WARSAW, Mo. -- The Shawnee Masonic Lodge No. 653 and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers sponsored the 18th Annual Truman Managed Deer Hunt for individuals with physical disabilities Nov. 8 and 9 at the Shawnee Bend and Berry Bend recreation areas at Harry S. Truman Lake.
Nevertheless, this year's harvest is slightly above average.
JEFFERSON CITY- Young hunters killed 10,400 deer during Missouri's Youth Portion of Firearms Deer Season Nov. 1 and 2, putting the youth harvest slightly above average. The Youth Portion began in 2001, when hunters age 6 through 15 killed 6,277 deer. The harvest grew steadily during its first four years, peaking in 2004, when it peaked at 13,466.
This year's figure represents a 15-percent decrease from last year, but it is 2 percent more than the previous seven years? average of 10,163. High counties during the youth hunt were Osage with 270 deer killed, Franklin with 222 and Gasconade with 210. The Missouri Department of Conservation recorded one firearms-related deer hunting accident during the youth season. A young hunter in Butler County lost control of his rifle when he tripped and accidentally shot himself in the wrist. The only other blemish on the youth hunt's safety record is a single nonfatal accident that occurred last year.
Next on Missouri's deer-hunting calendar is the November Portion of Firearms Deer Season Nov. 15 through 25. This portion normally accounts for approximately 80 percent of the state's firearms deer harvest. Three other portions follow the November hunt. The Muzzleloader Portion runs from Nov. 28 through Dec. 7. The Antlerless Portion is Dec. 13 through 21, and the Late Firearms Youth Portion is Jan. 3 and 4. Missouri also has an archery deer season that opens Sept. 15 and closes Jan. 15, with an 11-day hiatus during the November firearms deer season.
It’s hard to believe that at one time, our state almost had a nonexistent deer population. According to the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), whitetail deer were abundant in our state during presettlement times. However, the increase in the amount of settlers to Missouri, along with the unrestricted market hunting and habitat destruction, resulted in a large decline in the species. In 1925, our state’s deer population was estimated to be about 400. Thanks to the efforts of the first Conservation Commission (formed in 1937), restoration of the whitetail deer began to succeed, and by 1944, the statewide deer population increased to 15,000.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Harry S. Truman Visitor Center will close for the season effective November 1, 2008. If you have questions regarding the visitor center or scheduling tours or programs contact Park Ranger Dan Sandersfeld at 660-438-7317 ext. 3930. There are many informational articles and maps on the Corps of Engineers Truman Lake web page:
http://www.nwk.usace.army.mil/ht/ For more information feel free to contact the Corps of Engineers Truman Lake Project at 660-438-7317.
The Shawnee Masonic Lodge #653 and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Harry S. Truman Lake are hosting the 18th Annual Truman Lake Managed Deer Hunt for hunters with physical disabilities. The hunt will take place on Saturday, Nov. 8 and Sunday, Nov. 9 in Shawnee Bend and Berry Bend Parks.
The discovery of emerald ash borers in southeast Missouri makes firewood vigilance more important than ever.
Millions of Missourians have fond memories of time spent telling stories around a campfire or just gazing into the flickering light with family and friends. The Missouri Department of Conservation urges hunters and campers to take care not to let firewood become a Trojan horse for Show-Me State forests.
The low-hanging fruit was plucked in early and highly successful efforts to reduce the number of firearms-related hunting accidents. JEFFERSON CITY Hunter-education instructors have tough jobs. The more they succeed, the harder their job becomes. "We have come such a long way in the past 20 years, it hardly leaves us anywhere to go," said Tony Legg, hunter education coordinator for the Missouri Department of Conservation.
Legg notes that in the bad old days of hunting safety, Missouri routinely recorded more firearms deer-hunting accidents in one day than occur now over the entire season.
For many of us who live in Missouri, we are well aware of the spring season and the severe weather that goes along with it. The spring season and the turbulent weather it brings seem to go hand-in-hand for much of the Midwest area of the United States. According to the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center (SPC), May and June are the peak months for tornado and other types of severe weather in Missouri. However, Missourians might not think of fall as a time for severe weather. In fact, late autumn can also bring a surge of severe weather to our state.
The Conservation Commission considered the Consumer Price Index and other factors in determining that an increase was needed.
JEFFERSON CITY At its September meeting, the Missouri Conservation Commission approved price increases for most hunting and fishing permits and created a new permit for hunters who pursue snow geese and other light geese during the federally mandated Light Goose Conservation Action.
