Jim Low's Conservation Conversation

This Conversation is moving!

Jim.Low@mdc.mo.gov (Jim Low) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 09:12:47 PDT

This is sort of "farewell and hello" at the same time. Conservation Conversation is barely two months old, but it’s time to move, for a couple of good reasons. For one thing, over the next several months we want to make the Conservation Department’s website more user-friendly. One step in that direction is combining our blogging efforts.

Another reason for the move is to give you a more consistent stream of posts. I have averaged one a week. That's all I can manage with my other writing duties, but it isn’t enough to hold followers’ interest. So I am combining my blogging efforts in with those of Ombudsman Tim Smith and our boss, Lorna Domke under the Fresh Afield blog. Three contributors with wide-ranging interests and contacts will ensure a steady flow of interesting, timely items.

Please follow me to http://blogs.mdc.mo.gov/blog/, where I just posted my first entry. It is about suppliers for the metal pans we have been discussing as tools for Dutch oven cooking. It turns out they are easier to find than we thought … if you know their correct name!

Wet fun on the Big Muddy

Jim.Low@mdc.mo.gov (Jim Low) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 10:53:34 PDT

I got out on the Missouri River Saturday with 130 other guests of the Missouri River Communities Network (MRCN). The 9.5-mile float from Katfish Katy's boat ramp to Cooper's Landing took us past two sandbars adjacent to Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area.

I'd say we lucked out, when you consider what Missouri's weather can be like in July. The price we paid for an afternoon of cloudy, breezy weather was a few showers. The rain dampened clothing without really dampening spirits. Floaters ranging from youths to senior citizens were too enchanted by live programs provided along the way to mind the warm drizzle.

One of the most interesting programs was a talk by historian Angela da Silva, of Lindenwood University. She talked about the Civil War in Missouri. Floaters also got to see a live shovelnose sturgeon, various species of river turtles and the biggest attraction -- the majestic Big Muddy itself.

The reaction of first-time floaters to the Missouri River is universal -- wonder at its wild beauty and surprise at how dirty and dangerous the river is not. After an introductory float under controlled conditions, many vow to return on their own.

Judging by the increase in river use I have seen over the past 10 years, I'd say many are following through. Sunny weekends find lots of people paddling, camping, picnicking and fishing from sandbars that dot the river during low summer flows.

MRCN is talking about another Big River Canoe Float in the fall, when the weather is cooler and tree-lined bluffs are painted every shade of red, yellow and orange. Watch their website for details.

Where to get metal pans for Dutch oven cooking

Jim.Low@mdc.mo.gov (Jim Low) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 09:58:21 PDT

My Dutch-oven cooking article in the June issue of the Conservationist continues to generate questions. A gentleman from the Kansas City area said he called dozens of farm-supply stores trying to find a place to buy the metal watering pans I recommended to hold charcoal ... no luck.

I haven't bought one in several years, but I told my caller where I used to get them. He said he had gone all the way to that retailer's corporate headquarters and learned that they no longer stock the metal pans.

I racked my brain for a way to find them. In desperation, I called Luann Waters, who taught the Dutch-oven instructor class I took years ago. She came through. Yay, Luann!

K&K Vet Supply, out of Tontitown, Ark., carries 12-quart metal hog pans made by Miller Manufacturing Co. The photo on their website looks exactly like the ones I use. When you visit their website, go to the alphabetical listing and type "watering pan" in the search box. The metal pans are on page 2 of the resulting list.

Bon appetit!

Jim

Recipe, by popular demand!

Jim.Low@mdc.mo.gov (Jim Low) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 05:47:14 PDT

Quite a few people have contacted me about my Dutch oven cooking article, published in the June Missouri Conservationist. Most of them have asked for my late mom's Swiss steak recipe, which I mentioned only in passing.

I can't believe I didn't see this coming. The Contributor's Profile inside the back cover said, "his mother’s Swiss steak recipe, using venison instead of beef, is enough to make even a crusty outdoorsman weep." What did I expect?!

