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(800) 874-8423 or email jimmy@ riverhillstraveler.com or text (417) 451-3798 VOL. 44, NO. 12
JUNE 2017
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Tourists flock to Missouri for a variety of reasons (Editor's note: This is the first in a three-part series about tourism in Missouri.)
By MATTIE LINK mattie@sextonmediagroup.com _____________
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hat is the number one most asked about attraction in Missouri? You may be surprised to know that a common interest in the Joplin, St. Louis, and Conway areas is
Route 66. “We get a lot of foreigners asking about Route 66 as well as out of state
travelers, so it’s kind of cool to see that,� said Kamala Bramlett, supervisor of the Missouri Welcome Center on Interstate 44 in Joplin. Each welcome center in Missouri has a Route 66 guidebook that they use to assist people on what sites there are to see in their particular area. There are nine welcome centers in the state operated by the Missouri Division of Tourism, each located on a major highway or interstate: • Hannibal, on Highway 61 South.
• Joplin, on Interstate 44 at the Mile Marker 2 Rest Area. • Kansas City, on the Blue Ridge CutOff. • Hayti, at Mile Marker 20 on Interstate 55. • Rock Pork, on Interstate 29 South. • St. Louis, on Interstate 270 at Riverview Drive. • Eagleville, on Interstate 35 at exit 112. • Conway-West, on Interstate 44. Please see TOURISM, 13
Outfitters recovering from flood By MATTIE LINK mattie@sextonmediagroup.com _____________
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From family float trips to Fourth of July gatherings, her connections to the Bourbeuse are strong and date back to the fishing stories told by her father. “My husband’s father and my father both fished the Bourbeuse a lot in years past. Both would go rod fishing. They
issouri experienced historic flooding April 28-30, with floodwaters sweeping away several cabins, businesses, beach shores, and affected several campgrounds and outfitters all around the state. Eleven Point Canoe Rental, Shady Lane Cabins, Bearcat Getaway, and Lay Z Day Canoe are among several campgrounds that sustained damage the weekend of the flood. Eleven Point Canoe Rental, owned by Brian Sloss, is located in Alton, and according to Sloss, it was the biggest flood he has ever had at the campground. “Our big advantage is that we don't have much shoreline, so we didn’t have near as much damage as some of our neighbors,� said Sloss. There was tree damage and the river accesses had damage, but they were able to get two river access points operating before the Memorial Day weekend. “We were shut down for three weeks after the flood hit, and we are a small outfitter so we don’t have as big of a margin when we have to shut down,� said Sloss. Eleven Point Canoe lost quite a bit of money in the three weeks they were closed, Sloss said, and they were struggling to get everything repaired and pay their normal monthly bills. “It’s been hard, and it’s very stressful when you’re shut down because you aren’t making any money, but most of
Please see BOURBEUSE, 15
Please see FLOOD, 13
Michelle Turner/Traveler
Since there are very few public access points, floating the Bourbeuse is quiet with few signs of civilization.
Bourbeuse is a friendly river for floating, fishing By Michelle Turner he Bourbeuse River may have gotten its name from the French word for muddy, but that certainly doesn’t stop floaters and anglers from enjoying this 154-mile river. The Bourbeuse follows a crooked path through five counties until it meets the Meramec in Franklin County near Moselle, just south of Union. Gary Rice, of Astral Glass Studio in New Haven, has been exploring the Bourbeuse for the past eight years. “Though I’ve paddled both a kayak and a canoe, for the most part the
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Bourbeuse is a friendly river for either type of boat. It offers great opportunities for family outings where kids of all ages can enjoy being out in nature,� Rice said. “Because of the slow meandering nature of the river, you can paddle a short distance from your put-in and feel like you’re in total wilderness.� Rice isn’t the only individual who shares a love for the Bourbeuse. Glenda Schroeder, a retired teacher from Washington, has enjoyed over 35 years on the river with her family at their clubhouses near Union.
