Water N Woods Magazine November 2011 by TEE TIMES GOLF GUIDE Magazine

November 2011

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Covering Eastern Kansas, Western Missouri, Lake of the Ozarks, Branson & Springfield.

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November 2011

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CONTENTS 8 November 2011

10 It’s Not Too Late for Big Brown Trout!

The MDC and Non-Toxic Shot

To My Dear Furry Four-Footed Friends:

The Time We Deer Hunters Live for Has Arrived What Will Your Memories for This Year Be?

Hot Spot for Missouri Waterfowl

Although October is prime brown trout time, you can still hook a monster brown in November! To aid hunters in the switch to non-toxic shot, the MDC created the Effective Wingshooting for the Hunter program.

A humorous letter about a Colorado hunting vacation.

Around-the-campfire stories from memorable past hunts are told over and over, and this one may inspire some new memories.

Check out these great waterfowling areas to get a jump on Missouri’s ducks and geese.

A Winter Adventure

Homemade Gifts for the Holiday

Backpacking during the winter proves more of an adventure than planned for this young couple.

Just a few ideas for simple gifts to make that are sure to wow your friends and family.

22 From the Managing Editor: 6 Mountain Man Territory: 7 Ask Missouri Trout Hunter: 9 Trophy Room: 11 Missouri Department of Conservation News: 13 4

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November 2011

Hunting Guides - Missouri & Kansas: 18-19 Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks News: 25 Directory - Bait &Tackle, Taxidermist: 26-27 Directory - Hunting, Guns, Clubs, Shows: 28-29 Cover Photo: Wood Duck © Can Stock Photo Inc. / EEI_Tony.

From the Managing Editor

water `n woods™ magazine published by, Tee TImeS golf guIde™ Inc.

Hunting season — these simple words produce different images, thoughts and sounds for different people, but one thing is certain, the season is here. It seems that everyone I know participates in some form or another. Why, even the squirrels are hunting — hunting for nuts, that is. My yard is home to several birdfeeders, suspended from the branches of trees at a distance the squirrels cannot reach, or so I thought. I watched our resident squirrel, who lives in the treetops and torments our dog, Bogie, unsuccessfully attempt to reach the sunﬂower seeds in this feeder all summer long. However, that was until a week or two ago, when I opened my curtains to reveal how our talented resident squirrel ﬁnally reached its goal. It just goes to show you that true hunters never give up! Enjoy the outdoors, Victoria Cromwell

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www.waternwood.com editor-in-chief & publisher: bill cromwell bill@waternwood.com

managing editor/Vice president Victoria Cromwell Victoria@WaterNWood.com

contributing writers Walt Fulps Steve Felgenhauer Billie R. Cooper Alex Riester David M. Zumbaugh Liz McGuire Mike Mansell (Three Toes) copyeditor: Karen Burch layout & graphic design Victoria Cromwell

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Mountain Man Territory Hold up, Pilgrim, if’n ya ain’t noticed, we got company and they're close now! How’d I know? They been follering us for about three hours now and they done closed in. Let’s just hope it’s the Shoshone. Mayhap it’ll be friends of mine, but jus in case, keep yur’n smoke pole handy. There’s no birds singing or insects buzzing, so that tells me they’ll show themselves at anytime — just be ready! Wagh, here they are — it’s our friends the Shoshones and, better yet, I know this particular band. It’s Blowing Wind and his warriors. They are fierce fighters against the Blackfeet and Arapahos. Now there’s a reason he’s called Blowing Wind, and you should always remember to stay upwind from him at all times. Why, he’s been known to bring a buffler to his knees when he got caught downwind and couldn’t get away fast enough. Now I’ll have to use sign language as most of his braves do, on account he speaks no English and nobody wants to get that close to him. Why, he can’t even use smoke signals, as he’s afraid the wind will change and he’ll go up in flames! Now these Shoshone are shrewd traders, and they’ll try to get everything we got, so don’t show nothing unless yur’n willing to part with it. They see it — they’ll want it!

Photo Credit: Karen Mansell

If’n you don’t quit swatting at ﬂies, Pilgrim, Blowing Wind and his braves are gonna get the wrong idea. Them are not hand signs you're making.

Hudson Bay blankets. Blowing Wind says he’ll take the four Hudson Bay blankets, your knife and the buffalo robe as they will keep his braves warm this winter, but that’s not enough for two horses, so what else you got? Pilgrim, I sure hope you like riding that good-looking horse! I ain’t never, in all my days out here in these shining mountains, seen anybody that torments a soul like you do. Of all the items you coulda traded, ya just had to go and ﬁnd one thing I’ve been craving since about middle summer. Now I gotta wait until Ronnyvoo afore I can get some. Just you remember ya gotta put up with me this winter at my cabin. You think I’m cantankerous now, you wait! Wagh, I can’t believe you traded that bag of Arbuckle Coffee to Blowing Wind for a horse! Three Toes and Pilgrim www.WaterNWood.com

mountain man recipes Indian fry bread 2 c. ﬂour 2 t. baking powder ½ t. salt frying oil

1 T. shortening about ¾ c. warm water ⅓ c. dry milk

Heat oil in a frying pan to about 350 degrees. Stir the dry ingredients together and work in shortening with a fork. Stir in enough water to form soft dough. Form small balls about lemon size and ﬂatten to about ¼” thick, then make a couple of slices in middle to help cook evenly. Fry until puffed and lightly brown.

persimmon nut bread

Sift together 2 cups of ﬂour, 1 t. soda. Cream 1 c. sugar, 1 ½ sticks oleo and mix in 2 well-beaten eggs. Add the creamed mixture to the dry ingredients, add 1 c. persimmon pulp, ½ c. of nuts and bake in 2 small loaf pans for an hour at 325 degrees.

native American Indian language The Native American Indian Tribes all had their own language for centuries until the Indians in the East and Midwest were gradually pushed west of the Mississippi River. Since no two tribes spoke the same language, sign language came about as a way for the tribes to communicate with each other. The Indians taught the Mountain Men how to sign, as most Mountain Men could not speak the different languages of the different tribes. Sign language today for the hearing-impaired is totally different from the universal sign language of the native tribes. The sign language we use today for hearing-impaired was started in a school in Paris, France in 1760. Mike Mansell Novemberr 2011

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Water ‘N Woods | fishing

It’s Not Too Late for Big Brown Trout! by Walt Fulps

photo credits: walt fulps

nyone who studies trout ﬁshing has probably read his or her fair share of “October is Magic Giant Brown Trout Time!” articles. I’m guilty. I’ve read plenty of those articles, too, and I’ve written more than a few of my own. And it is true that October is a prime time for hooking into a big stupid territorial hook-jawed monster brown. There’s a good reason for that.

A few cold fall rains swell the rivers enough to lead to upstream movement, and the rainy agitation, along with cooler water temperatures, typically mean better oxygen content, providing the ability and the trigger to begin autumn migration. And as the egg-laden females begin to drop hormones into the water, the males begin to get “frisky.” That combination (good oxygen + crowded conditions + hormones) equals big mature male browns throwing caution to the wind. Even in the tailwaters, where electricity generation causes the current to vary almost every day, added autumn rainfall causes increased runoff from the feeder creeks, along with oxygenation by agitation. But, as it is with the mating rituals in most species, the timing is always driven by the ladies, and the males always make asses of themselves. Just as the deer rut is fairly predictable, October is traditionally the month when the big stupid brown trout planets align.

Brian Wise, the lead fly-fishing guide at River of Life Farm, catches a big brown trout.

Back in 1989, I didn’t know the mechanics of why this type of behavior happened, but I was aware even then of “magic time.” November 19 of that year (a memorable day), having abandoned my chance at a giant brown trout for the rest of the year, I decided instead on an epic day of 8

Water `N Woods™

November 2011

rainbow trout fishing. I started fishing at Crane Creek as the sun came up, progressed to Capps Creek late morning, and finished my day fishing Roaring River downstream from the trout park. And even though it was getting dark, I decided to complete my loop by at least taking a look at Lake Taneycomo. I arrived around 9:30 that evening, just in time to meet a fisherman leaving with an enormous rainbow trout on his stringer. He told me where and how he had caught it, and he also informed me that they had just shut down power generation, so the water levels were dropping off. Of course, I just had to try it, so I pulled on my soaking wet waders and tied on the biggest streamer I owned before wading into the darkness. Three casts later, I felt a shockwave of a hit that actually hurt my shoulder, and 20 minutes after that, I had netted the largest trout of my life thus far — a 24-inch bull brown. I thought I had missed the magic time, but that catch prompted me to continue fishing Taneycomo, and I continued having decent luck catching big mature browns until I went home for Christmas. So, what gives? As a fishing guide, I’ve noticed how October seems to book up solid with clients, while November’s calendar is often nearly empty, even though the big brown trout action often continues into the winter months.

Of course, I have my theories about what’s going on, but before committing to this article, I thought I’d touch base with a fishing guide who specializes in big browns, just in case there was a flaw in my logic. Brian Wise is the lead fly-fishing guide at River of Life Farm on the North Fork of the White River, and his clients have hooked into as many www.WaterNWood.com

big autumn browns as anyone out there. But I happen to know that he also manages to hook folks into plenty of trophy browns in the “off months,” too, so I gave him a shout to see what he thought of the “magic time”of October brown trout fishing. The first thing he said was, “The mystique about October fishing is a little too overdone.” Brian’s perspective is that October brown trout fishing is fun because the pre-spawn bulls are actually more unpredictable, seeming to be everywhere one day and nowhere the next. I’ve always thought of trout in human terms, and it seems Brian is of a similar mindset, comparing the pre-spawn male browns to teenage boys on prom night. For someone with enough experience chasing those specific fish, that description should make you want to lock up your daughter, rather than let her go out on a date. Brian pointed out that it seems to be the “flush” of fall that brings the water levels up, driving the low and slow fish of summer back into an aggressive feeding mood. But it’s not until their craziness settles down a bit that they’ll find their preferred territory, begin to hold in place and start to behave in a more predictable manner. For a fishing guide, that’s gold. When you know where the fish are from day to day, you can target them much more effectively. That makes Brian’s favorite time to target big brown trout “dreary fall and winter days… throwing big, big streamers for some truly massive fish.” To book a great North Fork guide trip, contact Brian Wise at brian@flyfishingtheozarks.com, but be sure to look at the accompanying website, too, www.FlyFishingTheOzarks.com. Q Walt Fulps is the owner of Trout Hunter Guide Service, Trout Hunter Fly Fishing School, and Trout Hunter Replicas.You can reach him through his website, www.MissouriTroutHunter.com.

Ask missouri Trout hunter

his month's most popular question came from several sources, but it can be summarized as such: "what's the deal with felt-soled waders in missouri?"

Effective March 1, 2012, felt-soled boots and waders will be banned from Missouri waterways. Actually, the regulation states "porous-soled," probably to prevent some knucklehead from inventing a replacement sole that's not technically felt, in an effort to bypass the rule on a technicality. Good thinking, MDC! This regulation is definitely frustrating a bunch of folks who recently purchased high-dollar felt-soled waders and boots, but the reason behind the rule makes perfect sense. The northern algae Didymosphenia Geminata (aka "Didymo" or "Rock Snot") is causing fits in the White River basin in northern Arkansas, and it is easily transported to new waters in porous materials like the fabric used to manufacture felt-soled boots. Up north, Didymo is kept in check by acidic water, but down here, most of our bedrock is limestone, making the pH high enough to let the algae grow like crazy. Didymo not only clogs the river with slippery goo, making wading and fishing extremely difficult or impossible, it also fills the gaps in the gravel where aquatic insects and other prey animals live and where spawning trout deposit their eggs. In other words, it can effectively destroy a trout fishery.

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4621 S. Shrank Drive, Independence, MO

This regulation won't ﬁx the problem, since Didymo can still hitch a ride on your shoelaces or in your landing net, but that's not really the goal here. The Department of Conservation is simply trying to slow the spread until it can come up with a better idea. It is still up to all of us to do what we can to keep from spreading the Rock Snot. Clean your waders and gear in diluted bleach water or soak your boots and net in strong salt water, for example, especially if you're ﬁshing multiple waters during the same trip. Forty-eight hours in direct sunlight will kill it, too.

FREE DOZEN FLIES

MDC has posted a video on YouTube demonstrating how to convert felt-soled waders to be in compliance with the new regulation so you won't have to throw out your new $200 Korkers. Do a Google search for "YouTube Treating Felt-Soled Waders," and it should be at the top of the results.

