March 2019 - vol 80 no 2

CONSERVATION FEDERATION

The Voice for Missouri Outdoors MARCH 2019 - VOL 80 | NO. 2

BE THE DIFFERENCE FOR CONSERVATION

JOIN CFM TODAY

NOW IS YOUR CHANCE to join the organization that unites thousands of Missourians with the goal of preserving the state’s immense natural resources.

Your actions now will create a better future for generations to come.

Visit www.confedmo.org/join to become a member of CFM today.

Director’s Message

See You Later, Not Goodbye

A

fter five years as the Executive Director of the Conservation Federation of Missouri (CFM), the state’s largest and most active citizen conservation organization, I have stepped down to pursue my next opportunity. It’s hard to put into words what the last five years have meant to me. I feel I arrived at CFM a sportsman, but am leaving a conservationist. Our incredible network of volunteers, members, agency partners and staff have accomplished so much to protect Missouri’s unique and highly successful model of conservation management. I am incredibly humbled and thankful for the opportunity I was given to lead, and I will remain proud of the collaborative results we achieved for the rest of my life.

There is so much to look back on and so many people to thank. I truly believe the highlight of my time at CFM was the work we did to renew the Parks, Soil and Water Sales Tax. Never before had I experienced such collaboration and a willingness by all parties to set aside small, individual differences to focus on the big picture while making life better for all citizens.

To pass that vote with 80.1 percent and winning 114 out of 114 counties, proves Missourians agree on the importance of incredible parks, healthy soil and clean water. And it shows that as citizens of our state and country we are clearly not as divided as the entertainment news channels make us out to be.

Moving forward, I am excited to transition to the role of CFM volunteer and to work shoulder-to-shoulder with you in a concerted effort to continue growing and expanding this incredibly important Federation.

I have been named the Chairman of the David Risberg Memorial Committee. I feel a strong sense of obligation to John and Mary Risberg to continue what we started, and grow this memorial endowment substantially so CFM can provide critical funds to our affiliates who will perform habitat work, while honoring a young man’s memory. I’m also excited to become a Business Alliance member. After having worked so hard to grow CFM corporate support, it will be fun to experience the role of corporate supporter.

I am incredibly excited for the next step in my life, and dedicating myself to furthering the healthy soil and clean water efforts across the country.

I’m joining the incredible team at Roeslein Alternative Energy (RAE) as Director of Communications.

RAE has three areas of focus: energy production, Brandon and Willie in front of his cabin at ecological Driftwood Acres. (Photo: Courtesy of Brandon services and Butler) wildlife, and has found a way to benefit all three with a market-based solution to improve our environment while producing a renewable energy source from animal waste blended with native grasses. Through a process called anaerobic digestion, Roeslein is able to produce a biogas from the mixture of manure and native grass.

Not only does this process create renewable energy, it eliminates odor and emissions from waste that otherwise would enter our air and water. Numerous ecological benefits for our landscape and wildlife also occur. The process certainly helps fight climate change. It also creates an additional market for agriculture and benefits rural economies in numerous ways.

I will remain forever grateful for the opportunity I had at CFM, and for the friendships I made, many of which will last my lifetime. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Yours in Conservation, Brandon Butler

MARCH - 2019

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CONTENTS

Conservation Federation March 2019 - V80 No. 2

Features

OFFICERS Gary Van De Velde

President

Mossie Schallon

1st Vice President

Richard Mendenhall

2nd Vice President

Ginny Wallace

Secretary

Randy Washburn

Treasurer

STAFF 34

22

30 22

The Fight Against Feral Hogs

30

Favorite Native Plants

34

Turkey by Proxy

46

A Journey to Remember

50

What Happened to the Good Old Lures?

52

Marvelous Mill Creek

54

Fishing for Missouri "Jack Salmon"

58

Take That Kid Fishing

62

Prescribed Fire Good for Landscape Health

Departments 3 8 11

36

4

Director's Message President's Message Member News New Members Gear Guide Weston Recipe Affiliate Spotlight Agency News

CONSERVATION FEDERATION

58

Tyler Schwartze

Interim Executive Director

Micaela Haymaker

Director of Operations

Michelle Gabelsberger

Membership Development Coordinator

Jennifer Sampsell

Education & Outreach Coordinator

Mike Capps

Corporate Relations Manager

Joan VanderFeltz

Administrative Assistant

Emma Kessinger

Creative Director

ABOUT THE MAGAZINE

Highlights 18 19 32 45 57 60 61

CFM Events Schedule CLC Calls for Applications Remembering Normal Leppo Paddle MO 2019 Outdoor Apps Turkey Cookery Protecting Riparian Areas

CFM Mission: To ensure conservation of Missouri’s wildlife and natural resources, and preservation of our state’s rich outdoor heritage through advocacy, education and partnerships.

Conservation Federation is the publication of the Conservation Federation of Missouri (ISSN 1082-8591). Conservation Federation (USPS 012868) is published bi-monthly in January, March, May, July, September and November for subscribers and members.

Of each member’s dues, $10 shall be for a year’s subscription to Conservation Federation.

Periodical postage paid in Jefferson City, MO and additional mailing offices.

Send address changes to: MGabelsberger@confedmo.org | 573-634-2322

FRONT COVER Brandon Butler proudly displays a turkey.

(Photo: Courtesy of Brandon Butler)

Business Alliance

Thank you to all of our Business Alliance members.

Platinum

Gold Bushnell Custom Metal Products Diamond Pet Foods Doolittle Trailer Enbridge, Inc.

FCS Financial G3 Boats MidwayUSA Pure Air Natives Redneck Blinds

Riley Chevrolet Roeslein Alternative Energy, LLC RTP Outdoors Sun Solar Weston

Logboat Brewing Missouri Wildflowers Nursery Mitico Moneta Group.

Simmons Starline, Inc. Trailerman Trailers

Gray Manufacturing Company, Inc. HMI Fireplace Shop Hodgdon Powder Company, Inc. Missouri Wine & Grape Board NE Electric Power Co-ops

NW Electric Power Cooperative, Inc. Orscheln POET Sierra Bullets

Farmer’s Co-op Elevator Association Gascosage Electric Cooperative GREDELL Engineering Resources, Inc. Grundy Electric Coop.

Hulett Heating & Air Conditioning J&B Outdoors Kansas City Parks and Recreation Missouri Native Seed Association Nick's Family Restaurant Ozark Bait and Tackle

Platte-Clay Electric Cooperative, Inc. REMAX Boone Realty Shady Lanes Cabins and Motel Tabor Plastics Company Truman’s Bar & Grill United Electric Cooperative, Inc. White River Valley Electric Cooperative Boone Electric Co-op

Silver Forrest Keeling Nursery Holladay Distillery Learfield Communication, Inc. Lilley’s Landing Resort & Marina

Bronze Association of Missouri Electric Coop.

Black Widow Custom Bows, Inc. Burgers’ Smokehouse Custom Screen Printing and Embroidery Drury Hotels

Iron Bass Pro Shops (Independence) Bee Rock Outdoor Adventures Blue Springs Park and Recreation Bob McCosh Chevrolet Buick GMC Brockmeier Financial Services Brown Printing Cap America Central Bank Community State Bank of Bowling Green Dickerson Park Zoo

Your business can benefit by supporting conservation.

Contact Mike Capps at 573-634-2322 or MCapps@confedmo.org.

MARCH - 2019

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Business Spotlight

FCS Helps Finance Rural Living

F

or more than 100 years, FCS Financial has provided financing and services to those who call rural Missouri home. This includes farmers, ranchers and those who dream of owning hunting and recreational property.

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CONSERVATION FEDERATION

FCS Financial is a member-owned cooperative governed by a member elected board of directors.

Through a cash patronage program, members share in the profits earned by the organization and more than $120 million has been returned to the membership since 2006.

Business Spotlight As Missouri’s largest agricultural lender, FCS Financial is a trusted resource for rural real estate, home, operating, livestock, machinery and equipment loans, crop and livestock insurance, leases and more.

However, you will find that FCS Financial are more than experts in rural financing. They are experts in rural living. Most grew up on farms or in rural communities. And, many of them still live there today. They understand what draws people to the country and what is involved in financing the rural lifestyle. They are always happy to provide information and an insider’s perspective on virtually all aspects of rural living. Other programs available through FCS Financial include: • LandLINK is a free service that helps younger farmers, or people wanting to get into farming for the first time, connect with older or retiring farmers who have land for sale. FCS Financial reviews the applications from both groups and helps match those with similar interests and needs.

• Financing an operation can be difficult when you are starting out. FCS Financial Connect helps young, beginning farmers finance their operations and plants the seed for success. Connect engages farmers by focusing on four major areas including knowledge sharing, credit standards reflective of the needs of young and beginning farmers, communication and representation in their cooperative.

• Similar to the FCS Financial Connect program, Heartland Heroes is specifically for Veterans who own or want to own and operate a farm. The program provides educational opportunities, recognition and credit standards that reflect the needs of Veteran farm operators.

• As part of FCS Financial’s commitment to Young, Beginning and Small Farmers, the Ag Youth Funding program is aimed specifically at Missouri 4-H and FFA members and provides interestfree funds for qualifying projects repayable within one year. The program assists students by providing financial aid and educational assistance emphasizing the importance of accurate records, budgeting and honoring obligations to repay.

• The Rural Community and Agriculture Foundation is FCS Financial’s long-term commitment to a thriving and prosperous agricultural industry and our rural communities. It is focused on targeted, long-term investments that have a positive impact on rural Missouri.

• Developing a thriving rural Missouri is important to FCS Financial. The Shaping Rural Missouri grant program offers Missouri 4-H and FFA organizations $500 grants to implement projects that will benefit their rural communities and youth development.

• The cooperative believes in the future of our next generation. The FCS Financial Scholarship Program supports higher education for children or grandchildren of FCS Financial customers.

Annually, up to 35 scholarships in the amount of $1,500 each are provided to eligible Missouri high school seniors. More than half a million dollars has been awarded since 2004.

“Most people think of us as an ag lender who works with farming operations,” said David Janish, CEO for FCS Financial.

“The fact is, we’re involved in all facets of rural living. Not only farming and ranching, but also recreational land for those who like to hunt, fish, camp and hike, or just have the place in the country they’ve always wanted to retire to and enjoy. There are some great articles and resources on our website that answer many of the questions potential land buyers have. We also encourage prospective buyers to stop by one of our offices to discuss exactly what you’re looking for, so we can help you put together a plan that will fit your budget and get you started.”

(Left) Hunting property can be a reality through FCS Financial.

(Top) There's the perfect piece of land out there for everyone.

(Photos: Courtesy of FCS Financial)

MARCH - 2019

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President’s Message

Changing of the Guard

L

ike any other organization, the Conservation Federation of Missouri has grown and changed since its inception. But our core mission, to help guard, preserve and protect Missouri’s natural resources, remains and always will.

Around the beginning of the 20th century, many not-so-good changes were happening in Missouri that some Missouri sportsmen realized would be detrimental to wildlife and all natural resources in the state, over harvesting of wildlife, the excessive cutting of Missouri’s forest and poor farming practices. In 1935, the urgent need for protections for our state’s natural resources inspired concerned citizens to come together. Out of this group, our organization became the Conservation Federation of Missouri we know today.

In 1947, Aldo Leopold said, ”Conservation, at bottom, rests on the conviction that there are things in this world more important than dollar signs and ciphers.

Many of these other things attach to the land, and to the life that is on it and in it. People who know these other things have been growing scarcer, but less so in Missouri than elsewhere. That is why conservation is possible here. If conservation can become a living reality, it can do so in Missouri. This is because Missourians, in my opinion, are not completely industrialized in mind and spirit, and I hope never will be."

Fortunately for us, some real positive changes to preserving Missouri’s natural resources came out of that original group of concerned citizens. More Missourians began to recognize the relationship among forests, parks, soil, water and their effect on wildlife. In 1976 with the help of the Federation, Missouri voters designated 1/8th cent of sales tax to be appropriated for the Missouri Department of Conservation. Again in 1984, Missouri voters passed a 1/10th cent sales tax for state parks and soil conservation administered by the Missouri Department of Natural resources. These are just a few examples of how a group of concerned citizens made real and positive change for Missouri conservation.

As some years have passed since our founding in 1935, CFM has been led by several outstanding executive directors who were dedicated to positive change and the CFM mission. A truly inspirational conservationist from Monroe County, the dynamic Charles Callison, was selected as CFM’s first executive secretary (note: take a little time to read his book Man and Wildlife in Missouri). Most recently, Executive Director Brandon Butler brought his passion for conservation to CFM. Over the past five years, Brandon has helped CFM achieve a great deal. In the legislative arena, he was a leader in the passage of 1/10th cent sales tax renewal efforts in 2016. Brandon also led CFM through difficult legislative issues, especially the administration of Missouri’s deer herd. Brandon has helped CFM gain support from statewide businesses and organizations through our business alliances such as the Missouri Corn Growers, Bass Pro Shops and Shelter Insurance, among others. He has expanded the Conservation Federation Magazine subject matter and coverage. He initiated CFM podcast. Under Brandon’s watch, our diverse conservation affiliates have expanded to more than 100 (Audubon Society of Missouri, Anglers of Missouri, National Wild Turkey Federation, Missouri Parks Association, Ducks Unlimited, etc.) Brandon also was instrumental in the formation of the David Risberg Memorial, a fund that provides our affiliates financial support for conservation projects.

