Minnesota expanding crossbow hunting

Crossbows will now be allowed for all Minnesota deer and spring turkey hunters with the correct license, following a law change passed by the legislature. Deer licenses go on sale Tuesday, Aug. 1

The new law expands the use of crossbows, which previously were allowed for some hunters, with a permit and who were 60 or older during archery deer or turkey seasons, or during previous firearms seasons for deer or turkeys.

Crossbows were already allowed for all hunters during the fall wild turkey and bear seasons. Rough fish may be taken with a crossbow during the bowfishing season.

Mark Twain Lake archery benefits youth programs

The Missouri Department of Conservation and the Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation are inviting young archers to compete in the new Open Outdoor 3D Archery Tournament on Aug. 12 at Mark Twain Lake Archery Park in Monroe City. The event is a one-day, family-friendly fundraiser to support youth archery and outdoor programs.

Archers of all ages and shooting levels are invited to attend the tournament. Multiple divisions and categories will be available, including bowhunters, traditional, compound and bare bow.

With two ranges, 40 total targets and challenge games, there will be fun for all. The tournament is also being sponsored by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Mark Twain Lake Forest Council.

Pre-registration closes at 5 p.m. on Aug. 5. To learn more and to register, go online to https://mochf.org/3d-archery-tournament it was a brown bullhead. But I knew it was large for its size.”

Missouri Department of Conservation staff verified the fish’s weight on a certified scale in Wappapello.

Dering is no stranger to holding state records – he briefly held the record for spotted gar in 2019. But qualifying for a world record is a new accomplishment. The previous world recordholder was 3 pounds, 4 ounces.

“That’s honestly pretty awesome,” he said with a laugh.

“I’ve bowfished for quite awhile. We’ve won a few tournaments in Kentucky and Tennessee and have placed in numerous other tournaments. That’s cool, I didn’t know that!”

In Missouri, the only confirmed, self-sustaining natural population of brown bullheads occurs at Duck Creek Conservation Area and nearby Mingo National Wildlife Refuge in Stoddard, Bollinger and Wayne counties in southeast Missouri.

Dering said he’s now working on his collection of state records and plans to get his bullhead mounted.

“I’ve never mounted anything before,” he said. “I broke the state record for spotted gar a few years ago, but some guy broke the record two years later, so it’s not in the record books anymore. But I’m working on getting me a collection of state records, I guess potentially world records now!”

To learn more about world record fish, visit the International Game and Fish Association website at https://igfa.org./