With any purchase of $10 or more. Not valid with any other special offers. One coupon per person, per visit. Offer valid through 11/30/11

Send your trout-related questions via twitter to @MoTroutHunter, and I'll answer as many as I can right here each month. Q

4621 S. Shrank Drive, Independence, MO

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November 2011

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The MDC and Non-Toxic Shot

Water ‘N Woods | hunting

by Steve Felgenhauer

aterfowl hunters are a breed apart — a mix of conservationists, as well as sportsmen — combining time-honored traditions and the latest tactics; perhaps this is what drives them.

Hardly viewed as a time-honored tradition, the use of non-toxic shot, which has been mandated since 1991 throughout the U.S., is a fact of life with today’s waterfowl hunters. However, waterfowl hunters didn’t accept the change easily and for good reason; early non-toxic loads were not as powerful as the lead hunters had grown accustomed to using, but there is good news. Today’s non-toxic loads deliver near lead performance, but there are differences. Penetration, knockdown and pattern densities are at the top of the list. Admitting the problem The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) recently adopted the use of non- toxic shot at 21 conservation areas on all upland game throughout Missouri. This action has caused some concern as the MDC has recognized that many hunters have a difﬁcult time with the switch to non-toxic shot from lead, so it has taken steps to help retrain sportsmen to become better hunters and shooters with non-toxic shot. enter ewfTh The MDC has come up with a program to make waterfowl hunters more effective. The Effective Wingshooting for the Hunter (EWFTH) program takes hunters’ education to a new level. According to Jake Hindman, an instructor for the EWFTH, “For every four ducks or geese struck by pellets, one goes unretrieved. This equates to a wounding loss of 25 percent, and that is unacceptable. EWFTH teaches the skills, and it is the hunter’s responsibility to improve his or her own skills. Through the skills we teach at our seminars, we hope to get the loss rate down to 10 percent or less,” adds Hindman.

Photo Credits: Steve Felgenhauer

Above: Subtending ― using the end of your shotgun barrel as a reference, you can determine if the bird is within range. Below: Knowing how your shotgun patterns is a tedious chore, but well worth the effort.

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The EWFTH program is a commitment — an evening presentation and an afternoon of shooting, which includes an assessment of shooting skills. Friday evening, which is mandatory to participate in the shooting skills section of the workshop, is a classroom presentation discussing gun mounting, eye dominance, shooting style, foot placement, wounding rates in waterfowl, shot string performance, and various shot types. It also provides the hunter with scientiﬁc data that has been compiled by Tom Roster, a shotgun ballistics expert.

hands-on training On the second day of training, a shooting skills assessment is conducted. Each hunter must shoot at eight targets at a range of 20 yards thrown to simulate a passing or crossing duck. Only by scoring 75 percent or more does he proceed to the next distance of 30 yards. This is repeated until the shooter reaches 40 yards. Hindman claims, “Very few hunters make it to the 40 yard distance pre-instruction. After the testing, we teach the participant how to properly pattern-test their equipment and give them a basic wing shooting program where we talk about stance, dominate eye, gun mount, and swing-through shooting method,” says Hindman. “If a shooter needs more attention to improve their skills, we are able to work one on one with the shooter.” range estimation According to statistics provided by Roster’s research, waterfowl hunters take their first shot at ducks while they are 53 yards from the shooters, which is as much as 100 feet beyond most hunters’ effective range. EWFTH addresses the lack of accurate range estimation utilizing a technique called subtending, a range estimation exercise that uses the end of a shotgun barrel to cover life-sized duck or goose silhouettes at known distances. With practice, as soon as the gun is mounted, the shooter will be able to determine if the duck or goose is in his or her effective range. effectiveness of your duck gun Perhaps the most forgotten aspect of being effective shooting nontoxic shot, is knowing how well your shotgun/choke combination handles a particular load. “This is the easiest aspect to correct, but most hunters overlook this part of the puzzle,” claims Hindman. Hindman recommends finding a load combination that produces a uniform dense pattern five yards beyond your effective range. “This is to allow for any range estimation errors you might make.” Patterning a load from a shotgun consists of firing three shells into three separate targets, finding the center of your pattern and marking it with a 30-inch circle. The pellet strikes are then counted and an average is obtained. The more strikes, the better your chances of hitting your target. The class discusses these percentages and what is acceptable and what isn’t. No matter if you are hunting dove in a conservation area that has been deemed non-toxic only or sitting in a duck blind, chances are your shotgun will be loaded with non-toxic shells. You owe it to yourself and the game you are pursuing to be the best hunter you can be. For more information about EWFTH or to set up a class, visit www.mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/birds/upland-game-birds/ Q effective-wingshooting-hunter. The love of hunting, fishing and the great outdoors, combined with writing, sent Water ‘N Woods contributor Steve Felgenhauer down his current career path as a gunsmith and writer. His byline has appeared in NWTF’s Turkey Country, Cabela’s Outfitter Journal, Gun Digest and Bass Pro Shops OutdoorSite Library, just to name a few. Email Felgenhauer at sfoutdoors@live.com.

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Michael Carpenter downed this 310-inch bull elk near Cody, WY on an expedition with Hidden Creek Outﬁtters.

Philip Carpenter shot this 320-inch bull elk near Cody, WYduring a hunting expedition with Hidden Creek Outﬁtters.

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Duce Clutter caught this 12 lb. Hybrid Bass at Truman Lake on September 23, 2011. Duce released it back into the lake.

Email Us Your Trophy Photos Please send the best you have to Victoria Cromwell, victoria@waternwood.com. Provide your name, hometown and a short story. Suitable images for printing will be published.

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To My Dear Furry Four-Footed Friends: by David M. Zumbaugh

thought I would let you know that I had a wonderful time on vacation in Colorado this September. I experienced many stunning vistas, scary sounds and especially-scrumptious scents.

We had detailed maps, GPS coordinates and tentative plans to meet Mr. White-Tailed Ptarmigan, Ms. Dusky Grouse and King Sage Grouse. We did have a ﬂeeting rally with a Dusky, but The Boss only shot a squirt of bark off a large Ponderosa Pine it magically darted behind on top of a 9600-foot peak as it slyly busted from my point. It casually ﬂuttered gleefully down the other side of the ridge and out of sight. The Boss, of course, will have to rely on his collection of alibis (if he ever even tells anyone this story). While I did have several contacts with the King, I failed to locate any of the coveted Ptarmigan. I did meet several new friends, including the Prairie Dog clan, the Antelope family, Mr. Jack-Assed Rabbit, Ms. Yellow-Bellied Marmot, and Mrs. Moose and her son, and I had a very close encounter with Sir Porcupine. Fortunately for me, we just exchanged a few snuffs and went our separate ways. Also, there are some very mysterious creatures living in the rock crevices calling themselves simply, Pikas. I found the leftover Moose droppings quite tasty until The Boss objected and lit me up with the damn e-collar. The air was quite refreshing at 11,000 feet, but I could just not get enough of it. I did much better than The Boss, though, as he really had a hard time keeping up. Such big country, and the snow was wonderful to lick and sprinkle little artful yellow spots on. Once we got out of the Rockies, my snoot got so full of sage that I could not taste my rations! I did get used to it after awhile and just had a wonderful time playing hide-and-seek with Prairie Dog Clan.

photo credit: david Zumbaugh

They told The Boss that sage grouse were not under every bush. In fact, they were under very, very few bushes, but as usual, he was

photo credit: david Zumbaugh not giving up until he looked under EVERY frickin’ sage bush in a thousand square miles! This sand sage “prairie” must be where they built the first hunting boot cemetery. Between the pesky, clinging sage, creosote bush, Mammillaria cactus and the sharp, piercing rock shards, it is a wonder any creature can navigate this hellish terrain. At least there were a few wet spots. I finally found about 15 of the enormous black grouse and The Boss promptly whiffed, twice, with his daughter’s little 20-bore two-hole gun! At least he got some trigger music. This is not unusual, as he does MUCH better on clay birds than feathered ones. He acted somewhere in between a Skippy (the guy who only gets his gun out on opening day and could not hit a bird if it were sitting still with salt on its tail) and an Eddie (the guy who has every piece of sporting equipment in the Sportsman's Warehouse, but could not find an ostrich in the backseat of his Ford Expedition ― Eddie Bauer Model). After another six miles (or what seemed like it), I finally pinned another batch of sage grouse at ten yards, and The Boss expertly killed two young birds on the rise. But NOT the mature cock bird just inches under my nose! Will he ever learn to trust me? I swear I saw tears streaming down The Boss’s cheek as the King clumsily flapped off 1,000 yards, maniacally laughing all the way. The crystal-clear streams, pure air and unending and wonderful parkland were just fantastic. I did not want to leave, ever. So much more fun than Texas (too hot), North Dakota (too cold), Kansas (I am soooo tired of chasing those damn Prairie Chickens that refuse to sit still) or busting ice to pick up waterfowl (still in the freezer from last year). Can you PLEASE suggest to The Boss that he get another arrogant Labrador or stinky Chesapeake! Sincerest Regards, “Bondi” The 2003 National Shoot to Retrive Association Gulf Coast Amateur Champion

David Zumbaugh is a freelance writer, photographer and an avid outdoorsman. He has a B.S. and a M.S. in Biology from Fort Hays State. He is the Conservation/News Editor for American Waterfowler magazine and a member of Ducks Unlimited, National Wild Turkey Federation and Kansas Wildscape. David can be contacted at David_Zumbaugh@hotmail.com.

Water `N Woods™

November 2011

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Missouri Department of Conservation News

Wildlife Students at Missouri Western Win International Award

rom banding birds at sunrise to late-night rides with conservation agents, extra work is paying off for members of The Wildlife Society Student Chapter at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph.

The chapter will receive the 2011 Outstanding Student Chapter Award from The Wildlife Society this November at the organization’s conference in Hawaii. “We were pretty ecstatic,” said Wyatt Jackson, 22, a senior and chapter president from Adrian, MO. “Knowing that we’re the first Missouri student chapter to get this award, it’s pretty amazing.” The Wildlife Society is an international group with 10,000 professional members working in wildlife management, most in the United States and Canada. But the group also has chapters at colleges to help students get a start in the field. This is the first time a student chapter in Missouri has won the award, confirmed Shannon Pederson, a program manager at The Wildlife Society headquarters in Bethesda, MD. The award signifies that the MWSU chapter, with almost 50 members, has the strongest program out of 119 student chapters. “I’m very proud of them,” said Cary D. Chevalier, chapter advisor and a biology professor at the college. “These students make things happen for themselves and they do it by interfacing with practicing professionals.”

On a recent morning, students helped tend mist nets to capture songbirds that were identified, weighed and noted for a database on bird migration used by the U.S. Geological Survey. Students also assist with white-tailed deer research projects and fish sampling conducted by the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC). Members serve as naturalists and teach students at MDC's Northwest Region office in St. Joseph. All chapter members become certified as instructors for the Department’s Hunter Education program. “They may not hunt,” Chevalier said. “But they’ve got to understand the clientele and how they feel, and they’ve got to learn to speak to the public.” Chapter members provide valuable help to wildlife projects and conservation, said T.J. Peacher, MDC conservation education supervisor. “They get their hands dirty,” Peacher said. “They’re down in the weeds working with us.” Another key to success is chapter members helping and supporting one another, Jackson said. The chapter’s fieldwork also gives students a chance to test a career in conservation by doing actual fieldwork. Q “A lot of people find out they really do love it,” he said. Courtesy of Missouri Department of Conservation. For more information about this story and others, visit www.mdc.mo.gov/newsroom.

