CONSERVATION FEDERATION
The Voice for Missouri Outdoors SEPTEMBER 2018 - VOL 79 | NO. 5
BE THE DIFFERENCE FOR CONSERVATION
JOIN CFM TODAY
NOW IS YOUR CHANCE to join the organization that unites thousands of Missourians with the goal of preserving the state’s immense natural resources. Your actions now will create a better future for generations to come. Visit www.confedmo.org/join to become a member of CFM today.
President’s Message
CFM's Dedicated to Missouri Outdoors
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begin this message with a sad heart to share the news that CFM Board Member Michael Huffman and his wife, Rochelle Renken, unexpectedly passed away while experiencing the backpacking trip of a lifetime in Alaska near Sanford Glacier. Our thoughts and prayers are with them and their families. Just as Michael was, I know without a doubt that Conservation Federation members are committed to our mission: To ensure the conservation of Missouri’s wildlife and natural resources and the preservation of our state’s outdoor heritage through advocacy, education, and partnerships. CFM is an organization unique to Missouri – important because no other organization does exactly what we do to protect our irreplaceable natural resources. State agencies do some but can’t do what CFM does. We provide testimony at legislative hearings. We provide the public, agencies, and organizations with resolutions for the legislature that express the vision of Missouri’s natural resources community. We work with affiliates like Audubon Society of Missouri, National Wild Turkey Federation, Ducks Unlimited, Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives, Missouri Trappers Association, Show-me Chapter of the Soil and Water Society, Capital City Fly Fishers, and 90 other organizations aligned with our mission. CFM also inspires our next generation of conservationists through the Conservation Leadership Corps, educating and mentoring college and high school students in what it will take to conserve Missouri’s natural resources for the future.
Share the Harvest is also a program that has blossomed with help from CFM. Last year 278,000 pounds of venison were distributed to Missouri’s food pantries. Since its inception in 1992, Share the Harvest has raised more than four-million dollars from numerous businesses, organizations, and agencies, all with the goal of sharing nature’s bounty with those in need. Special events hosted by CFM include, among others, our annual Pull for Conservation Sporting Clays Classics. These event takes place in Boonville and St. Joseph. I invite everyone to join in the festivities. Visit our website at confedmo. org for more information. Our revenue is derived from memberships. We have individual, affiliate and corporate members. Business Alliances with companies such as Bass Pro Shop, CZ-USA, Shelter Insurance, and many others. A critical source of income are your membership dues! Small though they may seem, your dues go 100 percent to supporting CFM’s mission. We are a nonprofit organization made up of mostly volunteers and a small staff. When you pay your membership renewal in a timely fashion, it helps our staff accomplish our mission. Please help us protect that which cannot be returned when it is gone: Missouri’s precious natural resources. We thank you and so will your children and grandchildren.
Yours in Conservation, Gary Van De Velde President, CFM
SEPTEMBER - 2018
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CONTENTS
Conservation Federation September 2018 - V79 No. 5
Features
OFFICERS
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54
34
30
Missouri River Relief Selects New Executive Director
32
Federation Destination
34
Missouri Elk Herd Brings Tourism to Eastern Ozarks
46
Freedom Found on the Current River
48
Bowhunting Opportunities Have Never Been Better
50
Missouri's Next Record Trout
54
Teal: A September Treat
56
50 Years of Wild and Scenic Rivers
58
A Beginner's Guide to Inshore Fishing
Departments 3 8 11
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President's Message Director's Message Member News New Members Gear Guide Weston Recipe Affiliate Spotlight Agency News
CONSERVATION FEDERATION
Gary Van De Velde
President
Mossie Schallon
1st Vice President
Richard Mendenhall
2nd Vice President
Ginny Wallace
Secretary
Randy Washburn
Treasurer
STAFF Brandon Butler
Executive Director & Editor
Micaela Haymaker
Director of Operations
Michelle Gabelsberger
Membership Development Coordinator
Jennifer Sampsell
Education & Outreach Coordinator
Tyler Schwartze
Events Manager
Joan VanderFeltz
Administrative Assistant
Emma Kessinger
Creative Director
ABOUT THE MAGAZINE
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.
Highlights 18 21 22 52 53 60
CFM Calendar of Events CLC Stream Clean-up Mike Huffman & Rochelle Renken Remembered Tigers and Tulips NWF Meeting Recap Conservation Bank
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: MHaymaker@confedmo.org | 573-634-2322
FRONT COVER An Elk in Southeastern Missouri Credit: Brandon Butler
Business Alliance
Thank you to all of our Business Alliance members. Platinum
Gold Alps OutdoorZ Bushnell Custom Metal Products Diamond Pet Foods Doolittle Trailer Enbridge, Inc. FCS Financial
G3 Boats Kansas City Zoo Martin Metal MidwayUSA Pure Air Natives Redneck Blinds Riley Chevrolet
Roeslein Alternative Energy, LLC RTP Outdoors United Country Real Estate US Sun Solar Weston
Learfield Communication, Inc. Lilley’s Landing Resort & Marina Logboat Brewing Missouri Wildflowers Nursery Mitico
Moneta Group National Feather-Craft Co. Simmons SportDOG Brand Starline, Inc.
HMI Fireplace Shop Hodgdon Powder Company, Inc. Inn at Grand Glaize Missouri Wine & Grape Board NE Electric Power Co-ops
NW Electric Power Cooperative, Inc. Orscheln Sierra Bullets Walter Knoll Florist
Farmer’s Co-op Elevator Association Gascosage Electric Cooperative General Printing Service GREDELL Engineering Resources, Inc. Greenbrier Wetland Services Hulett Heating & Air Conditioning J&B Outdoors Kansas City Parks and Recreation Kleinschmidt’s Western Store Meramec Bison Farm, LLC
Missouri Native Seed Association Nick's Family Restaurant Ozark Bait and Tackle Platte-Clay Electric Cooperative, Inc. REMAX Boone Realty Shade Tree Service, Inc. Tabor Plastics Company Truman’s Bar & Grill United Electric Cooperative, Inc. White River Valley Electric Cooperative
Silver Advantage Metals Recycling Forrest Keeling Nursery G&W Meat & Bavarian Style Sausage Co. Holladay Distillery Jaguar Land Rover St. Louis
Bronze Association of Missouri Electric Coop. Black Widow Custom Bows, Inc. Burgers’ Smokehouse Drury Hotels Gray Manufacturing Company, Inc.
Iron Bass Pro Shops (Independence) Blue Ridge Bank and Trust Blue Springs Park and Recreation Bob McCosh Chevrolet Buick GMC Boone Electric Co-op Brockmeier Financial Services Brown Printing Cap America Central Bank Dickerson Park Zoo
Your business can benefit by supporting conservation. Contact Mike Capps at 573-634-2322 or MCapps@confedmo.org. SEPTEMBER - 2018
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Business Spotlight
Bushnell Supports Missouri's Outdoors
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ushnell, located in Overland Park, Kansas, has been an industry leader in designing and marketing high-performance sport optics since 1948. Their guiding principle has been to provide the highest quality, most reliable and affordable optics products on the market for all categories and activities. Bushnell optics provide clarity in any condition, because they have been engineered to maximize contrast and resolution in low light, fog, rain and any other challenging environment. “Our product testing goes beyond typical industry standards,” said Matt Rice, Optics Brand Manager. “We are building our own designs in-house now and this gives us greater control over the process from start to finish. We want to be sure that our testing duplicates the conditions that a customer might encounter in the field and that our products hold up during extreme use.
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CONSERVATION FEDERATION
“We want them to be confident that when they choose a Bushnell product they are getting the results of our best efforts,” Rice continued. Bushnell has a long history in the marketplace and we might be remembered as your Dad’s or Grandfather’s favorite brand, but there is truly a lot to be excited about now here at Bushnell.” In addition to exciting new product introductions such as the Forge, Nitro and Prime lines, Bushnell continues to grow their ambassador team that includes some of the biggest names in the hunting and shooting communities. Michael Waddell and the Bone Collectors, country star Craig Morgan, professional shooters like KC Eusebio, Jim Scoutten, Jesse Harrison and Maggie Reese are taking world class bucks and winning championships using Bushnell products.
Business Spotlight Bushnell recently developed the EXO Barrier coating process, which molecularly bonds to the lens surfaces of their optics to repel water, oil, fog, dust and debris. The EXO Barrier coating will not fade with the passage of time or normal wear and tear. The new Prime, Nitro, Forge, AR Optics, Tac Optics and Elite Tactical lines all feature EXO Barrier coating. Bushnell optics also use fully multi-coated ED Prime glass with PC3 coatings and BaK-4 prisms for greater light transmission, color contrast and crisp resolution. Constantly exploring emerging technologies that pair leading-edge design with performance, Bushnell has innovated in a number of product categories in addition to sport optics, that enhance the enjoyment of every outdoor pursuit. Trail cameras, laser range- finders for hunting, shooting and golf and telescopes for viewing the night sky help make for a great outdoor experience. Bushnell introduced laser rangefinder technology for both the golf and hunting markets and continues to bring new innovations into the field with features such as Vivid Display Technology, ARC Angle/Range Compensation and Clear Shot, which allows bow hunters to customize the laser range finder to their bow’s trajectory. Bushnell laser range finders are consistently the fastest and most accurate on the market. The Bushnell trail camera line has continued to grow with a host of great programmable features and the addition of wireless offerings that allow users to access their photos remotely to minimize disturbance in their hunting areas, as well as for use in home security. Bushnell trail cameras feature the longest battery life on the market and some of the fastest trigger times so users don’t miss any of the action. From spectator sports, golf, concerts, nature study, camping, hunting, shooting, fishing and birding to stargazing, Bushnell continues to work hard to provide consumers with the latest in cutting edge technology and quality products that help bring the world outside. “We’re proud to be a Business Alliance partner with the Conservation Federation of Missouri,” said Matt Rice, Optics Brand Manager. “The hard work they do to promote the wise use of Missouri’s natural resources fits in perfectly with our goals here at Bushnell to provide people with an enjoyable outdoor experience.”
BUSHNELL PRODUCTS Bushnell Trophy Cam HD Aggressor Wireless Take your scouting to the next level with Bushnell's Trophy Cam HD Aggressor 20MP Trail Camera. Lightning-fast 0.2-second trigger speed captures high-quality, 20MP images as well as five- to 60-second 1080p HD videos of quick-moving wildlife – ensuring you don't miss a moment of the action.
Prime Binoculars
The Prime 10x42 Binoculars provide a lightweight, durable, and waterproof construction that will weather anything. Even when immersed in three feet of water for up to 30 minutes. The BAK4 phase coated prisms, and fully multi-coated optics ensure excellent low light performance and clarity when it matters most.
This 5x20mm configuration can range targets out to 1,300 yards. It’s accuracy you can trust, from the industry leader in laser rangefinder technology. Bushnell’s newest and best protective lens coating molecularly bonds to the glass, repelling water, oil, dust, debris and preventing scratches.
Prime Rangefinder
Prime Riflescope
A timeless, versatile configuration known and beloved by generations of hunters. Features the Multi-X reticle, which offers a classic sight picture.
SEPTEMBER - 2018
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Director’s Message
Missouri Supreme Court Rules All Deer are Wildlife
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t took five years and millions of dollars to settle an argument that should have never happened. But the buck has stopped at the Missouri Supreme Court, who on July 3 unanimously ruled that all deer are wildlife.
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CONSERVATION FEDERATION
How did we get to a point where such an argument had to be made? The “Captive Cervid Industry” has found ways to pervert our American heritage of hunting by confining wild animals and genetically altering them to grow unnaturally large antlers in fenced-enclosures where a paying customer can pick out the one they want and shoot it.
