Conservationist Missouri - Xplor Magazine
MissouriConservationistVolume 70, Issue 2, February 2009 Serving Nature & You
[Note to our Readers]Faces of ConservationMissourians’ aquatic interests include fly fishing for trout,catfishing on large rivers, canoeing Ozark streams and manymore too numerous to mention. The great variety of watermuch of her childhood exploring creeks in her hometown, Jefbodies in our state allows us to pursue such diverse recreationalferson City, where she still lives with herinterests. Missouri’s rivers and streamshusband and two children.range from the popular float streamsMichelle Dalbey is a resource assisof the Ozarks to the catfish-abundanttant at Blind Pony Hatchery, where sheprairie streams of the north to theworks raising numerous species—inmodified streams of the Bootheel. Ourcluding the endangered pallid sturgeon.lakes include privately owned ponds,She grew up in Columbia and graduatedwater supply lakes and large reservoirs.from the University of Missouri-CoMissouri’s geographic location andlumbia with a bachelor’s in agriculture.geology even provide coldwater streamsMichelle enjoys life on an old farmsteadthat support a host of organisms thatTodd GemeinhardtSherry Fischerwith her husband, Jeff, a cat and a dog. Inseem a world apart from the critters thather spare time she likes hunting, bakinglive in our warmwater streams.and cheering for Mizzou!The diversity of our water resourcesOriginally from St. Louis, Chrispresents unique challenges. Our wellKennedy has spent the past 13 years worktrained and dedicated employees areing for the Conservation Department.working to meet these challenges. AllowHe is now a fisheries regional supervisorme to introduce just a few of the profesin the Southeast region. Chris obtainedsional conservationists who serve you.his bachelor’s in fisheries biology fromTodd Gemeinhardt lives in RaymoreMichelle DalbeyChris Kennedythe University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.with his wife, Nicole, and daughter, MadHe and his wife, Nekea, live in the Capeelyn. He received both a bachelor’s and aGirardeau area where they enjoy fishing,master’s from the University of Missouriboating, hiking and camping with theirColumbia in fisheries and wildlife. In hischildren and family.free time, Todd enjoys hunting, fishing and spendingtime with his family. A recent highlight for him wasThese professional conservationists, and manyothers like them, are committed to working withwatching his 2-year-old daughter catch her first fish.you to conserve our water resources and provide exTodd particularly enjoys working with private landcellent fishing. Thank you for supporting the healthowners to improve their aquatic resources.Bill Turnerand recreation value of Missouri’s waterways.Sherry Fischer is a Stream Team biologist, andone of the things she enjoys most about her job issharing her appreciation for aquatic resources withBill Turner, fisheries division chiefothers. Her love of streams began at an early age, and she spentTo protect and manage the fish, forest and wildlife resources of the state;to serve the public and facilitate their participation in resource management activities; and to provideopportunity for all citizens to use, enjoy and learn about fish, forest and wildlife resources.Jay HoskinsOur Mission:
February 2009, Volume 70, Issue 2[CONTENTS]Cover and left by Noppadol PaothongNextGENThis section reports on goals establishedin The Next Generation of Conservation.To read more about this plan, visitwww.MissouriConservation.org/12843.5Plants & Animals6Places to Go7NECommunity ConservationEWNWSS8Outdoor RecreationNEWS10Clean Water11N12NHealthy ForestsEWSLandowner AssistanceEWSNEWS13Conservation EducationNEWSNMiscellany2 Letters4 Ombudsman4 On the Web32 Hunting and Fishing Calendar32 Contributors33 Time CapsuleEWSFeatures14Missouri’s Winterby Noppadol PaothongA visual essay of a Conservationist photographer’s favorite season.20Paying It Forward26Wetland Program Worksby Bill WhiteHow the Farm Bill helps build our conservation legacy.Cert no. SCS-COC-00648by Bonnie Chasteen, photos by David StonnerFamilies, ducks and hunters all benefit from CP-23.February 2009 Missouri Conservationist1
