By BRANDON BUTLER
Every once in a while, a plan comes together. Such was the case of my opening morning of spring turkey season in Missouri.
Experience on the property I was hunting, along with an understanding of how the turkeys typically react to certain weather patterns, allowed me to draft a plan that put me exactly where I needed to be.
The turkeys gave the whole show, and I ended up with one of the nicest Easterns I’ve ever taken.
There are numerous reasons why this hunt was special. First of all, it took place on land owned by an older couple who are very dear to me. We meet a lot of people in this world, but few of them have real meaningful impact on the direction of your life.
Another reason I so enjoyed this particular opening morning hunt had to do with a turkey vest and a box of shells. You see, last fall I attended an auction flush with all the things I like – tools and books and fishing and
hunting equipment. You can tell a lot about a person when all their possessions are laid out for sale. Based on what this gentleman left behind, I could tell I would have liked him a lot.
By the time the auctioneer had worked his way to a rack of hunting clothes and a couple of tables of gear, hours had passed and the crowd had thinned out. The high-quality clothing and equipment was selling for far less than it was worth, so I was buying.
When the auctioneer came to a turkey vest, and it was selling for only a few dollars, I thought I didn’t really want another turkey vest, because I’ve logged so many miles in so many states wearing the vest I’ve had for two decades. But its zippers are mostly broken, and barbwire has left enough scars to make my old vest quite ragged.
I thought this was something I could actually use. So I bought it.
To my surprise, the vest was
Today 8:45 AM
loaded with some bonuses. A few calls, chalk, gloves and even a full box of Remington 3½” turkey loads. All those finds were exciting. What saddened me – and what hit hard with a humbling lesson – was a half-empty bottle of water and a bag of half-eaten snacks. When this man hung up his turkey vest after the last time he wore it, he clearly did not think it was his last hunt. He planned to hunt again, wearing this vest, but it never happened.
This recognition spun me into deep reflection. It hit me how one day, I too would
take my turkey vest off for the last time. Few of us have the knowledge of the last time we’ll do anything, participating in our passions included. It made me wonder if anyone close to me would care enough to want to hold onto my turkey vest when I’m gone – hopefully a grandchild.
But maybe not. Nobody did in this man’s life, so I chose to take on the role.
On opening day, I wore this man’s turkey vest and loaded my shotgun with his shells. As I settled into my spot against the base of a tree next to a blowndown log along a creek bank,
I said to the wind, “OK old man, let’s have a good hunt.”
As the eastern sky started to turn orange, the whippoorwills began to sing. Other birds soon joined in, and then came the first gobble. For 20 minutes gobblers sounded off in every direction.
Then I saw the first turkey pitch down on a hillside about 500 yards away. The entire flock soon followed. The boss gobbler went into strut as soon as his feet hit the dirt.
At this point, I had no idea where these birds were going to head. It was windy, so I thought they might head into the forest, but in the past, on windy days, I’ve watched them huddle in a protected corner of a picked cornfield. So that’s where I was waiting.
When a single hen led the group down the hill, over a levee and into the corn stubble, I knew I’d made a good plan. For the next 30 minutes, I wondered if they would see my decoys and react to them. They did.
The hens were working past me about 100 yards out.
There were a couple of jakes in the flock, and the gobbler was staying busy keeping them away from his hens. He showed no interest in the hen calls I was making. He had plenty of them to deal with right in front of him.
I had three hard-body decoys set out, a feeding hen, an alert hen, and a jake. When I took out my gobble call and gave it a shake, the boss gobbler took notice. He stopped dead in his tracks. I shook it again, and the jakes started running to my decoys, with the gobbler now waddling right behind them.
Just before the gobbler jumped on my jake, I fired one of the old man’s shells. The flock scattered and the gobbler lay dead a foot from my decoy. I unloaded my shotgun, pulled off my facemask and exhaled the breath I’d been holding. I whispered to the old man, “What a hunt. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.” Then I stuffed the bird in his vest and headed to the farmhouse for breakfast.
Gentle rivers full of twists and turns, spectacular Ozark scenery, and phenomenal fishing make for an adventurous getaway! But that only scratches the surface of all Pulaski County offers. Plan your trip through the heart of the Ozarks and fill up on tales as old as time at our historic military and Route 66 stops. Test your skills in archery, golf, indoor shooting, and more. Grab delicious eats and treats at our unique diners. en do it all again as you work your way through our day-a er-day adventures.
“Out all day. Got a lead on a big one.”
WAYNESVILLE, MOPhoto and Brandon Butler wears the old man’s vest.
Exposure to nature can help you relax and be kind to others.
Spending time in conservation areas, woods, backyards, and urban parks may ease stress levels.
Getting away from busy schedules allows people to connect with nature and themselves in a way that brings calm and a sense of well-being.
Being outdoors gives us energy, makes us happier, and helps us feel more focused
Taking a nature walk may increase creative problemsolving skills by as much as 50 percent.
Get outside and enjoy nature today! Download the free MO Outdoors app for ideas on where to go near you.
Get outside and enjoy nature today! Download the free MO Outdoors app for ideas on where to go near you.
The Missouri Department of Conservation reports that out of more than 33,000 deer it tested for chronic wasting disease (CWD) between July 2022 and April 2023, 117 tested positive.
CWD is a 100 percent fatal disease among white-tailed deer and other members of the deer family and has been attributed to significant deer population declines in other states.
The total number of CWD cases found in the state since early 2012 is now 409. Including recent sampling, more than 243,000 tissue samples from wild deer have been collected for testing in Missouri since MDC began CWD surveillance in 2002.
A majority of the 33,000plus deer tested this past CWD surveillance season were part of mandatory sampling efforts in select counties during the opening weekend of the November portion of firearms deer season, Nov. 12 and 13.
Most of the remaining samples came from MDC’s voluntary sampling efforts, conducted throughout the deer season in partnership with taxidermists and meat processors.
About 3,500 of the samples were collected during targeted culling efforts conducted in cooperation with landowners after the regular deer season in areas near where the disease was found. Through targeted culling, another 41 CWD-positive deer were removed, helping slow the spread of CWD.
“The goal of targeted culling is to remove CWD-positive deer from the landscape and reduce deer density in these localized areas to slow the spread of the disease and protect Missouri’s deer herd,” MDC Wildlife Health Program Supervisor Deb Hudman said. “Targeted culling is a proven method to slow the spread of CWD, and Missouri is one of several states that uses it to manage the disease.”
Of the deer tested, MDC found CWD-positive deer in 23 counties: 22 deer in Franklin, 20 in Ste. Genevieve, 15 in Linn, 13 in Macon, seven in Jefferson, nine in Barton, four each in Perry and Stone, three each in Putnam, Adair and Sullivan, two each in Crawford and Taney, and one each in Barry, Carroll, Cedar, Dallas, Gasco-
nade, Hickory, Livingston, Ray, St. Clair and St. Francois.
Hudman said cases were detected for the first time in Barton, Carroll, Dallas, Gasconade, Hickory, Livingston, Ray, St. Francois and Sullivan counties.
MDC expects CWD to spread, she said, but the goal is to slow the spread while researchers work to develop a cure and additional management tools, and to keep the percentage of infected deer low.
In Missouri this past year, less than 1 percent of tissue samples from hunter-harvested deer tested positive for CWD.
“That is good news,” Hudman said. “It is a testament to our ability to find the disease early in new areas and apply management actions to slow its spread.”
But if MDC does not continue to act aggressively to slow the spread of the disease, CWD could have significant effects on the deer population, hunting culture and economy, Hudman said.
“There are areas of the country where over half of hunter-harvested adult bucks test positive for CWD,” she said. “We must do everything we can to not let this happen in Missouri, and we need the help of hunters and landowners in this fight.”
Hunters and landowners are critical partners in the fight against CWD and can assist MDC by continuing to deer hunt, by participating in CWD sampling, by following regulations designed to slow CWD spread, and by cooperating with targeted culling efforts, she said.
For more information, go online to mdc.mo.gov/cwd.
Photos and Text
By BRENT FRAZEEI’ll never forget my first spring in Missouri.
It was a glorious late-April day and I was exploring my new surroundings after being hired by The Kansas City Star as outdoors editor.
Just a week earlier, I was in the throes of a gloomy, dreary winter in Wisconsin. That made my introduction to Missouri all the more welcoming.
The further south I drove, the more spring reached out to greet me. The forests were dotted with the blooms of redbuds and
dogwoods. Little creeks along the backroads gurgled with a steady flow, providing a peaceful interlude when I stopped.
Bright-colored wildflowers announced spring’s arrival at the edge of one patch of forest. I even heard the booming gobble of a wild turkey in the distance. Instant mood adjustment. Yeah, I was going to like this place called Missouri. When I got to Warsaw and Truman Lake, that enthusiasm only intensified. Fishermen in beat-up johnboats were pulling into the harbor and straining to lift their catch for the day, giant paddlefish.