Director’s Message In the background section of the Missouri Supreme Court ruling, they explain the industry, “generally engages in two types of commercial activities: the selective breeding of cervids for large antlers and other desirable genetic traits, and the operation of private hunting preserves at which hunters pay to hunt and take trophy bucks.” Across the country, and here in Missouri, the captive cervid industry has launched an aggressive campaign against being regulated by state wildlife agencies. They have been successful in other states, using political favor under the guise of private property rights, to ultimately eliminate wildlife regulations. Missouri is different. Our forefathers had the foresight to understand it would take non-political, bipartisan scientific decision making to not only restore our once nearly extirpated wildlife, but to ensure those species survive and thrive for generations of Missourians yet to come. Article IV Section 40(a) of the Missouri Constitution grants the Conservation Commission, “control, management, restoration, conservation and regulation of the bird, fish, game, forestry and all wildlife resources of the state.” The Supreme Court ruled this includes all deer, no matter if they are in the wild or behind a fence. During the 2014 state legislative regular session, a bill was passed that would have classified captive cervids as livestock, thus transferring their control from the Department of Conservation to the Department of Agriculture. Former Governor Jay Nixon vetoed the bill. In the veto-session, after losing in the Senate, one vote in the House of Representatives kept the veto from being overturned. After having lost at the legislative level, in order to continue their fight against regulations put in place by the Department of Conservation for the purpose of slowing Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) and protecting our state’s herd of approximately 1.3 million wild whitetails, that a University of Missouri report indicates represent a $1.1 billion-dollar annual contribution to our state’s economy, the industry turned to the judicial system.
White-tailed deer doe and fawn with spots. (Photo: Nappadol Paothong)
Their biggest complaint being against an importation ban, similar to what nearly half the states in our country already have in place. They initially won their case in circuit court, only to have the judgement reversed and settled by the supreme court with a unanimous verdict that included the language, “cervids are members of species that are wild by nature and, therefore, are wildlife.” The industry argued their privatized cervids are, “not game or wildlife resources of the state.” They also claimed the regulations infringed upon their right to farm under article I, section 35 of the Missouri Constitution. The supreme court did not agree, stating, “The Court rejects these readings. The terms “game” and “wildlife” are plain and unambiguous as used in article IV, section 40(a), which is concerned with the preservation and conservation of the state’s forestry and wildlife resources. In this context, the term “wildlife” plainly includes all species that are wild by nature.” In regard to the right to farm claim, the supreme court offered, “The claim that article I, section 35, protects Respondents from regulations promulgated under the authority granted to the Commission under article IV, section 40(a), fails at the threshold. Article I, section 35, added to our constitution in 2014 by Missouri voters, guarantees ‘the right of farmers and ranchers to engage in farming and ranching practices.’ Respondents failed to show they are “engage[d] in farming and ranching practices” and, therefore, cannot invoke this guarantee.” So, there are two main problems with captive deer. The first issue is simply one of ethics and ideals. With whitetail deer populations at or above target goals in most of the country, why does someone want to shoot a penned deer? Steven Rinella, who is a leading voice among sportsmenconservationists, explained to me the captive cervid view of noted conservationist Jim Pozewitz. According to Rinella, Pozewitz’s theory is when you hunt penned up deer and sell that experience, what you’re selling is the idea of the wild one. Deer have come to represent wildness. They have come to represent a cultural and economic commitment we’ve had to their well-being. They have come to represent challenge. They have come to represent struggle. And so when you hang a penned deer on your wall, you’re hanging up a representation of all these ideals.
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Director's Message That’s what they’re selling to individuals that just want the representation and to harness the meaning and show it to other individuals. They want others to think they value those things, when they know secretly that they don’t really value it enough to try and achieve it in a legitimate way. They’re just going to buy it. Rinella also put it in his own words, “It’s all part of this facade. You never walk into a guy’s house and he’s got what’s obviously a penned-up deer on the wall, and the guy’s like, ‘Oh yeah, I shot that inside a pen,’ ever. Ever. And I’ve seen a pile of them in a pile of houses, and not one guy. The fence is never in the picture. The fence is never in the story. So, if you are so ashamed of it, and so bashful about it, why are you engaged in it? Just pull out. Stop doing something that embarrasses you so bad. When I’m doing something, and I feel embarrassed about it, and guilty about it, and I want to hide it, I generally try ad go the other direction. I just don’t get it. I don’t get why it’s called hunting.” With CWD now becoming a front-and-center issue across the country, we are starting to see political action arise to curb it’s spread. At the Federal level, Wisconsin Congressman Ron Kind filed House Resolution 4454 – Chronic Wasting Disease Management Act. It currently has eight co-sponsors. Yet, there are still the conspiracy theorist out there claiming CWD is no big deal or even that it’s not real. Dr. Grant Woods, who is a leading deer biologist in the country based here in Missouri, said, “It is not debatable. CWD is a disease. No deer has been known to survive it.” Chronic Wasting Disease has unfortunately spread in Missouri. After first being discovered in captive facilities in Linn and Macon counties in 2010 and 2011, CWD has now been discovered in 11 counties across the state. It’s in our wild herd and now our hope is to slow it’s spread. The hope of eradication is all but gone.
When looking for a summary on the issue, as is the case with most topics of conservation, one only needs to look to the words of Theodore Roosevelt, who said,
" "Defenders of the short-sighted men who in their greed and selfishness will, if permitted, rob our country of half its charm by their reckless extermination of all useful and beautiful wild things sometimes seek to champion them by saying 'the game belongs to the people.' So it does; and not merely to the people now alive, but to the unborn people. The 'greatest good for the greatest number' applies to the number within the womb of time, compared to which those now alive form but an insignificant fraction. Our duty to the whole, including the unborn generations, bids us restrain an unprincipled presentday minority from wasting the heritage of these unborn generations. The movement for the conservation of wildlife and the larger movement for the conservation of all our natural resources are essentially democratic in spirit, purpose, and method."
"
Yours in Conservation, Brandon Butler Executive Director, CFM
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CONSERVATION FEDERATION
Member News
Why I Became a Life Member of CFM: Mossie Schallon
M
y favorite outdoor activity may not be hunting, fishing, hiking, birding, etc., but the pleasure I get from a brisk walk in the early mornings and later evenings motivates me to get out there no matter the weather. Becoming a life member several years ago was quite an honor for me, since I have so much respect for our organization, and what we stand for. CFM’s 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 - is the real deal! When it comes to conservation, I am happy to “pay it forward” whenever I can and a life membership made sense for me. The $1000 commitment (which was added to an endowment supporting the administration of the organization via strict guidelines) was a real bargain.
I am “paid up” reaping the benefits of a dedicated staff, passionate volunteer officers, executive committee and board who are all catalysts for engaging our Missouri citizens in conserving our much-envied natural resources and insuring that the strong conservation heritage is passed on from generation to generation. There are never enough members, volunteers and money to do it all but we are certainly making a dent and for that I am very grateful. Mossie Schallon CFM First Vice President
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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Member News
Gear Guide Honda WX10 Water Pump This Honda Water Pump, powered by a durable Honda GX mini 4-stroke commercial engine, is perfect for homeowners, gardeners, boat owners and will quickly pump out a pit blind. It is lightweight, compact and easy to use. Easily portable at only 14 lbs. Comes with everything you need to get started, including a Garden hose adaptor, suction hose, clamps, and strainer. Just hook up a garden hose, and you're ready to pump. The WX10's discharge port can be changed to 3 different positions, providing added flexibility. www.powerequipment.honda.com
Primos Rut Roar The Rut Roar is Primos’ loudest most accurate grunt call. This is the louder version of the Buck Roar with a redesigned the housing. Primos changed the angles of the call so that it cast the sound down when calling from treestands. The all rubber construction allows you to manipulate the call to be blown full volume (the Roar) or with much lighter tending grunts without having to adjust the reed. The larger chamber size increases volume and range of the challenge wheeze. www.primos.com
Tink's #69 Doe-In-Rut Synthetic Mist Crafted to mimic the luring capability of natural #69 Doe-In-Rut, this synthetic lure will heat up your hunt this season. Tink’s Synthetic #69 Doe-In-Rut attracts bucks with the natural smell of a doe in peak estrous. It is best used during the pre-rut and rut. Tink’s Hot Shot Mist utilizes Bag-in-Can technology that enables the entire product to be dispensed - no waste. It even sprays upside down. www.tinks.com
Redneck Blinds Soft Side 360° Ghillie Deluxe 6x6 Blind – (Business Alliance) With its spacious 6-foot by 6-foot interior, there’s plenty of room for up to three adults or two adults and two children to hunt comfortably—whether that’s with a bow, gun or crossbow. The Soft Side 360° Ghillie Deluxe 6X6 Blind sports a heavy-duty double-stitched 600 denier flame-retardant Ghille cover, and the double-zipper design allows the windows to be opened to any configuration for maximum visibility while maintaining the highest level of concealment. The Ghille cover easily blends in with a variety of backgrounds without having to brush in. www.redneckblinds.com
Diamond Naturals – (Business Alliance) Made with the highest quality ingredients, Diamond Naturals provides complete, holistic nutrition for every pet. With dry and canned food options for both dogs and cats as well as a full line of dog treats, whatever your pet’s nutritional needs, Diamond Naturals has a formula to match. Real meat, vegetables and fruits provide optimized nutrition and an authentic taste pets love without the need for artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. www.diamondpet.com
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Member News
Smoked Salad Directions: 1. Use a vacuum sealer to marinate the asparagus. Place asparagus into a quart vacuum bag. Sprinkle in the Jerky Seasoning, then seal the bag. Place into the refrigerator and allow to marinate 4-6 hours. 2. Soak your woodchips for 30 minutes. Preheat your Smoker to 200ºF. Just before you're ready to smoke it, place the head of lettuce into a gallon vacuum sealer bag. Pour in 1/2 cup water. Vacuum seal so that the water gets sucked into the lettuce, but do not crush the lettuce. Remove the lettuce from the bag immediately - it's ready for the smoker. Ingredients: • 1 small bunch asparagus • 1 tablespoon dry jerky seasonings work) • 1 head romaine lettuce • 6 slices crisp bacon • 1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles • 1/8 cup olive oil • 1 tablespoon balsamic glaze or balsamic vinegar
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3. Fill the wood chip box. Place the lettuce head and asparagus into the smoker and smoke for 20 minutes. 4. Remove the lettuce and asparagus from the smoker and allow to cool. You may want to chill them in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. Chop the lettuce & asparagus, crumble in the bacon, toss in the blue cheese, and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic glaze. Enjoy!
Affiliate Spotlight
Missouri State Camper's Association
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he Missouri State Campers Association is 50 years old, and was incorporated in Missouri on January 16, 1968. MSCA is an affiliate-chartered association of National Campers and Hikers Association dba Family Campers and RVers and is a not for profit 501(c) organization. MSCA purposes are to educate the public in different phases of outdoor living and to further interests in camping and hiking facilities in order to enhance the social, cultural, recreational lives of the people of Missouri, the United States, and Canada. MSCA’s objectives include: • To recommend improvements in camping and hiking and the facilities where the need exists, to bring these recommendations before the proper state or national agencies and follow-up until action has been taken. • To cooperate with other organizations which are working towards the conservation of our natural resources. • To encourage the organization of and banding together of local chapters of NCHA/FCRV in order to achieve uniformity of effort. • To encourage non-affiliated members of NCHA/FCRV to join local camping chapters.
