July 2019

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Connect with the River Hills Traveler at

(417) 451-3798 or email jimmy@ riverhillstraveler.com or text (417) 451-3798

VOL. 47, NO. 2

JULY 2019

www.riverhillstraveler.com

Cooking with a Dutch oven — made easy

By MATTIE LINK

Fitting an electric trolling motor D to a rental canoe

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By Len Stagoski am an avid float fisherman. It seems to me that now, in the “modern era,” the predominant watercraft for float fishing is the kayak.

But not for me… my ideal watercraft for float fishing Ozark streams is the canoe.

And I feel there are still anglers who feel the same way.

So, in this article I am going to share my secret for a select group of float fishermen, those who use a canoe which is “pointed” at both ends.

But, in particular, those who rent a canoe from an outfitter. I suggest this is usually a canoe pointed at each end, although I have encountered outfitters who have “squareended” canoes.

A valuable configuration of a float

fishing canoe is one that has an electric trolling motor. Consider: • Turning on a trolling motor for a brief burst of thrust can put you in just the right position to make perfect casts to spots that look fishy, and you don’t have to pick up a paddle.

• For streams that have a lot of rather long pools, the thrust of a trolling motor can save you a lot of

paddling to get from the beginning of the pool, where the fishing is usually good, to the lower part of the pool where there is likely better fishing than the middle of the pool.

• Trolling motors are great for turning around and going upstream to retrieve a snagged lure.

Of course, there are a lot of other advantages.

The secret I want to share is “how to outfit a rental canoe with an electric trolling motor.” I realize that this is probably geared to a very select group of readers, but they are my kind of anglers, and I would like to enhance their float fishing experience.

For many years of float fishing Ozark streams, I used a 14-foot, flatbottomed, fiberglass watercraft of Jon boat design, except that it had a

Please see MOTOR, 15A

mattie@riverhillstraveler.com _____________

utch oven cooking is something that can be done year-round, especially during the summertime.

With the right equipment, meals for weekend camping trips can be a breeze.

“I first got interested in Dutch oven cooking when my sons were in Eagle Scouts, and their Eagle Scout was really good at it,” said Tom Boydston, Dutch oven cooker, who lives in rural Neosho.

“It wasn’t until 1986-87 that I got one and started playing with it.”

For those who may be interested in Dutch oven cooking, Boydston suggests starting with the 10-inch pot.

“The 10-inch works really well and it’s about the right size for 2-4 people,” said Boydston.

Please see DUTCH, 14A

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Union, MDC team up to overhaul city lake

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or nearly two decades I have called Union, MO., my home.

Both of the houses that I have lived in have been less than a mile from Union City Lake on the west side of town.

This lake holds many memories for me. I’ve been able to walk there with my daughter to enjoy fireworks displays, feeding the geese, and cast a fishing line.

The 4-acre lake was first built in 1955. Fast forward to 2016. The lake’s dam was leaking and the water had become murky and overrun with algae and moss.

There were haphazard beaten pathways created by anglers over the years. The fishing certainly wasn’t up to par. It wasn’t a point of pride for my community.

Thankfully, the City of Union and Michelle the Missouri DeTurner partment of Conser——— vation (MDC) teamed up to do a major overhaul.

What has been dubbed the “Lake Project” in my neck of the woods has been pretty amazing to witness firsthand.

As the city removed silt from the lake basin, they worked to create a relationship with the MDC to bring new life to our City Lake. It was in January 2017 that a partnership was created.

Thanks to MDC’s Community Assistance Program, an agreement to renovate the lake came about.

One of the first issues tackled was accessibility to the lake. Now that the project is complete, visitors can enjoy a new sidewalk around the lake. There are also three accessibility jetties, a new dock, and two new parking lots.

I still am impressed with the improved fishing opportunities. While the physical improvements were complete in 2017, it wasn’t until March 2018 that the lake was restocked with fish.

They kept the lake closed to fishing

until recently because officials wanted to allow the new fish time to adapt to their new environment and grow.

On the first day of winter trout season, the lake opened to anglers with a great surprise; the MDC added 2,000 rainbow trout to the City Lake.

I know that anytime I go by the city lake I now see people fishing, walking, and enjoying the park itself. It’s become a place to be proud of and will serve our community and state for years to come.

For anglers wishing to visit the Union City Lake, remember that you must comply with MDC rules and posted guidelines, such as Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 one pole per person can be used.

Anglers are only allowed artificial flies and lures with no natural or prepared baits. From Feb. 1 to Oct. 31, a maximum of three poles per person may be used with no restrictions on bait.

The lake only allows pole and line fishing. No live bait may be taken.

For more information,!call the park office at (636) 583-8471.

The Union City Lake is located between Clark-Vitt Memorial Park/Autumn Hill and the Union Fairgrounds on the west side of Union, directly across from Clark-Vitt Elementary School.

(Michelle Turner lives in Union, Mo.)

Lost Your o Leasse?

WA ANT YOUR OWN FA O ARM? RM?

FFIND YOUUR FAAVVORITTE PLACE Call Joe Pen ndergrass

57 73 368-1402

EACH MOSSY OAK PROPE ERTIES OFFICE IS INDEPENDENTLY OW WNED AND OPERATED.

Page 4A • July 2019

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Eminence loses a great man in Jim Anderson

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veryone in the Traveler office was sad and heartbroken to hear of the sudden passing of Jim Anderson last month.

He was the mayor of Eminence and owner of Shady Lane Cabins & Motel.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife, Jeanie, and their family during this difficult time.

I first met Jim about 5 years ago when I bought the Traveler. He was a big supporter of the magazine and even wrote a couple stories (one about trapping, and the other trout fishing) for the magazine many, many years ago.

Jim wanted to make sure I was going to continue Jimmy coverage of the Sexton Ozark National ——— Scenic Riverways area. I reassured him that the ONSR was, and is, the heart of the magazine and that wouldn’t change under my watch.

Back in May I asked Jim if he would be interested in writing an article about Eminence and all the things it has to offer for publication in our 10th annual Ozarks Float Trippin’ floating and camping guide that was scheduled to come out June 1.

He happily agreed and a few days later he emailed me a wonderful article about Eminence, and you could just tell he loved writing it as much as he loved that community.

I enjoyed the article so much that it made page 3 of the publication, so it was the first thing readers saw when they opened it.

I last spoke with Jim on Thursday, June 13, when he thanked me for the

Y

opportunity to write for the Traveler again and said that many years ago he aspired to be an outdoor writer, and while he didn’t have the time right now to submit more articles, he hoped to in another year or so.

Since his Eminence article was published I’ve gotten several comments about it, both from people who live in Eminence and were very happy to see the community getting such publicity, as well as from folks who’d never heard of Eminence but are now planning on visiting soon.

All because of Jim, and the contagious energy and passion with which he wrote. He was the community’s biggest cheerleader.

That was the whole point of the article, and what Jim had been doing for Eminence for so many years, long before he became mayor.

He was always very mindful of the community, and put others first. Just ask any of the people who stayed at Shady Lane Cabins year after year.

Jim told me it was an honor to be in our magazine again. Well, it was my honor to count Jim as a friend.

——— Renewing Missouri hunting, fishing, and trapping permits is now easier and more convenient through the Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) new online permit auto-renewal service.

Permit auto-renewal allows online permit buyers to automatically renew their permits prior to the start of the next season or permit year so they never have an expired permit when they need it most.

Participation in auto-renewal is voluntary, and the service can only be activated by the permit buyer.

Enrollment in auto-renewal can be done during an online permit purchase

or by using the “Manage Your Account” feature.

Within the “Manage Your Account” feature, users can also update their auto-renewal settings including payment method and enrolled permits, and turn off the service.

There are no additional fees for the service. Auto-renewal will automatically charge permit buyers for their enrolled permits. Permit buyers must have a valid email address and credit card to participate.

The auto-renewal service will send personalized email updates to participants – including initial enrollment, changes made by the buyer, 30-day and seven-day reminders of upcoming permit renewals and associated charges, and notifications of successful renewals and associated charges.

Permit buyers can enroll in auto-renewal at mdc.mo.gov/buypermits during an online permit purchase or by using the “Manage Your Account” feature. Learn more about permit auto-renewal at huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/permits/permitauto-renewal.

In addition to buying Missouri hunting, fishing, and trapping permits online at mdc.mo.gov/buypermits and through MDC’s free mobile apps (MO Hunting and MO Fishing), permit buyers can also purchase permits from numerous retail vendors around the state.

Auto-renewal-eligible permits purchased from retail vendors are not able to be enrolled into the service during the purchase process but can be enrolled later using the “Manage Your Account” feature.

(Jimmy Sexton is owner and publisher of the River Hills Traveler. He can be reached by phone or text at (417) 451-3798, or jimmy@riverhillstraveler.com.)

A tale of two trees

ou may have heard the old story that Jesus was crucified on a cross made from the dogwood

tree.

That is supposedly why the dogwood is crooked and twisted and not good for lumber today.

The legend says that until then the dogwood was as big as an oak tree. It’s also why the bloom is in the shape of a cross, with “nail prints” on the outer edge of each petal.

Also, if you look close, the center of the dogwood bloom features a cluster of anthers, eventually red-tipped, which is Wes supposed to repreFranklin sent the crown of ——— thorns.!

Of course, the dogwood tree isn’t native to the Middle East and, as far as I know, won’t grow there under normal outdoor conditions if transplanted.

Unless the Romans imported the wood from the outer reaches of their empire in Europe, Jesus really wasn’t crucified on a cross made from dogwood, in my humble, unqualified opinion.

Maybe I’m wrong.!I’ve been familiar with the dogwood legend for some time. It wasn’t until a few years ago,

however, that I read of another legend, once widely believed in the Ozarks (and elsewhere) that Jesus’s disciple Judas hanged himself from a redbud tree.!

As most people know, Judas was the disciple who betrayed Jesus. Afterward, the Bible says, he hanged himself.

Matthew 27:3-5 states that when he saw Jesus was to be crucified, he repented and brought back the 30 pieces of silver he had taken from the Jewish religious leaders as payment for betraying Jesus.

They wouldn’t take it back, so he threw the money down on the floor of the temple and went and committed suicide by hanging.

Incidentally, the book of Acts gives a different, lesser-known, account of the details of his death.!

Scripture simply says he hanged himself, but doesn’t actually say from what kind of tree. However, for whatever reason, the old-time Ozarkers had it in their heads it was a redbud tree, according to folklorist Vance Randolph.

The legend was that the redbud tree was cursed and bad luck, and it was dangerous to go near one after dark, and especially after it was in bloom.

Its nickname is the Judas Tree. I had never heard it called that, but maybe you have.!

In fact, Mr. Randolph states that a lot of folks in northeast Oklahoma, which

is included in the geographical Ozarks, were upset when Oklahoma made the redbud their official state tree.!

The same story of the curse applies to the redbud as the dogwood — i.e., that it used to be a big and strong tree but that after its part in Jesus’s betrayal and Judas’s subsequent suicide, it was henceforth a little, crooked tree with small branches really unsuitable for anyone to ever again hang themselves from.!

Here’s the thing: the redbud we know in these parts is the eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis). There is a native middle eastern tree in the same genus, though, named the Cercis siliquastrum.

I suppose the early legend was that it was the latter tree Judas swung from, which is at least possible, though not Biblically mentioned, and over time folks also transferred the curse upon the tree’s American cousin, the eastern redbud.!

I’d have probably never heard this legend of the redbud if I wouldn’t have read it in one of Mr. Randolph’s old books on Ozark folklore. That particular book was first published in 1947.!

It makes me wonder when people in the Ozarks stopped believing these things.

Or maybe some still do?!

(Wes Franklin!can be reached by email at cato.uticensis46@gmail.com, or by USPS mail at 12161 Norway Road, Neosho, MO 64850.)

READER PHOTO

Gage Kelley, of Neosho, Mo., caught this 67-pound spoonbill in Schell City, Mo., on March 24.

On the Cover Len Stagoski details how to fit an electric trolling motor to a rental canoe. (Story on page 1)

River Hills Traveler 212 E. Main St., Neosho, MO 64850 Phone: (417) 451-3798 Fax: (417) 451-5188

www.riverhillstraveler.com Email: jimmy@riverhillstraveler. com Owner & Publisher Jimmy Sexton Managing Editor Madeleine Link Circulation Manager Rhonda Sexton Staff Writers Wes Franklin • Mike Roux Bill Wakefield • Bob Brennecke Judy Smith • Michelle Turner Dana Sturgeon • Bill Hoagland Richard Whiteside • Ronnie Moore Advertising Jimmy Sexton & Madeleine Link

River Hills Traveler, established in 1973, is published monthly by Sexton Media Group and Traveler Publishing Company. 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 © 2019 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.

