Outdoors

Leafblowers

I realized last fall that the greatest invention of mankind is not the wheel, it is the leaf blower. On Thanksgiving day I will be thankful for many many things, and one of them is the leaf-blower. I can’t imagine any outdoorsman not having one. I remember years ago spending hours trying to sweep leaves

[ Read More ]

MDC thanks hunters for assistance

by JOE JEREK, Missouri Department of Conservation Thanks to hunter participation, MDC collected more than 18,800 tissue samples from hunter-harvested deer for CWD testing. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) thanks the many thousands of deer hunters who participated in its mandatory CWD sampling efforts in 29 counties Nov. 16 and 17 during the opening

[ Read More ]

MDC reports 88,843 deer harvested during firearms opening weekend

Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) shows that deer hunters in Missouri harvested 88,843 deer during the opening weekend of the November portion of the fall firearms deer season Nov. 16 and 17. Of the 88,843 deer harvested, 51,086 were antlered bucks, 8,115 were button bucks, and 29,642 were does. Top harvest

[ Read More ]

A Great Man Passes

Two weeks ago I wrote about attending the funeral of an old family friend who grew up in Texas County and died just a few days before.  His name was Charlie Hartman Jr., one of the finest men I ever knew. The day of his funeral was exactly 61 years after my father was hurt

[ Read More ]

Osage County angler ties state record for skipjack herring

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) congratulates Bryant Rackers of Bonnots Mill for tying the current state record for skipjack herring. Rackers was fishing on the Osage River Oct. 27 when he caught the 3-pound fish using the pole-and-line method. The catch ties with the previous record fish, which was caught on the Missouri River

[ Read More ]

Young deer hunters harvest 18,158 during early youth portion

Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) shows that young hunters ages 6 through 15 harvested 18,158 deer during Missouri’s early youth portion of the 2019 deer hunting season, Nov. 2 and 3. Top counties were Osage with young hunters harvesting 381 deer, Howell with 355, and Franklin with 351. Cedar County youth

[ Read More ]

Working with the new MDC enforcement Chief, Randy Doman

I know I promised to write more about an old outdoorsman who passed away recently who had a great impact on my life.  That will be the subject of next week’s column.  Before the deer season, this needs to get out.  Send this column to all the deer hunters you know.    l.a.d. From Randy

[ Read More ]

Charlie Harman Jr.

In October of1958, I turned eleven years old. Dad had promised that when I turned eleven I could go with him on a duck hunt down the Piney River. And there I was, the first Saturday in November, sitting on the front seat in his wooden johnboat, looking through the blind he had attached to

[ Read More ]

Gilbert Wins ABA On Stockton

Stockton Lake did not give up a lot of fish for American Bass Anglers Sunday, Oct. 27. The weather went from cloudy, cool and rainy on Saturday to all day sunshine with temperatures warming to near 70 on Sunday. Anglers searched all parts of the lake, using many different baits. “It wasn’t easy” reported winner,

[ Read More ]

MDC, CFM ask deer hunters to Share the Harvest

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and the Conservation Federation of Missouri (CFM) encourage deer hunters around the state to share their harvests through the state’s Share the Harvest program. Deer season in Missouri started Sept. 15 and runs through Jan. 15, 2020. CFM is also holding a photo contest for those who share their

[ Read More ]