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Page 2 • June 2017
RiverHillsTraveler.com
This secret cave could become a shelter — again By Larry Dablemont y daughter, Christy, and I took a little trip over to the Big Piney River in mid-April, where I grew up. I wanted to show her some caves I remember, caves that my grandfather had shown me more than 50 years ago. He found many of them just because when he trapped the river in the winter, he would look for overhangs on the river and feeder tributaries where he could build a fire and be a little warmer through the night. I forgot my hip boots, something I wouldn’t have ever done when I was a kid on the Piney. Of course when I was a kid, my hip boots always were handme-downs and they usually leaked. But you only used them half the year, the other half of the year you waded in old shoes or sneakers. So I did some wading again in the Big Piney. I did good, though, to remember my camera, boat and paddles… and some lights! Looked a long time for that one cave I remember that grandpa said only he knew about back decades ago. Found the first one easy and a third one he hadn’t told me about, but the one that had big rooms back in the back and a waterfall took some looking. The entrance to that one is small and well hidden, and I found that day a couple of weeks back that what I could crawl into so easily in 1962 was one heck of a challenge today. I think that entrance has grown smaller!! Those caves had some little orange salamanders back in them a ways, but there were formations that were absolutely beautiful in size and shape and color. When I was a kid, folks would go into a cave in various areas of the Ozarks and break off stalagmites and stalactites and carve on the walls. But that is exactly why grandpa Dablemont told me to never take anyone to see the hidden ones, or the hardto-find ones. I thought about blindfolding my daughter so I could protect the location of those we saw that day, but I decided I could trust her. She was in awe of what we found, and like me, a little apprehensive about going back into a cavern through small openings with small lights. But she was awed by all we saw. I want everyone to see some of the pictures we took, so I put 8 or 10 of them on my website and if you have a computer or have someone who does have, for pete’s sake take a look, you will be amazed.
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We found one thing that I don’t remember seeing, something that looks like a petrified jawbone with teeth sticking out of a rock wall. Formations in caves form usually up or down according to the drip or the flow of water, but the teeth on this thing stuck out at a 90 degree angle to the floor. I would like to think it is a petrified jawbone but I would hate to bet one way or the other. Take a look and see what you think. When I was only about 14, I and a couple of cousins dug down into the floor of a huge dry cave and found an assortment of artifacts that I have on my office wall today. One was a fourinch piece of ivory with a hole drilled in it. Those items are pictured in my book, “Rivers To Run.” As we sat resting at the mouth of the first cave, Christy remarked that a family could wall it off and live inside the cave. I told her that it was likely that the only time it had been without dwellers of some sort was the last 200 years. We found a piece of clay pottery a couple of inches across and a quarterinch thick, back in the dark recess of that cave. It was made of baked clay and tiny ground up pieces of mussel shell. The outside was decorated a little with striations, the way so much of the pottery that bluff dwellers used was adorned. I have spent much time thinking
To read additional stories by Larry Dablemont & other outdoor writers, please visit riverhillstraveler.com
about those people who were there, maybe 500 years ago, maybe thousands of years before. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be able to see what they were like, to hear their language and see what a day of their life consisted of, what they ate, how they slept, what games they played. Yes, I told my daughter, people lived here before and some of the grandparents and great-grandparents that many of us have were born in caves in the Ozarks, because they were shelters for those who came here before the civil war hoping to clear a small place along the river or creek for a cabin. If it took a couple of months to build that cabin, they had shelter in the yawning mouths
of caves. I spent many a night sleeping in caves on fishing trips on Ozark rivers. And when my dad was a boy, they always had a vacation during the hottest months of the year, living, sleeping and eating in the cool protection of a dryfloor cave on the Big Piney, one big enough to place a semi and trailer in. But is that over forever, never to be again? I wouldn’t bet on it. Those who believe nuclear weapons will never be used again do not know about Iran and North Korea. If there comes a time when turning back to the earth is the best way to survive, those caves may be shelters again. It might be that the few who survive some catastrophe like a war or a meteorite, will be those who know how to find a deep rock shelter that once sheltered primitive people way back before we had electric plug-ins and the only light at night was a bright warm flame. (Larry Dablemont lives in southwest Missouri. He can be reached by email at lightninridge@windstream.net, or by phone at 417-777-5227.)
RiverHillsTraveler.com
June 2017 • Page 3
I like big bass & I cannot lie!
