Missouri Conservationist February 2018

2018·6.3 MB·English

by  Missouri Department of Conservation

MISSOURI
VOLUME 79, ISSUE 2, FEBRUARY 2018
SERVING NATURE & YOU
CONSERVATIONIST
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MISSOURI
CONSERVATIONIST
Contents
FEBRUARY 2018
VOLUME 79, ISSUE 2
10
ON THE COVER
A red-morph eastern
screech-owl perches
on a branch.
 MARK SULLIVAN
GOVERNOR
Eric R. Greitens
THE CONSERVATION COMMISSION
CHAIR Don C. Bedell
VICE CHAIR Marilynn J. Bradford
16 SECRETARY David W. Murphy
MEMBER Nicole E. Wood
DIRECTOR
Sara Parker Pauley
DEPUTY DIRECTORS
Thomas A. Draper, Aaron Jeffries,
Jennifer Battson Warren
MAGAZINE STAFF
EDITOR
Angie Daly Morfeld
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Bonnie Chasteen
STAFF WRITERS
Larry Archer, Heather Feeler,
Kristie Hilgedick, Joe Jerek
FEATURES
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
10 Stephanie Thurber
ART DIRECTOR
Missouri’s Coldwater
Cliff White
Hatcheries DESIGNERS
Les Fortenberry, Marci Porter
Raising trout for Missouri 22 PHOTOGRAPHERS
waterways is a labor of love. Noppadol Paothong, David Stonner
CIRCULATION MANAGER
by Francis Skalicky
Laura Scheuler
16 mdc.mo.gov/conmag
The Eastern Screech-Owl
DEPARTMENTS
A small raptor with
a big personality. 2 Inbox
by Angie Morfeld 3 Up Front With Sara Parker Pauley
22 4 Nature Lab
Oh Deer, Some Bunny 5 In Brief
Ate My Veggies! 28 Get Outside
A new location, fencing, and 30 Places To Go Download this
scare tactics can save your 32 Wild Guide issue to your
garden from deer and rabbits. phone or tablet at
by Mark Van Patten 33 Outdoor Calendar saSlapmotatnedde r mdc.mo.gov/mocon.
Download for
Discover more at missouriconservation.org Android
Inbox
Letters to the Editor UP FRONT WITH SARA PARKER PAULEY
Submissions reflect I enjoyed reading Up Front in the Missouri
readers’ opinions and Conservationist [December, Page 3]. Your granny
may be edited for length sounds like she was such a cool lady. How blessed Virginia rail
and clarity. Email
you were to have had her in your life.
[email protected]
Kelly Potter Greenville knowledge of the rich wildlife in our wetlands will
or write to us:
surely help persuade people that wetlands are worth
MISSOURI
I enjoyed your Granny Elma story. I had a very preserving and even recreating where possible.
CONSERVATIONIST
similar Granny Mabel, and it brought back many Bill Rowe, Missouri Bird Records Committee St. Louis
PO BOX 180
JEFFERSON CITY, MO 65102 memories of her. We always look forward to our
Conservationist, although my wife requires me to OUR FORESTS AT WORK
read it first to be sure there are no snake pictures in My wife and I traveled to Mendoza, Argentina, and
it. I’ve seen it fly across the room when I missed one. toured several large production wineries. The guide
Mark Critchfield Columbia commented about the large number of barrels they
buy from the United States and asked if anyone
FANS FROM AFAR knew where they came from. I told him Perryville,
Although I live in Wisconsin, I am an avid reader of Missouri, and he was astonished anyone would
the Missouri Conservationist. Our daughter and family know the specifics. He asked how I knew, and I said
live in Rolla and have gifted me a subscription for the I only live about 30 miles from Perryville. Great
past six years. I am an avid wildlife photographer and article, and I remember the large warehouses full of
enjoy your photos as well as the nature articles. Missouri oak barrels floor to ceiling.
I learn at least one new thing from each issue. Dave Beasley Jackson
John Dart North Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
JANUARY ISSUE
I live in the northwest lower peninsula of Loved this issue. Just gave me all the pertinent facts
DECEMBER ISSUE Michigan. A friend of mine sends me the Missouri about our great MDC. Great pictures and good stats.
