CONSERVATION FEDERATION
The Voice for Missouri Outdoors MARCH 2020 - VOL 81 | NO. 2
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Director’s Message
Come Home to Conservation at CFM’s 84th Annual Convention
T
he annual convention is upon us and we truly hope that you, as a vocal and supportive member, plan to take part in this monumental event. Convention truly embodies the mission of our outdoor heritage and what our storied organization is all about: advocacy, education and partnerships. If you’re not familiar with our mission, read 2nd Vice President Richard Mendenhall’s article on page 28. Convention kicks off on Friday evening at the Annual Conservation Awards Ceremony. This is when we honor outstanding accomplishments throughout the past year including the Conservationist of the Year and the Conservation Organization of the Year. Scholarships are also awarded to the Conservation Leadership Corps (CLC) students. The CLC is comprised of high school and college age students that attend convention. They spend their time interacting and networking with resource professionals while growing their talents and leadership skills. In addition, they present the resolutions which are approved by the entire membership on the final day of convention. It is a joy to see their energy and vibrance that they exude over the course of convention. Saturday morning will start off with updates from agency directors from The Missouri Department of Conservation and Soil and Water Conservation Program. The Natural Resource Advisory Committees then break out in their respective meetings. Topics include archery and shooting sports, forests, grasslands and prairies, waterways, wetlands, waterfowl, big game, education, ecology, public and private lands, and upland wildlife. On Saturday afternoon we plan to have a legislative session as well a mini-symposium on Chronic Wasting Disease. Saturday evening concludes at the banquet with the always fun and exciting silent and live auctions. Many raffles, games, and auctions take place, so there is something for everyone. I look forward to giving my State of Conservation and the Outdoors address. Miss Missouri, sponsored by the Missouri Trappers Association, plans to be in attendance as well. Again this year, we will feature St. James wine and Public House Brewing Company beer both evenings.
Convention culminates on Sunday with the General Assembly meeting, followed by the board and business meeting. This is when the resolutions are presented, and then voted on by the members. This is another example of one of the many acts which makes CFM such a strong and powerful voice moving forward, by gaining the collective support of all our members. This is one of the most critical and impactful parts of the weekend. As you can see, there is a lot to see and do at convention this year. An event this large certainly takes a lot of time and effort by many to always pull off such an amazing weekend. There are many volunteers and staff that help when the big weekend gets here. We certainly couldn’t do it without everyone’s help, so thank you very much. We hope that you have made plans to join us for all, or even part of the weekend, so that you can let your voice be heard throughout the Missouri outdoors.
Yours in Conservation, Tyler Schwartze CFM Executive Director
MARCH - 2020
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CONTENTS
Conservation Federation March 2020 - V81 No. 2
Features
OFFICERS Gary Van De Velde - President Mossie Schallon - 1st Vice President Richard Mendenhall - 2nd Vice President Ginny Wallace - Secretary Randy Washburn - Treasurer
STAFF 58
Tyler Schwartze - Executive Director, Editor Micaela Haymaker - Director of Operations Michelle Gabelsberger - Membership Development Coordinator Colton Zirkle - Education and Communications Coordinator Elizabeth Peoples - Events and Fund
32
60
52
Development Manager Joan VanderFeltz - Administrative Assistance Emma Kessinger - Creative Director
30
Missouri Increases Feral Hog Elimination Efforts
ABOUT THE MAGAZINE
32
Fishing in Missouri's State Parks
44
The Bushong Record Bass
46
Turkey Hunting - Old School
52
Serendipity
CFM Mission: To ensure conservation of Missouri’s wildlife and natural resources, and preservation of our state’s rich outdoor heritage through advocacy, education and partnerships.
54
Winter Walleye Tips and Techniques
58
The Aromatic and Edible Currant
60
Prairie and Native Grassland Reconstructions
Departments 3 8 11 13 14 36
4
Director's Message President's Message New Members Gear Guide Affiliate Spotlight Agency News
CONSERVATION FEDERATION
Highlights 18 20 21 22 23
Application Period for CLC 12th Annual Governors Youth Hunt OAKs Update CFM Events KC Event Update
Conservation Federation is the publication of the Conservation Federation of Missouri (ISSN 1082-8591). Conservation Federation (USPS 012868) is published bi-monthly in January, March, May, July, September and November for subscribers and members. Of each member’s dues, $10 shall be for a year’s subscription to Conservation Federation. Periodical postage paid in Jefferson City, MO and additional mailing offices. Send address changes to: Postmaster Conservation Federation of Missouri 728 West Main Jefferson City, MO 65101
FRONT COVER Rainbow Trout from Lake Taneycomo Photo: Missouri Division of Tourism
Business Alliance
Thank you to all of our Business Alliance members. Platinum
Gold Bushnell Custom Metal Products Diamond Pet Foods Doolittle Trailer Enbridge, Inc.
FCS Financial G3 Boats MidwayUSA Pure Air Natives Redneck Blinds
Riley Chevrolet Roeslein Alternative Energy, LLC Weston
Missouri Wildflowers Nursery Mitico Moneta Group Simmons
Sun Solar Starline, Inc. St. James Winery Trailerman Trailers
Drury Hotels Gray Manufacturing Company, Inc. HMI Fireplace Shop Hodgdon Powder Company, Inc. Missouri Wine & Grape Board
NE Electric Power Cooperative, Inc. NW Electric Power Cooperative, Inc. Ozark Bait and Tackle POET Powder Horn Gun & Archery
Community State Bank of Bowling Green Dickerson Park Zoo Explore St. Louis Farmer’s Co-op Elevator Association Gascosage Electric Cooperative GREDELL Engineering Resources, Inc. Hulett Heating & Air Conditioning Missouri Native Seed Association
REMAX Boone Realty Say Insurance Shady Lanes Cabins and Motel Tabor Plastics Company Truman’s Bar & Grill United Electric Cooperative, Inc.
Silver Forrest Keeling Nursery Learfield Communication, Inc. Lilley’s Landing Resort & Marina Logboat Brewing
Bronze Association of Missouri Electric Coop. Black Widow Custom Bows, Inc. Burgers’ Smokehouse Central Electric Power Cooperative Custom Screen Printing and Embroidery
Iron Bass Pro Shops (Independence) Bee Rock Outdoor Adventures Blue Springs Park and Recreation Boone Electric Co-op Brockmeier Financial Services Brown Printing Cap America Central Bank
Your business can benefit by supporting conservation. For all sponsorship opportunities, call (573) 634-2322. MARCH - 2020
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Business Spotlight
Pure Air Natives Helps Create Natural Prairies
W
e've all suffered a little 'cabin fever,' and in Missouri's late winter season, it's usually in full swing. Most of the hunting seasons are closed, fishing can still be hit or miss on the waterways, and often times things seem sort of slow. After all, it is the dormant season. However, cabin fever never seems to hit one place in Missouri, Pure Air Natives.
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CONSERVATION FEDERATION
In business for more than 25 years selling native grass and wildflower seeds and live plants, Pure Air Natives is as busy as can be in the dormant season. In fact, native prairie enthusiasts know we're right in the middle of planting season for native grasses and wildflowers. Native seeds are developed during the growing season. During late fall and winter, they naturally drop to the ground as Mother Nature plants them. So when planting a native prairie, we mimic Mother Nature and plant during the dormant season.
Business Spotlight Of course, there are some technical reasons for planting in the dormant season as well. Stratification and scarification are terms for a seed's environmental exposure to certain conditions to germinate. There are many technical aspects to planting a native prairie that would be important to know before planting. Realize you have a local resource! The staff at Pure Air Natives is highly experienced with a particular focus on the botanical, forestry, propagation, and wildlife applications critical to your habitat creation success. From soil to sky, water to woods, and field to fork, Pure Air Natives has someone on staff to help you achieve your land management and habitat goals, without you getting overwhelmed by technical jargon. Their staff includes multiple ecologists with extensive project experience that include more than just seed mixes. Pure Air's Project Ecologists provide site visits for planning restoration and stewardship work. And they make it simple. Just tell them what your goals are and where you're located. Then Pure Air Natives can put together a native seed mix that will thrive (based on ecological factors of the planting location) for years to come. Through integrity and product accuracy, their seed blends and live plugs are continually being used in tens of thousands of acres of restoration & recreation, from Farmers/Ranchers to Pollinator & Wildlife enthusiasts to Recreational Landowners. They create orders as small as a backyard garden or as large as a landowner wants to plant. And you've likely seen their prairies growing across the state and throughout the Midwest. Whether that's in Forest Park in St Louis, the many MDC conservation areas, countless cities' parks & recreational areas, businesses, colleges, hospitals, and more‌. Ok, so they know what they're doing, they're qualified, they've got the staying power, and their prairies are all over Missouri. But why natives? The benefits of native plants go beyond aesthetics. These plants have adapted to grow in our climates, withstand our sudden weather changes, and thrive when others wilt. With root systems deeper than turfgrass and exotic flowers, native plants are extremely drought tolerant. They require no fertilizers. Many species are perennials and will grow and bloom, year after year, with very low to minimal maintenance. Not to mention, native plants benefit native animals.
From beneficial bacteria in the soil, to insects, bees, birds, and mammals, native plants affect the entire food web. Did you know there are over 450 species of native bees in Missouri, and the honey bee, as an introduced species, is not one of them? Pollinating insects have been put in the spotlight lately and rightly so. As an example, a tomato plant requires what's called 'buzz' pollination. A technique where the flower is vigorously shaken until the pollen is released. This process is done nearly exclusively by bumblebees. Without a healthy population of bumblebees, tomatoes, ketchup, pasta sauce, and salsa would not be possible. Blueberries are another species that require buzz pollination. As humans develop more rural areas, loss of habitat for pollinators and wildlife is magnified. Modern farming equipment has become more efficient, leaving exposed soil after crops are harvested, causing erosion and flooding issues. Without vegetation on the soil, the rain will compact the top few inches of land, creating a smooth surface for water to wash away quickly, taking debris and soil with it. Without a root system holding the soil, water cannot infiltrate into the ground and our underground aquifer systems. Instead of slowly being released into our springs, creeks, and rivers, flashflooding events carry water quickly to the rivers and out of our environment. Studies have shown that 1 acre of native prairie can absorb over 9" of rainfall per hour without water runoff. Also, 1 acre of diverse prairie can have up to 12 tons of root systems, holding the soil in place. Native plants aren't just for clean water and healthy soil. They also promote population increases in native animals. Songbirds and upland game birds will eat seeds and raise young in these food-rich ecosystems. Deer will browse and bed in these areas, and the cover protects fawns from predators. Turkeys will nest and raise polts in native plots sure to feed on high protein bugs during spring and summer months. Native prairies are buzzing with life (yes, pun intended) from the time they're planted and will go on buzzing for years to come. Future generations can benefit from what we do today. When you're ready to #PlantYourLegacy, call Pure Air Natives. MARCH - 2020
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President’s Message
Thank You for Allowing Me to Serve
F
or human lifespans, 84 years is quite a long time. Considering the course of human history, however, it's merely the blink of an eye! Since the Conservation Federation was established in 1935, much has changed, but one thing has not, which is the need for our organization to exist. How have Missouri's natural resources and our attitudes towards them changed in 84 years? There are certainly more people now and stressed natural resources, but likely would be fewer natural resources still had it not been for CFM. Our legislative bodies still like to flex their muscles. As a state and a nation, we have yet to perfect the art of learning from history. Natural disasters still happen. Our leaders still do not always demonstrate the analysis and foresight we wish they would. That's why CFM is still here to fill a critical need in guiding our government and citizens in how to conserve the natural resources we have and help them grow in the future. It is our continued responsibility to ensure CFM provides that necessary leadership. My two years as president of CFM have passed, and the time has come for change and new ideas. I am forever thankful for CFM, and as I leave this office, I feel we have much to celebrate. Our regular and affiliates members, along with our business alliances, continue to grow. We have regular enrollment and interest in our Conservation Leadership Corps. Our clay shooting and Regional Banquet Series have increased interest and attendance. The CFM Legislative Action Center has improved by leaps and bounds, and relationships with Missouri's state legislative bodies and commissions are growing ever stronger and yielding positive results.