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November 2011

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Water ‘N Woods | hunting

The Time We Deer Hunters Live For Has Arrived — What Will Your Memories For This Year’s Hunt Be?

editorial & photography by bill cromwell, Publisher

eer season is now only days away (or now here) and all the preparations that we’ve done for the past eleven months will soon be put to the test. Will the food plots produce the results that justify the sweat and hard labor? Will that massive buck, captured in my trial-cam, return at just the right time? Is my gun sighted-in as well as I need it to be? And on, and on! We’ve done the work and gathered all the supplies and tools needed to hit the field. We’ve placed the treestand in the best place possible, packed plenty of food, snacks, drinks and warm scentless clothes — all in anticipation of another great deer season, filled with a lifetime of memories and hopefully a trophy for the wall. Like many, I, too, have been on memorable deer hunts filled with stories that seem to be told over and over as we sit around yet another year’s deer campfire wolfing down deer chili. I’ve heard my fill of hunting stories from fellow hunters, which I never tire of hearing or telling again. One particular hunt is eternally fresh in my mind, even though it occurred twelve years ago — it’s my son’s first deer hunt. Like many hunters, I took my son Ricky hunting with me for several years prior

to him reaching the legal age to take his hunter safety course. He traipsed through the woods, sat in tree stands or ground blinds right by my side, salivating at the notion of his turning 11 (you must be at least 11 years old to take the Missouri Hunter Education Class) and being able to hunt with his gun. We went through all the traditional preparations, found the perfect place to setup our ground blind where he was comfy and warm (he was still a little guy in my eyes), and then prepared for a long day of watching and waiting. I had prepared everything for him ― hand warmers, a heater for the blind, so many clothes he could barely shoulder his gun, plenty of snacks and drinks — we were set for the duration. As we waited in darkness for ﬁrst light (sipping hot cocoa), I diligently explained that “deer hunting, after we’ve done our scouting and prep work, is all about being patient.” I further stated, “These deer are very smart, and they won’t just pop out in front of you all the time. Some days, you may not even see a sign of a deer — it’s just the way hunting is, [Ricky seemed to be listening intently] but if you can be patient and keep your eyes and ears open, you just might see that big boy in your sight.” After all, he was young and I was doing my best to ensure we would not be heading back for breakfast within the ﬁrst 30 minutes after sunrise. Well, by now, my motivational hunting seminar had lasted long enough that the prime shooting hour had arrived. Ricky was pumped (in my mind) and ready to hunt. As light emerged, we noticed the ground covered in frost and white smoke billowing from our nostrils with every breath we took. With each breath, I felt like we were giving away our position — this is bad because any deer that stepped out in front of us would see our smoke signal rising from our teepee. I was thinking maybe we would be going for breakfast sooner than I thought — oh wait, what was that I said about being patient? As I quieted my mind (and slowed my breathing), it was now light and Ricky was focused on the timberline, scanning for movement. “Dad, there’s a deer,” he whispered. We both quickly shouldered our guns. “Yep, it’s a buck,” I said. “Ricky, do you want to take him?” “Yes, Dad, he looks good,” Ricky responded.

Ricky’s ﬁrst 8-point buck taken when he was 11. It was opening morning of the ﬁrst deer season that he was of age to hunt. 14

Water `N Woods™

November 2011

“All right,” I whispered. “Remember where to take aim, and when

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you’re ready, just squeeze the trigger — I’ll back you up, so if you miss, I’ll shoot.”

february 24-26 KcScI Annual hunter’s expo

“Okay,” Ricky said. Tick-tock, Tick-tock, Tick-tock. “Ricky, you better shoot before he steps back into the woods!”

at KCI Expo Center Details on page 29

“Okay,” he whispered. BAAMMM! One shot rang out from Ricky’s Weatherby 243. “I think I got him,” Ricky exclaimed. “You did,” I excitedly replied, followed by a stern “Sit still, very still for a minute. We need to make sure he’s down good.” Mind you, all of five minutes has now passed since first light. Looking at the downed buck through my scope, I saw no movement on the dimlylit frosted ground, only that heavy smoke flowing from my nostrils. “Okay, Ricky, I think he’s down. Let’s walk slowly that way, and be prepared in case he jumps up.” As we approached the deer, our high-fives and celebration were hard to contain. “You Did It!” I said proudly. Eleven years old, one shot, from a 243 Weatherby at nearly 100 yards, and he drops a nice 8point buck where it stood. He was quite happy as he remarked, “Dad, that wasn’t that hard,” followed quickly by my response of “Buddy, it just normally doesn’t happen like that. Most hunters will hunt all day, every day, all season, for years, before they ever get a buck like this trophy in their sights — me included.” Today, as a young adult, Ricky is still an avid hunter. While he has not taken a nice trophy deer every year, last year (the 2010 deer season), he took a really nice trophy 9-point buck, and he also wore the same big smile as he did with his very first buck. I believe that the hunts every father takes with his children are their most memorable in some way. What will your best memories for this year’s hunt be?

A worldwide hunting and conservation organization.

Who Should Join SCI? Anyone who believes in conserving wildlife, preserving the right to hunt and educating young people about both.

KC SCI Projects:

      

Hunt for Warriors Sportsmen Against Hunger Hunter Education Sensory Safari Apprentice Hunter Camp Youth Firearms Programs Waterfowl Clinic & Hunt for Youth

Join the Fun! To join or for membership information, contact fred robertson at 913-299-6759 or frobertson57@sbcglobal.net. for information about ScI, visit www.kcsci.com. Ricky’s 9-point buck taken during the 2010 gun season. www.WaterNWood.com

November 2011

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Water ‘N Woods | hunting

Hot Spots for Missouri Waterfowl by Billie R. Cooper

Tossing out decoys just minutes before legal shooting hours at Grand Pass Conservation Area, author Bill Cooper anticipates a good morning of duck hunting. All Photo Credts: Billie R. Cooper

“Well, Bill, you shoulda been here a few weeks ago,” Guyer continued. “The early goose season was good, teal was good and the duck season started good, but warm weather ruined it in a hurry. That’s about the time you arrived.”

Steve Matt, the public relations manager from G-3 Boats, Kenny Keiser, an outdoor writer from Kansas, and I sat in a comfortable blind on a lease just north of Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge that held 100,000 ducks at the time. The area near Mound City has long been famous for its superb duck and Canada goose hunting.

looKIng bAcK – The expectations for the 2010-2011 waterfowl season in Missouri were high. Increased numbers of breeding ducks and above average production of young in the fall ﬂight set the stage for a potentially good duck season. However, everyone realized that this potential could only be reached and enjoyed if weather and local habitat conditions developed as desired.

I had made the ﬁve-hour drive at the invitation of Danny Guyer, owner of Iron Duck Hunting. Guyer had been enjoying phenomenal early season duck hunting on nearby Smithville Lake. By the time I arrived, temperatures had soared into the high 70s, and ducks had transformed into beach bums, happily sunning themselves.

Habitat conditions appeared to be favorable in most areas as the summer of 2010 approached. Spring crop planting had been delayed in some areas, but yields were not expected to be signiﬁcantly affected. Managers hoped for little late season ﬂooding, because they had a good start on moist soils vegetation production.

Banner guides for Guyer. The Missouri State Champion duck caller continued to charm the lone mallard circling our set with his Super Suzy call. Banner is the owner of Pin Oak Calls, and his calls look as sharp as he makes them sound. Check them out at www.pinoakcalls.com.

Poor production on northern goose breeding areas were expected to result in a lower percentage of young in migrant goose populations, including snow geese, interior Canada geese and white-fronted geese. An above-average production rate of giant Canada geese was expected to offset the shortfall of the other species.

We all gripped our shotguns a little tighter when Banner said, “This is it. Get ready. Shoot!” I fired three times, Matt fired three times, Keiser fired one time and Banner finally downed the fleeing mallard on his final shot. Laughter and finger-pointing broke out immediately. Old excuses cut the air like lightning, as did the laughter that followed.

Hunters, once again, enjoyed a 2010-2011 waterfowl season framework with a 16-day teal season, a 60-day duck season, late season Canada goose hunting and the Light Goose Conservation Order.

reenhead high behind us,” whispered our 22-year-old guide, Rusty Banner from Kansas City. Banner clinched his call between his teeth before blowing more duck music at the lone drake mallard. Banner’s next series of rapid highballs convinced the greenhead to investigate further. “

“More greenheads,” Banner whispered, trying to bring our trio back into the game. Eight or nine birds streaked along the outside edge of the decoys and banked hard. Banner got down on his call, making me wish I had worn earplugs. The mallards circled eight more times, ebbing and flowing like a living tide. They approached from a different direction on each pass, as if to test our metal. On the ninth pass, the birds were within range. “Next pass, we shoot ‘em,” Banner said with confidence. The next words out of his mouth were, “We shoulda shot ‘em on that last pass.” We had all experienced the same scenario many times before. The flights faded quickly. “The weather is killing us,” Guyer offered upon our return to headquarters after our morning in the blind. “Honestly, we are looking at the slowest start to duck season up here in 30 years.”

Water `N Woods™

November 2011

Wetland conditions and waterfowl populations went from record lows to record highs in the last two decades. In the last decade, hunting opportunities and harvests have raised the bar of hunter expectations. A complete summary of waterfowl status is available at http://migratorybirds.fws.gov/reports/reports.html. The Missouri waterfowl status report is available on the Missouri Department of Conservation website at: http://mdc.mo.gov/hunt/wtrfwl. This site provides up-to-date migration and hunting status information throughout the fall and winter about Missouri, as well as other waterfowl hunting information. It is interesting to note that in 2008, daily mallard harvest reached peak numbers by the second week in November and gradually tapered off during the month of December. Harvest of ducks other than mallards peaked during the last week of October and the ﬁrst week of November in the last several years. Season-opening date preferences among goose hunters have shifted dramatically since the 1980s. Growth of the giant Canada goose popwww.waternwood.com

ulation, delays in migration of the Eastern Prairie population and a wider distribution of geese in Missouri have lead to these changes. This dramatic change in preferences coincided with a transition to the later arrival of migrant Canada geese. looKIng forwArd – If only waterfowl biologists had a crystal ball to rub to give us waterfowl hunters the scoop long before the season arrived, we could be much better prepared for the flight to come. However, that is not the case, according to MDC waterfowl research biologist Andy Raedeke. There is a lot of work and research that goes into estimating fall flights, according to Raedeke. In fact, he was leaving for Canada for the northern goose count when I called in May. “I have received mixed reports from across the prairie pothole regions and Canada,” Raedeke said of last year. “The Dakotas received lots of rain in early spring of 2010, which is good for habitat and nesting pairs. The prairies of Canada experienced a very early spring. Habitat is somewhat dry there. Saskatchewan received good rains, but well after the nesting season had started. Production from the Eastern Prairie Population of geese should be good. It was a real bust last year. The Arctic…well, it is too early to tell what can be expected from that region." Raedeke, like all good waterfowlers, tossed in the proverbial disclaimer: “Weather conditions can make or break a waterfowl season. Look at last year. Everything looked good ― crops, water, habitat ― and then the weather turned hot, right at the opener. It really shut things down for awhile.” Waterfowlers can expect an exceptional season in 2011 and 2012. Record numbers of ducks are coming down the flyways. There has been a lot of water throughout the spring and summer. Some conservation areas received structure damage, so hunters should check out their favorite areas before going. SmIThVIlle lAKe – Smithville Lake, north of Kansas City, is a 7,200-acre Corps of Engineers impoundment that offers spectacular duck and goose hunting. “I quit hunting around Mound City in the early 80s, after I discovered Smithville Lake,” said Guyer. “Smithville was the bomb and still is.” Guyer notes that in spite of Smithville’s relatively small size, hunters need to spend plenty of time scouting. “The birds tend to move around a lot,” Guyer said. “There are a lot of crop fields around the countryside near Smithville, and birds move back and forth from the fields to the lake.” Smithville provides some of the hottest big water mallard action around, according to Guyer. “I have been duck hunting here for over 30 years, and the hunting is still phenomenal when the birds are in. They begin showing up in force once the water begins to freeze at Squaw Creek. We hunt surrounding fields, as well as the lake, for both ducks and giant Canada geese. The Corps allows 72 blind positions on the lake. A drawing is held each September.” Both bank blinds and boat blinds are allowed on Smithville. Guyer prefers to use a pontoon blind. “It is big and accommodates several people,” Guyer explained. “People often think it won’t work, but it is well-camouflaged. I see a lot of hunters using the wrong camo on their blinds here. There is a lot of driftwood on Smithville. I try to make my blind look like a driftwood pile. I use lots of grays and whites on my blind, and it works very well.” Guyer owns property adjoining the refuge area at Smithville. He does much of his goose hunting on that property. “Smithville has pulled lots of geese from both Squaw Creek and Swan Lake,” Guyer said. “Food sources are plentiful around here. Crops include corn, soybeans, wheat and winter grasses. Winter fertilizing really brightens up the