The December Conservationist regularly, and I look forward to Keep up the good work the MDC has been doing
issue was very reading it. The magazine’s new format is terrific. I since I moved to Missouri in 1948. Yes, I am going on
intriguing. I don’t know of a better magazine anywhere. Keep up 90 years of age.
always enjoy it, the great job. Frank S. Thomas III Ballwin
but this issue Larry Demny Michigan
was especially The fern frost patterns on January’s cover are
interesting. Thank MARSH BIRDS captivating in their exquisite beauty!
you so much for I’m writing on behalf of the Missouri Bird Records Helen Holbrook via email
providing this Committee and our sponsor, the Audubon Society
publication. of Missouri, to express my appreciation for the fine I really liked the Get Outside spread [Pages 28–29]
N
O
Jay Baker article, Secretive Marsh Birds [November, Page 10], and Places to Go [Pages 30–31]. The photos are PPAD
via Facebook afonldks t,h teh ebseea uarteif ualm Voirnggin tihae r aleila csot vkenro pwhno toof. aFlol ro muro st athlwe a4y3s yeexcaersp twioen haal.v Ie h baeveen e Mnjoisyseodu rtihaen sm.agazine for OL PAO
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birds, and they deserve this kind of publicity. More Dianne Larson via email ON
G
Connect With Us!
Conservation Headquarters Have a
573-751-4115 | PO Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180 Question for a
/moconservation Commissioner?
Regional Offices
@moconservation Send a note using
Southeast/Cape Girardeau: 573-290-5730 Southwest/Springfield: 417-895-6880 our online
@MDC_online Central/Columbia: 573-815-7900 Northwest/St. Joseph: 816-271-3100 contact form at
@Nature_Videos Kansas City: 816-622-0900 St. Louis: 636-441-4554 mdc.mo.gov/
Northeast/Kirksville: 660-785-2420 Ozark/West Plains: 417-256-7161 commissioners.
2 Missouri Conservationist | February 2018
Up
Want to see your photos
in the Missouri Conservationist? Front
Share your photos on Flickr at
flickr.com/groups/mdcreaderphotos-2018,
email [email protected],
or include the hashtag #mdcdiscovernature
on your Instagram photos.
with Sara Parker Pauley
_ By the time February rolls around, it seems like most
people are tired of winter and ready for the warm rays of summer.
I vividly remember the first week of school after summer break
when the teacher would ask us about our summer vacation.
There were lots of Disney Worlds and Colorado mountains or
some tropical destination, but my report was often the same.
I would colorfully recount my family’s annual pilgrimage to
Bryant Creek in Douglas County to camp, fish, and explore
1 wild Missouri.
Each summer, a generous family would allow us to camp on
their property in Douglas County, and we lovingly named the
2
1 | Outdoor adventure area Squeaky Hollow. It got the memorable name because two
on Hughes Mountain
old sycamores would scrape together in the wind and create
by rozzie91, via
Instagram an eerie sound, which made us think the headless horseman
would be riding up to our campfire at any minute. It was there
2 | Gartersnakes
at Squeaky Hollow where I first heard the wild, monkey-like
by Francis Rehmer,
via email call of the barred owl — a sound that seemed more fitting for
the jungle than southwest Missouri (learn about the eastern
3 | Snow geese
at Ten Mile Pond screech-owl on Page 16).
Conservation Area by I was captivated as a kid by the barred owl’s call and still
Clay Guthrie, via Flickr find it fascinating to this day, especially in spring when I
might hear an old gobbler answer back with a call of his own.
Now that is true music to my ears! It means spring has finally
3
arrived after a long, cold winter, and with it, the music of the
woods befitting a new season. I’ll be listening closely for the
call. I hope you will be, too.
SARA PARKER PAULEY, DIRECTOR
[email protected]
The Missouri Conservationist (ISSN 0026-6515) is the official monthly publication of the Missouri
Department of Conservation, 2901 West Truman Boulevard, Jefferson City, MO (Mailing address: PO
MISSOURI CONSERVATION COMMISSIONERS Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102.) SUBSCRIPTIONS: Visit mdc.mo.gov/conmag, or call 573-522-
4115, ext. 3856 or 3249. Free to adult Missouri residents (one per household); out of state $7 per year;
out of country $10 per year. Notification of address change must include both old and new address
(send mailing label with the subscriber number on it) with 60-day notice. Preferred periodical postage
paid at Jefferson City, Missouri, and at additional entry offices. Postmaster: Send correspondence to
Circulation, PO Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180. Phone: [phone], ext. 3856 or 3249.