"Here is your country. Cherish these natural wonders, cherish the natural resources, cherish the history and romance as a sacred heritage, for your children and your children's children. Do not let selfish men or greedy interests skin your country of its beauty, its riches or its romance." Theodore Roosevelt
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CONSERVATION FEDERATION
I always have been impressed with the dedication of the conservationists who make up the organization. They not only give financial resources, but of their expertise, passion, talent, and experience. We also have a dedicated, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable staff for which I am thankful. They produce our magazine, which is distributed six times a year to our members. They also continue to improve our website and establish a strong social media presence. Financially, a great sign of a healthy organization is the growth of legacy endowments with the organization, and Missouri's Outdoor Coalition shows potential towards attaining a higher inf luential level. Also, I'm happy to report that our fiscal budget shows a positive balance. I firmly believe deep down we all want to make this earth a better place. This has been and is my passion. I know the incoming leadership will continue to hold the CFM mission banner high: "To ensure conservation of Missouri's wildlife and natural resources, and preservation of our state's rich outdoor heritage through advocacy, education and partnerships." Thank you Federation members, for allowing me to serve.
Yours in Conservation, Gary Van De Velde President, CFM
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Member News
Why I Became a Life Member of CFM: Rick Thom
T
he Conservation Federation of Missouri is indirectly responsible for my career in Missouri. I joined the Missouri Department of Conservation in 1978 as one of the first staff of its new Natural History Section. Natural History formed as a result of the Design for Conservation, made possible by the new Conservation Sales Tax. I came to Missouri in 1977 to interview for one of the openings created by this new MDC initiative. And fortunately, I got hired! Natural History Chief John Wylie explained to his new staff that CFM was responsible for the campaign that achieved the passage of the tax. He told us that we should join CFM to support the organization that helped to make our jobs a reality. I took John’s advice and have been a member ever since. After coming to Missouri, my young family grew up enjoying our state’s many outdoor opportunities. We spent time camping and swimming in state parks and conservation areas. We visited public lands, conservation and state park nature centers, rode the Katy Trail, canoed Ozark streams, hiked, birded, fished, and hunted.
As an employee of MDC, I was aware of the frequent threats from the legislature to the commission’s funding and authority as well as the periodic need to renew the Parks and Soils Tax. The Conservation Federation was always there to coordinate an effective response to these challenges. CFM also organized support or opposition to important federal legislation and policy that would affect Missouri’s resources. This year I decided to show my appreciation for the excellent work of CFM by becoming a life member.
Become a CFM Life Member When you purchase a Life Membership with CFM, your money is added to an endowment supporting the administration of the organization in perpetuity. Each year, we draw earnings from the endowment, so your contribution will truly be supporting the CFM for the rest of your life and beyond. This is an important funding source for our Federation. We hope you will consider joining the over 260 dedicated conservationists who have already made a life commitment to the Conservation Federation of Missouri by becoming a Life Member today.
Contact CFM at (573) 634-2322 or email info@confedmo.org.
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CONSERVATION FEDERATION
Member News
WELCOME NEW CFM MEMBERS Kurt & Laura Andrew, Saint Louis
Nick Hahlbeck, Lake Waukomis
Craig Paukert, New Bloomfield
Jeff Demand, Columbia
Kevin Hollman, Manchester
Dan Rasch, Maryland Heights
Jacob Rey, Waterloo, IL
Trygve Honaas, Jackson
Charles Schaeffer, Olathe, KS
Michael Roper, Kansas City
Fred Isensee, Maryland Heights
Stacey Smith, Odessa
Gerald Bayer, Crestwood
Dwight & Barbara Ittner, Noel
Brooke Widmar, Springfield
Evelyn Bennish, Nixa
Jeannette Jackson-Thompson, Columbia
Karen Zimmerman, Slater
Gaithel Blankenship, Versailles
Michael Jones, Sunrise Beach
Terry Zirkle, Saint Joseph
Kelley Brent, Poplar Bluff
Jim Karpowicz, Columbia
Jessica Janorschke, Saint Joseph
Emily Brunner, Cameron
Dan Leiweke, Fenton
Thomas Hutton, Jefferson City
George Dalgetty, Waynesville
Baughn Merideth, Caruthersville
Ginevera Moore, Leawood, KS
Gus and Carol Dattilo, Saint Louis
Robert Moore, Saint Charles
Nancy Shy, Chillicothe
Caroline Early, Saint Louis
James Murphy, Saint Joseph
Terry Evans, Smithville
John & Anita O'Connell, Saint Louis
Thomas Fasl, Saint Louis
Joyce Otten, Kirksville
CFM thanks the 218 members that renewed since our last publication.
In Memory In Honor of Marc Gottfried Elizabeth Keune Sharon Roberts
In Memory of Nicholas Dziuba Anne Gross Ben Grossman Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Mosier
MARCH - 2020
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Member News
Gear Guide CZ All-Terrain Series - BUSINESS ALLIANCE Clad in OD Green and walnut – these shotguns stand out without being ostentatious. The muted green Cerakote finish makes them ideal for field work, increasing their hardiness and making them near impervious to the elements. The stand-out feature of this series is a small but revolutionary addition to the ejector/extractor of the breakopen variants. Each of the All-Terrain over/unders and side-by-sides has a set of rare earth magnets installed in their extractor or ejectors to keep shells in place. www.cz-usa.com
Tru-Turn Panfish/Crappie Hooks Be sure you are going into the spring crappie season with the right gear! Tru-Turn hooks are a staple to be had in all tackle boxes. The hook is designed to rotate towards the pressure to hook more fish. In addition to the shape, another advantage of this hook is the Blood Red color. The flash of the red mimics the “gill flash” in a feeding frenzy and draws more attention to your bait. www.ttiblakemore.com
Gen-X by Genesis Archery Powerful enough for hunting, simple enough for anyone to use. The new Gen-X® single cam allows up to 40lbs of draw weight to add velocity to your shot, so it’s perfect for stronger target archers and is approved for whitetail hunting in most states. The Gen-X® is available as a stand-alone bow or in a kit with a fiber-optic sight, whisker biscuit rest and detachable quiver with 4 carbon arrows. www.genesisbow.com
Venture Laser Rangefinder by Simmons - BUSINESS ALLIANCE Simmons® continues to build high quality products with excellent value. The Simmons Venture laser rangefinder is no exception offering versatility in the field or range. Ergonomic design for quick target acquisition, you won't miss a beat. Furthermore, Venture laser rangefinders are equipped with Tilt technology, calculating true horizontal distances for those steep angled shots - giving you dead-on accuracy, every single time. www.simmonsoptics.com
Garmin inReach Mini 2-Way Satellite Communicator Garmin inReach Mini is your go-to connection for maintaining off-the-grid contact. It’s a palm-sized satellite communicator for adventures where size and weight matter. inReach Mini lets you send and receive text messages, track and share your journey and, if necessary, trigger an SOS alert to contact the GEOS 24/7 emergency response team. With inReach connectivity, your family and friends will know they can stay in touch globally. www.garmin.com/en-US
MARCH - 2020
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Affiliate Highlights
Missouri Chapter of the American Fisheries Society
T
he Missouri Chapter of the American Fisheries Society (MOAFS) is a scientific and professional organization dedicated to the conservation, enhancement, and restoration of aquatic resources. The primary goals of MOAFS are: 1. Advance the conservation, development, and wise use of aquatic resources. 2. Facilitate distribution of information regarding the aquatic sciences. 3. Promote and evaluate the educational, scientific, and professional aspects of the aquatic sciences. For more than a half-century, the MOAFS has provided expert testimony at legislative hearings, produced scientifically based position papers and shared information about aquatic resources with the public. Efforts included opposition to the damming of the Meramec River, promoting better sand and gravel removal practices along streams, and educating citizens about the threats posed by non-native aquatic species and illegal hand-fishing. The chapter also stood with the CFM and other conservation organizations in the creation and protection of the conservation and the parks and soils sales taxes. To ensure that our state’s waters will continue to be managed in a professional manner, the chapter supports the next generation of aquatic professionals by awarding academic scholarships, providing financial assistance for travel expenses to conferences, conducting technical workshops, and acknowledging outstanding student studies. We also sponsor student subchapters at four universities and host an annual student job fair. MOAFS supports the continuing education of current aquatic professionals by hosting conferences and meetings to facilitate the exchange of innovative ideas, scientific results, and cutting-edge methods. The chapter has hosted two national fisheries conferences and more than a dozen multi-state regional meetings.
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CONSERVATION FEDERATION
Students participating in a technical workshop co-hosted by MOAFS in 2019. (Photo: MOAFS)
Fifty years ago, the MOAFS and the Missouri Chapter of the Wildlife Society organized the first Missouri Natural Resource Conference, which is now the largest annual gathering of folks committed to natural resource conservation in Missouri. The MOAFS has held fishing events and provided specialized fishing tackle to anglers with disabilities for nearly three decades. Our longest running derby (18 years!), held in cooperation with the Rolla Lions Club and Choices for People, in 2019 hosted nearly one hundred smiling folks catching, in some cases, the first fish of their lives. The MOAFS has been an affiliate member of CFM since 2004 and looks forward to future collaboration with this like-minded organization and with other partners that have an interest in promoting the conservation and wise use of Missouri’s aquatic resources. Thank You for all you do as a member of CFM!
Affiliate Highlights
Affiliate Organizations Anglers of Missouri
Missouri Caves & Karst Conservancy
Missouri State Campers Association
Archery Big Bucks of Missouri
Missouri Chapter of the
Missouri State Chapter of the
Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives
American Fisheries Society
Quality Deer Management
Missouri Chapter of the Wildlife Society
Missouri Taxidermist Association
Audubon Society of Missouri
Missouri Coalition for the Environment
Missouri Trappers Association
Bass Slammer Tackle
Missouri Community Forestry Council
Missouri Trout Fishermen's Association
Burroughs Audubon Society of
Missouri Conservation Agents Association
Missouri Whitetails Unlimited
Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation
MU Wildlife & Fisheries Science
Greater Kansas City Capital City Fly Fishers
Missouri Conservation Pioneers
Chesterfield Citizens Committee
Missouri Consulting Foresters Association
Northside Conservation Federation
for the Environment
Graduate Student Organization
Missouri Ducks Unlimited- State Council
Open Space Council of the St. Louis Region
Columbia Audubon Society
Missouri Forest Products Association
Osage Paddle Sports
Conservation Foundation of
Missouri Grouse Chapter of QUWF
Ozark Chinquapin Foundation
Missouri Charitable Trust
Missouri Hunter Education
Ozark Fly Fishers, Inc.
Deer Creek Sportsman Club
Instructor's Association
Ozark Land Trust
Festus-Crystal City Conservation Club
Missouri Hunting Heritage Federation
Ozark Trail Association
Forest and Woodland Association
Missouri Master Naturalist -
Ozark Wilderness Waterways Club
of Missouri Forest Releaf of Missouri Friends of Rock Bridge Memorial State Park Garden Club of St. Louis Gateway Chapter Trout Unlimited Greater Ozarks Audubon Society Greenbelt Land Trust of Mid-Missouri Greenway Network, Inc. James River Basin Partnership
Hi Lonesome Chapter Missouri Master Naturalist Miramiguoa Chapter Missouri Master Naturalist Osage Trails Chapter Missouri Master Naturalist Boone's Lick Chapter Missouri Master Naturalist Springfield Plateau Chapter
Perry County Sportsman Club Pomme De Terre Chapter Muskies Quail & Upland Wildlife Federation, Inc. Quail Forever & Pheasants Forever River Bluffs Audubon Society Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Roubidoux Fly Fishers Association South Side Division CFM Southwest Missouri Fly Fishers
L-A-D Foundation
Missouri National Wild Turkey Federation
St. Louis Audubon Society
Land Learning Foundation
Missouri Native Seed Association
Stream Teams United
Legends of Conservation
Missouri Outdoor Communicators
Student Air Rifle Program
Little Blue River Watershed Coalition
Missouri Park & Recreation Association
The Fallen Outdoors-Team MO
Magnificent Missouri
Missouri Parks Association
Tipton Farmers & Sportsman's Club
Mid-Missouri Outdoor Dream
Missouri Prairie Foundation
Tri-Lakes Fly Fishers
Mid-Missouri Trout Unlimited
Missouri River Bird Observatory
Troutbusters of Missouri
Midwest Diving Council
Missouri River Relief
United Bow Hunters of Missouri
Mississippi Valley Duck
Missouri Rock Island Trail, Inc.
