Deer hunt dates

By BARB BRUEGGEMAN Visit Missouri

It’s autumn. The leaves are falling, and the days are cool and crisp. It’s the time of year when the thoughts of men and women across the country turn to deer hunting in Missouri.

And why not? It’s one of the top 10 places to hunt whitetail in the U.S.

One of the main attractions for hunting in Missouri is the abundant public lands open to the sport, and one of the best – if not the best – conservation programs in the country, funded by a designated sales tax voted in by the people of the ShowMe State.

In the year of COVID-19, hunting is the perfect socialdistancing activity. With our chilly fall weather or as camouflage, you may be already planning on a face covering – but if

Missouri Department of Conservation

The Missouri Department of Conservation has changed its mandatory sampling requirements for chronic wasting disease to voluntary sampling in 30 counties during the opening weekend of this year’s November firearms portion of you are sharing transportation or a blind with someone not living in your household, it’s definitely a good idea to wear a mask this year.

Whether you’re new to the sport or a seasoned hunter, coming from out-of-state or hunting near to home, here is the vital information on the 2020 Missouri deer season. • Firearms dates: Nov. 14-24 with an antlerless weekend, Dec. 4-6. Youth seasons (no older than 15 on opening day of the early youth portion) are Oct. 31-Nov. 1 and Nov. 27-29. These dates apply to firearms hunting only. Firearms/alternative methods are Dec. 26 to Jan. 5. Deer archery is Sept. 15 to Nov. 13 and Nov. 25 to Jan. 15. • Hours: Half an hour before sunrise to a half-hour after sunset • Regulations: All deer must be checked by telephone or on the Internet by 10 p.m. on the deer season.

The change was prompted by ongoing cases and publichealth concerns regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.

The change will affect hunters who harvest deer during the opening weekend of the November portion of the firearms deer season (Nov. 14 and 15) in any of the 30 CWD day harvested. You can transport unchecked deer within the state as long as the transportation tag is attached to the leg. • Places to hunt: The MDC website has an extensive list of places open to hunting under “where to hunt.” • Permits and limits: The required Firearms Any-Deer Hunting Permit allows one antlered or antlerless deer. Check the MDC website for antler point restrictions in some counties. In addition to that permit, you can buy as many antlerless deer permits as you want. However, some counties do limit the number available. • Clothing: Wearing hunter orange is required when you are hunting any species of game during firearms deer season. Some limited exceptions are allowed.

SHARE THE HARVEST

One of the very best parts Management Zone counties: Adair, Barry, Cedar, Chariton, Christian, Clark, Crawford, Franklin, Gasconade, Hickory, Howell, Jefferson, Knox, Linn, Macon, Mercer, Oregon, Ozark, Perry, Polk, Putnam, St. Charles, St. Clair, St. Francois, Ste. Genevieve, Stone, Sullivan, Taney, Warren, and Washington. of deer hunting in Missouri is eating what you harvest. But with the generous limits, some hunters can end up with an embarrassment of riches. That’s where the Share the Harvest program to feed the hungry comes in.

If you have an extra deer, just take it to an approved processing plant (list found on the website) and tell them how much meat you want to donate.

Often, the processing fees are covered in part or in full by sponsors, and hungry families gratefully line up at food pantries for this otherwise-rare offering of high-quality protein.

The MDC website has details on all hunting seasons. Hunters may enhance their experience using the MDC’s free app, Mo Hunting. It can be used to purchase and store permits, telecheck deer or turkey and track your success

Firearms season for deer in Missouri runs Nov. 14 through 24. – MDC photo

Sampling to be voluntary on opening weekend

from year to year.

OUTDOOR November-December 2020 GUIDE

MAGAZINE

HUNTING • FISHING • CAMPING • BOATING • SHOOTING • TRAVEL

Volume 28, No. 6 • Published six times a year Office: 505 S. Ewing, St. Louis, MO 63103 News department — 618-972-3744 www.outdoorguidemagazine.com e-mail: news@outdoor-guide.com

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SAMPLING STILL

ENCOURAGED

While sampling is no longer required Nov. 14 and 15 for the 30 counties, the 71 sampling stations located throughout the zone will remain open. MDC encourages hunters to have their deer sampled on the day of harvest.

