Squirrel season opens May 28

Bag limit is 10 and possession limit is 20.

JEFFERSON CITY MO – The fourth Saturday in May marks the opening of squirrel season in Missouri. Hunters may pursue gray and fox squirrels from May 28 through Feb. 15, 2012, with rifles, shotguns or archery equipment. The aggregate bag limit is 10 squirrels and the possession limit is 20.

“Aggregate” means hunters may harvest any combination of fox and gray squirrels so long as they do not exceed 10 squirrels total in one day. If hunters bag a daily limit two days in a row, they will have a possession limit of 20 squirrels. After that, they must eat or give away some squirrels before going hunting again in order to stay within the possession limit.

Hunters also may take squirrels with cage-type traps, as long as they label traps with their full name and address, or their Conservation number. Squirrel traps also must have openings measuring 144 square inches or less, for instance, 12 inches by 12 inches. Hunters must attend their traps daily. The same regulations apply to rabbits and groundhogs during their respective seasons.

Lonnie Hansen, the Missouri Department of Conservation’s resource scientist in charge of squirrel management, explained that squirrel numbers in the Ozarks are somewhat dependent on acorn production while squirrels have a more diverse and dependable food base in northern Missouri thanks to agricultural crops. As a result, squirrel populations are more stable there, and hunting is uniformly good from year to year.

“We had a tremendous acorn crop last fall so squirrel numbers should be building in the Ozarks,” Hansen said. “Squirrel numbers should also be high elsewhere. I think squirrel hunting should be excellent this year.” 

Record fish a reminder of unwanted “successes”

Image via Wikipedia

106-pound fish was never supposed to swim free in Missouri.

CAMDENTON–Gene Swope, Excelsior Springs, and his grandsons will always remember April 23, 2011, as the day they set a Missouri State fishing record. Fisheries Programs Specialist Andrew Branson shares their excitement, but he has mixed emotions about the monster fish that earned them a place in the record book.

Swope was snagging for paddlefish with grandsons Garron Grass and Justin Swope near the Old Oar House Inn at Lake of the Ozarks when he snagged a 106-pound bighead carp. A 35-minute tussle ensued. When Swope finally brought in the 4-foot, 8-inch fish, it took the combined strength of all three anglers to wrestle it into the boat.

Fisheries Management Biologist Tory Mason verified the fish’s weight on a scale at the Lawson Agri-Services. The catch easily eclipsed Missouri’s previous record of 80 pounds for a bighead carp caught through snagging or other “alternative methods.”

Branson, who administers the state fishing records program for the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), said the bighead carp is classified as a nongame fish. Snagging is a legal method for taking nongame fish in Missouri, but it is not a method allowed under the rules of the International Game Fish Association. Consequently, Swope’s fish does not qualify as a world record, even though it outweighs the existing record by 16 pounds.

According to Branson, bighead carp are not known to spawn successfully in lakes or ponds. They need current to suspend their eggs in the water during development. The fact that anglers are not catching any young bighead carp at Lake of the Ozarks is a good sign.

“Bighead carp are an invasive Asian species,” said Branson. “This is an example of how invasive species can thrive outside of their native environment, and the importance of preventing their spread. At least anglers are removing some of these from the lake, and that’s good news.”

Good news, said Branson, because bighead carp and other invasive species have the potential to upset the ecological balance in Missouri waters. The consequences for popular species, like paddlefish, bass and crappie, could be serious. The presence of Asian carp in Missouri waters also has implications for other forms of recreation, such as boating and skiing. Bighead carp are close relatives of silver carp, which have become notorious for their habit of jumping several feet in the air when passed by watercraft. Human injuries have grown more common as Asian carp spread and multiply.

Tim Banek is MDC’s invasive species coordinator. He said anglers have an important role in preventing the spread of invasive species. One thing they can do to prevent the spread of Asian carp is not to move baitfish from one lake to another or release them alive.

“Many different kinds of fish look like minnows when they are small,” said Banek. “It is easy for a few invasive fish to get mixed in with baitfish. If any of those get loose, they can start a completely new infestation. It’s important for anglers to obtain minnows and other bait locally and dispose of unused bait properly.”

He said proper disposal means putting bait into the trash, rather than dumping it in the water or on the ground. More information about invasive species in Missouri is available at www.mdc.mo.gov/node/10244/.

-Jim Low-

Missouri Air Conservation Commission to discuss pollution reducing actions

JEFFERSON CITY, MO, MAY 25, 2011 – The Missouri Air Conservation Commission will meet on May 26 in Jefferson City to discuss air quality issues and conduct public hearings.

The Air Pollution Control Program worked with stakeholders to create a single, consolidated statewide indirect heating rule to replace four area-specific indirect heating rules. The consolidated rule will be presented for public hearing as well as the recession of the four area-specific rules. The consolidated rule keeps particulate matter emission limits for indirect heating units, which mainly include utility and industrial boilers, process heaters and smelters, at the same level as the area-specific rules it is proposed to replace.   