In a nearby tackle shop, hunters dressed in camouflage
brought their turkeys to a check station. And fishermen stood in line at the bait tanks to fill their minnow buckets.
A guy in bib overalls asked me if I had found any morels lately and he laughed at my confused look.
“I guess you’re new to these parts,” he said.
Below Truman Dam, I found an opening in a chain of fishermen stretching along the riprap and tried to act like I knew what I was doing. I cast my newly purchased hair jig into the swirling water and immediately felt the tap of a big white bass.
Ten casts later, I had four fish on my stringer. I was feeling pretty good about myself until I glanced to the left and saw a fellow angler almost get a hernia lifting his stringer.
May-June 2023
MAGAZINE
Office: 505 S. Ewing, St. Louis, MO 63103
News department — 618-972-3744
e-mail: carl@labortribune.com
COVER created by Kathy Crowe, graphic designer.
Carl
Bob Whitehead, editor emeritis – ogmbobw@aol.com
Kathy Crowe, graphic designer
Darrell Taylor
Ray Eye
Brent Frazee
Brandon Butler
Claudette
John
Lynn
Bill Cooper Thayne Smith Steve Jones
Bill Seibel John Neporadny Jr.
T. J. Mullin
Larry Whiteley Ted Nugent
Ron Bice
I thought, “What is this place?” It was like I had discovered some strange but wonderful new planet.
The further south I drove, the more I realized that the Truman Lake area was far from unique. I visited Roaring River State Park, set in a steep, rugged valley. I floated the Current River with a guide and fished for hard-fighting smallmouth bass. And I fished for a half-day at beautiful Table Rock Lake.
Some 33 years later, I still remember that eye-opening trip. I got over a lot of my Northwoods snobbery that week and discovered a whole new world.
Yes, Wisconsin is beautiful and the picture of wild adventure. But Missouri is too, in a different way.
At no time is that more apparent than in spring, when the woods and waters come alive. Winter can be a drab time in the Ozarks. And the heat of summer can cast an unappealing pall over the landscape. But spring is special.
I never take for granted the first pull of a big largemouth bass, the first live well full of crappies, the first float trip of the year down an Ozarks river. A flood of memories always
washes over me. I remember the day I fished for white bass with my favorite guide, ol’ J.D. Fletcher, on Table Rock Lake. We caught a stringer-full of fish that day, all on light line and ultralight equipment.
I was after a master-angler fish that day, and I thought several of my fish might qualify (4 pounds or bigger).
J.D. weighed them and shook his head when they came in at 3¾ pounds. We posed for pictures then put the fillet knife to them.
J.D. called when I got home and told me, “Hey, I tested out that scale on a bag of flour that I had. That scale was reading about a half-pound light. We ate some master-angler fish.”
Then there was the time I fished with guides Buster Loving and Bill Babler on Bull Shoals Lake below Powersite Dam. It was a gray, dreary day, and the walleyes we were after came out to play. We ended up with a three-man limit of big fish, far better than I had ever experienced in Wisconsin. I also have memories of big bass caught in Missouri strip pits, a 2-pound crappie taken in a farm pond, a 13-pound hybrid striper landed with guide Steve Blake at Truman, and days when I collected a basketful of morels, only to give them away to my hunting partners (What can I say, I am a picky eater).
So you’ll have to excuse me if I get excited at this time of the year. Though I am in my 70s now, I get as enthusiastic as a kid when spring arrives.
Brent Frazee is an award-winning writer and photographer from Parkville, Mo. He was outdoors editor for The Kansas City Star for 36 years before retiring in 2015. He continues to freelance for magazines, website and newspapers. He lives with his wife Jana and his yellow Lab, Millie.
Young anglers can experience the fun of catching fish and learn about the outdoors at Bennett Spring State Park’s Kids’ Fishing Day from 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on May 6, sponsored by the Missouri Department of Conservation, Missouri Department of Natural Resources and the Bennett Spring Park Store.
Gerald Scott Terry Wilson Mike Roux
Bill
Charlie Slovensky Jeannie Farmer Randall Davis
Jerry Pabst Darrell Cureton Larry Potterfield
Ray Maxwell Jed Nadler Tom Watson
Kids 15 and under can pick up free trout tags at the park store from 5 to 8 p.m. on Friday, May 5 or at the registration tent across from the park store on the day of
the event. A section of Zone 2 and Zone 3 at the park will be reserved for the youth anglers, and volunteers will be on hand to help.
Kids are encouraged to bring their own fishing equipment. Parents are welcome to help kids, but adults are also asked to let children fish by themselves as much as possible. Only one pole may be used between the helper and the child. Adults are not allowed to fish in the designated kids’ fishing zone. Lunch will be available from
11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Educational events will also take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Volunteers are needed to help with this event. Individuals wishing to volunteer do not need to be experienced anglers. To help or for more information, call the Bennett Spring Hatchery at (417) 532-4418 or e-mail Hatchery Manager Ben Havens at Ben. Havens@mdc,mo,gov.
Bennett Spring State Park is located 12 miles west of Lebanon on Missouri Highway 64.
Clearwater Lake & Webb Creek Park – Hwy H
–Bring the family to camp, boat, fish, and unwind on crystal clear Clearwater Lake. This area of the lake is formed where Webb Creek and Logan Creek empty into Clearwater Lake. The lake is known for its crappie, catfish and bass fishing. Camping is available at Webb Creek Recreation Park; plus a full service marina with boat/wave runner rentals on site. Webb Creek Park features over 40 campsites, swim beach, playground, showers, picnic pavilions, boat launch, and more. Services are limited after mid-September but camping is still permitted. Call Webb Creek Marina at 573-461-2344 for marina, boat rental and campsite information or visit www.recreation.gov to make reservations. If you are interested in all the conveniences of home call Webb Creek Cabins for cabin rentals, 573-461-2244.
Black River and K Bridge Recreation Area – K Hwy – Float, canoe, fish and explore the beautiful Black River. Enjoy swimming, camping and picnicking right on the banks of the Black River. K Bridge Recreation Area and Campground offers playground, showers, electric and comfort station, visit www. recreation.gov to make reservations. Floats (raft or canoe) can be arranged on site by calling Jeff’s Canoe Rental at 573-598-4555. A small general store is also available on site.
Current River & Log Yard Gravel Bar – Hwy 106 to HH Highway- Fish, swim, camp and relax on majestic Current River. Great place to explore Current River. This area is often referred to as Cardareva by locals and is a favorite summer hangout. Primitive camping is available right on the river bank, camping is also available at the nearby School Yard with picnic tables, lantern hooks and fire pits. These sites are available on a first come basis. Bring your canoes, rafts and kayaks; a perfect day float….Powder Mill to Log Yard. Boat launch available. Powder Mill Recreation Area and Campground re-opened. Camping available with views of the Current River. Picnic table, firepit & lantern hook available at each site, reservations not available. Water/elect not provided.
Recreation Area – Hwy 106 near Current River bridge Powder Mill reopened summer 2020. Camping is available with views of the river, picnic tables, fire pit and lantern hook. Reservations are not available. Powder Mill is a perfect camp base for day trips to area attractions like Blue Spring, Rocky Falls, Peck Ranch, Johnson Shut-Ins, Elephant Rocks and more. Wild horses are often seen in the fields near the bridge. The Ozarks offers countless options for family adventure.
Rocky Falls- NN Hwy- A cascading crystal Rocky Creek drops from the Ozark Mountains into a lazy pool which eventually winds through the Ozarks to Current River. A must see if you are in the area and fun for all ages. Wear non-slip shoes and use caution when climbing on the falls. Picnic tables provided.
Current River Conservation Area –Consists of 28,000 acres of state land. Deer, turkey, eagles, elk and a multitude of wildlife can be seen. UTV’s, ATV’s and vehicle traffic are welcome on miles of gravel roads and trails that wind through some 60+ food plots. Buford Pond, Missouri’s first fire tower, a 1926 log cabin and an earthen Fort Barnesville can all be found here. Buford Pond provides fishing and picnicking and is a favorite location of all. For hunting enthusiasts an unstaffed rifle and archery range are provided.
Current River Conservation Area is home to the Missouri Ozark Ecosystem Project, the world’s most comprehensive forest management study. This 100 year project spans over 9,000 acres.
Main park entrance located on South Road in Ellington, other entrances located off Hwy 106 and HH highway. Primitive camping is available. Elk viewing and maps of the area are available at the main park entrance.
Local Flavor – While in town you won’t want to miss the Reynolds County Museum. This Museum is filled with relicts from days gone by and the rich history of the Ozarks. Volunteers staff the establishment and are happy to answer questions; Open March-November, Tues-Fri, 10-4 or by appointment. Call 573-663-3233 for more information. Want some nostalgia from a couple decades back; how about a drive in movie? One of only a few drive-ins left in the Midwest is located just south of Ellington on highway 21. 21 Drive-In opens in May with summer family favorites and offers movie events into the fall including Halloween and Christmas.
