Missouri Department of Conservation Archives

Missouri

Missouri Deer Hunters Can Turn Success Into Supper for Families

ST LOUIS, MO (STL.News) $7 may not seem like a lot of money these days, but it can go a long way feeding those in need, thanks to the Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) Share the Harvest Program. Share the Harvest provides food to the hungry through deer meat donated by hunters. Hunters can choose to give part or all of any deer they harvest. They simply bring their deer to an approved meat processor to process the venison, usually into ground meat, where it is then packaged for distribution. More families than ever are currently facing financial challenges brought on by COVID-19. Consider that a deer tag for a doe costs a hunter only $7. Imagine how many times over that tag can pay for itself with the amount of nutritious and healthy venison it can provide families in need....

Missouri

MDC’s St. Louis Region Hosting Live Online Q&A Event – Fall Deer and Turkey Hunting

St. LOUIS, MO (STL.News) There’s a lot to digest when it comes to deer and turkey hunting and regulations and speaking with an expert can make things much easier. One of the best sources of information are local conservation agents. But they can’t be everywhere . . . except when they make use of interactive technology. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is offering an opportunity for people in MDC’s St. Louis Region to interact in real time with a regional conservation agent during an online Fall Deer and Turkey Regulation Question and Answer event covering fall deer and turkey hunting regulations. The event will take place Wednesday, Oct. 21 from 6-6:30 p.m. and will feature St. Charles County Conservation Agent Corporal James Bolden. MDC’s St. Louis Region consists of bot...

Missouri

Missouri Department of Conservation reminds anglers of regulation change regarding the use of live bait

JEFFERSON CITY, MO (STL.News) The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reminds anglers that a definition for “invasive fish” has been added to the Wildlife Code of Missouri and affects what type of fish is allowed for use as live bait. The definition includes a list of bighead carp, silver carp, grass carp, and common carp. “Invasive fish are not native to Missouri and have reached a level which are now negatively impacting overall fish populations,” explained MDC Fisheries Programs Specialist Andrew Branson. “This has happened relatively quickly in some instances, such as with bighead and silver carp, and slower in other instances, such as with common and grass carp.” Invasive carp were imported into the United States for many purposes. Due to releases or escapes caused by flood...

Missouri

MO MDC: Enjoy date night for nature lovers at a pair of MDC in-person programs in September

St. LOUIS, MO (STL.News) Have COVID-19 restrictions put taken the fun out of your dating life? With nightclubs, sporting events, and movie theaters out of the picture, where can you go? It turns out nature has the answer. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is holding a pair of special outdoor date night events for couples in September that offer safe and socially-distanced fun. It’s even better that they’re free. MDC will host Couples Night Hike: Turkey Ridge Trail Saturday, Sept. 19 from 5- 7 p.m. at Forest 44 Conservation Area in High Ridge. Couples can enjoy a trip on Turkey Ridge trail together or bring a friend or family member. This brisk two-mile hike highlights interesting glades, bird habitat, and challenging uphill climbs. You might find it’s even better exercise...

Missouri

Missouri Department of Conservation Regulations Regarding Coyote Hunting

Missouri Department of Conservation Regulations Regarding Coyote Hunting, Invasive Species Control JEFFERSON CITY, MO (STL.News) The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) updated regulations to the Wildlife Code of Missouri regarding coyote hunting and feral hog control at its Sept. 4 Conservation Commission meeting in Jefferson City. The change comes in response to citizen requests to the Regulations Committee to use night vision, infrared, thermal imagery equipment, or artificial light to hunt coyotes and from landowners to allow their authorized representatives to use night vision, infrared, or thermal imagery equipment without prior approval from a conservation agent to address damage caused by feral hogs. The revised regulations allow landowners who own property of any size and t...

Entertainment

Missouri Department of Conservation Discover Nature Fishing Events for Upcoming Weeks

WEST PLAINS, MO (STL.News) Fishing is a great way to strengthen family ties and it’s also a good activity for connecting family members of all ages with the outdoors. These are some of the many benefits of the Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) Discover Nature Fishing Program. This program provides free lessons to help kids and families gain skills and confidence to enjoy fishing through a series of four instructional sessions: Lesson 1: Equipment, casting, proper fish handling Lesson 2: How to tie a knot and bait a hook Lesson 3: Five common Missouri fish – their anatomy, habitats and life cycles Lesson 4: Fishing with lures, fishing regulations In the upcoming weeks, interested families will have a chance to take Discover Nature Fishing Classes at these locations: A...

