2 Financing a farm purchase: Be prepared for key differences from a home mortgage by Blayre Messner, Financial Services Officer, Maryville, FCS Financial
Whether motivated by hunting and fishing or simply getting away from a city, making the decision to purchase land is an exciting time for many. The search for the perfect farm can take time but once the land is found, the process can turn from exciting to overwhelming in a hurry. Loan officers with FCS Financial, a Farm Credit cooperative covering a majority of Missouri, offer advice on financing land. “The process has some similarities but many differences from buying a home,” Jordan Harmon, FCS Financial loan officer explains. “When people call in to talk about financing a farm, they aren’t always prepared for some of the differences.” 1. The process takes time. Land loans are not a cookie-cutter product with an automated service, like many home loans have become. Each farm and buyer create a unique situation and working through those situations takes time. Harmon advises real estate buyers to expect at least 30 days for the financing process, if not more in the case of atypical circumstances.
A recent first-time farm buyer from the St. Louis area confirmed that the process took a little longer than he was at first expecting. “The appraisal process especially takes time. And it feels like a long wait because the entire thing hinges on that appraisal,” he said. The appraisal process on farms can be a more in-depth process than home appraisals and with fewer comparable and fewer licensed professionals to complete the work, backlogs can happen. 2. The interest rate and the terms will be different. Loan pricing and terms are based on risk. Home purchases are not without risk, but they carry less risk than most other real estate transactions. Because of that, the down payment requirements on farmland will typically be higher, interest rates will be different, and the loan will be amortized over fewer years. “People are often surprised when they realize they cannot automatically get a 30-year term on a farm loan,” Stacy Ward, FCS Financial loan officer said. The new landowner from St. Louis said he was a little surprised to find how different the process is from buying a home but once he worked with his loan officer more to understand the process, it wasn’t as overwhelming. For planning purposes, the loan officers advise having at least 20 percent down and limiting the loan term to 20 years. “Each situation is different,” said Harmon. “But as a general rule of thumb, most farm loans won’t be for 30 years.” It is possible to get a long-term fixed rate on farm loans. A fixed rate can mitigate risk of rising rates in the future and with FCS Financial’s conversion options, it doesn’t stop borrowers from being able to take advantage of lower rates in the future. “It surprises a lot of people that we can fix a rate for 15, 20 or even 30 years in the case a 30-year loan is appropriate,” Harmon continues. 3. There are different collateral considerations. “When you buy a home, it’s expected that it comes with normal property rights and without any abnormal property encumbrances. That’s not always the case with a farm,” Ward explained. Buyers, especially those looking at hunting and recreational land, need to pay close attention to things like legal and physical access to the farm, property rights such as mineral and aerial rights, and leases that may be in place. “Very rarely do leases or encumbrances impact the ability to purchase or borrow money for the farm, but buyers need to be aware of what property rights are in-tact and understand how that might impact the purchase,” Ward reminded. 4. Many farms produce income. “A lot of people end up finding a farm that generates some type of income. That totally changes the equation,” explained Harmon. Income potential varies from property to property, making it necessary to reevaluate how much a buyer can afford and what the payment terms will look like with each farm. Although most recreational farms are financed with a monthly pay loan, sometimes a splitnote that allows a portion of the loan to be paid monthly and a portion of the loan to be paid annually makes the most sense. “We match payment timing to the income source making the payment. If it’s annual income, it’s annual payment. If it’s monthly income making the payment, like wage income, then it’s a monthly payment,” said Harmon. The FCS Financial loan officers encourage buyers to understand the different income streams that are on the farm they are considering. The most common income seen on Missouri farms is cash rent, crop-share income, CRP or some other conservation program payments. “Buyers need to understand where that income is coming from and what the terms associated with the income are,” Harmon advised. Owning rural land is a dream for many and knowing the ins and outs of rural land ownership keeps it from becoming a nightmare. The best advice is to do some research and contact your rural property lender early. They can guide you through the process so you know what to expect.
