, up 91 percent from the long-term average.

The northern shoveler was the next-most-numerous duck species, with 4.4 million individuals. That was an impressive 98-percent increase from the long-term average. However, redhead ducks take the prize for most-improved numbers this year. Their population estimate of 1.4 million is 106 percent above the long-term average.

Other duck species above long-term averages include:

n  Gadwalls, 3.3 million, up 80 percent

n  Green-winged teal, 2.9 million, up 47 percent

n  Canvasbacks, 700,000, up 21 percent

Numbers of northern pintails – 4.4 million – were up 26 percent from last year, but the progress they have made over the past few years only brings them even with the long-term average.

Only two of the top 10 hunted duck species were below their long-term averages this year. The combined total of 4.3 million lesser and greater scaup was about the same as last year but down 15 percent long-term. And while American wigeon remained fairly numerous at 2.1 million, their numbers were down 20 percent long-term.

Missouri’s waterfowl season begins Oct. 29 in the North Zone, Nov. 5 in the Middle Zone and Nov. 24 in the South zone. Season lengths, bag limits and other details are available in the Waterfowl Hunting Digest 2011-2012, which is available wherever hunting permits are sold or at mdc.mo.gov/node/5646/.

While hunters are sure to be thrilled by the prospect of a possible record fall flight of ducks, old hands know that two other factors – weather and habitat – play critical roles in making a good hunting season.

Weather is an imponderable this early in the season. No one can say when the onset of winter in the upper Midwest and central Canada will send large numbers of ducks south toward Missouri. Just as unpredictable is the onset of wintery conditions that will chase the birds into Arkansas. A long interval between those two events means plenty of opportunity to hunt. A fast transition from autumn to winter shortens hunters’ window of opportunity.

That leaves habitat for hunters to ponder. Migrating ducks need high-energy food to replenish reserves for the next leg of their arduous journeys. They also need water where they can rest. In years when these requirements are scarce, ducks are less inclined to linger in Missouri. This year, highly variable wetland conditions across the Show-Me State creates some uncertainty when predicting the outlook for the upcoming season. Weather patterns, migration timing, and food availability ultimately will shape the 2011-2012 waterfowl season.

“Scouting is going to be very important to hunters’ success this year,” said Resource Scientist Doreen Mengel, with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC). “We had a wet spring followed by hot, dry weather late in the summer and into fall. That made creating the growing conditions that result in good food resources for ducks a special challenge. As a result, the availability of crops and seed-producing native plants is spotty, too. You can’t count on areas that have provided food for ducks in the past to be productive this year.”

Mengel said the distribution of water also will be different than normal this year. Flooding along the Missouri and Mississippi rivers created pools and left standing water in some normally dry areas. The availability of so much additional wetland acreage will give ducks more room to spread out, making them harder to find.

On the other hand, portions of southwest Missouri have been particularly hard-hit by drought. As a result, some low-lying land that usually fills up with autumn rainfall is completely dry this year. Many of these areas have an abundance of food plants, but without standing water, they will not attract ducks as they usually do, unless heavy rains arrive in the coming weeks.

“If you find a spot with both food and water this year, you probably will do well,” said Mengel. “Hunters who rely on past experience to plan their hunts could be in for an unwelcome surprise. I recommend taking your dog out for some conditioning runs in areas you like to hunt, so you can figure out where the water and the food are before the season opens.”

MDC’s managed wetland areas provide the most reliable waterfowl hunting on public land. Most have fair to excellent food to attract migrating ducks this year.  These areas are equipped to pump water into wetland pools even in dry years. However, if river levels are too low, it may preclude pumping on some areas.

One notable exception to generally good conditions on MDC wetlands is Bob Brown Conservation Area (CA) in Holt County. It is open to hunting this fall, but prolonged flooding left it with virtually no food or cover.

At the other end of the spectrum is Grand Pass CA, one of the state’s most productive duck-hunting destinations. This 5,000-acre area on the Missouri River in Saline County experienced crop failure in its west-refuge area, and crop yield was reduced in other pools. However, crops in other pools did well, and natural vegetation in Pools 5, 6, 8 and 9 is in good to excellent condition.