Wild Bird Rehabilitation
Missouri Rural Water Association
Wonders of Wildlife
Missouri Association of Meat Processors
Missouri Smallmouth Alliance
Young Outdoorsmen United
Missouri Atlatl Association
Missouri Society of American Foresters
Missouri B.A.S.S. Nation
Missouri Soil & Water
Hunters Association
Missouri Bird Conservation Initiative Missouri Bow Hunters Association
Conservation Society-Show-Me Chapter Missouri Sport Shooting Association
MARCH - 2020
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CONSERVATION FEDERATION
It’s your
SEASON
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Member News
Application Period for CLC Now Open
I
t’s that time again! The CFM is calling for applications from students to be a part of the Conservation Leadership Corps. If you know of a conservationminded individual that is a junior or senior in high school or a freshman, sophomore, or junior in college, please encourage them to apply. Or if you know of any youth conservation groups whose members would be interested, please send them information or forward theirs to me at czirkle@ confedmo.org. Information and the application can be found on our webpage at www.confedmo.org/clc. I want to take a moment to share with you a recent story of a CLC alumnus in the news. Kendell Loyd came up through the CLC program and graduated in 2015. He has remained active in Missouri conservation since then, receiving his master’s degree in Biology from Missouri State University, becoming co-director of the GLADE Program (Green Leadership Academy for Diverse Ecosystems). He is currently a science teacher at Logan-Rogersville High School. Kendell came into the Missouri spotlight most recently when he became one of the top birders in the state. In 2018 he took on the challenge of a Missouri Big Year. For those non-birder readers, this is one of the “biggest” undertakings a birder can do. A Big Year is when a birder tries to see as many birds as possible in a calendar year’s time in a specific geographic region. Kendell recorded an incredible 324 species beating the previous state record set by CFM member and Kendell’s mentor, Timothy Barksdale, of 314 species in 1991.
Kendell Loyd leads a group of fledgling birders on their first Christmas Bird Count. (Photo: Kendell Loyd)
“My dream for Missouri is that all people would see the value in conservation and realize that everyone can make a difference, if only in small ways,” says Kendell, “What’s cool about my experience in CLC is that I still friends with the students I graduated with. We have a community of alumni that work in different occupations across the state. Not all of us can be employed in conservation, but we all work toward the same goal of inspiring others to do their part to protect our natural resources.” As a young professional in CFM, the most inspiring thing about our program is to judge it by the fruit it produces. Kendell Loyd came up through the CLC program with a passion for birds and conservation. Timothy Barksdale challenged and helped Kendell beat his record and set the new state birding record. Kendell is now sharing his passion for birds with the next generation of conservationists through teaching and GLADE. I want to challenge each of you to share your passion as a Voice for Missouri Outdoors and encourage others to engage in the outdoor recreation and advocacy we all value. Until next time, I hope to meet you out on the trail. Colton Zirkle Education and Communications Coordinator
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CONSERVATION FEDERATION
Committed to Community & Conservation Owned by the members they serve, Missouri’s electric cooperatives do more than provide reliable and affordable electricity. They are active in their communities, concerned for the wellbeing of their neighbors and devoted to the rural way of life that makes the Show-Me State a special place to live, work and play. Missouri’s electric cooperatives are dedicated to protecting the land, air and water resources important to you and your quality of life. Learn more at www.amec.coop.
Member News
12th Annual Governors Youth Hunt Coming Up
T
he Governors Youth Turkey Hunt has been a very successful event over the last 11 years and serves both as a celebration of Missouri’s leading role in providing outdoor recreational opportunity as well as recruiting and retaining additional outdoor enthusiasts. This hunt is a cooperative effort between Governor Mike Parson, the Conservation Federation of Missouri, National Wild Turkey Federation, the Missouri Department of Conservation, elected officials from the capitol, and a host of private landowners and other volunteers. In the spirit of what the Governors Youth Hunt represents, qualified applicants should be youths ages 10 to 15 that, ideally, are interested in giving hunting a try but have not yet had the opportunity. Second priority, if openings exist, will be given to youth that may have previously hunted but are giving turkey hunting a shot for the first time. The format for the 2020 hunt will be the same as in the previous 11 years. Successful applicants will be invited to attend an orientation Friday afternoon that will include hunter safety, regulations, and a chance to shoot their shotguns. Friday night, the hunters and their chaperones will then attend a fancy spread at the mansion hosted by the Governor and first lady. After the meal and a few words from the Governor, the hunters will depart for their hunting destinations consisting of several highquality properties offered for the event by gracious landowners. The youth hunters will then be guided on a turkey hunt Saturday and Sunday if need be.
We will be providing this opportunity to 10-20 youth hunters and priority will be given to youth that have never previously hunted. If there are still spaces available, second priority will be given to youth hunters who have never hunted turkey before. If you think that you may know of a youth that may enjoy this once in a lifetime opportunity, you can access the application online at www.monwtf.org. In addition to filling out the application, please enclose a letter describing why you wish to participate in the hunt and whether or not you have ever hunted previously. Send the completed application to: John Burk, 7152 Tomahawk Lane, Steedman, MO 65077 or e-mail them to jburk@ nwtf.net. All information is due by March 20, 2020.
Registration Form Name of Student __________________________________________ Date of Birth ______________________ Age __________ E-mail address ____________________________________________ Parent/Guardian __________________________________________ Mailing Address ___________________________________________ City ____________________________ State _____ Zip____________ Phone Number ____________________________________________ Were you recommended by a local chapter of the NWTF? What chapter? __________________________________
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CONSERVATION FEDERATION
Send completed application to: John Burk, 7152 Tomahawk Lane, Steedman, MO 65077 or e-mail them to jburk@nwtf.net. All information is due by March 20, 2020. In addition to filling out the information above please enclose a letter describing why you wish to participate in the hunt and whether or not you have ever hunted previously.
Member News
OAKs: Working Together to Benefit Missouri's Natural Resources
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he best noun to describe the Outdoor Action Committee is Synergy. Defined by MerriamWebster as a mutually advantageous conjunction or compatibility of distinct participants or elements such as resources or efforts, OAKs synergy is a direct benefit resulting when we work together to get things done. In this case, getting things done for Missourians and for conservation. OAKs met November 19, 2019, to discuss the issues and opportunities affecting our Missouri Outdoors among its sub-committees of Natural Resources, Education, and Funding. We invited Frank Nelson, Wetland Ecologist for the Missouri Department of Conservation, who presented a thought provoking overview of flooding affecting Missouri and its citizenry over its history and resulted in a meaningful discussion regarding the value of conservation-friendly floodplain programs. The following summarizes the focus of each subcommittee that continues to be a catalyst to inform and engage support for Missouri Outdoors. Natural Resources: Given recent impacts caused by flooding and its frequency along rivers and streams, the Natural Resources Sub-Committee will increase focus on “floodway protection and restoration” as an advocate for floodplain management policy. Several members of OAKs are participating in ongoing discussions related to those issues. We will build synergy advocating for additional funding for soil and land conservation practices that protect wildlife, soil, water quality and quantity benefit economies, communities and people. Conservation-friendly floodplain practices through existing programs could include cover crops, precision agriculture, native vegetation establishment through habitat restoration and no-till agriculture. Additionally, the Natural Resources Sub-Committee formed the Energy Infrastructure Conservation Siting Working Group to address guidelines associated with siting wind, solar, pipeline and transmission infrastructure to be more mindful of natural habitats and the wildlife that depend on them. The subcommittee will advocate for research on ecosystem and landscape resiliency and impacts of climate change and will increase collaboration with agriculture and energy sectors to develop synergistic relationships on issues important to people and Missouri natural resources.
Flood Water at Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge. (Photo: USFWS)
Education: Educating our youth and all citizens is a priority that has brought into focus more synergy related to Missouri Discover Nature Schools advocating for these programs across the state. The objective is to align to education standards, provide teacher training and grant opportunities for field trips. Programs and curriculum developed by 4-H, Ducks Unlimited, Wonders of Wildlife, Project Wet and Wild as well as Project Learning Tree are examples of what can be implemented. Building synergy with state educators will be important for success to keep the focus standard based while flexible for local decisions. Funding: The Funding Sub-committee knows that conservation without dollars is just conversation. Bringing awareness to the issues also requires some funding. The committee will explore different avenues from hosting a conservation summit to focus on the basics of fundraising/philanthropy for conservation professionals and board members. Also thinking of creative ways to raise more conservation dollars through different means for example a Habitat Stamp, Store round-ups at the cash register, license plates and estate planning. Stephen Covey said “Synergy is what happens when one-plus-one equals ten, or a hundred or even a thousand! It’s the profound result when two or more respectful human beings determine to go beyond their preconceived ideas to meet a great challenge.” If you would like to be part of the synergy of OAKs, let CFM know, we would love to hear from you! Kelly Srigley-Werner MARCH - 2020
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Kansas City The Conservation Federation Banquet series is coming to your area!
Complimentary Wine and Beer - Shotgun Raffle - Games and Activities Silent and Live Auction - Dinner
Thursday, May 7, 2020 5:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Bass Pro Shops 18001 Bass Pro Drive, Independence, MO 64055 Please pay online or mail check to the Conservation Federation of Missouri, 728 W. Main Street, Jefferson City, MO 65101 Names of Guests:_________________________________________________________
Address:________________________________________________________________ Phone: (____)_______-_________ E-mail:_____________________________________
___$50- Individual
___$80- Couple
___$500- Table Sponsor (10 seats)
___$15- Youth (Ages 7 - 16, 6 & under free) Total: $__________________
*All paid guests will receive a one year membership to CFM
For more information, please call (573) 634-2322 or visit www.confedmo.org
PROFESSIONAL ANGLERS
RUN ON E10
Get the truth about ethanol. www.mocorn.org
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CONSERVATION FEDERATION
Winning takes the right fuel. That’s why every Crappie Masters winning team runs on gasoline blended with 10 percent ethanol. Made in America. Better for the environment. Higher octane for speed and performance. E10 is the choice of professional anglers on the Crappie Masters Tournament Trail.
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CLARITY EQUALS CONFIDENCE Engage, the newest line of optics from Bushnell, gives you optimized clarity on the hunt or on the range. Best-in-class glass with Bushnell’s EXOTM Barrier offers unmatched performance in any situation, and toolless locking turrets secure your zero at any distance so you have the advantage no matter the target. Don’t just look; engage with the best name in optics. GET BEHIND THE GLASS AT BUSHNELL.COM/ENGAGE
Available in 9 configurations in exposed or capped turrets.
BNL6276_Engage_Clarity_Digital_7.25x4.35.indd 1
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CONSERVATION FEDERATION
8/4/17 4:28 PM
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Member News
CFM: Dedicated to Partnerships, Education, and Advocacy
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o you know the mission of the Conservation Federation of Missouri? Most people don’t! The Mission of CFM is to ensure conservation of Missouri’s wildlife and natural resources, and preservation of our state’s rich outdoor heritage through advocacy, education and partnerships. So, here is my bet. Unless you read that mission again and again until you memorized it like a poem as you did in junior high school or middle school, I would bet that 99% of you could not repeat it to someone three days later. But maybe you could remember three words: ADVOCACY, EDUCATION, and PARTNERSHIPS. What we exist for is to ensure conservation of Missouri’s wildlife and natural resources, and preservation of our state’s rich outdoor heritage. How we accomplish it is through ADVOCACY, EDUCATION, and PARTNERSHIPS. That would be AEP or PEA spelled backward. Like a garden PEA! PARTNERSHIPS – Let’s start here. CFM has over 100 affiliates as our partners, which together represent over 82,000 members and participants. Those partnerships are every kind of group you could imagine representing archery, birds, caves, diving, electricity, fishing, forest, hunter’s education, hunting, museums, outdoor ministries, parks, prairie, rivers, shooting, trails, trappers, and water quality. If it is outdoors, CFM has partnerships to support the outdoors in Missouri. EDUCATION is up next. Every one of our partnerships is educating their members both broadly and specifically regarding knowledge vital to them. Have you heard of CLC – the Conservation Leadership Corp? The CLC promotes leadership for the next generation by engaging students (High School Juniors, Seniors and College Students) in the politics of conservation. The program also allows students the opportunity to meet and interact with resource professionals from the Missouri Department of Conservation, the Department of Natural Resources and other conservation organizations statewide. Volunteer opportunities include CFM Explore the Regional Banquet Series, Pull for Conservation, Prairie Fork Workdays, Stream team clean-ups, or affiliate events.