July 2019 • Page 5A

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Dinner time on the James

VINTAGE OZARKS

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enciled on the back is the title, “Dinner time on the James.” Presumably this was an informal outing of family and friends, even though it appears to be winter.

Many real photo postcards, but few stereo cards, of Ozarks scenes show up in antique shows or online.

George Sittler had a thriving commercial photography studio in Springfield until his death in 1887. A story in the Wichita Eagle (September 24, 1887) recounted the circumstances of his demise under the headline “Death From A Trivial Cause.”

In part the article read: “Visiting Perry Cave, (Percy’s Cave?) which had been newly illuminated with electric lights, the photographer collided against a stalactite, inflicting a bruise to which little attention was paid.”

The next day, he passed out and died from the con-

In search of Ellerman gigs like Grandpa used

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To the Editor, y name is Seth Stewart and my grandpa, Frank Meade, grew up in Eminence, Mo. He took me gigging when I was younger and he told me about Ellerman gigs.

He said they were the best gigs. His

10 years ago • I can still remember the first goggleeye I ever caught. I plunked a big minnow next to the gnarly roots of a big swamp white oak along the banks of the borrow pit that encases the lake at Big Oak Tree State Park in Mississippi County.

Our farm was only a stone’s throw from the park. My offering disappeared as soon as it hit the water. Big bass entered my mind, but the creature on the end of my line went absolutely berserk.

It ran this way, then that way, in circles and pulled like the dickens. I gasped when I flung it into the bottom of the old cypress boat.

The thick-shouldered fish sported deep red eyes and a blackish-green body with faint vertical stripes a bit lighter.

Fearsome-looking spines stood up on its back. It looked meaner than a junk yard dog. (Bill Cooper) • The chop, chop, chop barking of the Walker hound could only mean one thing — a coon had been treed. Soon the other three dogs were also barking “tree.”

In an attempt to get to the dogs, the group of hunters had to wade a creek that was just over the tops of my waterproof boots. After this little soiree, my feet were soaking wet and we were early into the evening.

I was a spectator on my first, but certainly not last, United Kennel Club (UKC) hunt. The event was the Missouri State Nite Hunt Championship and much was riding on this hunt.

For the hunters, it was a qualifying event for World Finals. My host, Chris Freiberger, was on a mission. (Steve Felgenhauer)

Stereo card stamped G.W. Sittler, 1880s.

tusion. Sittler’s widow Lizzie, also a photographer, continued to operate the studio.

(This feature is courtesy of Leland and Crystal Payton at Lens & Pen Press, publishers of all-color books on the Ozarks. Their next book, “Lover’s Leap Leg-

ends,” was inspired by their discovery that both the Osage and James rivers had Lover’s Leaps. Their most recent book — “James Fork of the White” — was published in 2017.)

READER MAILBAG got lost somewhere when he moved down to Arkansas. I am pretty sure they are a hard find, but I want to try my best to get one and pass it on to my children and grandchildren.

Was hoping I could get lucky here. If anyone knows where I could fine some Ellerman gigs, please contact me.

I would really appreciate it, thank you so much! My phone number is (501) 478-5726 and my email is art-

duchamp2207@ gmail.com. You can also reach me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com /sstewa01.

REMEMBER WHEN

15 years ago • There are a lot more changes in deer hunting regulations this year than there have been for a long time.

At the same time, the Conservation Commission gave directions, basically, that the MDC staff was to reduce the length of the regulations by roughly half.

That’s good news and bad news. A tighter set of regulations means you probably won’t need to wade through a lot of repetitious wording to find what you are looking for.

On the other hand, sentences may be a lot more complex in order to say more with less words. You’ll want to read very closely, and you may have to figure some things out for yourself that used to be spelled out for you. (Bob Todd) • I can spend a day fishing five miles of river. Downstream. But on Father’s Day, my son and I fished five miles back down.

That was with the St. Francis River between a foot and two feet above normal.

It was running pretty strong!

Actually, the St. Francis consists pretty much of a string of lake-like holes with a periodic drop or swift run between “lakes.”

It is no problem to paddle a canoe upstream and then wade up the rapids, at normal levels. So, Bo was standing in the river when I got there before sunrise, river fog swirling around him as he cast.

He’d volunteered to paddle the old man this day. I took him up on it. Even

Thanks again!

Seth Stewart, Fort Smith, Ark.

with the river high, it was clear, and paddling up the big hole was easy enough that Bo could fish nearly as much as I. I didn’t lift a paddle. I didn’t lift a fish, either. (Bob Todd)

gram, and I have to believe nearly everyone on that board had read Dan’s writing and had been stirred by it.

We were all of the right age range, certainly. (Bob Todd)

20 years ago • Now, if you go fishing at the invitation of the director of the Department of Conservation, and his chief of fisheries is paddling the boat, you ought to catch some fish!

We did. Boy, but we caught fish. Jerry Conley, the director, has access to private lakes — if the owner has not given anyone else permission that day — and had invited me to fish with him there if our paths happened to cross at the right time in Jefferson City.

Everything meshed the evening before the Rivers and Streams Conference in June. So about 5:30, we picked up Norm Stuckey, the fisheries chief, and drove the 20 or 30 miles to this honey hole.

(Bob Todd) • It may be hard for people younger than myself to make the leap from Dan Saults’ writings in the Missouri Conservationist 50 years ago to the formation of a coalition of Stream Teams this month, and maybe I’m all wet, but to me the connection is real.

Dan, one of the early editors of Conservationist, wrote with feeling about Missouri’s rivers, about the shame it was that they were being destroyed.

Indeed, most of the streams of north Missouri and the bootheel have been made into straight ditches, and many Ozark streams have faced perils in the intervening years.

I was one of the Conservation Federation committee peiple, 10 years ago, that founded the Missouri Stream Team Pro-

30 years ago • The gravel bar was high and clean, shaded by spreading sycamores. The river swung around it out of a swift riffle, deepening and becoming quiet beneath a huge bluff on the opposite side.

Pat and I stopped there on the second afternoon of a three-day float trip, hot, tired, and hungry. It looked like the perfect campsite, but it turned out to be one of the worst nights I’ve ever spent on a river.

The thunderstorm that materialized as we were setting up the camp succeeded only in wetting our sleeping bags; it did nothing to cool off a muggy evening.

(Alvin Agnew) • When I saw what appeared to be a maze of fallen trees and large rocks, with a fast current running through it, I knew this float trip would prove to be very exciting.

After packing our food and sleeping bags in what we thought were waterproof bags, we were soon ready to begin our 30-mile overnight trip down the Current River.

There were 14 of us in all, two Girl Scouts in each of the seven canoes.

When we started, I thought everyone knew about canoeing. It didn’t take long to learn that quite the opposite was true.

I got my first hint of this fact when we began to unload canoes. (Renee Humburg) (compiled by MyraGale Sexton)

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Camp cooking & picking the right stove for you

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can remember my grandpa telling about when an open fire was the only way you could cook outdoors. Either wood or charcoal was used and on dry days that was usually no problem.

I can remember, as a kid growing up in an outdoors family, my own dad pumping the “white gas” stove to get the pressure up before trying to light it. I remember the flame balls that often shot up from that stove the first time a match came near it.

I am reminded of the story about two fellows who met about 5,000 feet above the ground. One was going up, the other coming down. The guy that was falling yelled to the other as they passed, “Do you know anything about parachutes!?”

The man going up yelled back, “No! Do you know anything about kerosene camp stoves?”

I am happy to report that today’s camp stoves are much safer and much more reliable. The days of the heavy kerosene camp stoves have passed us. Modern outdoor stoves are lightweight and very efficient.

It seems like stoves get smaller and smaller each season. This evolution is driven by demand, mostly from hikers and backpackers.

However, there is still a wide Mike variety of stoves designed for Roux camp use whether your camp is ——— small and mobile, or large and permanent.

EFFICIENCY Before purchasing a new camp stove, efficiency should be your biggest concern. Regardless of what fuel your stove requires, conserving that resource is important in any camp.

Some stoves measure their efficiency in BTU, or British Thermal Units. Hot stoves produce more BTUs than smaller stoves. However, a much better gauge of stove efficiency is boiling time.

Most camp stove manufacturers advertise their product’s boiling time in the product information guide. The faster a stove will boil water, the more efficient it is.

FUELS Today’s camp stoves use a wide variety of fuels.

Many are designed to use more than one type of fuel.

Blended fuel is most commonly a combination of propane, butane and/or isobutane. These mixtures burn well, even when the pressure in the canister gets low.

One drawback to mixed fuels is that their efficiency drops at temperatures below 30 degrees F. These are very good fuels except for winter or high altitude applications.

Butane/propane gases are contained under pressure in metal canisters. The stove releases the gas through a valve and the fuel comes out as a vapor. These stoves light easily, without pre-heat or flaring, and are very easy to control.

Believe it or not, there are some camp stoves that

Camp Chef stove

Coleman two-burner stove

will burn gasoline. But for obvious reasons, this should be a last resort.

Gas is noxious and creates a lot of soot. If you must use gasoline as a cooking fuel, cover the food while

cooking and use unleaded gas if possible.

Butane, like the blended fuels, comes in a pressurized metal canister. Empty canisters should be discarded properly. Even though this fuel burns efficiently, it has the same poor cold weather qualities as the blended fuel.

Also, straight butane does not burn as hot as the blended fuel. Isobutane, used mostly for airplane fuel, burns more efficiently than its cousin, butane. It also can be used in slightly cooler environments.

Propane is a clear gas that is most widely used in outdoor grills. It makes a steady, hot, efficient flame and burns very clean. It does pretty well in cold weather, but not in extreme conditions.

Propane is easy to find, economic and comes in both disposable and re-usable containers.

Many new stoves designed for backpackers use a solid fuel sources. Sterno or canned heat is a gelatinous substance that is often use to keep food warm by caterers and restaurants.

These solid fuels burn slowly and there is very little Please see STOVE, 7A

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STOVE from 6A you can do to control the flame. This is a very inefficient method to consider for outdoor cooking. You may never get water to boil over a solid fuel stove.

They can, however, keep you alive in an emergency situation.

Kerosene is the old reliable camp stove fuel. Kerosene burns hot and is easy to find. Like its gasoline cousin, kerosene produces nasty fumes and lots of soot. This soot can build up and clog burners. You should only use kerosene in well-ventilated areas and again, like gasoline, only if no other fuel is available.

You must also frequently pump up kerosene stoves because this is a liquid fuel and must be kept pressurized in order to produce enough flame to be practical. White gas is the fuel of the modern camp stove. This fuel is efficient and will burn hot in almost any temperature. It is easy to find, inexpensive and burns a very clean flame.

Pumping white gas stoves, like other liquid fuel units, is required. This is, by far, the best choice for a fuel for a camp stove.

OPTIONS Some camp stoves come with two burners. While a double-burner stove may be great for a stationary campsite, it will be too heavy and cumbersome for wilderness backpacking, hiking or climbing.

However, a two-burner gives you the option of cooking two dishes at once, and at differing temperatures, if so desired. For feeding a number of people in a large camp, a two-burner is a must.

For packing, you might opt for a smaller, cylinder-fuel type stove with a wire pot rack.

Many of today’s camp stoves offer the convenience of electronic ignition.

With the push of a button you are ready to cook or ready to stay warm.

However, I must advise that you should still carry a supply of matches or a lighter. This push button ignition option can fail, like any other gadget.

One option that I would highly recommend you look into for your camp stove is a windscreen. Some stoves have these built-in, others do not.

There is nothing more frustrating than to have a good, hot flame and still not be able to boil water because the heat gets blown away in the breeze. Or to have the wind blow-out your flame all together.

An aluminum windscreen can save you lots of problems, but can potentially cause a few, as well. If you are

accident looking for a place to happen.

Do not smoke around your camp stove. All of the fuels we have discussed are extremely volatile. You may get some liquid fuel on your hands as you fill the tank. Or your canister may be leaking fumes.

The only flames around a camp stove should be the one you light your stove with and the one it creates.

Summit stove

Gas One stove

using a canister-type stove, be very sure your windscreen does not direct the deflected heat back at the fuel source. That could be disastrous.

Some stoves come in their own carrying cases. For others you may have to purchase a separate case, or improvise and make your own. A case will lengthen the life of your camp stove and keep it looking nice.

Just protecting your stove from the bumps of packing and unpacking and loading and unloading will often add years to its use.