MSCA and its members have been an affiliate of CFM for many years, strong advocates in protecting our natural resources, and promoters for the sales tax for conservation. Our members participate in The Missouri State Camper's environmental efforts Association. (Photo: Courtesy of including river and park Missouri State Campers Association) cleanups, building and placing birdhouses in parks, planting trees, and numerous other efforts. Through our Lee C. Fine Memorial Scholarship Fund administered through the University of Missouri-Columbia, annual scholarships are awarded to students pursuing careers in parks and outdoor recreation. We invite you to enjoy Camping and RVing the Better Way with Missouri State Campers Association. For more information and contacts, visit our website mofcrv.org or fcrvmsca.shutterfly.com
Affiliate Organizations Anglers of Missouri Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives Audubon Society of Missouri Bass Slammer Tackle Big Game Hunters Boone's Lick Chapter Missouri Master Naturalist Burroughs Audubon Society of Greater Kansas City Capital City Fly Fishers Chesterfield Citizens Committee for the Environment Conservation Foundation of Missouri Charitable Trust Deer Creek Sportsman Club Festus-Crystal City Conservation Club Forest and Woodland Association of Missouri Forest Releaf of Missouri Friends of Rock Bridge Memorial State Park Garden Club of St. Louis Gateway Chapter Trout Unlimited Greenbelt Land Trust of Mid-Missouri Greenway Network, Inc. Katy Land Trust L-A-D Foundation Mid-Missouri Outdoor Dream Mid-Missouri Trout Unlimited Midwest Diving Council Mississippi Valley Duck Hunters Association Missouri Association of Meat Processors Missouri Atlatl Association Missouri BASS Federation Nation Missouri Bird Conservation Initiative Missouri Bow Hunters Association Missouri Caves & Karst Conservancy
Missouri Chapter of the American Fisheries Society Missouri Chapter of the Wildlife Society Missouri Coalition for the Environment Missouri Community Forestry Council Missouri Conservation Agents Association Missouri Conservation Pioneers Missouri Consulting Foresters Association Missouri Ducks Unlimited- State Council Missouri Forest Products Association Missouri Grouse Chapter of QUWF Missouri Hunter Education Instructor's Association Missouri Hunters for Fair Chase Missouri Hunting Heritage Federation Missouri National Wild Turkey Federation Missouri Native Seed Association Missouri Outdoor Communicators Missouri Park & Recreation Association Missouri Parks Association Missouri Prairie Foundation Missouri River Bird Observatory Missouri River Relief Missouri Smallmouth Alliance Missouri Society of American Foresters Missouri Soil & Water Conservation Society-Show-Me Chapter Missouri Sport Shooting Association Missouri State Campers Association Missouri State Chapter of the Quality Deer Management Missouri State University Bull Shoals Field Station Missouri Taxidermist Association
Missouri Trappers Association Missouri Trout Fishermen's Association Missouri Whitetails Unlimited MU Wildlife & Fisheries Science Graduate Student Organization Northside Conservation Federation Open Space Council of the St. Louis Region Ozark Fly Fishers, Inc. Ozark Wilderness Waterways Club Ozarks Smallmouth Alliance 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 Southwest Missouri Fly Fishers Springfield Plateau Chapter Missouri Master Naturalist St. Louis Audubon Society Student Air Rifle Program Tipton Farmers & Sportsman's Club Tri-Lakes Fly Fishers Troutbusters of Missouri United Bow Hunters of Missouri Walnut Council & Other Fine Hardwoods Wecomo Sportsman's Club Wild Bird Rehabilitation Wild Elk Institute of Missouri
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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
WELCOME NEW CFM MEMBERS Patrick Aney, Kansas City Peter Becker, Independence Sean Benett, Springfield David Bolinger, Warsaw Michael Bowers, Republic Jasper Bowers, Republic Jate Bowers, Republic Ryan Bratcher, Kansas City Rachelle Brown, Ava Charles Browne, Saint Charles Bill Bryan, Marshfield Misty Bryan, Marshfield Cristina Bustamanle, Springfield Dale Campbell, Oronogo MaryAnn Campbell, Oronogo Randy Campbell, Overland Park, KS Mike Capps, Eolia Dale Carpentier, Rolla Chelsie Chambers, Columbia Daniel Collins, Springfield Steve Craig, Nixa Eric Dannenmaier, Saint Louis Sarah Davis, Springfield Jeff Deters, Springfield Josh Dinkins, Columbia Blair Dinkins, Columbia Alicia Doerge, Mexico Nathan Dorff, Springfield Kayla Dorff, Springfield Duane Doty, Walnut Shade Mona Doty, Walnut Shade Susan Duckworth, Springfield Elsa Dulle, Marshall Michael Eaton, Springfield Ryan Eberly, Kansas City Brenton Eichelberger, Columbia William Ersery, Lenexa KS Robert & Charlotte Evans, Saint Charles Cory Fels, Liberty Mary Ellen Ferrell, Fenton
Joel Fink, Reeds Spring Tammy Fink, Branson West Janet Furneaux, Springfield Dan Gassel, Overland Park KS Kathy Gates, Fairway KS Renee Greenshields, Salem Jennifer Greminger, Farmington Jim & Gale Hansen, Lenexa KS Bridget Harmon, Springfield Ken Harmon, Springfield David Harris, Holts Summit Lacie Hart, Springfield Lee Hart, Springfield Kelsey Hauserman, Shawnee KS Payden Hays, Lee's Summit Nick Heberle, Kansas City PaulHeddings, Kansas City Amy Hendrix, Ashland Tyler Hessler, Columbia Gloria Higgins, Ash Grove Kaylen Hill, Miller Tyler Hill, Miller Dennis Hite, Ozark Ashley Hollis, Columbia Eric Inman, Kansas City Joe Jerek, Jefferson City Todd Jeremy, Vienna Courtney Jeremy, Vienna Mike Johns, Holts Summit Cal Jones, Weaubleau Mckenzie Joplin, Springfield Toni Kardon, Columbia Steve Karius, Camdenton Samantha Keyston, Springfield Kunso Kim, Overland Park KS Rebecca Knipp, Columbia Sarah Ladd, Columbia Samie LaForce, Kansas City Janet Land, Jefferson City Mary Lee, Smithville Geneva Lenox, Marshfield
In Memory In memory of LeRoy Heman Dan & Patricia Dickneite In memory of Mike Huffman & Rochelle Renken Dan Zekor
Thomas Ley, Springfield Savannah Light, Columbia Lu Lockwood, Jefferson City Kevin Maeger, Springfield Katy Martin, Huntsville Dana Maugans, Springfield Curt McDaniel, Rutherford TN Lance McKinney, Bolivar Tom & Josh McPherson, Kansas City Kelly Moeller, Bonnots Mill Erica Moore, Columbia Sean Moore, Columbia Maria Morgan, Columbia Wayne Morton, Osceola Brad Moxley, Nixa Mandy Neill, Columbia Ashley Newell, Springfield David Newland, Springfield Donna Newland, Springfield David Nichols, Lee's Summit Lacey Nix, Springfield Jeremey Orf, Clever Justin Orf, Nixa Jess & Lucas Pace, Independence Shalynne Parrigon, Springfield Tron Peterson, Webb City Amy Peterson, Liberty Nick Pfannenstiel, Willard Rendi Pfannenstiel, Willard Stacia Pieroni, Lee's Summit Joey Powell, Springfield Mark Powell, Springfield JoAnn Pritchard, Ozark Jason Pritchard, Ozark Lynn Ragsdale, Webb City Aaron Rankin, Saint Louis Billie Reid, Springfield Rob Reintjes, Leawood, KS Daniel Reynolds, Wentzville Matt Riggs, Kansas City
Mike Robbins, Marionville Joyce Robbins, Marionville Sheila Samek, Bolivar John Samek, Bolivar David Shanholtzer, Nixa Melissa Shanholtzer, Nixa Amy Short, Nixa Kendal Smith, Bolivar Sandy Smith, Bolivar Jennifer Smith, Owensville Karen Smith, Fletcher Leonard Smith, Hillsboro Aaron Solori, Springfield Kyle Steele, Rolla John Stegemann, Columbia Greg & Alyson Stewart, Kansas City Matt Stinson, Rogersville Chandra Stinson, Rogersville Bruce Stumpe, Jefferson City Darla Stumpe, Jefferson City Charles Thomas, Buffalo Mike Thomas, Columbia Jazmin Thorsen, Branson Joey Thorsen, Branson Tanis Tucker, Nixa Scott Tucker, Nixa Mary Tuton, Everton Kelli Wadlington, Rogersville Dan Wadlington, Springfield Tony Weldele, Branson Melanie, Weldele, Branson Devin Wetzel, Kansas City Bob Williams, Jefferson City Jeanette Wilson, Springfield James Wycoff, Springfield Jenna Wycoff, Springfield
CFM would like to thank the 248 members that renewed since our last publication.
In memory of Sanford Duvall Watson Jeff & Lori Basecke Rosemary McMasters Don & Dayla Rosebrough & Family Mike & Sherry Roberts & Eric Trudy Twitty Kenneth & Treva Gray H. Bradley Stokes Cynthia Gray Pendleton Family Foundation C/o Community Foundation of the Ozarks Steve Fadler
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2018 EVENTS CFM Media Camp - February 4-7
4th Annual CFM Media Camp at Lilley’s Landing with over 20 outdoor communicators in attendance.
CFM Annual Convention - March 9-11
CFM Annual Convention at the Capitol Plaza Hotel in Jefferson City.
Conservation Day at the Capitol - March 27
Join CFM and over 30 affiliate organizations at the Capitol for a day of promoting and supporting CFM.
Pull for Conservation: Northwest - April 14
CFM teams up with NW Electric Power Cooperative to host the third annual sporting clays shoot in Hamilton.
Explore the Outdoors: Kansas City - May 31
Join CFM at Boulevard Brewery for a fun evening of excitement and entertainment.
Explore the Outdoors: Springfield - June 21
Tour the Wonders of Wildlife Museum and learn more about conservation in Missouri.
Explore the Outdoors: Columbia - July 12
Join CFM at the Bass Pro Shops store in Columbia store for fun and outdoor activities.
Pull for Conservation: Central - August 11
The 12th annual sporting clay shoot returns to River Hills Sporting Clays in Boonville.
Explore the Outdoors: St. Louis - September 6
Come see old friends and make new ones at Schlafly’s Brewery in St. Louis.
Affiliate Summit - September 13 & 14
Join us at the Lake of the Ozarks as we gather all our affiliates together.
Pint Nights; October - December Various pint nights throughout the fall.
Member News
Explore the Outdoors Series Well Underway
M
ake plans to join CFM for the Explore the Outdoors: St. Louis event at the Schlafly Brewery on Thursday, September 6. The event will take place in Schlafly’s Tap Room located downtown at 2100 Locust. The evening will feature keynote speaker, former St. Louis Rams linebacker Will Witherspoon. The 2007 Rams team MVP will talk about his transition from 12-year NFL career to current farmer and conservationist. Brewery tours will take place and the musical duo Augusta Bottoms will perform. Live and Silent auctions and raffles will also be taking place throughout the evening. All registrations will include a meal, drinks, and a one-year membership to CFM. Sponsorship tables for 12 people are $850, and single tickets are $75. Registration can be found online: http://www. confedmo.org/st-louis/ Explore the Outdoors: Kansas City - The first stop in series was Kansas City at Boulevard Brewing Company on Thursday, May 31. The evening started off with a several gun raffle games and a silent auction being on display. Brandon Butler opened the evening introducing this years keynote speaker, legendary conservationist Anita Gorman. Anita ignited the crowd talking about the history of conservation not only in Kansas City area, but across Missouri. Matt Miles was on hand signing books and donated the proceeds to CFM. A wonderful dinner was catered by local favorite, Oklahoma Joes BBQ. The evening concluded with the gun raffle winners being drawn and closing out the silent auction. Thanks to all the were in attendance this year at this fun event. Explore the Outdoors: Springfield - The next event was held on Thursday, June 21 at the John A. and Genny Morris Conservation Building, next to Bass Pro Shops. The evening started with a tour of the Wildlife Galleries side of the WOW Museum and was followed by a social. Matt Miles was again on hand signing books and donated proceeds to CFM. A packed live auction was before a delicious catered dinner. Executive Director Brandon Butler was the keynote speaker talking about the many benefits of CFM. The evening concluded with the kayak and gun raffle winners being selected, and closing out the silent auction. We appreciate all that attended the Springfield event, and hope to see you next year.