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The goal of the CLC program is that no matter where their chosen careers lead them, e.g., lawyer, doctor, accountant, engineer, journalist, forester, wildlife biologist, etc., the CLC participants are prepared to personally influence policy and actions that will contribute to the conservation of Missouri’s natural resources. MCCA (Missouri Collegiate Conservation Alliance), is an organization dedicated to providing a unified voice for college students to become knowledgeable about and engaged in efforts on behalf of conservation in Missouri. MCCA members gather at the yearly Conservation Day at the Capitol event. NASP (National Archery in the Schools Program) promotes international-style target archery as part of the in-school curriculum. The Conservation Federation of Missouri supports students who are given the opportunity to learn the basics of archery to competing against other students in tournaments. The NASP program promotes educational performance and participation in shooting sports among students in grades 4-12. ADVOCACY is last but certainly foremost. It is part of CFM’s DNA. Most of you may know that in 1935, sportsmen from throughout Missouri came together to form the Conservation Federation of Missouri (CFM). They organized with the purpose of taking conservation out of politics. Their initiative petition campaign resulted in the creation of the Missouri Department of Conservation, a non-political conservation agency that has been a model for other states. Since then, the Federation has undertaken many successful battles to ensure Missouri continues to be the leading state in conservation policies and funding. In 1976, CFM spearheaded the successful passage of the conservation sales tax to create stable broad-based funding for Missouri’s forests, fauna and fish. Today CFM is the largest and most representative conservation group in Missouri. CFM is the Missouri affiliate of the National Wildlife Federation. ADVOCACY, EDUCATION, and PARTNERSHIPS. Garden PEA spelled backward. Become a member – it’s what we do!
Richard Mendenhall CFM Second Vice President
UI Annual Conservation Federation
Sporting Clays Classic "QSJM Presented by:
Northwest Missouri’s Electric Cooperatives Saturday, "QSJM - #PPU )JMM 4IPPUJOH (SPVOE --$, )BNJMUPO MO Schedule of Events
Registration: Shooting: Lunch: Awards:
8:00 am - 2:00 pm 9:00 am - :00 pm 1:00 Qm - 0 pm 0 pm
Shoot as a Team or Individual
Two Shooter Scramble – 75 targets, $50/team Additional rounds $35/team Individual Sporting Clays – 50 targets, $35/shooter Additional rounds $20
- Registration includes lunch for participants Provided by: NPSUIXFTU Electric Power Cooperative Including: Atchison-Holt, Farmers’, Grundy, North Central Missouri, Platte-Clay, United, and West Central
Two Shooter Scramble
Individual Sporting Clays
1SJ[FT UP CF BXBSEFE GPS 3 Lewis Classes, places for each class
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Feature Story
Missouri Increases Feral Hog Elimination Efforts, Adapts Strategy for 2020
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he Missouri Feral Hog Elimination Partnership (the Partnership) eliminated 10,495 feral hogs from Missouri in 2019, and will increase efforts in 2020 as multiple agencies work together to eliminate feral hogs from the state. Partnership members participating in on-the-ground trapping efforts include the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), USDA APHIS Wildlife Services (USDA WS) and the L-A-D Foundation. Feral hogs are invasive, destructive pests that roam wild in certain areas of Missouri and other states. They’re aggressive animals known to prey on turkey poults, fawns, freshly seeded fields, fully mature crops, as well as other wildlife. They’re known to carry diseases that can be transmitted to humans, dogs and domestic pigs such as swine brucellosis, pseudorabies and others.
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“This unified interagency effort is critical to eliminating feral hogs on and around the Mark Twain National Forest,” said Amy Salveter, the USFS Public Services Staff Officer representing the MTNF on the unified command team. “We look forward to working with our partners to rid the Missouri landscape of this dangerous and destructive pest.” Increased efforts include a workforce focused on feral hog elimination in key areas, including Mark Twain National Forest lands, beginning in late January. The Partnership has established a unified command incident command structure to manage the effort efficiently and effectively. This structure allows staff from across the Partnership organizations to work more efficiently together. Jason Jensen, MDC’s private land services chief, represents MDC on the unified command team.
Feature Story “Winter operations will be a large-scale effort where we will scout thousands of acres of public and private lands to pinpoint locations of feral hog sounders, identify areas that do not have feral hogs so we can place the area lower on the priority list, and to trap and dispatch the hogs we find,” Jensen said. The Partnership’s mission is to eliminate feral hogs in Missouri by implementing the Statewide Strategic Plan for Feral Hog Elimination. This is a strategic incremental approach, clearing each watershed inhabited by feral hogs one at a time. Land management agencies used public recreational hunting as the primary means by which to eliminate feral swine in Missouri from the early 1990s until 2016. Recreational hunting proved to be an ineffective strategy that resulted in the further spread and establishment of additional populations of feral hogs. Beginning in 2016, agencies involved in the Partnership significantly increased feral swine removal efforts and put in place hunting prohibitions consistent with the Statewide Strategic Plan for Feral Hog Elimination. This has resulted in the total elimination of feral swine from 116 watersheds totaling over 2.7 million acres previously occupied by feral hogs across Missouri. Although the feral hog problem in Missouri increased in the 1990s when hog hunting for recreation gained popularity, DNA research suggests the feral hog population has since spread via truck and trailer, not through natural migration of the species. As groups began raising and promoting European wild boar for hunting, some of them were released intentionally on public land. Even two feral hogs introduced into a new area is a big problem, because they’re highly adaptable and prolific breeders; their numbers grow at an alarming rate. One sow can give birth to two litters of about six piglets twice per year, resulting in a population growth rate of about 166% per year. The Conservation Department has received damage complaints from private landowners since the late 1990s. Today, feral hog populations are established in over 30 Missouri counties. Over 120 people gathered from numerous organizations and agencies at MDC Runge Nature Center Jan. 14, to be briefed and receive training for feral hog winter operations. (Photo: Courtesy of MDC)
Efforts on private land are only conducted at the landowner’s request and as a partnership with the landowner. Landowners will receive assistance from MDC and USDA employees to trap and remove the feral hogs. Success of the winter operation will be measured in acres covered by staff, sounders of hogs located, sounders of hogs removed, and number of landowners serviced. “A large majority of Missouri’s land is privately owned, so working together with private landowners is vital to the success of eliminating feral hogs from Missouri,” Jensen said. “If you’re a private landowner and feral hogs are tearing up your land, we want to help you.” Jensen stressed that complete success will take time. The strategy is to pinpoint the location of a sounder and remove the entire sounder, keep feral hog numbers from increasing in the heart of the population and stop the spread of feral hogs into new areas. Technicians will strategically remove feral hogs along the perimeter of the known hog population, shrinking it until the hogs are eliminated. For security reasons, the Partnership is not releasing locations and exact dates of trapping operations. “We’ve experienced vandalism, theft and interference at trapping sites in the past, so it’s important not to invite that sort of attention to these efforts,” Jensen said. Jensen said this initial effort will take place from January through March because it’s an optimal time due to limited food supply. However, feral hog elimination work will continue in the summer months, when the feral hogs are known to root up crops. “Knowing the habits of these invasive animals helps us to adapt our strategy to eliminate them at specific times of the year. While we are increasing efforts at this time we still have staff that are working with landowners to eliminate hogs on their property every day. Increasing efforts when hogs are vulnerable will allow us to strategically remove more hogs from Missouri’s landscape,” Jensen said. Report feral hog sightings or damage, and learn more about feral hog elimination at www.mdc.mo.gov/feralhogs. Sign up to receive updates from the Missouri Feral Hog Elimination Partnership at https://short.mdc.mo.gov/ZoP.
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Feature Story
Fishing in Missouri's Four Trout Parks 32
CONSERVATION FEDERATION
Feature Story Montauk State Park
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ontauk State Park, located southwest of Salem in Dent County, is a favorite of trout anglers. Known for its variety of trout fishing habitat and regulation zones, Montauk holds appeal for trout anglers regardless of their chosen style of fishing. Montauk is divided into three fishing zones. Fly fishermen are fond of a zone set aside for them. The Fly Fishing only zone is strictly catch and release fishing. Flies with single hooks are allowed. "The catch and release waters at Montauk are treasured by fly fishermen," said well-known fly fisherman Mark Van Patten. "Some of the largest fish in the park are found in this quarter-mile stretch of water." There is also a 3-acre spring-fed pond to fish. Large, cruising rainbows tease anglers here. Although they do rise to insect hatches, most fish feed underwater on the plentiful supply of scuds and small suckers. Deepwater is available in the middle of the lake, but the greatest success is around the weedy cover around the edges. The lake is only open to fishing on the dam side. Signs mark legal fishing areas. The flow through the dam creates a deep pool, which holds lots of fish. Past this point the stream flows several yards through a bog before joining the hatchery outflow stream. The thick weedy cover makes this stretch difficult to fish. Trout holding here are very spooky. Streamside brush makes fly casting difficult as well. Utilizing a shorter fly rod and roll casting are the proper techniques to fish the cover thoroughly. The streamflow here enters the hatchery and resumes below the hatchery where it flows for a couple of hundred yards. The excellent habitat here ensures good fish populations. They are heavily pressured, and therefore, are most often very challenging to catch. A big draw to this section of stream is the fact that numerous brood fish in the three to five pound range can be seen here.
Montauk Spring Branch forms where the hatchery outflow and the flow from the dam collide. The spring branch flows for several hundred yards before dumping into Current River. This section is open to catch and keep fishing with no bait restrictions. The daily limit is four trout. A series of small dams slow the flow and make this section relatively easy for anglers who like to fish the bottom with prepared baits, salmon eggs, plastic worms and jigs. This stretch is heavily fished during the regular season from March 1 through the end of October. Another flow begins at Montauk Springs, the headwaters of Current River. The first section of stream flows over a mile before entering Montauk Spring Branch. This section is fly fishing only, but four trout may be kept here. This area is the most appealing to fly anglers, because of the natural riffles and pools. "This is classic trout water like you find in many areas out West," Van Patten said. "Dry fly fishing can be superb during hatches, but most fish will be caught on a variety of nymph patterns." Nymph fishing is highly effective at Montauk. Most fish nymphs under indicators coupled with 4-to-7feet of leader. Fluorocarbon leader in 4x to 6x is most commonly used. However, for finicky trout, 7x may be required. Popular nymph patterns include: Prince, Hare's Ear, Pheasant Tails, Scuds, Egg Patterns, San Juan Worms, in sizes #14-#18, and Wooly Buggers in #8 and #10. Montauk State Park offers a wide variety of amenities, including a lodge, cabins, campground and restaurant. Check mostateparks.com/park/montaukstate-park for more information.
Bennett Spring State Park Bennett Spring State Park is located 12 miles west of Lebanon on Highway 164. Bennett Spring is Missouri's third largest spring, with an average flow of 100,000,000 gallons of water each day. The spring branch offers a mile and a half of trout fishing in three separate zones.
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Feature Story Missouri's trout fishing tradition is said to have begun at Bennett Spring, the first trout park in the state. Today it is still the most popular trout park among anglers due to the world-class fishing found there. Zone 1 is fly fishing only. A liberal definition of flies allows spin fishermen to throw single-hooked RoosterTails and jigs. Fly fishermen do well on a wide variety of patterns. This section is primarily catch and keep, with a four fish per day limit, but a small section does provide for catch and release fishing. Fifty fish days are not uncommon here. Zone 2 allows all artificial lures and flies, with either single or treble hooks, as well as soft plastic baits. Marabou jigs, small spinners and plastic trout worms are favorites of spin fishermen. Fly fishermen find great success when using San Juan Worms, egg patterns, and wooly buggers. Zone 3 is for folks who like to use natural baits, prepared baits, and soft plastics. Artificial flies and lures are not legal in this section. There is a good population of smallmouth bass in this section, too. Most trout caught at Bennet Spring are stocker sized fish, but anglers should be aware that the occasional brown trout does swim up from the Niangua River's trophy brown trout area. Many modern amenities are available for guests at Bennett Spring, including a lodge, cabins, campground, and a well-stocked store. Visit mostateparks.com/park/bennett-spring-state-park for more info.