With apologies to all those left wondering about Mom's legendary Swiss steak recipe, here it is:

Elizabeth Low’s Swiss Steak
2 lbs 1/2-inch thick round steak, quartered
2 Tbsp catsup
1 cup flour
2 tsp paprika
3 tbsp shortening
8-oz can of mushrooms
1 medium onion, chopped
2 oz cooking sherry
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cans tomato soup
1 tsp MSG salt and pepper to taste

Sprinkle MSG evenly over steak and press into meat. Mix flour, paprika, salt and pepper and coat meat well with this mixture. Pound flour into steak with tenderizing mallet or the edge of a heavy plate. Melt shortening in 12-inch Dutch oven and brown steaks in shortening. Add remaining ingredients and cook at 300 degrees for 1 to 2 hours. You can shorten the cooking time to 30 minutes at 375 degrees, but slower cooking tenderizes better. Serves 4. Serve with baked, mashed or scalloped potatoes.

P.S.: All this begs the questions, "Is it okay to cook Swiss steak in a Dutch oven?" and, "Would it be even worse to serve it with French bread?

Ash tree devastation

Jim.Low@mdc.mo.gov (Jim Low) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 10:33:51 PDT

In spite of sauna-like conditions yesterday, I spent an hour or so cruising the woods around my house looking for a nice, straight ash tree. I want to cut one down so I can split it into staves to make longbows.

Some of the several dozen ash trees I examined were dead. Not a single one was in good health. Most had lots of dead branches, and the live branches had only a fraction of their normal foliage.

I first noticed our ash trees dying three or four years ago. I was afraid they might have emerald ash borer, a forest pest that is devastating all species of ash trees in the Eastern U.S. But there were no signs of borers. It turned out the problem was "ash yellows."

This disease is caused by a microbe and spread by insects. Together with the emerald ash borer, this disease seems likely to cause the same sort of devastatoin wrought by chestnut blight, which wiped out the American chestnut early in the 20th century.

Apparently the problem isn't confined to my wood lot near Jefferson City. A St. Louis-area tree service I talked to today said they are removing lots of ash trees killed by yellows. I hate that. Besides being great shade trees, ash trees' straight grain makes them a dream to split for firewood. Baseball fans will mourn the loss because most wooden baseball bats are made of northern white ash. Ash also is a favorite for making guitars and other musical instruments.

Healthy ash trees can survive five or 10 years after contracting yellows. Watering during dry periods and fertilizing helps, but there is no cure.

I wish there was something more cheerful to say about this. The only good news I can see is that I have a few years to lay in a supply of ash logs for friends who carve duck decoys. But what a pity for our grandchildren, who might never know the pleasure shaving curls of wood from a smooth ash plank as they shape a canoe paddle or a longbow.

June a "bear" of a month for Missouri bruins

Jim.Low@mdc.mo.gov (Jim Low) — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 06:34:36 PDT

June is the month when Missourians are most likely to see a black bear. The critters are hungry after a long winter of short rations, and they get footloose, looking for anything that smells like food.

Show-Me State residents are getting accustomed to seeing wild black bears, but the sighting of a female with three yearlings near Forsyth in mid-May still created a stir. Conservation Department Wildlife Photographer Noppadol Paothong hotfooted it down to Taney County, where he captured this image.

It's a little hard to make out all three yearlings in this photo. Looks like one's head is visible in front of the mother's chest and the backside of the third is peeking out behind her.

I look forward to seeing my first Missouri bear. When that happens, I suppose I will experience the same mixed emotions that most people do--excitement mixed apprehension at being in the presence of a powerful animal that embodies wildness.

Maybe my first sighting will be of a track. Or, it might come on a camping trip, when a bear investigates the smell of leftovers from last night's meal. A few Missourians get their first exposure to bears when a particularly bold bruin knocks over a trash can or learns it can get a free lunch from a backyard bird feeder

Missouri's bear population is growing slowly, building on a trickle of individuals that continue to make their way north from Arkansas. Most black bears are extremely shy of humans and keep to themselves. Still, it's a good idea to know what to do if you happen on a black bear unexpectedly. It's also good to know what to do if a bear becomes a nuisance.