We are about to have a changing of the guard again as Brandon Butler moves on to a new endeavor. The Conservation Federation has grown with Brandon, and we are thankful for his efforts. CFM wishes him and his family the very best.

Yours in Conservation, Gary Van De Velde President, CFM

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CONSERVATION FEDERATION

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Member News

Why I Became a Life Member of CFM: DeeCee Darrow

B

ecoming a life member of the Conservation Federation of Missouri is one of the ways I support the outdoors. I spent a career in conservation work, and when I retired from that, I wanted to stay involved to help ensure I could still have a voice in important conservation issues.

Although I’ve been a member of CFM for many years, I wanted to “step up my game” a little by becoming a life member! In these uncertain times for conservation in our state, and in our nation, the Conservation Federation needs our dollars and a commitment of our time more than ever, so I’ve chosen to give both as many others have done.

CFM is the voice of conservation in Missouri. This organization of volunteers - individual and affiliate members – works on conservation issues on a daily basis out of dedication and commitment to places, species and ideas that are important to me.

It’s vital to have a role in a group that accomplishes important conservation work, and a life membership helps CFM do that work. It doesn’t give me a greater voice in CFM business, but it does give me greater satisfaction knowing that my life membership helps the organization just a little bit more, as we do important work together. Join me!

Become a CFM Life Member When you purchase a Life Membership with CFM, your money is added to an endowment supporting the administration of the organization in perpetuity. Each year, we draw earnings from the endowment, so your contribution will truly be supporting the CFM for the rest of your life and beyond. This is an important funding source for our Federation.

We hope you will consider joining the over 260 dedicated conservationists who have already made a life commitment to the Conservation Federation of Missouri by becoming a Life Member today.

Contact CFM at (573) 634-2322 or email info@confedmo.org.

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CONSERVATION FEDERATION

Member News

WELCOME NEW CFM MEMBERS

Carl Korschgen, Columbia Matthew Lochner, Watkins Glen, NY Alex Macomber, Kirksville Joseph Micciche, Williamson, NY Alisha Mosloff, Columbia Matt Nelson, Ellisville Teak Nelson, Kirksville Bailey O'Brian, Harrisburg

Cassie Brandt, Columbia Janice Branham, Manchester Edward Brown, Liberty Roger Cross, Linn Rex Eighmey, Kirkwood Patsy Hausner, Rolla Kyna Iman, Bridgeton Bill Janssen, Dittmer

Paul Receniello, Saint Louis Jake Schuyler, Herriman UT Alison Shouldice, McHenry IL Nelson Spencer, Saint Louis Mike Sutherland, Jefferson City

CFM would like to thank the 248 members that renewed since our last publication.

In Memory of Dean Murphy

In Memory In Memory of Ryan Urban - Share the Harvest Bruce Nash

Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Porath In Memory of Mike Huffman & Rochelle Renken David Graber and Margie Mitchell Richard and Donna Linnenbrink In Honor of Marc Gottfired

In memory of Elizabeth Ann Behnke Lois E. Call Mr. and Mrs. Eddie Murray Mr. and Mrs. Dan Zerr Gateway Long Spurs Joyis Thomas Roy Smith Jim and April Langley

Elizabeth Keune

CFM Conservation Federation Podcast Listen to CFM’s Podcast Did you know CFM has a podcast? In each episode, host Brandon Butler discusses conservation issues with special guests. Past episodes include interviews with Governor Jay Nixon, MDC Director Sara Parker Pauley, Glenn Chambers, Steven Rinella and many other passionate conservationists.

Have you heard our lastest episodes?

Episode 22: Frank Oberle and Zach Coy Episode 21: Alex Rutledge on the Ozarks Episode 20: Share the Harvest 2018

Find the Conservation Federation podcast on the CFM website and on iTunes.

Committed to Community & Conservation Owned by the members they serve, Missouri’s electric cooperatives do more than provide reliable and affordable electricity. They are active in their communities, concerned for the wellbeing of their neighbors and devoted to the rural way of life that makes the Show-Me State a special place to live, work and play. Missouri’s electric cooperatives are dedicated to protecting the land, air and water resources important to you and your quality of life.

Learn more at www.amec.coop.

Member News

Gear Guide Shore Lunch Breading and Batter Mixes My favorite way to enjoy a meal is to cook a shore lunch on a gravel bar. While this special treat only happens a few times a year, I cook fish regularly and dream of being on the water. My go to fish breading has always been Shore Lunch Original Recipe. For generations, fishing guides handed down their homemade recipe for fish batter. Already a favorite with outdoors enthusiasts, our Original Recipe breading quickly became a favorite with discerning consumers. Today, Shore Lunch Breading/Batter Mixes are available in seven delicious, easy to prepare flavors. www.shorelunch.com

Black Diamond ReVolt Headlamp No matter if you’re hauling duck decoys into the marsh, hiking a trail or checking cows, a good headlamp is essential. The Black Diamond ReVolt is a powerful, versatile and rechargeable headlamp that has now been fully redesigned to be completely waterproof, making it adaptable for any nighttime mission. With 300 lumens of power, the ReVolt easily spots anchors while you rappel in the dark, proximity lighting gives you a large area of light for hiking down the trail. The ReVolt can run on standard AAA batteries in addition to the included rechargeable batteries. www.blackdiamondequipment.com

Outcast Fish Cat Panther Pontoon Many of Missouri’s southern rivers rival the best in the world when it comes to scenery and fishing for smallmouth bass and trout. Solo pontoons are great for navigating these waters and are easy to transport. Most importantly, they are solid and stable for enjoying a fun, exciting and safe fishing trip. Outcast makes the best inflatable pontoons on the market. The Panther is their biggest capacity Fish Cat Pontoon boat. You can load the Panther for a day or two of tackling any water.

Welded seams offer extra durability and the 6-piece aluminum frame provides strength without added bulk. www.outcastboats.com

CZ P-10 - Business Alliance Anyone who’s picked up a CZ 75 for the first time gets it — it just has to feel right in the hand. With the CZ grip angle, the P-10 avoids that ‘brick-in-the-hand’ feeling that has plagued many in the strikerfired genre, allowing it to point naturally. A mild palm swell, deep beavertail and three interchangeable backstraps make the P-10 fit a wide variety of hands as if it were built for them. With CZ reliability, engineered ergonomics and a bevy of features both familiar and new, the P-10 is the complete package. www.cz-usa.com

Bushnell Forge Binocular - Business Alliance Forge binoculars feature a split bridge design offering superior durability in the field. Bushnell exclusive EXO Barrier protective coating provides superior low light contrast and resolution and their highest quality glass delivers amazing color, resolution and contrast, even in low-light conditions. These o-ring sealed optics stay dry inside when immersed in three feet of water for up to 30 minutes. www.bushnell.com

MARCH - 2019

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CONSERVATION FEDERATION

Affiliate Spotlight

Missouri River Bird Observatory (MRBO)

T

he mission of the Missouri River Bird Observatory (MRBO) is: To contribute to the conservation of Missouri's migratory and resident birds through scientific research, community outreach, and education, to gather information about avian communities and habitat use that will assist state, federal, and private natural resource managers in their efforts to implement habitat conservation programs, and to provide opportunities for Missourians of all ages to learn about all native wildlife species and habitat conservation.

MRBO tackles its conservation mission using a variety of approaches. MRBO conducts scientific research on wildlife populations in Missouri’s most imperiled landscapes – tallgrass prairie, marsh lands, and river bottom forests – and provides the data to owners of both public and private land. MRBO manages long-term programs that monitor the response of bird populations to management on thousands of acres of Missouri’s Conservation Areas, State Parks and private lands.

However, co-founders Ethan Duke and Dana Ripper feel that the most critical part of MRBO’s mission is education and outreach to people of all ages.

MRBO’s objective is to raise awareness and enjoyment MRBO’s educator, Paige Witek, of, as well as personal shares information at a Missouri investment in, Missouri’s natural resources and their River Relief event. (Photo: Courtesy of Missouri State Campers continued conservation.

Association) MRBO provides more than 100 educational programs, activities and events for at least 4,000 Missourians annually.

CFM has often been an inspiration to MRBO, which has been an active affiliate of CFM since 2010. Duke now serves as on CFM’s Affiliate Board and is looking forward to hearing about what matters most to CFM affiliates.

Affiliate Organizations Anglers of Missouri Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives Audubon Society of Missouri Bass Slammer Tackle Big Game Hunters Boone's Lick Chapter Missouri Master Naturalist Burroughs Audubon Society of Greater Kansas City Capital City Fly Fishers Chesterfield Citizens Committee for the Environment Conservation Foundation of Missouri Charitable Trust Deer Creek Sportsman Club Festus-Crystal City Conservation Club Forest and Woodland Association of Missouri Forest Releaf of Missouri Friends of Rock Bridge Memorial State Park Garden Club of St. Louis Gateway Chapter Trout Unlimited Greenbelt Land Trust of Mid-Missouri Greenway Network, Inc. Heartland Conservation Alliance Katy Land Trust L-A-D Foundation Land Learning Foundation Little Blue River Watershed Coalition Mid-Missouri Outdoor Dream Mid-Missouri Trout Unlimited Midwest Diving Council Mississippi Valley Duck Hunters Association Missouri Association of Meat Processors Missouri Atlatl Association Missouri B.A.S.S. Nation Missouri Bird Conservation Initiative Missouri Bow Hunters Association

Missouri Caves & Karst Conservancy Missouri Chapter of the American Fisheries Society Missouri Chapter of the Wildlife Society Missouri Coalition for the Environment Missouri Community Forestry Council Missouri Conservation Agents Association Missouri Conservation Pioneers Missouri Consulting Foresters Association Missouri Ducks Unlimited- State Council Missouri Forest Products Association Missouri Grouse Chapter of QUWF Missouri Hunter Education Instructor's Association Missouri Hunting Heritage Federation Missouri Master Naturalist- Miramiguoa Chapter Missouri Master Naturalist- Osage Trails Chapter Missouri Master Naturalist-Springfield Plateau Chapter Missouri National Wild Turkey Federation Missouri Native Seed Association Missouri Outdoor Communicators Missouri Park & Recreation Association Missouri Parks Association Missouri Prairie Foundation Missouri River Bird Observatory Missouri River Relief Missouri Smallmouth Alliance Missouri Society of American Foresters Missouri Soil & Water Conservation Society-Show-Me Chapter Missouri Sport Shooting Association Missouri State Campers Association Missouri State Chapter of the Quality Deer Management Missouri Taxidermist Association

Missouri Trappers Association Missouri Trout Fishermen's Association Missouri Whitetails Unlimited MU Wildlife & Fisheries Science Graduate Student Organization Northside Conservation Federation Open Space Council of the St. Louis Region Osage Paddle Sports Ozark Fly Fishers, Inc. Ozark Wilderness Waterways Club Perry County Sportsman Club Pomme De Terre Chapter Muskies Prairie Star Conservation Community Quail & Upland Wildlife Federation, Inc. Quail Forever & Pheasants Forever River Bluffs Audubon Society Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Roubidoux Fly Fishers Association South Side Division Southwest Missouri Fly Fishers St. Louis Audubon Society Stream Teams United Student Air Rifle Program The Fallen Outdoors-Team MO Tipton Farmers & Sportsman's Club Tri-Lakes Fly Fishers Troutbusters of Missouri United Bow Hunters of Missouri Walnut Council & Other Fine Hardwoods Wecomo Sportsman's Club Wild Bird Rehabilitation Young Outdoorsmen United

MARCH - 2019

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It’s your

SEASON

Shelter InsuranceÂŽ is a proud sponsor of Share the Harvest & the Conservation Federation.

Contact your local Shelter agent to insure your auto, home, life, and all your hunting & fishing gear. Find an agent near you at ShelterInsurance.com.

Member News

A Sense of Wonder is Brought to You by Legends of Conservation

A

lthough Rachel Carson died in 1964 at the young age of 56, she left a huge legacy of conservation awareness. In her short life she changed the world.

Kaiulani Lee has made a career of bringing Rachel back to life and she does it with pure theatrical perfection. A one person, two-act play, written and performed by Kaiulani Lee, is based on the life and works of Rachel Carson. A Sense of Wonder is conservation’s premiere springtime event, March 30, 2019, in the Miller Performing Arts Center in Jefferson City. " ... what Kaiulani Lee achieves in barely an hour is something rare and almost spiritual. She merges herself with Carson's spirit. Chin jutting forward, she leans toward us, reminiscing, lecturing, pleading. Fires comes into her eyes ... I felt flashes of transcendence, the stage disappearing into a living authentic presence." Christopher Rawson, Drama Critic

2019

3 days/2 nights October

19-21, 2019

"Conservation professionals from across the country sat transfixed by Miss Lee's performance. It was as if they were in the room with Rachel Carson. A Sense of Wonder has spurred our professionals to redouble their own efforts to conserve our precious natural resources. The play is an overwhelming and inspirational experience." John R. Lemon, U.S. Department of Interior.