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3 Changes to the Wildlife Code of Missouri By Conserva�on Agent Mark McNeely
On September 4, 2020, the Missouri Department of Conservation and its Commission approved updated regulations to the Wildlife Code of Missouri regarding coyote hunting and feral hog control that go into effect Nov. 30. I have fielded several questions via phone and while checking hunters about this topic. Like clockwork, the rumor mill jump starts various interpretations about this new rule. If you are a predator hunter chasing coyotes or a landowner wanting another alternative to deal with nuisance wildlife, namely coyotes and feral hogs, read the new regulations or this article carefully as I break this down into three sections. One is for the hunter and the other is for the landowner, however these two can co-exist when hunting nuisance wildlife. So, I’ll begin with coyote hunters wanting to chase coyotes at night. The change comes in response to citizen requests to the Regulations Committee to use night vision, infrared, thermal imagery equipment, or artificial light to hunt coyotes. For years we have taken requests or fielded questions about nighttime hunting regulations. In the past, coyote hunting required a moonlit night in a snow-covered field or cut bean field to provide the proper amount of back light to see and differentiate a coyote through a scope. Dark nights make this difficult
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without the aid of artificial light or device. The new regulation allows properly licensed hunters to use artificial light (regardless of color), night vision, infrared, or thermal imagery equipment in conjunction with other legal hunting methods to pursue and take coyotes from Feb. 1 through March 31. Notice this says coyotes. Other regulations regarding artificial light and pursuing furbearers treed by aid of dog are still in place. The framework for the season dates is to avoid fall deer and spring turkey season overlap and maybe provide quality hides for sale. Regardless of hunting coyotes for sport or because they are a nuisance, other states have also moved to more liberal regulations such as these to increase hunting opportunity and success for taking coyotes. As for landowners, this regulation came about for the southern Missouri landowners dealing with feral hogs. Knock on wood, this is not an issue in northern Missouri, and I have only heard of short lived and isolated incidences of feral hogs in this region. That being said, landowners were also vocal to the Regulations Committee and the revised regulations will allow landowners and their authorized representatives to use night vision, infrared, or thermal imagery equipment while in possession of any implement where wildlife could be killed or taken to address property damage. The revised regulation allows landowners who own property of any size and their representatives to kill or take feral hogs without prior approval from a conservation agent throughout the year using these methods. An authorized representative is any person who has permission from a landowner to be on present on the landowner’s property. Lastly, this scenario combines the previously mentioned groups, the coyote hunter and the landowner dealing with wildlife causing property damage. This is the most likely scenario to occur in this region including Daviess County and the surrounding areas. The property owners and their representatives can use night vision, infrared, thermal imaging equipment or artificial light to kill coyotes or other wildlife causing property damage at any time of the year with written authorization from a conservation agent. Note, there must be property damage caused by wildlife and prior authorization is required and the specific parcel will be listed on the authorization form. These are new regulations that bring about quite a change in how hunters chase coyotes. I honestly never thought this would be a regulation ever approved. But, if I want to think positively, I hope this improves the deer and small game populations and decreases hunter judgment mistakes when predator hunting. For questions about this topic or anything conservation related topic. Contact your local Conservation Agent, Mark McNeely, 816-262-3532.
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6 Tim Wilson: Passing along the tradition of fur trapping by T.L. Huffman, staff writer
One mile or 100 miles … it doesn’t matter to Tim Wilson of Jameson how many miles he must travel to catch his prey. Freezing winters, scorching summers. Empty traps or full. Good money or no money. In the water or on the land. Trapping — and teaching other people how to do it — is an irresistible attraction for Tim Wilson. “It’s an addiction,” Wilson says. “The thing I love most about it is, there’s no limit. If I hunt turkey, I
Wilson shares a story from his book of how he and a friend chased mink for years with no luck. His friend was convinced there were no mink. In the 1980’s, they set traps for mink. At the first set of traps, they got nothing. At the second set, his friend watched from the edge of the creek, they got nothing. At the third set, his friend watched from the bridge, they got nothing. At the fourth set his friend finally went and sat in the truck. At that fourth trap, Tim caught the one and only mink he would catch that whole year. He threw it on the dash of the truck. His friend never said a word. Tim says he can go through as many as 90 to 100 traps before catching a mink. “Most can’t stand empty traps,” he says. “They don’t have what it takes. You have to be able to be disappointed.” Surprising as it may be to some, mink is abundant in Missouri. Last year Wilson trapped 23 in 16 days. To trap mink you must travel, Wilson says. Sometimes the first trap is 80 miles away. The traps are on public right-of-way and on land where he has the owner’s permission. Unless there’s a market for the fur, it’s just not worth the money. Sometimes, instead of selling it, he uses the fur at home. He had mink coats made for his wife and daughter. It took 30 apiece to make the coats.