[Letters]Submissions reflect readers’ opinions and might be edited for length and clarity.and much stress for fish that are trappedin ponds and lakes under low oxygenconditions under the ice. In the photo youmention, I noticed ice in the background,so it could be that low oxygen conditionshad resulted in a number of dead ordying fish available for eagles.”—MikeKruse, fisheries administrative managerMaking memoriesMo. raptorsA rose is due Ms.Carol Davit for herattention-gettingarticle on raptorsin the January issue [Missouri’s Raptors]. I wasnot well informed about these interestingcreatures until Ms. Davit’s article, and she gaveme a thorough education on the subject. I wasnot aware that there were so many differentspecies among us.The photographers are also due credit forthe detailed pictures, especially the beautifulbald eagle. I look forward to seeing more of Ms.Davit’s articles in the Conservationist.Stanley Stanton, SpringfieldFlyer fishingI have always wondered about those pictures ofeagles swooping down in the middle of winterand grabbing a fish. As an avid fisherman I findit hard to believe an eagle could find a fish nearthe top of the water in the middle of winter. OnPage 3 of the January issue [Reader Photo: LuckyCatch] it shows an eagle with what appears to besome type of perch or possibly a carp. Am I crazy2 Missouri ConservationistFebruary 2009in thinking fish don’t usually frequent shallow orthe top layer of deeper water in cold weather?Mike Horton , ChesterfieldEditors’ note: “You have made a goodobservation regarding the ability of eaglesto catch fish in the winter at a time whenfish rarely frequent the surface. Keep inmind that eagles often scavenge on deadanimals and fish. I suspect that fish thatare near death and struggling near thesurface are also easy targets for eagles.Winter can be a time of frequent fish killsI got my December copy of the Conservationistand sat down in front of my fireplace andstarted reading. As I made my way through tothe end, as always, I read the Agent Notes. Thisone hit home for me.I have a son who is 13 and has always beenthe kind of son who looks up to his dad andwhat I do. At the same age I also looked up tomy dad. He loved the outdoors, and he wouldalways find time to take me to the woods andto go fishing and hunting. I got my first .22 rifleat age 13, and my love for conservation grewfrom there as I got older. We spent a lot of timehunting squirrels in the Ozark hills.Now that I am a father and my son spendsthat time with me and, yes, Agent Braunecker,you are correct about the Xbox and TV (my fault),I make time to get my son out of the house andexperience the things that I did when I was hisage. I even went out and bought property formy kids to play and explore. My son is great towatch as he learns and asks a lot of questionsabout what is out there. I plan on passing downmy .22 rifle to my son someday as my father didto me, but for now he has his own.Edward Dickinson, via InternetCorrectionsIn Missouri’s Raptors [January; Page 31] the Webaddress to purchase Birds in Missouri by Brad Jacobs should have been www.mdcNatureShop.com.The eagle-themed coins celebrating theEndangered Species Act mentioned in CoinsCelebrate Eagles, ESA [January; Page 5] are nolonger available through the US Mint. To findother eagle-themed coins from the US Mint, visitwww.usmint.gov/mint programs and click on“American Eagles,” or call toll-free 800-USA-MINT.
.LouisSoutheastSouthwestOzarkPhone: 573-522-4115, ext. 3856 or 3249Address: Circulation, PO Box 180, Jefferson City 65102-0180E-mail: Subscriptions@mdc.mo.govConservationist online services: Subscribe to themagazine, update your mailing address, or sign up toreceive an e-mail when the latest issue is availableonline at www.MissouriConservation.org/15287Cost of subscriptions: Free to Missouri householdsOut of State 7 per yearOut of Country 10 per yearOmbudsman QuestionsDepartment HeadquartersPhone: 573-751-4115Address: PO Box 180,Jefferson City 65102-0180Regional OfficesSoutheast/Cape Girardeau: 573-290-5730Central/Columbia: 573-884-6861Kansas City: 816-655-6250Northeast/Kirksville: 660-785-2420Southwest/Springfield: 417-895-6880Northwest/St. Joseph: 816-271-3100St. Louis: 636-441-4554Ozark/West Plains: 417-256-7161Reader PhotoPhone: 573-522-4115, ext. 3848Address: Ombudsman, PO Box 180,Jefferson City 65102-0180E-mail: Ombudsman@mdc.mo.govEditorial CommentsPhone: 573-522-4115, ext. 3245 or 3847Address: Magazine Editor, PO Box 180,Jefferson City 65102-0180E-mail: Magazine@mdc.mo.govReader Photo SubmissionsAddress: Missouri Conservationist, Reader Photo,PO Box 180, Jefferson City 65102-0180E-mail: Readerphoto@mdc.mo.govQuick StudyBlake Shroeder of Jefferson City captured this picture of native grasses backlitby the setting sun at Runge Conservation Nature Center. Shroeder is a studentat Missouri State University in Springfield, studying microbiology. “I am asenior and will graduate in the fall,” said Shroeder. “I love photography, buthave not been able to pursue it as much as I want because of school and currentresearch I am involved in. But I try to get out as much as possible.” In additionto photography, Shroeder enjoys camping, hiking and fishing.MissouriConservationistGovernor Jay NixonTHE CONSERVATION COMMISSIONDon