“CWD represents a great threat to the health of Missouri’s deer and elk herds and to our hunting culture,” said Mandatory Sampling Coordinator Kevyn Wiskirchen. “Sampling deer for CWD allows early detection of the disease and allows for rapid management intervention to slow its spread. Hunters play a critical role in helping MDC find and manage CWD by having their deer sampled.”

“Although sampling is voluntary this year, to help us detect CWD as early as possible and protect the state’s deer herd, we strongly encourage hunters in Management Zone counties to have their deer sampled at one of our stations on opening weekend, or at other locations throughout the duration of deer season,” Wiskirchen added.

The department will be taking precautions to ensure the health of both staff and the public during CWD sampling. Social distancing will be practiced by staff at all stations. Staff will wear gloves and face masks at all times. Hunters and those with them will be asked to remain in their vehicles while their deer are being sampled. Hunters will only be asked to provide the county of harvest and will not be asked to identify harvest locations on a map.

Hunters and others exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19, or who have recently tested positive for COVID-19 or have a known COVID-19 exposure, are asked to refrain from visiting sampling stations.

MDC officials sample a fresh carcass for chronic wasting disease. – MDC photo

SAMPLING STATEWIDE

MDC will continue to offer statewide voluntary CWD sampling and testing of harvested deer during the entire deer season at select locations throughout the state, including participating MDC offices, cooperating taxidermists and new freezer head-drop locations.

Sampling and test results are free. Find locations and more information online at mdc. mo.gov/cwd or by contacting an MDC regional office.

Deer hunters should follow carcass movement restrictions when traveling to a sampling station. Learn more at hunt-

fish.mdc.mo.gov/huntingtrapping/wildlife-diseases/ chronic-wasting-disease-cwd/ carcass-transport-and-disposal.

Before having deer sampled for CWD, MDC requests the following:

• Field dress and Telecheck

deer before arrival at a sampling station. • Bring the carcass or just the head. • Position deer in vehicles with heads and necks easily accessible.

• Capes may be removed

in preparation for taxidermy before going to a sampling station.

• The person who harvested

the deer must be present.

• The hunter’s conservation

number will be required, along with county of harvest. • If using a paper permit, have it detached from the deer for easy access.

• If using the MO Hunting

app, have permit and Telecheck information available.

CWD is a deadly disease in white-tailed deer and other members of the deer family, called cervids. The disease has no vaccine or cure and eventually kills all cervids it infects. There have been no reported cases of CWD infecting people, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention strongly recommends having deer tested for CWD if harvested in an area known to have the disease, and recommends not eating meat from animals that test positive for CWD.

Get more information on CWD and related regulations online at mdc.mo.gov/CWD, or from MDC’s 2020 Fall Deer and Turkey Hunting Regulations & Information booklet, available where permits are sold and online at huntfish.

mdc.mo.gov/fall-deer-andturkey-hunting-regulations-

and-information.

Photo and Text By TIM HUFFMAN

Winter crappie fishing can be great in the heartland. Temperatures determine how long waters stay ice-free, with waters in the southern part of the region often remaining soft.

Three experts shared these tips to help you put more coldwater crappie into the boat.

VERTICAL & DEEP

“Kentucky Lake crappie will move to deeper ledges as the water keeps cooling,” said Crappie USA Classic Champ and former Kentucky Lake guide Richard Williams. “Winter is a good time to catch fish with crappie getting into a more stable pattern. That’s when the fish get on the ledges. They use the ledges like highways but will settle on favorite spots like a stakebed or little cut in the ledge when water gets cold.”

Williams says thousands of stakebeds and brushpiles have been placed in the lake. A fisherman can go there, use electronics and find cover on ledges. Start at about 18 feet and adjust up or down from there.

One strategy is to slow troll with multiple poles. It’s great for slowly moving along while searching for active fish and cover. After cover is

By DAVID HOSKING

In the early 1990s, I worked in Russia immediately following the collapse of the Soviet Union. It was a time of widespread food shortages for ordinary citizens; empty store shelves and long bread lines were common, although beer and vodka remained plentiful.