"You cannot watch Kaiulani Lee without reflecting on universal themes – you cannot walk away unmoved."

Bill Moyers, PBS. “Kaiulani Lee's performance was superb, one of the most moving evenings of theater I have experienced. Detail by detail, an unforgettable portrait of Rachel Carson and her struggles emerged and gave immediacy and humanity to issues which otherwise remain abstract and un-engaging. It was a transforming experience." Jack Coogan, Professor of Communication Arts.

You don't want to miss this event!

Visit

Theodore Roosevelt’s home at Sagamore Hill Gifford Pinchot’s home at Grey Towers John Burrough’s cabin retreat at Slabsides In the company of two of the nation’s leading historic reprisors

A Sense of Wonder is brought to you by Legends of Conservation, a rapidly expanding conservation education organization. Tickets are available at MidMOTix.com.

Hosted by Joe Wiegand T. Roosevelt

Lee Stetson John Muir

legendsofconservation@outlook.com or call 573-368-8393

MARCH - 2019

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2019 EVENTS CFM Media Camp - February 3-6

5th Annual CFM Media Camp at Lilley’s Landing with over 20 outdoor communicators in attendance.

CFM Annual Convention - March 8-10

CFM Annual Convention at the Capitol Plaza Hotel in Jefferson City.

Conservation Day at the Capitol - April 3

Join CFM and over 30 affiliate organizations at the Capitol for a day of promoting and supporting CFM.

Pull for Conservation: Northwest - April 13

CFM teams up with NW Electric Power Cooperative to host the fourth annual sporting clays shoot in Hamilton.

Explore the Outdoors: Kansas City - May 2

Join CFM at Bass Pro Shops in Independence for a fun evening of excitement and entertainment.

Explore the Outdoors: Springfield - June 13

Tour the Wonders of Wildlife Museum and learn more about conservation in Missouri.

Explore the Outdoors: Columbia - July 11

Join CFM at the Bass Pro Shops store in Columbia store for fun and outdoor activities.

Pull for Conservation: Central - August 10

The 13th annual sporting clay shoot returns to River Hills Sporting Clays in Boonville.

Pull for Conservation: Southwest - September 7

Inaugural sporting clay shoot to be held at Ozark Shooters Sporting Complex in Branson.

Affiliate Summit - September 12 & 13

Join us in Jefferson City as gather all our affiliates together for great networking and information.

Explore the Outdoors: St. Louis - October 3

Come see old friends and make new ones at the St. Louis regional event. Location TBD.

Explore the Outdoors: Kirksville - November 7

Be a part of the inaugural event in Kirksville just before firearms deer season.

Member News

CLC Calls for Applications

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t’s that time of year again! High school juniors and seniors, and college students can apply for CFM’s Conservation Leadership Corps (CLC). We are already busy planning for the 2019-2020 school year.

If you know a student interested in making a difference by working to protect our natural resources and being a voice for Missouri outdoors, then CLC is for them. CFM’s Conservation Leadership Corps is an excellent resume builder and a great investment in their future.

CLC’s mission is to engage youth in protecting and sustaining our natural resources while developing the next generation of conservation leaders. CLC provides students the opportunity to learn about and participate in conservation advocacy and policy development, leadership and communication skills.

Students have the unique opportunity to interact and network with all levels of resource professionals in the conservation field from the Missouri Department of Conservation, Department of Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture and many other affiliated conservation organizations.

The CLC program is highly regarded statewide and, for past participants, has led to internship and career opportunities. By volunteering in conservation events and CLC activities throughout the year, members also make lifetime friends.

“We are excited to meet our next class of conservationists that want to get involved and make a difference while gaining valuable skills that will be used in a future workplace,” says Jen Sampsell, CFM’s Education and Outreach Coordinator. “We’re very excited about the growth of the program over the last few years and the increasing opportunities for students.”

Join CLC and make a difference in the future of conservation in Missouri.

Application deadline is May 1st. Learn more and apply at www.confedmo.org/clc. Contact Jen Sampsell at jsampsell@confedmo.org or 573-634-2322 for more information. Please share with someone you think would benefit from this program.

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Member News

See You at Convention

T

he annual convention is upon us and we truly hope that you, as a vocal and supportive member, plan to take part in this monumental event. Convention truly embodies the mission of our outdoor heritage and what our storied organization is all about. Advocacy, Education and Partnerships.

Convention kicks off on Friday evening at the Annual Conservation Awards Ceremony. This is when we honor outstanding accomplishments throughout the past year including the Conservationist of the Year and Conservation Organization of the Year.

Scholarships are also awarded to students. We plan to continue with the Legacy Auction again this year and will auction the collection of Al Vogt’s firearms, with proceeds benefitting the Conservation Leadership Corps (CLC) program.

CLC is comprised of over 40 high school and college age students that attend convention. They spend their time interacting and networking with resource professionals while growing their talents and leadership skills. In addition, they present their resolutions which may be approved by the entire membership on the final day of convention. It is a joy to see the energy and vibrance that they exude over the course of convention.

Saturday morning will start off with updates from agency directors from The Missouri Department of Conservation and Missouri State Parks. The Natural Resource Advisory Committees then break out in their respective meetings. Topics include archery and shooting sports, forests, grasslands and prairies, waterways, wetlands, waterfowl, big game, education, ecology, public and private lands, and upland wildlife.

As you can see there is something for everyone to get involved in, and this is your opportunity as a member to provide input.

Saturday evening concludes at the banquet with the always fun and exciting silent and live auctions.

Many raffles, games, and auctions take place, so there is something for everyone.

The live auction portion of Saturday night is always a hit among the attendees. (Photo: Courtesy of CFM)

Sara Parker Pauley, the Director of the Missouri Department of Conservation will address the crowd during the event. Miss Missouri, (sponsored by the Missouri Trappers Association) plans to be in attendance as well. New this year, we will feature St. James wine and Public House Brewing Company beer both evenings.

Convention culminates on Sunday with the general assembly meeting, followed by the board and business meeting. This is when the resolutions are presented, and then voted on by the members. This is another example of one of the many acts which makes CFM such a strong and powerful voice moving forward, by gaining the collective support of all of our members.

As you can see, there is a lot to see and do at convention this year. An event this large certainly takes a lot of time and effort by many to always pull off such an amazing weekend. The volunteer committee which tirelessly help staff pull this together is comprised of Elizabeth Hannaman - Chair, Mossie Schallon, Ginny Wallace and Bill Kirgan. Plus, there are many volunteers and staff that help when the big weekend gets here. We certainly couldn’t do it without everyone’s help, so thank you very much.

We hope that you have made plans to join us for all, or even part of the weekend, so that you can let your voice be heard throughout the Missouri outdoors.

Register at www.confedmo.org/annual-convention.

Tyler Schwartze

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Feature Story

The Fight Against Feral Hogs

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he Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has tallied up feral hog elimination numbers from January through December 2018.

The final number is 9,365 feral hogs removed from the state’s landscape by MDC, partner agencies, and private landowners. In 2017, 6,561 feral hogs were removed.

MDC and partners have implemented a new strategy to feral hog elimination, dividing the areas where feral hogs are present into elimination areas 1 through 6. Trapping is currently ongoing in each zone. Zone one, near the Harry S. Truman Reservoir and Stockton Lake, is benefiting from a significantly reduced population of feral hogs. The goal continues to be complete elimination of feral hogs from Missouri.

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Mark McLain, MDC’s feral hog elimination team leader, said MDC is partnering with many agricultural and conservation groups, as well as hundreds of private landowners, that are all committed to eliminating feral hogs from Missouri.

Landowners and the public are a crucial element of this effort, especially since most land in Missouri is privately owned.

"With one sounder of hogs capable of damaging 10-25 acres in a single night, feral hogs impact the productivity and profitability of Missouri farmers and ranchers,” said Gary Marshall, chairman of agriculture coalition for Missouri Farmers Care. “The success of MDC and partners reducing hog numbers, especially around the Warsaw area, has provided relief to landowners. We look forward to continued collaboration leading to additional hog population reductions in 2019."

Feature Story “We’ve been very strategic in our efforts, focusing on removal of whole groups of feral hogs at a time, before moving onto another area,” said McLain.

“This strategic approach is important because if we leave even a few feral hogs behind in an area, they can reproduce quickly and put us back where we started.”

McLain said it’s important that the public understand why feral hogs must be eliminated.

“Feral hogs are a destructive, invasive species that don’t belong here; they’re not a native species,” McLain said. “They outcompete native wildlife for habitat and food. For example, places with a lot of feral hogs will see their wild turkey and deer populations diminish.”

McLain said feral hogs are known to carry diseases that could possibly spread to humans, pets, and livestock.

He hopes the message that hunting is not an effective method for eliminating feral hog populations is starting to be better understood across Missouri.

“For over 20 years, unregulated hunting of feral hogs was allowed in Missouri, during which time our feral hog population expanded from a few counties to over 30 counties,” he said.

In 2017, MDC, the Corps of Engineers, and the LAD Foundation established regulations against feral hog hunting on lands owned and managed by these three organizations. Other agencies have passed regulations similar to MDC’s to eliminate hog hunting on land they own.

“A persistent piece of this story is continued illegal releases of feral hogs, which establishes populations and further spreads the problem,” McLain said.

“This is illegal and when caught, those who release feral hogs face hefty fines. Landowners who’ve experienced feral hogs on their land have learned that hunting feral hogs, especially with dogs, pushes them onto neighboring property, which causes problems for their neighbors.

When neighboring landowners try to control feral hogs through hunting, the hogs simply travel back and forth between the properties, escaping and causing more damage. Trapping with no hunting interference is the best method to eliminate them.

Landowners can seek help from MDC and USDA such as technical advice, on-site visits, loaning equipment and training.

Feral hogs are not wildlife and are a serious threat to fish, forests and wildlife as well as agricultural resources.

Feral hogs damage property, agriculture, and natural resources by their aggressive rooting of soil in addition to their trampling and consumption of crops as part of their daily search for food.

Feral hogs have expanded their range in the U.S. from 17 to 38 states over the past 30 years. Their populations grow rapidly because feral hogs can breed any time of year and produce two litters of one to seven piglets every 12 to 15 months.

Feral hogs are also known to carry diseases such as swine brucellosis, pseudorabies, trichinosis and leptospirosis, which are a threat to Missouri agriculture and human health.

To report feral hog sightings or damage, go online to mdc.mo.gov/feralhog MDC and partners have implemented a new strategy to feral hog elimination, dividing the areas where feral hogs are present into elimination areas 1 through 6. Trapping is currently ongoing in each zone.

(Photo: Courtesy of MDC)

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PROFESSIONAL ANGLERS

RUN ON E10

Get the truth about ethanol. www.mocorn.org

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CONSERVATION FEDERATION

Winning takes the right fuel. That’s why every Crappie Masters winning team runs on gasoline blended with 10 percent ethanol. Made in America. Better for the environment.

Higher octane for speed and performance. E10 is the choice of professional anglers on the Crappie Masters Tournament Trail.

MARCH - 2019

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Road trip. We didn’t choose the perfect playlist. Or program the GPS. But we did fuel the car that made you realize there are no wrong turns, only new adventures.

When the energy you invest in life meets the energy we fuel it with, amazing journeys happen.

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CONSERVATION FEDERATION

MARCH - 2019

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CONSERVATION FEDERATION

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FCSF_MCF_FEB_2019.indd 1

1/25/2019 10:21:49 AM

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Feature Story

Favorite Native Plants As spring approaches and we anticipate a world that will soon be filled with green leaves and colorful flowers, you may be dreaming of what will be growing in your yard and beyond. For inspiration and anticipation, I wanted to share some favorite native plants from Missourians connected to our inherited flora.

Carol Davit, Executive Director of the Missouri Prairie Foundation | Favorite Native Plant: Yellow Passion Flower (Passiflora lutea) “Despite my difficulty to pin down a favorite native plant, I will lay claim to yellow passion flower (Passiflora lutea), one of two passion flower species native to Missouri. Our other passion flower is Passiflora incarnata, with the common name simply of passion flower, also called maypops. This is the aggressive vine that can pop up everywhere, with large, dramatic pink/purple flowers.

Yellow passion flower is the more restrained “cousin,” with beautiful bat-wing-like, mottled leaves and wondrous and beguiling flowers: each with a ring of

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reflexed pale yellow petals at the base, overlain with a fringe of the same shade, upon which potter wasps and other pollinators walk in a circle, while pollen from anthers overarching this floral masterpiece adheres to their backs. Despite its rather delicate stature, this vine finds its place, in the wild, between tough glades and woodlands. It also looks lovely on a trellis or fence; in late summer/early fall, dark blue (but inedible to people) berries adorn the stems.