All devices that we take with us to camp have the potential to fail, or break. Creating a small repair kit for a camp stove can mean the difference between a hot meal or cold can of beans.

You can find out what you need in a “field repair kit” for your stove by checking the owners manual or by contacting the manufacturer. Some camp stove makers sell ready-made repair kits for their products.

CAMP STOVE SAFETY The very best advice I can give for camp stove safety is to read the

owner’s manual provided by the manufacturer and learn how to use your stove properly.

Being cold and hungry in a dark camp is no time to begin figuring out a new stove. Try your stove at home a couple times before you take it out and are dependent upon it… and your knowledge of it.

Next, be absolutely sure you are using a fuel your stove is designed to burn. Using alternative fuel sources can compromise the performance of your stove, cause total failure and can even be dangerous.

Check and double-check your fuel.

This is really important with liquid fuels. Be sure not to store fuel canisters with your other gear. Leaking fuel canisters can destroy other items in your pack, like nylon items.

And do not store your stove with fuel in the tank or attached. This is just an

HANDY CAMP STOVE TIPS Never use a camp stove inside a tent or enclosed shelter. No matter what the outside conditions are, camp stoves are for outdoor use… period.

Tent materials burn and/or melt easily. You will also use up all of the available oxygen inside a tent with a stove.

Carbon monoxide poisoning is no fun in camp.

Scalding burns are also far too common when cooking outside. Be sure to keep a lid on your dishes to help prevent burns if a stove gets bumped. Lids also increase the efficiency of your stove by causing food to heat faster.

Using a windscreen, like suggested above, also preserves heat. Also, keep your fuel sources warm. Warm fuel burns more efficiently.

Do not use your camp stove on frozen ground or snow. As the stove runs, it will heat up the surrounding area, thawing it.

As you can see, there is a lot to consider when looking to purchase a camp stove. Take the time to do some homework and know ahead of time what the job of this camp stove will be.

That will help you use all of the data in this article for the smartest camp stove purchase you can make.

(Mike Roux is a member of the Mossy Oak Pro Hunting Staff.)

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National convention for trappers coming to Springfield

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By Bill Wakefield here are not many national conventions that are held in Missouri, and the National Conventions that are held in our beloved Ozarks are extremely rare.

This July that will change.

The Missouri Trappers Association, along with the Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau, will host the 60th National Trappers Convention.

On July 11-13 the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds, located at 3001 North Grant Ave., Springfield, will be the focal point for thousands of visitors who are interested in trapping techniques, processing and selling furs, and handling and purchasing some of the latest equipment and supplies that are dedicated to this sport.

The visitors will also be shown the latest conservation practices and the constant effort made by the trappers to protect forests, prairies and waters and all the wildlife that call those environments their home.

This is a family function where each member can join in the fun and camaraderie at the biggest trapping convention in the country. The event, and the local community, will have a lot to offer.

The convention will have something in store for everyone, such as fun and games for the whole family, trapping instructions from the biggest names in the business and tons of vendors.

Explore some of Springfield’s local attractions, such as the!Bass Pro Shop’s headquarters,!Fantastic Caverns,!Route 66 Car Museum,!and much more. There are numerous rivers and lakes for fishing, boating, swimming and just plain relaxing.

The diversity of the 115-plus vendors is amazing. Buy a bear, fox or wolverine rug from Rugs by Nancy. One vendor sells fur hats. Do you need a boat motor that is designed to work in shallow water? If so, stop by the Mudd Hog Motor booth.

There are several vendors that have the latest in fishing tackle, baits and lures. Several artisans have booths to show off their work in woodcarving, paintings and other artistic works.

Learn a new trade or hobby through the Hutton Valley School of Taxidermy.

To go along with all of the vendors, exhibits, games, and contests are some excellent seminars and demonstrations presented by some of the nationalknown experts. Some of the seminars and demonstrations are open to members of the Trappers association only.

For a list of the seminars, demonstrations and the presenters, plus a complete schedule of events, visit www.nationaltrappers.com/2019program.pdf. This website is full of valuable information.

There is an admission fee to attend the convention. A one-day pass is $10, a three-day pass is $20, and children 12

and under are admitted free to the convention.

It is good to remember that the National Trappers Association is an organization of dedicated individuals who have joined together to promote and protect the appropriate conservative use of many of the fur-bearing species.

The NTA was established in 1959. For North America’s more than one-half million trappers, the purpose of trapping varies — from assisting wildlife biologists in furbearer studies, to population and disease control, protection against soil erosion, and for food, clothing, and income.

Thanks to good management practices, fur-bearers are more numerous in North America today than 100 years ago.

There is no trapping of endangered

species and NTA continues to research and encourage the use of the most effective and humane trapping techniques.

Trapping has been an integral part of American heritage and NTA members want to ensure that it continues to contribute to abundant wildlife and sound management programs.

(Bill Wakefield runs the Traveler’s St. Louis office and can be reached at w3@charter.net.)

July 2019 • Page 9A

RiverHillsTraveler.com

Tri-state markers bring 3 states together at one time

Y

By Dennis Bresnahan ears ago my wife and I were out west on vacation and we went to a place called The Four Corners.!

This is the only place in the United States where four states come together at one spot.!

The four states are Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico, and if you stand on the brass marker, you are standing in four different states at the same time.! !

We had to drive awhile to get there and other than the Four Corners Monument, as it’s called, there wasn’t much else there.!But it was neat and worth the trip.!

I was camping recently in the southwest part of Missouri and I was wondering if there was a place in Missouri where I could stand in three states at once.!

After all, Missouri is bordered by eight other states and with all of those states, there must be places where three states come together and you could stand in the three of them.

But Missouri’s border is formed by four straight lines and four rivers.!Most people can name the two biggest rivers that form a border of Missouri, and they are the Mississippi River on the east and the Missouri River on the northwest.!

But if asked, most people can’t name the other two rivers.!They are the Des Moines River in the northeast corner of the state and the St. Francis River that forms the west border of the bootheel

This tri-state marker is located just off Interstate 44, west of Joplin, Mo.

of Missouri.!

Because of these rivers, six of the places where three states come together are underwater.!Obviously you can’t stand at any of these places.

That leaves the four straight-line borders.!Of these, there are only two places where the state of Missouri meets two other states on dry land.!And they are both in southwestern Missouri.

So, I got my map out and headed to aptly-named Southwest City, Mo., on Missouri State Highway 43.!After driving through the small town, on the right is the historic marker sign and the TriState Marker.!

This is the spot where Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri come together.!The marker itself is a stone

four-sided monument with “Erected By Ozark Culture Club 1915” on one side and on each of the other sides are Oklahoma 1907, Arkansas 1836, and Missouri 1821, the years that each became a state.!

It would be difficult to actually stand in all three states at once without climbing on top of the monument.!But standing next to it was close enough.

The other Tri-State Marker is less out of the way and easier to get to.!It is just off Interstate 44, just west of Joplin.!Take the last Missouri exit, Exit 1, U.S. Highway 400 West, Downstream Blvd./Baxter Springs and go right one block.!

At the roundabout, go left on Downstream Blvd. for one block and watch

for the first gravel road on your left with a real small sign on top of the stop sign on your left that says “3 State Marker.”!Turn left here.!

This is S.E. 118th Street.!Go one block to the marker.!(If you get to the Downstream Casino resort, you’ve gone too far.)

This Tri-State Marker is where Kansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri come together.!This marker is on the ground with a picture of the three states and the inscription: “Missouri Association of County Surveyors - Remonumented October 2004.”!

Standing directly on the marker is discouraged by a wooden railing around it.!This point was established in 1857.!

A stone marker was built here by the National Youth Administration in 1938.

(Dennis Bresnahan can be reached at (314) 868-7297!or dennisbresnahan@ yahoo.com.)

This marker is located in Southwest City, Mo., and was erected in 1915.

AROUND the WORLD with the River Hills Traveler

Mike and Sheila Green, of Fenton, Mo., in front of the Lower Falls on the Yellowstone River in Yellowstone National Park in June. They took a friend along with them.

(L-r) Daylin McKnight, MyraGale Sexton, and Andi Johnson at the coffee shop at a Christian summer adventure camp in Glorieta, N.M. They took a friend along with them.

If you're going on a trip or vacation, please take the River Hills Traveler with you and have someone photograph you and the magazine in front of a landmark or particular setting. Then email the picture to us at jimmy@riverhillstraveler.com and we will publish it an upcoming issue. You can also text your photos & info to (417) 451-3798 or send them via Facebook.

Thank you very much and we look forward to seeing your family’s adventures!

Page 10A • July 2019

RiverHillsTraveler.com

Going on a trip? Let’s get your vehicle & trailer ready

S

ince the summer is a time for camping, traveling, hiking or sightseeing, and being out-ofdoors, it is also time to make sure you are ready for many other things along the way.

Sun, bugs, scrapes, cuts, flats and breakdowns. Have I changed anyone’s mind yet?

Well, couch potatoes we ain’t, so let us get our gear ready to pack, tote, store, and maintain.

Since it is the outof-doors, we need to be ready.

If you are traveling by private vehicle make sure it has been maintained from over the winter. Check all fluid levels (look at your Bob owner’s manual), Brennecke tire pressure, lug ——— nut torque, battery, and all bolts on the trailer hitch (if you will be towing).

This check goes for your trailer, also, especially the lug nuts. I have spoken about wheel bearings before, so don’t forget them.

There are many things to check when towing a trailer and the larger the rig, the more to check. The one set of items that has to be on the checklist is the trailer’s physical hook-up at the hitch.

I have gone to classes on towing and have used trailers for years and have been educated through the school of hard knocks, also.

Some hitches have flip-over catches and some have a screw-down type.

Note the crossed chains.

When connecting your trailer to the ball hitch make sure the locking mechanism is open when setting the trailer onto the ball socket, so the ball inserts into the trailer cup locking mechanism.

Also, you should use a locking pin to make sure the lock stays connected to the ball. DO NOT USE A KEY-TYPE LOCK! You ask why? Well, when towing your trailer if there is an emergency and you need to remove your trailer from your vehicle, you might not be able to put your hands on the key quickly.

There have been instances when a trailer has caught on fire and the keys were locked in the burning trailer. Not only was the trailer a total loss, but the tow vehicle was also. This would leave you in “more than in a bad spot.”

There are times that a lock on a hitch can make you feel better leaving the trailer alone or attached to the tow ve-

hicle, but not while towing. The lock may deter a criminal but if they have the time or tools and they want your rig, it’s gone.

Another simple thing to remember is to attach the safety chains. Ah, yes!

The safety chains, but how?

If you cross the chains and the trailer comes off the hitch the trailer will fall into the cradle of the chains that are crossed, keeping the trailer from swinging from side to side.

Also, make sure the chains are the correct length. You don’t want them dragging the pavement and you don’t want to twist them to make them shorter because that will weaken the chains’ safety capacity.

You should also check your emergency break-a-way brake switch on your trailer. This device is a normally “off” connection but when the plunger is pulled out, electricity flows to your brakes, in turn stopping your trailer.

A black plastic plunger pushes into

the brake switch housing, turning off the electric brakes. When the trailer comes loose, the plunger pulls out and applies brakes. Surge brakes are similar, only surge brakes do not operate electrically.

When vehicle brakes are applied the trailer weight pushes on the hydraulic cylinder attached to the trailer tongue and applies trailer brakes. So don’t try backing up a steep hill, it will apply the trailer brakes.

Many trailer owners use the springtype plastic connectors with a clip on the end to connect from brake switch to the vehicle. These springy plastic connectors definitely make it easier to use because they are very flexible.

Some trailer owners use small wire rope or heavy woven wire string about 1/8-inch diameter to connect to the hitch.

Please see HITCH, 11A

July 2019 • Page 11A

RiverHillsTraveler.com

HITCH from 1 There could be problems with both methods if the lengths are not correct.

The springy cord “may” be strong enough to pull the plunger from the break-a-way plug (if) it is short enough.

If your trailer has come loose from the vehicle the chains have hopefully held the trailer from going into oncoming traffic or running into the ditch.

If the cord is not short enough or strong enough to pull the plunger from the trailer’s electric plug mechanism and put the electric brakes on, the trailer will whip side to side pulling the tow vehicle with it.

Having the brakes pull back on the tow vehicle will help you stop in a more controlled manner.

The sure method is to use woven or twisted wire string/rope cut to the proper length and properly connected to a hook so as to be able to pull the

plunger, and set the electrical brakes on the trailer.

All you have to do is measure carefully to get the correct length while leaving room for the turning trailer.