On a different topic, I originally intended for this blog to be interactive, as its name implies. However, it turns out that current software limitations make this impossible. Our IT folks say that I should be able to post comments and reply to yours starting late this summer or early in the fall. Until then, please don't think I'm ignoring you. If you want to chat about a post, send me an e-mail at Jim.Low@mdc.mo.gov.

Jim

Give Wild Babies a Chance--Delay Mowing As Long As Possible

Jim.Low@mdc.mo.gov (Jim Low) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 12:20:24 PDT

Like most outdoors people, I know right now is white-tailed deer fawning season. But it took a recent incident to make it seem real.

My wife, Diane, and I were camping with Brad and Suzanne Wright along Mussel Fork in Chariton County. The Wrights came back from a hike brimming with excitement. Their bouncy 4-year-old Labrador retriever, Jole Blon, had been bounding ahead of them when she stopped at the edge of the trail and nuzzled something. It looked as if she was trying to get another dog to play with her. As they got closer, they realized she was nose to nose with a newborn fawn.

With an 80-pound dog in its face and two humans approaching, the fawn got nervous and started to rise from its bed. Brad and Suzanne stopped and stood still as statues. The tiny deer calmed down and curled back up where it lay. They corralled Jole and hurried back to share the once-in-a-lifetime experience. Naturally, they didn't have a camera with them, but the image of Jole and the fawn nose to nose is etched in their memories.

We all gave the deer's bedroom wide berth for the rest of the weekend. Fawns face enough hazards--including coyotes, free-ranging dogs and mowers--without our adding to their problems.

If you have been planning to mowing part of your land, consider putting it off a few weeks to improve fawns' survival chances. It will help bobwhite quail, wild turkeys and other ground-nesting wildlife, too.

Jim

Mulberries, Bushytails & Catfish

Jim.Low@mdc.mo.gov (Jim Low) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 07:57:21 PDT

A friend just dropped by to let me know that mulberries are beginning to ripen in central Missouri. That means squirrel hunters in southern Missouri already are focusing their attention on these squirrel magnets.

Devoted summer bushytail hunters have detailed mental maps with the locations of mulberry, hickory and other trees that produce favorite squirrel foods before acorns mature. If you don't know where mulberries can be found in your area, start looking around the margins of streams. If you hear rustling in stream-side trees chances are good that you've found mulberries and squirrels.

Incidentally, Missouri River catfish Guide Ed Schneider has noticed that catfish will move up big-river tributaries to gorge on falling mulberries this time of year. Play your cards right, and you could be frying up squirrel and catfish at the same time!

Jim

Summit on the Future of Missouri Outdoors

Jim.Low@mdc.mo.gov (Jim Low) — Wed, 27 May 2009 08:33:39 PDT

We have all heard the saying that "if you fail to plan, you plan to fail." For the Conservation Federation of Missouri, the prospect of failing to preserve Missouri’s outdoor heritage is unacceptable. That’s why the state’s biggest citizen conservation group (representing 80,000 individuals at last count) has called a Summit on the Future of Missouri Outdoors.

Over the next two days, the state’s leading citizen and government conservation leaders will discuss challenges and opportunities facing the state’s wild and natural resources and the myriad recreational activities that depend on them. Summit participants will develop a prioritized list of actions necessary to ensure the future of everything from camping, hiking and nature photography to hunting, fishing and trapping.

Gov. Jay Nixon will kick off the gathering with an address about the importance of Missouri outdoors. Dr. Stephen R. Kellert, professor of social ecology at Yale’s School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, will deliver the keynote address on the subject “What need is there for outdoor experience in the lives of 21st century Americans.”

The Conservation Federation hopes the summit will provide a strategic vision to guide its long-term efforts.

If you are not familiar with the Conservation Federation, it is the organization that secured voter approval in 1936 for establishing the Missouri Department of Conservation. Show-Me State programs that have become international conservation models all trace back to the Federation’s enduring vision.