Guide Rusty Banner poses with a mallard drake, near Squaw Creek, which he downed after every man in the blind missed. grass. Flying geese can see that bright grass from far away. In addition, there are lots of cattle in this country. When the snow gets deep enough that geese have a tough time digging through to the ground, they often feed on the manure in the cow pastures.” Guyer operates his guide service at both Squaw Creek near Mound City and at Plattsburg near Smithville Lake. He offers big water hunts, pit blinds, layout blinds and field hunts. His website is www.ironduckhunting.com. grAnd pASS conSerVATIon AreA – This 5,097-acre wetland area borders the Missouri River north of Marshall in Saline County. The Pass has become one of Missouri’s favorite waterfowl hunting areas and rightfully so. The well-designed conservation area offers walk-in hunting as well as boat-in areas. Hundreds of acres of standing corn are gradually flooded as the season progresses to provide a continuous supply of high-energy food for migrating ducks and geese. Only temporary blinds are allowed. There is one ADA blind available. There are boat ramps at most of the pools and some boats available as well. Primitive camping is allowed. I hunted Grand Pass early in the season last year. Temperatures soared into the 70s. More than 30,000 ducks were using the area at the time, but most loafed on the area rather than flying out to feed. Area Manager Chris Freeman announced at the morning draw that conditions were tough, but birds could be killed if hunters stuck with it. Bad went to worse when I drew the very last position available. I did not know the area and figured I just as well do something else for the day. However, Freeman and his staff proved very helpful and suggested a walk-in spot where I would have to walk about 300 yards. I followed their suggestion and packed a dozen teal decoys and two mallard decoys into my pack, pulled on my waders, grabbed my gun and a stool, and made the hike in the dark. The spot proved perfect. I set up in the edge of standing corn, tossed my decoys 20 yards out in a shallow water opening in the corn and waited for shooting hours. As most duck hunters will say, “I shoulda had a limit.” A variety of species responded to my calling, and I had plenty of shot opportunities, but I finished the day with a drake mallard, two gadwalls and a widgeon — not bad for last place in the draw. On the second day of my Grand Pass hunt, Mike Woodard of Sedalia asked me at the morning draw if I would like to hook up with him. Every party member draws at the Pass, so Woodard and I doubled our chances of getting a good spot by teaming up. As luck would have it, Woodard drew a good number and secured his favorite spot to hunt. Continued on page 20. November 2011

Water `N Woods™

MISSOURI HUNTING SCHEDULES QUICK GUIDE FOR 2011 & 12 ©Water `N Woods. 2011, All Conceptual Designs & Reprint Rights Reserved

Furbearers Season Deer Archery - 1st Half Deer Archery - 2nd Half Deer - Urban Deer Youth Deer Firearms Deer Muzzleloader Deer Antlerless Furbearers Groundhog Rabbit Squirrel Coyote

Missouri Bird Hunting Seasons and Limits

Common Snipe Crow Dove Pheasant Youth Pheasant Northern Zone Pheasant Southern Zone Quail Youth Quail Ruffed Grouse Sora and Virginia Rails Turkey Archery 1st Half Turkey Archery 2nd Half Turkey Fall Firearms Woodcock Teal Ducks

Waterfowl Waterfowl North Zone Waterfowl Middle Zone Waterfowl South Zone

Sep 1, 2011 Nov 1, 2011 Sep 1, 2011 Oct 29, 2011 Nov 1, 2011 Dec 1, 2011 Oct 29, 2011 Nov 1, 2011 Oct 15, 2011 Sep 1, 2011 Sep 15, 2011 Nov 23, 2011 Oct 1, 2011 Oct 15, 2011 Sep 10, 2011 Youth Hunts Oct 22-23, 2011 Oct 22-23, 2011 Nov 19-20, 2011

See Zones Above See Zones Above See Zones Above See Zones Above See Zones Above See Zones Above See Zones Above See Zones Above See Zones Above See Zones Above See Zones Above See Zones Above See Zones Above

Possession

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 No Limit No Limit 12 20 No Limit

8 No Limit 15 2 2 1 8 8 2 25 2 2 2 3 4 Canada Geese

16 No Limit 30 4 4 2 16 16 4 25 2 2 2 6 8 Whitefronted

Oct 1-9, 2011 Nov 24, 2011& Nov 24, 2011- Jan 31, 2012 Nov 24, 2011-Jan 22, 2012 Jan 31, 2012 Oct 29 - Dec 27, 2011

Nov 5, 2011 - Jan 3, 2012

Comments Open Statewide Open Statewide In eleven counties. Permits & regulations apply

Open Statewide Open Statewide Open Statewide In 73 counties Statewide (Beaver trapping thru March 31)

No Limit/Open Statewide No more than 2/4 swamp rabbits Open Statewide Restr apply during deer and turkey seasons.

©Water `N Woods. 2011, All Conceptual Designs & Reprint Rights Reserved

Dec 16, 2011 Mar 3, 2012 Nov 9, 2011 Oct 30, 2011 Jan 15, 2012 Dec 12, 2011 Oct 30, 2011 Jan 15, 2012 Jan 15, 2012 Nov 9, 2011 Nov 11, 2011 Jan 15, 2012 Oct 31, 2011 Nov 28, 2011 Sep 25, 2011 Ducks Regular Season

Ducks & Geese Mallards Black ducks Canvasback Hooded Mergansers Pintails Redheads Scaup Wood ducks Mottled ducks Light geese Canada geese White-fronted geese Brant geese

Bag Limit 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 No Limit No Limit 6 10 No Limit

Close Dates Open Dates Nov 11, 2011 Sep 15, 2011 Jan 15, 2012 Nov 23, 2011 Oct 10, 2011 Oct 7, 2011 Nov 5-6, 2011 & 2nd 1/2 Jan 7-8, 2012 Nov 22, 2011 Nov 12, 2011 Dec 27, 2011 Dec 17, 2011 Dec 4, 2011 Nov 23, 2011 Jan 31, 2012 Nov 15, 2011 Dec 31, 2011 May 9, 2011 Feb 15, 2012 Oct 1, 2011 Feb 15, 2012 May 28, 2011 Mar 31, 2012 May 9, 2011

Daily Bag Limit

Possession

4 (2 females)

8 (4 females)

1 1 2 1 2 2 3 1 20 3 2 1

2 2 4 2 4 4 6 2 No Limit 6 4 2

Open Statewide Open Statewide Open Statewide Northern Zone Only

Open Statewide Open Statewide See Open Counties at MDC

Open Statewide Contingent upon final Federal Framework

Light Geese (Snow/Blue/Ross's) Oct 29, 2011- Jan 31, 2011 Bag Limit: 20 Conservation order: Feb 1-Apr 30, 2012

Limit

©Water `N Woods. 2010, All Conceptual Designs & Reprint Rights Reserved

WATER`N WOODS STRONgly RECOMMENDS vERifyiNg iNfORMATiON WiTh MDC WhEN iN quESTiON. It is not our intention to provide any incorrect information. Information Posted Is Non-Binding & Only An Entertainment Reference Guide. 18

Water `N Woods™

November 2011

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KANSAS HUNTING SCHEDULES QUICK GUIDE FOR 2011 & 12 ©Water `N Woods. 2011, All Conceptual Designs & Reprint Rights Reserved

Furbearers Season Deer Archery - 1st Half

Open Dates Sep 19, 2011

Close Date

Bag Limit Possession

Comments

Dec 31, 2011

Deer Archery - Ext. Anterless Jan 9, 2012

Jan 31, 2012

Deer Youth & Disability

Sep 10, 2011

Sep 18, 2011

Deer Firearms

Nov 30, 2011

Dec 11, 2011

Deer Muzzleloader

Sep 19, 2011

Oct 2, 2011

Deer Antlerless Extended

Jan 1, 2012

Jan 8, 2012

Antelope Firearms Season

Oct 7, 2011

Oct 10, 2011

ELK - Archey

Sep 19, 2011

Dec 31, 2011

ELK - Firearm

Nov 30, 2011

Dec 31, 2011

Holders of Any-Elk Permits

Furbearers

Nov 16, 2011

Feb 15, 2012

No Limit

Statewide (Beaver trapping thru March 31)

Bullfrogs

Jul 1, 2011

Oct 31,2012

Area Open: Statewide

Rabbit

Jan 1, 2011

Jan 1, 2012

Open All Year - Cottontail & Jackrabbit

Squirrel

Jun 1, 2011

Feb 28, 2012

Area Open: Statewide

Kansas Bird Hunting Seasons and Limits

(DMU 19 and Fort Leavenworth only)

Statewide

Note Below (RS = Regular Season)

Common Snipe Crow Dove Pheasant Youth Season Pheasant (RS) Prairie Chicken (RS) Prairie Chicken (RS) Quail Quail Youth Sandhill Crane Turkey Gun (Spring) Turkey Gun (Fall)

Sep 1, 2011

Dec 16, 2011

Area Open: Statewide

Nov 10, 2011

Mar 10, 2012

No Limit

Area Open: Statewide

Nov 5, 2011

Nov 6, 2011

2 cocks

in season

Area Open: Statewide

Nov 12, 2011

Jan 31, 2012

4 cocks

in season

Area Open: Statewide

Nov 19, 2011

Jan 31, 2012

Nov 19, 2011

Dec. 31, 2011

(RS) - East and Northwest zones (RS) -Southwest zone

Nov 12, 2011

Jan 31, 2012

Area Open: Statewide

Nov 5, 2011

Nov 6, 2011

Area Open: Statewide

Nov 9, 2011

Jan 5, 2012

Area Open: Statewide

Apr 1, 2011

May 31, 2011

Units 2, and 3

Oct 1, 2011

Nov 29, 2011

Units 1, 2, and 3

Turkey Gun (Part 2 & 3 Fall)

Dec 12-31, 2011

Jan 9-31, 2012

Units 1, 2, and 3

Woodcock Teal Ducks

Oct 15, 2011

Nov 28, 2011

Area Open: Statewide

High Zone, Sept 17-25

Low Zone, Sept 10-25

Contingent upon final Federal Framework

Waterfowl ZONES

Sept.1 - Oct 31 & Nov 5-13, 2011

Daily Bag Possession Limit Limit

Youth Hunts

Regular Seasons

Ducks High Plains Zone

Oct 1-2

Oct 8-Jan 2 & Jan 21-29, 2012

Ducks Early Zone

Oct 1-2

Oct 8-Dec 4 & Dec 17-Jan 1, 2012

Ducks Late Zone

Oct 22-23

Oct 29-Jan 1 & Jan 21-29, 2012

Ducks Southeast Zone

Oct 22-23

Nov 5-Jan 8 & Jan 21-29, 2012

5 (2 females)

8 (4 females)

Hooded Mergansers, Pintails, Redheads and Scaup

Wood ducks

©Water `N Woods. 2010, All Conceptual Designs & Reprint Rights Reserved

Daily Bag Limit

Possession Limit

Area Open: Statewide

Note: By special conservation order, light geese may also be taken from Feb. 13 April 30, 2012. During this period, there will be no bag or possesion limit on light geese.

Mallards Black ducks and Canvasback

Geese

Early Season

Late Season

Canadian Geese

Oct 29 - Nov 6, 2011 Nov 9, 2011-Feb 12, 2012

White-Fronted Geese

Oct 29 -Jan 1, 2012

Light Geese

Oct 29 - Nov 6, 2011 Nov 9, 2011-Feb 12, 2012

Feb 4-12, 2012

No Limit

Comments The daily bag limit is 6 ducks, which may include no more than the individual species limits listed.