Flooding also caused losses of crops and native food plants at other MDC wetland along Missouri’s two big rivers. You can call ahead to learn about conditions on specific areas, using the information on pages 18 and 19 of the Waterfowl Hunting Digest. For twice-weekly reports on conditions at MDC wetland areas during the hunting season, visit http://bit.ly/qQM1YH.

This year’s superabundance of ducks is partly due to a run of good luck with weather the past several years, resulting in abundant moisture across the prairie pothole region of north-central United States and central Canada. However, good luck with the weather would not have produced so many ducks – and millions of nongame birds that nest in the same areas – without sustained habitat restoration efforts by government and private conservation organizations.

MDC, along with Ducks Unlimited and other groups, has invested millions of dollars over the past 50 years to provide places for migrating ducks to rest and feed. MDC currently is restoring some of its oldest managed wetland areas through the Golden Anniversary Wetland Initiative.In addition to providing superb hunting opportunities, wetland conservation in Missouri improves ducks’ physical condition and nesting success.

Similar efforts have helped protect and restore waterfowl nesting habitat. In the past five years alone, MDC has helped enhance and restore nearly a quarter of a million acres of prime breeding habitat in Canada and positively influenced an additional 1.2 million acres.

-Jim Low-

Waterfowl Hunting Reservations

Image via Wikipedia

Quick Draw set for second year of testing

Areas and procedures for the online

reservation system remain unchanged.

JEFFERSON CITY – Hunters who pursue waterfowl at Grand Pass, Eagle Bluffs and Otter Slough conservation areas (CAs) will find the Quick Draw reservation system in effect there again this year. Procedures for Quick Draw and reservations at other wetlands managed by the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) remain unchanged.

MDC tested Quick Draw for the first time during the 2010-2011 hunting season. The system is designed to makehunting at state-owned wetlands more convenient and accessible to more hunters. Results from the first year under Quick Draw were mixed. MDC is continuing the test this year to obtain more information about how the system works under differing weather conditions and as hunters grow more familiar with the system.

Hunters will be able to register for the first drawing at Grand Pass CA starting at 12:01 a.m. Oct. 21 and closing at 3 p.m. Oct. 24. The initial registration period for hunting at Eagle Bluffs and Otter Slough CAs opens at 12:01 a.m. Oct. 28 and closes at 3 p.m. Oct. 31.

The Quick Draw registration form, drawing results and detailed information about the system are available atmdc.mo.gov/node/10272. Successful applicants who provide email contact information can receive notification of Quick Draw results at 8 p.m. the day of the drawing. Results are available online at 12:01 a.m. the morning following the drawing.

After the initial drawing in each zone, applications will be open from 12:01 a.m. Friday through 3 p.m. Monday for reservations on the following Friday through Monday. Applications will be open from 12:01 a.m. Tuesday through 3 p.m. Thursday for reservations the following Tuesday through Friday.

All three areas under Quick Draw will use the system to assign ADA-accessible blinds. The trial will not affect hunts during the youth waterfowl season, which will be handled as in the past.

The traditional waterfowl hunting reservation system is in effect at 10 of MDC’s 12 other managed wetland areas. The application deadline for that system is past. Results are available at mdc.mo.gov/node/9632.

Bob Brown CA was excluded from reservation drawings this year due to flood damage. The area will be open to hunting with limited access and very limited prospects for success. Ongoing wetland renovation work also kept Duck Creek CA out of the reservation drawing this year. Hunting opportunities in Pools 2, 3 and 8 will be assigned through a morning drawing each day of the season.

-Jim Low-

Related articles

• Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Outdoor Report Correction (midwestdeerhunting.blogspot.com)
• Wisconsin-Outdoor Report Summary for September 22, 2011 (midwestdeerhunting.blogspot.com)
• Wisconsin DNR Outdoor Report Summary for September 29, 2011 (midwestdeerhunting.blogspot.com)
• Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Outdoor Report Summary for October 6, 2011 (midwestdeerhunting.blogspot.com)
• Conservation Action August 2011 (missourioutdoors.blogspot.com)

Duck Creek Waterfowl Hunting Outlook 2011-2012 [courtesy MDC]

Image via Wikipedia

by Keith Cordell

Unit A and B Renovation

Construction activity is well underway in Units A and B. A couple of months of dry weather will facilitate a good portion of the dirt-moving aspect of the project to be completed prior to this year's waterfowl season. However, there are many other facets of the project which will prohibit flooding these hunting pools this year. Reestablishing electric service to the wells is one of the last components of the project and likely will not be completed until summer of 2012. Public use of the construction area is restricted until further notice for safety and liability reasons; however, some activities may be able to be accommodated as the project progresses such as squirrel hunting, archery hunting and dog training. Updated maps showing the areas accessible to the public will be posted at the sign-in areas.