There are kits for connecting the 1/8inch woven/twisted wires into loops to connect to the plunger and hook.

Another check is the lights on the rear of the trailer, (blinkers, stop, and running). Have someone in the back checking.

Check also that the steps are up.

Many steps have been torn off by not putting up and locked into place.

Roof vents, TV antennas, or anything that needs to be down for clearance must be stowed properly.

All windows should be closed and locked along with everything (too much to mention) inside the trailer.

Loose items should be tied or secured so as not to fall or break while traveling, including the ice box/refrigerator.

It is a lot of work cleaning up orange juice, mayonnaise, cookies and crackers off the camper floor from an unsecured fridge door.

Also, check the water levels. You may not want to travel with a full tank of water but a little water might come in handy for washing hands or cleaning the mess from the fridge.

Check the propane tanks for fuel and turn them off while traveling (for safety). Some people do travel with the refrigerator operating on gas, but you should always turn off the gas refrigerator while refueling. There is an open flame and gasoline fumes in close proximity to one another.

There are many safety tips in many towing books and trailer manufactur-

ers’ manuals, and these are but a few I have come across and may not apply to your situations.

Check all your tow vehicle’s instructions and trailer towing instructions before “hitting the road.”

(Bob Brennecke lives in Ballwin, Mo., and can be reached at robertbrennecke@hotmail.com.)

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have any tips, tricks or suggestions for preparing your trailer for travel that you’d like to share with Traveler readers, please email jimmy@riverhillstraveler or call the Traveler office at (417) 451-3798.

Thanks a lot, and safe travels!

Page 12A • July 2019

Mid-summer catfish tips

I

f you have a choice, I suggest that you fish for catfish just before dark until about midnight. This seems to be the best time, especially for channel cats.

However, anytime you can get bait in the water you have a chance to catch catfish.

In the middle of the day, when the sun is high, these fish will seek out shade around banks, docks, logs, trees and brush.

As far as time of year, spring seems to generate the best overall bite.

Just before spawning they will Mike come into shallow Roux water to feed and ——— will be most likely to hit your baits.

May through August, depending on the weather, are good times.

It is easier to judge the spawn in impoundments because the water temperature is more constant. In a river the spawn can be very tricky to predict, especially if the river floods due to the northern snow melt-off.

For the channel cat, the bait must smell good to them. It is a safe bet that if the bait turns your stomach, the catfish will love it.

You can also use cut bait, dough bait, whole minnows, cheese, chicken livers, night crawlers and commercially made stink baits, like Sonny’s.

Whatever bait you use, make sure

RiverHillsTraveler.com bait. In fact, the commotion these little guys can cause around the bait can actually attract the catfish to the spot.

When the nibbling stops is when you should pay close attention. It may mean a big cat has arrived.

Now that we have given the fish a great meal, let us now discuss how you can prepare the catfish once you get ready for your feast.

I prefer all of my fish grilled, but I know the traditional method for preparing catfish is to fry them. Therefore, I will pass along this recipe: CAJUN CATFISH • 2.5 cups cornmeal • Ground cayenne pepper • 1 tsp. butter flavored salt • 1 cup milk • 1 cup plain flour • Salt • 1 tsp. garlic powder • 10 pounds of catfish and cooking oil.

Mike Roux used his Piscifun Viper II on a Grandt Custom Payara rod to score on big catfish using these tips

your hook point is exposed and not buried in the bait. Leave the baits out long enough for the cat to find it though the scent it is releasing.

Channel cats will often carry the bait off a short way before they eat it. They have sensitive mouths; so do not apply any drag on the line until you are sure the fish has swallowed the bait.

Channel cats tend to like clearer water than some other catfish species.

They can be found in lakes and rivers over gravel or rock bottoms.

The big ones in this area come from around the Mississippi River dam’s tailraces.

As mentioned, July is a good month for channel catfish in this area. This will often coincide with the postspawn.

When the water temperature reaches about 55 degrees these fish will begin to feed.

As the water temp climbs above 65 degrees, they become much more active. The current U S record with rod and reel record is 56-pounds.

A good tip to keep in mind when tight lining for catfish is to not be overly concerned about the small fish that will nibble at your bait. The minnows and bluegill will not eat all your

Soak catfish in milk. Mix dry ingredients in large bowl. Roll fish in dry ingredients.

Fry in hot cooking oil deep enough to float the fish. Be sure the grease in not too hot.

My guess is that there are more tons of catfish consumed in Illinois each year than any other fish. And for good reason.

They are delicious.

So do yourself and your family a favor this month and next.

Mix up some stinky bait, get your gear and get out and catch some channel cat.

Oh yeah, do not forget to call me when they are ready.

(Mike Roux is a member of the Mossy Oak Pro Hunting Staff.)

3 Thhings You Can Do to Help

Monarchs AND Pollina nators 1

Plant Natives

Native plants are a food source for monarch butterflies and other pollinators. Add the plants shown below to your landscape.

2

Keep it Bl B ooming

3

Get Involved

Keep something in bloom each season. Some species bloom all yearr,, others only in April and Mayy,, still others in July and August. Learn more at mdc.mo.gov v//monarch .

Protect native grasslands, provide nesting places, and become a wildliffe gardenerr.. TToo learn how, visit GrowNative e org Common milkweed

New Englan nd aster

Showy goldenrrod

Prairie blazing staar

Wild bergamot

July 2019 • Page 13A

RiverHillsTraveler.com

A life of purity & peace on the Eleven Point River

T

he Eleven Point River is my favorite place to float. This river is the purest in Missouri and has over 30 springs flowing into it.

The largest spring in all the National Forest is Greer Spring. It flows for about one mile then enters into the river right before the Highway 19 bridge.

I went on a float recently with my sister and her husband. We floated the first day from Turner South to Whitten access (6.1 miles). On the second day, we floated from Whitten to Riverton access (8 miles).

The river is running higher than normal this time of year with all the rain we have had through the winter and springtime.

Some places we Dana weren’t able to Sturgeon stand and fish at.

——— However, we caught and released several trout each day and had a great time. The weather was calling for rain and scattered storms each day, but we only got a little rain the second day.

In spring of 2017, the Eleven Point River flooded to the point that the river was closed. There were power lines across the river, trees down along the banks, trees in the river, recreation sites damaged, personal household items down the river, and homes/ businesses damaged.

I have seen a lot of floods, but this one was a major one.

I could still see the flood damage as I floated down the river. Banks cut out, trees along banks, and the river itself has changed.

The channels have changed course some. Floating by the places that were once there, now gone, didn’t destroy the river. The river still flows and is

beautiful even with some noticeable flood damage.

We saw a mother duck and her 4 ducklings swimming in Bliss Springs.

We also saw a water snake, a bald eagle, several turtles sunbathing on downed trees, several minnows and fish, a few beaver, colorful butterflies and dragonflies.

My sister, her husband and I had a great time on our float. The Eleven Point River is a special place. It holds a lot of special memories for those that find it and flow with it.

It’s a great place to get away from your normal life to a life of purity and peace.

A life that is real. A life you can always remember and take with you.

A life, a river that always flows no matter what storm comes its way.

(Dana Sturgeon lives in southern Missouri. She can be reached at mo_dana@hotmail.com.)

Fish, float, hunt & explore the Ozarks!

Convenient home delivery!

FISHING • HUNTING FLOATING • TRAVELING CAMPING • GUNS • HIKING

❏ $22 for 1 year • ❏ $42 for 2 years TO SUBSCRIBE: please fill out this form & mail it to:

River Hills Traveler

212 E. Main St., Neosho, MO 64850 or call us with credit card information at

(417) 451-3798

Name______________________________________________ Address____________________________________________ City____________________________ST______Zip_________ Phone______________________________________________ Email______________________________________________

We look forward to hearing from you!

Page 14A • July 2019

RiverHillsTraveler.com

DUTCH from 1A There are several different sizes of pots for Dutch oven cooking, starting at a size 5 and going up from there.

“The 10-inch is definitely my favorite.

It’s plenty big enough for me and whoever goes out with me,” said Boydston.

When using a Dutch oven, there are several things that need to be kept in mind.

“With the Dutch oven you must have charcoal on the top as well as on the bottom,” said Boydston.

“You always add three pieces of charcoal to whatever size pot you have.”

For example, when using a 10-inch pot, there will be 13 pieces of charcoal used on the top and three less than the pot size for the bottom, which would be seven.

Some pots also have feet to help keep them up off the fire a bit.

“They all go over an open fire, but if they don’t have feet you need to watch the fire to make sure the pot’s not overheating,” said Boydston.

Boydston also mentioned you could stack rocks under the pot.

“I use the Lodge brand, because it’s made in the USA and it has no fumes from the pot when cooking,” said Boydston.

He also said some brands have weird fumes from the metal when they are in use.

“Another thing about Dutch oven cooking is remembering to season the pots,” said Boydston.

The seasoning is a protective layer and makes the pots smooth, therefore helping the food to not stick to the pot.

“Once they are seasoned for the year, after I cook with it for the first time I just wipe it up and put some oil on it and a little soap to clean it for the next use,” said Boydston.

To season the pots, Boydston uses shortening and wipes everything up and then bakes it at 350-400 degrees for about one hour.

“You want to make sure that the shortening isn’t too thick and once the hour is up, and it’s still sticky, you can put it back in the oven until it’s hard,” said Boydston.

Some pots and pans can be bought pre-seasoned but according to Boydston, he would still do a thin coat on them as well. To store them, Boydston puts newspaper inside the pots and creates a gap between the lid and the pot to create circulation and keep moisture out.

“You can store them just about anywhere but the outdoors,” said Boydston.

When it comes to what to cook in them, the possibilities are endless, ac-

businesses throughout the Ozarks.

“I really love using my Dutch oven. I think it’s a fun thing to do and I’m pretty good at it, so that’s a bonus,” said Boydston. “I always get put in charge of the food when I go out with buddies.” cording to Boydston.

“The 8-inch is good for two people for soups or chili or just about anything,” said Boydston. “What you make really depends on the amount you want to make and what pots you want to bring with you.”

Some of Boydston’s favorite things to cook are cowboy potatoes, peach cake, biscuits, eggs, bacon and sausage, and cornbread.

“I really just love to cook about anything with the Dutch oven, but cowboy potatoes are my favorite,” said Boydston.

A lot of research went into Dutch oven cooking for Boydston, and he continues to research to this day.

“I read a lot of material on them and did training at the Walter Woods Conservation Center when they did an all-day demonstration on them,” said Boydston.

“You can always learn something new about Dutch oven cooking.”

Boydston has also collected several books and recipes for Dutch oven cooking over the years.

He has several binders full of different recipes and different ways to do things using the Dutch oven.

“When you buy from Lodge, they give you a booklet and it tells you how to season them and how many coals to use, so that is always super helpful for any beginners,” said Boydston.

Dutch oven pots can be purchased at Walmart, Academy, Cabela’s, and Bass Pro Shops and many locally-owned

CLARIFICATION — In the June issue of the Traveler, a headline for the article about MCC suspensions should have read “suspends” instead of “fines.” MCC doesn’t fine anyone because fines are left up to the county prosecutor when someone receives a citation. The Traveler regrets the error and any inconvenience it may have caused.

July 2019 • Page 15A

RiverHillsTraveler.com

MOTOR from 1A rounded bow.

On the squared-off stern I clamped a 7.5 hp Scott Atwater outboard engine.

My fiberglass Jon boat weighed 102 pounds and was carried on two racks atop our family station wagon.

Usually my outings required a fishing partner to help with the loading and launching.

As my three children grew old enough to start fishing, I contrived portable wheels on the stern end, which allowed me to offload and wheel this stable craft to the water for launching.

It made a wonderful float boat, drawing little water and handled almost as easily as a canoe.

As the years passed, the 7.5 hp outboard became increasingly unreliable.

At some point in my faded memory, I then switched to rental canoes.

Occasionally I was able to rent a “squared-ended” canoe and my fishing partner would have an electric trolling motor — which I thought was really traveling first class!

Only one thing kept me from acquiring my own trolling motor — the 12v auto battery required for electric current was too darn heavy to handle by myself!

Soon after I joined the St. Louis chapter of the Missouri Smallmouth Alliance (MSA), two events changed my fishing life: (A) At a “BatteryPlus+” store I discovered a small, lightweight (26 pounds) 12v deep cycle rechargeable battery; and (B) A recommendation for a source to buy an excellent side-mounted bracket for an electric trolling motor (thanks to the late MSA member, Norman Leppo).

May I tell you how glorious it is, while idly sitting in a canoe, to twist the handle on an electric trolling motor and move through a long pool of water against an upstream wind?