Scenic Highway 106 - This 26 mile drive between Ellington and Eminence is known state wide for its scenic views and beauty, and is especially a favorite in the fall. This section of highway is also home to the Trans-America Trail and sees many bicycle travelers from April-October. Bicycle enthusiasts say it’s one of the “toughest sections on the trail” and known for the steep hills & hollers.
Blair Creek- Hwy 106 – This area is a favorite of the local’s spring, summer and fall. For the person who is looking for the unknown, adventure into the wild Ozark hills for the beautiful views, caves, swimming, picnicking. Here riding the back roads in ATV’s, UTV’s and 4-wheel drives is exciting and fun. Entrance located North of Hwy 106 across from Blue Spring entrance.
Ozark Trail- Hwy 106- Blair Creek & Current River section; Hwy 106 – Whether you are looking for a one day hike or want to make a few days of it; hiking these sections of the Ozark Trail is rewarding and adventurous. Such splendid locations as Rocky Falls, Klepzig Mill and Buzzard Mountain Shut-Ins are located right on the trail. For the adventurous visitor this is a must!
Peck Ranch- H Highway, Shannon County- Listen for the bugle this fall! Elk are now roaming the hills of the Ozarks and can be seen in Peck Ranch, Current River Conservation Area and the surrounding region. Thanks to the Missouri Department of Conservation’s recent Elk Restoration Program elk were released into the elk zone beginning in the summer of 2011. With the third release the summer of 2013 the elk herd is nearing 200 bulls, cows and calves. Peck Ranch is open from sunrise/sunset daily and offers a driving tour. Bugling occurs in the fall, Sept-Nov. Check the Missouri Dept of Conservation website for park closing details. Maps are available at park entrance.
or losing them in the bush, a dozen of these arrows will last you a long time.
Bill Dance, Virgil Ward, Ernest Hemingway, Teddy Roosevelt – the names engraved at the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame are impressive, and they got a boost this year when Mark Van Patten became Missouri’s most recent inductee.
“It’s amazing to me to have my name associated with those,” Van Patten said in an interview. “I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around it. I’m elated, shocked, excited, humbled, and extremely honored. I feel there are many people who are more deserving than I am.”
To the contrary, his resume says he belongs.
Retired and living along his beloved Current River, Van Patten is most widely acknowledged as the founder of the Missouri Stream Team program. As a private citizen in 1989, along with his Roubidoux Creek Fly Fishers organization, they began the effort that has evolved into a statewide sensation and a national model.
He was hired by the Missouri Department of Conservation to coordinate Stream Team volunteers. Since its establishment, the river cleanup and volunteer service organization has grown to more than 5,000 groups all over the state.
That accomplishment may have been enough to earn national recognition, but it is only a portion of Van Patten’s story. For 13 years, he hosted the national PBS television program, “The Tying Bench” offering weekly instruction for fly-fishermen.
He wrote a book of short stories called “Moonshine and Watermelons,” and has served as a seasonal interpretive ranger for the Ozark National Scenic Riverways
since his retirement.
He teaches fly casting classes once a month in that national park, and this summer he will introduce the new Junior Ranger fly-fishing program for anglers ages 12 to 16 looking to learn the sport, using a grant from the National Parks Foundation and Park Service in Washington, DC.
“When this grant came up, it was an opportunity to get more youth involved,” he said. “The grant will allow me to purchase some equipment and accessories for the class.
“One of the requirements is that they have to attend with a family member. You can get a kid excited about fishing, but if Mom or Dad or Grandpa is not on board, it will not go far.”
The classes will be taught at the Akers Ferry Visitor Center along the Current River. Dates for the new program this summer are July 27, Aug. 20, and Sept. 24. Classroom work will take place in the center, and then go into the front yard for casting, and eventually to the river.
Van Patten said he is hopeful about getting kids involved. “The adult classes are always full, but they are mostly retirees. They say, ‘I think my grandson or granddaughter would really enjoy this’,” he said.
He has experience teaching the younger set. His wife, Regina, is a retired middle school teacher, and when they lived in the Jefferson City area, they started a youth fly fishing club for seventh- and eighth-grade students. The younger students each year would have a mentor from the older class.
“Many of those kids are still involved with fly fishing,” he said. “They are parents now,
The Hall of Fame induction and the museum in Heyward, WI, acknowledges accomplishments of the past, but obviously Van Patten, who will celebrate his 70th birthday this summer, is looking toward the future. He is working on his second book, a fictional murder mystery set in the national park, and he still finds time to fish whenever he can.
“My favorite time on the river is in the fall and winter,” he said. “I believe in Newton’s Law – An object in motion stays in motion.”
Inductees get to choose the venue for their plaque presentation and enshrinement. Van Patten is vice president of the Ozarks Riverways Foundation, and the organization is holding a fund-raiser music festival the evening of May 13 at Big Chill Bar and Grill at Big Rock Candy Mountain, admission $15. Fellow Missouri Hall of Fame member Bill Cooper will present the award to Van Patten during the show. See the Foundation’s Facebook page for more information.
For more information about the Hall of Fame, go online to freshwater-fishing. org, and when you are in the Ozark National Scenic River park, ask for Ranger Mark.
John Winkelman is Associate Editor for Outdoor Guide Magazine. If you have story ideas to share, e-mail ogmjohnw@aol.com, and you can find more outdoor news and updates at johnjwink.com.
A few years ago, I came across a video on YouTube that really drew my attention. Greg Richards of 3D Archery was sponsoring “the fiberglass bow challenge.”
Greg and some fellow archers were competing at a secluded field archery course using old Ben Pearson jet bows. These bows were produced in the 1960s and are made of solid fiberglass. The most fascinating thing about the competition was that they were shooting at distances of 20 to 30 yards and consistently hitting the 8 and 9 rings of the foam, animal-shaped targets. These courses are usually set up for the modern recurve and compound bows equipped with sights.
Watching the footage also took me back to my adolescence in the 1980’s, when I roamed the wooded hills near my grandfather’s property, toting a Fred Bear Golden Fox. This solid fiberglass bow had only a 30-pound draw but it was plenty powerful for small critters at close range. I ended up harvesting a plump woodchuck and my first-ever cottontail rabbit with that very bow.
To be honest though, it killed more rotting stumps and clumps of sod than anything else. Back in those days, these bows were also very popular at Boy Scout camps and for school archery programs.
Shortly after viewing the video, I went onto eBay and found several Ben Pearson jet bows for sale, some priced less than $25. Of course, the cost of shipping would add another 10 or 15 bucks to that amount. Anyway, this 50-plus year-old man wound up buying a couple of vintage kids’bows. These old bows were crafted in a rainbow of colors. The yellow and white striped bow that I purchased had a 40-pound draw weight, while the green one pulled at 45 pounds. Both were Super Jet model 336’s and in surprisingly good condition for being over a half-century old.
After installing new dacron strings and nocking points, I was in the backyard shooting at the Morrell’s bag-target that I use for my other bows. Though it took a little while to regain my form, it wasn’t long before I was sticking the 4-inch bullseyes with some consistency at 12 and 15 yards. It’s remarkable how accurate one can be with such a simple bow without the benefit of a sight. If you have proper form and a good release, your brain and eyes will automatically do the rest. I focus intensely onto the tiny area of the target that I intend to hit, then gently release the arrow. For me, the Apache-style method (3 fingers under the arrow-nock) works best.
I should mention that since these bows have a small shelf molded into the plastic grip, you’ll need feathered fletching on your arrows. Fortunately, I have a couple of dozen carbon arrows with feather vanes that I use for my Samick recurves. I found these 32” and 500-spine arrows on Amazon for around $40 a dozen. And unless you’re shooting into cinderblocks
I am certainly no Robin Hood, but on a good day, I can hit a softball-sized bullseye consistently at 20 yards with my fiberglass bows. And though I might get laughed at when I eventually visit the local 3D archery range with a vintage kid’s bow, I think it’ll be a lot more fun. For me, there’s no greater satisfaction in target archery than nailing a bull at 20, or even 30 yards, with one of my jet bows.
I recently watched a video where a prepper suggested that these bows would make great survival tools. Because they are so lightweight, they are easy to lug around. And being made of solid fiberglass, they’re nearly indestructible and are impervious to weather.
I do own better and more powerful bows for hunting, but in a SHTF (something hitting the fan) scenario, I would agree that my 40- and 45-pound super jets with a sharp, cut-on-contact broadhead on the end of an arrow, are plenty capable for close-range game animals, both large and small.
Since acquiring those first two bows, I’ve purchased a few more along the way. The newer ones have less poundage. My favorite is a model 334 jet bow which has a 30-pound draw weight and a shallow sight window cut into the riser just above the shelf. This bow sends a 32-inch, 500-spined arrow downrange at approximately 130 feet per second (fps.) I realize this is pedestrian when compared to the modern compound bow and its 300 fps velocity, but the little bow is flat shooting and deadly accurate at 20 yards. And it can be shot all day without causing fatigue to one’s shoulder or back. Did I mention that it’s a lot of fun to shoot?
