MDC says watch cavities in trees to spot wildlife

Interesting creatures may be making a hollow a home

Kansas City, Mo. – A freshly chipped, round hole in the tree limb’s outer bark led to a newly excavated cavity, revealing a woodpecker's handiwork. The woodpecker chipped inside the dead locust tree limb this spring and created a cavity, possibly for a nest site. But a thunderstorm snapped the limb from the tree. The limb broke apart at the hollow spot when it hit the ground, a loss to the woodpecker but a lucky new hideaway for a ground-dwelling creature.

Nature sometimes tears down what it builds, but nothing is ever wasted, including a hole in a tree. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) suggests that observing cavities in trees alive or dead, standing or fallen, is a good way for people to spot watchable wildlife using a hole as home. Creatures use hollows created by fungi, woodpeckers, and squirrels as nesting and hiding spots.

“I’m sure if the locust limb had not fallen a woodpecker or squirrel would have used the cavity,” said Krista Noel, MDC natural history biologist.

Missouri has more than 20 species of birds that use tree cavities as nesting or roosting sites. They have neighbors. Squirrels, raccoons, bats, bees, and other creatures also use hollows in trees as a place to hide or live.

Tree cavities can be small or big enough for a bear. Fungi can enter a tree through a damaged spot and consume heartwood without killing the tree. Nutrients that keep the hollow tree’s branches and leaves alive moves up and down in the outer rings of the tree trunk, not in the center. Big trees that appear solid throughout  when standing often turn out to be hollow. A black bear may make a large, hollow oak blown down by a summer storm its winter den site.

Woodpeckers are pioneers at creating small hollows in limbs or chipping into a tree trunk. They may peck away at dead wood looking for insects to eat and keep going. Squirrels, a member of the rodentia order of wildlife, may use their strong teeth to gnaw larger the hole a woodpecker started. Other birds or small mammals finding a cavity unoccupied may move in for a season, to nest in spring or ride out the winter cold.

The hollowed locust limb that fell to the ground can be used, too. Perhaps a lizard or skink needs a hiding spot?

“Even on the ground, whether in the woods or a fencerow, a wood cavity still serves as shelter for smaller animals,” Noel said. “I can see a mouse using it for shelter on the ground or perhaps a toad.  A snake might use it to escape the heat of the day temporarily, and of course insects would use it.”

A dead limb or tree trunk that poses a possible hazard to people and property should be removed. But if a dead tree, or at least the trunk, can be safely left standing in the woods or yards, they serve watchable wildlife, such as bluebirds.

For more information about how den trees and snags serve wildlife, visit https://short.mdc.mo.gov/Z8h.

MDC to offer free virtual wingshooting program July 11

Andy Dalton Shooting Range staff will host online program on how to improve shotgun skills.

ASH GROVE, Mo. – If you’re a waterfowl hunter or a quail hunter, the ability to hit a target in flight is the difference between a good hunting day and one where you come home empty-handed.

People interested in getting shotgun shooting tips on how to improve their wingshooting skills should sign up for the Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) virtual program “Effective Wingshooting.” MDC’s Andy Dalton Shooting Range and Outdoor Education staff will offer this program July 11 from 8:30-11:30 a.m. Among the topics this free class will cover are the fundamentals of wingshooting, distance estimation, non-toxic shell ammunition selection for hunting, and shotgun patterning. People can register for this program at:

https://mdc-event-web.s3licensing.com/Event/EventDetails/171717

Though this program is free, registration is required to participate using the link above. Registrants must provide an e-mail, so a program link can be sent to them. This program will include a chat-based question-and-answer period where participants can interact with the presenters.

Staff at MDC facilities across the state are holding virtual programs. A listing of these programs can be found at mdc.mo.gov/regions.

MDC’s Andy Dalton Range, which is located at 4897 N. Greene County Farm Road 61, has re-opened to the public. For more information about the Dalton Range, call 417-742-4361.

MDC plants sunflowers at Columbia Bottom for viewing and photo opportunities

Sunflowers at
Columbia Bottoms Conservation Area

Visitors should be able to enjoy impressive golden displays continuously through mid-August.