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hope the title of this article produced at least a few chuckles. But the title says a lot about the fisherman I have become. I am asked a dozen times a month why I do not, and never have, participated in organized bass fishing contests and tournaments. The answer is simple for me but not clearly understood by many others: I do not like fishing for six to eight hours trying to catch five or six keepers. I like fishing for one fish… a big fish. So your first thought might be that I do not catch very many bass. Not true. In the process of hunting for that 5-pound or bigger largemouth, I catch a lot of smaller fish. However, my methods and techniques have been refined in over four decades of chasing trophy bass. It is those ideas I would like Mike Roux to share with you today. ———— First, size of the impoundment makes no difference. Big bass live in waters of every size and shape. That having been said, big bass are easier to find on smaller waters. But if huge bass boats with monstrous motors and running 60 mph is more your cup of tea, you can still find bigger bass if you really try. The key to finding them is to mentally shrink the big lake into smaller areas and then fish those areas just like a small impoundment. Do not be misled by stories that big fish like bigger baits. That statement is a coin toss. I do like to throw large baits most of the time. But if the bass, all sizes of bass, are feeding on something that day that is smaller than usual, then I will most certainly downsize my lure to more closely match the current menu items on the fish’s diet. Experimenting with lure size is as important to finding the daily pattern as changing lure color. Time of day and the level of overcast help me determine where I start my hunt for big bass. Early in
the morning, at or just before sunrise, I do like to fish the points near the bank. I like to start with topwater lures, which is by far my favorite style of bass fishing. If I have a topwater bite and it is cloudy I might stay with it all morning. If the sun rises on a bluebird day, I will go deeper after the sun hits the water. When I say I will go deeper, I mean with deeper lure presentations AND in deeper water. All bass relate to cover or structure in their environment. This structure provides shade under the water and bass do not like direct sunlight. When the sun is high in the sky I seek out these kinds of spots. Big bass like deeper, cooler places during the day. They feed mainly in the first and last hours of the day, but if you put the right bait in front of them they will eat it regardless of what it says on your watch. I learned many years ago from my best friend and great angler in his own right, Roger Lewis, that the biggest bass will always be found in the deepest water you can find. He told me who taught him that but I cannot remember who he said. Anyway, I subscribe to this theory most of the time. During midday I totally agree that big bass will go deep. However, in the middle of the summer I also know without hesitation that the big girls will come into the shallows to feed. And when she is shallow, she is much more vulnerable to my presentation than when she is deep. The main reason for this is because she feeds more often early and late and when she does come shallow at those times, it is so she can eat and eat big. Another key to finding big female bass is to understand when, where and why they make their beds and spawn the way they do. During the spawn in the spring is by far the best and easiest time to find that world-class largemouth that has eluded you for years. This is the time when shallow water holds the best results for the longest period of time. Bass are creatures of habit. This year’s spawning beds were very likely last year’s spot, as well. I learned this many years ago as I caught the same 10-
This bass was caught by Mike Roux two years in a row off the exact same bed.
pound+ Illinois largemouth in the EXACT same bed two years in a row. You may wonder how in the world I could tell it was the same fish. It seems that during the photo session that first year I punctured the membrane just inside her lower lip. That very same membrane was in fact unhealed the following year when I caught her is the very same bed. Take the time and effort to slightly modify your bass angling tactics and you, too, will find yourself boating more big fish than ever before. (Mike Roux is the Midwest Regional Director for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) Outdoor Ministry. To become a Home Team Member of this new ministry, call him at 217-257-7895.)
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Solar eclipse is a ‘once in a lifetime’ event
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he Monday, Aug. 21, solar eclipse is quickly approaching and if you haven’t gotten your plans lined out, now is crunch time. Several towns throughout mid-Missouri are planning festivals, viewing parties, and various events leading up to the eclipse. You don’t want to miss this once-in-alifetime event. Hermann, Marshall, and Lathrop are three more towns that have events planned for the weekend of the solar eclipse, in addition to Perryville, Jimmy Sexton St. Clair, Cape Gi———— rardeau and other Journey On communities we've been reporting on the past two months. In Hermann, to celebrate the once-ina-lifetime events, there will be several activities including the annual Wine & Jazz Festival on Saturday, Aug. 19, an eclipse movie marathon at the Amphitheater on Sunday, Aug. 20, and an eclipse viewing party on Aug. 21 hosted by the Hermann Area Chamber. More details will be posted to the vis-
ithermann.com website so check back to that site for more information. There are several events all over Marshall to celebrate the eclipse. The events include: • "Shopping under the Sun" on Aug. 19-20 around the courthouse square, as well as arts, crafts, food, and entertainment on the square. • Nite & Day 5K walk/run on Aug. 19. A Historic Marshall Walk will begin at the Marshall Public Library and will take you on a historic walk through town. The trail is part of the American Volkssport Association’s list of 1800+ self-guided trails in the USA. • There will also be a guided tour Monday, Aug. 21, at 11 a.m. at the library, as well as a cosmic concert. The website to keep up to date on what’s
