JANUARY

The second-largest archery deer harvest in Missouri history (50,507) pushed the final tally for the 2013-2014 hunting season to 252,574.

Hunters donated 227,358 pounds of venison to needy Missourians during the 2013-2014 hunting season. That is enough for more than 600,000 meals. Get more information on Share the Harvest at mdc.mo.gov/node/2544.

MDC researchers started a five-year study in northeast Missouri to better manage our valuable wild turkey population. Staff captured 260 turkeys in Putnam, Schuyler, Monroe, and Marion counties to radio track the birds throughout the year to determine survival rates and nesting success.

FEBRUARY

The National Wild Turkey Federation named Conservation Agent Jeff Berti its 2013 National Law Enforcement Officer of the Year. Berti, who has served 19 years in Grundy County, also won the NWTF's Missouri State Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award. In 2013, he documented 248 resource violations, made more than 112 arrests, and 31 assisted arrests. His efforts resulted in the detection of 42 violations and 30 arrests for illegally killing wild turkeys in a single five-month period.

Working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, conservation groups, agriculture organizations and landowners, the Department continued to lead the battle against feral hogs. Last year more than 1,400 feral hogs were removed from Missouri’s landscape.

MARCH

The four trout parks were stocked with more than 30,000 keeper-size trout for opening day. A late snow storm kept some anglers away, but those that came enjoyed an excellent opening weekend.

Paddlefish snaggers found a bumper crop of big “spoonbills” in the Osage River, Lake of the Ozarks, Truman Lake, and Lake Taneycomo thanks to a record stocking of more than a quarter of a million paddlefish from MDC’s Blind Pony Hatchery in 2008 and an additional 145,000 stocked in 2007. These two strong year classes will continue to provide superb fishing over the next few years.

Missouri hosted the first-ever white-tailed deer summit meeting March 3-6 at Big Cedar Lodge near Branson. The meeting brought more than 200 hunters, landowners, wildlife managers, and hunting-industry representatives from the U.S. and Canada. Deer hunters from 20 states, representatives of state and provincial wildlife agencies, citizen conservation groups, universities, and deer-research institutes heard reports from some of North America’s top deer experts. Afterwards, MDC staff facilitated the process of identifying the most pressing issues facing those who love white-tailed deer.

MDC received calls from all over the state about fish kills in large and small lakes and ponds. After looking into the reports, biologists concluded that the widespread problem was the result of an unusually cold winter.

Missouri Stream Team celebrated 25 years of a citizen movement that now has more than 85,000 volunteers working to protect and improve Missouri streams. Sponsored by MDC, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, and the Conservation Federation of Missouri, the program focuses on education, stewardship, and advocacy for Missouri stream resources.

The sixth annual Missouri National Archery in the Schools Program tournament at Tan-Tar-A Resort March 28-29 turned into a record-fest in which the state record score fell and fell again, and again. The tournament brought together nearly 1,267 contestants in grades 4-12 from 81 schools to test their skills with bow and arrow. Eighth-grader Joe Wilder of St. Peters set a new tournament record by scoring 295 points out of 300 possible. The next day Hunter Berry, a 12th-grader from Sarcoxie, nudged it up another notch to 296.  Lee’s Summit High School Freshman Shelby Winslow had the last word when she raised the bar to 297 points, just two points shy of the world record.

APRIL

Young hunters checked 4,332 turkeys during Missouri’s youth turkey hunting season, topping the 4,000 mark for the second time in the youth season’s 14-year history.

The Conservation Commission voted to reduce the number of firearms antlerless deer permits that a hunter may fill in all or part of 59 counties. It also reduced the availability of antlerless permits to two in all or part of another 19 counties. In previous years, hunters could buy any number of antlerless permits in most of the affected counties. Although the regulation changes reduce the number of antlerless tags that can be filled in many counties, hunters still can fill multiple firearms antlerless tags as long as they do not fill more than is allowed in a particular county. The change addressed hunter and landowner concerns about recent declines in deer numbers in some counties.

Working with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and The Nature Conservancy, greater prairie chickens were trapped in Nebraska and released at The Nature Conservancy’s Dunn Ranch and Department’s Pawnee Prairie in Harrison County. Biologists reported good numbers of booming prairie chickens at the Wah Kon Tah Prairie release site in St. Clair and Cedar counties. In recent years, the Department worked with private landowners and The Nature Conservancy to restock prairie chickens to this open grassland landscape in west-central Missouri.

Eighty-six Missouri communities achieved recognition through the Arbor Day Foundation TREE CITY USA program.  These communities meet national standards showing they care for their city trees and help their residents take care of their own trees.

MAY

Missouri turkey hunters enjoyed another successful season and checked 43,273 turkeys during the regular spring turkey season, the third annual increase in a row.

The Conservation Department continued trapping black bears for the fourth year, placing radio tracking collars on dozens of bears to learn more about their habits and population dynamics. Resource Scientist Jeff Beringer estimates the Show-Me State’s bear population at 300. Learn more about the Missouri Black Bear Project at fwrc.msstate.edu/carnivore/mo_bear/

The Missouri Black Bear Foundation was formed to sponsor educational programs, conduct public outreach, and coordinate field research in partnership with conservation agencies. Get more information at moblackbears.org.