For more information about the summit and the Conservation Federation's Web site.

Find a Trails Day event online

Jim.Low@mdc.mo.gov (Jim Low) — Wed, 20 May 2009 06:25:39 PDT

June 6 is National Trails Day, but what, exactly, does that mean? It's not as if there really is someplace you can go for a formal celebration, right?

Wrong! I just learned that you can take part one of several organized events the weekend of June 6. The American Hiking Society is using its Web page as a clearinghouse for events in Missouri and nationwide.

Visit AmericanHiking.org and click on Missouri's part of the national map to get a listing of Trails Day events in the Show-Me State. Missouri has at least seven such events June 6 and 7. Locations include Columbia, Lebanon, Ste. Genevieve, St. Louis, Wildwood and Winona.

More events could show up on the Web site, between now and June 6, because the American Hiking Society encourages anyone who is planning an event to post it on their page.

How cool is that?

If solitude is more your thing, use the Missouri Department of Conservation's online Conservation Atlas Database to locate dozens of conservation areas with trails ranging from short paved, wheelchair-accessible paths to sections of the 300-mile-plus Ozark Trail, traversing rugged wilderness.

Jim Low is an MDC news specialist and Missouri Conservationist staff writer

Squirrel regs stand until ‘10; outlook good this year

Jim.Low@mdc.mo.gov (Jim Low) — Mon, 18 May 2009 07:02:59 PDT

Following the Conservation Commission meeting March 12, I sent out a “Conservation Action “report that included information about several regulation changes. Among those changes was an increase in the bag limit for squirrels. Unfortunately, I failed to note that THE CHANGE DOES NOT GO INTO EFFECT UNTIL 2010.

I sent out a correction after someone pointed out the omission, and I changed the information posted on the Conservation Department’s website to include the effective date. However, there was no way to retract the previous e-mail, creating the potential for a few hunters to be confused about the bag limit.

Squirrel season opens May 23 this year and runs through Feb. 15, 2010. THE BAG LIMIT REMAINS UNCHANGED FROM LAST YEAR -- 6 DAILY AND 12 IN POSSESSION.

Lonnie Hansen, the Conservation Department’s resource scientist in charge of squirrel management, notes that last year was a down year for squirrel numbers in the Ozarks. That was because of a reduced acorn crop in 2007. White oaks in the Ozarks produced a good crop of acorns last year, so squirrel numbers should rebound in that part of the state this year, making for better hunting.

Squirrels have a more diverse and dependable food base in northern Missouri, thanks to corn and other agricultural crops. As a result, squirrel populations are more stable there, and hunting is uniformly good from year to year.

Speaking of squirrels in northern and southern Missouri, you are more likely to encounter fox squirrels in northern and western Missouri because they are associated with open land. Gray squirrels are creatures of the deep forest, so the larger the tract of woods you hunt, the more gray squirrels you are likely to find. If you notice a shift in the number of fox vs. gray squirrels in your area, it might be related to changes in the amount of forest.

Hansen prefers to pan-fry young squirrels. He also fries older squirrels, but afterwards he puts them in a crock-pot with a can of cream of mushroom soup. He renders tough old squirrels tender and delicious by wrapping them in aluminum foil with seasonings and a few apple slices and slow-cooking them with indirect heat on the barbecue grill.

Hmmmm … time to go to the range and tune up my .22!

Jim Low is a news specialist and staff writer for the Missouri Conservationist.

New Geocaching Regulation On Conservation Trails

noreply@blogger.com (Bonnie Chasteen) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 13:06:22 PST

If you’re a geocacher or letterboxing enthusiast, you know these digital-age scavenger hunts are a blast. Beginning April 30, 2009, MDC welcomes geocachers and letterboxers who acquire a Special Use Permit to enjoy these activities on most conservation areas. It’s easy to get a Special Use Permit--just check with the manager of the area you’re interested in visiting.

Stay in touch with Missouri’s geocachers at MoCache.net—and thanks for using your Missouri conservation areas!