Pool 1 Water Levels

Pool 1 reservoir was recharged to maximum capacity during the historic April rainfall. It is normal to lose more than 3 feet of water through the hot summer and early fall months, and it has been dropping fast. There should be enough water to flood Pools 2 and 3 in November, especially if we receive a few significant rainfalls; but an extended period of hot, dry weather from now through October could drop Pool 1 to the minimum pool elevation. Full pool elevation is 346.0, and water starts spilling over the north road at 346.5, which we were above in April. Current elevation is 345.6, so we have already lost about 1 foot of water in the past three months. Current rate of loss is approximately 1/10 foot per three days, or about 1 foot per month. As the reservoir lowers, however, the rate of loss increases due to increased surface area and more abundant vegetation so the rate of loss in October is usually more significant than in July. Minimum pool elevation is 342.5, which allows us about 3 feet of water with three months to go to waterfowl season. Weather conditions and rainfall from here on out will dictate the amount of water available to flood Pools 2 and 3.

Duck Creek Waterfowl Hunting Opportunity

So what does this allow for available hunting positions for regular waterfowl season? Depending on available water, Pool 2 and Pool 3 will begin flooding the first week of November. Pool 2 should have 17 positions available by opening weekend but Pool 3 will experience a more gradual flooding. There will be 4 hunting positions available in Pool 3 the first week or two and 13 positions available by mid-November. The water retention gates for Pool 8 will be closed mid-November to begin capturing water from Ditch 111 and Ditch 2. Up to 40 individuals will be permitted in Pool 8 depending on the water level. The south Pool 1 positions, L3 and L4 will be available four days per week (Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday). Ducks Unlimited recently purchased and donated two new wetland parcels, the fishponds and the rice field which will provide two additional hunting positions. Dark Cypress Swamp will provide between two and six positions, depending on how much water is available. We were able to plant approximately 20 acres of corn food plots scattered about the east and west pools in 1-acre blocks, and the moist soil plants are looking good this year. All of these positions will be administered through the morning draw.

Teal, Goose, Youth and Reservations

Teal season, early Canada goose season and youth waterfowl weekend opportunities will be available following statewide regulations (self check-in) as conditions allow. We may be able to allow some regular goose hunting in Units A and B if the renovation activity has been completed by then. No reservations will be issued this year due to the unpredictable availability of water at this time.

Applications open Sept. 1 for waterfowl hunting reservations

Image via Wikipedia

Applications for Grand Pass, Eagle Bluffs and Otter

Slough will be handled under Quick Draw again this year.

JEFFERSON CITY– Missourians who want to hunt ducks or geese on most wetland areas managed by the Conservation Department can start applying for reservations Sept. 1. Those who want to hunt at the three areas under the Quick Draw reservation system will enter the drawing closer to their hunt dates. All applications will be handled online again this year.

Hunters have from Sept. 1 through 15 to apply for waterfowl hunting reservations at Conservation Department-managed wetland areas. MDC will accept applications exclusively online again this year. You can apply for reservations at 12 wetland areas at www.mdc.mo.gov/node/9638. Drawing results will be available Oct. 1 at www.mdc.mo.gov/node/9632.

Drawings for Eagle Bluffs, Grand Pass and Otter Slough conservation areas will be handled under the Quick Draw system again this year. For those three areas, a drawing on Monday of each week will assign hunting slots for the following Friday through Monday. A Quick Draw each Thursday will assign slots for the following Tuesday through Thursday.

Whether applying through the traditional reservation system or Quick Draw, applicants need the nine-digit identification number found at the top of their hunting or fishing permit. The number also is next to the bar code on Conservation Heritage Cards.

