vol74 no2 2013

March 2013 VOL. 74, NO. 2

March 2013 VOL. 74, NO. 2

M I S S O U R I W I L D L I F E 1

Inside This Issue:Featured articles

Mule Deer Foundation Becomes CFM Affiliate ...................................................... 3

CFM Annual Report ............................................................................................... 4

Missouri Farmer Recognized As National Conservation Leader ......................... 19

CFM’s 2nd Annual Cabin Fever Clay Shoot Brings in 2013 With A Bang! ...................................................... 28

Mark Twain National Forest Welcomes New Forest Supervisor .................. 30

The “Voice For Missouri Outdoors” Holiday Sweepstakes WINNERS! ....................................................................... 32

news, updates and columnsView From The Stone House .........................................................................2

Agency News

Missouri Department of Conservation - MDC Builds on Strong Foundation for Future Success ..................................22

MDC Working with Local Landowners to Limit CWD Spread .....................23

Missouri Department of Natural Resources - Protecting Missouri’s Underground Treasures ................................................24

Spotlight on Missouri State Parks - Onondaga Cave State Park .....................26

Teaming With Wildlife

Conservation Federation of Missouri “The Voice For Missouri Outdoors” Helps NWF Celebrate National Wildlife Week .............................................18

Calendar ...........................................................................................................20

Member Information

New Members ................................................................................................3

Honorariums & Memorials ..........................................................................27

March 2013Vol. 74, No. 2

Wildlife MISSOURI

Missouri Wildlife is the official publication of the Conservation Federation of Missouri, Affiliate of the National Wildlife Federation. ISSN 1082-8591

Mission Statement: Missourians for Conservation of Natural Resources and Protection of Our Outdoor Heritage.

728 W. Main Jefferson City, MO 65101-1559

Phone • 573-634-2322 Fax • 573-634-8205

Email • [email protected] Online • http://www.confedmo.org

MISSOURI WILDLIFE (USPS 012868) is published bi monthly in January, March, May, July, Sept ember and November for subscribers and members of the Con ser vation Federation of Missouri, 728 W. Main, Jef ferson City, MO 65101-1559. Of each member’s dues ($25 minimum) $10.00 shall be for a year’s subscription to Missouri Wildlife. Periodical postage paid at Jefferson City, MO. and additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to

MISSOURI WILDLIFE, 728 W. Main, Jefferson City, MO 65101-1559

Richard AshAl VogtRon ColemanMossie SchallonRandy Washburn

Dave Murphy

Travis Scott

Debra Lee

Micaela Haymaker

Laurie Coleman

Joe Pendergrass

President1st Vice President2nd Vice PresidentSecretaryTreasurer

Executive Director/ Editor

Director of Development

Teaming With Wildlife Coordinator

Office Manager

Membership Associate/ Managing EditorDesign & Production

Officers

staff

COVER: “Silent Sentry: Bobcat on Ozark bluff” © Glenn D. Chambers 2013. www:glenndchambers.com

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Young Master Drezden has the world at his beck and call. I have

witnessed his dexterous, creative, and intense opera-tions long enough to admire his unrivaled effectiveness greatly. Having dealt with immersion in a foreign culture myself, and thereby been constantly challenged to communicate the sim-plest of wishes and concepts to those around me, my hat is off to him.

Only very recently, he also learned to walk…which he seems to have im-mediately cast aside in favor of the tireless, relentless trot/gallop of wolverines. In a matter of seconds he approaches, embraces, en-gages and disengages from every person in any room. He does so with a constant grin on his face, irresistibly drawing each of us into his service.

From very, very early in the game, he has been coached in sign language. He has mastered the most basic of messages…and often hangs his hat on “please.” Now that he is speaking incessantly, in his own version of “tongues”, he fervently uses both gestures and repetition of words to communicate his thoughts and desires.

It is a marvel to witness. His history of his universe is newer than last year’s day planner…and yet he gets all the basic stuff and a remarkable assortment of

abstractions, like “turkeys.”The very same day of

my most recent delightful audience with Drezden, I read these words from King Osric of Northumbria, an old and very wise 8th cen-tury monarch at the time: “There comes a time when the jewels cease to sparkle, the gold loses its luster, and the throne room becomes a prison—and all that is left is a father’s love for his child.”

The contrast between one exuding enthusiasm for achievement in mastery of his world and one weary of the burden of that mastery inspires me, at least for a little while, to revisit several considerations myself. As is consistently the case, my reflections remind me of things about CFM.