The increases the first for Missouri resident hunting and fishing permits in five years will go into effect March 1, 2009. Conservation officials said the increases are based on changes in the Consumer Price Index, cost comparisons with surrounding states and citizen comments received during public deer meetings in 2008.
I received a call from a concerned constituent a few weeks ago regarding the Department of Natural Resources’ recommendation to the Clean Water Commission to abandon disinfection of several of the streams in the 120th district (along with many streams statewide).
With gas prices teetering on the edge of four dollars a gallon, many Missourians have decided to pack away their suitcases and stay home this summer. But what you may not realize is that a great and exciting vacation could be waiting for you right around the corner. Our state offers a variety of activities designed for children and adults of every ages — from exploring state parks, floating winding rivers, exploring unique caves, visiting beautiful gardens, sampling award-winning wineries, and attending fun fairs and festivals — Missouri has it all.
More than 20 state parks dot the region of the 28th Senatorial District. Missouri state parks provide visitors with open spaces and cultural opportunities. Our state parks help preserve Missouri’s natural and historical wonders that have both national and international significance. Our state’s park system has been ranked as one of the top four state park systems in the country. With more than 200,000 acres available statewide to the public offering homes of famous Missourians, Civil War battlefields, gristmills and covered bridges, deep forests, glades, prairies, blue streams and lakes — you are bound to find something to fit everyone’s needs.
Visitors can also enjoy the 45 scenic rivers winding across our state. Several of these river systems run through the 28th district, including the Sac, Niangua, and Marais des Cygnes rivers. Each of these river systems are ideal for secluded backcountry camping, great fishing, and breathtaking float trips.
Missouri has more than 5,600 recorded caves, including 20 show caves, which are open to the public for guided tours. Many of these caves can be found in state parks, on state conservation and wildlife refuge areas, and on federal lands such as in the Mark Twain National Forest or the Ozark National Scenic Riverways. According to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, caves play a key role in providing a healthy environment because they serve as habitats for threatened and endangered animal species as well as provide opportunities for studying and gaining a better understanding of the geology of Missouri. Crystal Cave, Fantastic Caverns, and Bridal Cave are natural wonders found near our senate district.
Many consider gardens as plots of land containing multiple types of beautiful, fragrant flowers. However, Missouri is a top agriculture state with a wide variety of agritourism destinations. Several areas in our senate district provide visitors a chance to break away from the hustle and bustle of every day life and visit an area of our state that provides some real rural Missouri hospitality, while at the same time, visitors can learn about the inner workings of farms, award-winning wineries, orchards, and gardens. Agritourism is possible throughout the year — families can choose a Christmas tree in the winter, pick that perfect pumpkin or gather ripe apples in the fall, and visit the many well established farmers’ markets in the spring and summer to get the freshest ingredients. The possibilities are endless.
Missouri’s fairs and festivals provide family entertainment in every part of the state. These fun-filled events give you a chance to catch up with old friends and well as make new acquaintances. You can also enjoy musical entertainment, motor sports, rodeos, livestock shows, arts and crafts and pageants of all types. Several of Missouri’s festivals even have heritage themes that inform visitors of our state’s rich cultural background. Perhaps the most attended festival event during the summer months is Missouri’s State Fair in Sedalia, which runs Aug. 7-17 this year.
So get out your suitcases. You can have an affordable and memorable vacation this summer. Missouri has many exciting opportunities to offer. Go online to visitMO.com and check out money-saving vacation packages, select guides that will help provide in depth information about your upcoming destinations, and click on the trip planner to build your ideal Missouri getaway,
If you have questions or comments about what Missouri vacation destinations have to offer for you and your family, please feel free to contact me at 573-751-8793 or by e-mail at: delbertscott@senate.mo.gov.
The phrase “drunk driving” is often related to those intoxicated individuals who take their lives — and the lives of others — in their own hands behind the wheel on Missouri roadways. However, this serious problem doesn’t just happen on asphalt. According to Investigative Reporters and Editors, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of investigative reporting, the Lake of the Ozarks is rated the most dangerous lake in America, and the 3rd most dangerous body of water following the Atlantic Coast and the Colorado River.
The spring turkey season that began on April 21 and runs for three weeks has “good potential” according to MDC agent Joni Bledsoe in St. Clair County.
Ms. Bledsoe said, “There are lots of older gobblers, but not so many Jakes because of a poor hatch. If the mornings are sunny, the gobblers will be up and talking, but they stay on the roost longer on cloudy days.” For this season to surpass last year’s harvest, there will need to be over 44,945 birds taken in the state. That harvest was below the normal 51,000+ statewide harvest.