Roaring River State Park Located in the southwest Ozark hills, Roaring River sits in a steep narrow valley, blanketed with a rugged landscape. Roaring River emerges from the base of a shady limestone bluff and spews out an average of 20,000,000 gallons cold, clear water daily. Two and a half miles of spring branch is stocked daily with rainbow trout from March 1 until the end of October. The spring branch is divided into three zones. No wading is allowed, except in the catch-and-release area in Zone 2.
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Zone 1 has been structured with a series of shadow riffles and deep pools. Wading isn't allowed because of the pool depths. It is vital to get baits down deep here. The absence of wading anglers allows aquatic insects to maintain healthy populations, which are fed on voraciously by trout. Fish grow quickly in this environment. Matching the hatch can be productive. Check the park store for the most popular fly patterns. Zone 2 has a catch and release areas where both waders and swimmers are allowed, so everyone must be on their best behavior. Fish tend to be larger in this zone. Zone 3 is unique among the trout parks. There is little bank access and no landscaping, which means you may fish in a wilder setting with little competition from other anglers.
Feature Story Spin fishing is most popular at Maramec Spring. Favorite artificial baits include RoosterTails and a locally made jig called the Kings jig. Prepared baits such as PowerBait and Lisa's Trout Bait are commonly used as well. Plastic trout worms are highly effective in the deeper pools. Trout worms and baits fished on two-pound line and weighted to get the bait down deep account for many rainbows each season. Many anglers like to drift the baits under a float, keeping them a few inches off of the bottom.
Bait fishermen do well drifting salmon eggs under a small indicator. Fly fishermen do well on pheasant tails and hares's ear nymphs, and occasionally dry flies. In-line spinners cast into pools and near root wads will coax trout from their hiding spots. The Emory Melton Inn and Conference Center is gorgeous. For information about other park amenities at Roaring River, check out: mostateparks.com/park/ roaring-river-state-park.
Maramec Spring Park Missouri's fourth trout park, Maramec Spring Park, is owned and operated by the James Foundation. Maramec Spring, the fifth largest in the state, and puts 100,000,000 gallons of water per day into the half-mile long Maramec Spring Branch, before it enters the Meramec River. Yes, the two spellings are correct. The James Foundation maintains an agreement with the MDC to take care of trout rearing facilities and the fishing program within park boundaries. There are no fishing zones at the park.
Trout anglers do not have a lot of room to fish at Maramec Spring Park, yet they do well with a variety of flies and nymphs, including pheasant tails, hare's ear, San Juan Worms, blonde leeches, and midge patterns. Maramec Spring Park will be the site of an experimental program in 2020. Anglers will be allowed to keep five trout for five dollars. Anglers 15 and under will pay three dollars. Prices will also increase for the three state parks for a four fish per day limit from three dollars to five dollars for adults and from two to three dollars for those 15 and younger. Our four Missouri trout parks offer outstanding fishing opportunities amidst some of the most spectacular scenery in the Ozarks. Try all four this year and decide for yourself which is your favorite. Bill Cooper (Cover) Bennett Spring trout opener. (Photo: Courtesy of MDC) (Left) Montauk State Park is a favorite of trout fishermen and offers three zones to accommodate any style of fishing. (Photo: Courtesy of Bill Cooper) (Top) Commercial baits are popular among trout fishermen at all of the trout parks in Missouri. (Photo: Courtesy of Bill Cooper)
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Agency News
MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION MDC Finds More CWD, Disease Still Rare in State
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he Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reports that it has confirmed 24 new cases of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in Missouri from nearly 27,000 tissue samples collected from white-tailed deer and submitted for disease testing this season. Most of the tissue samples were taken from hunter-harvested deer. The new cases were found in the following counties: 2 in Adair, 5 in Franklin, 5 in Linn, 2 in Macon, 2 in Perry, 5 in Ste. Genevieve, 2 in Stone, and 1 in Taney. CWD is a deadly disease in white-tailed deer and other members of the deer family. The purpose of MDC’s CWD sampling and testing efforts is to find cases early so the Department can limit the spread of the disease. Learn more about CWD at mdc. mo.gov/cwd. “While any new cases of CWD are not good news, we are happy that no cases have been found in new counties this year,” said MDC Wildlife Disease Coordinator Jasmine Batten. “Overall, CWD remains relatively rare in the state and even in most areas where it has been found. These results suggest that our disease-management actions are working.” The 24 new cases bring the total number of CWD cases in the state to 140. MDC has tested about 130,000 deer since the first cases of CWD were found in free-ranging deer in Missouri in 2012. Get more information at mdc.mo.gov/cwd under “CWD in Missouri.” Batten added that there were only three new CWD cases near the Missouri-Arkansas border, an area of heightened concern considering the extent of CWD in northwest Arkansas. “More than 700 deer and elk in northwest Arkansas have been confirmed to have CWD in the past few years, so we consider finding only three new cases in Stone and Taney counties of southwest Missouri to be good news.”
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This visibly ill deer, found in Ste. Genevieve County in October, tested positive for CWD. (Photo: Courtesy of MDC)
About 8,000 of the nearly 27,000 tissue samples MDC had tested this season were collected by taxidermists and meat processors around the state as part of the Department’s voluntary CWD sampling efforts. Free voluntary sampling continues through the end of deer season, Jan. 15. Get more information at mdc.mo.gov/cwd under “Voluntary CWD Sampling All Season.” MDC’s mandatory sampling efforts in 29 counties during the opening weekend of the November portion of the firearms deer season yielded about 18,800 of the nearly 27,000 tissue samples tested for CWD. MDC will continue its efforts to manage CWD after the Jan. 15 close of deer season into March. MDC staff will again work with landowners on a voluntary basis in the immediate areas around where recent cases of CWD have been found to remove more potentially infected deer. The goal of the effort is to limit the spread of the disease and to keep the percentage of deer that have the disease low. Learn more at mdc.mo.gov/cwd under “Post Season Targeted Culling.” Learn more about CWD and MDC’s efforts to limit its spread at mdc.mo.gov/cwd.
Agency News
MDC Reports Final Deer Harvest
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issouri's 2019-2020 deer-hunting season ended Jan. 15 with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reporting a preliminary total deer harvest of 285,483. Of the deer harvested, 133,914 were antlered bucks, 27,931 were button bucks, and 123,638 were does. Top harvest counties for the overall deer season were Franklin with 6,247 deer checked, Callaway with 5,703, and Texas with 5,157. Hunters harvested 290,224 deer during the 2018-2019 overall deer hunting season with 136,851 being antlered bucks, 30,113 being button bucks, and 123,260 being does. Archery Deer Results Deer hunting ended with the close of the archery season. Preliminary data from MDC showed that hunters checked 61,209 deer during the 2019-2020 archery deer season. Top counties for the archery deer season were Jefferson with 1,604 deer checked, Franklin with 1,294, and St. Louis with 1,227. Hunters checked 52,923 deer during the 2018-2019 archery deer season. While the total deer harvest was down slightly from the year before, the archery deer harvest was considerably higher this year. According to MDC Cervid Program Supervisor Jason Isabelle, season timing was a factor.
“The shift in the calendar this year with Thanksgiving occurring later in November resulted in archers having an extra week of prime hunting before the November portion of firearms season started,” Isabelle explained. “These extra days of hunting during the rut when bucks are particularly vulnerable to harvest, and an increasing trend in the number of archery hunters, contributed to a record year of archery deer harvest.” Isabelle added that the calendar shift caused the November portion of firearms season to occur a week later than last year and during peak breeding when buck movement is reduced. “As we get closer to the middle of November, bucks simply don’t have to move as much in search of receptive does as they do earlier in the month, making them less vulnerable to harvest,” Isabelle explained. “Whenever this shift in season timing occurs, we expect a decline in harvest during the November portion of firearms season, which is when most of each year’s harvest occurs.” For more information on this season’s deer harvest totals, visit the MDC website at extra.mdc.mo.gov/widgets/ harvest_table/. For more information on deer harvests from past years, visit huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/species/deer/ deer-harvest-reports/deer-harvest-summaries. For more information on deer hunting in Missouri, visit huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/species/deer. Archery Turkey Results Fall archery turkey hunting also ended Jan. 15. Preliminary data from MDC showed 2,406 turkeys harvested. Top counties for the fall archery turkey season were Callaway with 69 birds checked, Greene with 63, and Franklin with 62. Hunters harvested 2,055 turkeys during the 2018 fall archery turkey season.
A white-tailed deer doe and fawn. (Photo: Noppadol Paothong)
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Agency News
MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION Test Your Fishing Skills Through MDC's First Blue-Ribbon Trout Slam The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and Trout Unlimited encourage anglers to test their fishing skills and pursue a “Blue-Ribbon Trout Slam” from Missouri’s nine blue-ribbon trout streams. “Missouri’s blue-ribbon trout streams are areas in the state where trout reproduce naturally,” explained MDC Fisheries Programs Specialist Andrew Branson. “The fish are wary of predators, which makes for an authentic and challenging experience for anglers.” Where to fish The Blue-Ribbon Trout Slam honors anglers who catch a trout in at least 5 of MDC’s 9 blue-ribbon trout streams: • Barren Fork Creek in Shannon County • Blue Springs Creek in Crawford County • Crane Creek in Lawrence County • Current River in Dent County • Eleven Point River in Oregon County • Little Piney Creek in Phelps County • Mill Creek in Phelps County • North Fork of the White River in Ozark County • Spring Creek in Phelps County How to enter The Blue-Ribbon Trout Slam is divided into three levels: • Bronze: Catch a trout from 5 of the 9 blue-ribbon trout areas and receive a certificate and bronze pin. • Silver: Catch a trout from 7 of the 9 blue-ribbon trout areas and receive a certificate and silver pin. • Gold: Catch a trout from all 9 blue-ribbon trout areas and received a certificate, gold pin, and medallion. All pins and medallions awarded to participants have been provided by Trout Unlimited.
Anglers need to possess a trout permit if they want to keep their trout. Trout of any size will qualify for the Blue-Ribbon Trout Slam, but trout under 18 inches must be released. Anglers can complete a Blue-Ribbon Trout Slam entry form each time they catch a trout. They may also submit a picture of their trout if they wish, but it is not required. Once participants accomplish one of the three TroutSlam levels, MDC will verify their submissions and mail them their award. Additionally, anglers can have their successes listed on the MDC website. “This Trout Slam is a great new program that will encourage anglers to get outside and discover nature throughout the year,” said Branson. For more information on the Blue-Ribbon Trout Slam, visit mdc.mo.gov/troutslam. To learn more about Missouri’s trout fishing areas, go to short.mdc.mo.gov/ZmT.
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CONSERVATION FEDERATION
Agency News
MISSOURI STATE PARKS Department of Natural Resources and Ameren Missouri’s Missouri Central Railroad sign agreement on Rock Island Line Corridor
T
he Missouri Department of Natural Resources signed an Interim Trail Use Agreement with Missouri Central Railroad Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ameren Missouri, paving the way for the future railbanking of 144 miles of the former Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad corridor, which stretches from Windsor to Beaufort, Missouri. The Interim Trail Use Agreement ensures the preservation of the former railroad corridor for future transportation use and facilitates the eventual donation of the property to the department for recreational trail use. “Successfully negotiating an Interim Trail Use Agreement was a crucial first objective in this process, and I’m glad we finally reached it,” said Dru Buntin, deputy director of the Department of Natural Resources. “It’s important to remember that this was just the first step on what promises to be a long journey. We can all envision a world-class trail while acknowledging there will be some challenges between here and there.” “[This] trail agreement marks a significant milestone in Ameren Missouri’s efforts to donate the remaining 144 miles of the scenic Rock Island Corridor to the state for possible use as a recreational trail,” said Mark Birk, senior vice president of customer and power operations for Ameren Missouri. “Over the last several years, we have been preparing the land for future use by clearing vegetation and removing steel and railroad ties. We will continue to work toward the vision of this trail one day becoming a world-class biking destination that will benefit the communities along the trail.” Signing the agreement does not imply that a fully developed trail is certain. The agreement requires approximately $9.8 million be raised before the property will be transferred to the department to help cover initial development, security and management costs. For now, the corridor remains
Drew Buntin, deputy director of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, and Mark Birk, senior vice president of customer and power operations for Ameren Missouri, sign the agreement on the Rock Island Line Corridor. (Photo: Courtesy of Missouri State Parks)
Missouri Central Railroad’s property and is not open for public use. An estimated total of $65 million to $85 million will ultimately be needed to fully develop the trail. Leading the fundraising effort will be the Missouri State Parks Foundation, a nonprofit organization established to support Missouri’s state park system. The project’s funding will likely require a combination of private, public and corporate sources. Interested donors should contact the Missouri State Parks Foundation to learn more about partnering in this effort. “We are looking forward to working closely with the Missouri State Parks Foundation on this project,” said Mike Sutherland, interim division director of Missouri State Parks. “The scope of this project is massive, but the foundation is uniquely positioned to bring together a wide array of supporters into a diverse partnership that is unified behind a single goal.” If adequate funding can be raised, the proposed trail will have to be developed in sections, each of which will present its own construction challenges. More information about the Rock Island Line Corridor is available at https://mostateparks.com. MARCH - 2020
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CONSERVATION FEDERATION
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MARCH - 2020
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Feature Story
The Bushong Record Bass
E
ach spring, many Missouri bass fishers embark on a quest to catch their version of the Holy Grail – a state-record largemouth bass. But even the most optimistic of those fishermen know it’s a long-shot, at best. Missouri’s state record of 13 pounds, 14 ounces, has withstood the test of time. Marvin Bushong caught that beast on April 21, 1961, on Bull Shoals Lake, and few fishermen have come close to threatening that mark since then. Bushong’s amazing catch is the longest-standing poleand-line record in the Missouri books. It’s one of the oldest bass state records in the country. Only Georgia (1932), Michigan (1934), Wisconsin (1940), and South Carolina (1949) have longer-standing marks.
