Vol71 no1 2010

MISSOURI

Wildlife JANUARY 2010 VOL. 71, NO. 1

Share The Harvest With the Governor and First Lady leading the way, it wasn’t hard to raise awareness of the role Share The Harvest plays in managing Missouri’s deer herd and feeding the hungry.

Governor Nixon utilized media stops in six cities around the state to announce the availability of Neighborhood Assistance Program tax credits for qualified donors to Share The Harvest. See inside for more details about Share The Harvest and NAP credits.

Inside This Issue:

MISSOURI

Wildlife

FEATURED ARTICLES Conservation Commision Selects Director Of MDC ........................12 Prairie-Chickens Across North America............................................13 DNR’s New Deputy Director: Top Flight Duck Hunter And Guide ....16 CFM Convention Schedule And Application ................................20 Board Of Directors Amends CFM Bylaws ....................................25 State Celebrates Black Walnut Week ..........................................26 Governor’s Office Helps Promote Share The Harvest ....................27 Congressional Staffers Tour Aquatic Habitat Restoration Site ..........28 Eagle Days Continues Through January ......................................29

NEWS, UPDATES AND COLUMNS View From The Stone House ..............................................................................2 President’s Message ............................................................................................3 Development News Why CFM? ........................................................................................................5 Teaming With Wildlife 2009—A Successful Year For Teaming With Wildlife ......................................6 CFM To Award $75,000 In Mini-Grants In 2010 ............................................7 Agency News State Parks Continue High-Caliber Service......................................................8 Love Of The Woods Leads To Forestry Career ..................................................9 White Bass Fishing In Table Rock Lake ..........................................................24 Calendar................................................................................................................10 News & Issues ......................................................................................................18 Open Space Council Shortfalls Affect Funding For Missouri State Parks ........................................22 School Of Natural Resources Research At SNR Is All Wet! ..........................................................................23 Member Information New Members ................................................................................................11 Conservationists For Life ................................................................................19 List Of Affiliates ..............................................................................................30 Honorariums And Memorials ........................................................................31 Affiliate Humor ..............................................................................................32

January 2010 Vol. 71, No. 1 OFFICERS Glenn Chambers President Mike Schallon 1st Vice President Duane Addleman 2nd Vice President Dan Zerr Secretary Randy Washburn Treasurer

STAFF Dave Murphy Executive Director/ Editor Matt Gaunt Director of Development Amy Buechler Teaming With Wildlife Coordinator Micaela Office Manager Haymaker Laurie Coleman Membership Associate/ Managing Editor Lynne J. Lampe Design & Production

Missouri Wildlife is the official publication of the Conservation Federation of Missouri, Affiliate of the N ational Wildlife Federation. ISSN 1082-8591

728 W. Main Jefferson City, MO 65101-1559 Phone • 573-634-2322 Fax • 573-634-8205 Email • dmurphy@confedmo.org Online • http://www.confedmo.org MISSOURI WILDLIFE (USPS 012868) is published bimonthly in January , March, May , July, September and November for subscribers and members of the Conservation Federation of Missouri, 728 W . Main, Jefferson City, MO 65101-1559. Of each member’s dues ($25 minimum) $10.00 shall be for a year’s subscription to Missouri Wildlife.

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

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to MISSOURI WILDLIFE, 728 W. Main, Jefferson City, MO 65101-1559

COVER: “TREED,” Gary and Seth Krause with their champion coon hounds. © Glenn D. Chambers

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VIEW FROM THE STONE HOUSE

Musings Of An Old Man? am becoming my own Grandpa. As the decades slip away and as the years fly by in an ever intensifying blur, each moment reveals another connection to my past. It sometimes seems to me that memories are even more abundant and more vivid than are the experiences of this day. Everything reminds me of something that has already happened, or of a lesson once learned and suddenly remembered.

Is there really nothing new under the sun? Perhaps. Certainly the scope of human experience encompasses a far greater range of endeavor than is possible to cram into a single lifetime. But with the addition of each new life to this world, the stakes are raised. There are far more of us living at this moment than ever before in history. By the time you read this, of course, there will be even more folks around than there were as I wrote these words.

At least one stalwart member of the CFM board has long and loudly reminded us that the only real issue we face is human overpopulation. But simply because we can identify the problem, don’t be fooled into believing that we can easily solve it.

Recognizing the limitations of our assets and matching these finite assets up with the many challenges we face is our real assignment. We are in the business of recognizing and bringing to life solutions to conservation and natural

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We are in the business of recognizing and bringing to life solutions to conservation and natural resource problems.

resource problems. For 75 years now our path has been the one where solutions to problems facing Missouri and Missourians have taken higher priority than solutions for those day-to-day challenges facing CFM. May it ever be so.

As we enter the new year, and the new decade, may we always remind ourselves that all we have at this moment, we have borrowed from and will pass on to those who come after us. Will future generations of CFM leaders look back on us with something like the admiration and regard we now hold for those who have gone before us? The giants of CFM history really have made a difference. Their actions have profoundly shaped our present world.

Against all odds, we now have abundant and healthy forests, fisheries and wildlife at the same time and on the same landscape with nearly twice as many Missourians as there were 75 years ago.

Of all Missourians, we outdoors folks must recognize

that improvisation, innovation, imagination and consistent action are required for enduring success. We have learned that if a fish isn’t caught with the first cast, you cast again. We have learned that rewards come only to those who dare to seek them.

We have learned that if one relies only on luck, that fickle Lady Luck can take her sweet

time in coming.

Here’s to many more decades of plodding, persistent, lasting progress for CFM! We are in for the long haul.

Thanks for lending your shoulders to the task before us.

YOU are an absolutely essential part of CFM. Thank you!

Dave Murphy Executive Director, CFM

OutdooR magazine

Guide

HUNTING • FISHING • CAMPING • BOATING

For a FREE Copy of the Magazine Call 1-800-706-2444 or Visit our website at www.outdoorguidemagazine.com

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

A Glance Back And...A Look Forward!!! ollowing 30 months as your President, I am writing my final solo message to you.

It has been a wonderful, meaningful experience and a pleasure to serve as YOUR President. I will take this opportunity to take a glance back at some of OUR accomplishments. These things could not have been accomplished without YOUR support. And for that, I THANK YOU!!!

During my tenure we were fortunate to hire three new CFM employees: Amy Buechler (Teaming With Wildlife Coordinator), Micaela Haymaker (Office Manager), and Matt Gaunt (Director of Development). These folks have strengthened CFM’s stance in the state and have made a huge difference in our daily office operation. I look forward to their continued contributions to our cause and to the productivity that they have committed to.

With your support and through additional financial support from MDC, and with Amy’s able leadership, we have been able to take Teaming With Wildlife to a new and powerful level. More than 250 organizations and businesses have signed on as partners in our efforts to ensure adequate funding for Missouri’s programs to conserve all wildlife. This last year alone, an additional $300,000 of federal funds came home to Missouri as a result of this effort.

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Membership-wise we have grown to more than 83,000 total members, 92 Life members, and more than 80 affiliate organizations. Strength lies in numbers and we are much STRONGER as a result of this tremendous growth.

These numbers give CFM a strong voice for CONSERVATION not only in Missouri but nationally as well.

With Mr. Tom Russell’s leadership, we have had three great sporting clays fundraisers. These events will continue to grow and THANKS for all the support that you have given.

We have developed, approved and put into action a comprehensive strategic plan for CFM, thanks to the leadership and efforts of the Strategic Planning committee and especially Howard Fisher and Earl Cannon.

We have conducted a thorough and extensive financial analysis of CFM operations over the past 25 years which has guided the building of our new development program, thanks to incredible service from Richard Ash, Jr. Our SHARE THE HAR-

VEST program made a gigantic leap forward with the gracious support of GOVERNOR JAY NIXON. THANK YOU GOVERNOR NIXON!!!

Through the STH program so far this year, there have been thousands and thousands of deer harvested and donated by Missouri hunters to help manage the health and balance of our deer herd and to help feed needy families all across Missouri. This year we will pass an unbelievable milestone of more than 1,000 tons of lean, ground venison provided through this program!

Without a doubt, the most significant accomplishment that WE were able to pull off during my time in office was OUR “Summit on the Future of the Missouri Outdoors” which occurred in May 2009 in Columbia. This came about following more than 14 Summit Program Committee meetings that occurred over a 15-month period. As a result of the conference, attendees identified the top 10 goals toward which the conservation community needed to work. Boiled down, the top 3 ACTIONS that should be addressed as a Missouri Outdoor Community are: 1) Get the message out that a quality, healthy Outdoors is essential for human life.

2) Conserve plants, animals, and natural communities so that they are diverse, healthy, and resilient.

3) Maintain and pursue stable long-term and short-term funding for operations, capi-

tal improvements, and special projects.

The next order of business for me, as YOUR President, was to appoint an Outdoor Action Committee (to be known as the OAKs). At CFM’s October Board Meeting in Cape Girardeau I appointed 19 capable persons to that important committee.

On December 10, the committee met at the CFM office and elected Sara Parker Pauley as chair and Susan Trautman as vice-chair. Following considerable discussion, the committee decided that we will be progressing the cause of conservation in Missouri along three very broad actions listed above. Each year this will be a key part of our annual convention and every other event, program and product from CFM. As we look toward the future, I look forward to what lies a head for Conservation in Missouri. We have STRONG support from GOVERNOR JAY NIXON!!

That is critically important as we function in today’s complex society. Beginning January 15, 2010, the Missouri Department of Conservation will have a new Director, Mr. Bob Ziehmer. At the CFM level we are currently meeting with Mr. Ziehmer and his staff to plan for future opportunities. There will no doubt be CONSERVATION CHALLENGES ahead and we are up to whatever lies ahead.

See President on page 4

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President from page 3 In closing, I THANK YOU again for the opportunity to have served as YOUR President. It has been a great ride having you along—and THANKS!!! The thing that I will miss most about NOT being President will be the daily and weekly contact that I have ENJOYED with OUR outstanding CFM staff and especially OUR Executive Director, Mr. David Murphy.

Will I continue to be deeply involved??? YES!!! Can you count on me for whatever???

YES. And I will admit up front—it will be a very emotional experience when I pass the gavel on to our next very qualified President, Mr. Mike Schallon. But as I told Mike recently, David will be in front leading and I will be right behind Mike PUSHING!!!

Keep the FAITH, CHARGE AHEAD, and DO NOT forget the YOUTH—they are our FUTURE!!!

Glenn D. Chambers President, CFM

Honorariums and Memorials Mark special days or show tribute to someone you care about with a donation to CFM. Y ou could honor loved ones for birthdays, anniversaries or other special events. This could be a r espectful r emembrance of friends and r elatives who have passed away. We will list honorariums and memorials her e or on another page if this space is insufficient.

Your gift would help in so many ways: to benefit our Shar e the Har vest Program, the Conser vation Leadership Corps, our publications or website, our building fund or help fund our day-to-day operations. We gladly accept cash, check or credit card—just return the form below to CFM. ❑ $25 ❑ $50 ❑ $100 ❑ $250 ❑ $500 ❑ Other _______

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Go to www.riverhillstraveler.com/ traveler-subscription.php.

Click on FREE TRIAL Or call 1-800-874-8423 and ask f or a free sample subscription.

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JANUARY 2010

In memory of __________________________________ In honor of ____________________________________ Please notify (name, street, city, state, and ZIP) ____ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ DONOR INFO: ❑ I would like more information about including the Conservation Federation of Missouri in my will or tr ust.

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Expiration date ________________________________ Mail this form and payment to: Conservation Federation of Missouri 728 West Main Street • Jefferson City , MO 65101

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Why CFM? f your financial situation is such that you are able to invest a portion of what you’ve earned in helping others, you have countless options. Hunger, health, education, poverty, faith, youth development—there are great organizations working in each of these areas, organizations that rely on the generosity of others to have an impact. Even in the narrow category of conservation and environment, donors have more options than could be listed on several pages of Missouri Wildlife. As Director of Development for CFM, my job is to find funding to fuel the work of our organization and empower our membership.

When I meet someone with the financial ability to contribute to our cause, and an inclination to do so, ultimately I must answer the question,“Why CFM?” This year, 2010, is a significant year in the history of the Conservation Federation of Missouri. It is our 75th anniversary. Many of our readers know CFM’s history well, so I won’t go on at length regarding groundbreaking achievements that can be credited to CFM’s members and staff. Yes, our members created the conservation commission system and our modern Department of Conservation.

Yes, our members have taken action again and again to protect our air, water, and wild places. Yes, our members championed and secured funding for Missouri’s professional conservationists and have stood guard to protect that funding, as well as guarding the authority that

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was established with the creation of the commission. It’s been a monumental 75 years.