Attendees of Explore the Outdoors: Columbia enjoy fishing on the Bass Pro Shops lake. (Photo: Emma Kessinger)
Explore the Outdoors Columbia - This event took place on Thursday, July 12 at Bass Pro Shops. The evening started with fun activities for all ages to enjoy, which included pontoon rides, kayaking, air rifle, archery, fishing, fly fishing and yard games. A kayak and gun raffle took place as well as a silent auction. Executive Director Brandon Butler opened the evening and then a live auction was held before a fabulous BBQ meal by Word of Mouth Catering. Logboat Brewing Co. donated beer for the event, and house wines were served. The event concluded with the gun and kayak winners being drawn and closing out the silent auction. Thanks to all the attendees, and we hope that we can continue growing this event. A special thank you goes out to all the committee members, sponsors and attendees that continue to make the Explore the Outdoors series a growing success. Your generous support allows CFM to continue to live out our worthwhile mission. We'll see you at Explore the Outdoors: St. Louis on September 6. Tyler Schwartze CFM Events Manager SEPTEMBER - 2018
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&YQMPS F UIF 0VUEPPST 45 -06*4 Register today for the St. Louis Regional Event Thursday, ��������r � �01� ��30 - ��30 p.m. Th� ��h�a��y Ta� ���� ���� ���us� ��r��t ��� ��u�s� �� Join the Conservation Federation of Missouri and enjoy a great evening of fun and entertainment at the Schlafly Tap �oom in the heart of St. Louis. The event includes a reception, tours, live and silent auctions, dinner, and keynote presentation by �ill �itherspoon, former linebacker and team MVP for the St. Louis �ams.
www.confedmo.org/st-louis For questions or sponsorship opportunities, contact Tyler Schwartze at tschwartze@confedmo.org
Member News
CLC Helps With Stream Team Clean-up Float
T
he Conservation Leadership Corps (CLC) recently just completed their third stream team clean up float and it was a huge success. Twenty students, alumni and staff camped at Bennett Spring State Park and then floated 6.5 miles on the Niangua River from Bennett Spring to Barclay Conservation Area. It is a great opportunity for the students to interact and have fun while learning the value of volunteering by cleaning up the stream. “Even though we were picking up trash, it was a great time with a lot of other people passionate about nature,” said CLC Vice-President Jessica Filla. “I just wish more people would participate in clean ups to keep the river cleaner.” This trip we collected two tires, a couch cushion, a porta potty door, metal siding, shoes, sunglasses, and clothes. But most of all, we collected empty cans and bottles. That part was very frustrating. Don’t get me wrong. I want people to take time to get outdoors and spend time in nature. Have fun with friends and family. Fish, camp, tube, kayak, canoe or swim. I appreciate that people enjoy the water, all it has to offer, and are able to get away and relax. The water does have a way of washing away our troubles.
CLC students at the stream team clean up float. (Photo: CFM)
I challenge you to take out what you take in. Or go above and beyond and take out more. If you see it, pick it up. Enjoy the beauty of being on the water and leave it beautiful for everyone else. We are fortunate to have streams that are clean enough to swim and float on. So next time you go near the water, or anywhere outdoors, remember to at least leave with what you took in. Let’s all do our part and keep our waterways looking beautiful and ready for everyone to enjoy. If you feel led to volunteer, get involved with, or start a stream team, and help keep Missouri’s streams clean. Learn more about how you can get involved at mostreamteam.org.
I also love to spend time on the water. Just the sight of the water relaxes me and the sound of the water has been enough to lull me to sleep. It is sometime just what I need to escape the everyday hectic life. I just wish people would “leave no trace.”
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Member News
Conservation Community Mourns the Loss of Mike Huffman and Rochelle Renken
M
issouri's conservation community lost two giants in late June. Mike Huffman and Rochelle Renken passed away in remote Alaska while in the midst of a grand adventure hiking through the backcountry of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. Mike began his 28-year career with the Missouri Department of Conservation in 1985 as a resource forester assistant in Clinton. He passed on his love and respect for nature to his three sons through camping, canoeing the waterways of the Ozarks, and hiking the Rockies of Colorado. Mike also served as the leader of their Boy Scout troop and led trips with them to the Florida Keys, Philmont and the Canadian Boundary Waters. "Mike was such a huge component of the Conservation Federation of Missouri. He had recently joined the Executive Committee, chaired our Forestry Resource Committee and was incredibly involved with our youth conservation programs. He was a man I often leaned on for his wisdom and advice, and always found him willing to share and help build up our Federation in the most positive way. I will miss him greatly, but he will come to mind often when I think of the kindness in his heart, the knowledge in his mind and the adventure in his soul," said Brandon Butler, CFM executive director. CLC president Brooke Widmar said, "Mike was extremely active in CLC and constantly engaging with the students. Whether he was prepping us for a professional networking event or cutting open persimmon seeds at the park to forecast the winter weather, we all learned a great deal from him. I feel lucky that I got to work alongside Mike and be mentored by him for so many years, and I know the entire student group shares that sentiment." Rochelle was devoted to conservation and to the Missouri Department of Conservation, retiring this past February after 28 years as a research scientist and division chief. Ro's wildlife work took her across North America.
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Mike Huffman and Rochelle Renken were emjoiying a trip of a lifetime. (Photo courtesy of Mike's Facebook)
On Alaska's Arctic coast, she recorded yellow-billed loon behaviors while wrapped in a sleeping bag and hidden by a blind for hours on end, and she captured tundra swans using a Zodiac and a large dipnet. "Rochelle was a fantastic scientist, mentor and leader in our Resource Science Division and throughout the department. She represented MDC in our partnership with University of Missouri, including serving on search committees for MU staff. Both she and Mike were MDC family members and their loss leaves a big hole. They will be sorely missed but their contributions to conservation in Missouri and beyond will continue to be celebrated and have an impact for generations to come," said Sara Parker Pauley, Director of the Missouri Department of Conservation. A celebration of life was held on August 3, 2018 at Stoney Creek Inn in Columbia. Many wishing to join with family and friends to celebrate the lives of Mike and Rochelle gathered together to offer prayers, tributes, remembrances, readings, and story-telling.
Member News
Lee's Summit Facebook Group Organizes to Clean Local Lake
S
croll through your social media home feed these days and you’re likely to see many “doom and gloom” posts about politics and everyday events. For some reason, it’s just hard to find positive news whether it’s on social media or even in the local paper. Over the weekend of July 21st, a Lee’s Summit Facebook group community of avid anglers banded together and created a much needed reprieve from the negativity. In late February 2018, the Facebook group called “Lee’s Summit Area Fishing” was originally created to bring attention to local fishing opportunities in the area. The group started with the goal of providing updated fishing reports on a daily basis. “You just couldn’t find much up-to-date, accurate info about the lakes here locally,” Payden Hays, co-founder of the group, said. “We wanted to create something that would bring people together and also help us all catch a few more fish without having to travel so far from Lee’s Summit.” To Hays’ surprise, the group took off quickly and within a few months has already reached over 1,300 members. As membership grew, many posts came in each day about fishing, but also about the unfortunate amount of litter at local fishing areas like Longview Lake, Lake Jacomo, James A. Reed Conservation Area and more. Kevin Cox, a member of the Lee’s Summit Area Fishing Facebook group, mentioned that even his seven-year-old daughter recognized the trash issue around Longview when he took her out there to fish from the bank. “She was upset about all the trash around the dam at Longview,” he said. “I thought it was adorable. She knows better than to litter like that and she's seven.” When a seven-year-old notices the sad amount of trash present, it’s evident something must be done to combat the problem. Members of the Lee's Summit Area Fishing Group clean up a lake. (Photo: Courtesy of Tyler Mahoney)
Luckily, some group members knew about an organization called MO Stream Team, a non-profit partly funded by the CFM, which helps manage various teams of people across Missouri waters with activities like trash pick-ups, water quality monitoring, tree planting, and much more. After contacting MO Stream Team, the Lee’s Summit Area Fishing group was able to set up their very own team - the LSAF Stream Team. After some organizing, the group was ready for their first event, a trash pick up at Longview Lake on July 21st. Just under 20 members met at the Longview Marina parking lot ready to start cleaning up the area. They focused their efforts around heavily fished areas like the marina, the dam, and the lake’s spillway. In just over two hours, the team members had picked up 42 bags of trash that filled an entire trailer. It’s nice that Missouri Stream Teams supplies the bags and other supplies for these clean-ups. In total, the weight of the trash bags was estimated to be over several hundred pounds. While it isn’t a permanent fix, the group is confident their ongoing efforts will make a positive difference while simultaneously raising awareness. With all the negative posts on social media, the Lee’s Summit Area Fishing Facebook group was happy to bring a positive news story to the local community, and plans on many more to come. Tyler Mahoney SEPTEMBER - 2018
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SEPTEMBER - 2018
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Feature Story
Missouri River Relief Selects New Executive Director
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issouri River Relief’s new executive director is a storyteller, one deeply attuned to nature’s narratives and making sure that people notice them.
Schnarr started as a volunteer, then was hired as Lower Reach manager, coordinating clean-ups and educational events between Kansas City and St. Louis. Most recently, he’s been the organization’s program manager.
“The natural world is a story that repeats itself every year, and it also never repeats itself,” Steve Schnarr said. “Every day there’s a unique thing going on. I like figuring out what the story of the day is.”
Schnarr grew up near St. Louis. He spent his childhood escaping to nature on campgrounds and canoe float trips. After earning a bachelor’s degree in English, he pursued employment outdoors — as a national park ranger, an organic farmer, a carpenter and a plant specialist.
Schnarr, 45, takes the place of longtime director Jeff Barrow, who started directing the organization part-time in 2009 and full-time in 2011. The transition will occur Aug. 1. River Relief works hard to keep our rivers clean. (Photo courtesy of River Relief)
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CONSERVATION FEDERATION
During that time, he merged his love for words with his love for plants in a weekly gardening column, “Dirty Fingernails.” By 1998, he’d moved to Columbia, and by 2004, he’d discovered Missouri River Relief.
Feature Story Missouri River Relief is a nonprofit devoted to the care and keeping of the Missouri River. Since 2001, the organization has connected locals with the river through education and hands-on activities, including more than 160 clean-ups, according to the organization’s website. Schnarr's approach is gentle and educational. He uses the river to teach people about the interdependent world and about how to care for one another. "Over 40 percent of the people in Missouri get their drinking water from the Missouri River, and the quality of that water absolutely depends on every decision made by people that live upstream," Schnarr said. One of the mantras at Missouri River Relief is "we all live downstream." It's a notion based in part on a variation of the Golden Rule: "Do unto those downstream as you would want those upstream to do unto you." "Everything that you do in your community is going to affect the water nearby, and that affects the people who live downstream," Schnarr said. "And we're affected by the people who live upstream." Until now, Schnarr has served in various capacities within Missouri River Relief. He started as a volunteer, then was hired as Lower Reach manager, coordinating clean-ups and educational events between Kansas City and St. Louis. Most recently, he's been the organization's program manager. Despite his changing roles, he stays thankful for the people who connected him with Missouri River Relief in the first place, and who give of themselves to keep the organization afloat. "I consider myself lucky to work with the best volunteers around," he said. Schnarr intends to carry forward Barrow's emphasis on care for the river and on education, and he said an ongoing challenge will be to secure funding. Finally, he hopes to more widely communicate how people affect the river, and how the river affects them. "It's just there flowing every day whether we look at it or not," Schnarr said. "And it's when you tap into it, the lessons start flowing." Alexis Allison
MISSOURI RIVER RELIEF
ABOUT Missouri River Relief is a community, volunteer and equipment-based not-for-profit organization dedicated to connecting people to the Missouri River through hands-on river cleanups, education events and stewardship activities. The organization emerged organically from a group of people in mid-Missouri who simultaneously recognized the need for engaged stewardship of the Missouri River and the desire of citizens to take part in watershed solutions. Inspired by a video of Chad Pregracke’s Living Lands and Waters barge cleanup crew, this group of Missouri River lovers put together a coalition of public, private and citizen stewards that brought the barge up the river, holding the first massive Missouri River cleanup at Easley, MO, in 2001.
ACHIEVEMENTS Since that time, the organization has grown each year. To date, MRR has hosted 168 Missouri River clean-ups, bringing 25,537 volunteers to clean 906 tons of trash from 1,200 miles of the river. We have participated in and hosted clean-ups in eight states, from the Mississippi River to Yankton, S.D. In addition, the organization promoted local river education through countless outreach projects, aiming to build public awareness, action and support for a healthy river.
For more information on Missouri River Relief, visit www.riverrelief.org.
