Spring Turkey Harvest Final Data

Spring turkey harvest tops predictions

Hunters were aided by a slight improvement in turkey reproduction last

year and mostly good hunting weather during the three-week spring season.

JEFFERSON CITY–Hunters made the most of the final week of Missouri’s 21-day spring turkey season, shooting 8,263 birds. The last week’s harvest boosted the regular-season tally to 42,254, an increase of 429 from last year.

Top harvest counties for the regular season April 19 through May 9 were Franklin with 872, Texas with 755 and St. Clair with 701.

Missouri’s spring turkey season has two parts. Hunters age 6 through 15 shot 3,945 turkeys during the youth season April 10 and 11. This boosted the combined spring turkey harvest to 46,199, which is 1,491 more than last year.

Resource Scientist Tom Dailey had predicted the total harvest would be approximately 44,000. He attributed the 5-percent larger harvest to two factors.

“We had the usual mixed bag of weather during the hunting season this year,” said Dailey, the Missouri Department of Conservation’s turkey expert. “The opening weekend was pretty rough, with lots of wind and rain, and the last Saturday was windy. Other than that, though, conditions were extremely favorable for hunting.”

The second factor contributing to this year’s better-than-expected turkey harvest was a slight increase in wild turkeys’ nesting success in 2009.  The Conservation Department measures nesting success by the number of poults – young turkeys – seen with turkey hens during the summer by volunteer observers.

“Compared to the long-term average, last year’s poult-to-hen ratio wasn’t what you would call great,” said Dailey, “but it was slightly better than the two previous years. It allowed turkeys to hold their own in many areas and increase in some others.”

Dailey said he was pleased that this year’s spring harvest did not include a higher-than-normal percentage of young turkeys. “Jakes,” as year-old male turkeys are called, made up 21 percent of this year’s harvest, compared to the historic average of approximately 25 percent.

“Hunters could have shot more jakes this year because we had a few more of them than in recent years,” said Dailey. “Apparently the opposite happened, so we will carry over quite a few jakes to next year. That means more two-year-old birds next spring.”

Dailey said 2-year-old toms are the ones that gobble most, and hunters measure the quality of a day’s hunt largely by the presence or absence of gobbling birds. He said the moderate take of jakes is a good sign for the future.

Also a good sign is the return of more moderate spring weather. Cold and rain reduce wild turkey’s nesting success, and the past few years have set records for both. Dailey said with more normal weather during the summer there is every reason to expect the state’s turkey population to rebound from its current dip.

“I’ve got my fingers crossed,” said Dailey, “and I’m sure lots of other turkey hunters do, too.”

The Conservation Department received reports of four firearms-related hunting incidents during the regular spring turkey season. That is the same number as last year, but none of this year’s incidents was fatal, while one person died last year. Two hunting incidents – neither fatal – were reported during the youth season.

-Jim Low-

Hunters checked 2,259 wild turkeys during Missouri’s spring turkey hunting season April 19 through May 9. That is an increase of 429 from last year. The total 2010 harvest, including the youth season April 10 and 11, was 46,204. That is 1,491 more than last year’s total harvest and 5 percent more than predicted by the Missouri Department of Conservation.

 (Missouri Department of Conservation photo)

Family-Outdoors Hunting

Beginner Fly Fishing Advice: Aproaching Freestone Streams Like the Current and Meramec Rivers

 