Want to Expand Your Contracting Business? Learn to Specialize in Habitat

noreply@blogger.com (Bonnie Chasteen) — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 07:29:42 PST

Many landowners want to implement habitat projects, but they don’t have the time, equipment or expertise to do it. Learn how to serve this growing conservation market by specializing in habitat development and restoration.

To help you do this, the Department of Conservation, in partnership with the Missouri Agribusiness Association, is offering Conservation Contractor Training workshops now through December 2009. The workshops, offered at various locations throughout the state, include a wide range of topics, such as small business administration, conducting prescribed burns and satisfying federal conservation cost-share contracts.

Once you complete training, you become eligible to be included in the Department’s Conservation Contractor database, an online resource for landowners seeking qualified habitat helpers. You can also view the full schedule of workshops on the Conservation Contractor Web page.

The small fee of $15 for each workshop includes lunch. Each daylong class starts at 9 a.m. and ends at 5 p.m. Instructional approaches include classroom activities and hands-on fieldwork. To register for the workshops, call the MO-AG office at 573-636-6130 or the Department’s Private Land Services Division at 573-751-4115. Please note that pre-registration is required; no registrations will be accepted at the sessions.

Agents in Action

noreply@blogger.com (Bonnie Chasteen) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 08:43:59 PST

From conducting education programs to enforcing fish and wildlife regulations, Missouri conservation agents serve nature and you in many ways. A new MDC blog, Frontline Conservation, lets you follow conservation agent activities, including apprehending poachers, helping feed Missouri’s hungry and training new recruits. Interested in becoming an agent? This blog will inspire you to take the first steps.

Start Planning Spring Turkey Hunting Vacations

noreply@blogger.com (Bonnie Chasteen) — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 12:17:11 PST

Interested in taking advantage of some of the best spring turkey hunting in the nation? Start planning your spring vacation. The Conservation Commission approved recommendations for the 2009 spring turkey season at their December 19th meeting.

The youth portion of the spring turkey season will be the weekend of April 4th and 5th. As in previous years, youth must be 15 years old or younger to participate. Youth will continue to have the option of hunting all day, a change that was first implemented last year. The youth spring turkey season offers a great chance to introduce youngsters to the outdoors. Missouri is a national leader in recruitment of new hunters, and opportunities for youth participation have been a key part of our success.

The regular spring turkey season begins Monday, April 20 and ends Sunday, May 10. Bag limits and hunting hours are unchanged from last year. Hunters may harvest two birds but only one turkey can be taken the first week of the season. This regulation has proven very successful in distributing first-week hunting pressure and harvest.

While turkey populations have been affected by less-than-ideal nesting conditions the past few springs, Missouri continues to offer some of the best spring turkey hunting in the nation. Review the numbers in Missouri’s 2008 Wild Turkey Status Report.

Permit prices remain unchanged. Resident spring turkey permits are $17.00 and the non-resident permit cost is $175.00.

New MDC Holiday Video Card

noreply@blogger.com (pc) — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 09:21:27 PST

Season's Greetings from Wild Missouri

Watch and enjoy 60 seconds of musical fun with deer a-leaping, otters a-sliding, eagles a-swooping and more in a new holiday video card from the Missouri Department of Conservation. It's an easy way to share holiday cheer and the beauty of outdoor Missouri with family and friends near and far. If you enjoy the video, feel free to pass this link on to others to spread a cheery conservation message this season. Happy Holidays!

Time to Prune Trees and Prepare for Wildfire Season

noreply@blogger.com (Bonnie Chasteen) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 11:57:36 PST

Winter is the best time to prune trees

During December, January and February, trees are dormant and aren’t using their energy to grow and reproduce. Take advantage of this annual “downtime” to shape and trim your trees. MDC’s “Basic Pruning Guidelines” shows you how to using pruning techniques to optimize your trees’ beauty, health and longevity. Browse our Web site’s Forestry section to learn more about conserving your landscape trees, woodlot or private forest.

