August 23, 2026
Monofilament fishing line is one of modern angling’s finest tools, but it’s also a hazard to wildlife if old line isn’t recycled or disposed of properly. For example, a barred owl was rescued on March 25 in Platte County after it became entangled in fishing line. Daniel and Debbie Haus of Kansas City are Missouri
MDC biologists are looking at bighead and silver carp (invasive species) to see if they have any impact on our native fish species. Biologists would like to collect all bighead and silver carp caught by anglers on Lake of the Ozarks, Truman, and Table Rock lakes. We will look at captured fish to see if
The complete April issue of the Missouri Conservationist is available for viewing and/or download at mdc.mo.gov/conmag. This month’s features: Safeguarding Our Glades Dedicated conservation partners help restore and protect Missouri’s unique micro deserts. What’s in a Nest? Scientists monitor nests to study the health of birds and changes to the landscape. After the Harvest Helping
Changes will improve wetlands and also fishing at adjacent Schell Lake The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is planning major improvements to levees and water supply for wetlands and a lake at the Schell-Osage Conservation Area. New levee placement and design will reduce damage from flooding, saving costs in the long run and providing better
As I have been doing for a while, I will start things off with the master naturalist quiz. Of the several species of hawks found in the Ozarks, which one is known to nest the earliest in the spring? By the way, any master naturalists who bring their master naturalist certificate from the MDC to
Don’t feed bears. Avoid encounters. React right. As blossoms and buds emerge each spring, so do Missouri’s estimated 300 native black bears. As they leave their winter dens this time of year, finding food is their main focus. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reminds people to “Be Bear Aware” by not feeding bears and
One of the most common problems homeowners have with their lawns is that they do not know what kind of grass is in it. “If it’s still light tan now, more than likely it’s zoysiagrass. If it’s green, it’s probably tall fescue with some Kentucky bluegrass,” says University of Missouri Extension turf pathologist Lee Miller.
MDC congratulates Ben Faulkenberry on breaking the pole-and-line state record by catching a two-pound, 11-ounce skipjack herring on Joachim Creek. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reports that Ben Faulkenberry of Imperial became the most recent record-breaking angler in Missouri when he hooked a skipjack herring on Joachim Creek in Jefferson County using a rod
Lela Mae Thomas, 81, was born April 19, 1935, near Osceola to Fred and Wilma Murphey. She passed away March 9, 2017. in Kansas City, Lela’s early life was spent in Osceola and she attended school there. On Nov. 14, 1952, she was united in marriage to Harlin Thomas. They moved to Kansas City where
The calendar may still say winter, but unseasonably warm temperatures during February and March have convinced many blooming plants that spring has arrived. The bad news is that the average last frost date in southwest Missouri is April 20 meaning there is lots of time left for these happy and colorful trees and flowers to