The balance between young leaders in the Con-servation Leadership Corps (CLC) and the more senior members of our leadership, nearly all of whom had a hand in making the Design

for Conservation Sales Tax and the State Parks and Soils Sales Tax happen decades ago, is never more apparent that at our Annual Convention. There they work in concert to formu-late resolutions calling for improvements in our world. There private citizens as fundamentally different as Drezden and King Osric prove time and again, beyond any doubt, that di-versity can be an enormous strength.

More points of view than I am capable of imagining converge upon each topic with the focus of a laser beam. Every problem, every advantage, every cost, every benefit rapidly rises to the surface of public aware-ness. Language is crafted to express the upshot and the first step in making things happen is taken.

For 77 years, we at CFM have always accomplished together what none of us could manage alone. I would argue that mutual respect among us is our greatest protection from the sort of bad thinking which would spell our certain doom.

Should you, like me, find yourself too often inside instead of outdoors, may

I offer some very interest-ing points of view? Check out Jeremy Collins’ work from Kansas City. As an illustrator, cinematogra-pher and adventurer, his contributions are stunning! “The Wolf and the Medal-lion” and “The Equation” are thrilling, compelling and beautiful. His work is regularly featured in two climbing magazines, “Rock & Ice” and “Alpinist.”

“The Forest Unseen” by David George Haskell is my anniversary gift from my bride…and I pass it along to you. Nothing I have read since “The Wild Trees” by Richard Preston has stretched my horizons regarding trees, forests, or ecology like this wonderful new book.

BUT I am absolutely certain there are countless expressions of well consid-ered, valid perspectives out there far beyond my aware-ness or imaginings! Drop a note and let me know about those you encounter. Better yet, share them with those around you…and, as the weather and your ability to cope with it allows, get outside!

— Dave MurphyExecutive Director, CFM

view From the stone house

Point of View

M I S S O U R I W I L D L I F E 3

What does an organi-zation based in the Western United States centered on mule deer

and mule deer habitat have to do with Missouri? In one word: Conserva-tion. No matter if you find yourself hunting deer and turkey in the Ozarks or wanting to take an adventure out west and chase mule deer at 10,000 feet, without conservation none of it is possible. Formed 25 years ago, the Mule Deer Foundation (MDF) wanted to focus its attention on habitat and deer issues across the western states. Several Missourians also saw the need and in 2000 accepted the challenge and formed the Ha Ha Tonka Chapter near Lake of the Ozarks.

Over the past 25 years, MDF has worked hard and built great relation-ships on a national level with other conservation organizations and wild-

life agencies. The direction here is to take a more upfront direct approach at the local level. In Missouri, the obvi-ous first step was to become affiliated with the Conservation Federation of Missouri (CFM). The goal here is to not only make more people aware of MDF but to also assist CFM with

any local issues like Chronic Wast-ing Disease monitoring in deer. The second step is getting local youth introduced and inspired to participate in the shooting sports and conserva-

tion. Officially adopted in 2011, the MULEY program (Mindful, Under-standing, Legal & Ethical Youth) was established with the support from the MidwayUSA Foundation. This May, in partnership with the Missouri Department of Conservation, the Ha Ha Tonka Chapter will host its first ever MULEY event in Missouri at the Sedalia Rod and Gun Club.

No matter if your cause is the reintroduction of elk in Missouri or habitat projects for mule deer out west the mission is still the same. Coopera-tion in conservation is the key and together we can make a difference. For more information locate the Ha Ha Tonka Chapter on Facebook or log onto www.muledeer.org.

Kevin Zielke, Missouri State Chair

Mule Deer Foundation Chapter Becomes CFM Affiliate

Would you like to be added to our electronic newsletter list?

