4-H National Headquarters and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Honor Louisiana Youth Wetlands Education and Outreach 4-H Program

The 4-H National Headquarters and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
presented the 2011 Connecting Youth with Nature through Natural Resources
Conservation Education Award to the Louisiana State University AgCenter’s
4-H Youth Wetlands Program at the 76th North American Wildlife and Natural
Resources Conference being held in Missouri.

The 4-H Youth Wetlands Program has approximately 85,000 students enrolled
in their educational and outreach program in Louisiana. By developing and
distributing wetland education curriculum and teaching materials at no
cost to participating educators, this program strives to implement
wetlands education in the classroom as well as in the field. Students
learn about water quality, invasive species, biodiversity, recreation,
adaptations, wetland lost, and many more pressing wetland topics. Youth
are empowered to contribute ideas and make decisions that will aid in the
recovery of Louisiana’s deteriorating coastline. Since January 2010, youth
participants have installed approximately 50,000 wetland plants across
Louisiana to combat wetland loss.

“The Service is proud to recognize the efforts of the 4-H Youth Wetlands
Education and Outreach Program with the 2011 Connecting Youth with Nature
Award. The program provides an opportunity for Louisiana’s youth to get
outdoors and contribute to projects benefiting fish and wildlife habitats
while gaining exposure to career choices in natural resources management,”
said Jay Slack, Director of the Service’s National Conservation Training
Center.

4-H National Headquarters recently recognized the 4-H Youth Wetlands
Program as a Program of Distinction, which is required for consideration
for this annual interagency conservation award. Programs of Distinction
reflect the highest quality 4-H youth development programs found in
communities across the United States.

The award program was initiated in 1980 to recognize 4-H volunteer leaders
from across the country who assist youth in learning about wildlife and
fisheries conservation and management. The Wildlife Management Institute,
the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and the Boone and Crockett
Club also support the award program.

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others
to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats
for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader
and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our
scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources,
dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more
information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit
www.fws.gov.






Missouri Public Hunting Options

Service Announces 2011 Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest Will Be Held in Shepherdstown, West Virginia

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today that the 2011 Federal
Duck Stamp Art Contest will be held at the agency’s National Conservation
Training Center in Shepherdstown, W. Va., on October 28 and 29. This is
the first time in the contest’s 61-year history that the event has been
held in West Virginia.

The winning design chosen during the contest will be made into the
2012-2013 Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, or “Duck
Stamp,” the cornerstone of one of the world’s most successful conservation
programs.

“Having this prestigious contest at the National Conservation Training
Center provides a unique opportunity to build on the long history of
wildlife conservation and outdoor recreation in our country,” said Jay
Slack, Director of the Service’s training center. “Never has it been more
important to conserve and restore wetland habitat, especially as we search
for methods to minimize the effects of climate change, for waterfowl and
the multitude of other species that depend on wetlands.”

The $15 Federal Duck Stamp is a vital tool for wetland conservation, with
98 cents of every dollar generated going to purchase or lease wetland
habitat for the National Wildlife Refuge System. Since the stamp’s
inception, sales have helped to acquire nearly six million acres of
wildlife habitat at hundreds of refuges in nearly every state.

The Federal Duck Stamp art contest is the only art competition of its kind
sponsored by the federal government. Since the first open contest was held
in 1949, thousands of wildlife artists from throughout the nation have
submitted art to the annual contest. While the winner receives no money
from the federal government, the winning artist may benefit from the
increased visibility and sale of prints and artwork.

The first Federal Duck Stamp was designed in 1934 by Iowa native and
editorial cartoonist J.N. “Ding” Darling, who was the director of the
Bureau of Biological Survey, forerunner to the Fish and Wildlife Service.
It sold for $1. The stamp currently sells for $15, and more than 1.5
million people buy Duck Stamps annually.

Every waterfowl hunter age 16 or older is required to buy a Federal Duck
Stamp. In addition, the stamps are highly sought after by collectors,
conservationists and wildlife art aficionados. A current Federal Duck
Stamp also provides free admission into any refuge open to the public.
There are 550 National Wildlife Refuges spread across all 50 states and
U.S. territories, offering unparalleled wildlife oriented recreational
opportunities, including hunting, fishing, bird watching and photography.

For information about the Federal Duck Stamp Program and about the 2011
Federal Duck Stamp Contest, go to: http://www.fws.gov/duckstamps. You can
also check out the Federal Duck Stamp on Facebook: by going to
http://www.facebook.com and searching “Federal Duck Stamp.”