going on in Marshall is marshallmosolareclipse.com. Lathrop is planning a four-day celebration of an old-fashioned “Mule Days," a chuckwagon hoedown, eclipse viewing, “Diamond Ring” weddings, wine & shine, gospel singing, BBQ, horseshoe tournament, RV and primitive camping, and marketplace vendors. Information about parking, passes, shuttles, viewing and maps can be found at www.lathropeclipse.com. On Aug. 21 the Katy Trail will open for a special bicycle ride to celebrate the solar eclipse. The 36-mile ride will be from Rocheport to Jefferson City and is limited to 500 people. A $50 registration fee includes an eclipse Katy Trail T-shirt, water bottle, SAG support, special eclipse glasses, and access to Katy Trail staff who will provide information about the eclipse and how to safely view it. An optional return shuttle of $25 will haul riders and bicycles from Jefferson City back to Rocheport after the ride. The schedule for the day includes: • 8:30-10 a.m. — Check-in. • 9:30-10:30 a.m. — Depart. • 11:45 a.m. — Eclipse begins. • 1:12 p.m. — Eclipse totality begins. • 2:40 p.m. — Eclipse ends. • 3-5 p.m. — Return Shuttles from
Jefferson City to Rocheport. If your town is doing something special for the solar eclipse, let us know and we will mention it in the July issue of the River Hills Traveler. ——— This month marks our 8th annual issue of Ozarks Float Trippin’, which is inserted inside this issue of the Traveler. In it you will find descriptions of Missouri’s most popular rivers and creeks, as well as stories and photos about various campgrounds, outfitters, and conservation areas we believe you might enjoy. Float Trippin’ has grown so much the past three years that we’re creating a website just for it, so you can easily access this information to Missouri’s best outfitters 24/7. It should be up and running sometime in June at www.ozarksfloattrippin.com. Whether floating or camping this summer, I encourage you to check out the many outfitters that are featured in Ozarks Float Trippin’. They’re all topnotch, professional outfitters who will treat you and your family right. Tell them the Traveler sent you. (Jimmy Sexton is owner and publisher of the River Hills Traveler. He can be reached at (800) 874-8423, ext. 1, or jimmy@riverhillstraveler.com.)
Witching: I think there’s really something to it
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know a lot of smart folks don’t believe in witching (or dowsing) rods to locate water or graves, but I do. I’ve even read a scientific study aimed at proving it’s all a bunch of hooey. Maybe it is. Perhaps, as the study I read claims, the movement of the rods is caused by an imperceptible, totally subconscious movement of the hands. Maybe. All I can speak of is what I have seen and experienced myself. I will also share a couple of stories from people I know personally. First off, if you don’t know what I’m talking about Wes Franklin here, I’m referring ———— to the process of loNative Ozarker cating ground disturbances by taking two rods (copper or brass, though I’ve heard of some people using peach and willow branches) and loosely holding them at elbow length in front of you as you walk forward. When you reach a point where the soil below has formed a pocket – be it by subterranean water source, a utility line, a grave, or whatever – the rods will turn inward and cross each other. When you step over that point, the rods will straighten out. I realize that it SOUNDS rather strange or surreal. While I do not personally believe there is any supernatural force behind it, I do believe it is real – even if it can’t be scientifically explained. I suppose the “subconscious movement” theory might be tested by using a robot. I’m sure someone has, with what results I do not know. Even if a robot proved that the rods only move when in human hands, there are still some things unexplained, at least to me.
For instance: A city utility worker I am acquainted with carries a pair of dowsing rods with him in his truck to locate undocumented utility lines. Some of the oldest water pipes in this particular city were placed in the 1920s and for whatever reason, they don’t all necessarily appear on any maps existing today – or they are in error. He told me he has used the rods on more than one occasion to accurately locate where a line is buried when a map isn’t available. In those cases, he doesn’t have prior knowledge of where the rods “should” cross. He just points to where the rods indicate the line is and says “right there.” A sober, straight-laced, church-going man that I respect once told me that he located the graves of a couple of ancestors in a cemetery near Seneca, Mo. The headstone was located in a different part of the graveyard, but he believed it was in the wrong place (I forget why). For whatever reason he had cause to believe the ancestors, a husband and wife, were instead buried in a part of the cemetery where there weren’t other graves nearby. He walked the area with his rods and got a “hit” on two particular spots, side by side, and unmarked by any memorial stone. He contacted the caretaker and, to make a long story short, a cemetery plot map showed that his ancestors were indeed buried at that spot. The headstone had been inaccurately located for some reason. I was at a small cemetery in a grove of trees in the middle of a cow pasture near Exeter, Mo., where there was believed to be four murdered men buried side by side in a mass grave. I saw a man with dowsing rods walk across the suspected grave site. Four times the rods crossed and uncrossed as he stepped the width of the sunken grave. He then walked the grave site length-
wise, head to foot, and the rods remained crossed for just shy of six feet, and then uncrossed. I was at another cemetery in Neosho, Mo., where a much larger mass grave is supposed to be located. The approximate boundaries of the long grave are marked with cornerstones. I did this one myself, and yes, the rods crossed for the entire length of the grave site and then uncrossed after my foot stepped over the border. Now, the last two stories especially do not prove anything. Even taking my word for what I saw and what I experienced — and I swear on the Bible I am telling nothing but the truth as I witnessed it — it certainly doesn’t disprove that the rods weren’t being manipulated subconsciously, as in both cases the grave sites were already known before the fact. It is very possible that one part of the brain is secretly telling the fingers to slightly move the rods, without the owner’s knowledge. All I can say is if that is the case, I personally was totally unaware. Those times I have witched (or “dowsed,” since some people frown on the other term) graves I pledge that I was not in any way “purposely” moving the rods myself. They are held very loosely in the hands for that very reason, that is so the rods may move freely on their own without hindrance (or help). Believe what you want to — and let me just say that I am a skeptic in most things — but whether it’s all just mule muffins or there’s actually something to it, witching/dowsing is an old-time Ozarks practice that isn’t going any-
On the Cover A kayaker floats Sinking Creek near Echo Bluff State Park on a lazy summer afternoon. This image also appears on the River Hills Traveler delivery van.