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can get two. In trapping, there is no limit, you set the limit.” Wilson says his passion for trapping goes back to the late seventies. He was a freshman in high school when his older brother Randy took him trapping. They caught five muskrats in one day and sold them for $7 apiece for a total of $35. That was a lot of money in 1979. He got into trapping again when a relative of his wife died and left him some traps. “There was money in it,” he says. “You could make a day’s wages in the big animals.” He trapped from 1983 to 1988, then the boom went bust. “I sold 28 raccoons for a nickel and a dime apiece, that’s $1.85 total,” he says. “So, I quit chasing raccoon and started chasing mink.”
T
he outdoors wasn’t the only thing that beckoned Wilson. All his life he felt there was something else he needed to be doing. He explains the why of it this way — if Jesus is real, then nothing else matters. “I was walking out of Wakenda Creek outside Carrollton with mink in hand and tears in my eyes,” he says. “I realized no amount of mink would make me happy. I surrendered to the ministry.” He is now pastor to two churches, Prairie Chapel in Bethany and Coffey Baptist. He owns Sticks & Stones-Rustic Cedar Log Homes. He and his sons have built 52 cedar log homes/cabins and numerous pieces of cedar log furniture. He runs his traps in his spare time. Wilson has found time to write a book called “This Ain’t No Preacher Story” about his trapping experiences. There’s also some fishing and hunting stories in there. Wilson’s e-mail address is wlsn_tw@ yahoo.com and books are available for $10 a book plus shipping. His book isn’t a preacher story; that is, his story is a true story. He wrote it after the death of a good friend who was a storyteller. “Your stories die with you if you don’t write them down,” he says. “The book was written the year my grandson Laiden Wilson was born. I wanted him and the rest of my family and friends to know me better.”
bviously, trapping can’t be about the money. It’s about matching wits with the critters, learning to see signs and tracks that others never notice, and just being out there with nature — a lot of times being the only one out there. “I enjoy the isolation, but I also like the fellowship of other trappers,” he says. Wilson shares his love for the outdoors with the Missouri Trappers Association (MTA). He is the MTA chaplain. In 2019 he was recognized as Trapper of the Year. He says he’s gotten a lot of help and advice from some area veteran trappers, including MTA Hall of Fame nominee Ron McNeely of Gallatin. “By now I kind of know what I’m doing,” Wilson says. “I’ve studied the animals and learned a lot from old timers, like Ron. I couldn’t have been successful without his help.” Tim says there are 800 members of the MTA. There are probably around 2,000 trappers in Missouri, with about 20 in Daviess County. The Missouri Trappers Association is a proud
Tim Wilson’s son, Nick, wearing a beaver cap while his daughter, Zaylee, models a muskrat cap.
sponsor of Miss Rodeo Missouri as well as Miss Missouri. Each year the MTA presents these young ladies with a fur vest made from Missouri furs. Last year, it was a beaver vest. This year, it will be mink. Is it possible to make a living as a trapper? “There was a day, but it ain’t today,” Wilson says. What kind of living you can make just depends on the market. Tim and his son made money in 2013, which was about the last year he made money. They trapped $10,000 worth of fur and took the winter off. That was around $20 for raccoons and it took numerous other animals to make the $10,000. “You have to hit it when it’s high,” he says. Fur ranchers are competitors to trappers. “Mink fur ranchers went broke this year,” Wilson said. “That could cause the prices to go up. We could have a short-hair run, mink, muskrat, otter.”
Tim says trapping is a renewable resource. He’d
like to see farmers get more into trapping. It would help renew flocks of turkeys and pheasants. Too many raccoons can devastate the flocks. He traps muskrat, mink, raccoon, otter, beaver, and red fox, but not coyote. “Our coyote is not a good quality,” he says. “There are too many grades to the fur. But that’s just me. There are other guys that catch 150 a year.” Beaver is used to make Stetson hats, wild mink is used to make coats, muskrat for hats, raccoon for trim, red fox for coats and hats. The caster gland of the beaver goes into making cigarettes and women’s perfume. Tim says he doesn’t know how they got that figured out.
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f course, there are critics of trapping. Tim says he doesn’t hear too much of it, but he doesn’t think people should get too judgmental. “If you set a trap for a mouse, you’re a trapper,” he says. Wilson says trapping may be a dying tradition. He hopes to keep the heritage alive through knowledge and education and teaching and practicing skills. He’s one of the on-call trappers for District 8 through the Missouri Trappers Association. He does demonstrations every year at the MTA meetings and goes to churches and does demonstrations.