SPANISH LAKE, Mo.—Sunflower fans should have the opportunity again this summer to view and photograph spectacular sunflower displays at Columbia Bottom Conservation Area in North St. Louis County. Due to popular demand, Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) staff have planted additional sunflower plots again this year.

MDC staff were unable to plant last year because flood waters lingered on the area. However, conditions have been more favorable this season, so staff utilized a similar planting strategy to the one from 2018, which proved highly popular with visitors.

Spectacular sunflower fields have been an annual tradition at Columbia Bottom Conservation Area in Spanish Lake. MDC staff have been planting sunflowers for years as part of their management for mourning doves. The area is known as an excellent dove hunting destination each September. The large flowers supply seeds that entice the doves, and their lofty stalks create cover for the hunters who pursue them. Sunflowers also benefit a wide variety of other birds and pollinators.

MDC Wildlife Biologist Jessi Tapp said that this year, as in 2018, her staff has added new sunflower plantings in addition to the dove management fields. Some are close to and easily spotted from the road. They’ve also staggered the timing of the plantings to spread their blooming periods out over a longer period. Visitors should be able to see sunflowers in bloom somewhere on the area from early July through the middle of August.

“We’re really excited about one of the plantings; we strategically placed it so that there’s a chance that it will provide a pretty spectacular view from the cropland overlook,” Tapp said.

Sunflowers usually take about 60 days from planting to flowering. The Columbia Bottom team typically plants about 14 fields throughout the 4,300-acre area in early May as part of the dove management regimen. At the peak of their 10-day blooming period they decorate the area with vibrant brush strokes of gold.

The common sunflower (Helianthus annulus) is an extremely large and showy member from the same plant family as daisies. The impressive height and brilliant yellow rays of a single sunflower are a striking sight. Uniform rows of hundreds can be positively mesmerizing. The sight has always been a popular draw for sight-seers, nature buffs, and photographers.

Facebook and Instagram might see an explosion of Columbia Bottom “sunflower selfies” this summer.

Tapp reminds visitors not to pick the sunflowers. Vehicles should park in designated parking lots or on the shoulder and avoid parking in roadways or blocking gates. MDC also reminds visitors to follow all recommended social distancing guidelines due to considerations regarding COVID-19.

Columbia Bottom Conservation Area is managed to create a mosaic of bottomland habitats that includes shallow wetlands, bottomland hardwoods, prairie, and cropland. It is located at 801 Strodtman Road. The area can be reached by taking the Riverview Drive Exit from I-270 and travelling north approximately three miles. The area is open every day from a half hour before sunrise until a half hour past sunset.

Want to be a conservation agent? MDC taking applications for next agent training academy

Learn more at jobs.mdc.mo.gov/job/Conservation-Agent-Trainee-MO/656440900/

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Want to become a steward of conservation, help people, and protect nature by serving as a conservation agent? The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) announces it is taking applications during July for up to 16 participants for its 2021 conservation agent training academy, which will begin April 1, 2021.

Selected candidates will undergo 26 weeks of intense training in all facets of law enforcement and resource management. Those who make the grade will receive county assignments and become the faces of conservation in their assigned communities – educating and enforcing the Wildlife Code of Missouri through a community policing approach, helping the public with issues such as wildlife damage and disease, and providing information for water and land management.

Get information online on essential job duties, education requirements, experience and knowledge needed, required skills and abilities, physical abilities required, pay and benefits, along with additional details, how to apply, and conditions of employment online at jobs.mdc.mo.gov/job/Conservation-Agent-Trainee-MO/656440900/.

To learn more about the job, contact MDC Hiring Supervisor Cheryl Fey at Cheryl.Fey@mdc.mo.gov, or at 573-522-4115 ext. 3819. 

Want to know more about the work of conservation agents? Watch these videos from MDC Conservation Agent Matt Smith at youtube.com/watch?v=1856t1GC6OE and MDC Conservation Agent Lexis Riter at youtube.com/watch?v=8Beigpg8I3A.