You don’t have to be a kid again to enjoy these bows. If you’re my age and want to revisit your youth, then pick up a vintage fiberglass bow. Even though they were made in the ‘60’s and ‘70’s, there are still plenty of them floating around out there at reasonable prices.
and I see them introducing their kids to the sport.”Mark Van Patten
Tyler Goodale of Doniphan caught two record-worthy fliers on March 26 at Duck Creek Conservation Area using his pole and line. They both were 11 ounces, and the old state record was 10 ounces, caught on a private pond in 1991.
Fliers are a species of conservation concern in Missouri. The largest populations are found at Duck Creek, which consists of 6,000 acres in southeastern Missouri, and in nearby Mingo National Wildlife Refuge, where extensive areas of standing-water habitat remain.
Fliers prefer quiet, clear bodies of water with little current, considerable aquatic vegetation and a mud bottom.
Missouri Department of Conservation staff verified the fishes’ weight using a certified scale in Wappapello.
It was Goodale’s second state record at Duck Creek Conservation Area. His 5-pound, 4-ounce spotted sucker, taken in 2020, is also the current world record.
Learn more about fliers from MDC’s online Field Guide at https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/ield-guide/flirt
Missouri state record fish are recognized in two categories, pole-and-line and alternative methods. Alternatives
include trotline, throwline, limb line, bank line, jug line, gig, bow, crossbow, underwater spearfishing, snagging, snaring, grabbing and atlatl. For more information on state record fish, go to http://bit. ly/2efqllvl.
I had been fishing for about an hour just at the mouth of Little Indian Creek on Mark Twain Lake. The sun was still low, and the May morning was a bit nippy. I was looking forward to the warmth of the sun. I was also looking forward to catching a dozen or so big crappie.
The spring gobbler season had been very good to me, and I was hoping to get some crappie fillets to top off a perfect spring. Best friend and fellow gourmet Roger Lewis of Park Hills, Mo. showed me years ago how your spring table should be set.
Fried wild turkey breast, crappie fillets with fresh mushrooms and wilted lettuce chased by tart, cold lemonade is an event my taste buds appreciate every time this combination is available. The last pieces needed to achieve this goal were the crappie.
I was using a red and white tube-jig close to standing timber. Quite often this time of year, I find crappie relating closely to structure. While many other anglers are searching the shallows for spawners, I find post-spawn crappie have already moved out to the timber.
But remember, structure does not just mean timber or brush. It could be a steep dropoff or submerged ridge. Any break in the regular look of the water will attract crappie. But as anyone who frequents Indian Creek knows, structure there means standing trees. Combine this structure with a food source, and you have
found your crappie.
I had yet to touch a crappie that morning, fishing just off the trees themselves. A gust of wind blew my boat just slightly and caused my vertical jigging action to actually come into contact with a tree.
I got bit immediately. A nice 11-inch silver-slab found my live-well. My next attempt went right to the tree on purpose, producing the same result. The crappie had their noses right on the trunk of the tree.
I had seen fish relate to structure hundreds of times in the past. I have seen catfish refuse to leave the shade of a log. I have seen bass, at Lake Huites, Mexico, live in dead cactus.
But I had never seen crappie that would not hit a jig three inches from the tree. If my jig did not hit the tree at the right depth, I caught no fish. However, almost every time I did it right, I caught a crappie. Some were small, but I had definitely set the pattern for that day.
In my opinion, May is about the best time of year to nail big crappie on Mark Twain. The fish are spawn oriented and very hungry. Finding the exact depth where the fish are holding is one of the keys to success.
In the pre-spawn, you should focus your search on highly probable nesting spots, even though fish will not
See CRAPPIE page 17
As I was thinking about some of the delicious spring fruits and vegetables we have come to enjoy, the first ones that came to mind were morels and asparagus. Oh my, what a treasure they are!
We tend to especially appreciate those things that are harder to come by, and if you’ve tried buying morels instead of find-
ing them, you’ve noticed that they are hard on the pocketbook too.
Most spring fruits and vegetables are easy to come by. Now this “easy to come by” term probably needs clarification. For example, take rhubarb and strawberries. Both can be found at grocery stores and farmers markets, but ask any strawberry
grower – they require a lot of work and are not “easy to come by” for the producers.
Rhubarb, on the other hand, practically takes care of itself. Practically…almost…usually…
Two summers ago, I was so impressed with the huge stalks of flowers that shot out of the rhubarb plants that I took pic-
tures. The plants were already here when we moved in 12 years ago, and they just kept coming up every spring. As I understand it, those “beautiful blooms” were actually the rhubarb “bolting.”
All I know is that some experts say this takes the energy and nutrients away from the stalks, but a gardener friend said I’d lose the rhubarb. I’m not a gardener, but I do know
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
Try for young stalks before they get too big and tough. that no rhubarb came back the next year. I missed the boat to plant more, so here’s looking at autumn for another opportunity.
Ideally, you’ll get young stalks that haven’t gotten big and tough as they do late in the season. They require very little work. Cut off the leaves and rough ends and you’re ready to go. Older pieces may need a little peeling.
If your harvest is plentiful, or you get a great deal at the farmer’s market, they are easy to freeze. Prepare as described above. If you know ahead of time what kinds of recipes you will be using it in, cut it to appropriate-sized pieces (usually 1/4” to 1/2”).
Place them as a single layer on a cookie sheet and freeze. Once frozen, fill a freezer bag. It will be easy to take out just the quantity you need at any given time, and they will be ready to use. Some of my favorite uses are muffins and pies.
As the outside temperatures increase, muffins rather than cakes are my go-to dessert. Why? Because generally they bake in less than half the time a cake does. I’m more likely to bring them to an outdoor carry-in meal because they are already in individual servings and require no cutting or serving utensil.
While muffins can pass as breakfast fare, a coffee accompaniment or dessert, let’s face it – they are closer to cake than breakfast food. They were quite the rage 20 years ago when they were trying to pass them off as a “healthy alternative.” Alternative to what, I wonder.
Note: if you don’t have enough sour cream, you can substitute yogurt or even make up the shortfall with applesauce. This may change the consistency of your batter. If it’s extremely thick, add another spoonful of sour cream.
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 3/4 cup chopped rhubarb
• 1 cup chopped strawberries
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and place paper muffin liners in muffin tins. Begin by mixing the dry ingredients. Set aside. Sprinkle and toss one tablespoon of flour (not listed above) in with the fruit. Cream the first three ingredients thoroughly with a mixer. Beat in the egg, and once well incorporated, add the sour cream and extract. Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the mixture. Add the fruit and stir gently.
Fill the muffin tins and bake for about 14 minutes. I prefer to use the toothpick test to determine doneness. This makes 20 muffins, using a quarter cup of batter for each. For larger muffins, expect to leave them in the oven longer. Top of the muffin to you!
Those of you interested in trying to make mayonnaise may remember that the directions in our previous issue stated that the use of a “stick blender alone isn’t the answer and that it must be used in combination with the container that came with it.
Unfortunately, the picture that accompanied the article showed the opposite of what the directions said. Our apologies – please follow the directions, not the picture.
Owls sport reputations for being shy and stately, wise and old. However, social media accounts and tabloid TV stories are now portraying these feathered fellows as dangerous. Wise old owls appear to be in attack mode.
A hiker in Alaska recently had a scary encounter with a great-horned owl armed with sharp talons. Last year, attacks took place from Washington state to Georgia. Incidents in Texas prompted a “When Owls Attack” advisory.
“Owls can and do attack,” explained the Missouri Department of Conservation’s Shelly Colatskie. “If you get close to their nests, especially when they have young, they will swoop down on you. An owl coming at you with their talons can be scary.”
After several incidents in Midland, Texas, wildlife experts began advising residents to wear protective gear when passing by nesting owls and their owlets. Leather jackets and baseball helmets were suggested for “owl-proofing.”
In suburban St. Louis, an owl-attack victim is recommending a bike helmet and an umbrella for protection. This advice comes after he was dive-bombed by several owls near his home.
The Webster Groves pediatrician goes to work around 5:30 a.m. When he was first hit on a Friday morning last spring, it was dark and he thought he might have just closed the car door on himself.
On the Sunday after the first dark encounter, he witnessed his assailants. Two owls swooped down on him. The first one knocked him to the ground, but he was able to wave off the second attacker.
“The next attack came the next Saturday,” recalled Dr. Galgani. “I actually got scratched pretty bad on the ear and I bled for a while. These little animals may weigh less than two pounds, but they pack quite a wallop if they hit you. They can knock you down.”