“I hope there is a future in trapping,” he says. “I’m happy to pass along what I know to anybody interested.”
Monica Burge and Wendy Wilson, daughter and wife of Tim Wilson, in their mink coats.
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8 Velvet-antlered doe is unusual trophy for Michael Lee Michael Lee of Winston took this 12-point doe with bow and arrow on the opening day of deer season in 2012. Michael says he wanted this particular deer pretty bad because he’d never seen one during deer season that still had the velvet on its antlers. Right before season started, they’d always lose their velvet. The bucks usually have hardened their antlers during the rut or mating season. But Michael had been watching this deer every day. It still had the velvet on its antlers, and he wanted it -- and on the first day of deer season he got it. The only surprise was that it was a doe. Normally, only the male deer, the bucks, have velvet on their antlers. A female with velvet antlers is very rare. Not only were the antlers velvet, they were even larger than usual. He says the antlers scored 147, with 150 being the score for a pretty decent buck. Michael says he hunts every year and last year took two of his grandsons on the youth hunt. They got their first two deer. He’s trying for three this year -- grandsons that is. Michael and the boys will be out there on opening day of deer season in 2020; he says he hopes everybody has a good, safe hunt this year.
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11 MDC, partners offer deer hunting clinic for youth with terminal, chronic illnesses
The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), in partnership with Missouri Disabled Sportsmen (MDS) and the Outdoor Dream Foundation (ODF), will offer a unique opportunity for youth with terminal or chronic illnesses to participate in a hunting clinic and mentored deer hunt this fall in northeast Missouri. “This event will connect kids and families suffering from chronic or terminal illness with the outdoors,” said ODF CEO Brad Jones. “The Outdoor Dream Foundation grants adventures to children and youth who face some of life’s toughest challenges.” The clinic will begin at 3 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 30, at the Rest Inn Him Lodge and Retreat Center in Unionville. Participants will learn about deer biology and habitat, hunting safety and shooting skills, ammunition and firearm selection, methods, and regulations. Participants will have time to go fishing and other activities around deer camp. Over the weekend, youth will head afield for a mentored deer hunt. MDC and partners will provide meals, track chairs for those with mobility impairments, all necessary equipment, and staff to assist. “MDC and Missouri Disabled
Sportsmen are proud to partner with the Outdoor Dream Foundation in these efforts,” said MDC Conservation Educator Rob Garver. “MDC and our partners wish to ensure that everyone gets opportunities to enjoy nature.” Space is limited for this clinic and participants must apply by Oct. 23 at mdc-event-web.s3licensing.com/ Event/EventDetails/174115. Scheduled plans are subject to change according to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. To ensure public safety, all participants must practice physical distancing and wear a mask covering their mouth and nose when maintaining six-foot distancing is not possible. For more information about this event, contact Garver at (660) 7852420 or Rob.Garver@mdc.mo.gov.
12
Big Buck Fever Local 2019 Hadley Cox age 10, 8 points
Preston Jawahir, Spickard, MO 11 points
Kendell Jones age 8
Thomas Hogan age 7, 5 points
T.J. Kline, age 8 5 points shot with his bow
Gage Lockridge, age 10 Cameron, MO, 7 points
Cole Chrisman age 9, 10 points
Tagen Eversole, age 10
Kensley Jones pictured w/fathers (Jamie Jones) 13 points
Gavin Sprague age 11, 10 points
Quade Sprague age 13, 8 points
Kaylen Sterneker, Gallatin, MO age 12, 9 points
Jasper Hamilton age 12, 10 points
Kylie Spencer age 9, 12 point
13
Big Buck Fever Local 2019 Ben Gott, Galt, Mo 14 points Raylan Adkison age 6, 12 points
Tegan Alexander age 11, 8 points
Ambrey Hunter, Bethany, Mo age 10, 12 pointer
Kason King age 10,6 points
Ariel Harris Ten points
Drake Johnson 10 points
Mason Hamilton age 15, 9 points shot with his bow!
Draygan Schweizer 17 points
Malakai Gray age 11 with his 8 point buck
Josh Sprague, 13 points
We would love to here from you! Send us your Big Buck picture. Be sure to include name, city, age and points. Email: Ads@gpcink.com
14 Crystal Poole serves as Caldwell agent, shares duties in Daviess
You may have seen Conservation Agent Crystal Poole out patrolling the woods for poachers, or just relaxing around a campfire. As long as she is spending time in the great outdoors, she’s where she wants to be.