(photo courtesy Missouri State Parks)
where anytime soon. (Wes Franklin can be reached at 417658-8443 or cato.uticensis46@gmail. com.)
River Hills Traveler 212 E. Main St., Neosho, MO 64850 Phone & Fax: 800-874-8423 www.riverhillstraveler.com Email: jimmy@riverhillstraveler. com Owner & Publisher Jimmy Sexton Managing Editor Madeleine Link Circulation Manager Amanda Harvel Staff Writers Heath Wood, Wes Franklin, Mike Roux, Bill Wakefield, Sue Blesi, Bill Oder, Bill Cooper, Michelle Turner & Dana Sturgeon Advertising All of us River Hills Traveler, established in 1973, is published monthly by Sexton Media Group and Traveler Publishing Company at 212 E. Main St., Neosho, MO 64850. Postmaster: Send change of address notices to: River Hills Traveler, 212 E. Main St., Neosho, MO 64850. Subscription prices: $22 per year; 2 years, $40. Back issues available up to one year from publication, $5 plus sales tax & shipping. COPYRIGHT © 2017 No part of this publication may be reproduced without the express written permission of the publisher of the River Hills Traveler or his duly appointed agent. The publisher reserves the right to reject any advertising or editorial submission for any reason.
RiverHillsTraveler.com
June 2017 • Page 5
REMEMBER WHEN 5 years ago • I have always had a love for water, and yearly my husband Ryan and I plan a short getaway to take a summer float. Over the last few years it has become quite the battle in our house whether or not we should take our children floating with us. Ryan believes that by putting them in a canoe with life jackets, we’re good to go. For me, I have been in a canoe with him, I have been floating with him, and I have been in a jon boar that ended up upside down in Lake Girardeau, so I am not too keen on the idea of spending the day on a river with him and the kids. (Becky Davenport) 10 years ago • Smallmouth bass are arguably the most incredible fish of all the bass species. Their strong, muscular, coppercolored bodies coupled with fiery wild red eyes cause anglers to call them handsome. Add to the mixture the incredibly beautiful habitats where smallmouth lurk, and you have the ingredients for the perfect outdoor adventure. (Bill Cooper) • This morning (May 7) I completed my part in the gobble study being done by the Missouri Conservation Department. It was an eight-week thing, during which I discovered a number of things, including a fairly profound thing about the moon. (Bob Todd) 15 years ago • With lakes high and apt to be above normal for a long time, it is a good time to brush up on techniques for catching fish under high water conditions. Actuallly, as lakes fall, fishing can be excellent. It was May 15, the freezer was bare. Except for one small bass that fleshed out a short stringer of crappie back in March, I’d not kept a bass yet this year. Truth is, I hadn’t had many opportunities. (Bob Todd) • A faint, grating sound reverberated from the tall hickory tree. I strained my youthful ears. The sound started again high in the tree. Now 40 years later, I would not hear that sound. Then, however, my undamaged eardrums picked up the scratchy sound perfectly. I moved ever so slowly, from the waist up, to bend around the trunk of the oak I was hiding behind. There it was! A fat fox squirrel gnawing on a big green hickory nut. The emerald green hickory nut. The emerald green leaves of the shagbark hickory cast a glowing halo of light on the plump red squirrel. (Bob Todd) 20 years ago • The woman straightened up, holding a stringy piece of aquatic vegetation about a foot long. That’s when she noticed Roy and I, floating by on the Current River. “That piece is too short,” I said impulsively. “You’ll have to throw it back.” The blank expression changed to a grin, then a broad smile as the silliness of my statement sunk in. She couldn’t think of a quick comeback, and the current and wind whipped Roy and I on downstream before she could. (Bob Todd) • What will the deer situation be in 1998? It won’t be anything like 1997’s Feb. 1 fiasco, that’s for sure. The Game Division of the Conservation Department will make recommendations to the Conservation commission in June or July, and following a meeting with a citizen’s panel, the shape of the 1998 system can be guessed. (Bob Todd)