It’s a history that has left other states pointing to Missouri and saying,“They got it right.”

However, if you are considering a gift to CFM today, our past achievements are not as important as the concept that brought our founders together 75 years ago. They understood that citizens must assert control over our state’s conservation efforts and maintain an active role in managing our resources. If we citizens don’t care enough to get involved, our resources will suffer. Citizen involvement is the cornerstone of successful resource conservation and the reason for CFM’s existence.

Fortunately many other citizen conservation organizations have formed over the years, providing volunteers the chance to focus on specific areas of interest. If you are passionate about bass or trout, turkeys, ducks or deer, there is an organization out there where you can meet like-minded folks and volunteer your time and talents. Green space, land trusts, clean water, songbirds…the list is long. At CFM we are proud of the collec-

tive accomplishments of these diverse organizations. Many of them are official affiliates of CFM, and most of our members belong to at least one other such organization. We view the success of our affiliates as central to our own success. We share many common goals; we are stronger together than we are alone. Because our board of directors feels so strongly about this, they will award $75,000 in small grants to Teaming With Wildlife partners and affiliated organizations in 2010.

Somewhere in the statement “we are stronger together than we are alone” is the answer to “Why CFM?” There is a real need to unite and empower these diverse groups. There is a real need to coordinate our efforts with state and federal agencies and to communicate effectively with elected officials.

At CFM we have purposefully pitched a large tent, inviting a difference of opinion, but ultimately focusing on agreement and looking to accomplish what we can and what we must to leave our natural environment healthier tomorrow than it is today. We are an effective catalyst for action because we know the players and understand who is best suited to address issues as they arise. I know I can make a valid argument that our state agencies are stronger because we exist, our affiliate organizations are stronger because we exist, and our collective voice at the state capital and in the governor’s office is stronger because we exist. I know there are more quality outdoor opportunities

for Missourians because we exist. I know we have a healthier state because CFM exists. That’s a reflection of the work and dedication of our members and staff over the last 75 years.

Why CFM? Because the key is citizen involvement, and no other organization is as well suited as CFM to represent Missouri’s citizens in these matters.

CFM was created to unite and empower Missourians, so we can organize our actions for the purpose of conserving our natural resources and protecting our outdoor heritage. Help us continue to fulfill that vital role.

As you prioritize your giving, please remember the importance of properly managing our natural resources. I hope you’ll give serious consideration to making a significant gift to CFM in 2010. As you read our magazine, consider the importance of the work to follow our Summit for the Future of Missouri Outdoors, the impact of growing Share The Harvest, the lasting value of developing future leaders through our Conservation Leadership Corps, and the importance of coordinating diverse interests to ensure that we have more than a conversation about what is needed. Citizens can and must involve themselves directly in the solutions to the challenges that lie ahead. We must organize ourselves to action. With your help, CFM will continue in that role, just as we have for the last 75 years.

Matt Gaunt Director of Development, CFM

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TEAMING WTIH WILDLIFE

2009—A Successful Year For Teaming With Wildlife o ahead—pat yourself on the back!

With your support we’ve made some great strides this year. Especially in this time of declining revenue across the board, it’s more important than ever to stand up for additional funding for the conservation work that is so important to all of us. That’s what Teaming is all about—we are that force that speaks out about the need for additional conservation funding.

As we begin a new year, here are some highlights from 2009: • Missouri TWW Coalition grew to 252 organizations and businesses (6th largest coalition in the nation). National TWW coalition grew to over 6,200 groups.

• Five Missouri TWW coalition members traveled to Washington, DC, in February to meet with our congressional leaders (Amy Buechler, CFM; Tim Ripperger and Gene Gardner, Missouri Department of Conservation; Justin Johnson, Missouri Prairie Foundation; and Rick Thom, Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation).

• Seven Missouri Congressmen and Senators signed on to the FY10 “Dear Colleague” letter, asking for an increase in State Wildlife Grants (Senator Bond, Senator McCaskill, Rep. Carnahan, Rep. Clay, Rep. Cleaver, Rep. Graves, and Rep. Skelton). Rep. Emerson supported the letter with a programmatic request. Not signing on were Rep. Blunt, Rep. Luetkemeyer, and Rep. Akin.

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State Wildlife Grants grew $15 million and the match was reduced to 35% for FY2010.

• State Wildlife Grants grew $15 million and match was reduced to 35% for FY2010— thanks to the help and support of Missouri’s TWW Coalition and our congressional leaders!

This is the first significant increase in the State Wildlife Grants program since 2002 and will result in an extra $300,000 for Missouri next year. This increase would not have been possible without the strong support of Missouri’s Teaming With Wildlife Coalition.

• CFM and the Missouri TWW Steering Committee distributed the first round of Missouri TWW Mini-grants. We awarded 9 mini-grants, totaling $10,800 to help citizen conservation groups implement Missouri’s Comprehensive Wildlife Strategy.

• Tracked potential climate change/clean energy legislation to ensure that funding for wildlife is included in any legislation that might be passed.

Nearly 20 Missouri organizations, businesses and agencies sent a letter in September to Senator Bond and Senator McCaskill in support of additional wildlife funding in climate change legislation. At this time it looks like climate change legislation is on hold

One of the year’s highlights is Fly-in Days, an opportunity to discuss issues with members of Congress. The Teaming With Wildlife Coalition was well represented on Capitol Hill.

until 2010. Nonetheless, this remains an important topic for the coming year.

We couldn’t have accomplished these without your help and support! 2010 promises to be just as eventful. Stay tuned for news of the 2010 Teaming With Wildlife Mini-grant program, to be announced in mid-

January (more details on the next page). If your organization or business is not yet a Teaming With Wildlife Coalition member, please join us by signing on at www.teaming.com/action.

Amy Buechler, Teaming With Wildlife Coordinator, CFM

CLEARWATER FOREST CONSULTANTS, LLC Certified Forest Management Email cfc@semo.net Toll Free 866-420-9971 www.clearwaterforestconsultants.com Timber Inventory & Appraisal One Stop Shopping Forest, Wildlife & Land Management

CFM To Award $75,000 In Mini-Grants In 2010 n September 10, 2010, the Conservation Federation of Missouri will celebrate its 75th anniversary. In honor of this historic event, CFM plans to award $75,000 in mini-grants in 2010. CFM will award $25,000 through the Teaming With Wildlife Minigrant program (now in its second year). The TWW Minigrant program provides initial funding for TWW Coalition organizations to help imple-

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ment Missouri’s Comprehensive Wildlife Strategy. The remaining $50,000 will go to CFM affiliate organizations that need a jump-start in encouraging outdoor participation, conducting outdoor activities or otherwise conserving natural resources or protecting our outdoor heritage. More about these grant programs will be released on our website (www.confedmo.org) in mid-January and at the CFM Annual Convention (February 26-28, 2010).

Melanie cheney, mo river relief

Amount Honors Organization’s 75th Anniversary

One of the TWW Mini-grant recipients in 2009, Missouri River Relief, hosted River Camp 2009 within in the Manitou Bluffs COA.

Gift memberships are a great way to support conservation and CFM! 9OUR GIFT WILL INCLUDE ISSUES OF -ISSOURI 7ILDLIFE A LOGO DECAL AND A MEMBERSHIP CARD AS WELL AS A NOTE IDENTIFYING YOU AS THE SENDER 0LEASE CHECK THE MEMBERSHIP LEVEL YOU WOULD LIKE TO GIVE AS A GIFT � $25—Individual � $15—Student � $30—Family � $100—Sustaining � $1000—Lifetime Gift of conservation from .AME ????????????????????????????????????????????????0HONE ??????????????

Given to .AME ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? #ITY ?????????????????????????????????????????????????? 3TATE ???????????? :)0 CODE ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

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0HONE ??????????????????????????????% MAIL ADDRESS ????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Pay via check (payable to Conservation Federation of Missouri) or charge (MasterCard, Visa or Discover) #REDIT CARD NUMBER ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? %XPIRATION DATE ??????????

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Please mail to Conservation Federation of Missouri • 728 West Main • Jefferson City, MO 65101-1559 If you have questions, call us at 1-800-575-2322 or visit us at www.confedmo.org #&- IS AN )23 APPROVED TAX EXEMPT NOT FOR PROFIT SO YOUR DONATIONS ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE MISSOURI WILDLIFE

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AGENCY NEWS

State Parks Continue High-Caliber Service s you may have read in your local newspaper recently, the State of Missouri was faced with the difficult task of laying off 48 valued state park employees due to declining revenue from the tax that funds our state park services. This was a difficult decision. Our state park system is one of the best in the nation and has significant positive economic benefits throughout Missouri. It also provides an inexpensive way for Missourians to get fit and reconnect with nature and Missouri history.

These recent layoffs were particularly difficult for our own staff; as employees of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources can tell you, our department functions like a family, and the loss of each of these employees is felt immeasurably.

In spite of these recent challenges, I continue to hear good news from visitors about the excellent service provided by our state parks staff. These employees take great pride in their jobs, and enjoy sharing their love of Missouri’s outdoors with others. Take, for example, the Martin family, who, hours after visiting Lake of the Ozarks State Park, discovered that their 5-year-old daughter, Jessica, had left behind her traveling companion, Beary, a much-loved teddy bear. Jessica’s father made a call

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to Lake of the Ozarks State Park. The call went to Dave Stark who is an experienced park ranger, as well as a father and grandfather. Stark undertook a search and rescue effort.

Beary was returned, along with photos of his trip to the state park, an honorary ranger badge and a note encouraging Jessica to consider a career as a ranger.

I also received a letter from Martie Lenk thanking our staff for helping students at the Kansas City Scuola Vita Nuova Charter School train for and participate in our annual bicycle ride through Katy Trail State Park. A team of state park employees worked together to help the students prepare for the adventure and supported them during their journey.

Because they lived in an urban area, many of these students had never had an opportunity to enjoy the simple magic of Missouri’s outdoors.

The bike ride was hot and dry, increasing the challenge for other riders. Fortunately, Ranger Brett Barnes was there to help. Barnes is a staple along the Katy Trail and was selected State Employee of the Month for his work during the race, locating and transporting many riders who required medical attention during the June 2009 Katy Trail Bike Ride.

Our State Parks staff is always ready to help. In November, state park employees located and helped rescue two hikers who had gotten lost in St. Francois State Park. The two hikers had set out to hike

the Pike Run Trail around 3:30 p.m., and were still on the trail when darkness fell. With no moon to navigate the rocky terrain and trees all around, the hikers climbed up a nearby ridge and called the local 911 dispatch center.

In June, the main day-use area of Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park reopened. Facilities in addition to the shut-ins that are now available to visitors include picnic areas, a series of pedestrian trails, access to the East Fork of the Black River, several interpretive pavilions and the park store. Visitors can view the scour channel from a new overlook or access the scour channel on a new trail.

Work continued on the new Black River Center, which will

provide visitors with interpretive information, and the new campground, which is located in the Goggins Mountain area of the park. Both facilities are expected to be open in the spring of 2010.

Despite the challenges faced in 2009, I’m confident that visitors will continue to find a good time to be had in all of Missouri’s state parks and state historic sites thanks to the commitment put forth by state park employees, and the morale support that we receive from state park supporters. Regardless of the season—or the economic climate—it’s always a good time to visit a Missouri state park.

Mark Templeton Director, DNR

THANK YOU!

BUSINESS ALLIANCE MEMBERS Platinum Bass Pro Shops Shelter Insurance Silver Drury Hotels Gray Manufacturing Company James T. Blair IV Pyramid Home Health Services Basic Aaron’s Boats & Motors Bolin Auto and Truck Parts C. J. Thomas Company Cequel III

Citizens Telephone Company Culligan Water of Columbia Evans Equipment Les Bourgeois Vineyards McRoberts Farm, Inc. Michaelanne, Inc. Mid-America Mortgage Paradigm Financial Advisors Quality Forest Management Sierra Bullets Suddenlink Communications Tabor Plastic Company The Bank of Missouri

AGENCY NEWS

Love Of The Woods Leads To Forestry Career o one who knows where and how Missouri State Forester Lisa Allen grew up could be surprised at her career path. Just as predictable is her commitment to ensuring that Show-Me State forests remain healthy, continue contributing to Missouri’s economy and provide recreational opportunities.

A native of Howell County, Allen grew up near what now is the USDA Forest Service’s Devil’s Backbone Wilderness.

Her mother taught biology and ecology at West Plains High School, and from an early age, Allen accompanied her father on firewood-cutting trips to the Mark Twain National Forest. By the time she left home to study forestry at the University of MissouriColumbia she could identify most trees in the Ozarks.

“I went everywhere with my dad,” Allen recalls. “I was the third of three girls, and Dad finally decided he wasn’t going to get a son, so he made me his fishing buddy.”