November 2011

Water `N Woods™

Hot Spots for Missouri Waterfowl continued From page 17

Woodard has hunted Grand Pass for a number of years and had his hunting routine down pat. He prefers to hunt the deeper water areas next to standing corn. A sturdy boat with a mud motor allows him to traverse deep and shallow water alike. We pushed the boat back into the corn rows, fluffed up the camo and tossed out a couple dozen decoys. It didn’t take long for birds to start noticing our set. Gadwall and widgeon provided us a respectable amount of shooting, but the greatest fun of the day came from watching Woodard’s black Lab “T” retrieve our downed birds. Grand Pass will be under the new Quick Draw system this year. Waterfowl management biologist Chris Freeman said the new system was a pilot program and that hunters would be able to apply for hunting spots twice a week online, probably on Monday and Thursday. For more information about waterfowl hunting at Grand Pass CA, call 660-595-2444. mISSourI rIVer – As conditions turn to freeze-up status, gunners in northwest Missouri would do well to check out the Missouri River. Both ducks and geese will utilize the open water as shallow water areas begin to freeze. Puddle ducks will move south quickly when freezing temperatures arrive. However, diver ducks and Canada geese will still be available. Geese will loaf on the sand bars and stay in the area until snow gets deep enough that it is difficult for them to dig through. Hunting should be good until the river stage hits eight-feet at Waverly. After that point, most sand bars are underwater, and there is very little pothole and back bay habitat left. Ted ShAnKS cA – “The Shank is back,” according to David Doty of nearby Foley, MO. The Shanks area suffered some major damage during the floods of ’93 and ’95, but you would never know it now. Shanks is a major attractant to ducks migrating down the eastern side of the state along the Mississippi River.

hours of standing can become tiresome. He had the perfect answer. Doty had made himself a simple seat by placing a ﬂat seat board on top of a twoby-four. He sharpened one end of the board, so it could be easily shoved down into the soft mud. It served to take the weight off the feet and worked like a charm. Just after shooting hours began, a pair of Mike Woodward and his Lab, “T”, of Sedalia, mallards snuck in had a good morning of gadwall and wigeon from the east. I caught shooting at Grand Pass Conservation Area. movement out of the corner of my eye and glimpsed locked wings and rocking birds. My quick snapshot folded one of the greenheads. Birds ﬁltered into our set all morning. We managed to down several more gadwalls and widgeons. Doty entertained himself during slack times by shooting coots. “No one pays attention to coots,” Doty said. “They are fun to fool with. Make wonderful pot pies and the limit is very liberal.” oTher AreAS ‒ The Clarence Cannon National Wildlife Refuge is not far from B.K. Leach. Well over 100,000 mallards were holding there when I hunted at Leach. It is always comforting to know that there are lots of birds in the general area.

prIVATe lAndS – The vast majority of lands in north Missouri are privately owned. Hunting for free is a thing of the past. Landowners look at hunting as a viable source of farm income. Doing some David Dotey, of Foley, prefers to hunt in standing homework often pays big dividends. corn on the Ted Shanks Conservation Area. Terrific clubs, leases and private blinds are available. And there is nothing like workI met Doty in the poor man’s line at Shanks. Fate pitched us into the ing a bunch of greenheads or giant Canada geese without the interfersame unit — 2 D — after the morning draw. While unloading our gear ence of other hunters calling to them. at the boat access, we chatted briefly and decided to hunt together, rather than take two boats into the pool. Besides, Doty knew the area Regardless of whether you join the poor man’s line at one of Missouri’s well, and he would be hunting his favorite spot at Shanks.We loaded excellent public waterfowl hunting areas or hunt a grand private lease, Q his camo canoe with all our gear and headed into the darkness. Doty’s blow your calls well and shoot straight. headlight revealed dozens of flushing mallards as his trolling slowly Billie R.Cooper, from the Missouri Ozarks, earned a Masters in outdoor edupushed towards our destination. The area consists of over 4,000 acres 17 miles south of Hannibal on Highway 79. Shanks is another MDC model waterfowl area. Well-managed cells with corn and moist soils vegetation provide plentiful food supplies for migrating waterfowl.

Doty soon found a quarter-acre pocket of open water amidst the standing corn and smartweed. The place looked ducky, indeed. Doty stashed his canoe in the corn rows. We took up positions a couple of rows back from the water’s edge. The standing corn made perfect hides for us. Doty had hunted this way many times and his experience showed. Long 20 Water `N Woods™

November 2011

cation from the University of Missouri, as well as a commission in the U. S. Army. He has written extensively about his life's passion, the outdoors, since 1972 and received honors from Missouri in 2000 and 2008 as both the Outdoor Educator of the Year and Conservation Communicator of the Year. Cooper is a member of the Professional Outdoor Media Association and a lifetime member of the Missouri Outdoor Communicators and can be contacted at billrcooper801@gmail.com.

www.WaterNWood.com

Out of the Ordinary a New Mexico Oryx Hunt

by Jim Harding

y wife Karen and I made several trips to New Mexico recently and always saw herds of oryx (gemsbok) on the White Sands Missile Range as we drove by. I thought it would be a good hunt to plan in combination with visiting friends who live in the area. With that in mind, I was fortunate to place the winning bid on an oryx hunt at the KC-SCI Hunter’s Expo this past February. The two-day hunt would take place on Ted Turner's Armendaris Ranch near Truth or Consequences, NM. Some 93 oryx were introduced to the White Sands Missile Range in the late 1960s. They have thrived and spilled over onto surrounding ranches like the 358,000-acre Armendaris, where approximately 60 oryx are harvested each year. Hunting licenses are issued for speciﬁc periods from May to December, but not much hunting takes place during the heat of summer.

Need ? rs Wade eHave W Pair 5,0wh0ile0they last

We met our guide, Amado, at the ranch at 6 a.m. on September 11. Amado is a long-time employee of the Ted Turner ranches, working the Armendaris for the last eight years. He warned us that due to a bitterly cold winter, many of the oryx had frostbitten ears. We were to judge the oryx not only by their horns but by their ears as well.

Photo Credit:t: Jim Harding

We hopped in Amado's truck and drove the miles and miles of ranch roads. Karen enjoyed her role as an observer. We glassed and made a couple of long stalks, ﬁnding oryx in herds of ﬁve to twenty. We saw cows with wonderfully long slender horns and bulls with more mass to their horns of varying length. Ears were a factor ― one cow was missing an entire ear.

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Late in the morning, we found a herd with a bull that I liked. He ﬁnally moved apart from the rest of the herd and gave me the shooting opportunity I was waiting for. When photos and ﬁeld dressing were complete, we took the animal to the ranch's excellent skinning barn. Amado caped, quartered, skinned and thoroughly cleaned the oryx, which then went to a nearby meat market for packaging. Amado made our hunt a lot of fun ― guiding and teaching us, as well as sharing his wife's wonderful burritos at lunchtime. It doesn’t get Q much better than that! www.WaterNWood.com

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Strickers Camping Store & More 913-856-6890 790 North Center l Gardner, KS 66030 www.StrickersCampingStoreandMore.com November 2011

Water `N Woods™

WNW Mag-11-11

Jim Harding with his Oryx.

A Winter Adventure! by Alex Riester

miserable. The ﬁrst time the cold woke me, I was in the desert, where all you have to do is suffer and try to get warm for a few hours before the sun comes up, then it’s back to shorts and a t-shirt, which is great, but I was not in the desert. I could suffer for a few hours and be all right, but it was only 7 p.m. and another 13 hours before the sun was scheduled to rise.

Looking over at Kaitlyn, I started thinking about the best ways to get warm. The first thing that came to mind was fire, so I suggested we cook dinner. I fired up my little canister stove, the MSR PocketRocket, but with the decline in temperature, so went the fuel efficiency, and it was taking an exceedingly long time to boil water. When water finally began to boil, I dumped in our Backpacker’s Pantry Fettuccini Alfredo, stirred and waited the 15 minutes for our dinner to cook. I did not stir enough, so we ate our pasta with a few crunchy noodles, and continued to lie in our sleeping bags, freezing.

Me going out with just the dog did not ﬂy well with Kaitlyn, so she insisted on coming with us. She had never been on a backpacking trip before, and a winter trip as her ﬁrst one left me feeling a little skeptical. Throwing caution to the wind, I enthusiastically printed off maps, borrowed another backpack, piled all our gear into the car and together we hit the trail.

After an hour of unsuccessfully trying to fall back to sleep, I got up and decided to build a fire. I scrounged around outside, looking for wood with my headlamp, found enough to at least get something started and asked Kaitlyn to come warm herself by the fire. This seemed to please her, so I just kept making it larger and larger. This was the high point of the entire trip so far. We were both warm, had food in our bellies, and were not entirely miserable. The fuel for the camp stove had warmed up a little, so I made us some hot chocolate, and together we watched the fire light up the night sky. We grew tired ― tired enough to sleep through the cold night ― and crawled back into our bags. To keep us warm while we slept, I boiled a liter of water and split it into two Nalgene bottles, one for Kaitlyn and one for myself. As I rubbed my feet against it in my sleeping bag, I prayed that we would get a good night’s rest.

single vacation day to burn, a new dog who was almost old enough to carry a backpack, a determination to experience the wilderness all alone and remnants of Jack London’s “To Build a Fire” bouncing through my head, I made a plan to conquer the Big Piney Trail in the Paddy Creek Wilderness located within the Houston-Rolla Ranger District of the Mark Twain National Forest. I arrived home from work with all the details starting to work themselves out, and informed the wife, Kaitlyn, of my plan. I would borrow a backpack, load up the car and tackle a 16-mile trail over the course of the ﬁrst weekend in December.

After the drive, a few wrong turns and a shady gas station stop, we arrived at the trailhead around noon on Saturday. We loaded our packs’ double-checking everything, fitted Denali’s pack, making sure his loads were even on each side, filled up our water bottles and took on the trail. About three miles in, I started having doubts about this trip. The trail was not well-marked, Kaitlyn was having a hard time keeping her body temperature well-regulated, and our progress was much slower than anticipated. My inexperience with camping in below-freezing temperatures started to show — even my inexperience backpacking started to show. Things were looking bleak for this young family on the trail. We hiked on, admiring the views when we stopped, but still full of determination to reach a campsite overlooking a beautiful river. One thing I had not thought of was how much shorter days are in winter— daylight lingers until 8 or 9 p.m. during the summer, but in the winter, it is more like 5 p.m. This revelation hit me around 3 p.m., after about six miles, so I decided we really needed to pick up the pace to get to where we needed to be to complete the trail, which was a huge mistake. While I wore clothing that properly regulated my body temperature, Kaitlyn did not, so she overheated pretty quickly at our hurried pace and by 4 p.m., was ready to call it a day. I looked up at the sun beginning its descent, felt the temperature growing noticeably cooler and one look at my lovely exhausted bride’s face, and I rushed to agree. We pitched the tent, blew up our sleeping pads, fluffed out our sleeping bags, crawled into the tent and immediately fell asleep. I did not even bother taking off my jacket. The cold woke me a few hours later, and I glanced at Kaitlyn who was looking back at me, awake as well. That's when I first really started to regret this trip. I knew she was miserable. For all those who have not experienced being this cold, trust me, it is 22

Water `N Woods™

November 2011

I awoke the next morning at daybreak and was very encouraged until I looked over at Kaitlyn and she told me she had not slept at all. I got out of the tent and restarted the fire, happy that the night was finally over and we were going to be somewhat warm again. As I laced up my boots and we packed up the campsite, I happily greeted the breaking dawn and the end to the single-worst night of my camping career. We had hiked and hiked, trying to find the poorly marked trail using my mediocre maps, when Kaitlyn burst into tears. I looked at her and thought about all the mistakes I had made, from improper planning to poor decisions made on the trail. She looked at me, and through the tears, told me she could “not spend another night out here.” Seeing her sad face, I didn’t have the heart to tell her that the best part of the trail was still to come, so we concluded our adventure and headed home, where warm beds, warm food and all the other advantages of modern civilization greeted us with open arms. That is, until our next adventure… Alex Riester grew up canoeing and kayaking with his father. His most recent adventures include excursions to the Boundary Waters in Minnesota, the Green River in Utah, and backpacking in the Grand Canyon and Zion National Park. Riester is married to a wonderful woman, Kaitlyn, and together they have an Alaskan malamute named Denali, Riester’s other partner in crime. Alex currently works at Backwoods in Overland Park, KS. He enjoys canoeing, backpacking, canyoneering and just about anything else that includes sleeping in a tent.

www.WaterNWood.com

Fishing for Freedom Honoring America’s Wounded Warriors and Global War on Terrorism Veterans

Photo Credits: Cindy Davis

his Celebration of Freedom took place on Oct 8-9, 2011 at Truman Lake when Fishing for Freedom volunteers showed their appreciation for our American warriors. The event, hosted by Leavenworth Bass Club, was a no-entry-fee buddy bass tournament that pairs volunteer boaters with America’s warriors for a day ﬁlled with fun and ﬁshing. It allowed the warriors to escape the hardships of their injuries and wartime memories for a short time and to experience

the appreciation many of us have for their sacriﬁces. Larry Stoafer played a huge role in making the event successful, and he served as MC during all activities. For more information about Fishing for Freedom or to donate to this wonderful cause, visit http://ﬁshingforfreedom.us.