25 years ago • If you count “long range releases,” Al Agnew probably caught about 75 smallmouth on a float trip when we were forced out of an official trophy smallmouth area and fished an unofficial one instead. A “long range release” is when the fish is on, but gets off before being boated. Al actually boated about 45 smallmouth during the eight-mile float of Huzzah Creek. (Bob Todd) 30 years ago • Togetherness is fine, but there’s something to say for aloneness, too. And a little aloneness felt good as I shoved the canoe off into the Meramec River. Alone, I could pursue whatever I wished in the way of fishing. Generally I’m pretty agreeable, but once in while I like to be picky about my fishing and do as I please without comment or debate. (Bob Todd) • It was not a large island, little more than a sandbar with a few scrubby willows growing among the piles of driftwood. The brown waters of the Mississippi swirled around it and washed it clean in flood times. Small though it was, the island was familiar to the citizens of nearby St. Louis. Known as Bloody Island, it was here that high-born gentlemen came to kill one another in duels. (Emma Comfort Dunn) 35 years ago • Three recreation areas at Lake Wappapello have been closed by the U.S. Corps of Engineers as an economy measure. But Sulfur Springs access was not among them. Closed in late May were Cozart Point Primitive Camp, a campground at Chaonia Landing known as the Upper Campground, and the Dike One ground campsite near the dam. (Bob Todd) • Indian cookery is a natural for today’s wilderness lovers because, in a sense, it is almost all camp cooking. Even woodland Indians with tended garden patches moved about constantly within the tribal lands for hunting, fishing, berrying and nutting, as well as for longer trading trips. Therefore, besides using to the full the rich bounty of wood and stream, dietary staples from their gardens were prepared with an eye to use on the trail. (A.E. Lucas) 40 years ago • A regulation that as been on the books for a while, but rarely enforced, is now being put into full force at Lake Wappapello. It states, in effect, “no camping except in areas designated by the U.S. Corps of Engineers.” And that means, we understand, only those areas that are equipped with picnic tables, trash barrels, and fee collectors. (Bob Todd) • Horses were brought to the North American continent by white men. But the Osage of this region had horses perhaps 100 years before they saw their first white man. And by that time they had become a part of the Indian way of life. Horses represented wealth, were used for travel and hunting, and were used to display the skill of the Indian. (Bob Todd) (compiled by MyraGale Sexton)
VINTAGE OZARKS: Gigging
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hen working on our new book, “James Fork of the White,” we were struck by the continuity of sporting activities from a century ago to today. On opposite pages we put a circa 1910 George Hall real photo postcard of giggers on the James River at Camp Yocum (above), with a recent photograph of the Nixa Sucker Day festival (below). One difference — the gent in the center of the boat in Hall’s “flashlight” photo is wearing a necktie and coat. I doubt if today’s giggers dress so formally. (This feature is courtesy of Leland and Crystal Payton at Lens & Pen Press, publishers of all-color books on the Ozarks. Their new book, James Fork of the White, will be published in 2017. Some pages from this book can be seen on www.beautifulozarks.com. Their earlier river book, Damming the Osage, can be at seen www.dammingtheosage.com.)