Allen says she, like nearly all foresters, chose her profession because of a deep love for forests. For her, she confesses, “Forestry is more of a religion than a job.”

She began her career as an assistant resource forester for the Missouri Department of Conservation in 1984, after earning a bachelor’s degree in forestry. She went back to school later to earn a forestry

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master’s degree and then worked her way up through the ranks at the Conservation Department. She assumed leadership of the Forestry Division in 2006 after a stint leading the agency’s Private Land Services Division.

One of Forestry Division’s biggest jobs is maintaining diverse, high-quality fish and wildlife habitat on the Conservation Department’s 450,000 acres of forest. While this is a large area, it is dwarfed by Missouri’s 14.6 million acres of privately owned forest.

The state’s thriving tourism and forest-products industries depend on healthy forests. Data from the U.S. bureaus of Economic Analysis and Labor Statistics and the U.S. Department of Agriculture show that forest products contributed $5.7 billion to the state’s economy in 2006. The industry supports 31,700 jobs with a payroll of approximately $1.25 billion.

All this is in addition to the recreational value Missourians derive from a host of other outdoor activities and the economic value of forest-related tourism.

Allen said some Missourians mistakenly assume that the Conservation Department sells large quantities of timber from conservation areas each year. In fact, she said, the agency is harvesting less timber each year than it grows. In Fiscal Year 2009 the Conservation Department harvested less than 2 percent of the forest

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Allen’s Commitment To Diverse Habitats Guides Resource Management

State Forester Lisa Allen’s love of forests is rooted in a childhood spent in the Ozarks. She calls forestry “more of a religion than a job.”

acreage it owns or manages.

Timber harvests on conservation areas are conducted by private loggers who vie for the jobs through a competitive bidding process. Bidders must have completed the Professional Timber Harvester training to ensure that they know how to remove trees with the least impact on remaining trees, soil and streams. Conservation Department foresters inspect logging sites and strictly enforce the use of best management practices designed to protect forests and streams.

Allen said revenue is never the determining factor in deciding when and where to cut trees.

She noted that abundant, diverse wildlife populations require diverse habitats. The idea of vast, uniform tracts of mature timber is appealing, but it is neither natural nor desirable for wildlife management.

“When you read the journals of early European explorers in the Ozarks, you discover that the region looked very different than it does today,” she said.“Instead of having oakhickory forest almost everywhere, like we do today, some areas were covered with shortleaf pines. Where you see cedar thickets today, there used to be sunny glades, and there was a surprising amount of grassy savanna and open woodland.

The Ozarks actually had elk and buffalo back then.”

Indians lit fires to remove leaf litter and hasten spring green-up, attracting deer and other game animals. Today, the Conservation Department is using fire and various timberharvest strategies to create and maintain habitats once produced by natural processes.

“Nobody loves mature forest more than a forester,” said Allen. “There’s nothing like standing in a grove of old trees and looking up at that cathedral-like canopy. That is why we keep some state forestland in mature timber. But if you want lots of deer and turkey, if you want the full range of warblers and hawks and lizards and salamanders and small mammals that once inhabited these hills, you need the other habitat types besides mature forest. The best way to achieve that is through active forest management.”

Jim Low, News Services Coordinator, MDC

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CALENDAR

M I S S O U R I F E S T I V A L S A N D A F F I L I AT E E V E N T S

AFFILIATE EVENTS CAPITAL CITY FLY FISHERS JAN 7: Teach a Vet to Tie, Veterans Hospital – Conference Room C202, Columbia (3:00pm) JAN 12: Board of Directors Meeting, Runge Nature Center, Jefferson City (6:00pm) JAN 12: Regular Club Meeting, Runge Nature Center, Jefferson City (7:00pm – 9:00pm) JAN 18: Hooked on Fly Fishing Not Drugs, South Callaway RII School, Mokane (3:00pm) JAN 21: Teach a Vet to Tie, Veterans Hospital – Conference Room C202, Columbia (3:00pm) FEB 1: McKay Lake Winter Trout Program FEB 4: Teach a Vet to Tie, Veterans Hospital – Conference Room C202, Columbia (3:00pm) FEB 9: Board of Directors Meeting, Runge Nature Center, Jefferson City (6:00pm) FEB 9: Regular Club Meeting, Runge Nature Center, Jefferson City (7:00pm – 9:00pm) FEB 18: Teach a Vet to Tie, Veterans Hospital – Conference Room C202, Columbia (3:00pm) FEB 22: Hooked on Fly Fishing Not Drugs, South Callaway RII School, Mokane (3:00pm) GREENWAY NETWORK JAN 16-17: Eagle Days, Old Chain of Rocks Bridge (9:00am – 3:00pm); Kathi Weilbacher (314) 416-9930 x: 111 FEB 3-5: Missouri Natural Resources Conference, Tan-TarA Resort and Golf Club, Lake of the Ozarks (9:00am – 2:00pm) FEB 20: Wetland Restoration, Creve Couer (9:00am – 1:00pm); Mitch Leachman (314) 599-7390 FEB 20: Ladue Creeks Clean-up, Creve Couer (9:00am – 1:00pm); Mitch Leachman (314) 599-7390

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MID MISSOURI TROUT UNLIMITED JAN 5: Regular Monthly Meeting, D. Rowe’s, Columbia (7:00pm) JAN 26: Board of Directors Meeting, D. Rowe’s, Columbia (6:30pm) FEB 2: Regular Monthly Meeting, D. Rowe’s, Columbia (7:00pm) FEB 12: Annual Conservation Banquet, Stoney Creek Inn, Columbia FEB 23: Board of Directors Meeting, D. Rowe’s, Columbia (6:30pm) MISSOURI BASS FEDERATION JAN 30: Board of Directors Meeting, Columbia MISSOURI DUCKS UNLIMITED JAN 23: Southfork Flyway Annual Banquet and Live Auction, Knights of Columbus Hall, Mexico (6:00pm); Mark Rothermich (573) 473-2276 or Jim Hill (573) 581-0100 JAN 30: Barton County Dinner, Theibaud Auditorium, Lamar (6:00pm); Jared Chesnut (417) 682-3767 JAN 30: Warrenton Annual Dinner, Lions Club, Wrights City (6:00pm); Rich Vallat (636) 544-1049 or John Molitor (636) 673-3091 FEB 6: Membership Dinner, Church of the Annunciation Community Center, Kearney (6:00pm); Jon Shinneman (816) 204-4540 FEB 6: White River Membership Dinner, West Plains (6:00pm); Jay Gregory (417) 274-2457 FEB 18: Barry/Lawrence County Dinner, Monett (6:00pm); Julie Snodgrass (417) 489-1078 FEB 20: Marmaton Valley Membership Dinner, Eagles Lodge (6:00pm); Adam Barrett (417) 667-7297 FEB 20: Blackwater Banquet, Johnson County Fairgrounds, Warrensburg (5:30pm); Kevin Raynes (660) 429-6959 or Gary Carter (660) 429-2934

FEB 27: Saint Charles Banquet; Dunstan Disselhorst (636) 6999869 FEB 27: Greater Kansas City Membership Dinner (6:00pm); Richard Woody (913) 7661964 FEB 27: Independence Membership Dinner, Pavilion II (6:00pm); Bob Cole (913) 9270757 MISSOURI HUNTING HERITAGE FEDERATION JAN 1-3: Hunter Education Clinic/Deer Hunt, Cass County MISSOURI NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FEDERATION FUNDRAISING BANQUETS JAN 15: Bayou Strutters, Top of the Town Banquet Hall, East Prairie; Tim Kavan (573) 8236366 JAN 16: Current River Callers, Winona School, Winona; Troy McAfee (417) 331-4831 JAN 16: Springtown Wattlenecks, Annunciation Community Center, Kearney; Troy O’Dell (816) 628-4254 JAN 22: Southern Ozark Longbeards, First Church of God, Doniphan; Alan Slayton (573) 996-3211 JAN 23: Crowleys Ridge Limbhangers, Elks Lodge, Dexter; Kyle Ouzts (573) 624-5505 JAN 23: Indian Creek Chapter, Lampo Building, Neosho; Chuck & Doris Dalbom (417) 628-3253 JAN 23: Lincoln Hills, Lincoln County Fairgrounds, Troy; Jay Herring (573) 898-5420 JAN 23: Tick Ridge, Macon County Expo Center, Macon; Matthew Burks (660) 3951404 JAN 28: Mid-State, Elks Lodge, Columbia; Bernard Grice (573) 445-6967 JAN 29: North West Struttin’ Toms, American Legion Hall, Maryville; Tami Brown (816) 646-5447 JAN 29: Ozark Greenway Thunderin’ Gobblers, Community Building, Willard; Jason Bussard (417) 830-1535 JAN 29: Shaky Ground Gobblers, Knights of Columbus Hall, New Madrid; Bud Henry (573) 7485999

JAN 30: Benton County Thunderin’ Gobblers, Knights of Columbus Hall, Warsaw; Josh Young (660) 547-2535 JAN 30: Delta Bootheel Gobblers, Eagles Lodge, Kennett; Lynn Smith (573) 888-7014 JAN 30: Honey Creek Stutters, Lake Viking Club House, Gallatin; Scott Estep (660) 749-5816 JAN 30: Ray County Shortspurs, Veterans Memorial Building, Richmond; Mark McCorkendale (660) 398-4785 JAN 30: Union Covered Bridge Gobblers, American Legion Hall, Paris; Bruce Mills (573) 721-2268 FEB 5: Lost Creek Longbeards, Innsbrook Resort, Wright City; Gary Janes (636) 290-8310 FEB 5: Rogersville Strutters, First Baptist Church, Rogersville; Cody Wilson (417) 838-2451 FEB 5: Summit Ridge Longbeards, Saint Andrews Catholic Church, Holts Summit; Jeff Demand (573) 289-0401 FEB 6: Chariton River Full Strutters, Knights of Columbus Hall, Salisbury; George Schupback (660) 288-3168 FEB 6: Clearwater Longbeards, Trinity Methodist Church, Piedmont; Richie Ayers (573) 2232356 FEB 6: Cooper County Limbhangers, Knights of Columbus Hall, Boonville; Sabe Caton (573) 450-1048 FEB 6: Gateway Longspurs, Knights of Columbus Hall, Saint Paul; Dan Zerr (636) 625-1608 FEB 12: Meramec Valley Strutters, Eagles Lodge, Sullivan FEB 13: Bootheel Boss Gobblers, Bavarian Hall, Jackson; Bronson Senn (573) 225-3087 FEB 13: Dent County Thundering Toms, Indian Trail Archery, Salem; Cheryl Smith (573) 729-7083 FEB 13: Grand River Gobblers, American Legion Post 216, Bethany FEB 13: Truman Lake Chapter, Benson Convention Center, Clinton; Brent Billings (417) 644-0021 FEB 26: Brickyard Hill Drum-

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mers, Atchison County Memorial Building, Rock Port; Wally Riebesell (660) 744-4115 FEB 26: Kingdom of Callaway Limbhangers, Saint Peters Catholic Church, Fulton; John Burk (573) 676-5994 FEB 26: Sand Burr Strutters, Elks Lodge, Sikeston; Tony Beeson (573) 380-5433 FEB 26: Tabo Creek Thunderin’ Toms, American Legion Hall, Higginsville; Mark Lamphier (660) 584-6397 FEB 27: Black Mountain Longbeards, Middle School, Fredericktown; Jason Wengler (573) 783-7962 FEB 27: Little Platte Longbeards, Community Center, Lathrop FEB 27: Turkey Creek Longbeards, Shriners Club, Joplin; Charles Forest (417) 781-4720 FEB 27: Young’s Creek Strutters, Holy Spirit Multi Purpose Building, Centralia; Eddie Schultz (573) 682-1900 WHEELIN SPORTSMANS BENEFITS JAN 9: Missouri State Awards, Osage Beach; Bernard Grice (573) 445-6967 MISSOURI PARKS & RECREATION ASSOCIATION JAN 20: Legislative Action Day, Briefing and Training/Legislative Visits, Jefferson City (1:00pm – 6:00pm) JAN 20: Legislative Reception,

WELCOME CFM NEW MEMBERS

Jim Auckley, Ballwin Gerald Bayer, Saint Louis Donald Bohler, Saint Charles Rob Bolin, Saint Joseph