Award Winning Taxidermy

L e a r n T h e A r t o f Ta x i d e r m y Volunteer captian Mark Hengstl and warrior Michael Vacanit will the tournament.

Start your new hobby or career out right with Second Creation Taxidermy School. Serving the Kansas City area since 1986. We provide quality taxidermy work, and one of the premier taxidermy schools in the nation. Call today for more information, classes now forming.

Call 913-422-3111 Volunteer captian Jeff Grandberg and warrior Doland Grover receive the Big Bass Award. www.WaterNWood.com

SecondCreation.com November 2011

11501 Riverview, Kansas City, KS. Cindy Cunningham, Owner/Wildlife Artist Water `N Woods™

There's No Place for Youth Like National Pheasant Fest! Pheasant Fest's Youth Village features activities the entire family can enjoy Pheasants Forever (PF) announces special attractions highlighting the Youth Village at this February's National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic presented by Cabela's. The Youth Village offers activities for young people of all ages. Highlights include archery, laser shot, and live birds and aquatic creatures!

Product Review New Final Approach X-2 Layout Blind The Ultimate in Concealment and Storage

inal Approach, a leading developer of waterfowl products and accessories, has introduced the X-2 Layout Blind, a full featured equipment backpack and ground blind combination. The X-2 blind offers the ultimate in concealment and storage for hunters who like to stay mobile and quickly adapt to changing conditions.

National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic will take place February 17th, 18th and 19th at the Downtown Convention Center in Kansas City, Missouri. "This will be PF's biggest and best Youth Village yet," said Rich Wissink, PF's Youth Program Specialist, "We have an assortment of activities that are not only fun, but also educational. More importantly, the Youth Village is something the entire family can enjoy."

The X-2 is the lowest profile blind on the market, giving waterfowl hunters a definitive advantage when hunting pressured birds. With enough space to transport up to four dozen silhouette or 200 rag decoys, the X-2 doubles as a versatile equipment backpack. In addition, the handy built-in scabbard allows hunters to transport a shotgun and goose flags hands-free.

The Youth Village is a great place for families to hang out at National Pheasant Fest, with its family stage offering everything from live storytelling, how-to demonstrations on skills such as casting and ﬂy-tying, and nature crafts. Youth and their families will also have the chance to meet PF’s lovable youth mascot, Rudy the Rooster.

Constructed with a strong, rust-proof, high-temper aluminum frame, the X-2 is durably designed for long-lasting performance. Thanks to a double waterproof poly coating and closed cell-foam, the cover shields the hunter from the elements, providing head-to-toe protection. A padded head rest provides added comfort in the ﬁeld, while the gun rest and fast-access ﬂagging holes offer additional convenience.

Members of PF’s National Youth Leadership Council (NYCL)will also be on hand at the Youth Village at National Pheasant Fest, running many of the activities and working in the booth. Members on the NYLC are spokespersons for their age group on hunting and conservation issues and help advise PF. All this is on top of what will be PF's most active Youth Village to date, featuring a mix of some familiar favorites and new activities for youth and families, including: • Laser Shot, Air Rifle Range, Archery, Casting Booth • Visits from Rudy the Rooster, PF's youth mascot • Challenge friends and family to a game of Wildlife Jeopardy • Variety of crafts and activities – make plaster animal tracks and make a seed ball of prairie flowers to plant in spring • Game Scene Investigation (GSI) – it's like CSI, but with animals! For the special price of $35, a National Pheasant Fest advance ticket includes floor admission for the entire three-day weekend, as well as a one-year membership to PF. The PF membership includes a free PF hat (a $20 value), a subscription to the Pheasants Forever Journal of Upland Conservation (5 issues) and PF member card and decal. Single day tickets to the event will sell for $10 at the show, and the annual PF membership alone is $35. In other words, purchasing advance tickets to National Pheasant Fest is a $85 value at less than half the price, a savings of over 50 percent! Tickets are available at any Ticketmaster outlet (find links at www.NationalPheasantFest.org) or by calling 651-209-4933. Tickets can also be purchased in person at the Kansas City Convention Center Box Office (located in the lobby of the Convention Center). National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic 2012 presented by Cabela's will combine a national consumer show, habitat seminar series, and family event complete with puppies, tractors, shotguns, and art. In fact, the Fest promises to be the country's largest event for upland hunters, sport dog owners, and wildlife habitat conservationists. For more information about National Pheasant Fest 2012 presented by Cabela's, please contact Pheasants Forever toll free at 877-773-2070 or visit www.NationalPheasantFest.org. 24 Water `N Woods™

November 2011

With the original double lid door system from Final Approach, waterfowl hunters have quick shooting access. Like all Final Approach blinds, the X-2 features built-in Stubble Straps, giving hunters a quick and easy way to conceal the blind with natural vegetation or reusable Whoopgrass. The Final Approach X-2 blind measures 26"W x 84"L x 14"H and weighs only 12 lbs. To learn more about Final Approach and its comprehensive line of waterfowl products and accessories,or for ore information about the new X-2 Layout Blind, visit www.fabrand.com or call consumer inquiries at 800-423-3537 Visit the Bushnell Factory Outlets at 445 NW Murray Road, Lee's Summit, MO, 816-525-2220 or 8500 Marshall Drive, Lenexa, KS, 913-310Q 0783 to ﬁll you hunting wish list.

A Friendly, Family Owned, Full Service Shop, Providing More Than Simply The Price of a Bow. Authorized Dealer for The Best Bows l l l l

Elite, Mathews, Mission, Strother Special Ordering Available Good Service Our Lifeline Indoor Range for Tuning Full Service, Repair, Accessories 111 W. Johnson — Spring Hill, KS 66083 Family Owned. By Appointment, Call 913-592-6437 Cell: 913-710-4644 — www.AvidArcher.com

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Kansas Department of Wildlife Parks and Tourism News Trout Season Opens October 15 From October 15 ‒ April 15, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) stocks rainbow trout in select waters across the state. During this time, some waters stocked with trout require a $12.50 trout permit for all anglers 16 or older, whether they are fishing for trout or not (Type 1 Waters). Other waters require a trout permit only for anglers fishing for or possessing trout (Type 2 Waters). Type 1 trout waters are Cedar Bluff Stilling Basin, Dodge City Lake Charles, Ft. Scott Gun Park Lake, Garnett Crystal Lake, Glen Elder State Park (SP) Pond, Kanopolis Seep Stream, KDOT East Lake in Wichita, Lake Henry in Clinton SP, Mined Land WA Unit No. 30, Pratt Centennial Pond, Sandsage Bison Range and WA Sandpits, Vic’s Lake and Slough Creek in Sedgwick County Park, Topeka Auburndale Park, Walnut River Area in El Dorado SP, Willow Lake at Tuttle Creek SP, and Webster Stilling Basin. Type 2 trout waters are Atchison City Lake No. 1, Belleville City Lake (Rocky Pond), Cimarron Grasslands Pits, Ft. Riley Cameron Springs, Ft. Riley Moon Lake, Great Bend Veterans Memorial Park Lake, Holton-Elkhorn Lake, Hutchinson Dillon Nature Center Pond, Lake Shawnee, Salina Lakewood Lake, Scott State Fishing Lake, Scott State Park Pond, Sherman County Smoky Gardens Lake, and Solomon River between Webster Reservoir and Rooks County No. 2 Road, and Syracuse-Sam’s Pond. Trout fishing at Mined Land Wildlife Area Unit No. 30 requires a trout permit year-round. Trout permits are valid for the calendar year, so permits purchased last January or later are valid through Dec. 31. All residents 16-64 years old and all nonresidents 16 and older must also have a valid fishing license. The daily creel limit is five trout unless otherwise posted (two trout for anglers 15 and younger who do not have a trout permit). The possession limit is three times the daily creel. While most designated trout waters in the state will be stocked with trout in time for opening day, some waters will be delayed. Before a trout fishing expedition, anglers are encouraged to check for updated information on stocking of trout waters by visiting the KDWPT website, www.kdwpt.state.ks.us. Type "trout stocking schedule" in the search box. Q

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Courtesy of Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks. For more information about this story and others, visit www.kdwp.state.ks.us.

Email Your Photo To Walt@MissouriTroutHunter.com or For More Information Visit: www.MissouriTroutHunter.com www.WaterNWood.com

November 2011

Water `N Woods™

Water ‘N Woods | resource directory

Hunting, Bait, Tackle & Outdoor Supplies

Bait & Tackle Supplies Kansas City Missouri Areas

Bait & Tackle Supplies Western Kansas Areas

Bait & Tackle Supplies Lakes of the Ozarks Area

burton's bait & Tackle 816-532-4659 119 N Us Highway 169, Smithville, MO Live Bait, Tackle, Sporting Goods, Hunting.

Al's bait & Tackle 913-328-2248 7830 Leavenworth Rd., Kansas City, KS Fishing Bait & Tackle, Sporting Goods.

baker's bait & Tackle 660-547-3350 205 N Highway 65, Lincoln, MO Fishing Bait & Tackle, Sporting Goods.

dick's Sporting goods (lee's Summit) Summit Woods Crossing 816-525-3006

bass pro Shop 913-254-5200 12051 Bass Pro Dr., Olathe, KS 66061 Hunting Fishing Goods, Boat Dealers

bait & bagel marina 573-964-0510 39 Knox Rd., Rocky Mount, MO Fishing Bait & Tackle, Marina.

brown's bait & Tackle 1000 S Payne St., Olathe, KS LiveFishing Bait & Tackle.

bryant’s osage outdoors 716 N Main St, Laurie, MO Fishing Bait & Tackle

dick's Sporting goods (Independence) Bolger Square 816-350-0089 dick's Sporting goods (north Kansas city) Zona Rosa New Urban Retail Center 816-436-3524

913-764-8675

800-909-3528

dick's Sporting goods (South Kansas city) Ward Parkway Mall 816-363-1198

cabela's 913-328-0322 10300 Cabela Drive Kansas City, KS Hunting Fishing Goods, Boat Dealers

fishermans paradise 573-302-1184 5267 Highway 54, Osage Beach, MO Fishing Bait & Tackle,

rogers Sporting goods 816-781-9026 320 N 291 Hwy Liberty, MO. Archery, Hunting Equipment & Supplies, Fishing Bait & Tackle.

The dam Store 11149 39th St, Perry, KS

gier's bass pro & liquor 573-392-4791 105 W 4th St., Eldon, MO Fishing Bait & Tackle, Sporting Goods.

blue parkway bait & pet 816-861-0041 6921 Blue Pkwy., Kansas City, MO Fishing Bait & Tackle, Sporting Goods. 40 woods bait & Tackle 816-229-6818 3995 SW US Highway 40., Blue Springs, MO Fishing Bait & Tackle, Guns & Gunsmiths. flies direct, llc 816-699-2592 8750 N. Chatham Ave., Kansas City, MO 64154 www.fliesdirect.com - quality flies at lowest prices g & w bait & Tackle 816-921-8888 1260 N Church Rd # 5, Pleasant Valley, MO Fishing Bait, Fishing Tackle-Wholesale

785-597-5256

dick's Sporting goods (merriam KS) Merriam Town Center 913-432-3945 5600 Antioch Road, Merriam, KS 66202 dick's Sporting goods (olathe KS) North Ridge Plaza 913-254-9196 15280 West 119th Street, Olathe, KS 66062 dick's Sporting goods (leawood KS) Town Center Plaza 913- 661-0200 11801 Nall Avenue, Leawood, KS 66211 The dock 2838 SE 29th St, Topeka, KS

heartland Trails 816-587-1463 4200 NW 100th St., Kansas City, MO Fishing Tackle, Fishermen's Supplies one Incredible bass package 816-569-1107 3017 NE 59th Ter, Kansas City, MO Fishing Tackle, Fishing Guides

K & K fly fisher's Supply Inc 913-341-8118 8643 Grant St, Overland Park, KS Fishing Bait, Fishermen's Supplies

rainbow fly Shop 816-373-2283 4621 S Shrank Drive Independence, MO www.KCflyShop.com

martins bait 785-945-3481 1008 Mulberry St, Valley Falls, KS

The Sports Authority 816-587-1463 8980 N Skyview Ave, K C, MO. Fishing Tackle, Sporting Goods, Ski Equip & Snowboard Rentals The Tackle box 816- 233-1844 3724 Pear St., Saint Joseph, MO Live Bait, Fishing Tackle, Hunting Eqp.

minnesota bait & fly co Inc. 913-371-0343 1124 Minnesota Ave., Kansas City, KS Lures, Reels, Fishing Bait & Tackle, Sporting Goods, Hunting Equipment. wades bait & Tackle 22157 Valley RD, Lacygne, KS

913-757-2542

Yagers flies 785- 842-1239 2311 Wakarusa Dr., Lawrence, Ks Fishing Tackle Repair, Fishing Bait & Tackle,

Koehn bait 573-377-2384 15525 Highway 135, Stover, MO Fishing Bait & Tackle, Sporting Goods.

