Outdoors

It’s time to buy 2018 MO hunting, fishing permits

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reminds hunters and anglers that annual hunting and fishing permits expire at the end of February, including 2017 permits for small game, fishing, trout fishing, and combination hunting and fishing. Annual permits purchased on or after Dec. 1, 2017, are good until the end of February 2019. Buy Missouri

[ Read More ]

Is a Duck Smarter Today

Things change slowly in the outdoors but if you live awhile and spend lots of time in the woods and on the rivers, you can’t help but see it. One of the things I saw early in my life, due to my grandfather, was a change in the habits of raccoons in the Ozarks. They,

[ Read More ]

Conservation Commission Action

The Missouri Conservation Commission met on Friday, Feb. 9, for its closed executive session and its regular open meeting at MDC Headquarters, 2901 W. Truman Blvd. in Jefferson City. The commission • Suspended or revoked one or more hunting, fishing, or trapping privileges of 11 individuals for cause: 1.  Michael J. Abounader, St. Louis, Hunting

[ Read More ]

SURPRISE TROUT

SURPRISE TROUT – Ken Adam, Arnold, MO, caught this 18-10 brown trout on the final day of a three day, cold windy fishing trip on Taneycomo  birthday fishing trip for his brother. He caught the hawg on a white and purple McStick he flipped close o a floating log. His catch is still 10 lbs.

[ Read More ]

See two-headed snake at MDC Shepherd of the Hills Hatchery

John Miller has an interesting question about the newest resident of the Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) Shepherd of the Hills Hatchery Conservation Center: Is a two-headed snake referred to as “it” or “they?” It’s one of many questions visitors will have about the young western ratsnake that has been put on display in the

[ Read More ]

MDC reports final deer harvest 283,940, archery turkey harvest 2,426

Missouri’s 2017-2018 deer-hunting season ended Jan. 15 with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reporting a preliminary total harvest of 283,940 deer. Top counties for the overall season were Howell with 6,182 deer harvested, Franklin with 5,957, and Texas with 5,619. Of the 283,940 deer harvested, 135,891 were antlered bucks, 30,538 were button bucks, and

[ Read More ]

Old Dogs are Always Best

I have a young Brittany Spaniel who is anxious to get out and hunt birds this winter. Hope I can keep up with him. Looking through some old photos I found some from a long ago hunting trip in southern Iowa with my reliable old English Setter, Freckles, and a young setter named, Hickok. Back

[ Read More ]

Coming in 2018

Many of you who have read my columns for awhile know that I own a fifty acre tract out in the wilds in the Southeast corner of St. Clair County near Humansville, Missouri, which we call the Panther Creek Youth retreat. I have set it up as a place where smaller churches can bring groups

[ Read More ]

MDC issues forest health alert for Emerald Ash Borer

Forest health professionals with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) advise Missourians to watch for damage from an invasive tree pest in winter months. The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) is a small, metallic green beetle native to Asia that attacks and kills ash trees. EAB attacks all species of ash trees, and kills nearly every

[ Read More ]

Hunters harvest 10,025 deer during alternative-methods portion

Top harvest counties: Howell with 249 deer harvested, Franklin with 215, and Oregon with 214. Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) shows that deer hunters in Missouri harvested 10,025 deer during the alternative-methods portion of the fall firearms deer season, which ran Dec. 23 – Jan. 2. Of the total harvest, 2,827

[ Read More ]