Russians have a long history of suffering from deprivations caused by revolution, war and economic turmoil while, at the same time, surviving through self-reliance, individual hard work and perseverance (not, though, socialism or communism).

During my train travels, I observed countless passengers returning on Sunday evenings to the cities from their rural dachas while carrying huge bags of vegetables harvested from their gardens. A dacha is a small plot of rural land (typically 0.15 acres) allocated by the government to ordinary urban dwellers primarily for growing vegetables for personal consumption.

Historically, these gardens have been essential for a family’s winter food supply. Upon returning to their city apartments, these gardeners preserved their home-grown produce by pickling, salting found, the boat can be stopped to keep baits in the strike zone. Two fishermen in the front of a boat, using three poles each with two baits per pole, can saturate a spot with 12 baits.

FINDING COVER

Start by using maps and sonar to find a ledge. The next step is to search for cover or other potential spots. Set up by facing the wind, putting poles in the holders and inching along to the marked spots.

Poles should be 12-16 feet long. Because bites can be light in colder water, poles’ tips should be very sensitive. Williams recommends BnM BGJP poles to show the lightest bites. He also recommends six-pound test line, and sometimes as small as four pound, because small diameter lines have proven to get more bites when water is clear.

SHOOTING DOCKS

Travis Bunting, a threetime Classic winner, says Lake of the Ozarks is a good winter lake because of less boat traffic and more active fish. Docks are a good place to catch fish in December.

“Shooting gives more accuracy and lets a fisherman get into spots where no other presentation can get,” Bunting said. “The bow-and-arrow technique has been around for a long time but has gotten or preparing jams. In effect, ordinary Russians have a long history of self-reliance and preparing for tough times, especially for food shortages.

THE WAKE-UP CALL

Fast-forwarding to the U.S. in 2020, the initial stages of the COVID-19 crisis, starting in March, brought shortages of toilet paper, paper towels, medical masks and gloves, respirator protective devices, hand sanitizer, rubbing alcohol, disinfectant sprays and wipes, medical thermometers and certain medications.

Also, due to high demand, often by hoarders, grocery stores were forced to limit the quantity of beef and egg purchases for each customer. On the bright side, these shortages have been a wake-up call for smart people about the need to prepare for future shortages of food and consumer products.

Last spring, there was a record number of suburban Americans who, fearing food shortages, planted vegetable gardens, many for the first time. The seed company, W. Atlee Burpee & Co., sold more seed in March than at any time in its 144-year history, and Johnny’s Selected Seeds in Maine saw a 270 percent jump in seed orders the week of March 16,

Tim Huffman displays a crappie taken in Illinois. Staying warm is a key to enjoying winter crappie fishing, so dress appropriately.

more popular. The fish come into the docks when the water gets down to about 70 degrees, and they move back out when it reaches the high 30s.”

Bunting uses six-poundtest high-vis line and a variety of jig sizes. He starts with a 1/16-ounce head and a Muddy Water 2.5-inch body. The larger body gives a slower fall.

“On my first shot, I start reeling as soon as the jig hits the water. My second shot, I’ll count to three and then reel. Third shot, I might flip the bail, let it sink, then work it back. If I do it right, I’ll learn the strike zone. If I catch a fish after President Donald Trump declared a national emergency over the coronavirus.

I think most of these new gardeners intended to supplement fresh produce from grocery stores and to minimize shopping trips. However, I also think that the surge in home gardening suggests that many have awakened to the need to prepare for possible tough times, and that learning new skills such as gardening is a valuable step toward self-reliance.

THE RUN ON CANNING SUPPLIES

Many of these new gardeners focused on growing but were unprepared for processing and preserving their harvest. By mid-summer, it was nearly impossible to buy canning supplies such as Mason jars and canning pots due to unprecedented high demand, and by the fall, it was practically impossible to find lids for Mason jars.

While the jars can be re-used many times, the seals on the lids are designed for one-time use only. They should not be used again if they’ve been heated and sealed during the canning process. Similarly, making jams and jellies from this fall’s fruit harvest was made difficult due to a shortage of pectin, a really shallow, I’ll switch to a 1/32-ounce jig, but if deep I might go to a 3/32 to get it down faster.