To apply for reservations under Quick Draw, hunters over age 15 and under age 65 need a small-game hunting and a migratory bird permit. Hunters under age 16 only need a Conservation Identification Number.

Disabled hunters may apply for ADA blinds through Quick Draw. For non-Quick Draw areas, hunters may apply by calling the area office on or after Oct. 3.  Hunters wishing to use an ADA blind must submit a physician’s statement of eligibility. For more information, visit  www.mdc.mo.gov/node/9631.

Quick Draw applications will close at 3 p.m. the day of the draw. Results will be posted at the Quick Draw website at 12:01 a.m. the following day. Successful applicants who provide email addresses will receive notice of their reservation and of their order in the morning lineup to select hunting spots. Unsuccessful applicants will not be notified, but can check draw results online.

Neither Quick Draw nor the traditional system allows nonresidents to apply for reservations. However, resident hunters who draw reservations can include nonresidents in their hunting parties. Nonresidents also can take part in the daily, on-site “poor-line” drawings under both systems.

Up to three additional people can hunt with someone who receives a reservation through Quick Draw. If four people want to hunt together, it makes sense for all four to apply, since each has an equal chance of being drawn.

Hunters who fail to use reservations are not penalized under either reservation system. Unclaimed reservations are added to those available in the “poor line,” where hunters without reservations can draw for a chance to hunt.

Quick Draw determines reservation holders’ place in line for selecting hunting spots. To give “poor line” hunters an equal chance at the best hunting spots, Quick Draw divides the selection process into tiers of five spots each. In each tier, one spot is reserved for poor-line hunters. Quick Draw includes reservations for handicap-accessible blinds.

Hunters may apply for reservations at only one Quick Draw area per day. However, there is no limit on the number of days you can apply. If you submit an application and change your mind about where you want to hunt, you can change your application up to the time of the drawing.

Most MDC-managed wetland areas are in good condition. However, some areas, including Bob Brown and Ten Mile Pond CAs, will have reduced food and cover because of flooding earlier in the year. Reports on hunting conditions at wetland areas will be available this fall at www.missouriconservation.org.

-Jim Low-

MDC Contributes $5 Million to Waterfowl Conservation

Image via WikipediaKANSAS CITY, Mo., March 18, 2011 –With this year's state grant program contribution of $250,000, the Missouri Department of Conservation reached the $5 million mark for donations to waterfowl breeding grounds in Canada. With the support of MDC during the past five years, Ducks Unlimited conserved, enhanced and restored 235,059 acres of prime breeding habitat and positively influenced an additional 1.2 million acres.

"The MDC partnership with Ducks Unlimited is one of the strongest and most effective in the nation," Mark Flaspohler, DU manager of conservation programs for Missouri, said. "Their commitment to the state grants program is just one manifestation of that partnership."

The state grants program represents a unique international funding partnership that preserves critical waterfowl habitat in the Prairie Pothole Region of Canada, while working toward achieving the goals of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. Contributions from the states are matched by DU Inc. and DU Canada, as well as the North American Wetlands Conservation Act. 

"It is the committed support of partners like the Missouri Department of Conservation that makes waterfowl conservation and the North American Waterfowl Management Plan a success," DU CEO Dale Hall, said.

DU Canada uses a combination of strategically targeted direct programs, agricultural extension and public policy efforts to advance its conservation goals. Direct habitat programs such as land acquisition and conservation easements help secure the remaining habitat base and provide restoration opportunities. Agricultural extension programs focus on adding nesting cover and/or improving wetland conditions, while the promotion of waterfowl-friendly agricultural practices provides positive economic benefits to producers.

"MDC's investment in Canadian waterfowl habitat yields direct, tangible returns for Missourians," said MDC Director Bob Ziehmer. "Leveraging our contribution and money from other states four-to-one lets us put $2 million into protecting critical nesting habitat that sends millions of ducks winging down the Mississippi Flyway to Missouri and beyond each fall."

Waterfowl band recovery data has established a clear link between waterfowl produced and banded in Canada's PPR and subsequently harvested in the Mississippi Flyway. Priority habitats in Manitoba stand out as a primary Canadian source of ducks harvested in Missouri.