The passion flower family, Passifloreacea, is largely a tropical group of plants, with about 350 species worldwide, yet we are fortunate enough to have yellow passion flower [and the more dramatic relative!] in our state. Both passion flower species are a connection we have to the tropics.”

Feature Story Michelle Gabelsberger, Membership Development Coordinator, Conservation Federation of Missouri | Favorite Native Plant: Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) "My favorite native plant is Purple Coneflower. I have these perennials planted in my flowerbed and they make me smile every year. They bring back childhood memories, when I was at grandfathers homestead, running through the fields of grasses. It was a game to find a patch of the purple flowers in the middle of the field. " Purple coneflowers not only bring vibrant color when in bloom but also host the dark, fuzzy caterpillar of the silvery checkerspot butterfly. This small orange, white, and black butterfly can be abundant in yards with purple coneflowers and other nectar plants. This plant tolerates dry conditions as well as sun to part shade, blooming from June throughout the summer.

Resist deadheading: the dried flowerheads full of seeds attract goldfinches and other seedeaters in fall and winter.

Mitch Leachman, Director of Programs, St. Louis Audubon Society | Favorite Plant: New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) "It happens to be one of my first natives I planted.

But it stays toward the top of my list because it is SO adaptable, growing most anywhere. Fall is one of my favorite times in the yard, in large part because of all the butterflies and bees drawn to the NE Aster flowers. I’ve also enjoyed watching finches take seeds from stems in winter, and this year, I had the pleasure of seeing white-throated sparrows do the same!"

New England aster blooms in mid- to late September and are one of the major nectar plants that fuel monarch butterflies on their migration. If you are worried about its size for your space, cut the stems back 1/3 to 1/2 by late May (or late June if you are in northern Missouri). You will have a bushier, tidier plant with a slightly later bloom time. This plant likes full sun and may need watering in drought.

Bill Rowe, Secretary, Missouri Bird Records Committee | Favorite Native Plant: American Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) "American Sycamore, a tree I always enjoy seeing and admire for its great size (both height and girth) and its dark-to-white bark patterns, making every individual tree unique. Also, it's everywhere along Missouri's rivers and streams and hosts a whole cluster of characteristic birds like the yellow-throated warbler and acadian flycatcher."

While tulip poplars may reach or exceed the height of sycamore trees, they lack the immense trunks and branches that make sycamore trees the most massive tree in eastern North America. To add to their character they sport 1-inch, dried fruit balls from fall into winter. Sycamore trees are the host plant (only plant the caterpillar will eat) for the sycamore tussock moth. They are also a favorite nesting tree of red-tailed hawks and bald eagles. If you know of a red-tail hawks nest from the previous year, take a close look in February through March, as a greathorned owl may have taken an early claim to the nest this year and be sitting on eggs or raising their young.

Mervin Wallace, Owner, Missouri Wildflower Nursery | Favorite Native Plant: Indian Pink (Spigelia marilandica) "Indian Pink has a really nice, rounded shape that grows to around 2 feet and is topped with wonderful blooms in June for about 6 weeks. The foliage lasts through September with sporadic flowers along the way. When people see it they just have to have it."

If you want a hummingbird magnet, Indian Pink fits the bill. This is a stunner that showcases a flare of yellow atop brilliant, red trumpet-shaped flowers.

Indian Pink grows in masses and is favored for beds on the shady side of the house and under trees. The tidy, clump-forming foliage is a glossy green that remains attractive into fall.

Mary Nemececk President of Burroughs Audubon A Gulf fritillary butterfly, a rare summer visitor, sits on a New England aster. (Photo: Mary Nemecek)

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Outdoor News

One of the Old Guard, Norman Leppo, Passed away

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'm sad to announce that one of our fellow Missouri Smallmouth Alliance members, Norman Leppo, passed away at age 91 on Monday, January 14, 2019 due to complications from a fall.

For those of you who never knew him, I can honestly say that his tenacious dedication and work for the MSA were fundamentally important to helping create the MSA we all know and love.

Norman was a dedicated conservationist. He spent countless hours working as an MSA Board Member.

Over the past decade he put his organizational drive to work as an active member of the Conservation Federation of Missouri.

He also loved gardening and spent countless hours in both his home gardens and as a volunteer gardener with Forest Park Forever. Norm was definitely someone who didn't just settle into his easy chair and gently molder away. He led a very active life.

Norman, the stern paddler in the photo above, was also an avid angler who fished throughout the U.S. and Canada. If we get to fish in the afterlife, and I sure hope we do, then I'm sure that Norman is doggedly throwing some of his Panther Martin in search of anything that swims through timeless waters.

Last, but not least, Norman was certainly one of the Greatest Generation and served in the Navy towards the end of WW2. Several years ago Norman shared a story about the time he returned to his Mother's home on leave.

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Norman, in the stern, enjoying a float for smallmouth bass. . (Photo: Courtesy of Matt Weir)

They lived somewhere in the Bay Area and his mother apparently enjoyed a fairly wide social circle made up of other influential members of the community. So, Norman returns home on leave to find that his mother is hosting a large party. As he enters the large living room he sees his mom standing in a circle of people which includes several men in uniform. Her back is turned to him but as he walks into the circle she sees him and says "Norman, honey! I'm so glad you're here. I want to introduce you to Chester, he's in the Navy too!" Chester was, of course, Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz! And yes, he was in the Navy too.

Norman’s daughter, Suzanne, let me know that Norman's memorial service is scheduled sometime in April and I'll certainly share that info with you as soon as I have it.

Matt Weir

Outdoor News

Bass Pro Shops-Cabela’s Announces New President

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ass Pro Shops founder/CEO Johnny Morris announced today that Michael P. McDermott will be appointed as President Omni-Channel Retail for Bass Pro Shops - Cabela’s. McDermott will replace longtime President Jim Hagale and will begin immediately.

“I want to begin this announcement by proudly and gratefully saluting our outgoing President, Jim Hagale. Jim steadfastly served our company, our people and our customers for almost 17 years and made an immeasurable positive impact,” stated Johnny Morris.

His wisdom, devotion to customers and love of the outdoors made him an ideal leader for Bass Pro. Just one of countless examples, Hagale played the pivotal role working with the city of Memphis to transform the Pyramid sports arena into Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid, one of the largest and most immersive retail stores in the world. Jim also served the vital role as Chief Integration Officer, helping to unite the two iconic outdoor brands Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s.

McDermott’s appointment marks the beginning of an exciting new era for the company. As everyone knows, the retail sector is undergoing unprecedented and meteoric change. Since founding Bass Pro Shops in an eight-square foot space in the back of his father’s Brown Derby liquor store in Springfield, MO, Johnny Morris has been a true American pioneer in outdoor retail.

This same forward-looking pioneering spirit helped to establish the priority skill sets in the search for a new president. The next leader would need deep retail experience with a major company. He or she had to have a strong financial background, a proven record of growing sales and meeting budgets, a love of the outdoors, embrace the founder’s commitment to conservation, and have personal ethics and values consistent with the company’s mission. Most of all, our new president needed a passion for serving customers. Mike McDermott checked every box.

Bass Pro Shops founder/CEO Johnny Morris flanked by Jim Hagale (left) and Mike McDermott (right). (Photo: Courtesy of Bass Pro Shops)

For the last five years, McDermott held multiple high level positions at Lowe’s, one of the world’s leading retailers, a $70 billion Fortune 47 company with 310,000 employees. Lowe’s serves more than 25 million.

“The success of Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s is based on exceptional customer service, great products and highly creative marketing. That’s Mike’s wheelhouse.

Mike is a humble man of great character who will be true to our core values while leading us to new heights in full-spectrum Omni Channel to maintain our position of leadership. Mike has earned a reputation of being a good listener and we are truly honored to have such an experienced, yet down-toearth, customer focused leader join our company,” Morris stated.

“I couldn’t be more excited or honored than I am today,” McDermott said. “To join Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s and have the opportunity to work with the outdoor retail visionary, Johnny Morris, and the tens of thousands of wonderful outfitters and team members is a dream come true. I have always believed that nothing in business is more important than putting the customer at the center of everything, and I’m thrilled to be joining a company that has set the standard for customer experience.”

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Feature Story

Turkeys by Proxy

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don’t recall exactly when I started deriving more pleasure from game shot by others than from animals I bagged myself. I suppose it was inevitable that the switch to proxy hunting would begin with the wild turkey, whose pursuit offers rewards too abundant and varied for one person to enjoy properly. The current spring turkey season is a good example.

You might think that Missouri’s three-week turkey season would be enough for any sensible person. But turkey hunters are not a sensible lot. Most of the ones I know extend the fun by scouting birds they plan to hunt days or weeks before opening day.

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I started this year’s turkey season a week before opening day, shadowing a tight-lipped gobbler that had been roosting with five hens about a quarter mile southwest of my back door. His presence was indicated as much by history as by observation. His voice only wafted through my open bedroom window twice, but the biggest, baddest gobbler in our area always roosts in that spot. A gobble or two was all I needed by way of confirmation.

I had him pegged. He and his hens were on an unusual pattern. Thanks to the fact that my neighbor had cattle in all three pastures that ordinarily were the birds’ landing strips. With dozens of large ungulates cluttering their runway, the yard birds were flying down into the woods and heading north through the woods behind my house.

Feature Story Opening morning found me snuggled against the trunk of a red oak 50 yards from my back door. My ghillie suit rendered me virtually invisible. I have never owned such outlandish garb before this year, but I also have never before hunted turkeys with a crossbow. I thought I could use the added edge if I was going to be poking a 2X4 up to shoot. (I could have used a ground blind, but that violates my personal definition of fair chase unless I’m teaching a wiggly kid to hunt.)

A light ground fog shrouded the tree trunks at dawn, and my bird issued his first challenge at 5:48 a.m., precisely as he had done the previous morning. He was on the ground by 6:20, and he and his entourage came straight to my calls. I know he wasn’t merely following the hens, because his was the first head to appear over the slight rise 25 yards in front of me. I had him dead to rights, but I was holding out for a jake.

“What?!” you might be thinking. Here is where the proxy hunting comes in. This particular tom is the only active gobbler in the area where I have permission to hunt around home. I’m saving him for my son-in-law, Major Dwight O. Smith, U.S. Army-Ret. The “Ret.” part is brand new – like two weeks ago. After multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, Dwight left his band of brothers for civilian life. Naturally, I’m grateful for his service, but I’m doubly grateful that my daughter’s husband will be with her, out of harm’s way – or at least as much as you can be out of harm’s way with Beth!

Fortunately, I have another proxy-hunting option.

More than 20 years ago, I met a young man who needed an outdoor mentor. His family are fine folks, but they don’t happen to be interested in hunting and fishing.

Scott Gerlt was more than interested. He was obsessed.

I knew the symptoms from my own youth. So Scott and I became hunting partners. On balance, I sure have benefitted more from our relationship than he has. Not only have I rediscovered the excitement of first-time outdoor experiences through Scott’s eyes, I now have someone to teach me about fly fishing. More important, he calls me and gets me to go do things I wouldn’t on my own.

As the first weekend of turkey season approached, Scott called and asked if I wanted to hunt with him. I did. But since I was saving my yard bird for Dwight, I did something I wouldn’t have done otherwise. I called friends in southern Cole County and asked if Scott and I could hunt their 400 acres of prime habitat. “Come on down,” they said.

Tom and Susie Schulz have carried on the work her father, groundbreaking quail biologist Jack Stanford, started on their farm. They have made it a paradise for game from quail and woodcock to deer and turkey.

Scott and I were there well before dawn, standing in a tunnel-like logging road, when the gobbling began.

Our gobbler came to us in textbook fashion. He moved perpendicular to a line between his roost and our calling until he hit the logging road, then turned our way.

We spotted him at about 70 yards, parading back and forth as if in a shooting gallery. Both our hearts were thumping like trip hammers. That part of the hunt never changes, never gets old. What a thrill.

It took 30 minutes of judicious calling to break the gobbler loose and another 15 minutes to lure him another 30 yards down the path. When the gobbler turned his back to show off his fan, I whispered to Scott to get his shotgun up. “Don’t you want to shoot him,” he asked. That’s Scott, always considerate. “No,” I whispered, “I’d rather see you shoot him,” which was the plain truth.

A well-placed 3-inch load of buffered No. 6 lead shot ended the gobbler’s earthly travail. I’ve shot bigger gobblers, but I have never enjoyed a hunt more, except for the first birds I have helped other new hunters kill.

I was out in our back 40 this morning shadowing the yard bird. The cattle are in a different pasture now, and the big tom has moved his base of operations, abandoning not only his travel route but his roost as well. Seems like the occupant of that roost does the same thing about this time every spring. It makes hunting him next to impossible, due to topography. But I wouldn’t want Dwight’s first turkey hunt to be too easy. He’d get the wrong idea about the sport, and I have a feeling he will take to the challenge.

When he does shoot his first gobbler, I will commemorate the event with a First Turkey Certificate generated from the Conservation Department’s website.