Public Notice Availability of Funding For Waste Reduction And Recycling Projects The Executive Board of the Southeast Missouri Solid Waste Management District hereby notifies eligible parties that it will have an open grant call to accept grant applications for funding of waste reduction and recycling projects in the Counties of Bollinger, Cape Girardeau, Iron, Madison, Perry, St. Francois and Ste. Genevieve. Eligible applicants for grant funds include counties, cities, businesses, and organizations located in the District involved in waste reduction or recycling activities that complement the District's Solid Waste Management Plan. Available funds are to be used for waste reduction and recycling projects necessary to further the activities promulgated under Senate Bill 530, as amended. These activities must be directed toward the goal of achieving a 40% reduction, by weight, in the amount of solid waste generated for disposal in Missouri landfills. The District requires that applicants for recycling project funds provide a minimum of twenty-five percent (25%) in local match for the District funds. Proposed projects and supporting documentation must be received by the Southeast Missouri Solid Waste Management District by 5:00 p.m., June 30, 2017. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered. Proposals should be mailed or hand-carried to the district at the address indicated below. Application packets are posted at www.semorpc.org via the "SWMD" link, and further information my be obtained through: Solid Waste Management District 1 West St. Joseph Street Perryville, Missouri 63775 Telephone: (573) 547-9357
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Rivers flood to a record not seen since 1904
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he Eleven Point River is considered the purest river in Missouri. It has 30 springs flowing into it and is classified as a scenic riverway. There are 44.3 miles of the river that can be floated in Missouri until the rest of it flows into Arkansas. With any river, stream, creek or lowwater crossing, when the area receives a lot of rainfall in a short amount of time, especially on already saturated ground, it overflows. There is flash flooding, which is an immediate threat especially to lowwater areas. Then, areas can get into flood warnings, which effect rivers, creeks and streams. The last week in April, this occurred. Dana We received enough Sturgeon rainfall for flash ———— flooding, but also Eleven flood warnings. Point River Several creeks, streams, rivers and low-water crossings flooded. The Black River, the Jacks Fork River, the Current River, the Eleven Point River and the Norfolk River all flooded to a record not seen since 1904. The towns of Van Buren and Thomasville were heavily damaged. West Plains was also flooded in areas of the city. Major highways like 63, 60, 142, 160, 99 and 19 were closed down for a period of time due to water over the roadway. The water got up to about 58 feet in Van Buren and came close to the bridge, within 8 feet. The lower Current River in Doniphan had come over the bridge and flooded places there, too. The Eleven Point River came over the bridge at Highway 19. It reached heights up to 20-25 feet in all the river access areas. A lot of trees, sand, debris and boat ramps were damaged. Also, picnic areas and campgrounds. It is amazing how much power water actually generates. It has a lot of force to topple huge trees along the river that have been there for over 100 years. Floods are devastating to towns, to families, to businesses and to river areas. The human spirit is stronger than people think, though. People have come together to help each other out in these flooded town areas. The Park Service, the state, the Forest Service, the electric companies, the
city utilities, and the county employees were all working very hard throughout the week to bring back things to a normal working environment. Recreation and summer is approaching fast. A lot of people go on vacation during this time and come here to enjoy these rivers and towns. They get away from their regular lives to destress and enjoy the outdoors. These cleanups take time, however. A lot of people are working hard to clean up all these places. Then everyone can go back to enjoying our beautiful rivers and outdoors! (Dana Sturgeon lives in southern Missouri. She can be reached at mo_dana@hotmail.com.)
Surprise School, located at Turner North, was moved four feet off its foundation. The school was built in the 1800’s.
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Y The wheel at Turner Mill North was moved back a little bit by the water.
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June 2017 • Page 7
Options when hunting with non-traditional .22’s
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ever-action, single-shot, bolt action, semi-automatic and pump. All of these describe styles of the ever-popular .22-caliber rifle. When we picture a .22 in our mind one of these traditional guns is sure to appear. However, a new style is emerging as a great sporting tool. Lately .22 rifles are being built on tactical rifle frames. These guns may look a lot different, but when it comes to putting a round in a squirrel’s ear, they all work the same. So with squirrel season in full swing in Missouri, what better time to take a look at America’s favorite rifle caliber. Literally billions of rounds of .22-caliber rim-fire ammunition are fired each year. Most of it is shot while plinking and hunting squirrels and rabbits. Small varmints, like groundhogs, are also heavily hunted Mike Roux with rim-fire guns. ———— Today almost all of the rim-fire ammo used is of .22-caliber with but a few limited exceptions. However, this was not always the case. One of the most sought-after “Yankee” guns of the Civil War was a Spencer carbine. Its very large magazine capacity and the fixed cartridge it used made it a very desirable weapon. The cartridge used in the Spencer was a rim-fire cartridge of about .52caliber. There were also many rim-fire handguns in this era. Thirty-caliber, .38-caliber handguns along with the .44-caliber Henry rifle were all rim-fire guns. The rim-fire ammo being used today is primarily as follows: .22-Short, .22Long, .22-Long Rifle and .22-Winchester Magnum. There are a number of variations which include standard velocity, high velocity, solid bullets and hollow-point bullets. One or more of these variations can be found in a single cartridge: for example, a .22-Long Rifle, high velocity, hollow point. The 5mm-Remington Magnum never really caught on, and it is probably not unfair to say that, even though it is a relatively recent introduction, it is already a dying cartridge. The other, more popular rim-fires will for sure be with us for as long as we have the right to bear arms. The lifespan of the various .22-caliber rim-fires is assured by their comparatively low cost, very low noise
For paper or plinking, non-traditional .22’s are great fun.