*Editor's Note: This article first appeared in The Columbia Missourian. It is repreinted here with permission. SEPTEMBER - 2018
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Federation Destinations
Columbia, Missouri: A Natural College Town
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olumbia, Missouri is a special outdoor destination. Fishing might not be as popular as Mizzou Tiger football in this fun and lively college town, but endless outdoor opportunities surround Columbia. This is a destination nature lovers should visit. When you combine incredible dining and nightlife experiences, with a vibrant arts scene and all the excitement of Southeastern Conference (SEC) college athletics, it’s easy to understand why Columbia is routinely voted one of the best places to live and work in the United States. The following five outdoor destinations provide places to fish, hunt, hike, camp, paddle, bird watch and more, and these are just a few of the many special places to enjoy the outdoors in and around Columbia. Katy Trail State Park: Katy Trail State Park is the longest developed rail-trail in the country. It’s built on the former corridor of the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad (MKT or Katy), is 240 miles long and runs right through Columbia. Katy Trail State Park attracts people of all ages and interests. Whether you are a bicyclist, walker, equestrian, nature lover or history buff, the trail offers opportunities for recreation, a place to enjoy nature and an avenue to discover the past. Stephens Lake Park: Stephens Lake Park is the center for outdoor sports in Columbia. As far as city parks go, Stephens Lake Park is pretty special. At 116-acres, it’s perfect for any time of the year. In summer, the lake is great for swimming or fishing, and Spraygrounds water area is fun for the whole family. During the winter, sled down the sledding hill or ice skate and ice fish on the lake.
Columbia, Missouri is a vibrant college town surrounded by incredible natural resources. (Photo: Kyle Spradley)
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Rock Bridge Memorial State Park: Just minutes from Columbia, Rock Bridge Memorial State Park gives visitors the chance to scramble, hike and bicycle through a scenic environment, and lets them peek into Missouri’s underworld. The park contains some of the most popular hiking trails in the state and also offers solitude while hiking in the Gans Creek Wild Area. Visitors can also see a large cave system with its rock bridge, sinkholes, a spring and underground stream at the Devil's Icebox. You can explore Connor's Cave for a taste of the underground world. Mark Twain National Forest: Just a few miles outside of Columbia, one can experience true wilderness in the Mark Twain National Forest. The Cedar Creek area of the forest has a wide range of popular recreation opportunities. Pine Ridge Recreation Area is located in a pine forest and provides a campground and picnic area while serving as a trailhead to the 36-mile Cedar Creek Trail. Four picnic sites and eight campsites are provided. Dry Fork Recreation Area has eight primitive campsites that can accommodate RVs up to 30 feet in length, each with a table, fire ring, and lantern post. Finger Lakes State Park: The roar of ATVs and offroad motorcycles combines with the peacefulness of rolling hills at Finger Lakes State Park, one of two ATV parks in the state parks system. Built in a former coal mining area, Finger Lakes’ trails and motocross track are popular with users who come for the day, but often fall under the spell of the spacious campground, leafy trees and hilly terrain. The park is also the site of the challenging 2.75-mile Kelley Branch Mountain Bike Trail and a 4.5-mile water trail. For all the information you need to plan your perfect Columbia getaway, visit www.visitcolumbiamo.com.
Federation Destinations
Make Plans to Visit These Incredible Outdoor Destinations Looking for your next family vacation, quiet fishing trip, thrilling hunting experience or outdoor adventure? We encourage you to consider one of the following destinations.
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Interested in promoting your business or destination? Contact the CFM office at 573-634-2322 to learn more about our Federation Destinations. SEPTEMBER - 2018
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Feature Story
Missouri Elk Herd
Brings Tourism to Eastern Ozarks
S
even years after the first group of 34 elk were brought from Eastern Kentucky to the Peck Ranch Conservation Area in Southeast Missouri, the excitement hasn’t waned for the locals who depend on tourism for their livelihood and those who travel to the region for a chance to see the animals. Indeed, enthusiasm continues to grow. “We’re seeing more people all the time,” said MDC biologist Preston Mabry, who oversees the Peck Ranch property. “I’ve had a lot of people tell me they want to camp and see the elk.”
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In fact, visitors from as far away as New Jersey have been noted since the elk restoration program began at Peck Ranch. Today, the herd is estimated at around 180 animals, and with the establishment of two auto tours by the Missouri Department of Conservation, visitors have easy access to see the elk in their Ozarks home. About 14 miles of roads have been designated as an elk auto tour on Peck Ranch, while another 11 miles make up the auto tour on the nearby Current River Conservation Area.
Feature Story Other areas inside the 346-square-mile restoration zone also can harbor elk, including along the Current River in the Ozark National Scenic Riverways. “A lot of the bulls spend their summer on the Current River Conservation Area,” said MDC Elk Program Coordinator David Hasenbeck, “and we have a lot using the Logyard Landing area along the river this year.” The best time to go see the elk, of course, is any time you can, but the summer and fall months are the most productive. “Right now is a good time to see numbers of elk,” Hasenbeck said. “For sheer numbers and visibility, the summer months are hard to beat.” As mid-September approaches, the bachelor groups of bulls, which spent their summer north of Peck Ranch, start returning to the area. That also coincides with the onset of the rut and the time when the bulls’ high-pitched bugling begins echoing through the Ozark hills. “The best chance to see and hear numbers of bulls at Peck Ranch is in the fall,” added Mabry, who noted the peak of bugling occurs in the first half of October but can continue into early December. Timing is everything when it comes to seeing the elk, and for the best chance to see them, Mabry noted, you should strive to be there during “early daylight or almost at dark.” At other times, the elk tend to bed in the larger timber for the day to avoid the heat, making them hard to find. “Sightings may be more reliable during the evenings during the summer,” Hasenbeck added. Don’t expect to have the auto tour to yourself, especially in the evenings, as traffic can sometimes be a bit heavy, Hasenbeck noted. “We continue to see heavy visitation any time of year, and many times there can be a couple dozen cars on the auto tour route.” With that said, he recommends you take precautions to avoid spooking the elk and to give others the chance to see them.
“If you see an elk grazing, position yourself at a distance,” Hasenbeck cautioned. “If you get too close, they may start walking back toward the timber.” Mabry said it’s also important for visitors to stay in their vehicle to avoid spooking the animals, and with a quiet, slow approach in a vehicle, it is quite possible to get within 40 yards of a feeding herd, easily close enough for good viewing and photographs. Binoculars, a map and a camera are must-have items for any visitor to bring, Hasenbeck said, especially since you may see other wildlife, including deer and turkeys, plus a myriad of wildflowers during your visit. Both conservation areas are open year-round during daylight hours, except when managed hunts are scheduled or high water from rain runoff closes roads. To check the status of either area, call the Twin Pines Conservation Education Center in Winona at 573325-1381. If you plan to spend the night, check out lodging options in nearby Eminence, Ellington or Van Buren. “Come down and enjoy the area,” Hasenbeck suggests to those who’ve never visited the region. “It’s the only place in the state you can see wild elk.” Paul Davis (Photos courtesy of Paul Davis)
SEPTEMBER - 2018
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Agency News
MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION MDC, MODOT, Missouri Prairie Foundation Collaborate on Invasive Species Strike Team
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he Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT), and the Missouri Prairie Foundation (MPF) have partnered to work with contractors to eliminate invasive plants along roadways from the top of Ste. Genevieve County, all the way to the southern border of Missouri. According to Nate Muenks, MDC’s habitat management coordinator, 723 miles of roadways will be spot treated for invasive plants, in a phased approach. “MDC is thrilled to partner with MoDOT, MPF and the contractors to take this proactive approach against the threat of invasive plants,” Muenks said. “When invasive plants are left to thrive, they choke out native plants. The reduction in native plants can destroy valuable habitat and is very hard on our wildlife populations.” Of the 723 miles of highway that will be spot treated for invasive plants, 165 miles are along Interstate 55. The other 558 miles are along roadways connecting to the Interstate, all near or in Conservation Opportunity Areas (COA). COAs are geographical areas where broad conservation goals are best met. MDC, with the help of conservation partners, identifies COAs throughout the state where investments in the prioritized areas can increase the likelihood of long-term success, maximize effectiveness over large landscapes, improve funding efficiency and promote cooperative efforts with other agencies for benefits that cross property lines. Muenks said MDC, MoDOT, MPF and the contractors all see the value in working together to combat the prolific spread of invasive plants. “Our roadways are a major traveling corridor, for not only public transportation but also in the spread of invasive weeds,” said Mark Aufdenberg, a MoDOT roadside manager. “It’s surprising how invasive seeds are spread through vehicle movement, so if we can treat our roadways and stop them before they go onto other properties and conservation areas, that’s a good thing.” A truck spot treating for invasive plants. (Photo: Courtesy of MDC)
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Aufdenberg said the contractors will not broadcast spray herbicides across the entire roadsides, but will instead spot-spray, targeting only the invasive plants. “This targeted, specific approach will protect the good plants, while targeting the bad,” he said. MPF agrees that the state’s roadways provide connectivity across the state, and not just for people. The MPF is a private, nonprofit, conservation organization with a mission to protect and restore prairies and other native grasslands, some of the most biologically diverse habitats in the state. “We’re very concerned with the control of invasive species on the property we own and we’re very pleased to work in partnership with MDC, MoDOT and the other entities involved in this project,” said Carol Davit, MPF’s executive director. “Invasive plants pose real environmental and economic threats to our state, and collaboration is key in this fight.” Davit said the project is also important because the work is happening in highly trafficked areas. “Because this work is very visible along the roadways, we hope to inspire Missourians, and travelers in general, to be vigilant and take action against invasive plants on their own property as well,” Davit said. Muenks said MDC can help private landowners who want to eliminate invasive plants and improve wildlife habitat on their land. More information for landowners is available at www.mdc.mo.gov/property.
Agency News
Sarcoxie Middle School Eighth Grader Takes Top Honors at NASP All Star Championship
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oNASP student archer Ally Nordell, an eighth grader from Sarcoxie Middle School, and MoNASP student archer Donald Holupka, a sophomore from Hillsboro High School, were a part of the USA team that competed and won gold at the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) All-Star Team Championship in Alberta, Canada July 9-11. These two Missouri student archers participated through the Missouri National Archery in the Schools Program (MoNASP), which is coordinated through the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) in partnership with numerous schools and supporting organizations throughout the state. The USA archery team dominated the All-Star Championship tournament by taking gold in both the bullseye and 3D competitions. All-Star teams are comprised of top 16 NASP student archers from each country. There were four countries that took part in this All-Star Championship Tournament: USA, Canada, South Africa, and Namibia. “We are so proud of Ally and Donald for helping to bring home a gold medal for the USA All-Star team,”MDC MoNASP Coordinator Eric Edwards said. “To have two out of the 16 top archers in the USA come from Missouri is a testament as to how strong our school archery program is in the Show Me State!” Sarcoxie Middle Schooler Ally Nordell was the overall female champion at the All-Star event. Nordell placed first in the bullseye competition and third in the 3D Challenge making her the overall female champion. “With Ally coming off her amazing national championship as the high overall female, it shouldn’t be a surprise that she did so well at this international competition. However, when you factor in the environment she had to compete in against four country’s all-stars, she showed up big time,” Edwards said. “To shoot the scores of 294, 296, and 297 on the international stage as an eighth grader shows she has the potential to become a multiple time champion before her NASP career is over.”
Eighth grader Ally Nordell from Sarcoxie Middle School with all the awards she won while competing for team USA at the NASP All-Star Championship in Canada.. (Photo: MDC)
MoNASP is an affiliate of NASP, and promotes education, self-esteem, and physical activity for more than 198,000 Missouri students from 685 schools in grades 4-12 through participation in the sport of archery. Learn more about MoNASP on MDC’s website at mdc. mo.gov/monasp. MDC congratulates all student archers who took part in the NASP All Star Championship tournament.