There is an art to approaching a stream that you have never fished before, and truthfully, fine art is not created by beginners. However, any art student begins with certain fundamentals and then creates his or her own techniques by building on these fundamentals. I would encourage the reader of this article to look into other advice beyond that related here to devise his or her own approach with which they are comfortable. This is how the author advises those whom are new to the sport and are fishing a new area and looking for a methodical approach.
Initial Research
Know as much about the trout stream as you can. Know what hatches may be occurring at various times of the year. Know which species of trout are present. Try to develop a knowledge of fly types that work on the water you will be fishing. Whether streamer flies, nymphs, or dry flies, try to get as specific information as you can get. Know specific colors and sizes and have as many of those sizes as possible.
This information is available on the internet through regional forums as well as traditional websites (see resource box below). Also, local fly shops are a great source for information and doubly so if you have the courtesy to actually make a purchase relevant to the advice you receive. This is kind of analagous to hiring a fishing guide. You may pay a bit more for your purchase the first time, but you then have gleaned the information you need to make future purchases via discount retailers if you so choose.
Approaching the Water
You cannot go splashing into the water and start looking around for a good spot to fish. Reading the water is best done from a short distance back and is not a snap decision. If the water is clear enough where you can site fish, this means they can see you as well. You may have to make a crawling approach at times. You need to make a decision based on your own skills. Great water with an overhanging bush is not an option if you cannot roll a cast into this water.
Depending on what you will be fishing, dries or nymphs/streamers, make a wise decision on the water you will fish. If you will be fishing dries, and you are a beginner, consider a slower current stretch where you can get a longer drift before drag starts to affect your line. If you will fish pocket water, think about drifting your offering into the pocket in the manner the current will naturally bring food downstream. This is usually done while fishing nymphs. Whether you use a strike indicator is a personal decision, but may be helpful for the beginner to detect strikes.
Fly Offerings
I am not a dry fly purist. I enjoy most catching fish that have risen to a dry, but if the fish are not rising to a hatch, I have no qualms about fishing below the surface. In fact, generally speaking, I fish streamers and nymphs unless I see a reason to switch to a dry. Once trout begin rising to feed, then I will usually switch to a dry. However, there are even times, say when there is an enormous hatch and very few fish are rising to feed, when I will stay with the streamers and nymphs. If there are millions of critters landing on the water and only a few fish rising to them, what chance does my one elk hair caddis or adams fly have?
Often, I will begin fishing the early part of the day with nymphs and streamers in pocket water and deep pools. Often I will switch quite a few times and then hit on something where every drift is eliciting a take. When this stops producing, I assume that the fish gods have told the fish to stop biting, stop biting that fly, or I have sufficiently disrupted that stretch of water. I will usually try a few additional offerings, and if I have no success, move to a new stretch of water.
As evening approaches, I am particularly alert to hatches and/or rising trout. There is nothing more satisfying than a take on a dry. If possible, be able to identify the hatch and/or what the trout are rising to, and as they say, "match the hatch." Sometimes a rough facsimile of the hatch will suffice if an exact match is not at hand. Be willing to experiment. Often, very subtle differences matter. Even for an experienced fisherman, a new body of water can be a challenge. If you are pretty sure that the stream holds fish, be willing to go back a few times even if at first you do not have success. Just like your casting skills, your other fishing skills will build over time, and there is a lot of satisfaction in becoming well versed in a certain body of water.
Missouri Trout Fishing

Bear Safety

Missourians need to be bear prepared

Black bears seldom bother humans, but attacks do happen.

Follow these tips to help avoid or repel aggressive bears.

JEFFERSON CITY–What would you do if you rounded a bend in a trail and came face to face with a bear? The Missouri Department of Conservation has advice about what to do in that scenario and, even better, how to avoid it.

Missouri is home to a small number of black bears, the only bear species found here. The statewide population is estimated at only 300 to 500 bears. However, the number is growing slowly, thanks to natural reproduction and immigration from Arkansas.

One of the most useful things for avoiding bear confrontations is knowing where you are likely to see a bear. The Conservation Department has confirmed bear sightings in 61 of the state’s 114 counties. However, 90 percent of the state’s bears live south of Interstate Highway 44.

“You could see a bear in the northern two-thirds of the state,” said Resource Scientist Jeff Beringer. “Atchison, Worth and Lewis counties have recorded at least one sighting. But the odds decrease sharply the farther north you go. For the most part, this is still an Ozarks phenomenon.”

Beringer, the Conservation Department’s bear specialist, said Ozark County leads the state, with 102 documented bear sightings since the agency began keeping records in 1987. Adjoining Howell and Douglas counties are second and third with 60 and 51 sightings, respectively. Counties with 40 or more sightings include Carter, Christian, Iron, Reynolds, Shannon, Stone and Taney.

The cluster of bear sightings in and around Reynolds County extends north as far as Crawford, Franklin and Washington counties, each of which has produced more than 30 verified reports since 1987.

Missouri’s top bear counties also happen to contain the Ozark Trail and many of the state’s other popular hiking and camping destinations. While bear sightings remain relatively rare, Beringer said Missourians need to begin making bear awareness part of their outdoor skill set.

“A few years ago, the chances of a backpacker or a mushroom hunter stumbling across a bear were pretty close to zero. That isn’t true today. Anyone who spends time outdoors should know how to avoid run-ins with bears and what to do if they do encounter one.”

Beringer said chance encounters with bears usually are brief, ending when the bear realizes a human is near and retreats. Bears have a natural fear of humans. However, accidental bear meetings can be dangerous if the bear is startled or cornered or if a person gets between a sow and her cubs.

“Black bears are much more powerful for their size than the average person realizes,” he said. “They are unpredictable and extremely dangerous when they feel threatened. They are nothing to mess with.”

Bears are keenly aware of their surroundings, so Beringer said one effective way of avoiding surprise meetings is to make noise. Talking with companions works well. So does whistling, singing or fastening a cowbell to your backpack or clothing.

Bears’ hearing and sense of smell are excellent, but their eyesight is poor. They sometimes do not recognize humans, even at close range, if the wind is blowing the people’s scent away from them. At such times, a bear often rears up on its hind legs. This is not a threat, but an attempt to use its eyes and nose to best advantage.

