Leave baby wild animals where you find them, or put them back in the nest area.
Missouri - Spring brings the births of wild animals such as birds, rabbits, and squirrels. With that come good intentions of kind-hearted people who want to adopt baby animals they find because they think they have been orphaned or abandoned.
The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reminds people to leave these young wild animals where they find them, or return them to their nests or nest areas if possible.
“Baby animals are rarely abandoned or orphaned,” said MDC State Wildlife Veterinarian Sherri Russell. “The wildlife parent is afraid of people and will retreat when you approach. If the baby animal is left alone, the parent will usually return. Also, parent animals cannot constantly attend to their young so often they spend many hours each day gathering food for the offspring.”
Russell added that baby birds are common animals people want to help by adopting them.
“If you see a baby bird on the ground hopping around and it has feathers, leave it alone because it is a fledgling and the parents are nearby keeping an eye on it,” she explained. ‘If you find one that is featherless, it probably fell out of nest. Return it to the nest if you can, or at least near the nest.”
Another common problem is dogs catching baby rabbits and mowers running over nests.
“Baby rabbits seldom survive in captivity and actually can die of fright from being handled,” Russell explained. “Even if they are injured, return the baby rabbits to the nest or the general nest area. The mother will most likely return.”
She added most wild mothers do not abandon their young because of a human smell on them, and most baby wild animals do not survive in captivity.
“While people may have good intentions, the care and rehabilitation of wild animals requires special training, knowledge, facilities, care – and permits,” she said. “Wild animals, if they are to survive in captivity, often require highly specialized care. Without such care, they will remain in poor health and may eventually die. And it is illegal to possess many wild animals without a valid state or federal permit.”
Russell added, “Animals are better off in their natural habitats where they are free to reproduce and carry on their species. If a wild animal is broken to captivity, it will probably die if returned to the wild. Also, many wild animals are nocturnal. This means they are not active until after dark. They sleep during the day and can be quite disturbing at night while people sleep.”
She noted wild animals can become dangerous to handle as they mature, can carry parasites and disease, and can damage property.
“Native wildlife can carry mites, ticks, lice, fleas, flukes, roundworms, tapeworms, rabies, distemper, tuberculosis, respiratory diseases, and skin diseases,” Russell explained. “Some of these diseases can be transmitted to humans.”
Stoddard County, MO - The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has named Michael Collins as the new conservation agent for Stoddard County. Collins replaces Mark Reed, who recently promoted to district supervisor with MDC.
“Stoddard County has wonderful outdoor opportunities, caring communities and much to offer,” Collins said. “I look forward to working with the public to help protect and manage fish, forests and wildlife.”
Originally from Rockford, Ill., Collins relocated to Southeast Missouri in 2006. He later graduated high school in Naylor and received an Associate of Science degree in Administration of Justice from Three Rivers College in Poplar Bluff. He then transferred to Southeast Missouri State University and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife Conservation Biology, which is where he says his true passion lies.
Collins began work with the Conservation Department in March of 2014 as the Angler Education Assistant with Fisheries Division after becoming a volunteer in 2013. He graduated from the Conservation Agent Training Academy in 2015 and was assigned to Scotland County. Collins recently relocated to Stoddard County with his new assignment.
Conservation agents are licensed peace officers of the State of Missouri who are charged with enforcing the rules of the Wildlife Code of Missouri and other state and federal laws. The duties of a conservation agent vary with the season. During warmer months an agent may check fishing permits and creel limits or catch someone fishing through illegal methods. Duties related to hunting generally occur in the colder months, with patrol and stakeouts as a normal part of the job. Agents also have many duties in the areas of wildlife, fisheries and forestry management, as well as working with schools and libraries to teach conservation-related skills and ethics.
Agent Collins can be reached at (573)421-3240 or by email at michael.collins@mdc.mo.gov.
Missouri - According to preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), young turkey hunters harvested 4,060 birds during the 2017 spring youth season, April 8 and 9. Top harvest counties were Franklin with 118 birds harvested, Callaway with 91, and Gasconade with 87.
Young hunters checked 4,167 turkeys during last year's youth weekend.
Missouri - Turkey hunters who use the Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) MO Hunting free mobile app will need to perform an app update to telecheck harvests for spring turkey season. The new versions will provide updated turkey telecheck information.
Both Apple and Android users will need to install the app update to telecheck turkey harvests. Apple users must have at least the iOS 9.0 version to use the updated MO Hunting app. Android users must have at least Android 5.0.
The youth spring turkey season runs April 8 and 9 and the regular spring turkey season runs April 17 through May 7. Learn more at huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/species/turkey and from the MDC “2017 Spring Turkey Hunting Regulations & Information” booklet, available at MDC offices and nature centers and other locations where permits are sold.
MO Hunting is available for download through Google Play for Android devices or the App Store for Apple devices. For more information, go online to mdc.mo.gov/mohunting.
Hunters can buy permits through MDC’s MO Hunting app and from numerous permit vendors around the state such as gas stations, convenience stores, sporting-goods and other retail stores, many MDC offices, and all MDC nature centers. Hunters can also buy permits online at mdc.mo.gov/buypermits. Hunters can save time by buying permits for multiple people in a single transaction by selecting the “Additional Customer” option during the permit purchase.
Women can discover nature through rabbit hunting
Puxico, Missouri - The Valentine’s Day weekend is the perfect time for Southeast Missouri women to relax and have fun hunting rabbits, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC). The annual Women’s Rabbit Hunting Clinic is scheduled for Feb. 11, beginning at 8 a.m., near Duck Creek Conservation Area.
“This is a very hands-on course and is an environment where anyone can learn, even if they’ve never fired a gun before,” said Conservation Agent Mic Plunkett.
The clinic begins with an introduction to rabbit hunting, where the women learn rabbit species identification, hunting techniques, safety and regulations. They then learn how beagles assist in hunting rabbits before testing their shooting capabilities with expert instruction.
"We ensure each participant gets an opportunity to target shoot with one-on-one instruction before we take them to the field to hunt,” Plunkett said.
After target practice and classroom instruction, the group is accompanied by guides while they try their hand at hunting rabbits. At the end of the day, there’s instruction on cleaning and cooking the harvest before the new hunters share their hunting stories.
Plunkett said those who sign up should come prepared for camaraderie, shared adventures and excitement.
"Every part of the clinic is designed to take someone through the whole experience step by step to ensure safety, a fun time and an understanding of why hunting is important,” Plunkett said.
“This rabbit hunting clinic is part of the Conservation Department’s mission to help people discover nature by spending time outdoors,” Plunkett said.
For more information and to sign up for the Women’s Rabbit Hunting Clinic, call the MDC’s Southeast Regional Office at (573) 290-5730. For more information about rabbit hunting in Missouri, go online to mdc.mo.gov/hunting.