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Agency News
Emerald Ash Borer Found in Greene, Polk Counties
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he Missouri Department of Agriculture has confirmed the presence of emerald ash borer (EAB) in Greene and Polk counties, which indicates that this unwanted tree pest is continuing its spread across Missouri. This exotic beetle was found in specialized traps at three sites in Greene County – along a greenway trail in southwest Springfield, at the Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) Crighton Access southeast of the city, and at Rocky Barrens Conservation Area northwest of Springfield. In Polk County, EAB was confirmed on private property east of Bolivar. It has now been detected in 50 Missouri counties. The emerald ash borer is a small, metallic green beetle native to Asia that attacks only ash trees. Larvae of this insect bore into the vascular layer beneath the bark of ash trees, creating distinct S-shaped galleries that slowly cut off the flow of water and nutrients from roots to the rest of the tree. Unfortunately, this invasive species kills over 99 percent of the trees it attacks within 3-4 years of infestation. The emerald ash borer is not new to southwest Missouri – it was found in Laclede County in the winter of 2016 and in Dallas County this past January. MDC Forest Entomologist Robbie Doerhoff urges people who own ash trees to make a plan now to either treat or remove these trees. “If you have a healthy, high-value ash tree in your yard, it can be treated with insecticides that will protect it from emerald ash borer. However, these treatments must be applied every year or two to guarantee protection,” Doerhoff said. “For some ash trees, especially those that have already lost more than 50 percent of their leaves and branches, the best option is removal, followed by replanting with a different species, such as an oak native to Missouri.” “If you decide to treat your ash tree, make sure you use an insecticide labeled to kill emerald ash borer and that you apply it at the right time of year,” Doerhoff said. “For large trees that need to be treated by a professional, use a reputable company and get a couple of bids.”
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The emerald ash borer beetle, which kills more than 99 percent of ash trees it infests, has been found in Greene and Polk counties in southwest Missouri. (Photo: MDC)
Ash trees that are removed should be disposed of locally to prevent the accidental spread of emerald ash borer to new locations. This insect can emerge from ash firewood and logs for up to two years after harvest, so don’t give it a free ride to a camping location. Buy firewood near where you plan to burn it. A statewide emerald ash borer quarantine established in 2013 by the U.S. and Missouri Departments of Agriculture restricts the movement of ash trees, logs and hardwood firewood from Missouri into states not known to have emerald ash borer. For more information on protecting your ash tree, download the Emerald Ash Borer Management Guide for Missouri Homeowners at https://short.mdc.mo.gov/ ZSq . MDC encourages Missourians to learn to identify signs of emerald ash borer and report possible infestatwions in counties where the pest has not yet been confirmed. For a map of the emerald ash borer’s spread across Missouri and detailed information on identification, visit eab.misouri.edu. Report suspected damage in new counties to the local MDC Forester, call MDC’s Forest Pest Hotline at 866-7169974 or send an e-mail to forest.health@mdc.mo.gov
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Feature Story
Freedom Found on the Current River
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he Fourth of July is about celebrating freedom. This year, I experienced a level few enjoy in these modern times. Over the course of three days and two nights, my cousin, Derek Butler, and I completed a 35-mile journey on the Current River. We slept on gravel bars and worried about little more than what we would grill for our next meal and if we were using the right lure to tempt a mighty brown trout from behind a boulder. The river washed away the stress of society. Derek and I grew up hunting and fishing together. From the time we could walk, we were engrossed in the outdoors. Now with children of our own, we are trying to pass on a love of wilderness, while still finding time to make memories together.
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We spent the first half of the week with our wives and children swimming, fishing, grilling, snorkeling, and making s’mores at my cabin, but once our families headed home, Derek and I set out on an adventure of our own. We went searching for the sort of freedom we once knew in abundance, but do not experience nearly often enough today. We found it on the Current River. This trip wasn’t in some far off remote land. It took place in southern Missouri in our state’s crown jewel of outdoor opportunity - the Ozark National Scenic Riverways. This national park is far different from what most people think about when considering a visit to a government-operated park. There is no entrance fee. Out in the wilderness, there is no camping fee. We were able to simply pull our canoes over on the riverbank wherever we wanted and set up a camp.
Feature Story It’s an incredible sense of freedom to simply become part of the flow of the river. When you feel like taking break, you stop and do so. There is no designated area. It’s public land that belongs to you and me and every other American. It’s another amazing birth right granted to those of us lucky enough to be born in the greatest country in the world. We started our trip in the evening and floated only a few miles before stopping to set up camp. Our goal was to be far enough downstream to begin the next day a good ways ahead of any bus load of canoes coming from a livery. The plan worked to perfection. For the first half of our trip, we never saw another person on the river. It’s hard to believe, that on a river as beautiful and accessible as the Current, you can escape all others. I set my tent mere feet from the water’s edge. Lying there, on the night of the Fourth of July, falling asleep to the gurgling of a small riffle, I deeply contemplated this incredible gift of American freedom. I thought about all the places in the world where an opportunity such as this is beyond imagination. Where others are simply trying to survive, while I as an American am afforded such luxuries as public lands, clean water and healthy fish and wildlife populations. I gave thanks for my good fortune and renewed my personal commitment to doing all I can to protect this right from those who wish to infringe upon it. We are so blessed as Americans, that I am afraid we often overlook our good fortune. Complaining about what one does not have too often clouds the gratefulness we should feel for the blessing we share. Sadly, want and greed divide our society. This wilderness trip Derek and I experienced is in the minds of some a waste of our resources. There is a segment of our society who would gladly strip away our rights to these wild lands in the name of “progress.” There are politicians holding office today who hope to see these lands privatized. Sold to the highest bidder. Thus stealing from you and every generation who comes after you the opportunity to experience wilderness and wildlife.
Brandon Butler and Derek Butler at the end of a 35-mile float trip on Current River. (Photo: Brandon Butler)
When I vote, I research and pay attention to how those I cast my ballot for treat our wild lands and wildlife. I’ll likely never own 1,000 acres. Chances are you won’t either. So if you, like tens-of-millions of other Americans, rely on public lands to maintain your freedom to roam the wild, to float a river and set up a camp on a gravel bar, then pay attention. Ask your elected officials and candidates where they stand on public land, and then hold them accountable to their answers. Missouri’s Ozark Mountains offer an unbelievable amount of outdoor recreation. There’s hiking, camping, hunting, fishing, horseback riding, wildlife watching and so much more. It can be hard for the urban Missourian to fathom just how much public land we have at our disposal in the Ozarks. Take a trip and see what you own. I am so thankful for all who fought and sacrificed for these United States, so all of us can enjoy the freedom found in wilderness. See you down the trail… Brandon Butler In the Ozark National Scenic Riverways, paddlers may simply pullover and set their camp on a gravel bar. (Photo: Brandon Butler)
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Feature Story
Bowhunting Opportunities Have Never Been Better
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he white oaks just outside my office window are loaded with big, juicy acorns. Acorns are a favorite of white-tailed deer. Coupled with the plentiful food plots scattered across our state, the combination for the great bowhunting opportunities exist. Last fall I sat on my bowhunting stand high in a black oak in McDonald County, Missouri near the North Fork of the River. I was filming for Chance Hollingshad of Devil’s Backbone Outfitters. Chance and his dad, Joe, manage 1,700 acres for deer and turkey in the rugged region. That evening we sat on a 2-acre food plot high on a mountain ridge. I filmed Tim Kjellesvik, host of The Thinking Woodsman podcast, arrowing a 19-pointer on the property during the 2016 bow season. Chance had his sights set for a 160-class buck that roamed there regularly as well. Food plots are an integral part of the Devil’s Backbone lands. Bowhunters hunt them often, particularly early in the season. An hour before sundown, Chance whispered to me that there were does coming through the woods straight at our stands. Soon I heard the light crunching of leaves as a mature doe and her fawn of the year eased from the woods into the plot. After quenching their thirst at a small pond, the pair of deer fed slowly across the plot to a big black oak tree. The ground was littered with black oak acorns. Chance and I could hear the crunching sounds as the deer steadily picked up acorns.
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Feature Story Within 20 minutes, five more deer joined the original pair under the black oak tree. Does and fawns munched away, filling their bellies with the highly desirable acorns. Most nibbled at grasses and clovers as they wandered away from the oak, after eating their fill of acorns. Darkness closed in without a buck showing itself. This same scenario will repeat itself thousands of times across the Ozarks after the September 15 bow season opener. Many hunters will hunt public properties, but thousands of others will enjoy the distinct advantage of hunting over food plots, which they planted themselves. Food plots are not a recent invention, but their usage has become more prevalent in recent years, because of their effectiveness at attracting deer and other wildlife. Gary Klossner, of Rolla, Missouri is a big believer in food plots and has had great success at harvesting trophy bucks from his plots. He bought land, cleared areas for food plots, brought the soil up to test and within a couple of years harvested a 180-class buck with his bow. He repeated the feat last bow season with a buck which made Outdoor Life’s website. “High quality food plots are deer magnets,” Klossner said.
Dusty Snelson is a well-known bow hunter in the Ozarks. He has taken many trophy bucks with his bow, but strives to do better each season. Snelson brought his dreams to the forefront last year by establishing a food plot business. “Establishing food plots is the easiest way to begin killing deer on a consistent basis,” Dusty Snelson of Snelson’s Wildlife Habitat Management said. “I love putting in food plots,” he said. “It is amazing what can be done with a rough piece of land. Of course, the better the land quality, the better the food plot, but every Ozark farm has marginal areas that can be turned into decent food plots. Clearing, spraying, bush hogging, tilling, planting, fertilizing...I can do it all. And, landowners are often quite surprised at how quickly deer will begin using those areas.” Blends of food plot seeds are now made for practically any situation. No till seed varieties are available that bowhunters can use in wooded situations. They only need to rake the leaf litter away enough that seed can contact the soil. Facebook is covered up with photos of each deer season with happy hunters who harvested deer, many from food plots which the hunters had planted themselves. Many of those same hunters will, no doubt, harvest another deer from the same food plot after the regular firearms deer season begins. “Food plots may be planted with plant varieties that will carry deer through the entire hunting season,” said Snelson. “Turnips are a favorite. Deer will dig turnips up all winter. You can still hunt over them, up to January 15, when bow season ends.” The Missouri deer population is down slightly from the 10-year average, but still quite healthy with well over 1 million animals. There has never been a better time to incorporate food plots into your deer hunting plans than now. And as Klossner says, you’ll be happy you did. Bill Cooper (Left) Tim Kjellesvik poses proudly with a 19-point buck he killed on Devil’s Backbone Outfitters property, which includes food plots in their management plan. (Photo: Bill Cooper) (Right) Food plots are becoming more popular each passing season with deer hunters who want to manage their herds. (Photo: Bill Cooper)
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Feature Story
Missouri’s Next Record Trout
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ver a four-year period from 2005-2009, Brian Chapman, Rick Osborn and Scott Sandusky each broke the Missouri state brown trout record on Lake Taneycomo. Chapman and Osborn did it in the same year, 2005. In November 2009, Sandusky landed the current record. Weighing in at 28 lbs 12-ounces, it bested Osborn’s fish by one pound and some change. On a trip last August, I observed a 20+ pound brown swimming around in the part of the lake known as the Narrows. In 1997, Phil Lilley, owner of Lilley’s Landing Resort and Marina on Upper Lake Taneycomo, found a dead brown trout floating near his dock. Had it been alive, it would have weighed nearly 45 pounds. A brown that size would beat the current world record by three pounds. As part of their annual survey, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) shocked up a 36-pound female in 2009.
In September 2017, a Wisconsin angler landed a 24.68-pound behemoth in the Trophy Area near Pointe Royale. In January 2018, three fish between 13 and 18-pounds were caught. To say Lake Taneycomo harbors giant browns is an understatement. Despite recent floods and changes in lake structure, Taneycomo is an exceptional lake with endless potential to produce a record trout.
Triploids In 2013, the MDC started stocking triploid brown trout in Taneycomo. The number of triploids stocked sine then totals approximately 13,000. For example, 3,089 were stocked in 2013, and of 15,000 browns stocked in 2014-2015, 5,000 were triploid. Those fish are now being caught, and they are big. All triploid animals are sterile; therefore, these browns do not partake in the breeding process. These fish simply eat and get bigger, without the stressors of breeding.