“People in the outdoors should have a healthy respect
for owls and all raptors. They all can have sharp talons to rip apart prey,” said Daniel Cone, general manager of the World Bird Sanctuary in nearby Valley Park.
“Owls’ nests are not always easy to see. People can come upon them unexpectedly and everyone gets startled,” Cone said. “Just keep moving, but don’t run, and there will be no reason to be scared.”
Owls actually have a lot more to fear from humans than humans have to fear from owls, according to Cone. The World Bird Sanctuary specializes in treating injured fowl and works to rehabilitate birds for a return to the wild after treatment.
“We treat more than 650 bird patients annually, and by far the overwhelming number of them are owls,” Cone said. “The injuries are usually collision-related. They get hit on the roads chasing a squirrel or a mouse.
He explained, “Owls are great hunters and they get hyper-fixated on their prey. They are simply unaware that a car or a truck is coming at them.”
Cone said the “release rate”
The widow Jenny Jenkins lived in the same house for 30 years. Her husband, a railroad engineer, had constructed the roomy two and a half story farmhouse around 1900. He died in a locomotive accident in the 1920s, leaving her the house and 20 acres.
Jenny never had any children but was always kind, caring and well liked by everyone, so much so that she became known as simply, “Aunt Jenny.”
She liked her solitude and was happy to live alone with a couple of cats – and according to some folks, a modest moonshine still. I suppose back then, it was a lucrative way to supplement any railroad spousal compensation.
But in the mid 1930s, Aunt Jenny passed away in the upper bedroom, alone. It would be a couple of weeks before someone came looking for her. And those cats ... well, they had access to her.
for birds treated by World Bird Sanctuary is about 40 percent, which means that 40 percent can be released back into the wild after treatment. If owls are no longer able to hunt because of injuries, they will not be let back into the outdoors.
Some of these birds can be kept on site for exhibiting. In addition, owls that are not native to the Midwest are captive and kept for on-site exhibiting.
“We have three spectacled owls from Central and South America that have great personalities and are very popular,” Cone said. “They are captive-raised, so they are calm around humans and very adorable.
“Unfortunately, they are an endangered species because they are losing their habitat,” Cone added. “Animals like the spectacled owls are losing their rainforest homes in places like the Amazon to human development.”
Some owls in America once were hunted for prize money and sport, but as an
endangered species, that is now illegal. Owls may occasionally give humans a scare, but it’s probably time now for humans to give a hoot about endangered owls!
Don Corrigan is the author of numerous books on the outdoors and the environ-
This was the tale I was told by her great nephew, who later owned the house. He and his wife always heard strange noises throughout the house after they acquired it – squeaking floors upstairs, doors closing spontaneously, coffee cups falling from the cabinet. You know, creepy stuff like that.
But in two recent weeks, the unexplained disturbances had become more than the couple could tolerate, so they called me.
I listened to their story while standing in the remodeled yet antique kitchen. Afterward, I explained I’m not a ghost hunter, nor an apparition apprehender, but that I would look around to see if some type of wildlife was causing all the ruckus.
About the time I was winding up my dissertation about possible squirrels, raccoons, birds, rats (never tell someone they might have rats; most then want to burn down the
Sometimes the author is called to sort out more than just nuisance wildlife!
house), we all heard a distinctive “thump, thump, scratch, scratch,” from the overhead A/C vent.
Instantly, the couple faced me with wide eyes, as if they had seen a ghost, and simultaneously bellowed, “SEE?” I grabbed my flashlight and headed to the crawlspace.
122 YEARS DARK
The access was a heavy planked door situated within
a foundation made of local limestone rock. Pulling the door out, the opening was just big enough for me to squeeze through, and as I did, I thrust my face into a thick wall of spider webs as tough as a dip net. I just hoped there weren’t any attendants lurking around. Pushing on, I belly-crawled over dirt that hadn’t seen sunlight in 122 years. As the light beam swept deep into the damp and musty interior, I
spotted old snake skins, bones of some kind of mammal and vintage cigar butts, likely from workers installing the HVAC system some 20 years ago.
Moving deeper into the maw, I spotted a dim yet shiny object up between the floor joists. Coming in closer, I found a small ledge made of rough-sawn lumber attached to the bottom of a joist. There, perched on this ledge, were three mildewed, dust-covered mason jars with clear liquid. Above this, I could see a small access door neatly and precisely cut into the floor boards.
I had to laugh, “So, Aunt Jenny did do a little moonshining after all!”
I thought about having a taste, but figured if I did it could be days before anyone would find me. Heck, I might have even ended up having a nip WITH Aunt Jenny.
I moved beyond this tiny speakeasy to the center of the
ment. He is editor emeritus of the Webster-Kirkwood Times weekly newspaper and professor emeritus at Webster University, where he directed the Outdoor/Environmental Journalism Certificate. He has been inducted into the St. Louis Media Hall of Fame.
building, which was supported by several masterfully crafted rock pillars. Worming around one of those pillars, I could hear the “Thump, thump, scratch, scratch” sound again.
As I swung the light toward the sound, I caught the glow of two yellow eyes blinking at me, and then they disappeared. Had I just seen a goblin, or was that Aunt Jenny getting into her moonshine?
Because I hadn’t replaced batteries for some time, the light was quickly diminishing, and I was mentally planning what to do when the tickle of tiny legs raced across the back of my neck.
Now, considering where I was and what I had just seen, it made the scurrying dance of this wolf spider seem like a troupe of tarantulas celebrating an upcoming banquet. I took a breath and slapped the small arachnid away.
Then a rush of cool air hit me in the face as the A/C came on and the puzzle came
May begins the hottest months of the year for those of us fishing for Mr. Forked Tail in the Prairie State.
Fishing for Channel Catfish is the most basic of angling pursuits available to anglers of Illinois. It can be a simple as a hooked worm on a line attached to a stick, or as sophisticated as spinning gear, a space-age composite rod and crankbaits.
It is, at once, the choice of those who spend a lot of money and those who do not. The one thing both have in common is that they must find the fish.
It seems that everything about catfish patterns relates to their search for food. They eat almost everything in their environment. By using slack water ambush points, they conserve energy until some food comes their way. They relate to brush, cutback banks, and rip rap for their spawning activity and to find food sources.
Anglers often fish for channel catfish using natural baits like: cut shad, cut herring, night crawlers, minnows, shrimp, chicken liver and turkey liver. In other times of the year, prepared baits (stink or dip baits) are popular. In early summer, they do not produce as well.
This time of the year catfish feed actively and will attack anything that invades their ter-
ritory as they spawn and guard the nest and young of the year. Look for structure. During the day, fish seek deep water away from shore. As the water cools, they move to the flats and to shallow water structure. In areas that were once part of the main channel, fish the structure that is closest to the flow of the current. In backwaters, look for the current to boil. Anchor above the boil and cast to it. The fish will be tight up against the structure.
From the spawn in June through the post-spawn months of summer, catfish provide anglers with fishing action that puts fish on the table that is second to none.
On rivers with wing dams, fish the outside of the eddy at the end of a wing dam. Fish like the wing dams because there is less current for them to fight. Dams silted in are less productive due to the catfish’s love of clean hard bottoms. A damaged wing dam can create two current breaks, one at the end and one where the break has occurred.
At fishing lakes or reservoirs, fish tend to prefer the old main channel, as it brings food to them. Look for structure in current areas. By looking at the shoreline, one can often find old roadways that lead right down into the water. In the water, the rocks and blacktop of the old roadway provide structure. Additionally, roadbeds lead to old farmsteads. Farmsteads mean old building foundations and
together.
Crawling toward the breeze, I found that over time, one of the HVAC air ducts had come loose and was down on the ground, opening access to the ventilation trunks for the whole house. This is how the varmint – or poltergeist – was making such a loud presence. It had a perfect echo chamber.
Working closer to the access, I heard the sound again and saw the eyes within the duct. The light was just strong enough to look inside, and I saw the haunting spirit.
Holding the light steady on my target, and with reflexes as quick as any 66-year-old man, I thrust my arm into the access and hauled out the mystery – a fully grown bullfrog!
more structure.
Depth finders are good for locating structure. Catfish like clean bottom and structure like rock and hard surfaces. In looking at wood structure, remember that catfish want current.
While fishing in the current, look for wood, usually in the form of trees. The bigger the tree, the more fish will hold near it. Smaller fish feed on the outside of the tree. Larger fish will be down in the lower branches of the tree.
Big cats are in deep brush or an exposed root system at the base of large trees. Just move the boat up into the brush and jig the bait down to them. Go after them and yank ‘em out. It is important to position the boat so you can get the fish out of the brush.
These tips may be what you need to haul in that big one this year.
from page 13
THE GHOST LIVES ON I stuffed the wiggling imp into my coat and re-attached the ductwork, sealing off any chance for a repeat performance from possible future amphibious acts.