Baby, it’s cold outside--but wildfire season is about to heat up

Shortly after the holiday season ends, the dry, windy days of early spring usher in Missouri’s wildfire season. Across the Show-Me State, thousands of acres of forest and grassland will burn. Most of these fires will be caused by human negligence or malicious arson.

MDC has a whole mini-site dedicated to helping you protect your land and property from wildfire. Use it to explore alternatives to burning, conducting safe prescribed burns, reducing fuel loads around your home and making your home and community “firewise.”

If you see someone misusing fire, call the Operation Forest Arson hotline at 800-392-1111. The program allows you to remain anonymous and rewards are possible.

More than 10,000 deer taken by muzzleloader

noreply@blogger.com (Lance Jungmeyer) — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 08:04:52 PST

The conclusion of Missouri's deer muzzleloader season saw 10,239 animals taken.

During the season, which ran Nov. 28 through Dec. 7, hunters reported taking 2,679 antlered bucks, 1,519 button bucks and 6,041 does. View a county-by-county breakdown by deer type and season at this link.

Counting all seasons, 261,982 deer have been taken thus far in Missouri.

Deer muzzleloader season draws to a close December 7

noreply@blogger.com (Lance Jungmeyer) — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 06:22:48 PST

If you have a muzzleloader, the time to get out your black powder and hunt deer in Missouri is drawing nigh.

Deer muzzleloader season ends December 7.

Through the morning of Friday, December 5, Missouri hunters had taken 5,571 deer by muzzleloader. A breakdown by deer type and county is available here.

Leading all counties so far are Jefferson (118), Franklin (115), Howell (104), Osage (101) and Callaway (101).

Jefferson County also leads in antlered buck (35) taken by muzzleloader.

Counting all hunting methods, 256,679 deer have been checked thus far.

Duck, goose hunting moving south as winter sets in

noreply@blogger.com (Lance Jungmeyer) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 06:04:06 PST

For duck and goose hunters, Missouri's northern areas may be mostly starting to freeze over for the season, but there are still good hunting opportunities in the Bootheel, as well as some central areas, such as Eagle Bluffs, Grand Pass and Otter Slough.

When wetland habitat in the middle zone freezes over, ducks take temporary refuge along the big rivers, said Frank Nelson, resource scientist based at the Open Rivers/Wetlands Field Station of the MDC.

"As soon as it warms back up, the ducks are back to the shallow wetlands, and there's good hunting opportunities," Nelson said.

"This year we have had a very gradual migration," he added. "Cold fronts have blown through the state about once a week through November. There hasn’t been one big migration event that has dumped a lot of birds in Missouri all at once."

While November has not brought the Bootheel the sort of rains that are typical for the area, because much habitat is artificially flooded, hunters should find good conditions.

Bootheel hunting areas should remain unfrozen for all but a few days during the duration of the season, which runs through January 25. Geese may be hunted there through January 30. For a complete list of zones and hunting dates, click here.

Don't count out the north zone just yet, Nelson said, as waterfowl continue to pass over the region and overnight on the open waters of rivers. Hunters can break ice in managed areas, such as Ted Shanks, to attract feeding ducks.

Here's a comparative look at duck numbers the past five seasons.

2008 Endangered Species Postcard Contest Winners Announced

noreply@blogger.com (Bonnie Chasteen) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 06:04:33 PST

Sensitive species such as hellbenders (like the one Tom Bui illustrated here) and madtoms are disappearing from Ozark rivers and streams, the only places in Missouri that provide them suitable habitat.

Click image for slide show of winners.

To help Missouri’s kindergarten through 8th-grade students learn about the endangered species of Missouri’s Ozark rivers and streams, the Department of Conservation held a postcard contest this fall. In response, the students flooded the Department’s Central Office in Jefferson City with more than 2,600 hand-drawn postcards depicting the theme, “Ozark river and stream habitat—we gotta have it!”

Teachers reported that the contest helped students become aware that we have endangered species right here in Missouri—not just in the arctic regions or rain forests.