"The conservation of this vital habitat will ensure Missouri hunters experience strong waterfowl flights from Manitoba for many years to come," Tom Shryock, DU Missouri state chairman, said.

Ducks Unlimited is the world's largest non-profit organization dedicated to conserving North America's continually disappearing waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has conserved more than 12 million acres thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent. Guided by science and dedicated to program efficiency, DU works toward the vision of wetlands sufficient to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever.




Maintaining Duck Hunting Gear

Related articles

• Calgary philanthropist David Bissett donates $2M to Ducks Unlimited (calgaryherald.com)
• Passing on the duck hunting experience (sfgate.com)
• Hunting groups gaining members (nypost.com)
• Commentary: Conservation pays (summitcountyvoice.com)

2010 a year of bold conservation initiative

Image via Wikipedia

Under new leadership, the Missouri Department

of Conservation tackled challenges old and new.

JEFFERSON CITY–Looking back on 2010, historians are likely to describe a year when economic challenges spurred conservation innovations and a new leadership team launched ambitious initiatives. It was also a year when the Show-Me State’s world-class fishing repeatedly made national news.

 As 2010 began, revenue from Missouri’s one-eighth of 1-percent conservation sales tax was in its fourth consecutive year of decline. Sales-tax income fell from $103.3 million in Fiscal Year ’07 to $93.9 million in FY ’10, and projected sales-tax income for the current fiscal year was projected to be $92.7 million. To adapt to falling revenues, MDC moved to cut its workforce by 10 percent, close 13 offices and adjust some programs.

While implementing these budget cuts, the agency got new leadership. Bob Ziehmer replaced retiring Director John Hoskins on Jan. 15. By July 1, six of the agency’s 10 division chiefs had retired as part of MDC’s payroll reduction effort and were replaced from within the agency’s ranks. Over the course of the year, MDC’s new leadership team launched several initiatives to achieve further cost savings or advance MCD’s mission.

They unveiled the year’s first initiative in February, announcing plans to test a new system for assigning waterfowl hunting opportunities on three of its managed wetland areas. “Quick Draw,” as the new system is known, went into effect at Eagle Bluffs, Grand Pass and Otter Slough conservation areas (CAs) in the fall as a test to determine whether the online system could enhance convenience and hunter participation while saving money. Thousands of hunters tried the new system, and managers of the three areas said they noticed an increase in the number of new faces arriving for waterfowl hunts. Hunters who took part in “poor line” drawings for unreserved hunting spots found more opportunities than expected under the new system. MDC will evaluate the system’s effectiveness after the hunting season before deciding whether it should be expanded to other areas.

In March, MDC announced plans to distribute nearly $6 million in grants to help seven schools reduce energy costs, create jobs and provide incentives for better forest management. The Fuels for Schools grant program was a cooperative effort with the USDA Forest Service and was funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. It helped participating schoolsinstall boiler systems that use woody biomass to heat and cool their facilities. Besides cutting schools’ fuel bills, the program helps reduce dependence on fossil fuels, supports local employment and supports the state’s forest industry. It also benefits conservation by giving landowners a financial incentive to conduct timber-stand improvements harvests and other management practices that enhance forest productivity and wildlife habitat.

Perhaps the most heralded initiative launched in 2010 was a plan to restore elk to a 346-square-mile area in parts of Shannon, Carter and Reynolds counties. The Conservation Commission approved the plan in October, and MDC forged ahead immediately. Elk will be released into the wild at Peck Ranch Conservation Area (CA) in late April or early May.

Expected benefits of elk restoration include restoring a key ecological link to the Ozarks, boosting Missouri’s tourism industry and providing hunting opportunities once the herd can sustain a harvest. The full elk-restoration plan is available at www.mdc.mo.gov/elk/.

Following is a month-by-month roundup of some of the year’s other significant conservation-related events.

JANUARY

Anglers made some of the Show-Me State’s biggest news last year. The action began Jan. 19, when 15-year-old Joshua Lee Vance of Bolivar gigged the 4-pound, 5-ounce white sucker from the Niangua River. It was the first white sucker entered in the “alternate methods” category.