Later, I explained the ordeal to the couple. They were amazed and stunned that a bullfrog could be so scary. They were delighted to know what was really causing all the creepy audio exasperations, and yet a bit sad that Aunt Jenny’s ghost might no longer be present. So I reminded them of the other oddities of the house –the doors closing and dishes moving. And I told them about the moonshine.
They grinned – maybe with a little mist in their eyes. And with that, she was still part of the house and she still lives on. Case closed!
I am the kind of person who doesn’t always want to pay a guide when I go somewhere to fish, or to hunt for that matter. Most if not all places that you travel to have public areas to use for outdoor activities. This is no different than living somewhere in town and not having private ground to use for your outdoor adventures. With some research you can be successful at both hunting and fishing all by yourself without spending a small fortune on a so-called professional.
I have traveled to almost every state and several other countries around the world. In most of my travels, I have carried some sort of fishing rod. Whenever my wife says, ‘Hey, were going here on vacation,” I immediately look up the laws for where we are going, and then of course what licenses cost.
If its salt water, there is usually a website that says what fish are traveling in that area at the time we will be there. Then I start getting into all the details. Years ago, this wasn’t possible, but now it is. Start looking
for public areas to fish, and if it is even feasible to get to where the fish are without a boat. Sometimes when you are looking for saltwater fishing, it can be difficult, but you have Google maps. You can zoom in and look at how close the reefs or mangroves are to the beaches or if there is a way you can wade or walk to them.
You must remember that all over the world there are private beaches where owners get really excited about someone trespassing.
There are some other things you must think about when you are in other areas you are not familiar with is the wildlife and plants. There are a lot of different critters everywhere.
You could end up in a bad situation in a hurry if you are not familiar with what is in the area, such as jellyfish, sharks, venomous snakes and lizards. There can be a wide variety of hazardous plants as well. I know here in Missouri we have poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac and quite a few venomous snakes.
Some of my most successful do-it-yourself largemouth
bass fishing trips came from just picking out a public pond somewhere and fishing whenever I had time while I was on the road, working.
In Detroit, years ago, I was working 12-hour days and would go the last couple hours before dark and catch a massive amount of bass from this small public pond. On one of my best days, I ended up with six bass over 4 pounds each. All I did was wade through the weeds and start fishing.
The game warden stopped me, and was mind-blown by all of the ones I was catching. Then he decided to say that everyone else was too busy fishing for smallmouth and walleye.
Now, am I saying that getting a guide is a bad idea? No, I am not, but things don’t always work out in your schedule or theirs, or they are just too expensive. I have had successful guided trips in Cabo San Lucas and Cancun. But I have also had DIY trips in Florida when I caught bunches of fish because I did a bunch of research. Don’t be afraid of doing it yourself – it can be done
Targets in 5-stand shotgun shooting imitate the flight patterns of popular game birds. Shooters rotate through five stations where clay targets can fly left and right, toward, and away and at different angles and speeds – even bounce on the ground.
Both MDC shooting ranges in the St. Louis region are hosting 5-stand at the following times through Aug. 31:
August A. Busch
Shooting Range
Thursday 1 - 7:30 p.m.
Friday 10 am. - 4:30 p.m.
Jay Henges
Shooting Range
Wednesday 1 - 7:30 p.m.
Thursday 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
5-stand is excellent prep for game bird hunting and can sharpen your shotgun skills.
$4 per round, cash or check only. Includes clay birds; eye and ear protection available. No reservations, first come first served. Visit mdc.mo.gov/shootingranges to learn more.
By JOHN NEPORADNY
Ed Franko likes to think “old school” sometimes when selecting his lures for bass fishing.
The Lake of the Ozarks guide likes to fish occasionally with retro lures, and one of his old-time favorites for catching bass in the spring is a Smithwick Rattlin’ Rogue floating stickbait. Franko started fishing floating stickbaits back in the mid-1970’s on Lake Ouachita when he discovered the Whopper Stopper Hellcat.
“I always had such a good time with that, and I have always enjoyed fishing topwater baits,” he said.
When the Hellcat was discontinued, and Franko had trouble finding any more of the baits, he switched over to the floating Rogue for his topwater tactic. He prefers using the floating model rather than the suspending Rogue because the floater works better as a surface lure.
The proprietor of Big Ed’s Guide Service – call (573) 692-6710 – relies on his floating Rogue during the spawn and post-spawn.
“As soon as I start seeing fish up on beds, then I will start throwing it,” Franko said. He usually works the lure in the backs of spawning pockets where he sees bass on nests. The floating Rogue will catch bass on nests or cruising the shallows during the spawn. It is also an effective lure for catching bass protecting fry during the postspawn, so Franko suggests the lure remains productive for a month or more during the spring.
Franko’s floating Rogue tactic produces strikes during the low-light conditions of early morning and late evening.
“It works extremely well on a cloudy day and in rain,” he said.
“If you have a little bitty misty rain, it is on fire.”
He also likes a slight chop on the water but, if the surface is too choppy, he switches to a splashier topwater such as a Zara Spook.
The floating Rogue also works well for Franko in calm weather when the water surface is slick.
“The reason you can get by
with that is because the lure is quiet,” he said. “It is not a loud bait. Everything nowadays flutters, sputters or whines in some way, and the noisier it is the better. Well, this is something the fish haven’t seen, and it is quiet.” So the Rogue is an ideal finesse-style surface lure for fishing in clear water.
The only modification Franko makes on his Rogues is to change the color of the lure. He paints the lure with an air brush, coloring it with a red head, yellow back, white belly and a splash of red on the belly. The color combination helps him see the lure better on the surface and when it dives in the water.
Franko believes bass dislike the colors because the fish frequently smash his topwater offering. “I don’t know why they dislike it so much, but there are days when they will hit it as soon as it hits the water,” he said. Whenever he spots bass in the spawning pockets, Franko throws his Rogue to the shallows and waits for the rings from the lure’s splashdown to disappear.
“Then I just barely pop it or twitch it a little bit so it swims a little and then comes back to the surface,” he said. Franko repeats the sequence, working the lure out to water in the 4- to 5-foot range and then reels in the lure to cast to another spot. While fan-casting the pocket, Franko might vary his retrieve until he finds a sequence the fish prefer.
Franko frequently sets up his clients with floating Rogues because the lures are easy for them to work. “The only thing I have to worry about with them is, sometimes they throw the lures up in the trees,” he said. The floating Rogue can be thrown on either spinning or baitcasting tackle, but Franko prefers employing a baitcast reel because he can cast the Rogue more accurately. The gear for his floating Rogue includes a 6-foot, 7-inch medium-fast action Lew’s Speed Stick jerkbait rod matched with a Lew’s baitcast reel.
Franko fills his reel with 10-pound monofilament, which he prefers over fluorocarbon because the monofilament floats,
whereas fluorocarbon sinks and creates too much of a bow in the line when the Rogue sits on the surface.
If a bass blows up on the floating Rogue and misses, Franko lets the lure sit for a while to see if he fish will come back and nose it. If Franko sees the bass near his lure, he will twitch the Rogue, and usually the fish will blast it. Sometimes the fish will follow the
lure when he keeps twitching it and will eventually take a swipe at the Rogue, especially if he retrieves the lure faster. Whenever bass short-strike his Rogue, Franko will make another cast to the same spot to see if the fish will hit the stickbait again. When bass are on beds or protecting fry, try a lure from the good old days for some fun topwater action.
Crappie from page 10
yet be nesting. As the water temperature reaches the high 40s to low 50s, crappie will move close to their eventual nests, staying, however, in slightly deeper water. Expect these nesting sites to be in pretty shallow water.
The fact that crappie at Mark Twain Lake, and all crappie, for that matter, usually spawn in shallow water is because the spring rains, northern snow melts and floods often make the water cloudy or even muddy. Crappie eggs need a certain amount of sunlight to mature and hatch, therefore crappie seek out shallow areas, because the muddy water filters out so much sunlight.
The real problem lies in
years when the lake rises significantly due to flooding. If this happens during the crappie spawn, the shallow water necessary for them to nest and lay may be above the normal pool water line. That means if their eggs are laid high on the banks, where it is shallow during the flood conditions, the eggs will likely be left high and dry as the water recedes to its normal level. This can eliminate an entire crappie spawning season.
So water clarity is the key to finding the right depth for pre-spawn and spawning crappie. In muddy water conditions, the fish may be in
very shallow water, often only inches deep. If the water is clear and clean, you may find spawning crappie at 18 to 20 feet. The exceptions to this rule are spots that block direct sunlight such as ledges or floating structure like logs or even docks. Crappie will nest in shade or shadows shallow in clear water.
Once you have found a good potential spawn area, narrow that area even more by eliminating windy locations. Wind is about the toughest crappie fishing condition I can think of, and Mark Twain can be windy. Stay away from open areas and look for small, secluded spots that afford wind protection. Coves and creek
arms are your best bets. Even though crappie prefer to spawn on clay or gravel, your chances of finding the right bottoms are pretty slim. They will also nest in mud, sand and even weeds. Something that may be easier to locate is submerged cover, like brush and trees, that these fish also prefer to nest close to. Bridges and dock posts are also great spots to find spawning slab-sides.