Capitol Plaza Hotel, Jefferson City (6:00pm – 7:30pm) MISSOURI SMALLMOUTH ALLIANCE JAN 20: Eleven Point River Canoe Rental MISSOURI TROUT FISHERMEN’S ASSOCIATION JAN 7: Regular Monthly Meeting, Conservation Nature Center, Springfield (7:00pm) FEB 4: Regular Monthly Meeting, Conservation Nature Center, Springfield (7:00pm) MISSOURI WHITETAILS UNLIMITED JAN 16: River Hills Chapter, Bavarian Hall, Jackson JAN 30: Harold Hoey Chapter, Saline County Fairgrounds, Marshall FEB 13: Tall Tines Chapter, NEMO Fairgrounds, Kirksville FEB 19: Women’s Hunting Club Chapter, Quality Inn Banquet Hall, Hannibal OZARK FLY FISHERS JAN 5: Membership Class, Powder Valley Nature Center, Saint Louis (6:30pm) JAN 7: Beg Fly Tying Class, Queeny Park Recreation Room (7:30pm) JAN 14: Beg Fly Tying Class, Queeny Park Recreation Room (7:30pm) JAN 21: Beg Fly Tying Class Queeny Park Recreation Room (7:30pm)

Bolin Auto & Truck Parts, Saint Joseph M.M. Cartwright, Columbia Kirsten Cash, Bonne Terre Cyndi Cogbill, Joplin Dalton Costick, Chesterfield Michael Crocker, Willard Jane Eckenrod, Arnold

JAN 23: Club Banquet, Crown Plaza, Clayton (6:00pm) JAN 28: Beg Fly Tying Class, Queeny Park Recreation Room (7:30pm) FEB 1: Fly Fishing MO Trout Parks, Queeny Park Recreation Room (7:30pm) FEB 2: Membership Classes, Powder Valley Nature Center, Saint Louis (6:30pm) FEB 4: Intermediate Fly Tying, Queeny Park Recreation Room (7:30pm) FEB 5-7: FYAO Montauk Outing, Montauk State Park FEB 11: Intermediate Fly Tying, Queeny Park Recreation Room (7:30pm) FEB 18: Intermediate Fly Tying, Queeny Park Recreation Room (7:30pm) FEB 22: MO Best Flies, Queeny Park Recreation Room (7:30pm) FEB 23: Reading the Water, Queeny Park Recreation Room (7:30pm) FEB 25: Intermediate Fly Tying, Queeny Park Recreation Room (7:30pm) FEB 27: All Day General Membership Meeting, Missouri Government Center, Creve Couer OZARK WILDERNESS WATERWAYS CLUB JAN 2-3: New Year’s Float, Bennett Spring State Park JAN 9: Stream Water Quality Testing, Minor Park, Kansas City (10:00am – 12:00pm) JAN 9: Potluck Dinner, Swope Park, Kansas City (6:30pm – 7:30pm) JAN 9: Business Meeting, Swope Park, Kansas City (7:30pm –

Janet Evans, Florissant John Garrett, Augusta Norma Hagerty, Kansas City Joshua Higgins, Pacific Paige Jenkins, Bolivar Charlotte Lenz, O’Fallon Frank Mullins, Gatewood Russ Pearce, Florissant Jim Pedro, California

9:00pm) JAN 16: Ozark Trip Planning Meeting, Blue Springs (3:00pm – 5:00pm) FEB 13: Potluck Dinner, Swope Park, Kansas City (6:30pm – 7:30pm) FEB 13: Business Meeting, Swope Park, Kansas City (7:30pm – 9:00pm) SOUTHSIDE CONSERVATION FEDERATION JAN 14: General Membership Meeting/Installation of Officers, American Legion Post 162, Saint Louis (8:00pm); (314) 481-7631 JAN 18: Monthly Board Meeting, American Legion Post 162, Saint Louis (7:30pm); (314) 481-7631 FEB 15: Monthly Board Meeting, American Legion Post 162, Saint Louis (7:30pm); (314) 481-7631 SOUTHWEST MISSOURI FLY FISHERS JAN 14: Business Meeting, Springfield Nature Center, Springfield (7:00pm) FEB 11: Business Meeting, Springfield Nature Center, Springfield (7:00pm) WALNUT COUNCIL & OTHER FINE HARDWOODS FEB 5: Annual Nut Show Evaluation, Community Center, Nevada FEB 6: Missouri Nut Growers Annual Meeting and Nut Show, Community Center, Nevada

CFM EVENTS

JAN 15-17: Board Meeting, Big Cedar Lodge, Branson FEB 26-28: Annual Convention, Lodge of Four Seasons, Lake Ozark

David Reynolds, Springfield Robert Ridgley, New Florence Paul Roth, Murphysboro, IL Bernard Schreck, Osage Beach Barbara Scott, Chesterfield Roger Wilson, Paris Lisa Wood, Saint Louis Kelsie Young, Verona

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AGENCY NEWS

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Bob enjoys time in the outdoors by collecting shed antlers in the spring.

Bob’s passion for hunting and fishing began at an early age, seen here as a proud angler.

nomic times in the agency’s history will be an immediate challenge for Bob, “Revenue continues to lag behind estimates; however, the commission has approved a plan that will allow needed staffing and service adjustments. This plan combined with continued efforts to increase efficiency measures and streamline our business processes will allow us to provide quality public service to Missourians with the resources the people have entrusted to us.”

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and fishing.

Bob has a Bachelor of Science and Masters Degree in Fish and Wildlife Management from the University of Missouri and has served the state as an Assistant Director with MDC the last six years. He began his career in 1991 as an assistant natural history biologist, gaining experience in a variety of positions including endangered species and aquatic services biologist, policy specialist in the Planning Division, and as the Department’s State Government Liaison. Bob brings comprehensive conservation knowledge and a multidisciplined science background to his new role in addition to high energy and positive initiative that will improve and enhance Missouri’s conservation program in all areas. He has a deep understanding and appreciation of conservation in Missouri and the nation.

Bob’s conservation vision emphasizes the importance of Missouri citizens and their involvement in key conservation issues. He believes in listening and says, “Citizen input and involvement are critical to Missouri conservation.” A proactive leader, Bob believes that educating and informing citizens will help build upon Missouri’s national conservation reputation, “Working together with citizens and conservation partners will keep our state a national leader in fish, forest and wildlife management.”

Becoming Director at one of the most challenging eco-

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ob Ziehmer will become the eighth Director of the Missouri Department of Conservation in January, following in the footsteps of several notable conservationists, most recently, John D. Hoskins. “Bob is a top notch communicator who believes in citizen-led, citizen-driven conservation in our state,” Director Hoskins said in support of the Conservation Commission’s decision.

Bob is an avid sportsman and landowner but above all, he’s a family man. He and his wife of 17 years, Beth, and their daughters, Emily, 14, and Lauren, 11, live in California, MO, where they are actively engaged in their community through church, school and other activities. His character, actions and philanthropy provide a solid role model for his daughters and many others.

Humble by nature, Bob sets an example through his daily life at work and in his community.

Bob’s parents, Carl and Andree, influenced his career choice by encouraging his interest in hunting, fishing, trapping and other outdoor activities. In addition, retired Moniteau County Conservation Agent Richard Schroeder was a role model and mentor to Bob, serving as his Scout Master and providing an early glimpse at what a conservation career means.

Today, Bob carry’s on that tradition as he mentors others in the field of conservation and encourages exploration of outdoor interests such as hunting

MDC

Conservation Commission Selects Director Of MDC

Bob shares his love of the outdoors with his children, pictured here with his youngest daughter, Lauren.

Regardless, Bob is ready for the challenges ahead: “I am excited and humbled by my selection as the eighth Director of the Missouri Department of Conservation. I’m looking forward to meeting and visiting with citizens throughout our state to enhance and improve resource conservation.”

Tim Ripperger Assistant Director, MDC

Prairie-Chickens Across North America Editor’s note: This article was first published in the Missouri Prairie Foundation’s Missouri Prairie Journal , Winter 2008, Vol. 29, No. 4. The mission of the Missouri Prairie Foundation is to protect and restore prairie and other native grassland communities through acquisition, management, education, and research. The contributions of Missouri Prairie Foundation members and supporters are vital to conserving Missouri’s prairie landscapes. Visit MPF at http://www.moprairie.com.

reater prairie-chickens have gotten lots of press in the two years since Missouri Grasslands Coalition partners embarked on renewed recovery efforts for this state endangered species in 2006. The Missouri Prairie Journal and other conservation publications, as well as newspapers, have covered many aspects of our efforts. But where does our work in Missouri, and that of biologists in other states, fit into range-wide conservation efforts for the species? How are these magnificent birds doing elsewhere?

Let’s take a look at historic and current information about prairie-chickens throughout North America, supported by research done throughout the birds’ range, to answer these questions.

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A History of Adaptation and Shifting Range Greater prairie-chickens once ranged throughout native prairies of central North America from southern Canada to Texas. However, their distribution has changed drastically over the past 200 years.

Historically, they probably occurred in 20 states and four Canadian provinces. Today, they occupy 11 states and are no longer present in Canada (Svedarsky et al. 2000, Walk 2004).

Prior to European settlement, greater prairie-chickens occurred mainly in the tallgrass prairie of midwestern North America with the population likely centered near the intersection of Missouri, Illinois and Iowa (Robb and Schroeder 2005, Svedarsky et al. 2000). With agricultural development during the 1800s, the species spread as far north as Canada and west to Colorado (Robb and Schroeder 2005, Walk 2004). This range expansion was facilitated by settlers’ agricultural practices and elimination of bison from the prairies (Svedarsky et al. 2000). Crop fields provided the birds with a new winter food source, and the removal of bison temporarily improved heavily grazed grasslands, especially in more arid regions. For example, greater prairie-chickens were uncommon in Kansas during the early 1800s, but were reported near Fort Hays by 1870 and in Colorado by 1897 (Applegate and Horak 1999). This expansion reflects the ability of the birds to successfully adapt to a variety of climatic conditions and use a broad range of grassland types.

Agricultural practices and

© GLENN D. CHAMBERS

Historic Population Trends, Research Affect Conservation Work Range-wide

A male greater prairie-chicken stakes his claim on the booming ground (lek).

bison elimination, however, provided only a short-term pulse of habitat improvement for the birds. With widespread conversion of prairie to cropfields, and without bison to maintain the variable vegetation structure needed by greater prairie-chickens, the birds’ populations began their rapid decline in Missouri, Iowa and eastward. Over the course of settlers’ western expansion, the geographic center of the species distribution shifted significantly westward to the expansive grasslands of central Nebraska, Kansas and South Dakota. Population declines were slower coming to the West because these arid areas didn’t support wholesale conversion of native rangeland to cropland. In effect, the birds found beneficial habitat farther west—co-existing with cattle in native pastures—and conditions continued to worsen farther east.

Although greater prairie-

chicken populations in these contemporary strongholds support closely regulated harvest, their numbers have declined, to some extent, throughout most of the Great Plains (Svedarsky et al. 1999).

A probable reason for decline in the Flint Hills of Kansas may be the widespread adoption of what is known as “early intensive grazing” of cattle, whereby nearly all grassland acres are burned annually during the spring, which greatly reduces nesting habitat opportunities.

Other reasons for decline in central Nebraska, Kansas and South Dakota may include habitat fragmentation and conversion of habitat to cropland, but there is no conclusive evidence to provide a clear-cut explanation for declines in these states. And, while populations in southeastern Nebraska and Minnesota are currently thriving, their close association with grasslands created via the Conservation Reserve Program calls into question their longterm stability.

Outside of this core area, the birds are listed as state endangered in Missouri and critically imperiled in Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin, but they are not currently on the federal list of threatened or endangered species. And, most greater prairie-chicken populations at the southern and eastern boundaries of their range—in Wisconsin, Illinois, See Prairie-Chicken on page 14

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Prairie-Chicken from page 13 Missouri and Oklahoma— exhibit severe range contraction and fragmentation.

Critical Habitat Needs Although an exhaustive discussion of habitat needs would include reference to booming ground, roosting and winter cover, these are generally believed to be available in sufficient quantity in most parts of the greater prairie-chicken range. The most limiting habitat elements here in Missouri are nesting and brood-rearing habitat. As a result, much current management—in Missouri and elsewhere—is focused on providing enough of these critical habitat types in close proximity to one another to allow hens to successfully nest and raise their broods.

Nesting Habitat Lacking nesting and broodrearing habitat is the factor that most limits greater prairie-chickens populations.

Most nests are located within 1.6 km of the nearest lek (Svedarsky 1988-Minnesota, Schroeder 1991-Colorado) and consist of shallow, bowlshaped depressions that are typically lined with dried grass, leaves and feathers (Hamerstrom 1939).

Nest sites generally occur on well drained sites with dense upright vegetative structure; residual litter from the previous growing season provides vertical and horizontal concealment. Excessive litter build-up, common on undisturbed sites, generally makes a site unsuitable for nesting.

Some research has found that contiguous prairie landscapes 1 4

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had higher nest success than prairie-agriculture mosaic landscapes. However, other work conducted in fragmented landscapes in Illinois confirms higher nest success in nonnative grasses, particularly smooth bromegrass (Bromus inermis), compared to grasslands dominated by native species (Westermeier 1995, pers. com.). Hamerstrom et al.