The 2008 Youth Season that ran April 12-13 was down in the state from last year’s 3,513 to 2,898. St. Clair County’s harvest was up though from 33 in 2007 to 45 this year.
Ms. Bledsoe emphasized the need for hunting carefully as there are more accidents in the turkey season than in other season. “I believe the accidents are higher because the hunters are wearing camo and making calls to sound like turkeys.”
One of the regulations that has become important has to do with feral hog hunting during turkey season. MDC encourages the harvesting of the destructive feral hogs, but has placed restrictions on hunting them during turkey season to assure the safety of other hunters.
During the spring turkey season, “to kill feral hogs, you must possess a valid, unfilled turkey hunting permit and use only methods allowed for taking turkeys.”
In other words, you cannot be hog hunting with guns or ammo not allowed for turkey hunting. Ms. Bledsoe encourages all hunters to study their 2008 Spring Turkey Hunting Information Booklet, to be familiar with Telecheck procedures and to HUNT SAFELY!
Snagging season is here again! It seems like it’s the unofficial start to tourist season in our beautiful part of the world. People come down to Truman Lake to experience miserable weather, all for the hope of that one really big fish. We asked some of the fishermen what the attraction that would make them stand in a boat in the winter was, and for the most part it came down to the size of the fish. Both as a treat to eat and as a challenge fighting.
We met a guy at Buzz’s Outdoors South of Lowry City who drove here from Independence with his father.
“It’s the closest thing you can get to fishing in the ocean.” He said. “I’ve actually had one dance across the water like a sword fish.”
And there are a lot of other stories, too. (Excuse me- facts. This is a sticking point. Most fishermen seem to take offense to having their explanation of what happened labeled a ‘story’.)
We’re going to try something this year as well. A snagging video available free on the internet. We’ll get it done as soon as we can, and it will be pushed online for the world to see- and it’ll be created right here in Missouri. It will be pushed online as well, so if you have any friends that just don’t get what you’re talking about, have them watch it when it comes out. In the unlikely case that you don’t know what this incredible sport is, keep tuned, we’ll tell you when it’s completed.
Expos are fun. Going to fairs and looking at all of the exhibits was always one of my favorite pastimes when I was a kid. I especially liked the exhibits that had to do with the outdoors. So an expo that's entirely about the outdoors is doubly fun to someone like me. Which is part of the reason that I moved to this area. The opportunities abound for outdoor fun here- Trapping season's getting ready to end, but the next thing you know, it'll be time for spring gobblers and snagging! So when they had the Hunting and Fishing Expo this past weekend, of COURSE I was there.
There really was lot to do, and I just wish I'd been able to go both days so that I could've seen the Turkey Calling Contest. My grip (who happens to be my son) came along and gravitated towards the knives and dog kennels, but there were a lot of other things for him to see. The conservation department had their ever popular interactive fishing display, as well as firearm and bow shooting (long lines for that one). They also had a room just for the kids, with 'Name that Pelt' being played as the officer helped the children learn how to recognize every animal laid out on the floor.
This was the third time the expo has been presented, and the Truman Lake Area really is a very appropriate place to have it. If you've missed it before, do yourself a favor and take your kids next year, it's good clean family fun, and you might learn something as well.
To see some othe activities, watch it below.When residents of the area are getting ready for fishing or hunting, a lot of them turn to the fishing report at Truman Lake News. It’s on the outdoor page if you aren’t familiar with it. They see a familiar face in Randy- from Cozy Corners. Usually smiling and doing what he loves. But who is this guy?
Randy and his wife, Amy are natives of Chicago. Randy has a degree in Rehabilitative Therapy, and Amy is a school Teacher. At least on paper. After they graduated they decided to follow their love of the outdoors and bought Cozy Corners. “The RV industry was the fastest growing industry there was when we Graduated” Says Randy. “We found this one, which was doing fairly well, and now it’s doing really well.”
Randy Laughs, which is one of the characteristic things about him as you get to know him. Always friendly and outgoing, the other thing is that he knows what he’s talking about. There are pictures of him and his wife with large fish and Turkeys- one time he was sealing up deer meat just before the fishing report. Truman Lake News heard about this guy from our mail as well. When we stopped running the fishing report last winter, people asked about him- even though it usually fell into “The lake’s covered with ice, so nobody’s catching anything.”