Missouri

MDC Temporarily Closes Road at Hunnewell Lake

HUNNEWELL, MO (STL.News) The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) will temporarily close a section of road at Hunnewell Lake Conservation Area in order to install infrastructure upgrades. Workers will close a 1000-foot section of Shelby County Road 471 beginning Aug. 19. Weather permitting, the road should reopen by early October. Crews will raise the height of a water control structure, subsequently raising the elevation of the detention basin in the upper western branch of Hunnewell Lake. “Renovating the detention basin will allow for more sediment retaining capacity, in turn, filtering the water,” said MDC Project Engineer Justin Fessler. “Filtering the sediment before the water enters Hunnewell Lake will allow for better fishing opportunities and a cleaner water source to sup...

Missouri

Missouri MDC offers a number of hunter education opportunities

Missouri MDC offers a number of hunter education opportunities in upcoming months CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (STL.News) The calendar may still say “summer,” but many people are starting to prepare for this fall’s hunting seasons. If taking hunter education is one of the things you need to do to enjoy firearms hunting opportunities this year, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has several options available Individuals born after Jan. 1, 1967 hunting in Missouri during a firearms season or acting as an adult mentor to another hunter must have hunter education certification unless exempt (see exemptions listed below). MDC offers two hunter education options; an all-online format and a blended format. The all-online format is an option that may be completed by Missouri residents age 16 ...

Missouri

Registration for 2020 Upper Mississippi Waterfowl Blind Drawings Opens June 20

St. Charles, MO (STL.News) The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) will open the 2020 registration for hunting blind sites on the Upper Mississippi Conservation Area restricted waterfowl hunting zone from June 20-July 5. All blind site draws will be conducted electronically. The random electronic drawing to award the blind sites will be held July 7. After the drawing is performed, successful applicants will be notified via email. Applicants may only be assigned to one blind site. From July 10-24, those applicants may choose up to three co-registrants to occupy the blind site with them. All applicants need to obtain proper hunting permits, a conservation ID number, an email address, and a phone number to register. In addition: All applicants must be at least 16 years old Th...

Missouri

Bald Eagles Continue Nesting Comeback in Missouri

Kansas City, MO (STL.News) Missouri’s contribution to the recovery of bald eagle populations in the United States continues this summer, as eagle pairs finish raising young at nests. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and partners track nests. As of late May, 502 active eagle nests have been spotted and reported statewide, said Janet Haslerig, MDC resource scientist. Summer’s nesting eagles are not as prominently visible as they are in winter. Migrating eagles move south ahead of icy winter conditions and they fly north again in spring. They are often congregated in groups near lakes or rivers where fish or waterfowl, favored foods, are available. But some eagles make Missouri a year-round home or a nesting spot. Most eagle pairs pick nest sites near or within flying rang...

Missouri

Missouri Department of Conservation works to safely reopen facilities closed by COVID-19

JEFFERSON CITY, MO (STL.News) Earlier this week, Missouri Governor Mike Parson announced the first phase of the “Show Me Strong Recovery” plan outlining how Missouri will gradually begin to reopen economic and social activity starting Monday, May 4. Based on this news, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is working on its transition plan to safely reopen MDC facilities, including nature centers and staffed shooting ranges, to ensure social-distancing requirements and infection-prevention measures are in place before opening. The facilities will remain temporarily closed to visitors during this transition phase. According to MDC, many of these facilities see a high volume of visitors of varying ages during peak seasons, especially spring and summer, so ensuring safety guideline...

Missouri

Missouri Department of Conservation Reports 12,000 Deer taken During Alternative-Methods Portion

JEFFERSON CITY, MO (STL.News) Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) shows that deer hunters in Missouri harvested 12,002 deer during the alternative-methods portion of the fall firearms deer season, Dec. 28 - Jan. 7. Top harvest counties were Callaway with 315 deer harvested, Franklin with 297, and Pike with 261. The harvest total for last season’s alternative-methods portion was 12,109. For current ongoing preliminary harvest totals by season, county, and type of deer, visit the MDC website at extra.mdc.mo.gov/widgets/harvest_table/ For harvest summaries from past years, visit huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/species/deer/deer-harvest-reports/deer-harvest-summaries Archery deer hunting continues statewide through Jan. 15.