I’ll probably be prouder of it than he is.

Jim Low Scott Gerlt Telechecks his gobbler before heading home. (Photo: Jim Low)

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Agency News

MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION MDC Testing Reveals More Deer With Deadly CWD

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he Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reports 28 more deer from 11 Missouri counties have been found to have chronic wasting disease (CWD). This brings the number of cases of the deadly deer disease in Missouri to 103 since 2012.

CWD is a deadly illness in white-tailed deer and other members of the deer family, called cervids.

CWD is spread from deer to deer through direct contact and through contact with soil, food, and water that have been contaminated through feces, urine, saliva, or carcasses of infected deer. CWD kills all deer and other cervids it infects. Learn more at mdc.mo.gov/cwd.

The CWD-positive deer were from the following counties: Adair (2), Crawford (1), Franklin (5), Jefferson (1), Linn (2), Macon (4), Mercer (1), Oregon (3), Ste Genevieve (7), Stone (1), and Taney (1).

The results come after MDC collected tissue samples for CWD testing from more than 28,000 deer over this past summer and throughout the fall deerhunting season. That number includes more than 20,000 tissue samples collected during MDC’s “mandatory CWD sampling” during the opening weekend of the fall firearms deer season.

During the weekend, MDC staff collected tissue samples from deer harvested by hunters in 31 counties in or near where the disease has already been found. The number also includes more than 8,000 tissue samples collected from hunterharvested deer through MDC’s statewide voluntary CWD-sampling efforts during the past deer season, road-killed deer, and “sick-looking” deer reported to MDC. “Eight of the CWD detections were from hunterharvested deer sampled by taxidermists or meat processors, who are all very important partners in helping us find cases of CWD,” said MDC Wildlife Disease Coordinator Jasmine Batten.

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MDC staff collect lymph nodes from a harvested buck for CWD testing during MDC’s mandatory sampling effort during the opening weekend of the fall firearms deer season. MDC has found 28 new cases of CWD from 11 counties and is now focusing on reducing the spread of the disease from those areas. (Photo: Courtesy of MDC)

“Of the remaining 20 positives, 15 were from hunter-harvested deer sampled at our mandatory sampling stations, four were from hunter-harvested deer sampled by MDC staff outside of opening weekend through our voluntary sampling program, and one was from a found dead deer,” Batten said.

Batten added that CWD was detected in four new areas of the state this season: • Southwest Missouri in northeast Stone County near Reeds Spring; • Southwest Missouri in southern Taney County on Drury-Mincy Conservation Area; • Southeast Missouri in west-central Oregon County near Alton; and • North- Central Missouri in Mercer County north of Mercer approximately two miles from the Iowa border.

Agency News MDC noted that hundreds of cases of CWD have been found in northwest Arkansas bordering southern Missouri, and CWD has also been found in Wayne County, Iowa, which borders northern Missouri.

“In the new areas, the number of CWD positives is low, indicating the disease was likely recently introduced in those locations,” explained Batten.

“Overall, where CWD occurs throughout the state, the number of infected deer also remains low, which indicates that CWD is relatively rare in the state – and we want to keep it that way. If left unchecked, CWD could dramatically decrease the overall health and number of deer in Missouri over time.”

MDC has tested nearly 130,000 deer for CWD since it began its efforts in 2001. For the most current CWD numbers and more information, visit the MDC website at mdc.mo.gov/cwd under “CWD in Missouri.”

Next steps - Managing CWD through targeted culling MDC is now focusing on managing CWD in the immediate areas where new and recent cases of the disease have been found. MDC staff are again working with landowners on a voluntary basis through mid-March in the immediate areas (approximately 1-2 square miles) around where recent cases of CWD have been found to harvest and test additional deer for the disease.

“Post-season targeted culling is a proven method of slowing the growth of CWD in a local deer population and, as a result, minimizing the accumulation of CWD in the local environment,” said Batten.

She added that MDC is modeling this management approach after similar effective efforts in Illinois.

“Illinois is showing success in stabilizing CWD prevalence through targeted culling and reports a steady 1% prevalence statewide over time,” Batten said. “In contrast, since stopping its targeted-culling management efforts in 2007, the state of Wisconsin continues to see a steady increase in CWD prevalence. Some local areas of southwest Wisconsin are seeing over 50% of adult bucks with the disease.”

MDC staff and participating landowners have taken a total of about 4,600 deer through targeted culling since the Department began the effort several years ago. Post-season targeted culling accounts for just approximately 4% of all CWD samples MDC has collected so far but has resulted in finding almost half of all CWD cases in Missouri.

Batten added that deer harvested through targeted culling that do not test positive for CWD are offered to the participating landowners or donated to the Share the Harvest Program for local food banks and food pantries. Deer that test positive for CWD are properly disposed of by MDC staff or meat processors.

Learn more about MDC’s efforts at mdc.mo.gov/cwd under “Post-Season Targeted Culling.”

Areas in red show current post-season-targeted culling. Gray sections show past areas of targeted culling. (Photo: Courtesy of MDC)

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Agency News

MDC Reports Final Deer Harvest For Season More Than 290,300

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issouri's 2018-2019 deer-hunting season ended Jan. 15 with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reporting a preliminary total harvest of 290,339 deer.

Top counties for the overall season were Franklin with 5,826 deer harvested, Callaway with 5,545, and Howell with 5,350. Of the 290,339 deer harvested, 136,776 were antlered bucks, 30,116 were button bucks, and 123,447 were does.

Hunters harvested 284,477 deer during the 20172018 deer hunting season. The most recent record season was in 2012-2013 with a total harvest of 313,254.

Deer hunting ended with the close of the archery season. Preliminary data from MDC showed that hunters checked 54,447 deer during the archery season. Top counties for the archery season were Jefferson with 1,262 deer harvested, St. Louis with 1,083, and Franklin with 1,068. Hunters checked 51,991 deer during the 2017-2018 archery season.

Fall archery turkey hunting also ended Jan. 15.

Preliminary data from MDC showed 2,095 turkeys harvested. Top counties for the archery turkey season were Callaway with 56 birds harvested, Franklin with 44, and Monroe with 38. For the previous year, hunters harvested 2,426 turkeys during the fall archery season.

Get more deer and turkey harvest data for the current season at short.mdc.mo.gov/Z3g. Get deer harvest data for past seasons at short.mdc.mo.gov/ Z3M. Get turkey harvest data for past seasons at short.mdc.mo.gov/Z3Y.

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Missouri's 2018-2019 deer-hunting season ended Jan. 15 with MDC reporting a preliminary total harvest of 290,339 deer. Of the deer harvested, 136,776 were antlered bucks, 30,116 were button bucks, and 123,447 were does. (Photo: Courtesy MDC)

Conservation makes Missouri a great place to hunt deer and turkey. For more information, go online to huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/.

MDC reported eight firearms-related hunting incidents during the 2018 fall deer and turkey hunting seasons. Three were fatalities with two occurring incidental to hunting while at hunting camps and one was a self-inflicted incident in the field. Of the five non-fatal incidents, four were selfinflicted and the fifth occurred when the shooter shot a victim while swinging on game.

Agency News Spotlight on Missouri State Parks – Battle of Pilot Knob State Historic Site

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oday, the Arcadia Valley in Iron County is a peaceful setting in one of Missouri’s most scenic areas. But in September 1864, the valley was the scene of one of the largest and most hard-fought battles waged on the state’s soil – the Battle of Pilot Knob. During the battle, Confederate Maj. Gen. Sterling Price led and army of 8,000 men against the Union post of Fort Davidson at Pilot Knob.

Battle of Pilot Knob State Historic Site is located in southeast Missouri at 118 E. Maple St. in Pilot Knob.

The site preserves Fort Davidson and the battlefield where so many Confederate and Union soldiers lost their lives. A visitor center and museum interprets the conflict with exhibits, audiovisual presentations and a fiber optics diorama of the battle.

This year, the historic site’s museum will include a rotating exhibit of artifacts relating to the site made possible by Missouri Humanities Council.

March – April: Visit the “Why This Valley” display.

Long before an important Civil War Battle was fought in the Arcadia Valley, it was an abundant source of natural resources needed as a young nation grew and expanded into new territory. Vast deposits of iron ore and timber attracted miners, loggers and settlers beginning in the early 1800s.

The historic site has in its library numerous interesting artifacts pertaining to this valley’s natural resources and their uses in the 1800s and early 1900s.

May – June: Learn more about the “Dropped and Found” items. During the heat of the battle many items were dropped and not recovered. Decades later these items were found by people not only here at the battle site but all over the Arcadia Valley.

Bullets, belt buckles, coat buttons and many other items will be on display.

Visitors walk by the cannons located at Pilot Knob battlefield; photo courtesy of Missouri State Parks. (Photo: Courtesy MO State Parks)

July – August: Can you “Guess What This Is?” Much like we are always looking for the best new App for our phones, people from this era were always on the lookout for ingenious ways to accomplish a task or make one easier. Visitors can view unique items pertaining to the battle and the history of the valley and venture a guess as to what they are and what the items were used for.

September – October: View “Before the Fort,” which highlights Native American life in the valley before European settlement. Long before European explorers and settlers moved into the valley, the rich land and natural resources attracted the first people to the valley. Native Americans had a vibrant trade system amongst the tribes. Come view artifacts ranging from crude scrappers to intricate points and knives made from local and imported stone.

November – December: “Remembering the Past” exhibit features the many ways people choose to remember the Battle of Pilot Knob and its historic significance in the people’s lives in the Arcadia Valley and its influence to the Civil War. While visiting the Arcadia Valley, be sure to stop at other Missouri state parks and sites in the area including Elephant Rocks, Johnson’s Shut-Ins, Taum Sauk Mountain and St. Joe state parks and Missouri Mines State Historic Site. To learn more about Battle of Pilot Knob State Historic Site, visit mostateparks. com or call 800-334-6946.

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Outdoor News

Exploring “The Great Rivers State” with Paddle MO in 2019

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issouri is known as the “Show-Me” State. But did you know that Missouri also has “The Great Rivers State” as an official slogan?

In 2012, Stream Teams United worked with river enthusiasts to establish “The Great Rivers State” as an official slogan for Missouri. On Friday, May 18th, 2012, a Senate Resolution (SCR 17) passed, recognizing our state’s rich river heritage, and giving Missouri the state slogan: “The Great Rivers State.”

We have 115,000 miles of streams in Missouri and an incredibly diverse array of streams, due to the geological history of different regions of our state. From historically prairie streams in northern Missouri, to spring-fed streams of the Ozarks, to lowland streams in the bootheel, to the nation’s two biggest rivers helping to form the boundaries of our state, Missouri has a diversity of streams and aquatic life that are truly a state treasure. Stream Teams are key to preserving and caring for this state treasure.

This year, Stream Teams United will host the 4th annual Paddle MO adventure from Sept. 21-25, 2019. Paddle MO is a one-of-a-kind river experience.

Participants journey down the last 100 miles of the Missouri River with a team of river experts. The 5-day trip begins at Hermann, MO and ends a mile past the confluence with the Mississippi River, which allows participants to experience floating through the confluence of these two great rivers.

Paddle MO is not a race. We launch around 9:30 in the morning and are off the river around 4:30 pm each day. We break at islands and towns along the way. The group is led by American Canoe Association certified instructors and accompanied by a safety boat provided by Missouri River Relief.

Education stations along the river are taught by experts in their field of study. Paddlers receive delicious catered meals from local sources, farm-totable eateries, and dine in historic restaurants along the river - including one evening at a winery.

Attendees enjoy the annual Paddle MO adventure. (Photo: Courtesy of Stream Teams United)

Many Missourians have driven over the Missouri River countless times, but most Missourians have never experienced being on this historical river. By providing a support team and group atmosphere, Paddle MO reduces the intimidation that a person may have floating on a big river like the Missouri.

Experience varies among paddlers. Most paddlers have basic paddling experience but have never floated on the Missouri River.

Paddle MO registration is now open to the public at www.paddlemo.org/register, and Early Bird prices will be available until the end of April. To learn more about the trip, visit www.paddlemo.org or contact me at mary@streamteamsunited.org or at 573-586-0747.

In 2019, I hope you can find time to paddle, enjoy, and celebrate Missouri, “The Great Rivers State.”

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Feature Story

A Journey to Remember

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Feature Story

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ovember 6, 1818 dawned cool, clear and pure; it was going to be a perfect fall day in the Missouri territory. A gentle breeze blew from the southwest and the dried oak leaves crunched as they walked up the hill. Upon reaching the summit Henry Rowe Schoolcraft and Levi Pettibone took one last look at the valley that lay below.

Perhaps it was dreams of these deposits, and his reporting on them that he thought would lead to his appointment as a mining superintendent of the territory. It was social status and wealth that he sought, but no matter the reason, it was surely fortitude and perseverance that would spur him on through the coming hardship and hunger.