785-266-8755

Jayhawk marina 913-686-2319 26353 Jayhawker Dr., Paola, KS www.jayhawkmarina.com Bait, Tackle, Camping & RV Supplies, Full-Service Marina, Boat & Watercraft Rental

rogers Sporting goods 816-781-9026 1760 N. Church Rd Liberty, MO 64068 www.rogerssportinggoods.com Sporting Goods, Fishing Tackle and Supplies

Jack's Sporting goods & hdw. 573-346-2279 1289 E Us Highway 54, Camdenton, MO Fishing Bait & Tackle, Sporting Goods.

lazy lou's bait n more 573-346-7597 219 N Lake St., Linn Creek, MO Fishing Bait & Tackle, Sporting Goods. laurie bait & Tackle 573-374-6065 102 N Main, Laurie, MO Skis,Tubes,Wake Boards,Ropes,Life Jackets, Tackle Bait, Licenses, Marine Supplies. minit-mart 573-365-5777 1780 Bagnell Dam Blvd., Lake Ozark, MO Live Bait, Deli, Worms, Fishing Bait & Tackle, Sporting Goods, Gas Stations,Beer, Groceries. osage beach bait & Tackle 573-348-9333 5441 Highway 54, Osage Beach, MO Fishing Bait & Tackle, Sporting Goods. rippin lips bait & Tackle 573-552-8238 454 Highway 42, Osage Beach, MO Fishing Bait & Tackle, Vanhook's bait & Tackle 573-346-2429 2418 N State Highway 5, Camdenton, MO Fishing Bait & Tackle, Sporting Goods.

NOTICE:

To Update Your Listing Here Please Email Your Info to Victoria Cromwell at: Victoria@WaternWood.com Water `N Woods™

November 2011

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Hunting, Bait, Tackle,Outdoor Supplies & Clubs

Water ‘N Woods | resource directory

Bait & Tackle Supplies Warsaw & Clinton Areas

Bait & Tackle Branson

Alron lures 660-885-3122 829 NE Highway Ac, Clinton, MO Fishing Bait & Tackle.

Anglers & Archery outfitters 417-335-4655 136 Eden Way, Branson, MO Archery Pro-Shop, Fly Shop, Tackle, Guide Service

bait & more 222 N 2nd St., Clinton, MO Sporting Goods, Bait & Tackle.

660-890-2248

bass pro Shops 417-243-5200 1 Bass Pro Drive, Branson, MO Fly Shop, Fishing Tackle, Boat Rentals.

bucksaw resort & marina 660-477-3900 670 SE 803, Clinton, MO  Bait, Tackle, Guides, Lodging, RV Park & Full-Service Marina.

cape fair marina 417-538-4163 1500 Shadrock Road, Cape Fair, MO Fishing Tackle, Boat Rentals, Guide Service.

c's bait & Tackle Warsaw, MO Sporting Goods, Bait & Tackle.

chartered waters Trout Shop Inc. 417-334-1005 1326 Acacia Club Rd, Hollister, MO

660-438-7226

crappie Town 660-547-3364 PO Box 1600, Warsaw, MO Fishing Bait & Tackle. Ecommerse only.

cooper creek resort 800-261-3898 471 Cooper Creek Rd, Branson, MO Fishing Tackle, Boat Rentals, Guide Service.

What’s In a Mount? In One Word – Quality

Shoulder Mounts, Life-Size Mounts, Small Mammals, Bird, Fish & Replicas.

everharts outdoor Store 511 E Hillcrest Dr. Clinton, MO Sporting Goods, Bait & Tackle.

660-885-4436

early bird bait & Tackle 417-739-4019 59 Corewood Ln., Reeds Spring, MO Fishing Tackle & Supplies Manufacturers.

first out lures 628 SE 771st Rd, Clinton, MO Fishing Bait & Tackle.

660-477-3614

hideaway marina 417-538-2828 1810 Hideaway Road, Galena, MO Tackle, Boat Rentals, Guide Service. Open Mar-Oct.

All Mounts 100% Guaranteed with Lifetime Warranty

hitch-n-post Tackle 417-334-3395 5439 State Hwy 165, Branson, MO

816-985-7359

funny farm bait & Tackle 660-438-8546 22558 Highway 7, Warsaw, MO Sporting Goods, Bait & Tackle. Open Mar-Oct. fuzzys bait & booze 417-646-2325 3665 NE Highway 13, Osceola, MO Fishing Bait & Tackle. la prairie 5 E Rogers St, Lowry City, MO Sporting Goods, Bait & Tackle.

lazy Valley resort 417-334-6380 Fall Creek Rd, Branson, MO 65615

417-644-7332

little countryside bait & more 660-638-3256 752 NW 1401st RD, Urich, MO Sporting Goods, Bait & Tackle. puddle Jumper’s bait & country mart 11429 Z Hwy, Warsaw, MO 660-438-6300 rocky Top bait & Tackle 660-438-7341 14571 Highway 7, Warsaw, MO Sporting Goods, Archery Equip. Bait & Tackle. Station bait & Tackle Shop 660-438-7664 Truman Dam Access Rd., Warsaw, MO Sporting Goods, Bait & Tackle. Tebo creek bait Stop 660-477-3351 96 SE Highway Pp, Clinton, MO Sporting Goods, Bait & Tackle. Tightwad bait & Tackle 1093 S 7th St, Clinton, MO Sporting Goods, Bait & Tackle.

Indian point marina 417-338-2891 3443 Indian Point Road, Branson, MO Fishing Tackle, Boat Rentals, Guide Service.

660-477-3630

Trailside general Store 660-438-5122 32707 Berry Bend Ave., Warsaw, MO Sporting Goods, Bait & Tackle.

www.WaterNWood.com

l 10 Years Experience l Affordable Prices l Great Turn-Around Time

Platte City, MO

www.BobKamlerTaxidermy.com buckfeverbob@msn.com

Taxidermists

(a few)

Within The KC Area

lilleys’ landing 417-334-6380 367 River Lane, Branson, MO Fishing Tackle, Boat Rentals, Guide Service.

You Worked Hard For Your Trophy - Now Remember It For A Lifetime!

ozarks bait & Tackle 417-739-1116 11863 State Highway 13 # 2, Kimberling City, Sporting Goods, Bait & Tackle - Wholesale.

bob Kamler Taxidermy 816-985-7359 14835 Sharp Station Rd, Platte City MO www.bobkamlertaxidermy.com

river run outfitters 417-332-0460 2626 State Hwy. 165, Branson, MO Fly Shop, Fishing Tackle, Guide Service.

brookes Taxidermy 204 S Pine St, Norborne, MO

Scotty’s Trout dock 417-334-4288 400 S Box Car Willie Dr, Branson, MO State park marina 417-334-2628 380 State Park Marina Road, Branson, MO Fishing Tackle, Boat Rentals, Guide Service. Table rock worm farm 417-739-4921 2705 State Highway 00, Reeds Spring, MO Bait, Tackle, & Sporting Goods. Wholesale. Tablerock Tackle & marine 417-739-4541 14743 State Highway 13, Reeds Spring, MO Sporting Goods, Fishing Bait, Tackle, & Repair. what’s up dock 417-737-2315 49 Lake Road, Kimberling City, MO Fishing Tackle, Boat Rentals, Guide Service.

660-594-3636

buck hollow Taxidermy 816-380-2491 22904 E 283rd St, Harrisonville, MO don's Taxidermy 816-532-3500 5012 Five Corners Rd, Smithville, MO Kalwei Taxidermist 816-763-5272 8200 Longview Rd, Kansas City, MO Second creation Taxidermy 913-422-3111 11501 Riverview, Kansas City, KS www.secondcreation.com Snowbarger Specialty Taxidermy 1303 W 125th St, Olathe, KS 913-636-2729 Trophies Taxidermy 816-353-4442 11212 E 61 Street, Kansas City, MO

November 2011

Water `N Woods™

Water ‘N Woods | resource directory

Where To Shop For Guns & Gunsmiths

Hunting Equipment Missouri - KC METRO

Guns & Gunsmiths Within 50 Miles of Kansas City

bass pro Shops branson: 1 Bass Pro Drive 417-243-5200 columbia: 3101 Bass Pro Drive 573-886-7100 Independence: 18001 Bass Pro Dr. 816-795-4300 Springﬁeld: 1935 S. Campbell 417-887-7334 Hunting Fishing Goods, Boat Dealers www.basspro.com

mISSourI

mISSourI gunslinger firearms llc 816-380-5099 2110 Royal St., Harrisonville, MO Guns & Gunsmiths.

gunner’s firearms llc

bushnell factory outlet 816-525-2200 445 NW Murray Rd, Lee’s Summit MO Riﬂescopes, Binoculars, Sunglasses & More dick's Sporting goods (lee's Summit) Summit Woods Crossing 816-525-3006 1600 NW Chipman Road, Lee's Summit, MO dick's Sporting goods (Independence) Bolger Square 816-350-0089 17730 East 39th Street, Independence, MO dick's Sporting goods (north Kansas city) Zona Rosa New Urban Retail Center 816-436-3524 8665 NW Prairie View Road., Kansas City, MO 64153 dick's Sporting goods (South Kansas city) Ward Parkway Mall 816-363-1198 8600 Ward Parkway, Kansas City, MO

Hunting Equipment Kansas - KC METRO

Advertisers in this publication are listed in Red in the Resourse Directories. A-bee's pawn & gun 816-232-3006 2602 Messanie St., Saint Joseph, MO Guns & Gunsmiths, Sporting Goods, Pawnbrokers Armory 816-903-0999 701 N Country, Rd., Kearney, MO Gunsmith, Indoor Range, Guns www.thearmoryonline.com Arms mart Inc 816-796-5800 21200 E Truman Rd, Independence, MO Guns, Ammo, Accessories - Buy. Sell. Trade.

blue Steel guns & Ammo

Avid Archery 913-592-6738 111 W Johnson, Spring Hill, KS 66083 Authorized Mathews Dealer & Hoyt Dealer bass pro Shop 913-254-5200 12051 Bass Pro Dr., Olathe, KS 66061 Hunting Fishing Goods, Boat Dealers bushnell factory outlet 816-525-2200 445 NW Murray Rd, Lee’s Summit MO Riﬂescopes, Binoculars, Sunglasses & More cabela's 913-328-0322 10300 Cabela Drive Kansas City, KS Hunting Fishing Goods, Boat Dealers dick’s Sporting goods (Merriam KS) Merriam Town Center 913-432-3945 5600 Antioch Road, Merriam, KS dick's Sporting goods (Olathe KS) North Ridge Plaza 913-254-9196 15280 West 119th Street, Olathe, KS dick's Sporting goods (Leawood KS) Town Center Plaza 913- 661-0200 11801 Nall Avenue, Leawood, KS 66211 m c Sporting goods 913- 851-7583 camping equipment only 11310 W 135th St Overland Park, KS

28 Water `N Woods™

November 2011

816-358-8004

8832 E. 350 Highway, Raytown, MO Handguns, Riﬂes & Shooting Supplies Gunsmith on hand. Classes offered. Buy. Sell. Trade.