Conservation - DNR

Missouri Department of Conservation Tests Show Seven New Chronic Wasting Disease Cases in SW Missouri

STE. GENEVIEVE COUNTY, MO (STL.News) The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) announces that fall sampling for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) resulted in seven new positive cases of the disease in Ste. Genevieve and Perry counties. One of the positive tests resulted from a deer found wandering a Ste. Genevieve County property, visibly sick and unresponsive. “The landowner called the conservation agent to report a sick deer wandering on his property; the deer was not alert, had that ‘wasting away’ physical appearance,” said Matt Bowyer, MDC’s wildlife regional supervisor. “We advised the landowner to go ahead and put the deer down and when the test results came back, it was positive for CWD.” The deer was tested for Hemorrhagic Disease and CWD. To test for CWD, biologists sample ly...

Conservation - DNR

Donate Christmas Trees to Wildlife at Missouri Department of Conservation Central Regional Office Drop-Off Site

COLUMBIA, MO (STL.News) The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) invites Missourians to drop off their cut Christmas trees to be used for habitat improvement around central Missouri. MDC will accept trees at the Central Regional Office any time of day through the end of January. To donate your tree, please remove all decorations, and bring the tree to the drop-off site at the MDC Central Regional Office located at 3500 E. Gans Road in Columbia. Signage at this location will direct donors to the proper drop-off spot at the edge of the parking lot. MDC fisheries staff collect discarded natural trees to submerge in area lakes and ponds. Once submerged, these trees offer habitat for a variety of native fish species. “Submerged Christmas trees make great underwater cover for smaller f...

Conservation - DNR

Missouri Department of Conservation Finds More CWD Cases, But Disease Remains Rare in State

JEFFERSON CITY, MO (STL.News) The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reports that it has confirmed 24 new cases of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in Missouri from nearly 27,000 tissue samples collected from white-tailed deer and submitted for disease testing this season. Most of the tissue samples were taken from hunter-harvested deer. The new cases were found in the following counties: 2 in Adair, 5 in Franklin, 5 in Linn, 2 in Macon, 2 in Perry, 5 in Ste. Genevieve, 2 in Stone, and 1 in Taney. CWD is a deadly disease in white-tailed deer and other members of the deer family. The purpose of MDC’s CWD sampling and testing efforts is to find cases early so the Department can limit the spread of the disease. Learn more about CWD at mdc.mo.gov/cwd. “While any new cases of CWD are ...

Conservation - DNR

Missouri Department of Conservation Names Danny Hartwig as New Regional Administrator in Northeast Region

KIRKSVILLE, MO (STL.News) The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has named Danny Hartwig as the new regional administrator to lead regional operations in Northeast Region, including delivering on strategic priorities and performance measures for the region. Hartwig will also oversee regional public resource management, private land, community conservation, regional planning, recreations use, infrastructure maintenance and repair, and regional business operations and compliance. The regional administrator also coordinates with other MDC branches, including protection, science, education, and communications. “I’m honored and excited to have the opportunity to lead the Northeast Region into this new era of conservation,” said Hartwig. “We have a great team in our corner of the stat...

Conservation - DNR

Missouri Department of Conservation Assigns New Agent, Benjamin Bardot to Mercer County

St. Joseph, MO (STL.News) The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has assigned Benjamin Bardot to serve as conservation agent in Mercer County. Bardot grew up in Lonedell, Mo., in Franklin County. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in wildlife conservation and management, with a minor in forestry, from Missouri State University. “I’m looking forward to getting involved in the community, things like putting on conservation programs in the schools,” Bardot said. “I’ll be getting involved and letting everybody know I’m here and willing to help them out.” Among his hobbies are hunting, hiking, fishing, float trips, target shooting and golf. A resident of Princeton, he also enjoys spending time with his family. Agent Bardot can be reached at (660) 953-0052 or by email at Benja...

Conservation - DNR

Missouri Department of Conservation Announces Rachel Webster in New Conservation Agent in Jackson County

Kansas City, MO (STL.News) The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has assigned Rachel Webster as a conservation agent serving Jackson County. Webster is familiar with the Kansas City metro area, as she grew up in neighboring Clay County. A recent graduate of MDC’s Conservation Agent Training Academy, Webster is looking forward to the blend of urban, suburban, and rural areas that Jackson County offers. She notes that the county has plenty of parks and undeveloped green space, lakes, and natural areas as well as urban environments. “Whether it is driving around and patrolling our conservation areas or following up on citizen phone calls, I know Jackson County is going to be super busy,” she said. Webster graduated from the University of Missouri at Columbia with a bachelor’s de...