Now that you have found that good potential area that has cover and the best general depth and is out of the wind, you may want to consider trying to focus on the deeper
water first, depending upon its clarity. Do not ever forget cover, and like me, you may want to try fishing right on the vertical structure. During cooler periods, fish will like the deeper water best. As the water warms, follow the crappie up to their spawning spots.
Jigs are your best bet baits for Mark Twain Lake’s May crappie. Even though spinners, spoons and tiny crankbaits will work, tube jigs will usually produce a more consistent bite. Live minnows are also a preferred spring crappie bait.
If you are finding your crappie in less than four feet of water, try bright green pink or orange jigs. Shallow fish
usually means muddy water, and these colors will be easier for the fish to see. If the fish are deeper – below about seven feet – go to a less brilliant color like green-brown or black on 1/64 to 1/100-ounce jigs.
Besides Indian Creek, Lick Creek will produce limits of good crappie in May. Beaver Creek in the western portion of the lake is good as is Pigeon Roost to the south.
The bottom line is, finding Mark Twain Lake crappie is no big trick. Get out there and catch a few and make the fillets into a great springtime meal. What a superb way to bring in the summer!
Mike Roux can be contacted at www.mikeroux.com.
The Missouri Department of Conservation has created an opportunity for personal canoes and kayaks to be used on designated lakes in the August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area in St. Charles.
Visitors are now allowed to use their own hand-launched canoes or kayaks on Lakes 6, 34, 35, 36 and 38.
From April 1 through Sept. 30, users will be required to register their canoes or kayaks and obtain boating tags at the onsite concessioner, All In
Shooting enthusiasts may now take advantage of longer daylight hours at both of the Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) staffed shooting ranges in the St. Louis region.
The August A. Busch and Jay Henges ranges and outdoor education centers’ summer schedules will include evening shooting opportunities during the week. The Jay Henges Range will be open until 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday evenings and the Busch Range is open until 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays.
Summer hours for each range are running April 1 through Aug. 31 as follows:
BUSCH RANGE
• Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Thursday, 1 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
• Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
HENGES RANGE
• Wednesdays, 1 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
• Thursday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The ranges will be closed Mondays and Tuesdays for maintenance and special use. Both ranges offer shooting lanes for rifles and pistols up to 100 yards. User fees are $4 an hour at both facilities and include paper targets and eye and ear protection if shooters don’t have their own. Both shooting ranges feature trap fields, static archery ranges, and shotgun patterning boards.
The Busch Range also offers
skeet shooting. A round of shotgun shooting and clay birds at either facility, or an hour at the patterning board will cost $4.
The Busch Shooting Range and Outdoor Education Center is at 3550 Route D, five miles west of Highway 94 in Defiance. The Jay Henges Shooting Range and Outdoor Education Center is at 1100 Antire Road, just off I-44, exit 269 in Eureka.
5-STAND
Also this summer, shotgun shooters and game bird hunters will have a chance to hone their skills at 5-Stand shotgun at both ranges.
5-Stand is a discipline of clay bird shooting that simulates realistic scenarios to help prepare hunters for going afield, to be offered as follows through Aug. 31:
• Busch, from 1 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays and 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesdays.
• Henges, 1 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays and 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Thursdays.
Targets in 5-Stand mimic flight patterns of popular game birds. Shooters rotate through five stations and will see clay targets flying left and right, toward and away from them at different angles and speeds. This discipline is an excellent preparation for beginning shooters looking to get into game bird hunting.
5-Stand fees are $4 per round, which includes clay birds. Both ranges offer eye and ear protection if shooters don’t have their own.
Bait and Tackle Shop. The concessioner is adjacent to the MDC St. Louis Regional Office, located near the area’s entrance.
Boating tags will be issued for a specific canoe or kayak and are valid only for the specific lake designated on the tag. The tag must be returned to the concessioner immediately upon leaving the water during the concessioner’s daily operating hours, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. If users exit the water after the concessioner has closed for
the day, the boating tag should be deposited in the after-hours drop box.
There will be no charge for a daily boating tag, but the number of tags is limited and available on a first come, firstserved basis only. The number of daily boating tags issued will vary depending on the size of each lake.
From Oct. 1 through March 31, daily boating tags are not required to use canoes and kayaks launched by hand on Lakes 6, 34, 35, 36, and 38.
For those who do not have their own canoe or kayak, MDC will continue to provide aluminum boats for rent via its onsite concessioner for 11 lakes on the Busch Conservation Area. Rental boats will be available April 1 through Sept. 30 for a $5 rental fee.
The August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area is located at 2360 Highway D, two miles west of Highway 94.
It is a May morning. I was at my desk writing a story about going camping. My wife was still sleeping. The small television in my office was on so I could check the weather for the day.
The weather forecast was a lot better than the news – sunny days, cool nights with a slight chance of rain. The news was nothing but the Ukraine
war, corrupt politicians, and waste in government. Why can’t they show more good news? I turn the television off and go back to writing. There are always things to get done outside in the garden, yard, or workshop on a beautiful spring day. I thought about going crappie fishing or taking my kayak out and paddling around. A trip to Branson to go trout fishing sounded good too.
In a moment of absolute brilliance, I thought, why not go do what I have been sitting here writing. I rushed in and told my wife we should go camping. She said she would rather stay around home, but I should go and enjoy myself. I stood there for a few seconds with thoughts rushing through my head of being alone for a few days in the outdoors. I feigned disappointment and told her I would miss her.
I packed clothes, fishing equipment, camping gear and food in the truck and was off on my great escape. I knew exactly where I was going. I would escape to where I had spent many years hunting deer and turkey. I would go to an open area on top of a hill I had often thought would make a great place to camp. I could see for miles looking over
forested hills, valleys and big open skies to enjoy. The creek in the valley below would be the bonus.
The stress and pressure of writing deadlines, work that needed to be done around the house and what was happening in the world were gone as I drove up the hill. I pulled in by three trees. It offered a great view. I sat there for a moment. It was a different feeling than what I had been used to lately.
I pitched my tent and unloaded the truck. Then I sat down in my camp chair, looking around. It was why I had come. I listened to bird songs. Crows were talking to each other. I looked up and said thank you to God for this special time.
I spent my afternoon fishing the creek in the valley. I lost count of how many fish I caught. They were not big, but it was fun. I sat on the gravel bar. The sound of the flowing water was soothing. I took a nap.
When I awoke, the day was fading and I went back to my camp. The night skies were spectacular, with thousands of twinkling stars. Coyotes howled, and owls hooted. I stirred the campfire. The night was chilly and my sleeping bag felt good.
I got up before daylight, stoked the fire, and put on a pot of coffee. I sat there thinking about memories I had made outdoors with kids and grandkids. I wiped a tear, looked up again at the stars, and thanked God.
As morning came, I took off hiking looking for turkey signs, deer rubs, and deer
trails. I hiked by some of my old deer stands. I would pause and think about memories of a grandson and me sitting together in them. I kept going until I got hungry and headed back to camp.
The smell of bacon sizzling in the skillet drifted through the morning air. A deer let me know they smelled it too. Birds were singing again. Squirrels fussed at me because I was in their home.
The day found me secretly watching deer and turkey go about their day. I saw an eagle, a fox, and a bobcat. I even found a couple of shed antlers. I was enjoying my great escape.
Before I knew it, night was upon me again. The moon was big and bright. My eyes got heavy from all my activities of the day. I could hear thunder and see lightning in the distant hills. Tree frogs croaked, and crickets chirped. Peaceful sleep came quickly.
THE
I awoke during the night to rain. It was making music on my canvas tent. There is nothing more relaxing than that sound. I drifted back off to sleep.
When my eyes opened for the second time, the sun glistened off raindrops still clinging to the leaves and grass. I looked to the horizon and saw a rainbow.
As much as I hated to leave, it was time to go home to a crazy world. This time will live on in my storehouse of memories. It had been a great escape.
“And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul”
–John Muir
By TIM HUFFMAN
The toughest part of fishing is finding fish. The old saying, “90 percent of the fish are in 10 percent of the water” is often true.
These experts will provide some solutions and tips to help you find fish and create places that will improve your fishing.
Most fishermen run from the wind, but some fishermen run to it, as three-time classic champ and Illinois guide Kyle Schoenherr says.
“Lake of Egypt is a hot-water discharge lake, so surface temperatures are warm even in the winter, but wind direction is important,” Schoenherr said. “Most fishermen like to get in places out of the wind, but because the wind blows warm water, I look for the wind-blown side of the lake. If there is a north wind for two days, the fish will be on the southern banks.
“It’s not a secret, but it’s often something many of the other fishermen don’t do. I
focus on 1 to 4 feet of deep water and sometimes use a float. A Road Runner is a good bait for casting to the bank.