The small hamlet of Mine á Breton (present day Potosi) had smoking chimneys and lead smelters drifted smoke to the north. As they turned from the view they looked west; behind them laid Schoolcraft’s unfortunate business failure, but in front of them lay a vast untamed Ozark wilderness rich with the promise of a fresh start.

Schoolcraft recruited Pettibone to accompany him on his journey across the Ozarks. They led one pack horse and outfitted themselves as Schoolcraft described, “clothed and equipped in the manner of the hunter.” They both carried fowling pieces, smooth bore flint locks, and the equivalent of a 12-gauge shotgun today. Their rations consisted of some dried meat, biscuits, tea, coffee, corn meal, salt and sugar. Most of which would be ruined later in the journey when they misjudged depth in crossing the North Fork River.

Born in 1793 in Albany County New York, Schoolcraft was the son of a glassmaker. He attended Union College at the age of 15 and later Middlebury College where he became interested in geology and mineralogy.

He followed in his father’s footsteps by learning the glassmaking business, but by 1818, at the age of 25 with business interests failing in New York, he left and headed west to the expanding frontier.

The Missouri territory was a land of potential wealth and rich in natural resources such as minerals and timber, both important to a growing nation. Most of the frontier settlements had initially sprung up along the major waterways; the Mississippi, Missouri, White, Osage, Current and Gasconade, which left much of the interior of the territory open to exploration and expansion.

In August of 1818, after traveling down the Ohio River and across the open prairies of Illinois, Schoolcraft found himself in Mine á Breton. He soon began reporting on the mining efforts that were taking place to extract the valuable lead ore.

No doubt, Schoolcraft gained valuable knowledge while staying at the home of Moses Austin. Through his contacts with business owners, miners, hunters and backwoodsman, Schoolcraft learned of potential lead deposits near today’s Springfield, Missouri along the banks of the James River.

Schoolcraft now began his journey with the following journal entry, “I begin my tour where other travelers have ended theirs, on the confines of the wilderness.”

Schoolcraft remarked that they were “unacquainted with the hunter’s art of traveling in the woods” and of such things as hobbling a horse, building a campfire, cooking venison or even boiling a pot of coffee. No matter the lack of knowledge, at the age of 25, Schoolcraft’s youthful enthusiasm and eagerness to succeed made up for it.

They traveled for days in a south-westerly direction across the Courtois and Huzzah rivers, and then the upper Meramec and up onto the Salem Plateau. Their journey took them along rocky sterile ridges and glades.

Wildlife was often scattered by their advance.

Schoolcraft writes frequently about seeing abundant wildlife including elk, bear, deer, turkey, bison, mountain lions, ducks, geese, swans, quail, prairie hen (prairie chicken), beaver, squirrel and wolves.

On November 12th after crossing the Current River they reached Ashley’s Cave. As the weather began to change to rain and confined to the cave, they explored its passages, where several years prior Colonel William Ashley had mined salt peter for the making of black powder. As the weather improved, Schoolcraft and Pettibone left the shelter of the cave and continued their journey toward the south-west through today’s Texas County and crossed the Big Piney River south of present day Houston.

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Feature Story Before leaving the area of the Little Piney Creek west of Houston Schoolcraft and Pettibone encountered an opportunity to get some much-needed protein. Having brought along only flintlock smooth bore fowlers they lacked the range of a good rifle and were unable to take larger game, but this didn’t stop them from trying.

Tying their pack horse to a tree, they rammed additional lead balls on top of the charges already in their guns.

The explorers, now turned bear hunters, ran as fast as they could towards the bears. Since the country was open, the bears easily saw their approach and began to make their escape. As the last bear reached the ground Schoolcraft pulled his trigger, but as the bear took flight through the tall grass and over the horizon they knew they had been unsuccessful.

Now the two altered their course from southwest to south and headed down the North Fork River.

Schoolcraft was aware of settlements of hunters along the White River in present day Arkansas. Having ruined most of their supplies and gun powder in failed river crossings, Schoolcraft was eager to resupply.

The realization had now set in that supplies had been exhausted and they no longer carried lead ammunition for their firearms. They stashed their baggage and turned the horse loose wearing a bell, hoping later to return and find both.

Within three days Schoolcraft and Pettibone found what they had been looking for: a well-worn horse path leading to a one-room cabin inhabited by a family named Wells on Bennet’s Bayou in present day Baxter County Arkansas. Here they replenished supplies and traded information with the inhabitants. Inside the cabin he observed “around the walls of the room hung the horns of deer and buffaloe, rifles, shot pouches, leather coats, dried meat and other articles composing the wardrobe, smoke house and magazine of our host”.

Schoolcraft and Pettibone walked in a westerly direction towards the White River and over the next seven days visited at local hunters’ cabins until they reached the area of present day Forsyth, Missouri. Here they stayed with two families by the last names of Holt and Fisher.

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While at the Beaver Creek Settlement Holt and Fisher agreed to guide Schoolcraft and Pettibone north towards the lead deposits on the James River, but not until they had traveled downstream 100 miles to buy corn for their families. While the hunters attended to their supply mission, Schoolcraft and Pettibone helped around the homestead.

They engaged themselves in finishing a roof on a log cabin, clearing fields, chopping wood and repairing clothing. Schoolcraft even served as a frontier doctor by administering to a sick child and a pregnant wife. He noted, “before I left their cabins, I dealt out all my pills, and acquired the reputation of being a great doctor.”

On Friday, January 1st, 1819, after 56 days of hardship and near starvation, the group reached the area of the lead deposits at the confluence of Pearson Creek and the James River near present day Springfield. They soon erected a snug camp in time for the weather to turn cold and the river to begin freezing. Holt and Fisher requested more ammunition for their rifles, so a small furnace was made and the group smelted lead from the ore.

While engaged at the “mines” the hunters also continued to hunt in the area and killed six turkeys, two wolves and two deer. Schoolcraft explored the prairie land immediately west of the lead deposit, today the southern portion of the City of Springfield, and wrote in detail about its suitability for the formation of a town.

Their goal of reaching the lead deposits complete, Schoolcraft and Pettibone began to retrace their steps heading down the White River in a dugout canoe. For the journey ahead, they stocked their boat with “bear’s meat smoked, dried venison, corn-bread, and salt” and with a shove of the boat into the current and the well wishes of the hunters’ families they were off.

They traveled quickly down the White with the current which Schoolcraft estimated at 3 to 4 miles per hour, reaching Poke Bayou near present day Batesville, Arkansas on January 18th. Here they left the river and headed northeast paralleling the Black River, crossing familiar streams like the Current, Little Black and then finally the St. Francis. On Thursday, February 4th, 1819 at approximately 3pm Schoolcraft arrived back at the small hamlet of Potosi.

Feature Story

His Ozarks journey was complete, having traveled 900 miles on foot, by canoe, alongside Pettibone and sometimes alone, through harsh winter weather in freezing conditions and often with want of food. They traveled a landscape unknown to others, except the native and the lonesome hunter.

For the modern reader, Schoolcraft’s words give us a glimpse of Ozark life, its inhabitants and its natural condition. With a little imagination, we can see what our world was like then, and perhaps, what it could be again.

Brian D. Flowers Missouri Department of Conservation (Cover) Schoolcraft and Pettibone were outfitted similar to this on their voyage. (Photo: Courtesy of Robert Hemmelgarn of MDC) (Top) A tour map of Henry Rowe Schoolcraft through the interior of Missouri and Arkansas. (Photo: Jim Harlan of the Geographic Resources Center Department of Geography at the University of Missouri-Columbia)

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Feature Story

What Happened to the Good Old Lures?

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ad was reeling and laughing like a kid; the largemouth bass he hooked was alternately jumping and diving under the boat. Neither my brother Stan nor I were any help because it was the first time we had been fishing in a boat.

This fond memory took place on LaPlata Lake in northeastern Missouri in the 1940s. Dad had been fishing with a Diamond Jim and having no luck, he switched to a minnow-shaped rotating lead lure and the bass hit on the first cast.

It seemed odd to me that the bass had rejected the Diamond Jim because it slithered through the water, undulating seductively from side-to-side like a slender minnow. But that as they say, is fishing.

Some of my fondest fishing memories are attached to teen and pre-teen years. Living on a farm automatically caused our family to focus on outdoor activities for work and recreation. Hunting and fishing were a way of life but fishing was my favorite.

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Feature Story When I was old enough to have my own rod, I enjoyed biking to Salt River and nearby farm ponds to pester bluegills and torment bass. River bluegills were especially fond of flies I made with my own hair. A snip with the scissors provided enough hair for two or three flies. A little thread, Mom’s nail polish, small hooks, and a few minutes later my fake insects were ready to tease bluegills.

Farm pond bass were another matter; they mostly ignored my best efforts. Not for lack of effort, because it was tough biking down gravel roads to nearby farm ponds with a rod and small tackle box across the handlebars. More often than not, my Heddon River Runt, Meadow Mouse or Arbogast Jitterbug came back unmolested but my enthusiasm never diminished.

Another time, when I was old enough to have a spincast rod, Dad and I were fishing a small reservoir near Kirksville. It had rained during the night making every small cove muddy. We did not have access to a boat so we walked the shoreline casting River Runts without success.

We encountered another angler and saw four large bass on a stringer fastened to his belt. Questioning him about his good fortune seemed to be a compliment so he was happy to share the news about his ‘secret’ buck-tailed Shannon Twin Spinner.

A quick trip to the tackle stores in town yielded nothing. It seemed everyone in the county knew about the Shannon Twin Spinner and the stores were sold out. Our disappointment was so great we went home instead of returning to the lake.

One of my best memories is of the 6-pound, 10-ounce largemouth I caught from a farm pond in Adair County near Brashear. It hit my frog-colored Lazy Ike on the first cast and promptly buried itself in a small patch of moss. Dad pulled off his shoes and waded into the pond to help land the fish.

Arbogast’s Hula Popper and Jitterbug were hot surface lures as was Heddon’s Crazy Crawler, Meadow Mouse and Torpedo. Popular sub-surface lures included Creek Chub’s Pikie, Heddon’s River Runt, Helin’s Flatfish, Kautzky’s Lazy Ike and South Bend’s Bass O Reno.

In the 1950s, most lures or ‘plugs’ as we called them, cost $.95 to $1.25. Rods were tubular metal and the handle on level wind reels spun backward when cast; freespool had not been invented.

Technology greatly improved fishing tackle from 1960 through 1980, rods became lighter, level wind reels were easier to cast and monofilament line became the standard. Plugs became lures with category names like crankbait, jerkbait, propbait and vibrating bait.

Some had alphabet names like Bagley B, Cordell Big O, Norman’s N Series, Rebel’s R Series and Rogers’ Big J (Jim).

Jim Bagley’s B and Cordell’s Big O were handmade from balsa and in such demand by tournament anglers of the 1970s that tackle shops could not keep them in stock. Black market prices of $75 each or rentals for $20 a day with a $100 deposit were commonplace.

‘Rubber worms’ became softer with new plastics, touting their own categories like auger-tail, finesse and paddle tail. Mann’s Jelly Worm started a trend that evolved to the injection salt and proprietary flavors like Berkley’s Gulp and a host of others.

Today, lure technology uses internal weights for casting and sound, realistic finish and eyes, and computer-designed actions to imitate baitfish. Costs have escalated with technological advances. Today’s retail prices have gone from $1.00 in the 1960s to as much as $40.00 for the Duel Hardcore Ninja Twitch'n Glider Swimbait. If that seems expensive, the Bass Pro Shops online catalog lists 54 lures between $15 and $23.

In an era where anglers are constantly chasing something new, maybe its time to revive oldtimers like the Crazy Crawler, River Runt or Lazy Ike. These ‘oldies’ are proven winners, many are still manufactured, and tournament pros admit to occasionally sneaking in a few casts with them.

Darrell Taylor The author’s wife Marjorie and his father with a stringer of bluegill and bass they caught from a small farm pond in Adair County in 1966 using a River Runt and nightcrawlers. (Photo: Darrell Taylor)

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Feature Story

Marvelous Mill Creek

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issourians were the first in the nation to realize that forests, fish and wildlife were too precious to trust to the partisan tugof-war that goes on state legislatures. In response to chronic mismanagement of their wild resources, they set up a citizen-led system of conservation governance that remains a model for other states to aspire to.

The only drawback with our system is that it can only maintain and enhance resources on the 1.6 million acres that the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) owns or manages. If you add the 1.5 million acres of the Mark Twain National Forest and the relatively small holdings in state parks and national wildlife refuges, Missouri has something like 2.6 million acres under public stewardship.

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CONSERVATION FEDERATION

That sounds like a lot, but it is only 6 percent of the state’s land area. No matter how good a job government agencies do on their tiny sliver of land, efforts to maintain the state’s natural resources clearly are going to be won or lost on private land.

In spite of the wonderful conservation legacy we received from our forebears, conservation remains the job of everyday people who treasure the natural world and the physical and spiritual renewal they find outdoors. And here I finally get to today’s subject, Mill Creek.