Around the same time, archery deer hunters were wrapping up their four-month-long season. The 2009-2010 archery deer harvest topped 50,000 for the first time in the modern bowhunting season’s 64-year history.

Thanks to deer hunters’ success, the Conservation Federation of Missouri reported brisk activity in the Share the Harvest program, which encourages hunters to donate venison to food pantries. Donations topped 252,000 pounds of venison during the 2009-2010 hunting season and brought the total for the program’s 18-year history to more than 2 million pounds.

 

FEBRUARY

The first issue of Xplor: kids’ adventures in nature arrived in mailboxes around the state. The bi-monthly magazine does for readers 7 to 12 years old what Missouri Conservationist magazine does for adults.

Testing confirmed chronic wasting disease (CWD) in a captive whitetail deer at a private hunting ranch in Linn County. Testing of deer from the ranch and of free-ranging deer from surrounding parts of Linn, Macon and Chariton counties found no sign of the disease, which affects deer, elk and moose. MDC continues CWD monitoring efforts that began in 2001.

More than 600 youths took part in Missouri’s second National Archery in the Schools state tournament. The program’s ranks have swelled to approximately 16,000 youths in just four years. This remarkable growth rate is evidence of archery’s enduring appeal.

 

MARCH

As winter faded into spring, state and federal officials issued fire warnings for a number of counties in southern and central Missouri, indicating an extreme danger of wildfire. The immediate causes of the danger were high winds, low humidity and a prolonged dry spell. However, the underlying causes go back three years, during which ice storms and high winds dumped countless tons of woody debris on the ground. Missouri got through the spring fire season without a major fire disaster. However, fire officials warn that the abundance of woody fuel will continue to pose a threat for a decade.

APRIL

On April 9, Nicholas Wray, of Harrisonville, caught a 2-pound, 4-ounce black bullhead from a Cass County farm pond using a jug line. The bullhead nudged aside the previous record by 4 ounces.

Hunters kicked off Missouri’s second half-century of turkey hunting in April. Unregulated hunting had almost eliminated the wild turkey from the Show-Me State by the 1930s. It took three decades of careful stewardship to rebuild the flock to the point where it could support a three-day hunting season in 14 Ozarks counties in 1960. Hunters checked 94 turkeys in the spring season that year. In 2010, the figure was 46,199, confirming Missouri’s status as one of the nation’s top turkey-hunting destinations.

 

MAY

Oak trees across a broad swath of Missouri experienced an unusual outbreak of a common parasite, the jumping oak gall wasp. The insects lay eggs in leaves, producing tiny, button-like growths that turn leaves brown. When the galls fall to the ground, larvae inside start moving around, causing the galls to jiggle, slowly working their way into protected spots. Tree experts reassured tree owners that the parasite is not fatal to healthy trees, even though the condition can look awful.

 

JUNE

One of Missouri’s most familiar invasive species, the zebra mussel, turned up on a private boat lift during an inspection of the Camp Branch Marina in Smithville Lake. MDC and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers worked together to eradicate the infestation later in the summer by applying almost 400 gallons of a commercial algaecide to the water around the marina.

The Lake City Shooting Range and Education Center in Jackson County, improving recreational shooting opportunities for Kansas City area residents.

JULY

Missouri’s world-class fishing made national news on July 8 when John West, of Republic, caught a 58-pound, 10.4-ounce striped bass at Bull Shoals Lake in Taney County. At that time, the International Game Fish Association (IGFA) line-class record for inland waters was 47 pounds, 11 ounces.

In the early hours of July 20, Greg Bernal, of Florissant, caught a 130-pound blue catfish on a handheld fishing pole while fishing on the Missouri River north of St. Louis. The monster topped Missouri’s previous pole-and-line record for blue catfish by 27 pounds.

July’s third record was a 99-pound flathead catfish caught by Robert Neal Davidson, of Mokane.

On July 17, MDC culminated a two-year undercover investigation in Crawford, Dent, Howell, Iron, Miller, Oregon and Shannon counties. Most of the 425 serious violations documented by state and federal wildlife officers were related to deer and turkey.

The Conservation Department, in cooperation with the St. Louis Zoo, released the first captive-reared eastern hellbenders into the Big Piney River this month. The release was part of efforts to help the endangered salamanders recover.