(1957) states that suitable nesting habitat is determined by vegetation structure, location and landscape content rather than plant species. Management strategies such as mowing, grazing, haying and prescribed burning that control vegetation structure and accumulation of litter are necessary to sustain suitable nesting cover regardless of grassland type.

Limited availability of residual vegetative cover for nesting is a key limiting factor throughout the species range.

Ideal nest sites provide effective concealment plus an easy escape route from predators.

Native grasses often become too tall and dense for greater prairie-chicken nesting, which may explain historic low prairie-chicken densities (average one per 10 to 15 acres) in native prairie. Research indicates that hens prefer to nest in residual vegetation that is between 12 and 15 inches tall, although new growth could average 28 inches.

Greater prairie-chickens tend to avoid vegetation taller than 31 inches. Litter is also important as hens often use standing dead vegetation to construct the nest bowl. However, excessive litter reduces

nest success. Missouri research found litter cover to be the best single predictor of nest success: Nests in cover with >25 percent litter failed twice as often as those with <25 percent litter cover (McKee 1998). Heavy litter may also impede the movement of chicks from nesting to feeding areas and contribute to higher brood mortality.

The high clipping work at the Missouri Prairie Foundation’s Bruns Tract in Pettis County and on many Missouri Department of Conservation grasslands represents an attempt to manage vegetation height to create more usable nesting habitat. This also explains why biologists encourage farmers to manage in ways that provide adequate grass cover that is approximately 14 inches tall during mid-April to encourage nest initiation. Cool-season grasses established via the Conservation Reserve Program provide important nesting areas in several states.

Greater prairie-chickens nest in a variety of grasses and legumes including native warm-season grasses, winter wheat, alfalfa, redtop, timothy and smooth brome. Native warm-season grass plantings and native prairies provide effective nesting cover, but quickly become too tall and rank without proper management. The rapid spring greenup and vertical growth form of smooth brome provides the structure needed for successful nesting. Additionally, brome tends to withstand snow flattening and produces few seeds in the southern part of its range, which limits its rate of

spread. Redtop and timothy exhibit some of these characteristics and have been shown to provide good nesting cover.

Smooth brome and redtop rarely reach a height not tolerated by nesting prairie-chickens and support high chicken densities in Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska and some parts of Missouri.

Svedarsky (1988) observed higher nest success in nonnative grasses, particularly smooth bromegrass, compared to grasslands dominated by native species. Greater prairiechickens prefer to nest at least 660 feet from a tree or tree line.

In fact, woody cover >2 m tall may be detrimental to nest success (McKee 1995).

Research on Missouri prairies found that 58 percent of clutches hatched when woody cover was <5 percent of the area, but only 18 percent hatched when woody cover was >5 percent (McKee 1995).

Linear rows of woody cover may produce an edge effect that increases the impact of predators. Although any woody cover >15 feet in height is undesirable, scattered clumps of native shrubs comprising less than <5 percent of the landscape is acceptable.

Since 2006, the Conservation Department, Missouri Prairie Foundation and other groups have cleared more than 18 miles of treelines in Grassland Focus Areas, opening nearly 3,000 additional acres of public and private lands for use by greater prairie-chickens and other grassland birds. In addition, scattered trees were removed from more than 755 additional acres.

Woody edge does not benefit greater prairie-chickens.

However,“soft edge,” which is created when herbaceous cover of varying heights and densities meet, may be critical.

Research indicates that a majority of prairie-chicken nests are located within 20 yards of herbaceous edge (Horak 1985), lending credence to management that maximizes the extent of such boundaries within large grassland units. Patch-burn grazing helps provide this “soft edge” by creating a mosaic of grassland structures in close proximity to each other: patches recently burned with lush, short growth, grazed patches with bare ground and rested patches with tall vegetation.

Brood-Rearing Habitat Available habitat for hens to raise a brood is another key factor limiting prairie-chicken populations. Chicks are precocial and begin to forage just after hatching. Because of their small size and inability to move through dense vegetation, chicks require habitat that is relatively open at ground level with an abundance of bare ground. Good brood habitat also provides overhead protection from predators and the elements, and harbors an abundance of insects, which chicks rely on for food for the first few weeks of life. Disturbance, such as burning or wellmanaged grazing, is essential to the maintenance of good brood-rearing cover.

Examples of brood habitat include old fields, native grasses and cultivated pastures.

Broods also use soybean and small grain fields, as well as grassy fallow fields. Westemeier et al. (1995) found that broods

Prairie-Chicken Species here are three different kinds of extant prairiechickens in North America: the lesser prairiechicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus), the greater prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus cupido pinnatus) and the Attwater’s prairie-chicken (T. c. attwateri). The genus and species name of the greater and the Attwater’s literally means “drummer of love,” referring to the males’ booming courtship calls.

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The Attwater’s prairie-chicken is federally listed as endangered and occurs only in profoundly isolated populations on the Texas coastal plain. Populations of the Attwater’s have been seriously impacted by habitat fragmentation and loss, severe weather events including hurricanes and introduced species such as the imported red fire ant.

Small populations of the lesser prairie-chicken—a species of conservation concern—occur in New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. The lesser is about two-thirds the size of the greater, and the male’s throat sacs are a deeper orange-red than those of the greater.

The main portion of this article is focused on the greater prairie-chicken, the subspecies native to Missouri and neighboring states. in Illinois used newly seeded grass/legumes, recently burned brome and weeds with scattered legumes. Burger et al.

(1989) found that native prairie hay fields and pastures were used in Missouri, and Horak (1985) found more broods in disturbed or cultivated areas compared to large native pastures in Kansas.

Insects are critically important during early brood rearing to meet protein nutritional needs, thus habitats that have higher insect populations are desirable and should be adjacent to or very near nesting cover. Insects comprise the majority of food items eaten by chicks, especially during the first month of life, and maintaining native forbs or legumes in the plant community sup-

ports higher insect diversity and numbers.

The patch-burn grazing management of numerous Missouri prairies in recent years has helped to provide soft edge, important not only for nesting but for brood rearing: patches of bare ground allow for chick mobility and insect hunting; the lush new growth after burns and rested patches provide habitat for insects and hiding places for hens and chicks.

Missouri Grasslands Coalition partners have converted more than 500 acres of privately owned tall fescue and cropland to wildlife-friendly forages in the past two years. They have also initiated improved grazing systems and included prescribed burning and exotic

plant control on thousands of acres. These accomplishments have resulted in improved brood-rearing habitat for prairie-chickens and other grassland-dependent birds.

Conclusion Although greater prairiechickens are adapted to a wide range of climatic conditions, and have responded to historic, favorable changes in land use patterns throughout their North American range, their success is tied to open landscapes that provide the right mixture and arrangement of suitable nesting and brooding habitat. Missouri’s humid climate and productive soils make it challenging for managers to keep up with habitat fragmentation by invasive woody plants. Roads, powerlines, homes, fences and other manmade sources of habitat fragmentation further limit suitable habitat.

The biggest challenge, however, comes with identifying grassland management strategies that fit the financial needs of farmers and other landowners who live and work where we see potential for recreating suitable habitat. Missouri Grasslands Coalition partners continue to seek funding to support the needed management and initiate programs that meet the needs of landowners within our Focus Areas. The challenges are great, but so are the potential rewards.

Max Alleger, Grassland Bird Coordinator, MDC Note: Due to space limitations, we were unable to print the author’s references.

For a complete list, please email Lynne Jensen Lampe ( Missouri Wildlife Design & Production) at llampe.editor@gmail.com.

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DNR’s New Deputy Director: A Top Flight Duck Hunter And World Class Guide avis Minton has a strong attachment to the farm he grew up on near Dexter Missouri.

Following the channelization of the St. Francis River in the 1970s, Davis, along with his father and two brothers cleared the land that makes up their family farm, and he personally innovated many of the farming practices that have made this one of the most productive agricultural regions in the state. He is also one of our state’s most creative wetland managers. He and his brother, Bradley, operate Moccasin Ridge Hunt Club, which consists of highly productive wetlands surrounding three sides of MDC’s famed Otter Slough. These days, his dedication to the environment has him in Jefferson

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City, where he is serving as Deputy Director of Operations for DNR. His responsibilities include the Division of Environmental Quality and Division of Administrative Support.

He fills a much needed role at DNR, as his business and financial background will be a valued asset as the agency faces the tough funding issues that lie ahead.

We salute Mr. Minton for his service!

Above: Challenges at DNR may bring deeper water, but Davis will wade right in.

Above left: Setting decoys.

At right: Scott and Sara Pauley with just a few of the abundant fruits of Davis’s labors.

At left: Paradise for ducks…and duck hunters.

At right: A picture worth 1,000 words, by Glenn Phaup.

Below: Multitasking in the duck marsh.

Below right: Storage bins in the distance are a reminder of the Minton family’s agricultural roots.

Above: Greenheads.

At left: Bootheel boat ride.

Photos by Glenn Phaup

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NEWS & ISSUES

MDC

Arnold Meysenburg Charley Ponciroli Mossie Schallon Winnie Runge Stribling Tim Thompson Tom Russell Dennis Stubbs Al Vogt Mark Williams Hunt with your kid now and you won’t have to hunt for your kid later! Steve Mowry knows that. He’s shown here with his daughter, Elizabeth, 20, and her magnificent buck.

Elizabeth is a student at UMKC.

Board Approves Recommendations The Conservation Federation of Missouri Board of Directors approved the Nominating Committee recommendations for 2010 at the October 17 Board Meeting: President – Mike Schallon 1st V.P. – Duane Addleman 2nd V.P. – Richard Ash, Jr. Secretary – Sara Pauley Treasurer – Randy Washburn Executive Committee – Howard Fisher, Tim Thompson NWF Representative – Don Johnson Alt. NWF Rep. – Ron Coleman At-Large Elected Directors: Marvin Behnke Jim Blair Gerry Boehm Stephen Bradford Ron Coleman Mark Corio Duane Kelly Marty King John Knudsen

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JANUARY 2010

State-Record Trout Is Big But Lake Holds Bigger For Scott Sandusky, the most exciting fish in the world is the Missouri state-record brown trout he landed Nov. 20. For the rest of us, the most exciting fish are the even bigger brown trout that might still be prowling the depths of Lake Taneycomo.

Sandusky, a 49-year-old resident of Arnold, caught his 28-pound, 12ounce fish on Berkley Power Bait and 4-pound-test line on a spinning rod and reel. The fish – which bore some resemblance to a football – bested the previous record – another Taneycomo fish – by more than a pound. It measured 37 inches from nose to tail.

Sandusky’s catch is dwarfed by the world record brown trout, caught from Michigan’s Big Manistee River Sept. 9. That fish weighed 41 pounds, 7 ounces. However, the Missouri Department of Conservation says Lake Taneycomo could harbor even bigger brown trout.

In September 1997, a Lake Taneycomo angler found a monster brown trout dead near the lake’s 18-mile marker. The fish measured 41.75 inches long. Some estimated its live weight at 45 pounds.

Mike Kruse, now fisheries administrative manager for the Conservation Department in Jefferson City, was the

MDC

A COLLECTION OF STORIES FROM AROUND THE STATE

Scott Sandusky shows off his record-setting trout: 28 pounds, 12 ounces.

agency’s trout research biologist in 1997. At the time, he noted that the dead fish could have been a world record.

Conservation Agent Quenten Fronterhouse said he has seen larger fish in the Trout Hollow area. Fisheries Management Biologist Shane Bush said Conservation Department fisheries workers have found a number of brown trout weighing over 30 pounds when conducting electrofishing samples.

“With our annual stocking rate of around 10,000 brown trout a year, Taneycomo should have no problem producing additional world-class brown trout in the future,” said Bush.

“There is no telling how many world-class brown trout are swimming around in Lake Taneycomo,” said Kruse. “The lake’s natural food base is phenomenal, and it has an abundance of deep-water habitat that can hide big fish.”

Furthermore, said Kruse, Lake Taneycomo’s slow-moving current allows big trout to grow rapidly, because they don’t have to expend much energy.

In contrast, anglers are likely to expend lots of energy looking for big browns at Lake Taneycomo, spurred on

by Sandusky’s success.