Copyright © 2018 by the Conservation Commission of the State of Missouri.
Equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from programs of the Missouri Department of Conserva-
tion is available to all individuals without regard to their race, color, religion, national origin, sex, ancestry,
age, sexual orientation, veteran status, or disability. Questions should be directed to the Department of
Don Marilynn David Nicole Conservation, PO Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102, 573-751-4115 (voice) or 800-735-2966 (TTY), or
Bedell Bradford Murphy Wood to Chief, Public Civil Rights, Office of Civil Rights, U.S. Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street, NW,
Washington, D.C. 20240.
Printed with soy ink
mdc.mo.gov 3
Nature
L A B
by Bonnie
Chasteen
Each month, we highlight research
MDC uses to improve fish, forest,
and wildlife management.
FISHERIES MANAGEMENT
Fish-Tag Rewards
_ When Resource Scientist Kyle Winders receives
a fish tag, he gives the angler a call and then sends
a follow-up report. “Anglers show a lot of interest
in how many fish were tagged, the results, and the
knowledge we’ll gain from this study.”
The tag-reward study aims to assess exploitation
MDC biologists collect, tag, and
rates for blue catfish and flathead catfish on the Mis-
release catfish back into the
souri and Mississippi rivers. “One of the big questions
Missouri and Mississippi rivers
is to estimate what percentage of the fish population to gather growth, movement,
is harvested every year,” Winders said. and harvest-rate data.
To answer this question, Winders and his team
electrofished blue catfish and flathead catfish from
the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. Then they tagged On the Mississippi River, where commer-
the fish with rewards of $25 or $150 and a phone Study of blue cial harvest is permitted, another objective
number for reporting tags. catfish and flathead is to increase yield or total weight of fish
“The difference in reward values will help us calcu- available for harvest. Commercial angler
catfish exploitation
late nonreporting,” Winders said. His team reckons Dale Gibler fishes the Mississippi. “I think
rates will help
the higher reward value will prompt more tag returns. it’s neat,” he said of the tag-reward program.
MDC increase the
The study’s data will help MDC determine whether “I’m a big duck hunter, so it’s like shooting a
quality of Missouri
to adjust regulations to meet management objectives. banded duck. It helps track the population.”
and Mississippi
One objective is to maintain or increase the number The final report will be completed in
river fisheries
of large blue catfish and flathead catfish — for exam- 2019, but the study is funded to reward all M
ple, those that are 20 pounds or heavier. returned tags. AIN: JO
E M
C
M
U
Annual Harvest Rates LLEN
Fish-Tagging Study ; IN
(These are preliminary estimates and likely to change) SET: K
at a Glance M is s o u r i River 10% 12%M i ssissippi River EVIN SULLIVAN; C
ATFISH
ILLU
Dates of Study: 2015–2019 12% 14% STRATIO
N
aGnoda Ml:i ssIimsspipropvi er iqveura filitsyh eorfi eMsissouri S: JOSEPH
R
. TO
M
BLUE CATFISH FLATHEAD CATFISH Browse more research projects at research.mdc.mo.gov ELLER
I
4 Missouri Conservationist | February 2018
In Brief
News and updates from MDC
Mina Sauk Falls at
St. Francois Mountains
Natural Area
MDC EARNS
 MDC recently received certification from the Sustainable Forestry Initiative
SUSTAINABLE (SFI) for sustainable forestry practices on more than 653,000 acres of state
land. SFI is one of the world’s most recognized independent third-party forest
FORESTRY management certification standards.
“Certification to SFI considers all aspects of our forest management
CERTIFICATION
process — from our actions taken in the woods to the paperwork we keep in our
files,” said MDC State Forester Lisa Allen. “We are extremely proud to achieve
SFI CERTIFICATION
this certification, which means we have outside validation that we are properly
CONFIRMS MDC
FOREST MANAGEMENT managing our forest resources to ensure their health and sustainability.”
PRACTICES ARE SOUND SFI certification is based on principles, goals, and performance measures
AND COMPREHENSIVE that were developed nationally by professional foresters, conservationists, and
others with the intention of promoting sustainable forest management in North
America. SFI and its many partners work together to balance environmental,
economic, and social objectives, such as conservation of wildlife habitat and
biodiversity, harvesting forest products, protecting water quality, providing
NER forest industry jobs, and developing recreational opportunities. The SFI Forest
N
O
ST Management Standard is also the only standard that requires participants to
D
DAVI support forestry research. For more information, visit sfiprogram.org.
mdc.mo.gov 5
In Brief
Got a Question for Ask MDC?
COMMISSION PASSES 2018 DEER,
Send it to [email protected]
TURKEY HUNTING DATES
or call 573-522-4115, ext. 3848.
During its regular Dec. 15 meeting, the Missouri Conserva-
tion Commission approved MDC’s recommendations for the
2018–2019 turkey and deer hunting season dates. Q. I regularly travel
the highways of
2018 Spring Turkey Hunting Dates
Missouri, Kansas, and
• Youth portion: April 7–8 Illinois. Last February,
• Regular turkey season: April 16–May 6 I noticed more dead
skunks on the roads
2018 Fall Turkey Hunting Dates
than I normally see in
• Archery season: Sept. 15–Nov. 9
an entire summer. Was
and Nov. 21–Jan. 15, 2019
there a population
• Firearms turkey season: Oct. 1–31
explosion? Were
2018–2019 Fall Deer Hunting Dates warmer temperatures
• Archery deer: Sept. 15–Nov. 9 the culprit? Or was
and Nov. 21–Jan. 15, 2019 there another possible
• Firearms deer early youth portion: Oct. 27–28 cause?
• Firearms deer November portion: Nov. 10–20  The mating season for
• Firearms deer late youth portion: Nov. 23–25 striped skunks begins in
• Firearms deer antlerless portion: Nov. 30–Dec. 2 late February and extends Striped skunk
• Firearms deer alternative methods portion: through March. As skunks
Dec. 22–Jan. 1, 2019 emerge from their winter
dens and search for food fishing tag and a trout permit
Details on hunting regulations, harvest limits, allowed meth- and mates, they venture must be purchased when and
ods, required permits, and other related information will be onto roadways. Males always where required. Missouri is
available in the 2018 Spring Turkey Hunting Regulations and travel more than females, home to four trout parks —
Information and the 2018 Fall Deer & Turkey Hunting Regula- and during the breeding Meramec Spring, Bennett
tions and Information booklets. Both will season, they may go as far as Spring, Montauk, and Roaring
be available where permits are sold, at 4–5 miles a night. River — which are stocked
Buy Missouri MDC regional offices, and online at Furbearer biologists daily from March through
hunting permits short.mdc.mo.gov/ZZf. believe the striped skunk October. While fishing inside
from numerous population is stable to slightly these trout parks during
vendors
increasing. these months, senior anglers
around the TROUT OPENER will need to purchase the $3
state, online at
mdc.mo.gov/ COMING MARCH 1 Q. I will be 65 years daily trout tag.
buypermits, Anglers, mark your calendars! March 1 old in June of this year. For trout waters outside
or through our is the annual opening of catch-and-keep Do I need a fishing of the trout parks, a $7 trout
free mobile trout fishing at Bennett Spring State Park license if I go fishing permit is needed to possess
app, MO
near Lebanon, Montauk State Park near at the lakes and rivers trout. The $7 permit is also
Hunting, which
is available Licking, Roaring River State Park near before June? needed for the catch-and-
for download Cassville, and Maramec Spring Park near  Yes. However, once you release season — November
through Google St. James. The catch-and-keep season at reach your 65th birthday, a through February — in the
Play for Android the trout parks runs through Oct. 31. permit is no longer needed if four parks.
devices or the
Trout anglers will need a daily trout you are a Missouri resident. For more detailed
App Store for
Apple devices. tag to fish in Missouri’s trout parks. To prove age and residence, information about Missouri’s
Daily trout tags can only be purchased a driver’s license will suffice. fishing regulations, and
at each of the four trout parks. Missouri To stay on the right side of to learn how to purchase
residents age 16 through 64 also need a fishing permit in the regulations, you should permits, visit short.mdc.
addition to the daily tag. Nonresidents 16 and older also need be aware that a daily trout mo.gov/ZS4.
a fishing permit.
For more information on trout fishing in Missouri, visit
short.mdc.mo.gov/Z5r.
6 Missouri Conservationist | February 2018 STRIPED SKUNK: NOPPADOL PAOTHONG; DEER RUB COURTESY GILBERT HAKE; WHITE-TAILED DEER: NOPPADOL PAOTHONG
AGENT
Q. I found these marks on a tree
in the woods on my land. Do you ADVICE
know what may have made them?
 These are probably from a from
Sarah Ettinger-Dietzel
buck. They are caused by a male
deer using its brow tines — the IRON COUNTY
CONSERVATION AGENT
innermost tines, closest to the base
of the skull — to gouge the tree as it February is a time of
moves its head up and down. Bucks
transition in Missouri.
use shrubs and saplings to rub the
We might experience the
velvet off their antlers. Scientists
warmth of a spring-like
believe it serves as a way to mark
territory and practice combat. day one minute, then old
Antler growth starts in April or May. man winter rears his ugly
During the growth period, the soft skin
head the next, reminding
and short hair covering
us he’s not done yet.
the antlers have a
Don’t let the lure of the
plush quality, giving
this stage the name warm sunshine and
”velvet.” By August and mild temperatures make
September, testosterone
you complacent when
increases, causing the antlers
heading outdoors to
to calcify and the velvet to
shed. A buck will continue shake off those winter
rubbing to leave his scent and blues. Make a game plan.
visually mark his territory. As a Tell someone where
result, the antlers become polished.
you’re going and how
Although a buck can make rubs of
long you plan to stay.
any size, large ones positioned higher
on a tree tend to indicate an older male. Be prepared by using
White-tailed deer in velvet the acronym COLD.
1. Cover your head.
2. Overexertion —
avoid it. Sweating
in the cold is bad.
3. Layers are good —
What dress in lightweight,
loose-fitting clothes.
IS it?
4. Dry is also
Can you good —
guess this
carry extra
month’s
clothes in
natural
case you
wonder?
get wet.
The answer is
on Page 9.
mdc.mo.gov 7
In Brief
Watch a video
for this recipe at
short.mdc.mo.gov/ZTs
United States Postal Service Statement of Ownership, Management, and Circulation
(PS Form 3526, July 2014) Published annually in the February edition of this magazine as required by the United States Postal Service.
1. Publication Title: Missouri Conservationist; 2. Publication Number: 0026-6515; 3. Filing Date: 9/21/17; 4. Issue Frequency: Monthly; 5. Number of Issues Published Annually: 12; 6. Annual Subscription Price: Free In-State; 7. Complete
Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication: Missouri Department of Conservation; PO Box 180; Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180; Telephone: [phone], ext. 3831; 8. Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters or General
Business Office of Publisher: Missouri Department of Conservation; PO Box 180; Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180; 9. Full Names and Complete Mailing Addresses of Publisher, Editor, and Managing Editor: Publisher: Missouri Department
of Conservation; PO Box 180; Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180; Editor: Angie Morfeld; PO Box 180; Jefferson City, MO, 65102-0180; 10. Owner: Missouri Department of Conservation; PO Box 180; Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180; 12.
Tax Status: The purpose, function, and nonprofit status of this organization and the exempt status for federal income tax purposes has not changed during preceding 12 months.; 14. Issue Date for Circulation Data Below: September
2017; 15a. Total Number of Copies (Net press run): 563,117; b. Paid Circulation: (1) Mailed Outside-County Paid Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541: 0; (2) Mailed In-County Paid Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541: 0; (3) Paid
Distribution Outside the Mails Including Sales Through Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors, Counter Sales, and Other Paid Distribution Outside USPS: 0; (4) Paid Distribution by Other Classes of Mail Through the USPS: 7,114; c.
Total Paid Distribution: 7,114; d. Free or Nominal Rate Distribution: (1) Free or Nominal Rate Outside-County Copies Included on PS Form 3541: 556,003; (2) Free or Nominal Rate In-County Copies Included on PS Form 3541: 0; (3)
Free or Nominal Rate Copies Mailed at Other Classes Through the USPS: 0; (4) Free or Nominal Rate Distribution Outside the Mail (Carriers or other means): 0; e. Total Free or Nominal Rate Distribution: 556,003; f. Total Distribution:
563,117; g. Copies not Distributed: 1,500; h. Total: 564,617; i. Percent Paid: 1.3%; 16a. Paid Electronic Copies: 0; b. Total Paid Print Copies: 7,114; c. Total Print Distribution: 563,117; d. Percent Paid 1.3%; 18. Signature and Title of
Editor, Publisher, Business Manager, or Owner: I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete: Anthony Samson, Distribution Center Administrator, 9/21/17
8 Missouri Conservationist | February 2018