Efforts to restore alligator gar populations in southeast Missouri made national television in a National Geographic documentary that aired late in July.

 

AUGUST

At its Aug. 20 meeting in Jefferson City, the Conservation Commission announced that it would appeal a judgment by Ripley County Circuit Judge Robert Smith concerning regulations that prohibit the use of motorized vehicles and dogs for deer hunting. Smith had ruled earlier in the month that the regulations were unconstitutionally vague.

Missouri’s Golden Anniversary Wetland Initiative forged ahead with renovation work at Duck Creek CA. The initiative is replacing aging infrastructure at Missouri’s oldest managed wetland areas.

SEPTEMBER

In September, MDC announced the closure of Missouri’s ruffed grouse hunting season for the first time in more than 25 years. Grouse numbers remained low despite  repeated attempts to reintroduce grouse in areas with suitable habitat. MDC and the Ruffed Grouse Society were seeking a source of grouse to resume reintroduction work, so hunting grouse made no sense while restoration work was under way.

 

OCTOBER

George Pittman Sr. put Missouri fishing back in the news on Oct. 12 by landing an 8-pound, 3-ounce shortnose gar with a rod and reel at LakeContrary in his home town of St. Joseph. It topped the previous Missouri state record by 3.5 pounds and was more than a pound heavier than the current IGFA record.

Black bears also made the news as MDC launched a multi-year field study of Missouri’s growing bear population. The study will provide information about movement patterns, population densities, habitat preferences and overall numbers of Missouri bears. The data will establish a firm scientific basis for bear management, so that bears continue to thrive and expand into suitable habitats with minimal conflicts with people. Hunting is expected to be part of Missouri’s long-term bear management strategy.

A weekend of free shooting heralded the reopening of the Jay Henges Shooting Range at High Ridge, augmenting public opportunities for recreational shooters in the St. Louis area.

 

NOVEMBER

Just in time for deer season, the Missouri Court of Appeals stayed Ripley County Circuit Judge Robert Smith’s ruling on hunting deer with dogs and vehicles. The Court of Appeal’s order enabled conservation agents to continue enforcing the contested Wildlife Code provisions until MDC’s appeal is resolved.

When deer hunters went afield during the November portion of Missouri’s firearms deer season, their ranks included a few practical historians wielding atlatls, spear-throwing devices used by humans as long as 30,000 years ago. No atlatl kills were reported.

Gov. Jay Nixon shot an 8-point whitetail buck on opening morning of the November deer hunt and donated the venison to needy Missourians through Share the Harvest. Earlier in the fall, Gov. Nixon announced that Share the Harvest had the resources to underwrite processing of up to 10,000 deer, more than double the number in previous years. The expansion was possible because of a partnership between Gov. Nixon, MDC, the Conservation Federation, and local food banks. For each whole deer contributed, the Conservation Federation reimbursed local processors $60, up from $40 in 2009. In many cases, local charities covered the balance of the processing cost, making donations free for hunters. Through efforts like this, the Conservation Federation hopes to boost venison donations to half a million pounds annually.

 

DECEMBER

In December, MDC construction crews working with teams from Kentucky and Virginia began building elk traps and pens in Kentucky. The next step is construction of a holding pen at Peck Ranch CA. The Appalachian Wildlife Foundation and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation pledged financial support totaling $350,000 for Missouri’s elk-restoration efforts.

MDC announced that it had confirmed the 11^th mountain lion sighting in Missouri since the big cats disappeared from the Show-Me State in the mid-1800s.  A landowner in southern Platte County near the Missouri River contacted MDC with a photograph he took of a mountain lion in a tree on his property. The confirmation came after experts examined the photo and interviewed the landowner, who asked to remain anonymous. MDC experts also examined claw marks on the tree where the big cat was photographed and gathered hair samples for DNA testing in hopes of gaining information about the animal’s origins.

With 18 days of archery deer hunting and the late portion of youth deer season still ahead, Missouri’s 2010-2011 deer harvest stood at 269,759.

-Jim Low-

Related articles

• RMEF helping restore elk in Missouri, Virginia (sports.espn.go.com)