Or effortlessly reposition your canoe for that perfect cast by using a short application of power from an electric trolling motor... without laying a hand on a paddle?

Being a loyal and proper MSA member, I am now going to share with you my findings for fitting an electric trolling motor to any rental canoe.

The photo to the side shows a canoe with a side-mounted trolling motor… a typical setup for my fishing floats. A close-up of the stern section of the canoe shows the “FLIPPER” sidemounted bracket for an electric trolling motor setup.

The bar of the motor mounting

so well made.

The second important component is, of course, a 12 volt battery. Here is a picture of the small lightweight battery and its charger, as mentioned above, shown in relation to the FLIPPER trolling motor mount.

Its size is 8x6x6; rechargeable (full time trickle charge); weighing 26 pounds. Usually, one charged battery will last for an all-day float but I carry a second battery as a backup.

Now you know how… after many, many years of Ozark float fishing… I arrived at my perfect watercraft setup!

bracket is fabricated from heavy gage aluminum, has movable clamps which fit under the canoe’s side rails, and are tightened with hand-turned wing nuts.

The hinged block allows the trolling motor to kick up when an object is struck.

The FLIPPER Side-Mounted Motor Mount can be purchased from Spring

Creek Manufacturing, 873 Main St., Mountain Iron, MN 55768. Their phone is (880)937-8881, and they can be reached by email at . Their website is .

If you access the internet for sidemountef motor mounts, you will find quite a few that are less expensive than the “FLIPPER” bracket, but none are

RiverHillsTraveler.com

July 2019 • Page 1B

Blessed with excellent trout waters

I

have said it before, “It’s impossible to catch a rainbow trout in an ugly place.”

I learned how to catch trout on the Eleven Point River. Catching these fish in the waters of the Eleven Point hooked me from the start.

I had always been a smallmouth fisherman and a fairly good one, so I simply went with what I knew and applied it to trout.

I remember the first time I float-fished the Eleven Point. It was late in the summer at Greer Crossing put-in. Lightly loaded for three days, I had my chocolate lab and 19 foot square-stern Grumman canoe.

I went with 6-pound line and a crawdad bomber crankbait that dove about 2 feet deep. I stopped at the old stair steps on the left below Greer and began to wade fish in the late afternoon shadows. The entire river was all mine.

The waters of the Eleven Point, along with the solitude, had me hypRichard notized. Her beauty had Whiteside me from the beginning.

——— Staying focused on fishing was impossible with this river’s beauty.

My rod was nearly jerked out of my hand when the heavy-hitting fish took my plug. I had never fished with 6-pound line so I adjusted the drag and the fish took full advantage and went for the dark waters.

Letting my rod tip do the work, I finessed the fish back up out of the dark bottom and all at once I saw the flash of silver from the side of a big fish.

All the while a heavy fog bank began to settle over the Eleven Point River.!I was in love with rainbow trout fishing at that very moment.

I would suggest you try Missouri trout fishing this year. The great thing about trout is all seasons can be good. I have caught lunker trout in blowing snow and in hot August days.!

Missouri is blessed with excellent trout waters. If you have always wanted to catch a trout, then don’t wait another year.

Be sure and check rules and regulations of the waters you plan on fishing and don’t forget to take a kid.!

See you on the water.!

(Richard Whiteside lives in Doniphan, Mo., and can be reached at rlwhiteside72@gmail. com. His blog can be followed at www.ozark riverman.wordpress.com.)

Page 2B • July 2019

Summer safety at Ozark National Scenic Riverways

W

ith summer upon us and temperatures rising, visitors enjoying the cool, clear waters of the Jacks Fork and Current rivers are encouraged to stay safe by remembering a few key safety tips.!

At Ozark National Scenic Riverways, the !“A,B,C’s” of river safety are important for everyone on the water: • Always wear your life jacket! It only works if you wear it. Children under age 7 are required by law to wear them, but everyone is encouraged to keep them on when enjoying the river.!!

• Bottom down, feet up!!If you fall out of your vessel, do not try to stand up in fast water.!Instead, float with your bottom down and feet up until you reach calm, shallow water.!

• Climb that rootwad! Never try to go through a “strainer.” Give it as much room as possible, but if you find yourself being forced into a strainer that cannot be avoided, try to climb on top of it.

Be sure to scan the river ahead of you for obstacles to give yourself time to react, especially if you are floating on a tube, which can be harder to maneuver.

River currents and obstacles can be a tricky combination.!!

In addition: • Obtain current weather forecasts and river information before you go. Weather conditions can change quickly and can be dangerous.

Watch the sky for sudden weather fronts or isolated severe storms, which can bring unexpected high winds or flash flooding. Up-to-date river levels can be viewed online at www.nps.gov/ozar/planyourvisit/levels.htm.

• Practice situational awareness at all times. Understand your surroundings, including any natural hazards you could experience, and prepare for them.!

That includes environment hazards like sun exposure, biting insects, venomous snakes, and uneven terrain. Insect repellent, sunscreen and fresh drinking water can help ensure a more enjoyable day!

• Remember Ozark National Scenic Riverways is a free-flowing river system.!There are often obstacles beneath the surface, such as submerged rocks or trees, which may not be fully visible from the riverbank, a jet boat, or floating vessels.!

• Avoid tying tubes, canoes, kayaks or rafts together. Large flotillas are dangerous and illegal. They are harder to maneuver, can block the river channel for other visitors, and can increase the chances of drowning if someone becomes trapped beneath.!!

• Consume alcoholic beverages responsibly.!

• Leave a detailed itinerary behind with a friend or family member if you are planning an overnight float trip or hiking excursion.

• Check the park’s Facebook page for river closures or important safety messages.! Follow @ozarkriverways on Facebook.

• If you need help during an emergency and have phone service available, call park dispatch at (844) 4603604.!Dispatch operators are available 24 hours per day.!

Visitors are encouraged to save this number in their cell phones prior to visiting.!!

“Visitor safety is our top priority at Ozark National Scenic Riverways,” said Larry Johnson, park superintendent.

“Regardless of how many times you have been on these rivers, understand that they are always changing and conditions may be different than the last time you visited.!

“Be prepared for this and plan accordingly. We want everyone to have a safe and enjoyable experience in the park.”

RiverHillsTraveler.com

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RiverHillsTraveler.com

Fishing event honors veterans

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ou may remember last summer reading my article about the annual Fishing for Freedom (FFF) event in Quincy, Ill. Whether that piece comes to mind or not, I would like to give you an update on the recent 2019 weekend-long celebration for our military warriors.

The spring weather really played havoc with the fishing portion of the 2019 Fishing for Freedom. Rivers at flood stage and beyond, along with lakes and reservoirs that resemble chocolate milk, Mike made fishing very Roux difficult.

——— But not even a contrary Mother Nature could dampen the spirits of the hundreds of volunteers and military heroes who participated this year.

Besides Quincy, FFF events are also held at Fort Hood, Texas, and Truman Lake in Missouri. This year in Quincy over 100 volunteers, along with 185 volunteer boaters, made sure the 245 veterans had a weekend to remember.

I would like to add that 54 of the boater volunteers were veterans themselves. There were also 45 veterans from the Quincy Veterans and Sailors Home who got to fishing, as well.

Bryan Dralle had his place looking amazing as he hosted many FFF warriors in Adams County.

Mike Roux and Robert Smith made a ton of memories on Dralle Lake.

The weekend began on Friday with a meet & greet and check-in at the Quincy Eagles Club. On Saturday the tournament at the veterans home was held and lunch was provided.

On Sunday the big fishing event took place at a number of different venues.

Veterans and guides fished from 6 a.m. ‘til noon with weigh-ins at four different locations followed by the awards ceremony.

It was truly humbling to be a part of this emotional weekend.

Last year I was paired with warrior Robert Smith from Richmond, Mo. I was scheduled to fish with a different veteran this year but another guide’s boat had issues and my partner was running late, so Robert and I hooked up again.

On our previous time together I

taught Robert the bass fishing technique called the “Wacky Worm.” And I also taught him the ONLY color of wacky worm to throw is SWEET TATER PIE. Robert could not wait to tell me that his wife bought him a mega-pack of SWEET TATER PIE wacky worms. He was also very excited to show me photos of the new bass boat he had gotten since we fished together last.

I truly believe the time we spent together during the 2018 FFF event reenergized his passion for fishing. Last year Robert caught 22 bass on Dralle Lake.

My good friend Bryan Dralle hosts several FFF Warrior anglers at his home and on his two lakes each year.

Bryan’s selflessness, like that of hundreds of other volunteers, not only makes this event happen every year but they also manage to make it bigger and better every time. Knowing Bryan Dralle as my friend is a true honor.

Robert set a goal for us to beat last year’s 22 bass total. Based upon the conditions with which we had to work, that was a pretty tall order. But with both of us armed with SWEET TATER PIE wacky worms, we were ready for the challenge.

By the time we had set in the boat until Robert had lost feeling in his legs, we had put 31 nice largemouth bass in the boat. Robert got more excited with every catch.

We need you to consider helping out in the 2020 Quincy FFF. To volunteer or become a sponsor, contact Quincy FFF through their website — www.fishingforfreedomquincy.com — or email them at fffquincy@gmail.com.

Our heroes deserve so much more than we can ever give them. This event is the very least that we can do.

God bless our veterans and God bless America.

(Mike Roux is a member of the Mossy Oak Pro Hunting Staff.)

Page 4B • July 2019

RiverHillsTraveler.com

Several projects ongoing at Ozark Riverways

T

By Dena Matteson here are a number of projects and planning efforts currently underway at Ozark National Scenic Riverways (ONSR).!

The park continues to recover from the devastating 2017 flood that damaged and destroyed many park features and facilities along the 134 miles of the Current and Jacks Fork rivers in the park.!

While much progress has been made to repair and reopen areas that were damaged, there is more work to be done, which requires planning and funding for each project.

Accomplishing repairs or improvements to park facilities requires a high level of planning in order to comply with the appropriate laws and policies and compete for funding.!

In order to secure funding, an approved plan must identify the work needed and how it will be done. That includes compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and providing public review and comment opportunities before any action is taken.

Some flood recovery projects require working closely with the Federal Highway Administration and its Emergency Relief of Federally Owned (ERFO) program, through which funding has been secured to repair several key areas of the park.

When utilizing funds through the ERFO program, a project must be underway by the end of the second fiscal year after the “event” occurred.!In the case of the 2017 flood, the contracting process for repair work must be underway by

A new CXT restroom located at the 400 loop of Alley Spring Campground.

Sept. 30, 2019.!

After that, the project completion date will depend on the scope of the project and time needed for a contractor to finish work. !

“With all the barriers we must negotiate as we compete for limited funds, we’re sometimes surprised by the difficulties we encounter.!Money in the National Park Service (NPS) is never easy to come by – that is no surprise.! But we persevere because that is what our visitors expect and deserve,” said ONSR Superintendent Larry Johnson. !

“We also do this because the amazing natural and cultural resources at ONSR deserve nothing less than our best efforts to ensure your grandchildren can see and experience this place much as you do today.!

“Despite the challenges associated with project planning and funding, there is a lot of progress to report.”

An update on current work progress and operations is listed below. !

Lower Current River area • Big Spring Lodge and Cabins — Planning and design are underway for the installation of new electric, water and sewer lines, renovation of the lodge and cabins, and restoration of the surrounding landscape.!

A Cultural Landscape Report has been completed and the Historic Structures Report for the cabins is over 95 percent complete.!These important plans ensure that renovation is consistent with the historic setting, keeping these unique facilities appealing and special to so many

people.!

Work has begun on a Concession Prospectus with the intent that potential concessioners bid on operating and maintaining the facilities.!

A Market Analysis has been completed to chart the course for providing the services at Big Spring Lodge and Cabins the public expects while ensuring profitability for the concessioner.!

At this time, it is expected the installation of the utilities and renovation of the lodge and cabins will begin in 2021. !

• Big Spring Campground and surrounding area — A new flood resistant pre-cast concrete restroom was installed in the 200 loop of the campground earlier this year.

Flood damage along Peavine Road and on the River’s Edge hiking trail will be repaired through the ERFO program.

• Replacement of the Big Spring bridge began in August 2018 and is expected to be complete by mid-October 2019.!

While the bridge is closed during construction, visitors will still be able to reach Big Spring, the boat ramp, and campground via Peavine Road. !

• Big Spring and Peavine pavilions — Both pavilions were destroyed in the 2017 flood. The concrete slabs remain intact at both pavilions, and picnic tables have been placed on them for gatherings and picnics.