JohnsonChip McGeehanLowell MohlerBecky PlattnerDirector John HoskinsAssistant Director Dave EricksonAssistant Director Tim RippergerAssistant Director Robert ZiehmerInternal Auditor Nancy DubbertGeneral Counsel Tracy McGinnisDivision ChiefsAdministrative Services Carter CampbellDesign and Development Bill LueckenhoffFisheries Bill TurnerForestry Lisa G. AllenHuman Resources Debbie StrobelOutreach & Education Lorna DomkePrivate Land Services Bill McGuireProtection Larry YamnitzResource Science Ronald DentWildlife Dee Cee DarrowCONSERVATIONIST STAFFEditor In Chief Ara ClarkManaging Editor Nichole LeClairArt Director Cliff WhiteWriter/Editor Tom CwynarStaff Writer Bonnie ChasteenStaff Writer Jim LowPhotographer Noppadol PaothongPhotographer David StonnerDesigner Stephanie ThurberArtist Dave BesengerArtist Mark RaithelCirculation Laura ScheulerThe Missouri Conservationist (ISSN 0026-6515) is the official monthly publication of the Missouri Departmentof Conservation, 2901 West Truman Boulevard, JeffersonCity, MO (Mailing address: PO Box 180, Jefferson City, MO65102.) Subscription free to adult Missouri residents; outof state 7 per year; out of country 10 per year. Notification of address change must include both old and newaddress (send mailing label with the subscriber numberon it) with 60-day notice. Preferred periodical postagepaid at Jefferson City, Mo., and at additional entry offices.Postmaster: Send correspondence to Circulation, PO Box180, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180. Phone: 573-522-4115,ext. 3856 or 3249. Copyright 2009 by the ConservationCommission of the State of Missouri.Equal opportunity to participate in and benefit fromprograms of the Missouri Department of Conservationis available to all individuals without regard to their race,color, national origin, sex, age or disability. Questionsshould be directed to the Department of Conservation, POBox 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102, 573-751-4115 (voice)or 800-735-2966 (TTY), or to the U.S. Fish and WildlifeService Division of Federal Assistance, 4401 N. FairfaxDrive, Mail Stop: MBSP-4020, Arlington, VA 22203.Printed with soy inkFebruary 2009 Missouri Conservationist3
on theWebAsk the OmbudsmanQ:While fishing at a local pond I noticed ripplesmoving through the water as if a fish wereswimming close to the top. I did not see any fish and theripples would move fairly quickly and always at a steadypace. They don’t always seem to move in the same directionas the wind. What do you think could be causing these?This month check out ourfeatured Web pages, orgo online anytime to learnmore about conservation atwww.MissouriConservation.org.A.Fire Preventionwww.MissouriConservation.org/15942Now is the time to clear leaves, sticks andother debris away from buildings and otherareas. Learn what constitutes a potentialhotspot, and what to do about it.I have seen the same thing many times and wondered about it, especiallywhen the fish were not biting. In my experience it is often a distinct “V”in the water that moves some distance rather quickly before disappearing. I hadmy own theory, but I checked with two fisheries biologists and an engineer here togather their viewpoints. Our consensus is that the movement of something in thewater is causing the ripple or “V” in the water. It could be small prey fish escapingquickly from a predator fish or it could be larger predator fish just beneath thesurface. There may even be some insects, such as aquatic diving beetles, whosemovements would produce a noticeable ripple. None of us felt that the wind wasthe culprit.Q:A.Why does the spring turkey season always begin on a Monday ratherthan a Saturday?The reason behind the Monday opener is to improve the quality of the hunt.It prevents overcrowding of popular areas on the first weekend. Becauseonly one bird can be harvested during the first week, successful weekday hunterswill be out of the woods by the first open weekend. By spreading out the huntingpressure, safety is improved and interference from other hunters is minimized.Spring Gobblerswww.MissouriConservation.org/7498A new hunt is just around the corner. Findout about spring turkey hunting dates andregulations.Ombudsman Tim Smith will respond to your questions, suggestions or complaints concerning Departmentof Conservation programs. Write him at PO Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180, call himat 573-522-4115, ext. 3848, or e-mail him at Ombudsman@mdc.mo.gov.4 Missouri ConservationistFebruary 2009noppadol paothongBearing furwww.MissouriConservation.org/7863Missouri is one of the top states for trapping furbearers, with roots going back tothe early days of St. Louis. Learn about thehistory of trapping in Missouri.