816-318-9968

402 Pine Street Suite C, Raymore, MO Buy - Sell - Trade - Transfers Firearms, Ammo Shooting Supplies, Special Orders and Accessories. Many Brands available! sales@gunnersfirearms.com www.gunnersfirearms.com hatfield's 816-233-9106 2028 Frederick Ave., Saint Joseph, MO Guns & Gunsmiths, Sporting Goods, AntiquesDealers. James country mercantile 816-781-9473 111 N Main St., Liberty, MO Guns & Gunsmiths, Sporting Goods. longshot rifles 816-773-6500 30402 E 323rd St., Garden City, MO Guns & Gunsmiths, Sporting Goods. odessa gun Shop 816-230-4423 11706 Varner Rd., Odessa, MO Guns & Gunsmiths, Sporting Goods. orman's gunshop 816-633-7242 12342 Mount Tabor Rd., Odessa, MO Guns & Gunsmiths, Sporting Goods.

b & g gunsmithing 816-331-6589 605 Lillian Ln., Raymore, MO Guns & Gunsmiths, Sporting Goods.

r & r pawn Shop 816-632-1787 214 E 3rd St,. Cameron, MO Guns, Ammunition, Jewelry, Pistols.

drake's military Supply co 816-896-4131 Kansas City, MO. Guns & Gunsmiths, Sporting Goods

Show me Shooters Indoor range 816 452-4867 287 E US Highway 69, Kansas City, MO Guns, Riﬂe & Pistol Ranges.

crossﬁre recreational center 816-796-0023 21200 E Truman Rd, Independence, MO Guns & Ammunition, Guns Certiﬁcation & Safety Instruction, Shooting Range

Snapshots gun Shop 816-221-9117 2001 Clay Street, Kansas City, MO Guns & Gunsmiths

40 woods bait & Tackle 816-229-6818 3995 SW US Highway 40, Blue Springs, MO Guns & Gunsmiths, Fishing Bait & Tackle.

great guns

816-781-2323 1780 N. Church Road., Liberty, MO. Appraisals, Buy, Collections Purchased, Sell, Trade, Used Firearms, Guns & Gunsmiths, Sporting Goods. visit: www.greatguns.us

Tristar Sporting Arms 816-421-1400 1816 Linn Street, Kansas City, MO tristarsportingarms.com uS gun Specialties 816-436-2700 6581 N Oak Trfy, Kansas City, MO Firearms, Accessories, & Safes.

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Guns, Taxidermy,

Water ‘N Woods | resource directory

Sport Shows

Guns & Gunsmiths Within 50 Miles of Kansas City

Fishing Clubs

Missouri & Kansas

Outdoor Shows

KAnSAS

2012 Sports Shows

Atchison outﬁtters 913-367-6312 2000 W Highway 59, Atchison, KS Guns & Gunsmiths, Sporting Goods, Ammunition Reloading Supplies,

backlashers 913-782-2952 Jerry Wagner, 15706 W. 126TH. St Olathe, KS 66062

bass pro Shop 913-254-5200 12051 Bass Pro Dr., Olathe, KS 66061 Hunting Fishing Goods, Boat Dealers cabela's 913-328-0322 10300 Cabela Drive Kansas City, KS Hunting Fishing Goods, Boat Dealers bullet hole 913-432-0050 6201 Robinson St., Overland Park, KS Guns & Gunsmiths, Sporting Goods, Riﬂe & Pistol Range. brigade gunleather 913-755-3139 33301 Osawatomie Rd., Osawatomie, KS Guns & Gunsmiths, Sporting Goods coffman's repair & custom 740 N 7th St., Lawrence, KS Guns & Gunsmiths,

785-841-1077

culver Knives & gunsmithing 785-484-0146 5682 94th St., Meriden, KS Guns & Gunsmiths, Sporting Goods cedar hill gun club 785-843-8213 918 E 1650th Rd., Baldwin City, KS Guns & Gunsmiths, Sporting Goods, Trap Skeet & Sporting Clay Ranges. guns & gunsmiths, Sporting goods heart of America ps 913- 371-3200 620 Minnesota Ave., Kansas City, KS Guns & Gunsmiths, Sporting Goods hacks outﬁtters Inc 785-842-6338 941 E 23rd St., Lawrence, KS Guns & Gunsmiths, Sporting Goods, Fishing Bait & Tackle. Kansas firearms Specialties 913-369-0123 328 Delaware St., Tonganoxie, KS Guns & Gunsmiths, Sporting Goods olathe gun Shop 913-782-6900 716 S Rogers Rd.,Olathe, Ks Guns, Accessories, Ammunition, Firearms, Hunting, Knives, Leather, Optics,Buy, New, Range, Service, Special Orders, Used, Gunsmiths. Simmons gun repair 913-782-3131 700 South Rogers Rd, Olathe, KS Full-Service Gunsmith

leavenworth bass club 913-758-1586 Randy Kenton 1700 Chester Ct., Leavenworth KS 66048

January 19-22, 58th Annual Kansas city boat & Sportshow Kansas City Convention Center, Bartle Hall Contact: Mark Adams, VP, NMMA Sportshows 314-821-5400 or madams@nmma.org www.kansascitysportshow.com february 17-19, pheasant fest & Quail classic

olathe bass club 2011 President, Jimmie Folse For more info: olathebassclub@gmail.com olathe community Sportsmans club Kevin Herschberger 816-225-8897 Kickback Jr. bass club 913-231-4603 Mike Douglass: mikekellydouglass@gmail.com www.kickbackbassclub.com Shawnee mission bassmasters John Cambpell: President 913-208-9802 Nic Garcia: Tournament Director 913-653-4490 website: http://smbassmasters.com

mISSourI blue Spring lake buddy Tournaments Contact Mark Slocum 816-550-5664 http://bluespringsbuddybass.com central u.S. bass Anglers 816-537-4248 David Burlington, President 3601 SW Crane Rd., Lee Summit, MO

Presented by Cabala’s Kansas City Convention Center, Bartle Hall

The show will focus on wildlife conservation, upland game bird hunting, dog training, and wildlife habitat management and restoration.

Contacts: Karlene Carlson, Event Coordinator kcarlson@pheasantsforever.org, 877-773-2070 Brad Heidel, Director of Special Events Sales bheidel@pheasantsforever.org, 877-773-2070 or 651-403-1772 www.pheasantfest.org/page/1/2012pheasantfest.jsp february 24-26 Kansas city chapter Safari club International Annual hunter’s expo

heartland Tournament Association P.O. Box 565 Platte City, MO 816-464-5557 www.heartlandproam.com Jacomo bass club 816-524-6266 Open Buddy Tournaments thru October 100% Payback cal for details. missouri b.A.S.S. federation 3405 NW Nautical Court Blue Springs, MO. http://mobass.com raytown bass club 816-506-0611 Neil Parikh - President: neil@raytownbassclub.net neil@raytownbassclub.net nothin' but Toads bass club 816-805-8237 Independence, MO., Brent Fasse website: http://nothinbuttoads.com Smithville bassmasters 816-588-2087 Chester Winans - kcwinans@yahoo.com http://web.me.com/ahabiger/Smithville_Bassmasters/Welcome.html

KCI Expo Center, 11730 N. Ambassador Drive, Kansas City, MO

The event will feature exhibits by gun makers, outfitters and numerous name-brand outdoor industry companies. A full slate of Pro-Staff seminars on whitetail management, big game, turkey hunting and waterfowl hunting is scheduled throughout the event.

Contacts: kchuntersexpo@gmail.com Convention Chairman: Mike Hagen, mhagen@kc.rr.com, website: hunters-expo.com We Update Show Information Each Month So Keep Watching For New Listings And Also Visit www.WaterNWood.com.

Notice: To Update Your Information or Be Listed Here - Send To: V i ctoria@ Water nWo o d.c om www.WaterNWood.com

November 2011

Water `N Woods™

Homemade Gifts for the Holiday

othing shows how much goes into giving a gift than when the recipient realizes you made it by hand. A handmade gift for the yuletide season doesn’t have to be costly or time consuming if you remember to keep it simple. I always think about the people I want to give a gift to and what their needs are, what they like, and what they enjoy doing. This usually takes all the stress out of how I’m going to prepare a gift. Water ‘N Woods has put together some ideas for your holiday season. for The food loVer Jellies, Jams and Jars: Homemade candy is a must around the holidays at my house, and neighbors and acquaintances alike always start requesting their favorites long before you see holiday paraphernalia on the shelves at your local stores. Homemade jellies and jams are a great gift to give to the teachers, bus driver or neighbors. Candy stored in jars is another way to give a treat with a holiday twist that will be remembered. Cookie jar kits are another popular gift for the whole family to enjoy. Recipe cards can be attached in a creative way to ensure your family recipe is passed down for others to enjoy. recYcle ThoSe old pIcTure frAmeS earring organizer: Old frames or inexpensive ones picked up at thrift shops can be transformed into an everyday useful object. A popular gift that is easy to assemble but brings a lot of enjoyment for the girls in your life is a homemade earring organizer. Using Hot gluing a soft mesh screen to the back of the frame will instantly transform it into a place to organize earrings. You can also add “pop” by painting the frame or stenciling their name or favorite sayings on the wood. dazzling Art: Get rid of those jars of buttons and by gluing them onto unused picture frames. This makes a wonderful kids’ gift and adds another dimension. You can also pick up glass beads or stones at your local craft store to dress up an old frame. Using hot glue, adhere the beads or stones to the frame and then insert with a favorite photo of the person you’re giving the gift to or a favorite quote or saying. Themed gIfT bASKeTS Just for You basket: Baskets are a dime a dozen, and what better way to put together a gift than in one? You can dress them up with ribbons and cloth, or wrap them in colored cellophane. The ideas are endless. You can go with a sports theme by putting in sporting event tickets, hats, jerseys and their favorite team’s memorabilia, or you can go with a “just for her” package and include a day spa certiﬁcate, lotions, perfume and house slippers. For kids, you can do a game basket, and for the pet lovers in your life, you could do a pet-themed basket and even make your own doggie treats. be Your own profeSSIonAl phoTo guru create a Story with pictures: Nowadays, everyone is a photographer. One way to utilize all those photos stored on the computer is a personal 30 Water `N Woods™

November 2011

by Liz McGuire

photo book. This can be as elaborate or as simple as you want. You can make your own book with cardstock or pick up books with blank pages from your local craft store. I like to take pictures of my kids and grandkids throughout the year and then at Christmastime assemble the photos into storybook form. You can handwrite or, using your computer, print off what you would like to say about each photo. This is a wonderful memory gift for your family and will last for generations to come. for The grAndpArenTS memory Jars: Grandparents love those homemade gifts, especially from the grandkids! Take old Mason jars and dress them up with ribbons or bows. Have the kids write or type out some of their favorite memories with grandpa and grandma. You can also use the jars to insert a special photo of the kids or put trinkets and treasures from a special trip they took with the grandparents. The ideas are endless! photo calendar: One year, my grandkids gave me a calendar with photos of them for each month. Photos were arranged by month that had a special meaning. After the year was over, I clipped the photos out and made a collage to frame. With endless software programs out there for photo usage, another gift worth giving is a photo calendar of the grandkids. You can practically design your own calendar, and your local pharmacy or discount store will have it printed for you. be The gIVer of TIme handmade gift certificates: There is nothing wrong with going to your local stores and buying gift certificates for the people in your life, but I find it more rewarding to go a step further and make my own certificates. These can be varied, depending on the recipient, and the sky is the limit. You can give a certificate for babysitting for the weekend or a chauffeured outing for the night. If you have a certain talent, like woodworking or decorating, you can give a certificate geared towards what you think that person would like — be creative! recYcle lAST YeAr’S chrISTmAS cArdS Keep all those Christmas cards you get in the mail ― they will come in handy next year to use as nametags. I tear the card in half, keeping the decorative outside, and reuse them as nametags for the next year’s gifts. You can flip the card over and write a personal note on it, or also cut around a picture on the card to give it a little more personalized look. Make this gift-giving season a little more personal to those you love. Who knows, you might start some family traditions that will carry on Q for generations. Happy holidays! Liz McGuire has lived in Lee's Summit most of her life and currently freelances for several publications after doing the city beat for her hometown paper. Her family takes frequent trips to the lake, loves to camp, ride jet skis, attend sporting events and go snow skiing, among other outdoor activities.

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ATTENT GRABB ION FOR YOERS BUSIN UR ESS

E E R

INITIAL CONSULTATION

H e r e t o H e l p Yo u W i t h Y o u r L e g a l N e e d s S o Yo u C a n S p e n d Yo u r T i m e O u t d o o r s . PAUL MUDD, Attorney L L L L L

D WI / T RA FFIC D I VO R C E I N J U RY C L A I M S – A L L T Y P E S A U TO A C C I D E N T S WO RK E RS ’ C OM P

816-836-0427

WnW-11/11

400 W. KANSAS, INDEPENDENCE, MO

WnW-011/11

Great For Trade Shows

WnW-11/11

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November 2011

Water `N Woods™