“I like to stop and start every two or three cranks of the handle. I believe it creates a few reaction bites. Especially in clear water, the fish can see the bait a long way,” he said.

“Docks are good spots to find crappie. Look for fish shallow and under overhead protection, like a pontoon boat or walkway. Also, deep beds under and around docks can hold crappie when fish go deep. My best tip is to check the cables anchoring key ingredient without which jellies and jams won’t gel.

With the shortage of canning supplies, the next best way to preserve the harvest is by blanching and freezing the vegetables, or dehydrating the produce. However, this was also made difficult due to very high demand in the summer for freezer bags and freezers (and dehydrators). In fact, it was very difficult to buy a freezer anywhere and of any size.

I wanted an extra freezer for my own garden’s harvest, and virtually none were to be found in my home area. Fortunately, I was able to buy one from Lowe’s only because I was lucky enough to be in the store when they were unloading three freezers from their delivery truck. It was good timing.

VICTORY GARDENS

The important lesson to be learned from these shortages and our efforts to become more self-reliant is that, even if you successfully grow your own food, it is vitally important to think through the entire process, not just on growing the food but preserving it as well.

It is interesting to note that the recent surge in gardening is not new to America. During WWI and WWII, Americans were encouraged to produce

Prepper’s Guide

Gardens will help defeat hoarding

the docks on the deep end. Crappie move up and down on those just like they do wood cover.”

HAND-HELD POLES, VERTICAL

PRESENTATION

Illinois has great crappie fishing lakes and rivers. Guide Kyle Schoenherr (618-314-2967) fishes several of these waters including Rend and Kinkaid lakes.

“Fish will be along creek channels and usually on manmade or natural cover,” Schoenherr said. “Holding a pole in each hand and using a double-jig rig is a good way to fish. Jigs are good on a Capp-Coleman style rig because the jigs add to the overall weight of the rig, and you want enough weight to keep the rig down as you search around for active fish. They can be tipped with minnows if needed.”

Schoenherr uses sensitive BnM Bucks Ultra-light 12-foot poles with rear reel seats. Small spinning reels are used for quick and easy depth adjustment. Line is braided 15-pound-test highvisibility with monofilament leaders.

“For this type of fishing, I like running electronics split-screen with 2D sonar and Down Imaging,” he said. “Down Imaging is great for

British adult during WWII.

their own food by planting vegetable gardens in their backyards, churchyards, company-owned lands, and public property such as city parks. These were known as Victory Gardens or War Gardens and were intended to feed locals as well as the military.

With the introduction of food rationing in the spring of 1942, Americans had an even greater incentive to grow their own fruits and vegetables. Even First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt planted a victory garden on the White House lawn. By 1944 there were an estimated 20 million victory gardens that picking out cover, fish and even big fish. LiveScope is new and the best yet. Also, pay close attention to areas with a lot of baitfish.

“At bridges, like we have on Rend Lake, most of the fish are going to be on rocky points, ledges and after a few windy days, the backside of the bridges. There is no secret depth, but 10-14 feet is a good place to start. Keep the nose of the boat into the wind for good boat control.

“Holding poles makes it easier to feel cover, feel light bites and for setting the hook. A fisherman can hold one pole in each hand,” he added.

The weather can be brutal, so dress accordingly to stay warm and safe.

A final tip from Schoenherr: “The newer electronics are great, but a good, basic unit will show what is needed to catch fish. I sometimes fish cover even when I don’t see fish, because fish can get so tight or under cover, it’s difficult for electronics to separate them.”

Editor’s note: Tim Huffman’s new book, 300+ Crappie Fishing Tips, recently won the 2020 AGLOW (Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers) best book award. It can be purchased from Grizzly Jig Co (800-

The photo shows one week’s food rations for a single

305-9866) or from Amazon.

produced more than 40 percent of all fruits and vegetables consumed in the U.S.

Wartime food and material rationing made life difficult for Americans and far more difficult for the British. They survived then, and we can survive today on such meager portions if tough times should again befall the U.S., but growing and preserving your own food will make life more tolerable.

Editor’s note: This is the fifth article in a series offering advice to readers about preparing for emergencies, catastrophes and disasters.