Jim Low News Services Coordinator, MDC

CFM Conservationists For Life ($1,000 Contribution) Charles Abele, Saint Louis R. Philip Acuff, Saint Joseph Duane Addleman, Springfield Nancy Addleman† Tom Addleman, Kansas City James Agnew, Arnold Richard Ash, Saint Charles Carolyn Auckley, Jefferson City Michael Baker, DeSoto Dane Balsman, Perryville Jim Tom Blair, Saint Louis Marilynn Bradford, Cape Girardeau Stephen Bradford, Cape Girardeau Glenn Chambers, Columbia Ron Coleman, Saint Albans Mark Corio, Columbia John Enderle, Kelso Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Fleming, Columbia Howard & Sara Fleming, Moberly Mr. & Mrs. Matt Fleming, Moberly Matt Gaunt, Columbia Timothy Gordon, Maryland Heights Dave Kolb Grading, Saint Charles Gray Manufacturing Company, Saint Joseph Debbie Gremmelsbacher, Saint Louis Gery Gremmelsbacher, Saint Louis Herman Hanley, Grain Valley

Mickey Heitmeyer, Advance Randy Herzog, Saint Joseph James Hill, Mexico Allan Hoover, Pleasant Hill John Hoskins, Fremont Larry & Joan Hummel, Glencoe Don Johnson, Festus Malcolm “Mac” Johnson, Hartsburg Roger & Debbie Johnson, Humansville Tom Karl, Farmington Duane & Cosette Kelly, Independence Marty King, University City Judd Kirkham, Climax Springs Sara Knight, Charlotte, NC Carl Kurz, Leawood, KS Ann Kutscher, Jefferson City Larry Lackamp, Bates City Jay Law† Gerald Lee, Kansas City Joel LeMaster, Fulton Norman Leppo, Saint Louis John Lewis, Columbia Leroy Logan, Arnold Chip and Teresa McGeehan, Marshfield Cynthia Metcalfe, Saint Louis Davis Minton, Dexter David Murphy, Columbia Dean Murphy, Jefferson City Sara Parker Pauley, Hartsburg Abe Phillips, Saint Louis Jan Phillips, Saint Louis

Nick Prough, Harrisonville Gerald Ross, Jefferson City Bruce & Jan Sassman, Bland Mike Schallon, Ballwin Mossie Schallon, Wentzville Timothy Schwent, Jackson George Seek, Meadville E. “Sy” Seidler, Saint Louis Sara Seidler, Saint Louis M.W. Sorenson, Columbia Charles & Winnie Stribling, Mexico Mary Stuppy, Joplin Mark Sullivan† Jim Talbert, Jefferson City Tim Thompson, Saint Charles Jeff (J. T.) Tillman, Lake Ozark Gary Van De Velde, Jefferson City Barbara VanBenschoten, Kansas City Lee Vogel, Kansas City Al Vogt, Columbia Julius Wall, Clinton Randy Washburn, Jefferson City Robert Werges, Arnold Mark Williams, Lawson Stephen Wilson, Hartsburg Daniel Witter, Holts Summit Dick Wood, Saint Louis Howard Wood, Bonne Terre Dan Zerr, O’Fallon Robert Ziehmer, California † Deceased

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1 9

Conservation Federation of Missouri 2010 Resource Committee Meetings The Lodge of Four Seasons Saturday, February 27 Keynote Session 8:00 - 8:45

Natural Resource Committee Meetings 9:00 - 10:30 Camping, Hiking, Trails & Water Sports Chair: “Scoop” Peery

Vice Chair: Linda Hanley

Conservation Education, Youth Activities, Public Information & Wildlife Week Chair: Diana Mulick

Natural Resource Committee Meetings 11:00 - 12:30 Archery Chair: Tom Dickerson

Vice Chair: Jeff Friedman

Ecology, Environment & Energy Chair: Wallis Warren

Vice Chair: Duane Kelly

Vice Chair: Al Vogt

Fisheries & Water Resources Deer, Wild Turkey & Ruffed Grouse Chair: Eldo Meyer

Vice Chair: Mark Stuppy

Chair: Tom Russell

Vice Chair: Norman Leppo

Global Warming Chair: Cara Stuckel

Forestry Chair: Ed Keyser

Natural History & Wildlands Chair: Herman Hanley

Vice Chair: Bruce Schuette

Quail & Quail Habitat Chair: Tom Lampe

Vice Chair: Elsa Gallagher

Parks Chair: Nikki Thole

Vice Chair: Richard Ash, Jr.

Rivers & Streams Chair: Burt Stewart Vice Chair: Mark Van Patten

Waterfowl & Wetlands Chair: Mickey Heitmeyer Vice Chair: George Seek

Small Game & Furbearers Chair: Robert Wilson

Vice Chair: Dan McMurtry

Sportsmen’s Rights, Firearms & Hunter Safety Chair: Marvin Behnke

Vice Chair: Orlin Browning

Come Home To Conservation 74th CFM Annual Conference—REGISTER NOW! CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS Annual Conservation Awards Ceremony Natural Resource Committee Reports Affiliates Luncheon

Policy Discussions Meet Conservation & Natural Resource Leaders Banquet Auctions

CONFERENCE-AT-A-GLANCE FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28

1:00 - 7:00 pm

Registration Open

12:30 - 1:30 pm

Lunch break (on your own)

3:00 - 5:00 pm

Board Meeting

1:30 - 2:30 pm

5:00 - 7:30 pm

Dinner Break (on your own)

2:30 - 3:30 pm

7:30 - 9:00 pm

Annual Conservation Awards Ceremony

4:00 - 5:00 pm

Resolutions Committee Meeting 8:30am Operation Game Thief Committee 12:00 pm Meeting Annual Business Meeting of Delegates Life Member Reception ~Invitation Only~ Mail

5:00 - 5:30 pm SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27

5:30 - 7:00 pm

Social Hour & Silent Auction

7:00 - 8:00 am

Breakfast (on your own)

7:00 - 8:00 pm

Banquet

8:00 - 8:45 am

Keynote Session

8:30 pm

Live Auction

7:30 - 8:30 am

Breakfast (on your own) Resolutions General Session Adjourn

Subject to change

Registration To:

CFM 728 West Main Street Jefferson City, MO 65101

9:00 - 12:30 pm Resource Committee Meetings

REGISTRATION FORM (clip & mail) (#1) Member Package—All sessions, Awards Ceremony, Access to exhibits/silent auction.

ACCOMMODATIONS Lodging arrangements must be made directly with the Lodge of Four Seasons (573) 365-3000 or (800) 843-5253. Room rates are $76/night for single or double occupancy while room block lasts.

(#2) Non Member Package—All sessions, Awards Ceremony, Access to exhibits/silent auction, One-year CFM Membership.

2010 Awards Ceremony is sponsored by Bass Pro Shops

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OPEN SPACE COUNCIL

Our Missouri state parks face one of the most serious financial dilemmas in the history of the system as state government struggles with how to deal with revenue shortfalls in a difficult economy. In an economic crisis like we face today, people still need access to outdoor recreation and tourism. The extensive facilities in our parks must be managed and maintained to ensure a rewarding and safe visitor experience.

The Problem Missouri’s nationally renowned system of state parks and historic sites is gravely imperiled by diversions from the Parks Sales Tax and inadequate funding for capital improvements . The system is only middling among the states in number of units (85), acreage (140,000), staff (600 merit FTE), and funding ($50 million per year), yet it has been recognized as one of the best in the nation owing to the quality of the natural and cultural resources it protects, the quality of management, and strong citizen support. That quality is now severely jeopardized by recent staff cuts and years of inadequate funding for infrastructure rehabilitation and other vital capital improvements, of which there is now a $200 million backlog. The recent elimination of more than 100 staff positions—at 17 percent of merit staff, probably the most severely hit of any state agency—was exacerbated by the fact that parks, almost alone among state agencies, 2 2

JANUARY 2010

O P E N S PA C E C O U N C I L

Shortfalls Affect Funding For Missouri State Parks

Edmund A. Babler Memorial State Park.

received not one cent of extra federal funding in the last legislative session to cushion the blow of the current economic crisis.

Background Missouri state parks have historically been supported by four funding sources: the state’s general revenue, a dedicated tax, park earnings from fees and concessions, and periodic infusions for capital improvements from bond issues, federal funds and donations. The current 1/10th of 1% Parks and Soils Sales Tax, of which Parks gets 50% (now $40 million), was initially approved in a statewide vote in 1984 and was renewed in 1988, 1996, and 2006 (next, 2016). Major federal funds for capital improvements came to Missouri during the 1930s depression and the Land and Water Conservation Fund in the 1960s and ’70s, while the last significant capital improvements bond issue was the Third State Building Fund of the

1980s, of which Parks was allocated about 10% or $60 million.

When general revenue of about $11 million (for salaries) was stripped in 1989, both salaries and benefits had to be paid from the Parks Sales Tax. With other diversions from the tax (e.g., oversight, ADA compliance, legal settlements) and more than 300 sales tax exemptions by legislative or court action, the capacity of the Parks Sales Tax to fund capital improvements has been undermined. Now the economic downturn is resulting in $4 million lower Parks Sales Tax revenues, necessitating the staff cuts.

The Solution While various policy and legislative changes could provide some relief—and we must remain alert to address them— the measure most likely to pass in the next legislative session is a $700 million to $1 billion bond issue for capital improvements

similar to a referendum for higher education bonds introduced by Chris Kelly (D) and Steven Tilley (R) in the last session; it passed the House and was approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee, where it was amended to include up to $250 million for Parks and other state agencies, but then died under threat of filibuster. At the Missouri Parks Association Annual Meeting October 24, Chris Kelly said he plans to reintroduce such a bond issue, and that other state agencies—presumably including state parks—may be included this time.

The Missouri Parks Association advocates that 10% of a state capital improvements bond issue be designated for state parks, with the amount for Parks specified in the bill. The measure will likely be called the Build America Bonds (for which 35% of the interest may be paid from federal stimulus funds) and/or the Fifth State Building Fund, which could use the annual revenue stream freed by the impending retirement of the Third State Building Fund.

The referendum would have to be approved by a vote of the citizenry; the widespread public support for state parks (as reflected in the 71% “yes” vote in the 2006 tax renewal) is a major selling point for including state parks.

Dr. Susan Flader, President, Missouri Parks Association Ron Coleman, Chairman, CFM Parks Committee

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SCHOOL OF NATURAL RESOURCES

Research At SNR Is All Wet! ater quality (health, recreation) and availability (amount, location) are hugely important factors for the quality of human life (not to mention biodiversity). The study of water is a major focus of research in all four departments (Forestry; Fisheries & Wildlife Science; Parks, Recreation & Tourism; and Soil, Environmental, and Atmospheric Science) in MU’s School of Natural Resources.

From studies of precipitation (rain, snow, hail), to the movement of water over and through the ground, to stream and river flow, to drinking water quality, to recreational lake quality, to availability for agriculture, industry, and family use, to how people recreate on lakes and streams…the School is involved.

A quick review of current research shows over half of our faculty are engaged in more than 100 research projects related to water. A selected list of project titles helps see the breadth of what faculty are working on: • Watershed-Scale Evaluation of Soil and Water Conservation Practices; • Assessing the Effects of Conservation Practices on Aquatic Biota in the Missouri River Basin;

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• Upper Mississippi River Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability; • Research on Convective Snow in the Central United States; • Removing Antibiotics from Surface Water Runoff Using Vegetative Buffers; • Improving feed conversion in aquaculture; • Effects of Land-Use on Diffuse Pollution, Urban Runoff and Water Quality in Urban, Agricultural and Forested Watersheds; • Statewide Lake Assessment Project; • Variability in Atlantic Region Hurricane Activity; • An Economic Model to Project the Cost of Various Wastewater Management Options.

Water research at MU informs water quality standards, helps communities maintain drinking water supplies, and assists farmers and industry with efficient use of a precious resource. In almost any way that you use water, our researchers have been involved. Our research faculty are engaged daily in helping all Missourians to enjoy a better quality of life, better economic conditions, and a healthier environment. Our research on water is just one way we make a difference in your life.

Any time you have questions, you can reach me at RyanMR@missouri.edu.

Mark R. Ryan Director, SNR

MISSOURI WILDLIFE

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AGENCY NEWS

White Bass Fishing In Table Rock Lake Missouri Department Of Conservation Offers Tips For Success able Rock Lake is a large reservoir located in the Missouri counties of Barry, Stone, and Taney and the Arkansas counties of Boone and Carroll.

This reservoir encompasses 43,100 acres and 745 miles of shoreline and has gained national attention for its excellent black bass fishing. In addition to its exceptional black bass fishing, Table Rock Lake boasts opportunities for anglers to catch a wide variety of sportfish, including crappie, walleye, paddlefish, and white bass. White bass fishing can be outstanding on this reservoir. Due to the abundance of threadfin shad in Table Rock, the growth rate of white bass is phenomenal.

These fish commonly reach 12 inches at age 1 and 14 inches at age 2. The typical lifespan a white bass is about 4 years, but they can live longer and grow to lengths exceeding 18 inches in Table Rock Lake.