New MDC migratory bird and waterfowl hunting digest now available

Get it online at huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/species/waterfowl.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) new Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest for the 2020-2021 hunting season is now available where permits are sold and online. Learn more about waterfowl hunting in Missouri and view the hunting digest online at huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/species/waterfowl.

The handy, free guide has detailed information on needed permits and duck-stamp requirements, hunting seasons and limits, hunting areas, regulations, and more.

New points of note for the upcoming season include:

• The cost of nonresident hunting permits has gone up. The last time permit prices were raised was in 2009.
• The bag limit for scaup is now two (both species combined) for the first 45 days of the season in each zone. For the last 15 days of the season in each zone, the bag limit is one scaup. Possession limits also follow this pattern.
• Due to spring flooding, some conservation areas may have sections closed for repair and/or have reduced habitat for dove and waterfowl hunting. For an update on conditions at managed waterfowl hunting areas, search “preseason wetland area status” beginning in August at mo.gov.
• The COVID-19 pandemic may impact how waterfowl drawings are conducted this year and potentially in the future. MDC is committed to providing hunting opportunities, and any adjustments to drawing procedures will be communicated as soon as possible.

Buy Missouri hunting and fishing permits from numerous vendors around the state, online at huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/permits, or through MDC’s free mobile app, MO Hunting, available for download through Google Play or the App Store.

Accepting applications for a women-only managed deer hunt in the Kansas City area

Mentors will be provided for the hunt Oct. 24-25 at Burr Oak Woods Conservation Area

Kansas City, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) helps connect women with outdoor skills and sports. Women may apply to participate in a managed deer hunt that will be held Oct. 24-25 at the Burr Oak Woods Conservation Area in Blue Springs. Applications for this hunt will be accepted July 1-31. This hunt is open to women 18 and older who have never harvested a white-tailed deer.

MDC manages 1,071-acres at the area as forest, open woodland, and restored native grassland. The mix of natural habitats benefits wildlife. This managed hunt is an excellent opportunity for women interested in learning about deer hunting to get training and in-field experience with a mentor at their side.

Hunters will be only allowed to use shotguns and shells with slugs designed for short-range deer hunting. A shotgun can be provided for a hunter upon request. Each hunter will have a mentor assisting them during the hunt. Hunters may harvest two deer, but only one can be an antlered deer. The managed hunt does not prevent women from harvesting deer during the regular archery and firearm deer seasons.

Hunters must attend a full-day mandatory orientation session beginning at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 17, at MDC’s Lake City Shooting Range and Outdoor Education Center. Hunters will review firearm safety and ethical hunting practices. They will also have an opportunity to shoot at the range. Afterwards, they will meet at Burr Oak Woods and attend a Deer Hunting 101 class, and they will have an opportunity to scout the zone that they will hunt in. The day will conclude with the skills portion of Hunter’s Education Certification, if the hunter has not yet completed this requirement. MDC will ask participants to follow recommended safety precautions against the COVID-19 virus during training and the hunt.

To apply for the women-only managed hunt at Burr Oak Woods, or any of MDC’s managed hunts statewide, visit https://short.mdc.mo.gov/ZkC.

MDC announces five hunters drawn for elk permits

Bill Clark of Van Buren, Joseph Benthall of Mount Vernon,
Michael Buschjost of St Thomas,
Samuel Schultz of Winfield,
and Eugene Guilkey of Liberty
were each drawn for a hunting permit to harvest
one antlered elk during Missouri’s
first elk season in modern history this fall

Five Missourians drawn were among 19,215 applications to hunt antlered elk this fall.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is offering Missourians the state’s first elk-hunting season in modern history starting this October. For the inaugural season, MDC will issue one permit each to five lucky Missourians randomly drawn from 19,215 permit applications, including 33 for one resident-landowner antlered-elk permit and 19,182 for four general permits.

The five lucky applicants drawn for a permit to harvest one antlered elk in Missouri this fall are:

• Bill Clark of Van Buren, who was drawn for the resident-landowner antlered-elk permit.
• Joseph Benthall of Mount Vernon, who was drawn for an antlered-elk general permit.
• Michael Buschjost of St. Thomas, who was drawn for an antlered-elk general permit.
• Samuel Schultz of Winfield, who was drawn for an antlered-elk general permit.
• Eugene Guilkey of Liberty, who was drawn for an antlered-elk general permit.