Feature Story Over the last couple of years, triploids ranging from 13-21-pounds have been landed all over Taneycomo. They were initially stocked at 2 years of age, so from 20013-2018 those fish grew considerably—averaging 2-3 pounds a year! Extreme growth rates, perfect cover, and plenty of food provide all the ingredients for another record brown. Shane Bush, Fisheries Management Biologist for the MDC’s Southwest Region, believes the next state record will be broken within three years, if not sooner. “When you look at the growth rates of the triploids, it’s a great possibility,” he said. The largest triploid brown caught topped the scales at 24-pounds (last year). With an average growth rate of two or three pounds, in only two years that brown would beat the current record. This fish died, but others like it are there. “I’ve seen browns in Taneycomo that would shatter the current state record,” he encouraged. And those were diploid browns. The triploids, admittedly, were an experiment by the MDC. “We really do not know if the extreme growth rates will correlate to a shorter lifespan, but nothing is pointing to it now,” Bush explained. Assuming the lifespan of the triploid browns is like the diploids, some 30-pound triploids will be swimming around Taneycomo in a couple years. What about a world record? “It’s definitely possible,” Bush said. The MDC only surveys from Fall Creek and above. “It’s hard to say what is in the deeper water, but down by Powersite dam the lake reaches depths of 40-50 feet—who knows what lies beneath,” Bush supposed. The current world record is 42-pounds. With trout in the 30 to 40-pound range being shocked up, I think the idea a world record brown is swimming around Taneycomo as you are reading this is extremely likely. The growth rate of the triploid browns is incredible compared to the diploid browns in the lake. Bush explained the diploid browns average 21-inches at five years old, while triploids average 31-inches. A marked difference.
Lake Taneycomo has no shortage of forage for giant browns. Bush detailed how many sculpins, a major food source, are in the lake. “When we do our electroshock survey, the bottom of the lake comes alive with the things,” he said. Coupled with an extensive number of 10-inch rainbows, big browns have a constant buffet.
Asterisk? The question becomes should a triploid count as a state record, since they are genetically modified to not partake in the breeding process? Is this a scenario requiring an asterisk? These trout, arguably, are akin to Major League Baseball’s known steroid users. They have a step above the others. An advantage. Or do they? My argument is yes, they should count. All Lake Taneycomo browns are non-native and stocked, so what difference does it make if it is a different strain? The triploids are as natural as any of the other browns stocked in the tailwater. They just grow faster. It is only a matter of time before a new trout fishermen reigns king of Missouri’s brown trout.
Ryan Miloshewski (Left) An angler on Lake Taneycomo with a giant brown caught a few years ago. (Photo: Courtesy of Phil Lilley) (Top) Scott Sandusky with his 28 lb 8 oz state record back in 2009 from Lake Taneycomo. (Courtesy of Phil Lilley)
SEPTEMBER - 2018
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Outdoor News
Tigers and Tulips
T
he first butterfly in North America to have been captured in an illustration was an adult male Eastern tiger swallowtail, drawn by John White in 1587. White may be best known as the governor of the doomed Roanoke colony and the grandfather of the first English child born in North America, named Virginia. He named the drawing of the Eastern tiger swallowtail “Mamankanois,” which is believed to be the Native American word for butterfly. When White went back to England for more supplies for his failing colony, he brought along his drawing, and Europe was introduced to one of the brightest and most mesmerizing butterflies in North America. The Eastern tiger swallowtail is yellow with dark stripes. In areas that overlap the range of pipevine swallowtails, the female will have two forms—one is the recognizable yellow and black and the second is a dark form presumed to mimic the pipevine swallowtail. The topside of the hindwing of the females of both forms has iridescent blue chevrons. Males favor the yellow females, but the darkform females live longer. Males are known to “puddle” where they assemble in good numbers on mud or gravel to extract minerals. Females lay their eggs, singly, on host plants. The caterpillars have eyespots that look like eyes, but are actually just markings that can alarm and scare off predators. They will overwinter in their chrysalises and new generations emerge each spring. A host plant for the Eastern tiger swallowtail, on whose leaves the butterflies lay their eggs and on which caterpillars feed, is the tulip tree, also known as yellow poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera). This is one of the tallest trees of eastern hardwood forests, often growing to 90 feet or more. In Missouri, its natural range is the southeastern corner of the state, but it is planted across Missouri for both its beauty and rapid growth. In the spring the tulip tree produces vibrant yellow and orange blooms that are 2 inches in diameter. These bloom only after full leaf-out in the spring and seem almost shy
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CONSERVATION FEDERATION
behind the large, showy leaves. A 20-foot tree can produce 8 pounds of nectar, from which bees can produce 4 pounds of honey. Don’t look for blooms on young trees, though: it takes up to 15 years before the tree begins setting flowers. If fertilized, the flowers give way to interesting coneshaped fruits that hold winged seeds known as samaras. Mature seeds can remain viable in the leaf litter for years, waiting for fire or some other disturbance to begin their growth. Tulip trees have wide-spreading root systems and grow tall with arrow-straight trunks that can reach 6 to 12 feet in diameter. It was the tall, straight trunk that drew early Americans to this tree for building cabins and furniture, flooring and paper. Native Americans used them for dugout canoes—and just such a canoe was the choice of Daniel Boone to take his family westward from Kentucky, The tulip tree is also renowned as the species planted by George Washington in 1785 at Mount Vernon, chosen as the estate’s official Bicentennial Tree. It is also the state tree of Kentucky, Tennessee, and Indiana. Early explorers sent samples of this species back to Europe, and it is one of the most common trees from North America grown in France and England. For more information on tulip trees and host plants for butterflies, including where to buy plants and seeds for your property, visit www.grownative.org.
Mary Nemececk Conservation Chair of Burroughs Audubon Summer form of a male tiger swallowtail on purple coneflower. Males do not have the extensive blue chevrons on the hindwing that females will have. (Photo: Mary Nemececk)
Outdoor News
NWF Meeting: One Federation Growing Stronger Together for Wildlife
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he Conservation Federation of Missouri (CFM) was once again well represented at the national level as one of 49 affiliated conservation organization at the 82nd Annual Meeting of the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) held in Chantilly, VA., June 6-June 9. The Missouri contingent included Brandon Butler, CFM Executive Director, Ron Coleman, CFM Affiliate NWF Representative and John Knudsen, Alternative NWF Representative. Also present at the meeting was retiring (10 Years) NWF Region Five Director Nicole Wood. One of the most impressive things that I found about the meeting initially was the number of new affiliate representatives and young NWF staff in attendance. It became obvious that NWF under the capable leadership of president and CEO Colin O’Mara were bringing a youthful and dynamic crop of energetic conservation leaders into the fold to guide NWF programs across America in the future. The highest priority for NWF this year is support for preventing fish and wildlife from becoming endangered by convincing Congress to dedicate $1.3 billion annually into the Federal Wildlife Conservation Fund. These revenues would be derived from the development of energy and mineral resources on federal land and waters. State fish and wildlife agencies have identified an estimated 12,000 species nationwide that need proactive conservation action. CFM has endorsed this measure for Missouri along with at least two dozen other public and private organizations. CFM representatives were actively engaged on working committees to help shape a number of key resolutions that will guide NWF action in several areas such as climate smart energy, energy, land use, oceans, watersheds and wildlife strategies.
Rhonda Coleman met Ranger Rick at the National Wildlife Federation conference. (Photo courtesy of Ron Coleman)
The full body of NWF delegates in assembly took a few moments of silence to recognize a number of conservation leaders who passed from the ranks of NWF over the past year. This tribute included our own Don Johnson, who served as the Missouri Representative to NWF for 10 years. Nicole Wood from Missouri was also honored for her decade of service to NWF as the elected Region Five Director which includes Missouri and other adjacent states. Ron Coleman NWF Affiliate Representative
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Feature Story
Teal: A September Treat
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eal seem to practice being fashionably late or illegal shooting time early. The best decoy sets and make-shift blinds generally set up in pre-dawn darkness can be ineffective for hours while impatient hunters listen to mosquitoes buzzing around while thanking God for mosquito repellant.
September means blue wing teal return to Missouri in clouds. This small, agile little duck flies at speeds to rival doves and twists and turns, making then even tougher to hit—when they show up. Danny Guyer, owner of Iron Duck Hunting looked at the sky and shrugged his shoulders after the customary two-hour wait. “I guess the teal are feeding somewhere else,” he said. “They were thick in this pool yesterday.”
Feature Story We talked about old friends when a “whooshing” sound passed over our blind. I glanced up to watch sunlight bounce off blue wing patches of six teal that quickly skirted the pool and made another pass behind our position. Someone in the blind whispered, “Stay down, they’re coming back.” I allowed myself a peek and saw them banking to the north and head straight towards us. The delicate ducks set their wings and dropped straight into our decoy set, then jumped back up, no doubt bewildered that they had been duped by a bunch of old duck hunters. Guyer swung on a teal pumping its wings. A load of Winchester sixes dropped the tiny duck back in our pool. A second duck splashed close by Guyer’s. Blackwater, Labrador retriever extraordinaire, sprang to life on Guyer’s command and splashed all the way to the closest duck, brought it in and then returned for the second. The conversation continued because the sky was totally empty except for pesky blackbirds. Unpredictable teal might be camped at a nearby farm pond or any place to quietly meditate before taking off to stretch their wings. They might even stay in a comfortable spot with plenty of food. But chances are they eventually will take a short hop somewhere, maybe for a change of scenery and return to a familiar place. A key to teal hunting is scouting their spots and setting up there the following morning or evening. Teal decoys are necessary because they love company. “I like to use smaller sets of one or two dozen teal decoys,” Guyer said. “But six will sometimes work as well. Teal love to find smaller pools close to whatever they are feeding on. This may include row crops or some type of millet planted in the pool. But a small number of decoys will pull in birds.” Teal whistles are effective. Experts use whistles to get a passing flocks attention. A whistle can be assurance to wary ducks that have been shot at. Limited whistling is more effective; sometimes a couple of toots is enough.
The main key to early season teal hunting is bringing a jacket, mosquito repellant and ice to cool your drinks and sandwiches. In other words, be prepared for weather changes. Chances are most of your hunts will be in shirt sleeves. Shoot light loads, most prefer 6-shot in the steel, and use modified or improved choke barrels. Teal are small ducks. A well-placed pellet will easily bring one down. The morning passed and Blackwater continued to get bored. She would occasionally roll her eyes and groan, making us feel the same boredom. Warm sunlight induced another round of sleep before we revisited current events. I think the subject was football when “whoosh” made us look towards the sun. Our faces quickly dropped. The blinding sun could not hide all of the tremendous flock that was about to drop into our pool. The unmistakable sound of about 50 teal flashed around the blind’s perimeter. Their wings whistled as they made a first pass, then a second, then a third pass before deciding that our spot was the place to be. Blackwater moaned. She heard the wings too. Our eyes cleared from looking into the sun in time to see the first ducks touching down. The sudden sight of two humans brought on a controlled panic. About 50 ducks took off at once as the sun reflected a golden hue from water dripping off wings and feet. We shot and two teal remained while the flock pushed south. We sat back and watched the sky now empty. Soon dark clouds rolled in and the action heated up. Small groups of teal decided that bad weather was moving in and they needed a place to set. I picked out a pair and squeezed my trigger dropping both. The limit was 6 each, but we decided to stop. Teal breasts wrapped with bacon are filling and darned good. We had enough for one meal. Check your local regulations for teal hunting information, and visit mdc.mo.gov.
Kenneth Kieser Teal hunting is a great early season opportunity. (Photo courtesy of Kenneth Kieser)
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Feature Story
50 Years of Wild and Scenic Rivers
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ctober 2 will mark the 50th anniversary of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. Missourians have a lot to be proud of in connection with this milestone conservation legislation. As environmental awareness and conservation movements swept across the country in the 1960s, Missourians were passionately defending their precious Ozark streams. In 1964, Congress authorized the Ozark National Scenic Riverways (ONSR), the first national park to protect a wild, free-flowing river system -- the Current and Jacks Fork rivers in the Missouri Ozarks.