Lake levels during 2008 ranged from 4.7 feet below to 18.2 feet above conservation pool. Flooding impacts were felt around the region as the lake rose 18 feet from March 18 to March 22 following three days of consecutive rain. The lake set a new record high of 933.2 feet on April 12, 2008, and remained at or above 930 feet through the end of April. The good news? Most sportfish in the reservoir exhibited excellent recruitment due to the high water, including the white bass.

This became evident in 2009

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JANUARY 2010

when anglers all around the lake reported seeing and catching large numbers of 10-12 inch white bass chasing threadfin and gizzard shad to the surface almost on a daily basis. Some anglers claimed they had not seen so many white bass for years. Others claimed to have seen white bass surfacing for hours at a time. Due to this large year class, fishing for white bass should prove to be excellent for the next two to three years. In addition to the large year class of 2008, slightly higher than normal water levels in 2007 and 2009 should have resulted in additional year classes of white bass, expanding the size range to be caught for several years to come.

White bass are active, schooling fish. They appear in large numbers where food is abundant and move on when the supply is exhausted. They feed most actively in the early morning and late evening, often near the surface where forage fish tend to concentrate. Large schools move rapidly about in pursuit of bait fish, often driving them to the surface where they may leap from the water to evade capture. Anglers who are fortunate enough to be fishing in areas where the white bass aggressively chase schools of threadfin to the surface can catch an abundance of fish in a very short time.

Fishing for white bass in Table Rock Lake, like many other lakes, can range from very fast paced and exciting to

painfully frustrating. The time to fish for white bass is during their spring spawning migrations or when large schools are feeding near the surface in midsummer. During these times, fish may be caught on every cast. In the spring (mid-March to late April), white bass move into the river arms of Table Rock Lake, mainly the James River, Kings River, and Long Creek to spawn. During this time, they are commonly found around shallow gravel, sand, or mud flats. Inside, non-channel bends with little structure are good areas to begin the search for white bass in the river arms.

During the summer, many anglers will find white bass in areas primarily inhabited by black bass species in Table Rock Lake. White bass can be located by looking for fish surfacing for about 15 to 30 seconds then disappearing again. They will move to another area close, normally out of casting distance, and repeat this action. When they are not surfacing, white bass can be found in the deeper, main lake portions of the lake as well as in habitats similar to the river arms, but deeper. Locating schools of shad in deeper, flat areas using a fish finder is a great method to locate good numbers of white bass.

While not many anglers choose to fish for white bass during the late fall and winter, the fishing can be excellent. Due to cold water temperature you will not encounter schools of white bass actively chasing shad

on the surface. However, they continue to feed during the winter at greater depths, usually on or near the main lake.

Unlike the spring when the fish are migrating up the river arms to spawn, in the fall and winter white bass are following the shad. Shallow gravel points and flats seem to be the best. When looking for schools of white bass pay attention to the activity of sea gulls. When the whites are feeding on shad, they will force them to near surface and this attracts the gulls. If you see gulls actively diving and feeding, you can bet there are white bass in the in the water nearby.

Most anglers will find that silver, white, chrome and any combination of shad colored lures will work the best for white bass in Table Rock Lake. Many lures can be used at different times of the year under many circumstances. Lures can range from 1/16th ounce white crappie jigs and grubs to 1/4th ounce jigging spoons, rattletraps, crankbaits, and even full size top water plugs, such as Zara Spooks. When white bass are surfacing, a faster moving swimming lure works great. If white bass have been found but are not surfacing, a slower moving lure usually works the best.

More info on white bass fishing and Table Rock Lake is at http://www.mdc.mo.gov. For questions regarding Table Rock Lake, call (417) 334-4859.

Shane Bush and Mike Allen, MDC

Board Of Directors Amends CFM Bylaws October 17, 2009 Article IV Section 1 (b) now reads: The Directors of the Federation: â&#x20AC;˘ Directors-at-Large (36) â&#x20AC;˘ Affiliated Club Directors (as many as qualify) â&#x20AC;˘ Director Emeritus (up to 5) â&#x20AC;˘ NWF Representative and Alternative NWF Representative â&#x20AC;˘ Immediate Past President Article IV Section 2 (a) (2.) now reads: The nominating Committee shall select the slate of eighteen (18) elected directors and present said slate to the Board of Directors at the second meeting following the Annual Meeting. The delegates at the Annual Meeting held in conjunction with the

Annual Convention shall vote on this slate. Those elected shall serve for two-year terms, as shall the officers, Past President, NWF Representative, NWF Alternate Representative, and the representative for Conservation Leadership Corps.

The slate of candidates shall be published in Missouri Wildlife prior to the election at the Annual Convention.

Article IV Section 3 has been removed.

Article V Section 1 now reads: There shall be an Executive Committee of the Board consisting of the officers, the immediate past-president, the representative to the National Wildlife Federation and six others selected from members

of the Board. Of the six others, a minimum of one of the two selected each year shall be a Past President.

Article V Section 2 now reads: The officers shall serve on the Committee for the term of their office as shall the Immediate Past President, the NWF Representative and the CLC Representative. The six elected members shall serve staggered terms of three (3) years with two (2) of the six elected memberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s terms expiring at each Board meeting held in conjunction with the Annual Convention. After an elected member serves his/her term, that elected member will not be eligible for reelection to the Executive Committee for one

year after his/her term expires Article V Section 3 now reads: Two of the to-be-elected members shall be nominated by the Nominations Committee each year and reported to the Board at the second Board Meeting following the annual meeting. These nominations shall be published in the issue of Missouri Wildlife immediately preceding the next Annual Convention. Further nominations may be allowed from the floor of the Board Meeting. The two nominees to receive the most votes from the Board, one of which must be a Past President, shall be elected to the Executive Committee for a three-year term.

A voice vote shall be allowed.

Call the CFM office at (573) 634-2322 to buy your tickets TODAY! If you ainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t in, you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t win!

Conservation Federation of Missouri

2010 75th Anniversary Gun Drawing $75 each / 3 for $200 Only 300 tickets will be sold

Conservation Federation of Missouri

2010 Gun Drawing

Tickets and money due at CFM on or before Feburary 17, 2010 Drawing to be held at CFM Annual Convention on Feburary 27, 2010

Each winning ticket will be re-entered. One ticket could win all guns!

name __________________________

Prizes: address ________________________

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MISSOURI WILDLIFE

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Join the CFM Business Alliance today!

Check the annual member category you prefer: ❑ $250—Basic ❑ $1,000—Silver ❑ $5,000—Gold ❑ $10,000—Platinum CFM Business Alliance members will receive a one-year subscription to Missouri Wildlife, recognition in each issue of Missouri Wildlife and a CFM Business Alliance sticker.

Missouri is known as the “Black Walnut Capital of the World.” Supporters gather in September 2009 to announce the state proclamation.

State Celebrates Black Walnut Week Office of the Governor State of Missouri Proclamation

Please mail this form with your gift supporting CFM to:

Conservation Federation of Missouri 728 West Main Jefferson City, MO 65101-1559 The Conservation Federation of Missouri is a 501(c)(3) organization. If you have questions, call us at 1-800-575-2322 or visit us at www.confedmo.org to sign up online

Business Name: __________________________

WHEREAS, Missourians harvest wild black walnuts by hand every fall, creating an economic impact of millions of dollars for the state; and

Contact Name: __________________________

WHEREAS, the meat of the black walnut is versatile, adding rich and distinctiveflavor to many foods; and

City: ____________________________________

WHEREAS, black walnut shells are used for abrasive cleaning and polishing, oil well drilling and filtering water; and WHEREAS, the black walnut veneer is used in making furniture and gunstocks; and WHEREAS, the Black Walnut Festival has been celebrated annually in the city of Stockton, Missouri, for 49 years; and

Address: ________________________________ State: __________________________________ ZIP code:________________________________ Work phone: ____________________________ Home phone: ____________________________

WHEREAS, Missouri is known as the “Black Walnut Capital of the World”; and

Fax number: ____________________________

WHEREAS, the eastern black walnut is recognized as the official state tree nut of Missouri.

E-mail address: __________________________

NOW THEREFORE, I, Jeremiah W. (Jay) Nixon, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF MISSOURI, do hereby proclaim September 21 - 27, 2009 as BLACK WALNUT WEEK IN MISSOURI IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused to be affixed the Great Seal of the State of Missouri, in the City of Jefferson, this 1 day of September, 2009.

Signed by Governor Jay Nixon and Secretary of State Robin Carnahan 2 6

JANUARY 2010

Please make checks payable to the Conservation Federation of Missouri.

We also accept MasterCard, Visa, or Discover below or online at www.confedmo.org

Credit card number: ______________________ Expiration date: __________________________ Signature of cardholder: __________________

Governor’s Office Helps Promote Share The Harvest Department of Economic Development Awards NAP Tax Credits his year Governor Nixon decided he would do something he’d wanted to do for some time. He would take to the woods and join almost 500,000 other Missourians on opening day of firearms deer season. He told his staff that should he be fortunate enough and skilled enough to take a deer, he wanted to donate it to Share The Harvest. Then he instructed his staff to find out if there was anything his office could do to help the program.

Through the Governor’s Youth Turkey Hunt, our Summit for the Future of Missouri Outdoors and other activities, CFM had established a nice working relationship with the Governor’s office. So, when Brent Bayer asked Dave Murphy what Share The Harvest needed, Dave was straight to the point—money. Dave explained that due to limited funds, CFM had set caps on the number of deer each processor could receive.

Funding was limiting our growth.

Governor Nixon suggested that CFM should apply for Neighborhood Assistance Program tax credits as a way of attracting additional support, and with the help of the staff at the Department of Economic Development, CFM was approved for the tax credits ahead of opening day. But support from the Governor and his staff didn’t stop there.

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To our surprise, he committed to a six city tour to promote Share The Harvest. It was media attention that we could’ve hardly purchased if we had wanted to. It prompted numerous stories in local newspapers and on television and radio. Tour stops included Crane’s Meats in Ashland, Operation Food Search in St. Louis, Sierra Bullets in Sedalia, Bass Pro Shops in Springfield, the MDC Regional Office in Kirksville and the First Baptist Food Pantry in West Plains.

To everyone who helped along the way, we at CFM say thank you! To Shelter Insurance, which made the first gift to utilize NAP credits with a $10,000 contribution, and Johnny Morris at Bass Pro Shops, who surprised us with $25,000 later that day, we say thank you! To all the hunters that have donated their meat and volunteers that have donated their time—Thank you!!!

Did Governor Nixon get his deer!? Well, not on opening weekend, although there is a lengthy story there for another time. However, persistence paid off, as the second weekend of the season brought success, and the Governor was able to donate a nice doe to Share The Harvest.

It would be hard to come up with a program that makes more sense than Share The Harvest. Hunters love the program because it gives them a convenient way to help others

Shelter Insurance Company CEO David Moore speaks from the heart about their commitment to Share The Harvest.

while doing something they enjoy, and the Department of Conservation appreciates its value as a tool to help manage a healthy and balanced deer herd. Of course, the most important aspect of the program becomes evident when you are witness to the families that ultimately receive the donated meat. It is cherished by those recipients, who look forward to the meals they’ll prepare, and appreciate the venison for its flavor and nutritional value. In fact, there is so much demand for the venison, that many of the distribution centers limit the amount of meat any one family can receive. Your gift can help feed more Missourians in need.

Learn how you can make a gift to CFM for Share The Harvest and qualify for NAP tax credits!

The Conservation Federation of Missouri is interested

in growing Share The Harvest and needs your help to do it!

Gifts to CFM for processing of Missouri whitetail deer will help feed Missourians in need, and now, thanks to the Missouri Department of Economic Development’s Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP), you or your business may be eligible for significant state tax advantages as a result of a gift in support of this worthwhile program.

Here’s the simple explanation regarding the tax credits.

NAP tax credits for Share The Harvest are 50% state tax credits. They apply to the donor’s state tax liability. The NAP credits allow a qualified donor to subtract 50% of their total contribution to Share The Harvest directly from state taxes owed. The donor may still deduct the full amount of their gift as a charitable contribution for both state and federal taxes. This combination of tax credit and charitable deduction creates significant tax savings for qualified donors. Credits may be used during the calendar year in which the contribution was made, or may roll over for up to five additional tax years. The credits are good for almost any business or any individual with business income.

For more information about Neighborhood Assistance Program tax credits and Share The Harvest, contact Matt Gaunt at (800) 575-2322 or visit www.confedmo.org/taxcredits/.

MISSOURI WILDLIFE

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Congressional Staffers Tour Aquatic Habitat Restoration Site on Rural Missouri Farmland he U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in coordination with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and appropriate private landowners, invited congressional staff with Senators Bond (R-MO) and McCaskill (D-MO) and Congressman Luetkemeyer (R-MO9) to take part in a tour of an aquatic habitat restoration project on private farmland in the Lower Bourbeuse watershed in Franklin and Crawford Counties (eastern Missouri). The event took place on September 30, 2009.