Historically, this small stream southwest of Rolla was a little piece of Eden. The stream corridor is chockablock with springs. In fact, if you look carefully you discover that the entire valley is one big spring. Almost every square foot has water seeping out of it.

Feature Story Before European settlement much of the valley was what ecologists call a muck fen – land so boggy you couldn’t walk through it. And meandering down through the middle was a cold, clear stream made for trout.

God neglected to include trout in Missouri’s native fauna, but humans corrected that oversight as early as the mid-1800s, stocking Mill Creek and other spring-fed streams near railroad lines with rainbow trout hauled in from the West Coast. The descendants of those first trout continue to thrive in Mill Creek.

The creek also received brown trout stockings in the 1940s.

So far so good. But not all human endeavors in the Mill Creek watershed have been so benign. Early on, people began “improving” Mill Creek by draining its life-giving wetlands, building roads and towns and damming the creek itself. This tended to make the once free-flowing creek more sluggish and increase its water temperature. Still, the creek’s potential remained clear to see. Eventually, farsighted individuals and groups who recognized how special the creek was coalesced to form the Friends of Mill Creek (FMC).

Formed in 1997, FMC is a volunteer, communitybased organization that supports landowners in rehabilitating Mill Creek. Members include landowners, government agencies and corporate sponsors. At first glance, FMC might seem to be composed of people and groups with conflicting interests. The organization’s genius lies in focusing on shared goals and values rather than differences.

MDC has designated Mill Creek as one of only six Blue Ribbon Trout Streams in the state. These areas are so designated because of their high potential for producing trophy-sized trout. Most of the fish you catch will be 7 to 10 inches, but this is one of the few places in Missouri where you can be sure that trout18 inches or larger are present. It isn’t easy to fool these wild fish, but the thrill of having one rise to your fly is indescribable.

I could go on forever about Mill Creek and FMC, but I think you get the idea. The best way to understand their significance is fish the creek. To get there, take I-44 to the Doolittle exit west of Rolla and turn south on Highway T. Drive through Newburg and across Little Piney Creek, then turn right on Highway P and watch for the Mill Creek Recreation Area sign on the left. Take Phelps County Road 7550 to a picnic area.

The fishing from here on upstream is pretty good, though you will find casting space tight in some areas. If you drive on past the picnic area on CR 7550 you will come to Highway AA. Turn left and AA will take you to a sign for Pitts Pond, which is fed by Wilkins Spring. Parking is available on the left just after crossing a concrete slab bridge. Yelton Spring is upstream from here. MDC’s Bohigian Conservation Area has access points on both AA and the Forest.

The fishing begins at Yelton Spring and extends down to Little Piney Creek, but the best water is below Wilkins Spring, which dumps around 3 million gallons of water per day into the creek. Fishing upstream of the bridge is occasionally impossible, as Yelton Spring tends to go dry in the summer.

Jim Low (Left) Mill Creek can be accessed through the National Forest.

(Photo: Jim Low) (Top) Mill Creek is a beautiful little trout stream. (Photo: Jim Low)

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Feature Story

Fishing for Missouri "Jack Salmon"

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any years ago during a beautiful spring in the Missouri Ozarks a good friend of mine, Bob Nelson, invited me to go fishing with him for a fish he called the “Jack Salmon”. I had never heard of such a fish so I went along mainly out of curiosity.

He took me north to Stockton Lake and a creek called Turnback. We walked up creek and found this fish with the funny name as they headed upstream to spawn. Casting spinner rigs and spoons the fight was a whole lot of fun in the swift water. We caught our limit and the fish weren’t the only thing hooked that day.

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CONSERVATION FEDERATION

Just when I thought this special day was over and it couldn’t get any better it wasn’t. Bob fileted the fish, started a campfire on a gravel bar, pulled a cast iron skillet from his truck, added some lard, cut up some potatoes and onions, opened a can of beans, covered the filets with cornmeal and cooked up a meal I still remember over 40 years later.

I am not sure how many Missouri fishermen still call this fish a “Jack Salmon”. Today most of us know it as the delicious, fun-to-catch walleye.

Feature Story Walleye are native to some areas of Missouri and in many rivers they naturally reproduce. However, walleye in our large and small reservoirs, and some streams, do not reproduce enough to meet desired catch and harvest levels. The MDC started stocking walleyes in Missouri lakes and rivers in the 1970s and now stock 1.2 million a year all over the state.

Lakes that receive walleye stockings include Bilby, Bull Shoals, Jacomo, Lake of the Ozarks, Longview, Long Branch, Mozingo, Norfork, Pomme de Terre, Smithville, Stockton, Table Rock, and Truman.

The Mississippi River offers excellent walleye fishing as do the Black River and the lower portion of the Current River. Of course, almost any river or stream feeding into the above lakes should have good walleye fishing during the spring.

I know a lot of fishermen who drive to Canada every year to fish for walleye. I have done that too but the more I have learned and the more success I have fishing for walleye right here in Missouri I don’t seem to make that long trip near as much as I used to.

Bob passed away a few years ago. When I fish for Missouri walleye, I seem to always think about him and that special day when he took me fishing for “Jack Salmon”.

Anglers that have never fished for walleye can find them difficult to catch partly because they only actively feed during certain times and under certain conditions. Walleye like to feed when most anglers would rather not be fishing. If you’re willing to sacrifice some sleep walleye feed actively at night.

And, if you’re willing to battle the weather, walleye are known to bite the best when weather conditions are such that many fishermen would rather not be on the water.

Those aren’t the only times you can catch walleye though. The low light conditions from a half hour before to a few hours after sunrise are also good as are a couple of hours before sunset to right at the dark of night.

If there is a dark, cloudy day walleye will sometimes feed all day but if it is a bright sunny day, you will have to fish 20 feet or more where the sunlight doesn’t penetrate the water.

During the spring spawn of April and May walleyes will gather where water flows into Kris Nelson with two great eating size Missouri walleye. (Photo: Larry Whiteley) or out of a lake just like they were the day Bob Nelson took me fishing for Jack Salmon. They can also be found in spawning areas with hard gravel or rip rap within the lake itself making it easier for anglers to find them.

Spoons, crankbaits and plain jigs or jigs tipped with a minnow are effective most of the year. Last year on Stockton Lake my son, grandson, granddaughter and I did exceptionally well catching walleye on small 1/8 ounce Roadrunners with gray shad bodies and hammered willow leaf silver blades. We were fishing for crappie on the banks near the mouths of creeks and were pleasantly surprised the walleye like our little bait too.

Nightcrawlers work well on slip-sinker rigs. Trolling slow for walleye at 1 to 1.5 mph can also be effective at times. Remember, walleye are a bottom feeding fish. Be aware that walleye are very light biters.

When they take your bait, you might think you’re just snagged on something. But, it could be a Missouri “Jack Salmon”.

To learn more about “Jack Salmon” fishing and fishing prospects for your area, visit the MDC Walleye Fishing Web page at www.mdc.mo.gov/ node/5769.

Larry Whiteley MARCH - 2019

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Outdoor News

Iron Duck Hunting: Giving Back to the Armed Forces

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s a symphony of giggly specklebelly goose calls echoes overhead, an enormous flock circles and surveys the situation. They are so close you can hear the whistle of their wing beats as the fly by. Three break off and commit to the hole we opened earlier in the pre-dawn twilight. They lower drastically, wings cupped and landing gear down. “Smoke ‘em!” emerges from the end of the blind. A volley of steel sends all of them crashing into the water.

This is a familiar sight in Mound City, Missouri, hunting with Iron Duck Hunting. Waterfowlers Hall of Famer Dan Guyer, owner and operator, is a master caller. He and his crew tirelessly work to put clients on birds all season. It is a top-notch business. But it goes above and beyond a waterfowl outfitting service.

One thing Dan prides himself on is welcoming active and retired military members into his blind each year. Dan, a Marine himself, has been hosting veterans for 30 years. “Sharing time in the great outdoors, with no focus, is great. We are just out there enjoying life at leisure,” he said. “It is nice to have them shoot at something that does not shoot back.”

I was lucky enough to hunt with Lieutenant Colonel Steve Kulas, a 17-year veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. Steve has a no-nonsense approach to life, and it is evident in his waterfowl hunting. The “get things done” attitude is contagious and goads everyone to do their part. Two deployments in Iraq and a tour in Afghanistan does that to a man.

Kulas has been an avid waterfowler for five years, a hobby he picked up as a team building exercise in the Marines. His best friend, Dave Kwajewski, introduced him to hunting and fishing. Kulas decided to plan a snow goose hunt with his Marine buddies and Dave. “I sent out countless emails to guides, but Dan stood out right away,” he said. “His email was more about his time in the Corps than hunting and I was sold.”

Ta'a, Dave Kwajewski, Lt. Col. Kulas, and the author with a pile of birds.

(Photo: Courtesy of Ryan Miloshewski)

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Dan showed a true love for the Corps and hunting, and an instant friendship was developed between the two. “After our first hunt, it was clear Dan was an amazing guide, but an even better person,” Kulas said. “I always joke with Dan that if he was supposed to put feathers in my pocket, I would not come back,” Steve chuckled. “It has turned into a friendship, and not even about the hunt.”

Dan agrees with Steve. “It is not about the shooting of ducks,” he stated. “Watching the birds work, handling my dog Ta’a, enjoying time with friends— that is what makes it special.” To me, this should be the goal of every outdoor endeavor by our sportsmen. Enjoy the time afield.

Dan continues to host many veterans every waterfowl season, including this years’ 10-man group of Marines, and he doesn't plan on stopping anytime soon. “Giving back to service members is something I love doing, and they deserve it,” he said.

“Waterfowl hunting, like the Corps, is tough at times, but it teaches patience, preparation and skill,” Kulas detailed. “In both, when you have the great days it makes the wait worthwhile, and I will continue to pursue the passion.”

Dan Guyer can be contacted at his Facebook page “Iron Duck Hunting” or by phone at 816-210-3969.

Ryan Miloshewski

Outdoor News

Even Outdoors, There’s an App for That.

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s much as I don’t like it, these super computers in our pockets we call phones are becoming more and more ingrained in our everyday lives.

Take a walk on a college campus and you could argue the phones have already taken over. These contraptions are our camera, photo album, maps, weather report, alarm clock, and so much more. And yes, they do work as phone, but actually talking to another human is probably one of the least used options. Nowadays, they are even a guide to the outdoors.

A hunter using the MDC hunting app. (Photo: Courtesy of MDC)

The number of apps available to enhance outdoor experiences is staggering. There are apps that provide maps of trails and rivers, weather reports, property information, best treestand locations, best times of day to fish, and so on and so on. The following five apps are ones I use regularly, and that I believe you would also benefit from downloading.

season dates. It keeps track of your licenses, which you can purchase using the app. You can also use it to telecheck your deer and turkey, and it keeps track of your past telechecks. You need to know your Conservation Number to create your profile and log in the first time. This app is free. The MDC also offers MO Fishing, MO Outdoors and MO Conservationist Magazine. All also free.

OnX Hunt - Private property lines are often misunderstood. More than once, I have found myself in a dispute with another hunter over a property boarder. OnX maps solves this problem. Basically, these are digital plot maps that tell you who the owner of the property is, how large the property is, shows all the property lines and more. This app has a free trial of seven days. After that, it’s $29.99 per year for one state, or $99.99 for the whole country.

Audubon Bird Guide - When sitting in a treestand or paddling a river, I am passing a lot of time by paying attention to the birds. I use the Audubon Bird Guide quite frequently to help me identify what bird I am looking at. This complete field guide has over 800 species of North American birds in its database.

You can keep track of the birds you have identified.

This app is free.

Weather Channel - Maybe it’s another sign of growing older, but I check the weather constantly.

There are plenty of apps out there that give the information I’m looking for, but the Weather Channel app provides everything I need, including temperature, wind, rain, sunrise and sunset, pressure and more. Being prepared for the elements is an important aspect of enjoying the outdoors.

This app is free.

GoWild - Most people like to be connected. We do this through social media and through an endless sea of content on the web. GoWild is a place for outdoor enthusiasts, including anglers and hunters, to connect and share information. There are many categories to choose from where you can learn from folks who enjoy the same outdoor activities as you.

This growing community of outdoors enthusiasts is one I enjoy regularly perusing for tips and tactics.

This app is free.

MO Hunting - The MO Hunting app is the official hunting app of the Missouri Department of Conservation. The app lists all the Missouri hunting

Brandon Butler

MARCH - 2019

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Feature Story

Take That Kid Fishing

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magine being a child these days. Kids are under pressures that many of us could not imagine and many fear uncertain futures. Negative stories from political parties are splashed across every network while terrorists are killing and being killed for their cause. Children are learning about this clutter on social media, television and in school.

I have written and carried out kids fishing programs over 40 years. During this time, I have worked with troubled youth and mentally and/or physically challenged.

Some talk about their problems and most don’t. They seem to have learned to bottle up emotions—and some eventually explode. Children need releases whenever possible.

Drugs are more common and deadly for those that sadly fall in that trap. Sadly, the number of kids hospitalized for thinking about or attempting suicide doubled in less than a decade, according to a recent study published in “Pediatrics Magazine.”