The 26-year-old is one of several agents covering Daviess County after the retirement of Alan Bradford in March of this year. Those agents include Mark McNeely (DeKalb), Josh Roller (Harrison), Caleb Pryor (Livingston), Brandon Lyddon (Gentry/ Worth), Lieutenant Jason Braunecker, and Poole (Caldwell), just to name a few. “Agents are state law enforcement officers so we tend to work more than just our assigned county anyway,” says Poole. Poole started as the Conservation Agent in Hamilton in October of 2017. Poole was raised in Platte County, where both her parents worked for the telephone company. She says becoming a conservation agent was the fulfillment of two lifetime ambitions. She’s a believer in law-and-order and was drawn toward either the military or law enforcement. She also wanted a career that would let her work with animals and be outside, like veterinary medicine. “I was interested in going into law enforcement and have always enjoyed being outdoors, hunting and fishing,” Poole says. “The job of conservation agent is a natural fit, it combines both.” As a female conservation agent, Poole is a rare bird. According to an article in the 2018 Missouri Conservationist Magazine, historically, women have been underrepresented in MDC’s Protection Division. It wasn’t until 1975, that the first female conservation agent, Jill Cooper, was assigned to the Kansas City area. Currently, 19 of MDC’s approximately 197 agents who are peace-officer certified, only about 9.6 percent are women. Poole says competition for conservation jobs is fierce with thousands of people applying for only a few open positions. It’s important to start your career path early and build a resume if you’re interested in an MDC job. Be willing to volunteer and take those classes that will help. Poole is dive certified, can handle a dart gun, and is a trap-shooting expert. She’s waded the waters in search of rare Blanding’s turtles and run scientific experiments on how to trap flying squirrels.
Poole had early experience working part-time at Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge in Holt county the summer of 2015; and Pony Express Conservation Area in DeKalb county summer/fall 2016. She graduated from Missouri Western State University in 2016 with a B.S. degree in wildlife conservation and management. She then had to pass muster at a sixmonth Conservation Agent Training Academy in Jefferson City. The classroom work was intense and the physical exercise demanding, but she passed the training and became one of 199 conservation agents in Missouri. Poole says she may be one of only a handful of female conservation agents, but she hasn’t had any issues with discrimination or people treating her badly. “People are respec�ul,” she says. “I have not had any real issues with anyone treating me any different than any other officer.” Whether you’re a male of female agent the job can be dangerous, lawbreakers of Missouri’s wildlife codes are almost always armed. Poole say the benefits of interacting positively with the community, protecting Missouri’s fish, forests,
and wildlife, spending time in our region’s rich and diverse countryside outweigh the risks. If anyone has questions about Wildlife Code regulations, they can call either the St. Joseph Regional Office 816-271-3100 or the Chillicothe Office 660-646-6122 during normal business hours. For after hours and weekends, they can call the Daviess County Sheriff ’s Office 660-663-2031. The caller’s information can then be passed to the nearest on-duty Conservation Agent for contact. If anyone would like to report a game/fish violation, they can contact the Operation Game Thief Hotline (OGT) 1-800-392-1111, which is staffed 24/7. They can remain anonymous and may even be considered for a reward if their information leads to an arrest. “Conservation Agents are licensed peace officers,” says Poole. “We work all hours of the day and night, weekends and holidays. Our primary focus is enforcing the Wildlife Code of Missouri, but we can, and do enforce all state laws. Never hesitate to contact us if you suspect a wildlife crime in progress.”
Agent Crystal Pool of Caldwell County and Agent Zach White of Clinton County Conservation Agent shown with evidence of “Taylor,” a suspect in an illegal turkey hunting case earlier this year
15
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Pellet Inserts
Features
• Smart operation with EASY Touch Control • Save money with built-in programmable thermostat • View fuel loading levels easily with illuminated glass hopper lid • Less loading with up to 64-1/2 lb hopper capacity • Easy, low maintenance • Elegant flame-reactive mirrored glass • Installation made easy with direct vent
Vermont
Wood-Burning Stoves Key Technologies
• Flexburn Technology • Top Load Technology • Thermostatically Controlled Combustion • Continuous Combustion Control
Quadra-Fire Steel Wood Stoves
• Performance • Easy Operation
Exclusive Technologies • Four-Point Burn System • Automatic Combustion Control
304 S. Allen Lane, Jamesport, MO 64648
660-684-6331