So, you say you know where the next state record lives and that it’s only a matter of time before you’ll catch it? Well, good luck with that. Bushong’s record bass has humbled many a fisher over the years. “I don’t think any of us figured dad’s record would last this long,” said Mike Bushong, Marvin’s son. “When he caught it, there were a lot of big bass in Bull Shoals. The next day, my dad’s friend went back to the same spot where dad caught his fish and got one that weighed 10 pounds. “But no one could break dad’s record then—and no one’s been able to do it since. Our family hopes it will last forever.” (Left) Marvin Bushong's tombstone in Gainesville, Mo., includes a photo of him holding the state-record bass he caught at Bull Shoals Lake. (Photo: Courtesy of Lana Bushong) (Right) Marvin Bushong posed with his 4-year-old daughter Lana and the Missouri state-record bass he caught in 1961. (Photo: Courtesy of Lana Bushong)
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CONSERVATION FEDERATION
Feature Story Lasting fame Its incredible how long Bushong’s record could last so long in a state like Missouri. The Show-Me State is known nationally for its largemouth bass fishing, and it attracts an army of dedicated fishers each spring. Each spring, thousands of anglers flock to places such as Table Rock, Lake of the Ozarks, and Bull Shoals in hopes of catching a lunker. Plenty of big ones are reeled in. And with modern technology, the odds of catching a lunker are getting better. High-powered bass boats, advanced sonar fish- and depth-finders, and new-age rods and reels and lures are designed to hunt down and catch bass as never before. Compare that to Bushong’s days when he had a small boat and motor and rudimentary equipment. However, he had some significant factors working in his favor. Bull Shoals was still relatively new at the time, and the Ozarks reservoir was in its “boom phase” for largemouth bass. New cover in the form of trees, bushes and vegetation were flooded, and bass thrived.
At one point, Bushong’s reel came off the rod, and he struggled to wind in the fish without the leverage of the rod. But he got the big bass to the boat and encountered another problem. The net was too small for the bass. So Bushong reached down and grabbed the giant by its lip. Then he went around his hometown of Gainesville, Mo., playing show-and-tell. “I remember being scared of that fish,” Lana Bushong said. “I was just four at the time and when my dad got down on his knee and posed for a picture with me and that bass, it looked almost as long as me.” Marvin Bushong died in 1970 when he drowned after becoming entangled in a trotline on Bull Shoals. But his legacy lives on. “We don’t want people to forget what he accomplished,” Lana Bushong said. “Every once in a while, we’ll bring the mount of the bass to a tournament on the lake or have a little event. “We’re proud that dad is part of Missouri’s fishing history.”
Can the record be broken?
“When a reservoir is new, we see tremendous growth rates in our bass,” said Brian Canaday, chief of fisheries for the Missouri Department of Conservation. “That’s what we saw at Bull Shoals. There was a lot of big bass caught in the first 5 to 10 years of that reservoir’s existence.” Also, fishing pressure on Missouri’s reservoirs was nowhere near what it is today. The bass didn’t see as many lures.
It’s not like Bushong’s record hasn’t been threatened over the years. In 1985, Jay Koran of Rockdale, Ill., caught a 13-pound, 5-ounce bass during a tournament at Truman Lake. And in 1998, two fishermen found a 13-pound, 15-ounce bass floating dead in a northwest-Missouri farm pond. Because they didn’t catch the bass on sporting tackle, it wasn’t eligible for a state record.
Another factor playing a part in the longevity of Bushong’s record is that northern strain largemouths don’t get much bigger than the one he caught. While Florida strain bass that thrives in warm climates can grow to 15 pounds and occasionally bigger, their northern counterparts are limited by a shorter growing season.
Those incidents proved that bass of state-record proportions, though extremely rare, are out there. The best chances for catching a monstrous bass may be an older reservoir such as Lake of the Ozarks, Table Rock or Bull Shoals, or a farm pond, where bass live in a fairly protected world.
Even back in those days, though, it took skill and dedication to catch big bass. “Dad was out on the water almost every day,” said Lana Bushong, Marvin’s daughter. “It seems like he always caught big fish.”
“I’m quite confident that we’ll see the state record broken someday,” Canaday said. “Every once in a while, we’ll correspond with someone who sends us a picture of a huge bass they caught. They didn’t have that fish verified, so it didn’t qualify for a record. But it was very believable when they told us it weighed 11, 12 pounds on their hand-held scale. “Those bass are rare. But I think there are still some big ones out there.”
History replayed On that fateful day in 1961, Marvin Bushong motored to one of his favorite spots in the Pontiac arm of Bull Shoals. He began casting his favorite lure, a black Helldiver spinnerbait, to the shoreline cover.On only his second cast, the giant bass rose and engulfed the bait. The fight lasted only 12 minutes, but it was filled with challenges.
For more information on Missouri’s fishing state records, go to the website https://huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/fishing/ trophies-certificates/state-record-fish.
Brent Frazee MARCH - 2020
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Feature Story
Turkey Hunting – Old School
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CONSERVATION FEDERATION
Feature Story
L
ike a lot of you reading this, I grew up in a home filled with books and magazines covering the topics of hunting, fishing, and camping. My brother and I spent many hours in our formative years studying these instruction manuals to improve our woodcraft skills. One book that I remember, in particular, contained a photo of a man holding a large gobbler in one hand and a double-barreled black powder hand cannon in the other. He had a dark, smoky smudge around both of his eyes and a grin on his face that could only be removed by a visit from the IRS or his in-laws. I didn’t know anything at the time about hunting with black powder guns, but I knew I’d sign up for any activity that could make a feller smile like that. Well, it took me 30 years, but I finally got around to hunting with a traditional muzzleloader. I’ve been smiling ever since. As you start preparing yourself for Missouri’s turkey hunting opener, I’d like for you to consider leaving that modern shotgun at home and, instead, use a weapon your great-grandfather might have toted around; an honest-to-goodness black powder scattergun. The more limited range of this gun will force you to become a better hunter, and there’s nothing that will make you feel more connected to the rich hunting heritage of our state than using the same style firearm that Lewis and Clark packed for their expedition out west. I have been chasing gobblers with a flintlock smoothbore for almost ten years now and can honestly say that those years have been the most fun that I’ve ever had in the turkey woods. Now I know what you’re thinking, “Darren, turkey hunting is hard enough as it is. Why on earth would I want to make it more difficult?” Well, reader, it’s not that you would be making it more difficult. It’s just that you would be making it different. There are several misconceptions about using traditional black powder firearms that keep a lot of folks from ever trying them out. I’m going to try to dispel a couple of those here to give you a more realistic picture of what you would be experiencing.
That’s just foolishness if you ask me and indeed not necessary. I bet I don’t spend more than 15 minutes cleaning my fowler after patterning it at the range for a couple of hours. Using something as commonplace as an ammonia-based window cleaner, a few patches, a bore brush, and a cleaning jag, I can have the barrel ready for service in no time at all. And if you’re skeptical about what I’m telling you, then ask yourself this; do you think Simon Kenton and Daniel Boone took time each evening to take apart their rifles and meticulously clean the pieces? If they did, I’ve certainly never read about it, and these fellers were part of a generation where a working firearm meant the difference between life and death. And that brings me to the other reason that people shy away from hunting with traditional muzzleloaders, which is their perceived unreliability. Folks seem to think that these firearms are some finicky tool, like a gas-powered weed whacker, that must be treated with delicate care for them to work correctly. That has not been my experience but, again, let me put this in a historical perspective for you. The flintlock, as we know it, was invented in the early 1600s and remained the standard for firearms ignition for over 200 years until the percussion lock replaced it. During that time, a lot of bellies were filled, wars were fought, and at least one nation was born because this type of weapon could be counted on to work day in and day out. Now I will be the first to admit that I have times in the field with my flintlock where it didn’t go off when I needed it to. Belly crawling with one through the mud towards a longbeard will sometimes cause that. On the other hand, I vividly recall a Stevens 22/410 over-andunder our dad bought us boys for squirrel hunting that would snap on you about every 3rd shot. How I kept from wrapping that gun around a hickory tree and leaving it in the woods is a testament to my easy-going demeanor even as a child.
The #1 reason I hear for not wanting to shoot black powder guns is that they are just too hard to get clean. Like you, I’ve listened to the stories of people disassembling their rifles and soaking the parts in a bathtub to clean them.
MARCH - 2020
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Feature Story
Okay, so now that I’ve busted a couple of the myths against hunting with traditional muzzleloaders, now I will tell you the main reason for using one this turkey season – FUN! First off, you will have to gather up a whole new set of tools and accouterments to properly care for your new smokepole, and there’s not a hunter alive who doesn’t like to get more goodies. You’ll start learning some new skills which will also help you reconnect with our country’s past. And then there is all the powder you’ll get to burn working up the proper turkey load for your gun. Remember, you can’t just drop a shell in the breech of that thing and call it good. You will need to spend some time at the range to find the right combination of powder, shot, wads, etc. that packs the most punch at your effective range. And what should that range be? Well, I generally never shoot at a bird past 25 yards, but that’s regardless of what kind of firearm I’m carrying. I hunt in the woods 90% of the time, and having an open shot at a turkey past that distance in Missouri in the springtime is a rarity.
However, during the first week of the 2019 season, I killed a tom at 40 yards with Sweet Rachael, my 20 gauge flintlock smoothbore. I had no idea it was that far until I stepped it off. All I knew was that he was the second bird I had called in that morning, and he wasn’t walking away as the first one did. I pulled the trigger, and he dropped like a stone! Plus, I had the added excitement of having to wait until the smoke cloud dissipated to see what had happened. I’d put Sweet Rachael’s 25-yard pattern up against one from most any modern-day shotgun! Well, I’ve gone and worked myself into a lather just talking about turkey hunting, and I hope that some of my excitement has rubbed off on you as well. I also hope that I might have piqued your interest in hunting with a traditional muzzleloader. You’ll get the bragging rights of being the only kid on your block for doing such a thing, and the satisfaction of bringing home vittles just like your great-granddaddy did. That ear-to-ear grin you’ll sport is just icing on the cake! Darren Haverstick Darren poses with one of his turkeys that he took with his flintlock shotgun. (Photo: Courtesy of Darren Haverstick)
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MARCH - 2020
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Feature Story
Serendipity
I
sit on a river gravel bar letting the sun soak its warmth deep into my bones. It’s early March, and after a long, cold winter, it felt good. Birds were singing. Like me, they were tired of the cold and were celebrating with song. The sound of flowing water blended with their chorus.
I stack all the “holey” rocks I find in a pile. Some will be slipped on to a length of wire and hung in trees around the house to serve as weather rocks. When you want to know what the weather is, you just look outside at the rocks. If they are wet it’s raining, and if they are white it’s snowing, and if they are moving it’s very, very windy.