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The ONSR became the prototype for the National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968, which helped protect free-flowing rivers around the country for the enjoyment of future generations. The Eleven Point in southern Missouri was one of eight rivers given immediate protection by the legislation. In 2018, on its 50th anniversary, the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System protects 12,734 miles of 208 rivers in 40 states and Puerto Rico. That figure is a little more than one-fourth of one percent of the 3.6 million miles of streams in the country. The national system continues to grow through the ongoing designation of other rivers and streams, most recently in December 2014.
Feature Story Along the Eleven Point A 44-mile portion of the 138-mile Eleven Point River was one of the eight initial units of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. This stretch of the river between Thomasville and the Highway 142 bridge is known for its outstanding scenery and many springs. The star of the Eleven Point is Greer Spring, the second largest spring in the state and tenth largest in the world. Some 222 million gallons of water a day gush into the Eleven Point, doubling the size of the river. Greer Spring is reached by a one-mile hiking trail from a trailhead on Highway 19 south of the river. One of the most beautiful sites in the Ozarks, Greer Spring is also on the Great Missouri Birding Trail.
There are eight float camps along the river for overnight camping, as well as seven access points with boat ramps.
Near the trailhead is the historic Greer Mill, restored by the non-profit Friends of the Eleven Point River. The mill received new siding and a new roof in time for this year’s annual open house, an event which raises funds for the mill's upkeep. Check the Friends' Facebook page for the date of the 2019 open house.
Fishing and floating are equally popular on the Eleven Point. The blue-ribbon trout section begins where Greer Spring flows into the river and extends about six miles to Turner Mill. The river is also known for smallmouth bass and pan fish. If you’ve never visited the Eleven Point, this anniversary year is a good reason to go. If you’re already a fan, the anniversary is a good excuse to get on the river again.
Other interesting sites along the river include Turner Mill and Boze Mill. The enormous steel wheel from the Turner Mill still stands at the site of the long-gone town of Surprise. Informational signage tells the tale of the tiny community. At Boze Mill, the dam, the old water turbine and the turbine housing are all that remain of the mill. From the beautiful pool of Boze Spring, the spring branch carries about 15 million gallons of water to the river daily. The Narrows is an interesting section of the river, with four springs, and remnants of the Thompson grist mill and an aquaculture business. The Narrows gets its name from the rocky outcropping between the river and Frederick Creek; the ridge is barely 30 feet wide along the top. There is a ridgetop lookout for Blue Spring. Hiking trails lead to Blue, Jones, Sullivan and Morgan springs.
Before you go The official website for the 50th anniversary of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act is www.rivers.gov. Click on "National System" for information about all 208 wild and scenic rivers. For information about the Eleven Point and area sites, contact Mark Twain National Forest, 401 Fairgrounds Road, Rolla MO 65401; 573-364-4621; www.fs.usda.gov/ mtnf. For help with canoe and kayak rental, shuttles, lodging, guided fishing trips and other information about the area, check with the outfitters in Alton and Riverton – Eleven Point River Canoe Rental, Hufstedlers Canoe Rental and Richards Canoe Rental. Barbara Gibbs Ostmann (Left) Fishermen and floaters coexist peacefully on the 11 Pt. (Photo: Barbara Gibbs Ostmann) (Top) Floaters enjoy a beautiful day not the Eleven Point River. (Photo: Courtesy of Barbara Gibbs Ostmann)
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Feature Story
A Beginner’s Guide to Inshore Fishing
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et foot on a beach, a jetty, a pier or even a small boat, and if your senses are filled with the sights, sounds and smells of saltwater, then you’re likely within casting distance of terrific fishing. Whether your targets are redfish or speckled trout, snook or tarpon, stripers or sharks, opportunities for great angling abound inshore. Even when faced with such apparent bounty, many first-time inshore anglers encounter a significant speed bump on their way to success, posing the question, “how do I begin?”
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Professional saltwater angler Capt. Mark Davis offers sage, time-tested advice: “for a beginner, keep it simple.” “The top two goals for a novice inshore angler are to catch fish and have fun,” noted Davis, the host of Big Water Adventures, a long-running, successful television series currently airing on the Outdoor Channel and World Fishing Network.
Feature Story “Those early successes will breed excitement and a deeper passion for the sport. Not only will successful anglers want to return to the shore – as soon as possible – but they will also start to think more carefully about the resources we all share; indeed, catching fish and having fun are the first steps in creating future stewards,” Davis continued. What is Davis’ equipment recipe for an inshore angler at the beginning of their briny career? “Anglers should think about a set of three rods and reels. With these, they’ll be covered from trout to tarpon and everything in-between. One tip for keeping things simple is to have all three rods the same length –six-and-a-half feet is a good place to start – with each rod rated for a different line class. Think about the combos that you’ll build from those rods like you’d think about drink sizes at the coffee shop: you want a small, a medium, and a large, each for a different size of inshore fish you’ll encounter.” Davis continues: “For your small rod – one that will see the lion’s share of duty for fish like speckled trout – look for a rod rated for six to ten-pound test line. Equip that rod with a 3500-series spinning reel and spool up with 20 lb. test Seaguar Smackdown. Finish off that rig with a leader of 10 or 15 lb. test Seaguar Blue Label fluorocarbon and it’s ready to go.” Fluorocarbon is nearly invisible to fish under water, is impervious to the sun’s damaging UV rays, and has remarkable abrasion resistance – so rubbing against rocks, dock pilings, mussels or anything else it might encounter underwater is far less likely to cause line failure. A two or three-foot section of Blue Label leader is a perfect length for inshore fishing. Connect the Blue Label leader to the Smackdown main line with a Double Uni knot, which is an easy knot for beginners to learn and tie.” Rods for medium- and super-sized fish will be rated for higher line classes and will be equipped with larger reels spooled with stronger line. “Your mid-range rod,” continues Davis, “the one that you’ll use on redfish trips, will be rated for 10 to 20-pound test line. That rod will get a 4500-series spinning reel, spooled up with 20 lb. test Seaguar Smackdown and a 20 lb. test Seaguar Blue Label leader.“
Now that our beginner inshore angler is equipped, we can turn our attention to the business end of the line: what should we choose for bait? “Without a doubt,“ remarks Davis, “we’re going to start with some sort of live bait. Now, you can certainly purchase bait, but I strongly recommend that you learn to catch your own, either with a cast net or hook-andline. You can learn so much about what your target fish are feeding on by catching your own bait. If you catch shrimp, then use shrimp; if you catch mullet or croaker, then use mullet or croaker. Let the most prevalent forage guide your bait selection, because that’s what the fish are used to chasing and eating.” When it’s time to graduate into the world of artificial lures for inshore fishing, Davis has high praise for soft plastics, particularly those from Z-Man Fishing Products. “Z-Man soft baits are like nothing else in the tackle shop. They are made from a unique material called ElaZtech which fish simply cannot break. Remember that we’re chasing fish with teeth, and those teeth will rip a “traditional” soft bait to shreds – but not Z-Man baits. I can use one Z-Man bait over and over again, switching only when I feel like changing color or profile, which is a big timesaver on the water and also keeps more money in my pocket.” “Heading out for redfish? Hang a 4” Z-Man Scented PaddlerZ under a popping cork, and let the fun begin. Got a spot close to the beach that has some red snapper hanging around? Rig up a 10” HeroZ and go put them in the boat. And the Z-Man Trout Trick baits are absolutely deadly on speckled trout. Pick up a few bags try out and you’ll quickly learn that inshore fish eat artificial lures too!” Inshore fishing offers virtually limitless possibilities. These time-tested tackle and presentation tips from Capt. Mark Davis will put you on the path to inshore fishing success.
Dr. Jason Halfen Shane Clevenger, marketing specialist at Z-Man Fishing Products, hoists a big Louisiana redfish. (Photo: Courtesy of Dr. Jason Halfen)
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Outdoor News
Burns & McDonnell Establishes Missouri’s First Conservation Bank
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ith approval from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Burns & McDonnell opened a firstof-its-kind conservation bank in northern Missouri. The 1,300-acre Chariton Hills Conservation Bank is the first conservation bank approved in Missouri and the first conservation bank in the United States to protect the Indiana bat and northern longeared bat. Conservation banks are areas of land set aside to permanently protect threatened or endangered species and their habitats. Developers who need environmental solutions for their projects can use credits from the bank to compensate for anticipated adverse impacts to similar, nearby habitat. Chariton Hills offers credits to offset habitat impacts throughout the state of Missouri. “Collaborative conservation projects, such as the Chariton Hills Conservation Bank, are an integral component of listed bat recovery in Missouri,” says Shauna Marquardt, fish and wildlife biologist for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “The Missouri Field Office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was supportive of the conservation bank because it provides upfront compensation for future impacts to species and helps streamline the regulatory process. It’s a tool that is beneficial to listed species and project proponents. Burns & McDonnell has been a good partner in the development of the conservation bank because they brought a wealth of experience in both mitigation project development and bat ecology.” The bats inhabit caves and forests in the eastern and midwestern U.S. Upon emergence from hibernation in the spring, the Indiana and northern long-eared bats migrate to establish summer maternity colonies in suitable habitat throughout northern Missouri, southern Iowa and western Illinois. The newly established bank provides conserved summer foraging and roosting habitat for the Indiana bat and the northern long-eared bat, both federally listed under the Endangered Species Act. “We are excited to assist the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation and their partners to meet regional conservation goals,” says Josiah Maine, bat specialist and land manager in the Environmental Services
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CONSERVATION FEDERATION
The conservation bank will protect the Indiana bat (pictured) and the northern long-eared bat, both federally listed under the Endangered Species Act. (Photo: Courtesy of Burns & McDonnell)
Group with Burns & McDonnell. “The conservation bank helps effectively manage and protect the bats by conserving land and consolidating smaller mitigation requirements into a larger, more ecologically viable site. We can also provide value to our clients, with bank credits that control costs and provide a permanent, expedited environmental permitting solution.” The Chariton Hills Conservation Bank will be protected in perpetuity by a conservation easement held by the Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation. “The concentration of Indiana and northern longeared bats in this tri-state area presents significant opportunities to benefit the species,” says Kevin Roper, executive director for the Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation. “We are proud to work with Burns & McDonnell to develop this conservation resource in Missouri. By working with a locally based strategic partner, we know this habitat will be responsibly managed and protected in perpetuity.” Learn more about Chariton Hills Conservation Bank and Burns & McDonnell mitigation projects at mitigationbankingusa.com. Burns & McDonnell’s growing workforce of more than 400 environmental professionals is focused on providing integrated environmental services — from planning and permitting to compliance and remediation — for clients nationwide.
CFM Conservation Federation Podcast Listen to CFM’s Podcast Did you know CFM has a podcast? In each episode, host Brandon Butler discusses conservation issues with special guests. Past episodes include interviews with Governor Jay Nixon, MDC Director Sara Parker Pauley, Glenn Chambers, Steven Rinella and many other passionate conservationists.
Have you heard our lastest episodes?
Episode 18: Brandon Butler talks deer management with Dr. Grant Woods Episode 17: Brandon Butler talks conservation with Steven Rinella and Janis Putelis Episode 16: Brandon Butler discusses the Farm Bill with Dale Blevins and Carol Davis
Find the Conservation Federation podcast on the CFM website and on iTunes.
CONSERVATION LEADERSHIP CORPS Engaging youth in sustaining the conservation of our natural resources Developing the next generation of conservation leaders and future CFM members
A program of the Conservation Federation of Missouri www.confedmo.org/clc 1(800) 280-6660
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Include the Conservation Federation of Missouri in your estate plans. Leave a legacy for the natural resources and traditions you have valued throughout your life. Make CFM a beneficiary of your will, trust, life insurance policy or retirement plan. Any amount helps preserve Missouri’s resources and natural history for generations to come. What will your legacy be?
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If there are errors in your name or address, please notify us at: Conservation Federation 728 W. Main Jefferson City, MO 65101 or call 573-634-2322.
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