Jim Low“Gobbleteers” NeededTurkey hunters can killtwo birds with one stone.NextGENSpecies of Concern Missouri Cave LichenPLANTS & ANIMALSTurkey hunters can scout for the springhunting season and advance scientificknowledge by joining the ConservationDepartment’s “Gobbleteer” study. VolunteersNcount gobbles and gobEWbling birds for 20 minutesStwice a week from March15 to May 15. They choosetheir own listeninglocations. The studyaims to learn when gobbling peaks. With thisinformation, biologists will be better able to setturkey season to coincide with the period whengobblers are most receptive to calling. To signup as a volunteer or to find more information,visit www.MissouriConservation.org/19245.Spring’s ApproachThese tiny frogs don’t makea peep until spring is near.Onyx CaveCommon name: Missouri cave lichenScientific names: Coenogonium missourienseRange: Onyx CaveClassification: Possibly extinctTo learn more about endangered species: www.MissouriConservation.org/8227Photo: Klaus Leidenfrost; Art: Mark RaithelEndangered-species conservation isn’t all about eagles andorchids. Some of the rarest living things are those least likely to attractattention. That is the case with the Missouri cave lichen. Lichens aresymbiotic associations where fungi give algae a place to live, and algae providenourishment to the fungus through photosynthesis. The Missouri cave lichenhas only been found in one place on earth, Onyx Cave in Pulaski County. Thetiny communities lived in the twilight zone at the back of the cave’s mouth.Clinging tightly to the dolomite rock, they formed 1- to 2-mm mats resemblingcobblestones. Several microscopic plants and animals made their homes in thepale green patchwork. In 1990, the cave was turned into a tourist attraction.Resulting changes in light and air flow might have killed the lichens, whichhave not been observed since. Lichenologists still hope to rediscover the speciesat Onyx Cave or another location.The northern spring peeper (Pseudacriscrucifer crucifer) is springtime’s openingact. Males usher in the season with theirupbeat peeps, starting as early as late Februaryin extreme southern Missouri. Their cheerychorus reaches the state’s northern region bythe middle of March. Why do these tiny creatures awaken so early and in such good moods?Maybe it is a sugar high. High concentrations ofglucose in their blood allow spring peepers tosurvive sub-freezing winter weather unharmed.In spite of their amazingabilities, frogs areamong the mostendangered groupsin the world. Nearlyone-third of all knownspecies are in decline.You can download Missouri frog songs free atwww.MissouriConservation.org/19246. Formore information about factors contributing toamphibian decline, visit y 2009 Missouri Conservationist5
St. Francis RiverLunker walleyes inhabitthis Ozark stream.Visit a ChampionSpectacular trees areall around the state.Winter, when leaves are on theground, is the best time to seeMissouri’s champion trees andlook for new ones. Missouri has 116 championtrees in 47 counties scattered across every regionof the state. A tree’s score is the sum of its heightin feet, one-quarter of its average spread infeet and its trunk circumference in inches.Four Missouri champion trees are nationalchampions. Missouri’s biggest champion treeis an American sycamore in Polk County thatstands 94 feet tall, has a circumference of 333inches and an average spread of 120 feet for atotal score of 457. For a list of champion trees,visit www.MissouriConservation.org/294.Trail GuideUntil the late 1960s, catches of walleyeweighing 10 to 12 pounds were notuncommon on the St. Francis. Afterthat, however, the fishery declined. By 1990,catching any walleye —much less a trophy—from the St. Francis River was a rare event.Fisheries biologists believed that anglerswere catching more walleye than the fishes’natural reproduction could replace. The Conservation Commission closed walleye fishing on theSt. Francis above Wappapello Dam in 1997. This allowed nearly 200,000 walleye fingerlings theConservation Department put in the river to grow.March 1 will mark a new chapter in St. Francis River walleye history, as anglers once again areallowed to catch and keep walleye in the St. Francis River and its tributaries above Wappapello Dam.Anglers