As my mind wanders, I poke around in rocks of all sizes and shapes that surround me. How long had they been there? Where had these rocks come from, and how did the holes get in some of them? What are those fossils of in some of them?
The rocks are dull shades of black, gray, tan, brown and white — some sparkle when the light hits them just right. Most are worn smooth from being tumbled through the water. The flat, smooth rocks are what I am looking for now. These are “skipping” rocks.
Did you know rocks are like clouds? If you look really close, you see things in them. This one looks like the state of Texas, this one like a heart. Here’s one that looks like Dolly Parton. Sometimes your mind sees crazy things when you sit alone on a gravel bar on an early spring day.
I stand, stretch, and position my feet just right, look out at the water, and with a sidearm motion, send the first “skipping” rock flying across the water. Six skips! Not bad, but I can do better. Four skips! That was a bad throw. My feet must have slipped. Eight skips! That’s better.
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CONSERVATION FEDERATION
Feature Story As I continue to try and beat my record, I think about how I taught my sons to skip rocks and they now teach their sons to be champion rock skippers. All kids need to learn how to skip rocks. I bend down to pick up another “skipping” rock and I see it. The sun is shining on it like a beacon guiding me to it. I kneel, lift it from the gravel and hold it gently in my hand like a precious jewel. “An arrowhead, I found an arrowhead!” I shout silently to myself. As I turn it in my hand, I think about the hands of the Native American who made it. How old was he? How long ago did he make it? What tribe was he from? Where did they live in this valley? What was it like back then? Was this used to take a rabbit or deer to help feed his family? This was a special moment. This was serendipity. According to Webster, serendipity means to find something you were not looking for. Now I would have never known that if not for a lady I know that is a big fan of Webster and knows the meaning of words I have never even heard of. The moment she said the word and gave me its purpose, I knew I had experienced serendipity several times in my life. The arrowhead was just another time I found something I was not looking for - serendipity. On another unusually mild winter day several years ago, I was riding my ATV down an old logging road when a squirrel ran across in front of me. I followed the path of the squirrel as he ran through the woods. My eyes stopped at the sight of something white sticking up through the brown leaves. I hit the brakes on the ATV and backed up. What is that? Probably a limb or just some kind of fungus, I thought. Usually, I would have just ridden on, but this day I walked toward the white shape to find out what it was. My heart skipped a beat when I saw it was the shed antler of an 8-point buck. As I held it enjoying its beauty, I thought about how unique the antlers of a whitetail buck are. Like fingerprints, no two are alike. Since then, I have learned where and how to look for shed antlers and have found many of them. However, I will always remember the first one and that day, I found something I wasn’t looking for – serendipity!
I also remember hiking in the woods one winter. Spring woods are filled with wildflowers and budding leaves. Fall woods offer a kaleidoscope of color, and summer woods are ticks and chiggers and snakes. Winter woods are quieter with the faint musky smell of decaying leaves. Trees and bushes are bare, which allows you to see things that might have gone unnoticed any other time. You might see icicles hanging off a rock bluff sparkling like diamonds in the sunlight, a bleached-out turtle shell, unusually shaped trees, animal tracks, or even the animal that made them. On this particular day, I suddenly realized I was walking along an old roadbed. Trees had grown up in its path, but if you looked hard enough, you could still see where others had gone many years ago. As I walked, I wondered who had used this road. Was it loggers, lead miners, soldiers, or people who lived here? I kept following the old road until it crossed a dry creek bed. There, lying half-buried in the gravel, was the metal rim of a wagon wheel. Here, at this place, a long time ago, they tried to cross this creek and the wagon wheel must have broken. In my mind’s eye, I could see it happening. The wood of the wheel had long returned to the earth, but the rusted metal rim remained to be found by me when I wasn’t looking for it – serendipity! One spring, I was hiking to a special little waterfall deep in the woods that I liked to explore to. I had been there many times, but this time I went a little different way than usual. As I followed the sounds of the water I came by a big flat rock, and sitting upright on the rock, was a soda pop bottle that dated back to the 1940s. Like me, someone else enjoyed coming to the little waterfall. The bottle they had been drinking from had remained where they had set it for over 60 years. I came along and found it even though I wasn’t looking for it – serendipity! I hope there are many more serendipity’s to come in my life and yours. Those special places, special people, special times and special things that come along when you are not looking for them – serendipity! Larry Whiteley Larry found this arrowhead when and wasn’t looking for it. (Photo: Courtesy of Larry Whiteley)
MARCH - 2020
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Feature Story
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CONSERVATION FEDERATION
Feature Story
Winter Walleye Tips and Techniques
T
able Rock Dam occasionally frustrates some anglers on Taneycomo Lake by releasing millions of gallons of ice-cold lake water. This controlled controlled deluge floods through Taneycomo, bouncing docks and covering up islands of rocks and small trees. Many find the current is difficult to fish when the big waters are released and avoid it. Professional guides on this unique stretch, noted as one of the world's most prolific trout lakes, take out clients in all conditions. Duane Doty, the owner of Ozark Trout Runners, is one of Taneycomo's fishing gurus and a top guide. He lives and breathes fishing on his favorite lake and serves returning clients annually. I joined Doty on a cold, mercifully windless morning when Table Rock Dam was releasing water from four chutes, causing high-water conditions on Taneycomo. Three generators were running at 9653-cubic feet per second (CFS) from five flood gates dumping another 5100-CFS for a total of 14,753-CFS or in terms most of us will understand, a lot of water-filled Taneycomo's banks. We had hopes of catching a big brown trout. Doty handed me a spinning rig with a unique looking plastic jerk bait to resemble shad. I took a long look at the lure that was crafted and painted by Doty. I was warned that brown trout might not be all we catch, walleye from the bottom of Table Rock Lake were possible. I never turn down walleye fillets. "The Missouri Department of Conservation doesn't stock walleye in Lake Taneycomo," Doty explained. "Walleye and other warm-water species come through the flood gates of Table Rock Dam. Bigger fish may not survive, but many pan-sized walleyes will.
The bite can be exciting after flood gates have been opened and shad are pouring through. A few walleyes hang up by the gate and provide a good bite. We've had a lot of flood gate activity this year and are seeing quite a few walleye as a result." My first three casts were practice runs developing my lure jerking action to match Doty's. The fourth cast produced a strike and pleasant surprise when the first walleye was netted. The slender fish fought well and measured long enough to enter our livewell. Minutes later, Doty set the hook on a bigger walleye that made several hard runs before being netted. His "eye" was about 3 ½ pounds with sharp teeth and a lot of fight left while flopping in the net. "This is what we're after," Doty said. "Keep the lure as close to the bank as possible and be ready for a strike on the pause. They hit hard and sometimes may hook themselves." Sadly, my next jolt was a quick hit and miss when a good-sized walleye bit and released my stick bait somehow. Those trebles were razor-sharp, and I almost hooked my finger on them several times while clearing tangled lines or hooks that occasionally connect while the lure is in flight, ruining the shad imitation's action. "Before the lure hits the water, reel a couple of times to take out slack," Doty suggested. "That will help you keep the trebles straight and they won't tangle as often." "January and February are exciting times to fish Taneycomo," Doty said. "We have a lot of threadfin shad die off and filter through the turbines of Table Rock Dam. During this period fish white lures and you might catch big trout, walleye or even bass." MARCH - 2020
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Feature Story The crowds are much less then, and on occasion you might have the entire lake to yourself. I may only have a couple guide trips a month and have a lot of time to go out and fish on my own. I am on the water every chance I get and constantly learn something new about catching Taneycomo fish."
Trolling: Trolling is an excellent winter technique if you go slow enough. I like to use the current for trolling or bumping baits, lures or jigs across the bottom. Try turning your boat sideways and cast out two or three lines. Make sure your baits, jigs or lures are weighted enough to stay on the bottom. Then watch each rod. Walleye often hook themselves because of this little motion.
Where to look for walleye: Winter walleye are structure-oriented and often hungry. Look for the angled bottom structure that eventually meets Try trolling floating Bombers and Smithwick Super a drop-off—precisely the structure we fished on Rogues in Fire Tiger and Chrome Black Back and Taneycomo. Look for rocky shelves or huge boulders, Chrome Blue Back color patterns. Remember to then drift across these areas with use plenty of weight about a minnows--or salted minnows foot from the lure to hold each January and February where live bait is not permitted. presentation on the bottom. Pay Walleye suspend in these areas in close attention while making are exciting times to fish search of baitfish. when trolling. Bites seem Taneycomo. We have a lot S-turns to come on the turn, no matter if of threadfin shad die off and it is on the inside or outside turn. You may constantly have to keep the motor running to stay on fish filter through the turbines of The Long "A," Rogue, or other in windy conditions. Wind will floaters will float up and trigger Table Rock Dam. During this bites due to this action. push you past the fish. Winter fish are often staged on slanted period fish white lures and areas and a few feet to the right Most of these lures run seven to you might catch big trout, or left can mean no strikes. The 10 feet, so they're pounding the walleye or even bass. The key is staying where the walleye bottom when House trolls. When prefers to be. Try 1/4-ounce jig crowds are less then and on he makes a turn, the lure rises heads in calm water and 3/8th in the critical three to four feet occasion you might have the strike zone. That little hesitation or heavier in wind and waves. Winter walleye require an occurs where the fish are sitting entire lake to yourself. adequate presentation. on top of the reef. This is an excellent method for catching larger walleye. Most winter walleyes suspend on the bottom. An occasional soft lift off the bottom can draw many Casting: Most cast for winter walleye. Try a much strikes. Sometimes hits come on the drop, making smaller jig or lure during the coldest weather. We line control extremely important. Other times hits have caught walleye while fishing for winter crappie may be soft; no more than a light twitch or the line with 1/80 or 1/100-ounce jigs tipped with euro larva might suddenly start moving sideways. or a commercial brand of crappie additive. Vertical Fishing: Start by moving to likely spots around rocks or weed beds and vertical fish. Minnows or nightcrawlers are dropped straight down and either suspended or brought up a reel turn every five minutes. The idea is to let that walleye study your bait.
Again, use a slow retrieve while making sure you keep each offering on the bottom. Twitch your rod tip on occasion. Sometimes this added move will draw strikes. The key is placing your bait in front of the walleye's face, a feat accomplished by patience and lots of time in uncomfortable weather conditions.
Try using bright gold or blood red hook for added attraction. Some add a tiny piece of Christmas tree tinsel for more shine. Some even glue glitter to their hook or bait. Keep in mind that walleye can detect strange odors, so use glue with the least smell.
Live Bait: Minnows, leeches and nightcrawlers are incredibly effective. Hook your leaches towards the end so they can wiggle and flop. Nightcrawlers are more effective with a shot of air with a hypodermic needle, so they float off the bottom better.
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Feature Story This is especially good in the thick bottom, making it easier for the walleye to locate them. Minnows, especially salted versions, can be hooked through the mouth, extending the hook through their backs. Lures: Most walleye scatter around the bottom, but occasionally these large predators will chase a school of minnows or small perch. Crankbaits can become extremely productive when walleye are chasing forage. Spoons are good too, especially Al's Gold Fish in gold or silver. Many northern fishers prefer Rapala or Rebel Deep Divers. The key is color and a tempting wiggle. Try to match what walleye are going after. For example, walleye chasing bluegill might like lures painted dark green, dark blue, or black with an orange belly. Fish chasing minnows might want silver or goldcolored imitation. You might do well with orange or pumpkin-colored lures where goldfish are present. I like darker colors in darker water and lighter colors in lighter water, especially for walleye. Another critical key to walleye fishing is the use of a fish or structure locator. Again, walleye are structureoriented fish. A device to read the bottom is essential to avoid unproductive fishing waters. Equipment: A depth finder is more than a little helpful, but not necessary depending on where you are fishing. You will find submerged rocks or weed bed lines with a depth finder. Without you have to guess about prime locations or suspended fish unless you are familiar with the lake bottom.