Four talented students took first-place prizes, one each for the contest’s four age categories. Madelynn McIntyre of Hannibal won the K-2nd grade category, and Tom Bui of St. Louis won the 3rd-4th grade category. Meng Zou of Chesterfield took the top prize for the 5th-6th grade category and Olivia Deeken of Westphalia won the 7th-8th grade category.

“We were amazed at the response,” said Department designer, Marci Porter, and this year’s contest coordinator. “All of the entries were so good, and it was really hard to choose winners.”

The Department couldn’t give every contestant a prize, but it did display every entry in the Capitol rotunda in Jefferson City from Saturday, November 15 through Tuesday, November 18.

All four first-place winners will have their cards printed and sold through the MDC Nature Shops, with proceeds going to endangered species habitat conservation. Check the Nature Shop online for product availability in late December, 2008.

Grazing Technique Good for Cattle and Birds

noreply@blogger.com (Bonnie Chasteen) — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 08:29:28 PST

Imagine herding livestock with no fences, horses or dogs—nothing but a book of matches. And imagine using cows to restore prairie chicken habitat. An emerging management technique called “patch-burn grazing” gives both ranchers and conservationists an effective, low-cost way to fatten cattle and favor prairie birds. Missouri Department of Conservation grassland biologists have been experimenting with this technique for several years, with exciting results.

Click the animation to see how the technique works. First, a patch of old grass is burned. When the new grass springs up, cattle rush to graze it. The combined disturbance of fire and grazing “awakens” dormant prairie seeds and plants, stimulating them to grow. This new, patchy spread of diverse plants attracts ground-nesting birds, including prairie chickens where enough habitat is available. Quail and lesser-known birds including the elusive Henslow’s and grasshopper sparrows benefit from this technique as well.

To learn more about how patch-burn grazing can benefit ranches and prairie restoration projects, contact Max Alleger at 660-885-8179, ext. 247.

As firearms season nears close, Macon County remains Missouri deer-hunting mecca

noreply@blogger.com (Lance Jungmeyer) — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 07:49:11 PST

With firearms season ending Nov. 25, Missouri deer hunters are showing that Macon County is the Missouri mecca.

As of 9:45 a.m., Monday, Nov. 24, hunters have taken 4,661 deer in Macon County.

Other leading counties include:
Benton County (4,116)
Callaway County (4,041)
Texas County (4,030)
Howell County (3,948)
Franklin County (3,531)
Adair County (3,428)

These numbers are sure to change. You can keep up by referring to this interactive map.

If you take a deer, you can easily report it online or by phone using MDC's telecheck program.

Macon County retains lead in deer harvest; Benton and Callaway counties not far behind

noreply@blogger.com (Lance Jungmeyer) — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 08:58:22 PST

According to the latest Telecheck results, as of 10:45 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 20, retaining the lead in Missouri deer harvest is Macon County.

At 3,698, Macon County is 300+ deer ahead of the next-closest counties.

Benton County (3,312) and Callaway County (3,233) are runners-up so far. You can keep tabs with this map, which also is located at the bottom of this page.

Firearms deer season ends 30 minutes after sunset Nov. 25, so make plans to get outside and enjoy the hunt this year, if you haven't already.

New, Full-Color Seedling Order Form and Web Page

noreply@blogger.com (Bonnie Chasteen) — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 07:38:51 PST

Whether you’re in the habit of improving quail habitat, controlling erosion or making your landscape friendlier for wildlife, you’re probably a fan of the Department’s Seedling Order Form. This publication of the George O. White State Nursery in Licking, Mo., is one of the most anticipated booklets of the year.

This fall, Missouri’s conservationists will appreciate the publication’s new look and supporting Web page. Both make selecting, ordering and establishing conservation seedlings easier. Featuring full-color photos in the glossy catalog and on the online order form, entries include descriptions of conservation uses and cultural information. Check out the catalog online or order a full-color print catalog by writing to MDC, 2008 Seedling Order Form, P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102 or e-mail pubstaff@mdc.mo.gov.