Each of the five can purchase their elk-hunting permit starting July 1 for a cost of $50. The five hunters can then each harvest one bull elk that has at least one antler being a minimum of six inches long. The five hunters may hunt using archery methods Oct. 17-25 and firearms methods Dec. 12-20. Each permit is valid for both the archery and firearms portions of the elk-hunting season.

The resident landowner permit will be used by Clark on his 80 acres east of Peck Ranch Conservation Area. The four general permits may be used within Carter, Reynolds, or Shannon counties excluding the refuge portion of Peck Ranch.

Learn more about elk hunting in Missouri online at huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/species/elk.

Elk are a native species in Missouri but were hunted to extinction in the state through unregulated hunting during the late 1800s. Missouri’s first pending elk hunt this fall comes after years of restoration efforts of the native species by MDC, numerous partners including the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, and many supporters including local communities and area landowners. Learn more about elk restoration in Missouri at short.mdc.mo.gov/ZYJ.

More on Those Drawn

Bill Clark of Van Buren, 78, is a life-long hunter of deer, turkey, and small game. He has also pursued elk in Colorado and Wyoming in the 1990s. He and his family own 80 acres east of Peck Ranch Conservation Area where they conduct timber-stand improvements on the heavily forested property and also plant clover and native grasses for elk and other wildlife.

Clark says he applied for the elk hunt because he supports MDC’s elk restoration and management efforts, wildlife management in general, and wants to help the herd by thinning a bull. He adds that he frequently sees elk on his property and has noticed an increase in local tourism since elk first arrived in the area in 2011, including an uptick in elk driving tours at Peck Ranch.

Joseph Benthall of Mount Vernon, 37, has been deer hunting off and on for 25 years and has not hunted elk before. He says he applied for the Missouri opportunity because he has wanted to hunt elk but has not had the time or money for a trip out west. He adds that he will only be rifle hunting.

Michael Buschjost of St. Thomas, 39, says he is, “Pretty darn excited to draw this tag!” His passion is bowhunting and he has hunted elk in Montana, Colorado, and Wyoming with two bulls and a cow elk harvested from those efforts.

He says he is excited to take his three kids with him to scout the area before the season opens. “I’m really looking forward to being part of this first hunt,” says Buschjost. “A ton of work has been done on MDC’s part to make this happen.”

Samuel Schultz of Winfield, 42, has been hunting for 30 years and he mostly hunts deer and turkey. He has hunted small game in the past, done some trapping, and loves to fish as well. He has hunted elk before in Colorado back in the early 2000s and says he was fortunate enough to harvest a 6x6 bull with his bow on a self-guided hunt.

“I love that MDC brought elk back to Missouri and I can't wait for the opportunity to hunt them,” Schultz says.

Eugene Guilkey of Liberty, 59, has lived most of his life in northwest Missouri and has hunted since his youth. Guilkey says he plans to hunt both portions and will use a crossbow during the archery portion. He adds that he will mainly use the archery portion to scout for the rifle portion.

“Growing up in Missouri, I used to hunt rabbit, squirrel, quail, and dove, along with deer and turkey. I have never hunted elk,” Guilkey says. “I suppose the cost of a trip like that kept me from pursuing that dream. I also battled cancer last year, and during my battle and recovery, I found an elk-hunting show on television that only hunts public land. I thought perhaps one day I could do that… and now I can! At this time last year, I was given the news I had cancer. Now, a year later, I’ve been given the opportunity of a lifetime! Thank you for the chance!”

Guilkey adds that he never wins any drawings. “When MDC contacted me via email, I was at work,” he recalls. “I literally jumped out of my chair screaming I had won! My coworkers thought I had lost my marbles! My family and I were almost in shock and disbelief! Since that day, I’ve thought of almost nothing else in my spare time… lodging, scouting, learning to call elk, gear… I’m like a kid at Christmas!”