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others
to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats
for the continuing benefit of the American people. For more information on
our work and the people who make it happen, visit http://www.fws.gov.

The National Conservation Training Center is the home of the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service and a leader in environmental sustainability. The center
provides quality training tailored to support Service employees and
conservation partners in the accomplishment of the agency’s mission. For
more information about NCTC or our green practices, visit
http://nctc.fws.gov.

Check out Ozark Fly Sales

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to Launch Major National Survey On Hunting, Fishing, and Wildlife Watching

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will soon be conducting the 12th
National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation.
Hunters, anglers and other wildlife enthusiasts across the nation will be
asked to participate in interviewing set to begin April 1. The survey,
which has been conducted every five years since 1955, will involve 53,000
households.

“We appreciate the anglers, hunters, birdwatchers and other citizens
throughout the United States who voluntarily participate in the survey
when contacted,” said Acting Director Rowan Gould, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service. “The survey results help wildlife and natural resource managers
quantify how much Americans value wildlife resources in terms of both
participation and expenditures.”

The survey is funded by the Multistate Conservation Grant Program
authorized by the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Programs Improvement
Act of 2000. The survey provides the only comprehensive statistical
database available on participation and expenditures for hunting, fishing
and wildlife-watching in all 50 states. The information is collected by
the U.S. Census Bureau, primarily through telephone interviews to be
conducted April to June and September to October in 2011, and January to
March in 2012. Those contacted will be asked about their participation
and expenditures in several categories of wildlife-associated recreation.
The results will be available in a national report and in 50 individual
state reports.

“The last survey published in 2006 revealed 87.5 million Americans enjoyed
some form of wildlife-related recreation and spent more than $122.3
billion pursuing their activities,” said Hannibal Bolton, assistant
director for the Service’s Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration program.
“The survey is a critical information resource for federal and state
wildlife agencies, outdoor and tourist industries, local governments,
planners, conservation groups, journalists and others interested in
wildlife and outdoor recreation.”

Participation is voluntary and all responses are strictly confidential.
Data collected is used for statistical purposes only and no participant
can be identified from information contained in the database and follow-up
reports. Representative samples will be based on the initial contacts and
include 19,000 anglers and hunters and 10,000 wildlife watchers (wildlife
photographers, feeders, and observers).

Preliminary survey findings will be available in the spring of 2012. Final
reports will be issued beginning in the fall of 2012. The reports, when
completed, will be posted at .

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is to work with others
to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats
for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader
and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our
scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources,
dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more
information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit
www.fws.gov.

If you are a fly fisherman, check Ozark Fly Sales for great deals on flies.

Turkey hunting clinic open to youths 9 through 15

Up to 40 youths can register for the free event April 2.

BLAIRSTOWN, Mo.– Hunters age 9 through 15 who want to learn about turkey hunting can register for a youth turkey hunting clinic April 2.

The clinic is co-sponsored by the Missouri Department of Conservation and Everhart’s Wilderness Lodge. It will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the lodge, which is northwest of Clinton.

The event gives young people a chance to learn from experienced turkey hunters. Participants learn about turkey hunting rules and regulations, firearms safety, shotgun patterning, choke and shot selection, calling, scouting, decoy use and equipment. The free clinic includes ammunition and lunch.

Registration is limited to 40 youths. Each youth must be accompanied by an adult sponsor. Each adult may sponsor up to two youths. Youths are encouraged to bring their shotguns. For more information or to register, call Johnny and Linda Everhart, 660-885-5049.

Other clinic sponsors include the National Wild Turkey Federation, the Kansas City Safari Club, Wal-Mart, and Flambeau Outdoors.

Ozark Fly Sales

Elk-Vehicle Collisions

This MDC video deals with some concerns Missouri residents, especially those in the region where elk will be placed, have raised.  Judge for yourself what the risks of vehicle-elk collisions might be.  I think after watching the video, you will come to the conclusion at least that the behavior of elk with regard to vehicles and roads is different than that for deer.


Missouri Smallmouth Fishing

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More than 850 students compete in state archery tournament

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The third annual Missouri National Archery in the Schools (MoNASP) state tournament was held on Feb. 25-26 at Linn State Technical College and drew 857 students in grades 4-12 from 49 schools across the state. Winning teams and individuals, along with other teams and individuals who had qualifying scores, will go on to compete in the National Archery in the Schools (NASP) national tournament in Louisville, Kentucky on May 13-14. 