The pavilion sites have water and grills, and are available for reservations for $15 per day at www.recreation. gov.!Pop-up tents are allowed as long as they remain on the concrete slab.!

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July 2019 • Page 5B

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ONSR from 4B Planning and design for the replacement of both pavilions will begin soon, with construction of one of the pavilions expected to take place in 2020 and the second in 2021.

• Waymeyer Access, Pin Oak Campground and Chilton Boat Launch — !The Pin Oak Campground was destroyed and remains closed.!The very popular Waymeyer Access has continued to erode, reducing the space available to safely unload commercial and noncommercial vessels at that location.!

A temporary river access point for non-motorized vessels has been established at the former Pin Oak Campground site which will serve as the primary access point for NPS-permitted commercial operators on the lower Current River this summer.

Non-commercial vessels can continue to use the Waymeyer location as before, or can use Pin Oak on weekdays (except for holidays).!On weekends and holidays, use of the Pin Oak access will be limited to NPSpermitted commercial operators.

The Chilton Creek boat ramp was unharmed in the flood and is still available for motorized vessels.!An Environmental Assessment will consider long-term sustainable options for camping and motorized and non-motorized river use at Waymeyer, Chilton Creek boat ramp and Pin Oak.!

The Environmental Assessment will be released for public review and comment later this year. !

Middle Current River • Powder Mill Campground, Road and River Access — All were destroyed in the 2017 flood and remain closed to public use, but will be rebuilt utilizing the ERFO fund source.!

The waterborne restroom building was replaced with a flood resistant pre-cast concrete vault toilet earlier this year because of the loss of the electric power line and the destruction of the water system at Powder Mill.

River users can still park in the Powder Mill area to hike the Ozark Trail or walk to the gravel bar for day use.!

Visitors with floating or boating equipment are encouraged to use the Owls Bend access point on the opposite side of the river, where vehicles can reach the water’s edge for loading and unloading. !

• Shawnee Creek Campground — The restroom was destroyed in the flood and has been replaced with a new flood resistant pre-cast concrete vault toilet. !

• Rocky Falls — While this area was not impacted by the flood, the restroom was beyond its normal lifespan.!It has been removed and replaced with a new flood resistant pre-cast concrete vault toilet.

Upper Current River • Baptist Landing — The flood-damaged parking area and erosion near the boat ramp will be repaired through the ERFO program. !

• Lower Welch Spring Trail — Repair of the washed out trail and gabions with re-seeding will be done through the ERFO program.

• Pulltite Campground Road — Emergency repairs of the road washouts were completed but more work is needed to complete the repairs.!This work will be done through the ERFO program.

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Pre-cast concrete vault toilet at Buck Hollow.

Jacks Fork River • Buck Hollow — The restroom was damaged in the flood and has been removed and replaced with a new flood resistant pre-cast concrete vault toilet.

• Alley Spring area — The small foot bridge on the Alley Spring Trail was destroyed and will be replaced with ERFO funding.

• The Alley Spring Branch Bridge, known as the North River Road Bridge, was replaced earlier this year and reopened for traffic.

• The Pedestrian Bridge over the Jacks Fork River was badly damaged and has now been demolished. The utilities that were attached to the bridge were moved under the river, protecting them from future flood damage.

The pedestrian bridge will be replaced by a similar bridge in the near future with ERFO funding. !

• The Alley Mill Historic Structures Report is 95 percent complete. This report establishes maintenance requirements consistent with the preservation of the structures, fitting their period of significance.

Completion of this report will allow for additional projects to be pursued in the historic district around Alley Mill, such as an accessibility project for the mill and potential relocation of the Storys Creek School out of the flood zone. !

• Alley Spring Campground — A new flood resistant pre-cast concrete water-borne restroom was recently installed in the Alley Spring Campground cluster sites (400 loop) to replace a restroom destroyed in the 2017 flood.

• Burr Oak river access — Because the gravel bar near the Alley Spring campground continues to shift with each flood, the Burr Oak access will continue to serve as a launch area for floaters.

Planning updates The Roads and Trails Management Plan is still in progress, though it has been slowed at times due to other priorities, which include ongoing flood recovery and some of the major projects previously listed.

The preferred alternative is being developed and

should be available for public review and comment this fall. The plan is about 70 percent complete.!The plan should be completed in early 2020.

An Environmental Assessment for the Waymeyer Access, Pin Oak Campground and Chilton Boat Launch will soon be ready for public review and comment, to present more long-term sustainable options for relocating the Waymeyer Access and the Pin Oak Campground to nearby areas.

A park accessibility assessment was recently conducted, and an Accessibility Transition Plan is under development for the park.! Accessibility planning is critical to ensuring that ONSR provides comparable experiences to visitors of all abilities.

The accessibility assessment identified the current level of accessibility offered through park services, activities and programs, as well as barriers to accessibility.!

The Accessibility Plan will recommend and prioritize physical, structural, and programmatic solutions necessary to overcome and remove those barriers.

The draft Accessibility Transition Plan will be released to the public for review and comment later this year.

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RiverHillsTraveler.com

Here’s how to modify a kayak for fishing T ucked along the edge of Meramec State Park and the Meramec River, deep in the woods, is a log house where Jay Thomas and his wife, Jan, reside.

When Jay retired he wanted to live away from the crowds, noise and traffic and move to a more quiet location with little traffic and lots of trees.

The loudest sound he hears now is a pileated woodpecker attacking a shortleaf pine looking for something to eat.

Jay is an avid angler and this location is next to the Meramec River, which happens to be one of his favorite rivers to fish.

Besides being a serious angler, Jay is a skilled kayaker.

Jay uses a speciallyBill designed Cuda 12 Wakefield fishing kayak that is ——— manufactured in Tennessee by the Jackson Company. Jay graduated from using a canoe to a kayak for fishing years ago.

When Jay and his fishing partner used the canoe, Jay concentrated on placing his bait at the base of a boulder or root wad looking for that elusive smallmouth bass.

His partner seemed more interested in catching tree limbs that overhang the water or the root wad itself, and not fishing the water that it was sitting in.

A mutual divorce was agreed to in order for each to pursue their particular angling requirements and Jay decided that a kayak would be the perfect tool to accomplish this.

Jay’s first kayak was a simple 9 foot sit-in kayak which served him well for several years. As he got older and more specialized in his angling techniques, Jay upgraded to the sit-on-top kayak that is specifically designed for an-

gling.

In general,!kayaks!are!considered!to be a type of!canoe. Both!canoes!and kayaks are lightweight boats that can be used on lakes and rivers for a vast amount of recreational activity.

There are several major differences between a kayak and a canoe, however.

Kayaks are usually lighter in weight and narrower in structure when compared to canoes. Therefore, they are often faster than canoes which makes them ideal for water sports such as racing.

Another main difference between the kayak and canoe is the!paddle. Kayaks have a double-bladed paddle. According to the AKA (American Kayak Association) there are two kayak categories — flat water and whitewater. In Missouri the flat water kayak is the most popular and within that category there are different types of flat water kayaks — sit-on-top, recreational touring, inflatable and pedaling kayaks.

When looking for a kayak to fish from consider the type of body of water on which you intend to use the fishing kayak. Small bodies of water, such as small lakes or ponds, would require a different kayak when compared with

the ones used in large areas exposed to wind and waves.

Sit-on-top kayaks!do not have a closed cockpit, so they are easy to get into and out of.!They are usually wider than most, so they have good primary stability.!They are appropriate for fishing because all of your gear is easily accessible.!

Jay kept in mind the types of rivers that he would be fishing when he went kayak shopping. Some of the other things that he looked for was comfort and ease of operation, and stability of the kayak so he could stand up and cast.

Another important factor was that the kayak be a self-bailing kayak that allows the water to drain out from miniature pores, known as “scupper holes,” which go right through the bottom of the kayak.

The Jackson Cuda 12 had the best

features that suited Jay’s requirements but, like always, after you have made a significant purchase Jay came across some features and accessories that he would have liked.

Being an “old school Missourian” he adhered to the saying, “Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.” With that philosophy in mind, Jay made the following modifications to his kayak.

The kayak came with four fishing rod holders. Jay typically uses two fishing rods, so he modified one rod holder to carry a small anchor that could easily be reached to drop and to retrieve.

There are no electronics on his kayak so he marked the anchor rope at 5 feet intervals with a magic marker; now he has a depth finder.

With the sit-on-top kayak there is 12 feet of storage at the bottom, which Jay uses for his camping supplies. To keep the supplies and equipment in place so it is not moving around, he came up with an idea of using the large foam swimming pool noodles (a cylindrical piece of hollow foam).

Being lightweight and resistant to water, they make a great blocking device. He cuts the noodle to the appropriate width and length, then places them at specific locations in the hull to keep everything in its place and easy to reach through the two access hatches.

The two items that Jay said are the most important to him, and something that a person should not compromise on when purchasing a fishing kayak, are the paddle and the raised seat.

The two-blade paddle is the primary

Please see KAYAK, 7B

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RiverHillsTraveler.com

KAYAK from 6B mode of motion power. It should be lightweight and easy to use. You want to save your arm strength for the fishing rods, not for paddling the kayak.

When determining paddle length, the kayak width is key to ensure you aren’t hitting your knuckles.

Work with your kayak salesperson to ensure a proper paddle fit.

If you spend eight hours or more a day fishing from your kayak, you definitely want something like a big, overstuffed easy chair to sit in. Make sure the seat has good back support and it’s wide enough so you can twist and turn when casting or fighting an 18inch smallmouth bass.

Make sure that the foot pegs are adjustable so your legs sit comfortably, but you have leverage to paddle.

Another modification that Jay made was to the seat.

Most kayak seats have adjustable straps where the armrests typically are. Jay took his large swimming pool noodle, slit it down the middle, wrapped it with camouflage tape then slipped them over the arm straps. Now he has a comfortable armrest.

A few other modifications that Jay made in order to make his kayak fishing adventure easier was to purchase a well-made cooler that fits on the back of his kayak.

A good cooler is important to keep your food fresh if you are camping on a gravel bar and your drinks cold during the hot days of summer.

Jay also made a two-wheel cart from a couple of small wheels, PVC pipes, nuts and bolts, and swimming pool noodles. The bow of the kayak sits on the cart and then is strapped down.

Jay is then able to pull the kayak from the parking lot or transport vehicle down to the water. Then he unstraps the cart and it is small enough that it fits comfortably on the bow of the kayak to be used later if he needs to pull the kayak up on a gravel bar or downstream at the take-out location.

Probably the most unusual recycled item that Jay uses, and the one he has the most fun with, is his transport vehicle. Jay was looking for a vehicle that first would be comfortable to drive, well made, looks good going down the highway, would protect his kayak in foul weather, in a pinch be something he could sleep in — and inexpensive.

To him the perfect answer was a black Cadillac hearse he saw sitting in a used car lot. His 12-foot kayak fits perfectly into this 20-foot vehicle. It has a plush interior, all the comfort and conveniences that

you would expect a Cadillac to have — only it is a hearse.

He is amused by the looks he receives when he pulls his hearse into the put-in points of the Current, Jack Forks, Meramec, Big Piney or Eleven Point rivers.

Another great feature with the hearse is the umbrellas that came with it. The extra rod holder on his kayak that he does not use makes for a great umbrella holder.

The maintenance of a kayak is relatively simple. A kayak can be cleaned using a mild soap and water.!If possible, store inside and vertically is best.!

However, if stored outside, do not place in direct sunlight.!If stored horizontally, place foam on the bottom to help protect the plastic from warping.

Repairs could also be simple. If the kayak is made with linear plastic and you would like to repair a gouge, you can use plastic welding rods to repair using a heat gun.!Contact your!local dealer!to request welding rods.

Any product that you buy should be reliable and should serve your purposes. Investigate options and talk to as many kayak users as you can to determine your own specific needs and requirements.

Examine the factors mentioned, and select a fishing kayak that suits your needs, according to your loca-

tion and the type of body of water in which you will use it.

Jay Thomas has offered to help anyone who is interested in buying or improving his or hers fishing kayak. He is willing to show his kayak and the modifications that he has made which make his fishing experience more enjoyable.

Jay can be reached at (573) 927-2385. Be sure to wear your PFD while on the water and practice responsible conservation.

(Bill Wakefield runs the Traveler’s St. Louis office and can be reached at w3@charter.net.)

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HOM ME OF SUMMER FUN!!

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Permitting special recreation events on the national forest

M

By Becky Ewing ost people think of Mark Twain National Forest and visions are conjured up about fishing on a serene lake or camping under the stars or hiking through a stand of mixed oak and pine with a scolding bird or two breaking the silence.