Prior to restoration activities, heavy agricultural pressure had contributed to severe erosion of stream banks and high sediment loads to the stream, which negatively impacted habitat and water quality, as well as local fish populations. During the site visit, congressional staff learned how efforts to improve land management practices in recent years have led to improvements in water quality and reductions in stream bank erosion, which in turn have helped to maintain habitat for fish, amphibians and reptiles, and aquatic invertebrates.

Efforts to improve aquatic habitat in the Meramec - Lower Bourbeuse Watershed Basin are unique, as landowners drive the restoration programs. There is a lengthy history of landowner cooperation and leadership in conservation activities within the watershed, which includes Little Bourbeuse, Brush Creek,

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JANUARY 2010

Lick Creek and Boone Creek subwatersheds. The landowners were proactively approached by the Service and MDC just prior to the scaleshell mussel being listed under the Endangered Species Act. Collectively the agencies and the landowners developed a plan to ensure healthy streams and healthy farms.

There has been a waiting list of landowners with a clear desire to participate in watershed improvement efforts since 2001; with significant water quality and habitat improve-

ments taking shape in the watershed over the past eight years.

The partnership restoration project falls under the umbrella of The Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership (SARP) and is a direct application of the National Fish Habitat Action Plan (NFHAP). NFHAP is a national investment strategy to maximize the impact of conservation dollars on the ground.

Under NFHAP, Federal, State, Tribal, and privately-raised funds are leveraged through regional partnerships to address

the nation’s biggest fish habitat challenges.

Senator Bond has co-sponsored the National Fish Habitat Conservation Act of 2009 (S.1214) in the United States Senate, and this legislation aims to conserve the Nation's fish and aquatic communities through partnerships that foster fish habitat conservation and would act as organic legislation for the NFHAP program.

Ryan Aylesworth, Region 3 External Affairs Brian Elkington

UNITED BOWHUNTERS of MISSOURI Preserving the Tradition of Bowhunting

• Sporting Clays • Skeet • Trap • 5-Stand Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday

We support Bowhunting through conservation, education, fostering a spirit of sportsmanship and promoting responsible and ethical hunting.

• Ammo Pro Shop • Loaner Guns • Corporate Functions • Fund Raisers

For Information: United Bowhunters of Missouri P.O. Box 235 • Jackson, MO 63755

(660) 882-9130 • (573) 445-2363

22701 Rocheport Rd, Boonville MO 65233 www.Riverhillssportingclays.com

Eagle Days Continues Through January Choose Eagle-Viewing Events Or Find Your Own Spot At Eagle Bluffs vents throughout the state offer Missourians a chance to see bald eagles in the wild and indoors.

Thousands of bald eagles come to Missouri each winter.

The number and location depends on weather. Because they rely on fish and waterfowl for food, eagles migrate as far south each winter as necessary to find open water. Missouri’s big rivers and reservoirs become eagle magnets some years. In other years their numbers are more modest, but a few places in the Show-Me State provide reliable eagle-viewing opportunities every year.

The Missouri Department of Conservation began taking

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advantage of these eagle hot spots in 1978, inviting people to come and view eagles at public events. Over the years, Eagle Days has expanded to include indoor naturalist programs with live eagles.

This year’s events include: Smithville Lake, Little Platte Park Course Complex, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 9 and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 10. Call (816) 532-0174 for more information.

Old Chain of Rocks Bridge in St. Louis County, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jan. 16 and 17. Call (314) 877-1309 for more information.

Springfield Conservation Nature Center, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 23 and 11 a.m. to 4

p.m. Jan. 24. Call (417) 8884237 for more information.

Clarksville, Lock & Dam 24, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 30 and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jan. 31. Call (660) 785-2420 for more information.

Info also is available at mdc.mo.gov/events/eagledays.

The Conservation Department provides binoculars and spotting scopes for eagle viewing. Warm clothing is a must, since damp, windy conditions often prevail around large bodies of water in the winter.

Indoor programs offer a chance to warm up and learn more about eagles and other birds of prey.

These organized events make eagle viewing easy.

However, if you prefer to go it alone, you can see eagles at Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area south of Columbia, Lock and Dam 25 east of Winfield, Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary east of West Alton, Bagnell Dam Access at Lake of the Ozarks, Mingo NWR northwest of Puxico, Table Rock Lake and Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery southwest of Branson and Truman Reservoir near Warsaw.

Watch for eagles perched in large trees at the water’s edge.

Early mornings are best for seeing eagles flying and fishing.

Jim Low News Services Coordinator, MDC

Applications Now Being Accepted For The Charles P. Bell Conservation Scholarship The Conservation Foundation of Missouri Charitable Trust and the Conservation Federation of Missouri are pleased to announce that applications are now being accepted for the 2010 Charles Bell Conservation Scholarships.

In the 2010 Bell Scholarship Program, eight scholarships will be awarded: one graduate ($600), one undergraduate ($500) and six for elementary, high school or youth groups ($250 each). In this latter category, CFM members who work

with Boy Scouts, 4-H, environmental clubs or youth chapters of their affiliate are eligible and encouraged to apply.

Graduate applicants must be enrolled in a field of study related to conservation, natural science or earth resources at an accredited college or university.

Undergraduate applicants must have 60 credit hours or more and should have enrolled in an area related to conservation.

Preference in all cases will be given to applicants enrolled in

Missouri schools. The deadline for applications is January 15, 2010.

These scholarships are named in memory of CFM past president Charles P. Bell, whose family provided major funding for this program. For an application form, write to Conservation Federation of Missouri, Bell Scholarships, 728 West Main Street, Jefferson City, MO 65101 or call (573) 634-2322 or (800) 575-2322.

MISSOURI WILDLIFE

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Beautiful CFM Notecards JUST A FEW SETS LEFT! Fantastic images of Missouri wildlife b y renowned photographer Jim Rathert. Best of all, each of these vivid slices of Missouri wildlife will gr eatly benefit CFM. A dozen cards are yours for only $10. To purchase, use the form below, call (800) 575-2322 or go to www.confedmo.org. Mail your payment to 728 West Main Street, Jefferson City, MO 65101.

Name:__________________________________________________________________________ Address:_________________________________________________________________________ City: ______________________________________ State: _________ Zipcode:_____________ Quantity (# of sets): _________ Total Price: ________________ Check

Cash

Credit Card ~ Card #: ____________________________________ Exp. Date: ______________

C O N S E R V A T I O N F E D E R A T I O N O F M I S S O U R I A F F I L I AT E S Anglers of Missouri Beaver Lake Beagle Club Big Game Hunters, Inc. Bridlespur Hunt Club Capitol City Fly Fishers Central Missouri Chapter Safari Club Coldwater Outing & Game Preserve Festus-Crystal City Conservation Club Greenway Network, Inc. Heavenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Anglers Jefferson County Coonhunters, Inc. Lambert Field Rod & Gun Club Meramec Area Sportsman Association Midwest Diving Council Mississippi Valley Duck Hunters Mississippi Valley Gun Club Missouri Association of Meat Processors Missouri Bass Federation Missouri Bird Conservation Initiative Missouri Bow Hunters MIssouri Chapter of the American Fisheries Missouri Chapter of the Wildlife Society Missouri Chapter Soil and Water Conservation Society 3 0

JANUARY 2010

Missouri Conservation Agents Association Missouri Consulting Foresters Association Missouri Department of Agriculture Missouri Ducks Unlimited State Council Missouri Forest Products Association Missouri Hunter Education Instructors Association Missouri Hunting Heritage Federation Missouri Hunting Spaniel Club Missouri National Wild Turkey Federation Missouri Native Seed Association Missouri Parks & Recreation Association Missouri Parks Association Missouri Prairie Foundation Missouri Ruffed Grouse Society Missouri Smallmouth Alliance Missouri Society of American Foresters Missouri Sport Shooting Association Missouri State Campers Association Missouri State Chapter of the Quality Deer Management Association Missouri State Council Quail Unlimited Missouri Taxidermist Association Missouri Trappers Association

Missouri Trout Fishermanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Association Missouri Waterfowl Association Missouri Whitetails Unlimited Monett Sportsman League MU Student Chapter Wildlife Society Northeast Missouri Coonhunters Association Northside Conservation Federation Open Space Council Ozark Fly Fishers Ozark Wilderness Waterways Club Perry County Sportsman Club Pomme de Terre Chapter Muskies, Inc. River Relief, Inc. Saint James Civic Club South Side Division Conservation Federation Southwest Missouri Fly Fishers Tipton Farmers & Sportsman Club United Bow Hunters of Missouri Walnut Council & Other Fine Hardwoods Wecomo Sportsman Club Wild Elk Institute of Missouri Wildlife Society of Missouri State University Windsor Lake Rod & Gun Club

HONORARIUMS

AND

MEMORIALS

In Memory of Russell Lee Plattner Bob Ziehmer ~ California, MO

In Memory of Russell Lee Plattner Chip & Teresa McGeehan ~ Marshfield, MO

In Memory of Russell Lee Plattner Don & Nancy Johnson ~ Festus, MO

In Memory of Jeral Dee Beaty Regina Arnold ~ Saint Joseph, MO

Please join CFM today to conserve our natural resources for tomorrow!

Check the member category you prefer: ❑ $25—Individual ❑ $15—Student ❑ $30—Family ❑ $100—Sustaining ❑ $1000—Lifetime Your dues include a 1-year subscription to Missouri Wildlife, a logo sticker and a membership card.

Please mail this application with your membership dues to: Conservation Federation of Missouri 728 West Main • Jefferson City, MO 65101-1559 If you have questions, call us at 1-800-575-2322 or visit us at www.confedmo.org Name:____________________________________________________________________________ Address: __________________________________________________________________________ City: ______________________________________________ State:____________________________ ZIP code: ______ Work phone: ____________________________________________ Home phone: ______________________________ Fax number: ____________________________________ E-mail address: ______________________________________ Please make checks payable to the Conservation Federation of Missouri.* If you prefer, you may charge your membership dues to your MasterCard, Visa, or Discover card.

Credit card number:________________________________________________________ Expiration date: __________ Signature of cardholder: ______________________________________________________________________________ *Note: CFM is an IRS-approved tax-exempt not-for -profit, so your donations are tax deductible.

Conserve Life: SLOW DOWN More than 1,100 people die on Missouri highways each year. Don’t become a statistic. Conserve life by slowing down and by always making sure your seatbelt is buckled. BUCKLE UP MISSOURI WILDLIFE

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Oh, Deer! drew the short straw one night during gun season and had to stay late to check in deer and close up. I was by myself, and when 8:00 comes around you lock the door, shut off the light, and run, or a deer hunter will catch you and you’ll have to stay. At the end of a 14-hour day I was more than ready to go.

Right then, a car pulled around back. (I have to tell you—I can’t make this up.

This is a true story.) The car was a 1970s sedan that had to be 30-foot long with a trunk the size a mobster would envy. Two bungee cords were holding its bulging lid down. They backed up and three women who must’ve been in their 80s got out. I opened the trunk and there were six, non-field-dressed deer in there. I look up and two of the elderly ladies are still holding their rifles! What was stranger, they were wearing what looked like their Sunday dresses. Before I could say a word, the ringleader told me her story.

“We all sat on the back porch waitin’ for ’em. When they came in the backyard…we blasted ’em! Them sons-abitches been eatin’ our flowers, now were gonna eat them!” Seeing that the ladies were still holding their guns and what they were willing to do to deer that ate their flowers, I decided not to mention our policy of only taking field-dressed deer. I finally got to go home after field dressing six deer. I did not think it was wise to mess with “Grannies with Guns!”

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Andy Cloud, President Mo. Assn. of Meat Processors 3 2

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Congratulations, Dave!

Friends and family gathered at Bass Pro Shops in Columbia, Mo., on November 24, to celebrate Dave Murphy’s selection as one of Outdoor Life Magazine’s OL25.

The award recognizes 25 of the most influential people in hunting and fishing. The celebration at Bass Pro proved to be a successful fund raiser for CFM, but more important, it brought together many of the people in Dave’s life who had not met before, despite the fact that many of them have dedicated their professional lives and a great deal of their personal lives to conservation. The breadth of interests in the crowd was a testament to Dave’s wide-ranging interests in the outdoors.

And THANKS to David Smith and staff, our partners at Bass Pro Shops in Columbia, for making this such a special event for Dave and his family.

If there are any errors in your name and address, if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve moved from this address, or if you plan to move, please notify us at Missouri Wildlife, 728 W. Main, Jefferson City, MO 65101 or call (800) 575-2322.

Visit our website: www.confedmo.org