“A chrome willow-leaf blade gives the look and flash of a shad or minnow. It works when fishing with or without a float. The 75th Anniversary BnM 7-foot spinning combo, matched with 15/4 Gamma braid, is a top spinning outfit
for casting.”
Schoenherr says casting jigs has become popular due to Live Imaging fishing, but it’s more fun to cast to structures and not have to watch a screen all the time. Early summer can still be a good time to cast to windy banks, but pick ones a little deeper. Wind improves the oxygen, so baitfish will come into the area and predators follow. It also gets you away from the crowds.
There are times when a fisherman must get in with the crowd, because that’s where the fish are located. Joining in gets you to the fish, but it’s not an ideal way to enjoy a day on the lake.
Keeping your distance from others allows you to target fish that aren’t as pressured, so fish are less spooky. Too many boats mean more noise, so fish become spooky and difficult to catch.
Dan Dannenmueller likes finding crappie in areas that are less pressured by other fishermen. The fish are less spooky and can be caught.
Another reason to get away from others is to maintain concentration. Other noises and watching for other boats create distractions instead of
letting you pay attention to your fishing.
A third reason for keeping your distance is being in a quiet place to enjoy a day on the water. Finding a great spot where others aren’t fishing can take time and doesn’t always work. However, it’s worth the
effort, because one of those spots could be a gold mine for crappie.
Tournament fisherman Dan Dannenmueller recalled a certain spot just off a river. “I
found an area that was a little hole attached to the river,” he said. “It’s accessible during high water but gets cut off during low water. The river had been high, and I caught fish in the main creek and a hole just off the creek.
“As the water went down, the hole became harder to get into. I had to use my trolling motor, and my boat would drag a little on a sandbar. It was probably an acre big but was holding a lot of crappie, including a few big ones.”
So Dannenmueller used spider rigging tactics. His equipment included BnM 16-foot BGJP poles, Gamma 10-pound test line, double-hook rigs with a plain minnow on top and a Road Runner tipped with a minnow on bottom.
“A weekend fisherman should try to find a spot away
See EXPERTS page 22
Experts from page 21
from other fishermen,” he said. “Look for crappie along a shoreline, ledge or laydown. Maybe find a hole off a creek or river like the one I discussed. It’s likely you’ll catch a mess of fish. No matter what, it’s a great way to spend a quiet day on the water.”
Try some unusual places. For example, a culvert after a rain can wash insects, crawdads and other edibles into
the lake or river. Make sure to give these water inlets a try. A culvert is quick to test fish and might hold a lot of fish. Get into places barely accessible by boat. High water is a great time to get into areas of brush or trees with water around it. There have been times when high water allows fish to get up into campgrounds. Concentrate on picnic tables, trees and sidewalks.
Be open-minded to areas
and things you see. Don’t eliminate them just because you don’t think there would be fish there. Use it as an opportunity to fish where others don’t.
Take a trip to Kentucky Lake if you want to see a lot of beds. It’s incredible the amount of beds in the lake, and you can find them with electronics. Do beds work? Not every bed has fish on it, but by checking 10 beds, it’s likely that you’ll find one or
two with fish. How can a bed be a secret spot? Nothing can hide from today’s electronics. However, if you build beds where others seldom fish, it’s one way to reduce pressure on them. Another way is by placing a large number of beds. For example, place 15 beds. Maybe a couple will have fishermen on them, but that leaves you a dozen beds to fish. The hard work of placing beds can pay big dividends.
Plan to find places that others don’t know about. It takes time and work. Start by fishing where you see few other boats. Finding areas without numbers of boats can be difficult because there are so many fishermen compared to pre-Covid. There is more pressure on fish, so working to find less-pressured spots is worth it.
When you find a top spot, protect it. Don’t fish it when others are close. Fish it, pick
some fish off and move on. If you stay in one spot too long, a fisherman doesn’t have to be close to know you’re on fish. Windy banks, oddball spots and non-pressured areas can offer better fishing and a more enjoyable day on the water. Kyle Schoenherr can be reached at 618-314-2967. Tim Huffman has been writing for Outdoor Guide for more than three decades. Check out his fishing books at Monstercrappie.com.
By JESSICA RIDER
If you are like us, you have a long list of RV maintenance tasks to complete before the summer starts. With a quick Google search, you can easily find a variety of pre-season checklists that includes inspecting and/or repairing the A/C unit, appliances and window and door seals.
These are all essential to inspect and maintain. However, as my husband and I operate a mobile RV repair business, we have seen a lot of issues with other components that should always be thoroughly checked and never neglected at the start of the season, or anytime.
Here are four less obvious yet extremely important parts, components and systems to check before you set out on a trip.
If you have never crawled under your RV to take a look at the axle(s), then we would encourage you to do this. Understand the basics such as how many axles your RV has – as some trailers and fifth wheels have a single, double or triple-axle system – and how an axle functions.
The number of axles an RV is determined by its weight. For instance, a large toy hauler is designed to accommodate a four-wheeler, motorcycle and/or a UTV in its rear cargo space. This added weight needs to be properly supported, which is why these types of trailers often have two and even three axles.
An important component of an axle is the leaf spring, which provides suspension (or a cushion towing experience) on tougher terrain during travel. The type and length of the
leaf springs are determined by the weight of the RV and rated carrying capacity. There are several reasons why these can break, and we have seen more and more axle and leaf spring issues in the last year. The most common cause for these failures is due to overloading. If you are hauling more than your RV is rated to carry, this can cause stress on your leaf springs, which will cause them to wear out or in some cases break.
Always make sure you check the tag, usually on the entry door to your RV, for its maximum carrying capacity. Your leaf springs can also corrode over time, just from the normal wear and tear of the road conditions.
Your axles are no different and can corrode over time because of the conditions of roadways. Think about all those times you hit a curb or jumped a curb pulling your RV – all of this adds stress to your trailer axles. The stress to axles and leaf springs can cause you to have an accident on the roadway if either of these fail or, like some cases we have seen, leave you stranded because you cannot move your RV.
Before the camping season starts, crawl under your RV and look at the axle and leaf springs. You want to look for any corrosion on either of these things as well as cracks, rust or leaf springs that are flattened out. When checking the axles, again you are looking for rust, corrosion or cracks but make sure you also look for these same things on the hubs and spindles.
When we think of an RV chassis, typically we are talking about a motor home, and while this is correct, I also
want to lump in fifth wheels and travel trailers with this and talk about their frames. These things are the base support for your RV. When you watch how these RV’s are made, they always start with a frame or chassis. They are the foundation.
The last thing you want is the foundation of your RV to break for any reason. While a broken frame or chassis is not all that common, it is one of those items that can cause major damage on the roadway. Cracks or breaks can happen in the chassis or frame from normal driving on roadways. Let us not forget that we are pulling our homes around roads that may not be in great shape. If you pulled your actual home around, there would be some cracks in the foundation. Most of us have cracks in our foundations, and our homes sit in one spot. While you are under your rig checking the axles and leaf springs, be sure to do a thorough inspection of the chassis or frame and look for any cracks, rust or breaks. This may be a little difficult if you have an all-season package on your RV, but do the best you are able to do.
When was the last time you inspected your hitch? Most of us probably don’t worry about it. As long as it hooks our tow vehicle up to our RV, we are good, but the reality is that hitches can wear out as well. If you have a fifth wheel and a standard fifth-wheel hitch, you need to always look for rust or damage to the locking
mechanism.
If you need to add any type of lubricant to the locking mechanism, be sure to do that. Also be sure the hitch is secure inside your truck bed, either with pins or locks.
If you have a travel trailer, check the lock to make sure it opens, slides and locks correctly, so that your hitch will move up and down correctly either with a hand crank or with the automatic system and that your safety chains are not rusted or worn. We would also recommend that you check welds on the tongue to ensure those are not cracked either.
If you have a motorized RV and pull a vehicle or trailer, check that hitch and trailer as well. We did have a customer who had a broken hitch while long-distance traveling this year and only noticed because the vehicle being towed kept swaying out to one side.
Don’t ignore this section just because you don’t have a towable RV. If you are towing any sort of vehicle or trailer behind your motorized RV, be sure to check both the hitch system you are using and the tow bars on your RV.
Lube, lube, lube – that is the most important thing here. But you don’t want to do this too much. Your wheels and hubs do need to be lubed, and if they are not properly lubed you could run into some serious trouble. The same goes for your brakes, although not necessarily lubed.
You need to take a look at all your brakes, hubs and wheels at least once if not twice a year to ensure they are functioning properly. If they
are not, then get them serviced right away. Repacking your bearings is also an important thing to do once a year. Regular maintenance is important on your RV, but you should always go much deeper than just the things you see. Take a look at the primary function components of your RV to ensure everything is working properly, things are not rusted or cracked and everything will continue to work in the way it is designed to work. Happy camping!