The Columbia Bottom Conservation Area's Howard and Joyce Wood Education Center celebrated its 10th anniversary. The Department and citizens celebrated the anniversary with a series of special events and programs. The area is a popular designation for hunters, anglers and wildlife watchers in the greater St. Louis area.

JUNE

The Conservation Commission approved regulation changes regarding the regulation of hunting preserves and deer-breeding facilities in an effort to reduce the risk of fatal diseases to the state’s free-ranging deer herd and captive deer.

MDC invited hunters and other Missouri residents with an interest in white-tailed deer to express their opinions about deer management at 14 open house meetings around the state in June and July. Information from the meetings and online comments are being used to develop future deer hunting regulations and the statewide deer management plan. MDC is still seeking input at mdc.mo.gov/node/28079.

Free Fishing Days on June 7-8 encouraged Missourians to enjoy the Show-Me State’s fishing resources by allowing anyone to fish without having to buy a fishing permit, trout stamp, or daily trout park tag.

The Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center received a TripAdvisor award for providing excellent public service.

Cape Girardeau, Missouri - Once the presents have been opened and the feast is eaten, there’s one last gift you can give this Christmas season – to your local fish habitat. Christopher Kennedy, a Fisheries Regional Supervisor with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), said this time of year brings an easy opportunity to give fish a place to hide from predators and thrive. Kennedy said the best thing to do with a live Christmas tree is to recycle it, by placing it at the bottom of a pond or lake.

Christmas trees provide brush and aquatic vegetation for pond and lake fish. Kennedy likens the addition of a dead tree to fish habitat to how humans furnish our homes. It gives fish resting areas, shade and escape cover.

“Small fish need vegetation and brush to help them hide from predators,” Kennedy said. “Additionally, predator fish like crappie and bass sometimes hide behind a limb to wait for an opportunity to grab its prey.”

Large trees and multiple trees make the best fish habitat, Kennedy said. He encourages neighbors to get together and combine efforts by recycling all their trees together in one lake. To place trees in a pond or lake, they’ll need to be anchored with concrete blocks. Kennedy said to place small brush piles next to each other to create larger habitat. Water depth should also be considered. The best depth is 8 feet deep in the water, with the trees placed in a row, he said.

Other ways to recycle live Christmas trees include placing in a backyard to offer cover for wildlife, or under bird feeders to provide nesting locations in the branches. Live Christmas trees can also be shredded or chipped for mulch.

For more ideas on how to help winter wildlife by developing habitat, go online to mdc.mo.gov.

Dexter, Missouri – Santa has been spotted by NORAD!  Did you know that children all over the United States can track Santa Clause?  The North American Aerospace Defense Command  (NORAD) is set to start tracking St. Nick’s travels tonight.  This is the 59th year Norad has been tracking Santa!

You can head over to NoradSanta.org to see the countdown clock ticking down to that final hour.  NORAD has been tracking Santa via its high-tech instruments since 1955 with its festive annual program designed to show children how the red-suited, jolly fellow makes his way to chimneys all over the world. 

Children can explore the North Pole and see Santa’s Village.  There are games, movies and music to keep the children entertained for hours as they wait for Santa.

How did all this get started?  Go to the Secret Santa Files and learn how Sears Roebuck & Co. misprinted a telephone number for children to call Santa.  The phone number put kids through to the CONAD Commander-in-Chief’s operations “hotline”.  OOPS!  Not to disappoint all the children, the Director had his staff check the radar for Santa and so it became tradition.  CONAD was later renamed to NORAD. 

Satellites help track Rudolph’s red nose with no problem.  The satellites are only 22,300 miles above the earth each with infrared sensors searching for heat. Rudolph's red nose sure puts off some heat with that GLOW!

NORAD intelligence even posts videos almost every hour on Christmas Eve of Santa making his way around the world.  There is even specific technical data about Santa’s sleight.  Did you know it is 75 candy canes long and 40 candy canes wide? Or that the maximum speed is faster than starlight?  Or that the fuel consists of hay, oats and carrots to keep his nine reindeer in tiptop shape?  There is so much to learn at NoradSanta.org.  Go check it out this holiday season.

HO! HO! HO! Merry Christmas to all!

 

Dexter, Missouri – Trash pickup for the city of Dexter will change this week due to the Christmas holiday.

Trash that is normally picked up on Monday and Tuesday will both be picked up on Monday, December 22^nd.

Wednesday and Thursday trash pickup will be picked up on Tuesday, December 23^rd.

For New Year’s week, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday trash schedule will follow the usual schedule; however on Thursday there will be no trash pickup, but they will get it on Friday.

There will be no bulk or yard waste pickup on Friday of this week or next week due to Christmas and New Years!

Business 60 in Stoddard County Reduced for Drainage Repairs
 
Dexter, Missouri- Business 60 in Stoddard County will be reduced to one lane as Missouri Department of Transportation crews perform drainage repairs.

This section of roadway is located between Route Cooper Street and West Oak Street.

Weather permitting, work will performed Tuesday, Dec. 16 through Tuesday, Dec. 23 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily.