Outdoors

Introduction to Winter Bird Identification February 8, 9– 11 a.m. • Registration required. Ages 7+ Have you ever wanted to learn how to identify birds found in your backyard? Join us as we learn the basics of bird identification, how to use binoculars and field guides, and how to attract birds to your own backyard.

There was no underestimating the size of the walleye I hooked. He was a dandy, five or six pounds a least and maybe bigger. You could see him easily as I fought him alongside the boat, with my fishing partner whackin’ at him with the dip net, something like a great blue heron would stab

The Missouri Department of Conservation has told a few dozen landowners in Texas county they intend to come into a 25-square-mile tract of land and set up bait and lights to night-shoot 110 deer. This is part of an attempt to find transmissible spongiform encephalitis, which they commonly call CWD or ‘chronic wasting disease’. It

Missouri’s 2024-2025 deer-hunting season ended Jan. 15 with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reporting a preliminary total deer harvest for the season of 276,262. Of the deer harvested, 129,252 were antlered bucks, 23,842 were button bucks, and 123,168 were does. Top harvest counties for the overall deer season were Franklin with 6,208, Jefferson with

2024 marked the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Wilderness Act of 1964, establishing the National Wilderness Preservation System and authorizing Congress to designate wilderness areas across the nation. To celebrate that anniversary, on Dec. 31, 2024, Bryant Creek Hills Wild Area became the 13th designated wild area in the Missouri State Parks system.

If I were a graduating kid today I would get rich and never work for anyone. First I would find five or ten acres off a main highway close to town and erect a metal building at the front. Then I’d find me the very finest pair of auto mechanics and a pair of the

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) had an assortment of notable news during 2024 including new leadership, new state records, awards, renovations, regulation changes, and more. See the news highlights below and follow the links for more information and images. Farewell and welcomes MDC Director Sara Parker Pauley announced her retirement in January (effective July

Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) shows deer hunters in Missouri harvested 10,071 deer during the alternative methods portion of firearms deer season, Dec. 28 – Jan. 7. Of the 10,071 deer harvested, 2,765 were antlered bucks, 1,072 were button bucks, and 6,234 were does. Top harvest counties were Franklin with 223

During the archery season in September, a hunter killed a young buck just west of Highway 63 between Houston and Licking Missouri. It looked healthy but testing showed it to be infected with TSE, (Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy). That is the disease where disfigured proteins riddle the brain. Thousands of humans have died from those proteins,

My Dad’s birthday was this week. He died at the age of 84 in 2011. I miss him most when I am on the river, where we spent so much time together. Dad was several inches taller than me at 6’ 3”. He was strong and quiet, hard working and dedicated to his church and