But, there are also people who enjoy extreme and challenging recreational pursuits, such as mountain bike, horse riding, or running events on national forest trails.

Such events require a special use permit before they can be held. Becky Gordon is the realty specialist for the Potosi-Fredericktown and Salem ranger districts and has helped process special use permits for recreation events over the past six years.

I asked Becky to choose one or two permitted events to highlight in this article.

The Forest Service issues permits for a variety of recreation events, such as the “The Squealer” and “The Pork Chop.” These timed mountain bike challenge events were organized by a couple of local men who

named their promotional company 2 Timing Guys, LLC. They were looking to create a new adventure for mountain bikers brave enough to participate in a rugged and challenging race.

The Squealer is a 50-mile timed event in the Council Bluff Lake area. Cumulatively, there is about 7,500 vertical feet of climbing as the mountain bikers travel from Council Bluff Lake to the Ozark Trail and then onto various graveled county roads.

The Pork Chop event utilizes a smaller part of the original Squealer route for those mountain bikers not quite ready to tackle the long course. This course is about 32 miles in length with only 300 vertical feet of climbing.

Organizers appreciate the challenging topography of the area, but also recognize the area is a place to enjoy peace and solitude after the event.

Both of these special use events are weekend events, which gives the participants and their friends and families a chance to enjoy

Mountain bike riders prepare for the 50-mile trail riding event called “The Squealer,” held in the Council Bluff Lake area on the Ozark Trail and county roads. Recreation events on Mark Twain National Forest require a special use permit. (Photo courtesy Matthew Struckman)

Council Bluff Recreation Area and more of Mark Twain National Forest.

Participants come from the local area, the St. Louis metro area, and even from around the United States. They love to come and experience the Ozarks and what the national forest has to offer.

A special use permit has also been issued to the United Church of God. This church hosts teenagers from all over the country for a week-long program of rock climbing and rappelling at Silver Mines Recreation Area as part of the church’s summer camp program.

Critter of the Month: Badger • Species: Badger.

• Scientific name: Taxidea taxus.

• Nicknames: None.

• Claim to fame: In Missouri, badgers have become one of the symbols of prairie habitat. Although not often seen because of their secretive nature and relatively scattered population, badgers can be found across much of the state – including here in the Ozarks.

Badgers are known for their digging ability and ferocity when cornered. Though few are trapped here, badgers are included in Missouri’s furbearer trapping season and are considered a game animal in this state (see the Wildlife Code of Missouri for details).

Badger fur is used to trim cloth coats and the animal’s white-tipped hairs are often glued amongst the plain black

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hairs of other long-haired pelts to imitate a silver fox.

The badger is the state animal of Wisconsin.

• Species status: Badgers were probably never abundant in Missouri, but there’s little doubt a reduction of prairie habitat has further thinned this animal’s sparse numbers in the state.

• First discovered: The first scientific description of badgers was written by the German naturalist Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber in 1777. Schreber’s multivolume work “Die Saugethiere in Abbildungen nach der Natur mit Beschreibungen” focused on mammals of the world.

• Family matters: Badgers belong to the mammal family Mustelidae, which means they are close relatives of skunks and otters.

• Length: 23 to 35 inches.

• Diet: Badgers are carnivores; the most common food items being small mammals.

• Weight: 13 pounds to 30 pounds.

• Distinguishing characteristics: The badger is a heavy-bodied, medium-sized mammal with a broad head, a short, thick neck, short legs and a short, bushy tail.

The general coloration is gray with a slight yellowish cast. The brownish face is marked with a white stripe reaching from near the nose to the crown of the head and sometimes onto the neck and back.

Paired white areas extend from around the mouth onto

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Rock climbing experts go out to the rocks to train and prepare the site for use by the teen climbers. When the teen climbers arrive at Silver Mines Recreation Area, they receive training on proper use of the helmet and harness and instruction in safely belaying each teen climber.

The goal is to get every young person to climb and rappel at least once in each session, thus ensuring every teen has a sense of success and fulfillment.

The United Church of God staff has pursued this activity for their summer camp for the past five years because it gives the teens

the cheeks and inside the ears and a prominent vertical black bar or “badge” occurs in front of each ear.

Badgers have a series of dens on their home range which they use at different times, but they seldom return to the same den on consecutive days.

Badgers are active mostly at night, but sometimes they forage in early morning or late evening and sun themselves near the entrance of their burrows.

Badgers have a highly proficient method of digging.

They loosen the soil with their front feet (and possibly mouths), pass the dirt under the belly and kick it out with their hind feet.

• Life span: 13 to 15 years in captivity; very likely much shorter in the wild.

• Habitat: Throughout most of their North American range, badgers prefer open country.

• Life cycle: Mating takes place in August or September and is followed by a delay in development of offspring.

The embryos experience slight development before they become dormant in the uterus for several months.

In mid-February (sometimes a little later), the embryos become implanted in the uterus and complete their development in about five weeks.

A single annual litter is born in March or April and usually consists of two or three young. The young’s eyes open at four to six weeks of age.

Weaning occurs when young are about half-grown, but they stay with their mother around the home burrow until fall. (source: MDC)

a chance to enjoy Mark Twain National Forest while also learning the skill of climbing and rappelling.

As the leader of the program often states, “Climb on!”

If you are interested in having a special event on Mark Twain National Forest, contact your local Forest Service office for an application.

(Becky Ewing is the district ranger for the Mark Twain National Forest, Potosi-Fredericktown Ranger District. She can be reached by email at rewing@fs.fed.us.)

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Sorry, buffalo gnats are here to stay I wish I were kidding about this headline. Yes, I am talking about those flying bugs that have come out of nowhere and have been biting necks and drawing blood like a bunch of vampires recently here in Illinois and Missouri.

If the so-called buffalo gnats have not invaded your “neck” of the woods yet — pardon the pun — they will probably get there sooner or later.

If this is the first year for them in your “neck” of the woods, the chances are very good that they will now be coming back year Bill after year for a Hoagland three-week visit — ——— and it will not be a fun-filled visit, either.

The buffalo gnat is a member of the black fly family. The technical name for these little vampires is “simuliidae” but some misguided biologist decided to call them “buffalo gnats” because under a microscope, the side view of their silhouette apparently resembles the body of a buffalo.

They don’t look like no buffalo to me. A real buffalo is a huge, brooding creature that is normally stoic unless you get too close.

The buffalo gnat, on the other hand, is anything but huge or stoic.

For a period of about three weeks, they do a full court press around your neck and face and even into your nose;

they are so irritating that I know many hard-core turkey hunters who would rather not hunt than deal these creatures out in the woods.

So, what’s the deal with the “buffalo gnat”? Why did they suddenly show up here and why are they so obnoxious?

Once they get established in an area, buffalo gnats are going to be present all year long in that locality.

It is just that we normally can’t see them until they are in the process of breeding and laying eggs, which usually lasts only about three or four weeks beginning at the end of April or early May. At that point, the gnats have emerged from their larvae form and now have wings.

The male and females mate and then the female goes in search of blood to nourish the eggs that she is going to lay. The female is looking for blood — preferably your blood but any blood will do in a pinch.

In searching for blood, the female is attracted to any animal who gives off carbon dioxide because if there is carbon dioxide, blood cannot be very far behind.

And that is why these gnats fly in your face and clog your nostrils.

That is also why they can suffocate chickens, turkeys, and other wildlife; they get into the airways of those animals in that search for carbon dioxide and, ultimately, a blood meal.

It is the female who does the biting.

As far as I can tell, the male only has two functions in life and one of those functions is to distract you so that the female can get her dose of blood from your neck without getting swatted.

Black fly larva

(You know what the other function is.)

Once the female gets enough blood to nourish her eggs, she flies to a nearby stream and lays her eggs in the stream.

And here is something that might surprise you: those eggs have to be laid in clear, running water — one that has a current to it.

Contrary to popular belief, they do not spawn in standing flood water.

Once the eggs are laid under water, the eggs develop into larvae that have gills so they can survive under water for nearly a year.

These larvae attach to rocks under water with their annus while at the opposite end of their bodies, they gather microscopic food as it floats by; that is why it is essential for their development that they be in a stream that has a moving current.

Without a moving current, they will starve. They remain as larvae in the stream throughout the summer, fall and winter.

In the spring of the next year, these larvae form cocoons, molt and eventually emerge from the water as flying gnats.

Then, for the next three weeks or so, they again go through the process of mating, collecting blood, laying eggs and dying.

While the recent floods and standing pools of flood water are not directly related to the breeding and hatching of the buffalo gnat, there is some reason to believe that the extreme flooding that we are experiencing this year in creeks and rivers upstream may have dislodged the buffalo gnat larva from its usual habitat and moved it downstream into “new territory.”

That may be why they seem to be spreading further south each year and showing up in areas where they did not exist five years ago.

To avoid being overwhelmed by these “vampires” — and that is really what they are — there are a number of perfumes and sprays that seem to be effective.

Vanilla spray is one that seems to work as long as you do not become allergic to it, plus some brand name repellents that work reasonably well.

I’ve been curious as to whether Old Spice would work; when I was a teenager, my buddies and I used Old Spice if we had blind dates.

The great thing about Old Spice was that you could just skip a shower and just coat yourself with Old Spice.

Old Spice certainly repelled more than its share of blind dates, or so it seemed, so maybe it will work on buffalo gnats.

We will see about that next year when the gnats return.

(Bill Hoagland can be reached at billhoagland70@gmail.com.)

July 2019 • Page 11B

RiverHillsTraveler.com

Black flies have proven pretty difficult to repel

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lso known as buffalo gnats because of their humpbacked appearance, black flies (Simuliidae) are small (up to oneeighth of an inch long) dark flies that typically appear in late spring and early summer when they swarm and bite birds and mammals, including domestic animals and people.

Males and females feed on nectar.

Male black flies do not bite, but females of most species must feed on blood to produce eggs.

Some prefer to bite one type of host.

Some species bite people in certain locales, but do not bite in other parts of the species’ range.

Like horse and deer flies, black flies bite using their mouthparts like scissors to cut into skin and lap up the blood.

This results in painful bites that can produce bleeding, itching, inflammation and swelling, as well as Bill allergic reactions Hoagland that can be life——— threatening.

The flies may enter noses, ears and mouths, causing further discomfort. Domestic animals, especially poultry and exotic birds, can be killed by black fly attacks.

While black flies are not known to transmit disease to humans in the United States, human deaths (presumably from allergic reactions) have been reported.

Black flies are aquatic insects that typically prefer clean, fast-running water. Females lay hundreds of triangular eggs in or near the water. Some crawl beneath the surface to deposit eggs on submerged objects such as rocks.

The worm-like larvae hatching from these eggs are typically less than half an inch long and shaped like an hourglass.

A newly-hatched black fly larva produces sticky silk to anchor itself to underwater objects. It then drifts downstream on a strand of silk until it locates a suitable object.

Using more silk and hooks on its posterior end, the larva attaches to the object, usually a stone less than 10 feet below the water’s surface.

Once anchored, the larva faces upstream and uses its sticky, fan-like mouthparts to feed on bacteria. The larva will grow and develop into a pupa.

An adult black fly emerges from the pupal cocoon and reaches the water’s surface by crawling up an object or by floating to the surface in a bubble of air.

Black flies are usually found around fast-running water, such as river rapids and waterfalls, probably because these allow larvae to filter a greater volume of water to consume more food.

Adults will fly 10 miles or more in

search of blood, though they are most commonly encountered close to the water sources where they develop.

The flies are attracted to the carbon dioxide exhaled by people and animals, and also to perspiration, fragrances and dark, moving objects.

They are most active just after sunrise and before sunset on calm days.

Avoiding infested areas at these times is the best means of preventing bites.

You can help prevent bites outdoors by wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and a hat with netting designed to keep flies off the head and neck.

Some have suggested wearing construction-type hard hats, smeared with oil or petroleum jelly, to reduce biting and incapacitate flies that land on the hat.

In patio settings and open structures where livestock are kept, large fans can be operated to help deter the flies. If netting is used to screen off an area, it must be of very fine mesh because black flies can penetrate most window screens.

Black flies are difficult to repel. Suggested “home remedy” repellents, such as vanilla extract, have not been scientifically proven effective. DEET-containing repellents that deter mosquitoes are much less effective at repelling black flies and have even been reported

to attract the flies.

Permethrin-containing repellents labeled for application only to clothing offer some protection.

The application of pesticides for black fly control often meets with limited success. In some situations, liquid residual pesticides may be effective when applied to surfaces where flies land.