The purpose of a public hearing is for the commission to hear public comments on the amendments. No actions on these amendments will be taken at this meeting. The department also will accept written or email comments for the record until 5 p.m. on June 2. Information on these amendments is available on the department’s website at dnr.mo.gov/env/apcp/rulemaking.htm.

The commission will also vote on adopting a change to Missouri’s plan to meet federal air quality standards and the state’s recommendation for designating which areas of the state are not meeting the federal standard for sulfur dioxide.

Program staff will also provide routine updates on the functions of the Air Pollution Control Program.

The meeting will start at 9 a.m. and will be held in the Elm Street Conference Center, 1730 East Elm in Jefferson City. The meeting will also be streamed live over the Internet from the department’s website at dnr.mo.gov/videos/live.htm.

The Department of Natural Resources requests people intending to give verbal presentation on the proposed public hearing items also provide a written copy of their testimony to the commission secretary at the time of the public hearing. People requiring special services or accommodations to attend the hearing can make arrangements by calling 800-361-4827 or 573-751-4871. Hearing-impaired individuals may contact the program through Relay Missouri at 800-735-2966.

Public hearing items may be adopted by the Missouri Air Conservation Commission as provided for under authority of 643.050 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri.

The Missouri Air Conservation Commission, made up of seven members appointed by the governor, was created by the Missouri General Assembly in 1965. The commission’s primary duty is to carry out the Missouri Air Conservation Law.

For more information or a complete meeting agenda, contact the Missouri Department of Natural Resources’ Air Pollution Control Program at 573-751-4817 or visit dnr.mo.gov/env/apcp/macc.htm.

Planned openings of Lake of the Ozarks, Cuivre River state parks’ swimming beaches postponed

Hermitage Beach at Pomme de Terre State Park temporarily closed

              JEFFERSON CITY, MO., MAY 25, 2011 – The planned openings of three Missouri State Parks swim beaches have been temporarily postponed and a fourth beach has been temporarily closed to the public following recent water samples that indicated elevated bacteria levels.

 The openings of the two swimming beaches at Lake of the Ozarks State Park and the beach at Cuivre River State Park, scheduled for this weekend, have been postponed. Hermitage Beach at Pomme de Terre State Park, which opened last weekend, has been temporarily closed.  However, the Pittsburg Beach at Pomme de Terre State Park remains open. Two boat ramps at Pomme de Terre State Park are currently closed due to high water levels.  Visitors may check with the park or the website for additional information on current closings.

The water at all designated beaches in the state park system is sampled weekly during the recreation season by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources to determine suitability for swimming. Water samples are taken to check for E. coli, a common indicator species for bacteria. Samples taken Monday at the parks listed above indicated bacteria levels higher than those recommended for waters used for swimming.

            Higher bacteria levels are often associated with heavy rains that result in runoff from adjacent lands. Once tests indicate the bacteria levels are within the standard suitable for swimming, the beach will reopen.  All other facilities at these parks remain open and available to the public.

Information about current status of beaches is available on the website at http://bit.ly/MoStateParksBeachStatus as well as mostateparks.com. Signs indicating the status of the beaches are posted at the beaches as well.

            For more information about Missouri state parks and historic sites and swimming beaches, visit mostateparks.com.       

Quail conservationists unite at Missouri Bobwhite Quail Summit

June 16 seminar seeks to improve quail and small-game populations by educating landowners

 Written by Rebecca Maples, MDC

 JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Quail are making a comeback, and conservationists will be flocking to the Missouri Bobwhite Quail Summit to help bring back these native birds. The summit will be held at the Bradford Research and Extension Center in Columbia on June 16 from 1 to 4 p.m. with field tours immediately afterward. It is open to all private landowners, wildlife enthusiasts, natural resource professionals and interested citizens.

Sponsored by the Conservation Federation of Missouri and the University of Missouri’s Bradford Farm, the event is an educational opportunity for landowners interested in improving quail and small game habitat. Seminar topics will include assessing land’s potential for bobwhite habitat, management strategies for restoration, effects of weather on quail numbers and how to fund quail restoration.

Missouri’s bobwhite quail population has been steadily declining due to changes in agricultural activity and land management.  The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) partners with various organizations to help restore the state’s quail population and proper habitat.

According to MDC Grassland Birds Coordinator Max Alleger, adding the summit to annual field tours at Bradford Farm is an attempt to involve new landowners in Missouri’s ongoing quail management plan.

“A truly unique aspect of this event is that all of our quail partners, including Quail Forever, Quail and Upland Wildlife Federation (QUWF), MU and NRCS [Natural Resources Conservation Service] are participating,” said Alleger.

Speakers at the summit will represent various organizations involved in Missouri’s quail management efforts.

“The summit has several purposes,” said QUWF Chief Wildlife Biologist Nick Prough. “One of the main ones is to bring landowners, biologists, agencies, organizations and interested conservationists all together on one day to discuss what has been done in the past for quail and quail habitat throughout Missouri, what has worked well in the past and what needs to be changed and done in the future.”

Following the discussion session, a panel of Missouri landowners will discuss their personal successes with quail management. More than 90 percent of Missouri’s land is privately owned, so landowners have an essential role in restoring quail habitat. MDC Private Land Services staff currently assist about 17,000 Missouri landowners with quail restoration and habitat conservation.