can keep four walleyes daily. The fish have to be at least 18 inches from tip of nose totip of tail. The possession limit is eight. These limits include saugers, fish that resemble walleyesso closely that many anglers would have trouble telling them apart. See A Summary of MissouriFishing Regulations or the Wildlife Code for season information (available at permit vendors).Disappear into nature in KirkwoodRediscover nature atPowder Valley Conservation Nature Center, where 3 miles of trails allowvisitors to disappear into 112 acres ofnature for hours on end without everleaving the city of Kirkwood. The.3-mile Tanglevine Trail circles south of the nature centerand is paved for wheelchair access. It is situated on a ridgethat boasts century-old white oak trees sporting bonnets ofgrapevines that lend the trail its name. The 1.2-mile HickoryRidge Trail alternates between hills and valleys, forest andsavanna and has a viewing deck overlooking a seasonalstream and a wooded valley. You can take a cutoff thatshortens this hike to a .5-mile loop. The Broken Ridge Trailcircles north of the nature center through steep terrain withshady oak-hickory-maple forest and sunny rock outcroppings. Look for songbirds in the forest, lizards in rocky areasand wildflowers all over from spring through fall.Area name: Powder Valley Conservation Nature CenterTrails: Tanglevine, Hickory Ridge and Broken RidgeUnique features: Disabled-acc
E-mail: Magazine@mdc.mo.gov reaDer PHoto subMIssIons Address: Missouri Conservationist, Reader Photo, Po Box 180, Jefferson City 65102-0180 E-mail: Readerphoto@mdc.mo.gov Quick Study Blake Shroeder of Jefferson City captured this picture of native grasses backlit by the setting sun at Runge Conservation Nature Center. Shroeder is a student
Conservationist online services: Subscribe to the magazine, update your mailing address, or sign up to receive an e-mail when the latest issue is available online at Donmdc.mo.gov/node/9087 Cost of subscriptions: Free to Missouri households Out of State 7 per year Out of Country 10 per year Please allow 6—8 weeks for delivery of your first .
Conservationist magazine each year, plus Conservationist for Kids in the October, February and April issues. Call 1-800-678-6399 for information about how to subscribe or go to our website www.dec.ny.gov. Want to receive Conservationist for Kids at home? Subscribe to magazine! Conservationist IN ThIS ISSuE, we will learn all about
Conservationist for Kids 625 Broadway, 2nd Floor Albany, NY 12233-4500 or e-mail us at cforkids@gw.dec.state.ny.us Subscribe to Conservationist magazine! You’ll get six issues of the award-winning Conservationist magazine each year, plus Conservationist for Kids in the October, February
Conservationist magazine each year, plus Conservationist for Kids in the October, February and April issues. Call 1-800-678-6399 for information about how to subscribe or go to our website www.dec.ny.gov. Contact us at: NYS Department of Environmental Conservation Conservationist for Kids, 625 Broadway, 4th Floor Albany, NY 12233-4502
Missouri Conservationist April 2015. LETTERS. Submissions reflect readers’ opinions and may be edited for length and clarity. Longtime Reader. I have had the pleasure of reading the . Missouri . Conservationist. for a long time. I remember see-ing it for the first time at my grandparents’ home. Then, just a few years ago, I was at my .
Conservationist magazine! You’ll get six issues of the award-winning Conservationist magazine each year, plus Conservationist for Kids in the October, February and April issues. Call 1-800-678-6399 to subscribe. 2 In this issue we'll take a look at some invasive species. Having lots of variety in an ecosystem helps to keep things in balance.
Conservationist magazine! You’ll get six issues of the award-winning Conservationist magazine each year, plus Conservationist for Kids in the October, February and April issues. Call 1-800-678-6399 for information about how to subscribe. In this issue: Discover how we all
9 MATHEMATICS - Week 1 Lesson 2: Properties of Operations Learning Objectives: Students will be able to simplify computations with integers, fractions and decimals by using the associative and commutative properties of addition and multiplication, and