Beringer said people who see bear that have not seen them yet should leave the area quickly and quietly. If the bear is aware of your presence, Beringer recommends avoiding eye contact, which bears perceive as aggressive behavior. The best thing in this situation is to look down and walk away while speaking in a normal voice.

A bear on a narrow trail may feel cornered. The best strategy here is to step off the trail on the downhill side and leave the area quietly. Do not make sudden movements or run.

When threatened or defending cubs, black bears often make huffing sounds, pop their jaws or beat the ground with their front paws. This is a warning that you are too close. Black bears also make mock charges, rushing at intruders, stopping and then retreating. People who take the hint and withdraw immediately after a mock charge almost always avoid further trouble.

Although attacks by black bears are rare, they do occur. Black bears can run much faster than humans can, and they are excellent climbers. Consequently, fleeing or climbing a tree is pointless. The most effective strategy is to fight back with whatever you have – a knife, a rock, a stick or any other weapon. Black bear attacks have been repelled by people using nothing more than their fists. Striking a bear around the face is most effective. Pepper spray also can stop a bear attack.

Aggressive bears usually are those that have become accustomed to human presence. This most often occurs through intentional feeding. Beringer cautioned against deliberately feeding bears or allowing bears to raid trash, livestock feeders or other human food sources. This puts both people and bears at risk.

If you encounter an aggressive bear, contact conservation office or your local sheriff’s department immediately.  The Conservation Department has specially trained employees to deal with problem or aggressive bears.

For more  information about living with bears, visit mdc.mo.gov/landown/wild/nuisance/bear/info/. 

For more information on camping, visit Family-Outdoors Camping

State-Record Black Bullhead

Harrisonville man lands second state record in two years

The hefty black bullhead came from a farm pond in Cass County.

HARRISONVILLE–Missouri has a new state-record black bullhead, and Nicholas J. Wray has his second fishing record in less than two years.

Wray, 23, caught the 2-pound, 4-ounce fish on a jug line April 9 at a farm pond in Cass County. The bullhead nudged aside the previous record by 4 ounces.

In 2008, Wray caught Missouri’s first state-record river carpsucker, a 2-pound, 3-ounce fish that came from Cass County’s South Grand River near Amarugia Highlands Conservation Area. He did it by design, having noticed that no one had bothered to apply for a record for the species previously.

Wray’s latest record fish measured 15 1/8 inches from nose to tail. Black bullheads seldom grow longer than 16 inches and 2 pounds. Missouri’s pole-and-line record for black bullhead is 4 pounds, 11 ounces.

Two other species – brown and yellow bullheads – tend to be smaller than the black bullhead. Yet, Missouri’s pole-and-line record yellow bullhead outweighed its black counterpart by more than 2 pounds. The Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame in Hayward, Wisc., recognizes an 8-pound, 15-ounce behemoth from Michigan as the world record black bullhead. That is nearly four times the weight of Wray’s fish.

These might indicate that heftier black bullheads haunt Missouri waters, waiting to be caught and registered as records.

The pole-and-line category is for fish taken on hand-held lines. Alternative methods include trotlines, throw lines, limb lines, bank lines, tree lines, jug lines, spearfishing, snagging, gigging, grabbing (with the use of a hook) and archery.

Entry forms and rules are available at mdc4.mdc.mo.gov/Documents/72.pdf. A list of Missouri fishing records is available at http://mdc4.mdc.mo.gov/Documents/69.pdf. The Conservation Department also has a Master Angler Program to recognize notable catches that fall short of records. For qualifying lengths and weights, visit http://mdc4.mdc.mo.gov/Documents/71.pdf.

-Jim Low-

Missouri Fishing Info

Turkey Harvest and Weather

 



Predictions on this year's turkey harvest had been pretty dire.  Of course the season is not over and this weekend's weather won't help, but the season did start off okay.

According to a news release from Jim Low of MDC, the opening day this year saw a harvest of 6759 turkeys.  This is only about 2/3 of what the opening say saw in 2005 when they started the telecheck system, but it is up about 750 from last year's opening day.  Now, as all who turkey hunt know, harvest numbers are dependent on much more than the number of turkeys out there, but on weather and other things.  Now the weather seems to be turning a little less favorable this weekend and for the upcoming week.

The press release I quoted earlier also provides some information from MDC Biologist Tom Dailey that seems pretty hopeful for the future.  A combination of slightly higher jake harvest percentages as well as favorable Spring weather seems to point to a better reproduction rate for this year.  Let's hope.

Turkey Hunting Information  
Missouri Public Lands Resources

Missouri Trout Fishing

This resource for Missouri trout fishing has information on just about any river, stream, lake and trout park you can think of. Additionally, it has stream reports, fly and tackle information, hatch charts, and more.
Missouri Trout Fishing

Missouri-Fly-Fishing-Guide

Current River

Family Outdoors has just out up this page as an aid to those wishing to get information on Missouri fly fishing. Full of good information!
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