“The summit will share the latest habitat information with all the attendees so they can bring that information back to their local area and work with their partners to improve habitat locally,” Prough noted, emphasizing the importance of landowner participation.

To register for the summit, send your name, address and contact information by mail to MU BREC, 4968 Rangeline Road, Columbia, MO 65201-8973 or by e-mail to ChismT@missouri.edu, or call (573) 884-7945. For more information on the status of quail in Missouri, visit www.missouriconservation.org and search “Quail Management.”

Let MDC help you discover nature through a summer "staycation"

Let MDC help you discover nature through a summer "staycation"

Online Conservation Atlas can help you plan Missouri outdoor adventures.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Birdwatching, hunting, angling, camping, hiking, cycling, horseback riding, nature photography – what more could an outdoor enthusiast want in a summer vacation? If you live in Missouri, these and other outdoor adventures are never far. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) can help you find them

More than 1,000 conservation areas (CAs) let Missourians discover nature on “staycations” without breaking the family budget. These include hundreds of undeveloped forest, prairie and wetland areas, dozens of lake and stream accesses and 18 nature and visitor centers. MDC also maintains 79 shooting ranges, five with full-time staff to teach shooting skills and ensure safe operation.

To help you explore this wealth of opportunity, MDC provides a searchable online Conservation Atlas database at http://bit.ly/d41rtR. You can even do a “Detailed Search” for CAs by available activities, from horseback riding to canoeing or goggle-eye fishing. Or, filter search results by disabled-accessible offerings, designated trails or shooting ranges.

A search for “horseback riding” turns up 45 results, from Lawrence County to St. Louis County. Searching for areas to go crappie fishing provides 18 options, from Buchanan County to Cape Girardeau County.

Tailor trips to your time and budget by narrowing searches to a particular region or certain counties. Smart “staycationers” can see new sights every day while sleeping in their own beds every night.

You can also focus your search on available facilities and services, including visitor centers, picnic areas, pavilions, wildlife viewing blinds, boat rentals or primitive campsites. You might choose to spend your vacation visiting all 18 MDC nature and visitor centers around the state.

You could focus your search on specific natural features such as lakes, ponds, glades, forests, springs or streams. A “staycation” might focus on “hiking” in areas with “wildlife watering holes” in the “Central Region.” This search combination turns up three areas: Fiery Fork CA in Camden County, Scrivner Road CA in Cole County and Spring Creek Gap CA in Maries County.

Replace “wildlife watering hole” with “named prairies,” and the Conservation Atlas directs you to Hite Prairie CA in Morgan County or Sears Memorial Wildlife Area in Audrain County.

Changing the search combination to “bird watching,” “springs” and “individual campsites” gets you 15 choices scattered throughout the St. Louis, Kansas City, Southeast, Southwest, Ozark and Central Missouri regions.

Boaters and anglers can choose from hundreds of fishing accesses on major lakes and rivers, plus small community lakes. A search for fishing lakes and ponds in the Ozark Region finds 11 such areas.

With the online Conservation Atlas, you can plan an exciting summer “staycation” that fits your interests and budget perfectly. You might even find yourself taking mini-staycations throughout the year.

Missouri sends 286 students to national archery tournament

Skyler Price of Maries R-2 and Katie Nordstrom of Willard High School earn top honors.


JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) national tournament brought 6,731 archers from 34 states, including 286 students from Missouri, to Louisville, Ky.
Attendance at the national tournament May 13 and 14 was just shy of the 2010 world-record attendance of 6,784. Missouri students in grades 4 through 12 competed in elementary, middle and high school divisions. The Show-Me State archers earned qualifying scores in the state tournament to be eligible for the national tournament.

Katie Nordstrom from Willard High School was Missouri’s top female archer with 282 points out of 300. Skyler Price from Maries R-2 Schools took the honor of top male archer with 288 points.

Longview Farm Elementary of Lee’s Summit ranked 22nd of 78 teams in the elementary division. George Guffey Elementary School of Fenton was close behind at 23rd, and St. Joseph Cathedral School of Jefferson City finished 65th in the division.

In the middle school division, Ridgewood Middle School of Arnold finished 29th of 104 teams. Crane Middle School ranked 46th, Holy Rosary School of Clinton 49th, Willard Middle School 64th, Cole Camp Middle School 93rd and St. Joseph Cathedral School 96th.

Willard High School ranked highest of Missouri high school teams at 48th of 111 schools. Galena High School was right behind at 49th. Crane High School placed 61st, and Helias Catholic High School of Jefferson City ranked 108th.

Fifteen individual archers competed from Missouri schools including Perry Christian Academy, Salem Upper Elementary, North Wood R-IV of Salem, Meramec Heights Elementary of Arnold, St. Clair Junior High and Simpson Elementary of Arnold.

The growth of the Missouri National Archery in the Schools Program (MoNASP) has been tremendous over the past four years,” said MDC Education Outreach Coordinator Amy Francka, who coordinates the state program. “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.”

Go to:
www.missouriconservation.org and search “MoNASP.”
Rebecca Maples