level, good accuracy and sufficient energy to take small varmint and small game at ranges to 50 yards. Under certain circumstances the ranges can be stretched to 75 or 100 yards. But the use of any rim-fire cartridges at ranges beyond 100 yards falls into the stunt category and will result in the loss of a lot of crippled game. Of course, the ability to practice almost anywhere with a .22 is reason enough to ensure its longevity for another century. In these areas, there are several special oddities of .22 rim-fire ammo — the .22CB-Short and the .22CB-Long. These are nothing more than a .22Short or Long loaded to a reduced velocity of about 675-fps (feet per second). These cartridges allow the use of the .22 on indoor ranges. The low-velocity projectiles ensure that the noise level will be about on par with a high-velocity air gun and that relatively modest backstops will be adequate. These guns are a favorite of trappers because they cause very little, if any, pelt damage. Let us now take a closer look at the most popular .22-caliber cartridges: • 22-Short — The .22-Short Standard Velocity with standard lead bullet is the ideal plinking round. Its low cost, good accuracy and low noise level add up to the perfect plinker’s cartridge. There is one drawback, however. Extensive use of the Short case in guns chambered for a long rifle load will eventually cause some chamber erosion in front of where the Short case ends. After this erosion occurs, it then becomes difficult to extract a long rifle case after it has been fired. So I do not recommend over-use of the .22-Short in guns chambered for longer .22 ammo. For use on small game at ranges to 25 or 30-yards, the .22-Short High-
Mike Roux uses a new Colt .22 rifle for squirrels and other small game.
Speed Hollow Point will work well. Even in this configuration, the Short should never be used on anything larger than squirrels and rabbits, and then only at the ranges I have mentioned. • 22-Long — The Long round still hangs on despite there being very little reason for its use. At one time, the Long was discontinued by one of the major manufacturers. The Long is a cross between the Short and Long Rifle cartridge. It uses the 29-grain bullet of the Short and the case of the Long Rifle. The muzzle velocity of the Long in the high-speed load is 1240-fps. However, due to the light bullet weight, the energy level is substantially below the Long Rifle. • 22-Long Rifle — Without a doubt, the .22-Long Rifle is the most popular cartridge ever designed, and it will survive as long as shooters shoot. The high-speed hollow-point versions can be used to 50 or 60 yards on
varmints as big as groundhogs if you stick to head shots. Body shots should never be attempted on animals this tough or large, regardless of the range. Cripples do not gain us a thing. For squirrel hunting, head shots are preferred to prevent damaging too much meat. Some squirrel hunters will not use hollow points for the same reason. The Long Rifle cartridge is a favorite for just about any small game. Varmints as large as fox can be successfully harvested with it. The .22Long Rifle is a hunter’s ammo. It forces you to stalk game carefully to ensure the swift and humane dispatch of your game. The low cost of the ammo provides almost anyone the ability to become an “expert” shooter. Many a long-range varmint shooter, who has lost the thrill of the hunt, finds himself returning to the hunting of varmints with the .22 Long Rifle. With low noise levels, hunters find that they are welcomed in places that center-fire rifle shooters find impossible to get in to. • 22-Winchester Magnum Rim-fire — With more energy at 100 yards than any Long Rifle cartridge has at the muzzle, the .22-Magnum is the muscle round in the .22-caliber rim-fire family. Useful for all the hunting purposes of the .22 Long Rifle, the .22-Mag. can stretch the range of varmint hunters to 100 yards and, with good equipment, possibly to 125 yards. Despite ballistic levels at ranges beyond this, the Mag is not practical due to accuracy limits. However, this increased range does not come free of charge. The cost of ammo is considerably more than the Long Rifle. While it is still far cheaper than any center-fire ammo, the cost is a bit high for plinking. It is a cartridge for the serious rim-fire hunter who is willing to buy equipment that will let him take advantage of the higher energy levels at the longer ranges. In closing, let me say that no shooter should be without a .22-caliber rim-fire firearm. Inexpensive practice, the fun of plinking, serious hunting or target shooting can all be enjoyed almost anywhere with a .22. It truly is the most valuable recreation rifle or pistol ever designed. (Mike Roux is the Midwest Regional Director for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) Outdoor Ministry. To become a Home Team Member of this new ministry, call him at 217257-7895.)
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