Many ask me at fishing seminars, especially single moms, what they can do. I simply answer, take that kid fishing.

Competitive sports are great but there is competition involved. Fishing with beginners should never be about competition, but having a nice day on the bank or in the boat.

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Feature Story Problem is, adults make mistakes and sometime turn kids off of fishing. Here are a few rules I have complied over the years to make their fishing day a great memory: Find productive fishing: You can bore any child by spending a couple of hours trying to find a spot where the fish are biting. Locate good crappie or bluegill water and know the best techniques for catching either species Teach the basic: Let the child create their own experience. Some adults do everything for the child and this can be a mistake. However, take the time to explain why you are tying on a certain hook or lure.

Kids need to develop self-reliance and putting their own bait on the hook is a start. Yet, don’t force the issue.

Some kids don’t want to touch a slimly old worm or minnow. This will change with time and experience.

Children under seven or eight are best equipped with a simple rod, reel, hook, line and sinker. Later they can learn techniques for casting and different types of retrieves. But for now, keep it simple.

Setting the hook: An eager child will likely lose a fish or two by setting the hook too hard. Teaching them to set the hook quickly but gently will improve their technique.

Remember to let them land a fish, even if you have to set the hook and hand them the rod.

Choose fishing equipment wisely: Most kids should start with a spin cast reel wound with four to ten-pound test line. Find a small, inexpensive tackle box and stock it with a few jigs, bobbers, hooks, weights and other neat stuff. Teach your child to neatly arrange and organize.

Watch the bait: I took a four-year old boy fishing several years ago. During the drive in my pickup I heard a terrible, blood curdling scream and turned to find he had opened the container of crickets. The crickets took different positions on his head and face while some escaped. I listened to chirping in my pickup until cold weather arrived, never did find them all .

Properly fitting life vests: Each child in your boat must wear a life jacket. Make sure the vest fits snuggly and comfortably. Trying to fit an adult-sized vest on a child’s frame is a mistake. The child will be uncomfortable and it is an unsafe act. Set a good example by wearing a vest too.

Be a weather watcher: Choose your days well before taking that child fishing. Avoid windy, rainy or cold days.

Blue bird days are ideal for the best childhood memories.

Remember to take extra jackets for weather changes.

Know when to leave: Boredom in youth may strike at any time--even when the fish are biting. Forcing children to stay out longer than their attention span allows is a good way to turn them off from fishing forever. A friend will sometimes make the child want to stay longer.

Naturally this doubles the demands on adults. Ideally, there should be an adult for each child under 10. Don’t forget snacks and potty breaks.

Potty breaks: Be extremely conscious of potty breaks.

If you think little kidneys and bowels work fast in a car, wait until you get them in a boat. Don’t hesitate to make several trips to shore--even if the fish are biting.

Bathroom facilities are always welcomed, but not always present.

Remember to bring a small spade and toilet paper.

Burying waste products is an important environmental lesson for kids and some adults. Be sure that you dig the hole at least 75 feet from the shoreline to avoid drainage into the lake or pond.

Remarkably, the child that you take fishing may take you fishing someday. You will always live in their memory for the experience of a warm pond bank, tadpoles and green sunfish.

The importance of enjoying the outdoors should never be denied and our kids have never needed it more.

Kenneth Kieser (Left) Fishing helps build friendships to last a lifetime.

(Top) Kids are amazed by the wonders of fish and wildlife.

(Bottom) Keep the equipment simple when fishing with kids like this push button combo. (All photos by (Photo: Kenneth Kieser)

MARCH - 2019

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Outdoor News

Turkey Cookery

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ain and wind made hunting conditions less than ideal for the first week of this year’s spring turkey season. As a result, I wasn’t feeling choosy when a sassy jake made amorous advances to my hen decoy at 6:30 Sunday morning. Bragging rights don’t come with shooting jakes, but the upside is that they are fine eating.

I put the legs in the pressure cooker for half an hour and boned out the meat, then ran it through the meat grinder for use in turkey salad sandwiches. I don’t use seasonings, because wild turkey leg meat has its own rich flavor, as if it had been cooked with a mix of herbs.

I planned to brine the breast halves and smoke them over charcoal and sassafras wood, but before I got started, I sat down to spend a little time with my long-suffering wife. She was watching a cooking show, where they celebrity chef was making chicken parmesan. It looked so good, I decided to try it with some of my jake’s breast meat. It was amazing. I didn’t measure anything, but here’s how to do it.

Slice about a pound of breast meat across the grain half an inch thick and flatten the resulting cutlets with a tenderizing mallet. Coat both sides with equal parts of grated parmesan cheese and Italian-flavored bread crumbs. Fry the cutlets in a big, deep skillet or Dutch oven with olive oil until they are golden brown.

Transfer them to a plate and set aside.

Add olive oil to the skillet and sauté three mediumsized, diced yellow onions and three large cloves of minced garlic until the onions begin to brown. Add an 8-ounce bottle of sun-dried tomatoes – including the oil they were packed in – and cook another five minutes. Remove the onion mixture to a bowl and set aside.

Add white wine, tomato sauce, mushrooms, seasonings and meat.

(Photo: Jim Low)

Add 1 ½ cups of dry white wine to the skillet and scrape the bottom to dislodge the delicious remains of frying. Simmer this liquid until it is reduced by half. Add 8 ounces of tomato sauce and season with fennel, oregano, rosemary and/or basil. Return the onion mixture to the skillet and stir in an undrained, 8-ounce can of mushroom pieces. Place the turkey cutlets on top, cover and cook for 30 minutes.

Serve with toasted and buttered slices of hearty, herbed bread. I happened to have a loaf of “herb de Provence” bread that I bought for half price from the mark-down rack at a local supermarket. It was perfect for the occasion. Crusty French bread would be good, too.

Add a dollop of sour cream on the side if you aren’t afraid of the calories. Garnish with fresh chopped scallions and shaved parmesan cheese, and congratulate yourself for doing justice to a magnificent game bird.

Jim Low

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Outdoor News

National Wild Turkey Federation Protects Riparian Areas

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f you’re not familiar with the term the “riparian,” it simply refers to land adjacent to rivers, streams and other moving bodies of water. Riparian areas include floodplains and floodplain buffers. They offer diverse habitats, which can be moist and swampy, or dry and sandy. It all depends on rainfall. Riparian areas are often forested, varying in density from thick to open.

When you consider the essential needs of turkeys - food, water, cover and nesting sites - riparian areas are rich with all four. It’s water that defines a riparian area, so go ahead and check that box.

Insects, seeds and berries are usually found in abundance. The moist soil produces dense vegetation for ample security, and all kinds of brush and fallen trees are available for nesting.

In Missouri, there is an abundance of public land along our many riverways. A few of my favorite turkey hunting spots close to home are large sections of public land along the Missouri River. These areas are remote, and most easily accessed by boat, which alleviates a lot of hunting pressure. I hunt riparian areas on these public lands that have been improved by the work of NWTF biologists and volunteers, along with staff from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Missouri Department of Conservation.

A bonus of improving habitat for turkeys is, the improvement habitat for countless other species.

Most of which are non-game species that likely wouldn’t command the financial resources to fund habitat improvements on their own, unless they had already reached a critical status. Missouri is one state working hand-in-hand with the NWTF to put dollars to work in a way that benefits turkeys, along with numerous other critters.

John Burk, a NWTF District Biologist covering Missouri, said, “Each state has a wildlife action plan that justifies the funding made available to them via the USFWS through Pitman-Robertson funding.

The purpose of these plans is to address the needs of species of greatest conservation concern while also keeping common species common.”

Riparian area habitat work helps turkey populations.

(Photo: Brandon Butler)

NWTF partnerships are improving lands in our state. Dave Hoover, the small game coordinator for the Missouri Department of Conservation, said, “Partnerships are critical for state conservation agencies to get meaningful work accomplished on both public and private lands. The NWTF has a long history of partnering to get conservation work done. The NWTF Super Fund has provided important funding to several restoration projects here in Missouri, as well as assisting with equipment acquisition, particularly as it relates to prescribe burning – a critically important practice for improving habitat for turkeys.”

Riparian habitat work being accomplished through NWTF partnerships is enhancing public land and hunting opportunities for turkeys across America. It’s also benefiting other game species such as bobwhite quail, rabbits, and squirrels, as well as many nongame species. NWTF members and supporters should feel good knowing their dollars are being stretched through partnerships to improve riparian habitats where they hunt and enjoy the great outdoors.

Brandon Butler

MARCH - 2019

61

Feature Story

Prescribed Fire is Good for Landscape Health

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issouri and Iowa represent a geographic transition zone where eastern forests meet the Great Plains. It’s estimated at the time of statehood, about one third of Missouri’s landscape was savanna and woodland habitat. Today, the estimated acreage of high-quality savanna and woodland habitat is just 9,000 acres. Along with degradation of our prairies, we have lost the open spaces where “big trees,” which in Missouri and Iowa are mainly oaks and hickories, mix with native prairie grasses. The good news is there are hundreds of thousands of acres identified as degraded savanna remnants we can restore.

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CONSERVATION FEDERATION

“You wouldn’t believe this was the same farm if you saw what it looked like when I bought it forty years ago. Most of it was choked with cedars and scrub.

After buying land because of my love of wildlife, I ignored the habitat for too many years. I knew I had to restore the native landscapes on this place for wildlife to flourish, so I called the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) to ask about the wild turkey's favorite habitat. They said, ‘big woods that have been thinned and burned,’” Bruce Sassmann said. “I set my first fire in 2008. Yesterday, I took a ride around the farm. At one point, a dozen tiny wild turkey poults scrambled to get out of my way. They were there because I burned.”

Feature Story Fire is essential in savanna and woodland management. Historically, fires from lighting strikes and those lit by Native Americans burned the landscape, keeping the growth of the understory in check. Enormous herds of free roaming buffalo and other grassland ungulates, like elk, deer and antelope assisted fire in maintaining the habitat.

After settlement, with the wide-ranging herds of wildlife extirpated and fire suppressed, savannas and woodlands were swallowed. Nothing was left to control growth. Even more savanna and woodland habitat was cleared and plowed.

“Nest success and poult survival are two of the most important parameters affecting wild turkey populations, so landowner efforts to create and maintain nesting and brood-rearing habitats are critically important. The grasses and forbs found growing in savannas and woodlands provide ideal structure for a hen and her brood. Poults can move efficiently through adequate cover as they search for insects. Restoring savannas and woodlands to their original condition is certainly beneficial to the wild turkey, along with a variety of other wildlife species,” said Jason Isabelle, MDC Resource Scientist.

“Last year, the fires on the farm began on August 26th. The late summer burns set back the warm season grasses in favor of forbs. The grasses are the structure and cover, but the broad leaf plants are the dinner plate for the wildlife. The fire encourages early succession vegetation. The young tender plants attract the bugs. The bugs attract the baby turkey and the baby quail. Great plant diversity and habitat for wildlife doesn't happen without fire,” Sassmann said. “Land management is driven by the goals of the landowner, but the greatest diversity of habitat and ultimately wildlife exist on a landscape managed with fire.”

The Private Lands Services Division of the MDC works with private landowners to establish, meet and manage their habitat goals. In a state with 93 percent of its lands in private ownership, the Department understands the critical importance of building strong relationships with private landowners. MDC invests heavily in staff and resources to educate landowners about habitat management. The state agency also provides services and financial support for boots on the ground efforts.

Through state and federal agencies, and nonprofit conservation organizations, like the NWTF, educational and financial support exists for landowners interested in savanna and woodland restoration and management.

John Burk, a NWTF District Biologist covering Missouri and Illinois, said “Part of my job responsibility is to take dollars we raise and match them with partner dollars to enhance habitat that will make the biggest difference. With turkeys, that means nesting and brood rearing habitat. I can’t think of a more productive acre than open woodlands to achieve this objective.”

Landowners who care about holding wildlife on their property understand and have an appreciation for the importance of increasing offspring survival rates. Proper habitat management is a critical aspect of ensuring wildlife will survive its most vulnerable weeks, those being their first few.

“In the absence of active forest management, open savannas and woodlands eventually become closed canopied. They are dependent upon disturbance to keep them in that early successional herbaceous condition hens seek for adequate nesting cover because they support high insect densities required for poult survival. Without proper management, the herbaceous condition providing the food and cover fades away along with the wildlife depending upon it,” Burk said.

In the fiscal year 2015-2016, MDC allocated $1.6 million in cost-share assistance to landowners for conservation efforts. For approved projects, citizens are reimbursed 50–75 percent of the costs of performing conservation project, which includes savanna and woodland restoration. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), through funding of the federal farm bill provides millions of dollars to landowners for conservation. This is one reason why the Farm Bill is so critical for conservation across the country.

Brandon Butler Learning to use prescribed fire provides landowners with a tool to improve the health of natural ecosystems, including wildlife habitat.

(Photo: Courtesy of MDC)

MARCH - 2019

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