Fogging in the form of ultra-low volume (ULV) treatments like those used for mosquito control can be useful in some circumstances, but provide only temporary relief.

Larvicides (pesticides that kill insect larvae) such as those containing Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) have been used against black fly larvae.

However, successful larvicide application typically requires technical expertise to locate black fly larvae, select an appropriate larvicide, and properly time the applications.

Also, the label directions of most larvicide products intended for use against mosquito larvae do not allow application for control of black fly larvae.

Additionally, use of such products may require applicators to be certified by your state’s Department of Agriculture, and pesticide application to drinking water sources such as rivers and creeks is regulated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, and in many cases is prohibited.

NOTE: When pesticides are used, it is the applicator’s legal responsibility to read and follow directions on the product label. Not following label directions, even if they conflict with information provided herein, is a violation of federal law.

(Bill Hoagland can be reached at billhoagland70@gmail.com.)

Page 12B • July 2019

RiverHillsTraveler.com

Cool, refreshing & straight from the garden – mint

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By Melinda Myers dd a bit of cool flavor to your beverages and meals this summer with homegrown mint.!Try using peppermint leaves in fruit cocktails and ice cream.!

Add spearmint to your tea or use the leaves to season lamb and jelly. Or try chocolate mint for a unique sweet and refreshing flavor in desserts and drinks.

This vigorous plant is easy to grow and suited to container gardens.!In fact, growing it in a pot will help keep this vigorous herb contained.!Or sink a container of mint in the garden or plant where surrounding walks and walls will keep this vigorous plant contained.!

Grow mint in a full sun to partial shade location with moist well-drained soil. Mulch the soil to conserve moisture.!Though hardy in zones 3 to 11, you will need to provide a bit of winter protection when growing mint in containers in colder regions.!

Either sink the container in a vacant spot in the garden or move the planter into an unheated garage.!Water

thoroughly whenever the soil is thawed and dry.

Harvest the leaves as needed.!Cutting leafy stems off the plant just above a healthy leaf or bud will encourage compact tidy growth.!Pick mint just before flowering for the most intense flavor.!

Include a container of mint in your patio, balcony or deck plantings.!Keeping it close to the kitchen and outdoor living space will make it easy for you to harvest and use.!

Plus, your guests will enjoy plucking a few fresh mint leaves to add to their iced tea, mojito or favorite summer beverage or salad.

Not only does this easy-to-grow herb add flavor, but it also aids digestion.!Add a garnish of mint to dress up dessert plates or provide it to a loved one to calm a queasy stomach.!

And use it to increase the manganese, Vitamin C and Vitamin A levels in your diet.

Make this the year you plant, harvest and enjoy some minty fresh flavor straight from the garden.

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July 2019 • Page 13B

RiverHillsTraveler.com

North Fork Recreation Area open to river use, camping

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majority of the North Fork Recreation Area, located on the North Fork of the White River near Dora, Mo., is now open.

The campground and the new waterplay area (the previous day-use area near the restroom facility) is open to visitors for playing in the river and launching canoes and kayaks.

Canoe and kayak users (including outfitters and guides) will use this area to launch boats until the new launch area, which is closer to the bridge, is completed. Boulders have been placed along the parking area that faces the river to deter visitors from driving down to the river’s edge.

When the parking spot striping is completed, the Ava/Cassville/Willow Springs Ranger District will also be placing parking stops on the side where the picnic tables are located. Please do not take vehicles off of paved areas when visiting North Fork Recreation Area.

Reminder, this is a fee area. Camping

is $10 per night for non-electric and $15 per night for electric sites.

There are only two electric sites and one of those (site 2) is reserved for the campground host. Day-use fees are $2 per vehicle or $20 for a season pass.

Payment for the camping and day-use is a self-pay system where individuals fill out a fee envelope, place their money in the envelope, and put it in the fee tubes.

One fee tube is located by the bulletin board in the day-use area and the second is by the bulletin board in the campground (by the first camping loop). A season pass can be obtained at the Ava District office.

For more info, please feel free to contact the Ava office at (417) 683-4428.

Rainy day, rivers closed? Don’t fret, there’s lots to do!

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ere are 51 fun things to do in Eminence and the surrounding area when the rivers are closed, courtesy of our friends at Two Rivers Ozark Cabins.

But when the rivers are open there’s 52-plus things to do!

• See Alley Spring and Gristmill • See Rocky Falls • See Klepzig Mill and Shut-Ins State Park • Visit Blue Spring • See Round Spring • See Devil’s Well • See Chalk Bluff • See Welch Spring • Ride Akers Ferry • See our wild horses • Watch bald eagles • Go elk and wildlife viewing at Peck Ranch • Go elk viewing at Current River Conservation Area • Tour Twin Pines Conservation Center’s history of logging and wildlife museum in Winona • Take the kids to the petting zoo • See Current River State Park • Hike MDC trails and the Ozark Trail • Have a picnic • Skip rocks in the river • Ride a bicycle along the TransAmerica Bicycle Trail

• Ride your motorcycle on Highway 19 which is on AMA’s Top 40 List • Bring your 4-wheeler and ride county gravel roads • Take your pickup or SUV along several hundred miles of scenic byways on county gravel roads • Watch the sun rise and set from two scenic overlooks • Drink water from the artesian well • Go horseback riding and trail riding • Golf on Roy Beck Golf Course • Go birding • Enjoy area road-side wildflowers • Go squirrel hunting • Go fishing for smallmouth bass and rock bass • Hunt for wild edible mushrooms • Visit the Shannon County Veteran’s Memorial • See the elk statue • Tour the Shannon County Museum • Go to an auction and garage sales • Go to the farmer’s market on the first and third Saturday each month • Go to the roller rink and relive memories (in-season) • Go to 21 Drive-In • Go gift shopping and shop Eminence’s many antique stores • Find in-season sales at Eminence merchants • Check out the saddle and tack shops • Stay at a private campground

• Stay in a bed & breakfast, lodge, cabin, glamping tent or motel room • Visit Eminence’s eight restaurants and three convenience stores with food • Visit all five bars and lounges with live music and karaoke on weekends • Branch out and see the Grand Gulf near Thayer • Tour the Irish Wilderness south of Winona and Low Wassie

• Go to the Cupola Gum Pond southeast of Low Wassie • See Big Spring at Van Buren • Tour historic mills southwest of Eminence • Float, canoe, kayak, swim & fish the Jacks Fork and Current River (Please let us know if we’ve missed anything! Email jimmy@riverhillstraveler. com)

Page 14B • July 2019

RiverHillsTraveler.com

‘This is a social media challenge that I’ll get behind!’

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et’s be honest here, most social media challenges are pretty stupid.

From consuming Tide Pods to trying to stay in a store for 24 hours straight without getting caught, social media is home to some dumb, illegal, and even dangerous challenges.

However, I can admit I have gotten behind a few of them that are for a good cause.

Yes, I am one of the many who did the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge to help bring about awareness and support for this horrific disease.

And, most recently, my daughter and I have gotten behind the #TrashTag Challenge.

As my 14-yearMichelle old often jokes Turner (based on a meme), ——— “Modern problems require modern solutions.” To me, that is what the #TrashTag Challenge embodies.

Our modern problem is trash. We’ve become reliant on single-use plastic, Styrofoam, and other items that aren’t exactly known for being biodegradable.

Where does it all go?

Thanks to a prolific amount of litterbugs, much of it ends up in our waterways, roadsides, parks, beaches, and more!

A modern solution to this problem is social media.

The #TrashTag challenge isn’t dumb or dangerous, and doesn’t require anyone to eat laundry detergent to the point of hospitalization.

Simply get a bag, find a place that needs cleaning, and pick up that trash!

Of course, you need to snap some before, after, and during photos. Then, post them to Facebook, Reddit, Instagram, Twitter, or any other social media platform you use.

In the caption, use the hashtags #TrashTag and/or #TrashTagChallenge to join the movement.

My daughter and I have posted our challenges to both Instagram and Facebook. Several Facebook community pages in Union, Mo., shared one of the posts.

At one point, the post reached over 4,200 people on Facebook, and received MANY shares and comments.

One comment was a thank you from the City of Union!

Beyond cleaning up places near and dear to our hearts, this taught my child a valuable lesson. One action can cause a reaction. The most amazing moment was when other people starting saying that they were inspired so much that they decided to pick up trash in their area.

I did a little more research about this challenge. Apparently an outdoor company called UCO Gear started it over four years ago to help curb pollution and protect wildlife.

However, it picked up a new momentum when a meme went viral on Facebook targeting “tired teens” to do this challenge. From there, it just took off

like wildfire!

I am not going to pretend I can see into the future and tell you how long this movement will thrive on social media, but ultimately the #TrashTag Challenge has helped more outdoor places get cleaner all over the globe.

Now, THAT is something I can jump on the social media bandwagon for.

Will you try it, too?

I hope so.

(Michelle Turner lives in Union, Mo.)

July 2019 • Page 15B

RiverHillsTraveler.com

Appreciating the beauty of the James River in SWMO

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By Joe Pitts f you would like to develop a closer relationship with your river, please consider joining the James River Basin Partnership.

By becoming a member you will be taking an active role in protecting the quality of water in streams, rivers and lakes of the basin.

A few years ago in October of 2012 the James River Basin Partnership, of which I was the executive director, conducted its first annual membership float.

The following is my description of that day. I believe it captures also the reason those of us in the environmental protection business do what we do!

The morning of Oct. 1, 2011, dawned clear and cold with a hint of fog in the air, a perfect early fall day. An expectant murmur of voices, an occasional laugh and the shuffling of feet were mingled with the sounds of water chuckling over rocks on the bank of the James River at Shelvin Rock access.

A group of about 38 people had gathered for the first-ever James River Basin Partnership (JRBP) membership float on the river of our namesake.

The outside air temperature at 9 a.m. was hovering around 40 degrees. My thought was, “What a great day for a float trip.”

Now, I do understand that not all folks think 40 degree temperatures make for good floating, but I knew that as the day progressed conditions would become less favorable to shivering.

The JRBP members gathered at the access were taking a chance on the weather, gambling that the day would warm and the fall season would be on display. We were all rewarded with a nearly perfect day on the James River.

The events of the day convinced us that we should do more of these floats.

The intent of a membership float was to connect people to the complex natural community known as the James River.

At the end of the day, we believe we were successful in forging a connection

between the river and 38 citizens of its basin.

At 10 o’clock all floaters were still wearing fleece layers to ward off the chill of early autumn air when we launched the flotilla of canoes and kayaks. A bit of vigorous paddling and most had removed at least one layer of fleece by 10:30.

As expected, by 11:30 most were hungry and wondering if we were ever going to stop for lunch. I have found that a bit of hunger makes folks paddle with more determination toward the eventual gravel bar lunch.

About noon we arrived at the confluence of the Finley and the James rivers.

The air temperature was now near perfect for human comfort and the crew of floaters was suitably hungry.

The confluence of these two excellent rivers offered up an inviting gravel bar as a setting for the delicious sandwich lunch prepared by Sheila Goodman, with the City of Ozark’s department of parks & recreation.

After lunch we enjoyed a presentation on “Leave No Trace” camping from staff members of Water Hikers.

This presentation provided participants with information and instruction on how to conduct low-impact camping on the river. Techniques of fire building

and cooking were explored in-depth.

After the Leave No Trace instruction we got out the kick-nets and waded into the clear, warm water for a bit of water quality 101 instruction. We examined the macro-invertebrates (small visible aquatic insect larvae) that were present at the mouth of the Finely River.

Our quick snapshot indicated a stream in very good condition for the time of year and the amount of water.

After instruction the corps of gamblers bid farewell to the confluence and proceeded on downstream.

As the day progressed it became obvious that the James had been expecting us. The water, though low, was clear, warm and unhurried as it moved downgrade toward Table Rock Lake.

The trees along the course of the James had just begun to put on the fall coat of many colors that is enjoyed by

everyone who lives in or visits the Ozarks in the fall.

Aldo Leopold said, in “A Sand County Almanac,” that “Wilderness is the raw material from which man has hammered the artifact called civilization.” The James River Basin is the wilderness from which the human communities of the basin were hammered and provides many of the natural resources that sustain these human communities.

The members who joined our float on this early fall day were brought to a closer understanding of the relationship between their river and their community. The high quality of the water and the presence of wildlife once absent (we saw at least one osprey) is evidence that the James River has forgiven past insults.

The health of the river is a direct indicator of the health of the watershed.

Page 16B • July 2019

RiverHillsTraveler.com

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