Try a medium-light tackle for winter walleye. A flexible rod with a four to six-pound test line is enough unless you are fishing in heavy current. Many prefer four because of personal experience. Fluorocarbon lines are known for their virtual invisibility when underwater. Winter is an excellent time to catch walleye. Try the slower winter method for a full stringer. January and February are excellent times to fish on Taneycomo with Doty. You can contact him on Facebook at Ozark Trout Runners, or call (417)-294-8672. Kenneth L. Kieser Duane Doty shows off a good walleye from Lake Taneycomo. (Photo: Kenneth L. Kieser) **Editors Note: The American Sportfishing Association recognized veteran outdoor writer Kenneth L. Kieser as both the overall Grand Prize winner and the recipient of the Reactivation/Non-endemic category award. His article titled "Fishing is a Calming Experience" ran in the June 15, 2019 edition of the Independence, Mo., newspaper, The Examiner. He, too, won awards in the Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers and The Missouri Outdoor Communicators Excellence in Craft Awards in 2019. Congratulations Kenny!
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Feature Story
The Aromatic and Edible Golden Currant
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pring blooms in Missouri are legendary. Woodlands and landscapes filled with pinkishpurple of redbuds and the glowing white of dogwoods. They accompany the spring scent of renewal and promise of new growth. As one looks forward to that first deep breath of spring air, there is another plant whose understated blooms and grand fragrance is worthy of our senses. Golden currant (Ribes odoratum), also known as clove currant or buffalo currant, is a shrub whose spring aroma cannot be ignored. Its tantalizing scent will envelop the surrounding area, daring anyone or anything nearby not to notice.
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The small, charming, yellow tubular flowers line the branches of both male and female plants. The pollinated female flowers produce clusters of dark currants in late summer. Both the flowers and the berries are edible, with the latter being a favorite for jellies, jams, pies, and other culinary delights. Native to the limestone bluffs along the Current and White Rivers in southern Missouri, its range extends across the U.S. from Minnesota to Texas. Golden currant enjoys rich, well-drained soils, but will tolerate clay or poor soil. It produces fruit best in full sun with some afternoon shade, but will also grow in part shade.
Feature Story Drought tolerant once established, Golden current prefers consistent moisture. To prevent mildew, avoid overhead watering. Shrubs will grow 6 to 12 ft in height and spread out 8 ft. The plant will sucker and form small colonies if the suckers are not removed. Older branches can be pruned in late winter or early spring to promote younger branches that produce more fruit. Golden current was used by Native Americans to treat snake bites. In the Oklahoma territory, a member of the Kiowa tribe named I-see-o enlisted at Fort Sill and became lifelong friends with Lieutenant Hugh Lenox Scott, who would go on to be General Scott, Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army. In the collection of communication between the two men, there is a letter about two plants sent to Scott in Washington, D.C. from Fort Sill. The accompanying letter says: “I-see-o hunted two days before he found them and then found them growing within a foot of each other. He could not find any on flower but the one has a bud on it. I suppose from appearance it is too early for them to flower at this time. I-see-o asked me to call your attention to the tops of the plants, their appearance is similar to snake bones from which similarity it was named he states… Kiowa name of the plant is Zane-na-dah or Snake Medicine.” Adding golden currant to your landscape will bring spring flowers with intoxicating fragrance and produce currants to be enjoyed in cooking or left on the plant for wildlife.
Here are some ways you can use golden currant in culinary creations:
Golden Currant Jelly - Mix 4 cups of juice (after boiling 3 quarts of currants extracting from a jelly bag, allowed to drip overnight) with 3 cups of sugar - Heat to boiling - Cook for 5 minutes - Can into sterile jars Golden Currant Jam - Save the pulp from the juice and mix with ¾ cup sugar - Cook until thick - Can into sterile jars Add to your Apple Pie - Use your favorite apple pie recipe with 2 cups of sliced apples and 2 cups of golden currants (stem and blossom end cut off) Golden Currant Chutney - Bring currants to a boil with water - Add sugar, ginger, cloves and simmer for 15 minutes - Add cornstartch to thicken - Can into sterile jars
Mary Nemececk President of Burroughs Audubon
The bright spring blooms of golden currant produce an pleasant aroma described as cloves or vanilla. (Photo: Mary Nemecek)
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Feature Story
Prairie and Native Grassland Reconstructions
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n recent years, populations of grassland dependent wildlife species have declined significantly and rapidly. From grassland birds that depend on prairies and native grasslands to provide valuable nesting habitat or places to rest and refuel during migrations, to the scores of pollinators that are found exclusively in diverse prairie ecosystems, all have suffered as a result of habitat loss and fragmentation.
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While recreating the biologically diverse intricacies of original, unplowed prairie is not possible, many aspects of the ecological and environmental function of prairies can be reconstructed. Prairie plantings can benefit not only many grassland invertebrates and other animals, but also improve the water-holding capacity of the land, which protects streams; improve soil health, and increase the carbon storage capacity in soil.
Feature Story For all of these reasons, it is imperative that public and private landowners convert as much disturbed land currently in non-native vegetation to prairie reconstructions, or plantings, providing that it is suitable for a grassland landscape. This article covers the steps necessary to complete a prairie reconstruction/restoration: site selection and preparation; monitoring for invasive species; seed sourcing, collection, purchase, and planting; and short- and long-term maintenance of the planted site.
Site Preparation and Planning Site Preparation and Reconstruction Planning Missouri was once home to more than 15 million acres of prairie over much of northern, central, and western Missouri, with savanna, open woodlands, and glades intergrading with prairie in these regions and with forests in the Ozarks. Assuming you have a site that falls within the range of historic native grassland, it is likely suitable for prairie plants. You can begin with site preparation. Most reconstructions begin in dealing with some sort of non-native vegetation. Often a sod of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) and other scattered invasive species such as sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata) or Johnson grass (Sorghum halapense) is the first battle to overcome. Reconstructing a former crop field that has several years of cropping history is usually the easiest and often the most successful reconstruction. If you have a site converted from prairie or woodland and plowed in the past, vegetated completely with nonnative vegetation such as one or more of the abovementioned species, one option is to put it into a cropping rotation for a few years. By cropping with herbicide-ready soybeans, for example, the crop can be sprayed, killing weed seeds and priming the area for seeding with natives. If cropping is not desired, or simply not an option, herbicide treatment of existing vegetation is necessary. Glyphosate treatment in the fall and spring for two successive years will eradicate most of the fescue on a site.
Without a dominant species like tall fescue present, other invasive species will emerge after the absence of competition. Some of these invasives include sweet clover (Melilotus officinalis - albus), nonnative thistles, red clover (Trifolium pretense), invasive vetch species, as well as fescue, Johnson grass, and sericea lespedeza. Early to mid-summer treatments with a triclopyr-based herbicide, in addition to the glyphosate treatments, will help eradicate most broadleaf invasives on a reconstruction site.
Seed Some critical factors in seed selection include deciding how diverse your mix will be, how much seed is needed, and seed provenance or sourcing. Local seed—for example, collected from original prairies within perhaps 50 miles of your site—is usually considered a best management practice, but can sometimes be hard to come by, and even the term “local” is debatable given various site locations. It is optimal to plant the most diverse mix possible in reconstructions. A diverse reconstruction will be the most resistant to invasion from exotic plants, will more closely resemble diverse prairie remnants, and will provide the best habitat for the highest number of wildlife species. As a general rule, approximately five pounds of forbs (native wildflowers and legumes) and two pounds of native grasses in a mix are adequate for a reconstruction. Various seeding rate studies have shown that over time lighter seeding rates are just as successful as heavy rates. How light a seeding rate can be to be still effective is not known, but the above rates provide a good starting point for a reconstruction. When choosing grasses for a seed mix, some species might be excluded, like indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans) and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) until the forbs and less aggressive native grasses have established. Greatly reducing the rates of these grasses in a mix will also help reduce their aggressive nature initially in a reconstruction. If the site is planned to be under a grazing regime, a higher rate of native grasses would be appropriate.
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Feature Story It is essential to avoid cultivated varieties (cultivars) of grass species as they have been selected for their aggressive nature primarily for the agricultural industry. There are other tools to help calculate seeding rates like the NRCS seed calculator and a couple others that calculate seeds per square foot instead of pounds per acre. Seed calculators that measure seeds per square foot have the advantage of accurately accounting for the variability of seeds per pound across all species. This helps eliminate over planting of certain species while fine-tuning a seed mix.
Planting Once preparation is complete and a seed mix has been chosen, it is time to plant. Keep in mind that this process takes anywhere from two to five years or longer. Since many native plant seeds require some sort of scarification—or penetration through a hard seed coat—to germinate, it is best to let nature do the work.
Depending on what field conditions are like in the reconstruction area, it might be necessary to burn, harrow, or lightly disk the area to be planted. Bare soil or mostly bare ground is essential for good seed to soil contact and subsequent plant germination. There are a few ways to plant native seed. A preferred method is to broadcast the seed across the site simply. For this, either a Vicon brand pendulum seeder or fertilizer cart can be used. A Vicon seeder is a broadcast seeder that has an arm on the back that flings seed back and forth.
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If using a fertilizer cart, local agriculture-supply dealers can mix the seed with potash or lime. Spread the contents of the cart over the reconstruction site. For both of these methods, set the spreader at half the rate and go over the area twice, like this: spread seed in an east/west direction, and then make a second pass going north/south.
Prairie and grassland reconstructions and restorations can be time consuming and sometimes expensive. They are also very rewarding and are an investment in your local community, the wildlife species that use them and your land.
For adequate scarification, many freeze-thaw cycles are necessary after planting and before the growing season. It is best to plant in the dormant season, from late November through February. Just before or after a snow is desirable, but earlier is usually better.
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An agitator inside the hopper keeps the seed from clogging the opening. Normal ATV-style broadcast seeders can work but are not ideal. Usually, a carrier is necessary to thin out a seed mix; rice hulls and distillers grain are often used with the Vicon seeder.
It is always better to set seeding rates on the light side to avoid running out of seed before you have covered all the intended acreage. Spreading in both directions allows for complete coverage and yields the best results.
Another seeding option is to use a drill. One intended for native seed planting is necessary, as the seed can clog standard agricultural drills. If you are using a native seed mix, drills can be a little bit harder to calibrate. Setting the rate on the light side and adjusting as you go will be necessary. It is important to adjust the planting depth of the drill according to the soil conditions on a given site. Uneven or rough terrain can also have an impact on planting depth. If forb seeds are planted too deep, many of them will not germinate. Ideally, the seed will be planted in the top 1/4 inch of soil. One thing that can be done to ensure that seed is not planted too deep is to disconnect the feed tubes from the bottom of the drill. This allows the seed to feed out onto the ground instead of being fed into the ground through the drill coulters.
Feature Story In the second year, a mid-season mowing should be all that is needed. Late June or early July will likely be the target date for a mowing. More native plants should be noticeable in the second growing season. It often takes five or more growing seasons for some of the more conservative prairie plants to express themselves in a planting. After year two, the planting will pretty much be self-sufficient. Sometimes after the second year, and definitely after the third growing season, it is time for a burn. If mowing has created a lot of thatch after the first or second growing season, it is a good idea to conduct a prescribed burn. This creates an environment where young plants can successfully get established. Occasional burning (every 2 to 3 years) is ideal after that, but haying or mowing can suffice in areas where burning is not an option. During the maintenance phase, it is essential to stay on top of invasive species. Many of the invasive plants that were targeted during preparation can still be problematic after planting and for years to come.
Maintenance Mowing is necessary in the first two growing seasons to reduce competition from weeds, allowing these young plants to get plenty of sunlight. In year one, after planting, mowing will need to be performed two or more times. A good rule is mowing every time the vegetation is over 12 to 15 inches tall, and mow it back to about 6 inches. Usually a mowing in early June and early July is sufficient. Adjusting mowing dates depending on rainfall can be expected. During this time period, few native plants will express themselves and the field will mostly be full of weedy plant species.
Prairie and grassland reconstructions/restorations can be time consuming and sometimes expensive. They are also very rewarding and are an investment in your local community, the wildlife species that use them and your land. This article is adapted from a longer version originally published in the Missouri Prairie Journal, Volume 39, Fall/Winter 2018. For more information visit www.moprairie.org/ and click on, What We Do. Jerod Huebner Director of Prairie Management Missouri Prairie Foundation Mowing a first year planting. (Photo: Jerod Huebner) A Vicon seeder, with seed ready to be spread, at a prepared reconstruction site at MPF’s Carver Prairie in late winter 2018. (Photo: Jerod Huebner)
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