MoNASP is coordinated through the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) in partnership with schools and supporting organizations throughout the state. MoNASP is an affiliate ofNASP and promotes education, self-esteem and physical activity for students in grades 4-12 through participation in the sport of archery. More than 25,000 Missouri students from 165 schools participate in MoNASP. Since NASP's beginnings in 2002, more than seven million students have participated in the program through 7,350 schools in 47 states and five countries.

“The growth of the Missouri National Archery in the Schools Program has been tremendous over the past four years,” said MDC Education Outreach Coordinator Amy Francka, who coordinates MoNASP. “This surge has led students outdoors with their families to participate in this lifetime sport. Many local conservation groups and civic organizations are also volunteering to help support MoNASP in their communities. Students are connecting with family members, coaches and teachers through archery. This connection and confidence gained through archery will spread into other parts of their lives.”

Top Two Scorers

The top-scoring male student was seventh-grader Colton Fry of North Wood R-IV in Salem. The top-scoring female student was tenth-grader Emily Reel of Crane High School in Crane. In addition to trophies, these top scorers also received Special Edition Genesis Bows.

Winning teams and other individual winners who qualified for the national tournament were:

High School Division

1st: Crane High School, Crane

2nd: Willard High School, Willard

3rd: Helias High School, Jefferson City

Middle School Division

1st: Ridgewood Middle School, Arnold

2nd: Crane Middle School, Crane

3rd: Holy Rosary School, Clinton

Elementary School Division

1st: George Guffey Elementary School, Fenton

2nd: St. Joseph Cathedral School, Jefferson City

3rd: Meramec Heights Elementary School, Arnold

Individual High School Males

1st: Cody Wright, 10th Grade, Hurley R-I, Hurley

2nd: Garrett Essary, 9th Grade, Crane High School, Crane 

3rd: Preston McHolland, 10th Grade, Crane High School, Crane 

4th: Chase Meyer, 12th Grade, Helias High School, Jefferson City

5th: Corey Eutsler, 10th Grade, Galena High School, Galena

Individual High School Females

1st: Emily Reel, 10th Grade, Crane High School, Crane

2nd: Marissa Stevens, 9th Grade, Crane High School, Crane

3rd: Amber Hoeme, 12th Grade, Galena High School, Galena

4th: Connor Melzer, 9th Grade, Maries R-2, Belle

5th: Danielle Davis, 10th Grade, Galena High School, Galena

Individual Middle School Males

1st: Colton Fry, 7th Grade, North Wood R-IV, Salem

2nd: Nicholas Llewellyn, 8th Grade, Crane Middle School, Crane

3rd: Brandon Whitley, 7th Grade, St. Clair Junior High, St. Clair

4th: Steven Hellmer, 8th Grade, Willard Middle School, Willard

5th: Jacob Lemen, 7th Grade, Ridgewood Middle School, Arnold

Individual Middle School Females

1st: Megan Kowalewski, 8th Grade, Ridgewood Middle School, Arnold

2nd: Adriane Dehn, 7th Grade, Holy Rosary School, Clinton

3rd: Faith Bundy, 8th Grade, Ridgewood Middle School, Arnold

4th: Elora Doherty, 7th Grade, Ridgewood Middle School, Arnold

5th: Emma Lander, 7th Grade, Crane Middle School, Crane

Individual Elementary School Males

1st: Dalton Kaeshofer, 6th Grade, George Guffey, Fenton

2nd: Lincoln Talbott, 5th Grade, Perry Christian Academy, Perry

3rd: Richie Freukes, 6th Grade, Simpson Elementary, Arnold

4th: Blake Kirsch, 4th Grade, St. Joseph Cathedral, Jefferson City

5th: Skyler Price, 6th Grade,  Maries R-2, Belle

Individual Elementary School Females

1st: Mallorie Mason, 6th Grade, Meramec Heights, Arnold

2nd: Rachel Schulte, 5th Grade, St. Joseph Cathedral, Jefferson City

3rd: Rebecca Letcher, 6th Grade, Holy Rosary School, Clinton

4th: Elizabeth Yancey, 5th Grade, Perry Christian Academy, Perry

5th: Aubrey Stuart, 4th Grade, Meramec Heights, Arnold

The following teams and individuals also had qualifying scores for the national tournament:

Teams

Galena High School, Galena

Warsaw High School, Warsaw

Willard Middle School, Willard

St. Joseph Cathedral Middle School, Jefferson City

Cole Camp Middle School, Cole Camp

Longview Farms Elementary #1, Lee’s Summit

Males

Cole Sandbothe, 6th Grade, St. Stanislaus, Jefferson City

Dalton Cook, 6th Grade, Salem Upper Elementary, Salem

Landon Harrison, 5th Grade, St. Joseph Cathedral, Jefferson City

Cole Higgins, 5th Grade, St. Joseph Cathedral, Jefferson City

Bailey Vanbuskirk, 5th Grade, Holy Rosary School, Clinton

Nikolai Pominov, 5th Grade, Meramec Heights Elementary, Arnold

Ethan Johnson, 4th Grade, St. Joseph Cathedral, Jefferson City

Luke Daledovich, 4th Grade, St. Joseph Cathedral, Jefferson City

Sam Ball, 4th Grade, Salem Upper Elementary, Salem

Cameron Gasten, 4th Grade, Perry Christian Academy, Perry

Females

Jordan Wright, 6th Grade, St. Joseph Cathedral, Jefferson City

Jessica Foster, 6th Grade, Meramec Heights Elementary, Arnold

Madeline Stasa, 6th Grade, George Guffey Elementary, Fenton

Rose Arnold, 5th Grade, Perry Christian Academy, Perry

Liska Hromnak, 5th Grade, Windsor, Imperial

Peyton Kiely, 5th Grade, Holy Rosary School, Clinton

Grace Patterson, 4th Grade, George Guffey Elementary, Fenton

Londyn Cook, 4th Grade, Salem Upper Elementary, Salem

Alexa Swon, 4th Grade, Perry Christian Academy, Perry

Maya Heckart, 4th Grade, St. Joseph Cathedral, Jefferson City

For more information on MoNASP, visit www.missouriconservation.org.

Related articles

• Utah students dazzle with archery skills ()
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MDC’s new e-Permits begin today

MDC Director Bob Ziehmer was among the first to purchase a 2011 Resident Hunting and Fishing permit using the MDC’s new e-Permits system.

E-Permits will enable hunters, anglers and trappers to buy, print and immediately use permits.

JEFFERSON CITY Mo – Beginning today (March 1), the Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) new e-Permits system will enable Missouri hunters, anglers and trappers to purchase, print and immediately use most permits.

All sport-fishing and sport-hunting permits will be available through e-Permits, along with trapping permits and the Apprentice Hunter Authorization. Commercial permits and lifetime permits will continue to be sold through MDC’s Central Office by calling 573-751-4115.

Hunters, anglers and trappers will be able to buy permits online and print them 24/7 anywhere they have access to a computer and printer. They can still buy permits from vendors, and by phone by calling toll-free 1-800-392-4115. Phone purchases are subject to a $2 convenience fee, while the fee for online permit purchases is $1.

They also can save e-Permits on their computer and print extra copies of permits in case one is lost or ruined. As always, permits may not be shared, and additional copies of a permit do not provide additional valid permits for the buyer or others to use.

Missourians have been able to buy permits online since 2002. However, under the old online system, buyers received only confirmation at the time of purchase. They used this confirmation while waiting to receive the actual permits through the mail, which could take up to two weeks. This was no help to turkey and deer hunters, who need actual permits to tag game. With e-Permits, turkey and deer hunters will be able to buy permits, print them and have valid permits immediately.

Deer and turkey tagging procedures will change with the change to e-Permits. The main difference is that permits no longer will include a removable transportation tag. Instead, the permit itself will be the transportation tag. Deer and turkey permits will have months printed along one edge and dates on another edge. Hunters will notch the month and day as part of recording their harvested game and attach the permit to the animal. They will continue to check harvested animals through the Telecheck system.

E-Permits will not be printed on adhesive-backed material, so hunters will need to provide a means of attaching them to harvested game. Hunters are encouraged to put e-Permits inside zipper-type sandwich bags and attach them to deer or turkeys with string, twist-ties, wire, plastic cable ties or tape.

“Our change to e-Permits will also reduce costs as we phase out software, hardware and special permit material used in the old Point-of-Sale permit system,” said MDC Director Bob Ziehmer. “When fully implemented, e-Permits will reduce the cost of issuing permits by approximately $500,000 annually.”

For more information on e-Permits and how to buy them, visit www.mdc.mo.gov/epermits.

-- Joe Jerek –

Missouri Public Land Hunting