Please email your name and email

address to [email protected] or

call us toll free at 800-575-2322

Terry Ambrose, Florissant

Eric Bowen, Ballwin

Kolton Clark, Belle

Kristine Cole, Bolckow

Jeanne Crews, Saint Louis

Clint Dalbom, Jefferson City

Travis Goreham, Grain Valley

James Granger, Chesterfield

Crystal Grant, Reston, VA

Keith Hannaman, Blue Springs

Timothy Hieronymos,

Grain Valley

Dale Hotard, Chesterfield

Michael Hubbard, Jefferson City

Tom Jansen, Scott City

Jason Jensen, Piedmont

Randy Jensen, Ellington

Zachary Knerr, Columbia

Clark Luntsford, Centralia

Rex Martensen, Jefferson City

Ed McCormack,

Montgomery City

David McDowell, Cameron

Timothy McDowell, Kansas City

Parker McMillan, Saint Louis

Steven McNally, Marceline

George Meyer, Madison, WI

Norman Murray, Jefferson City

Jack Nissen, Dousman, WI

Lil Pipping, Elkhart Lake, WI

Steph Reed, Jefferson City

Carl Sondermann, Fenton

Mark Vilbert, Wentzville

Betsy Wiss, Boise, ID

Chris Zell, Moberly

WELCOMEC F M N E W M E M B E r S

CFM would like to thank the 372 members that renewed since our last publication.

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CFM handled the marketing, sale and administration of over $1,000,000 in Missouri State Tax Credits, from the Department of Economic Development, to fund the salaries and operations of the State Parks Youth Corps, a nationally award-winning program. Our efforts funded work in Missouri State Parks and Historic Sites by nearly 1,000 Missouri youth, for many their first jobs! We owe a huge debt of thanks to each of the gen-erous businesses and individuals who answered our call to fund this endeavor by investing in these credits.

2) Support of State Parks Youth Corps

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cFm 2012 annual report

A new high number of participants, 75, for our great pro-gram to prepare tomorrow’s leaders today. These brilliant high school and collegiate students crafted 30 of our 47 passed resolutions at convention. CFM President Richard Ash appointed CLC students to all CFM standing and ad hoc committees solidifying their engagement as emerging leaders. Emily Wilbers was CFM’s first student intern from CLC.

This year the CLC sent representatives to Wisconsin to assist their efforts to build their own leadership develop-ment program in America’s Dairyland. Several leaders of the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation and their new youth corps will attend CFM convention in 2013. The CLC con-tinued their support of the organization they helped initiate in Montana, as well.

Conservation Federation of Missouri Top 10 Achievements for 2012

1) Conservation Leadership Corps (CLC)

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A significant milestone in one of our marquee programs this year, Share The Harvest passed 3,000,000 pounds of venison produced in the history of the program! This year’s record performance paid more than $316,000 for the processing of nearly 7,000 whole deer (invoices continue to come in at this writing). Over the years funding in excess of $2,058,000 from many businesses and organizations and agencies has made this possible. Consistent funding and logistic support from the Missouri Department of Conser-vation and its employees make everything work well. Our great partnership is able to both help the management of our Missouri wild deer herd and provide wholesome and nutritious food to those who need it most.

Governor and First Lady Nixon continue to zealously promote Share The Harvest at every opportunity and pro-vide leads for significant funding. This year, our Governor invited 15 Missouri youth to Kirksville for his inaugural youth invitational deer hunt. Hunters were encouraged to

donate their deer to Share The Harvest. Also he held media events before deer season to create awareness and after deer season to assist in delivery of meat. And DURING deer season, he donated his deer to the program!

3) Share The Harvest

Many festivities and celebrations happened throughout MDC’s Diamond Anniversary. At CFM we helped Mis-souri State Archives produce a set of 36 panels depicting the history of conservation in our state. These incredible displays are now traveling the state and are available for local bookings at http://www.sos.mo.gov/archives/exhibits/travelingexhibits.asp

The new Central Regional Office of MDC was the site of one of the official celebrations in Columbia. Due men-tion here is that the building was christened the “E. Sydney Stephens” building to honor CFM’s first president…and MDC’s first commissioner.

Glenn D. Chambers created a bronze sculpture of the Missouri Monarch to commemorate the anniversary. This 1/3 life size original bronze is a perfect reduction of the World Record Non-Typical whitetail buck from St. Louis county.

One additional achievement worth mention was the project we jointly sponsored with the Missouri State Archives, the Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation and the Missouri Department of Conservation. This year we learned that there were 19 historic feature length films

produced by Charles Schwartz and Glenn Chambers that had never been digitized. We raised the funds and coordi-nated the project. Now these iconic films are available to all through the agency websites.

4) Missouri Department Of Conservation 75TH Anniversary

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In addition to our advocacy activities with all state and federal agencies and with the Missouri General Assembly and U.S. Congress, we fulfilled Theodore Roosevelt’s chal-lenge to speak up for wildlife and its habitat in many ways in 2012.

• keeping hunters informed about Chronic Wasting Disease

• negotiating new regulations to control crayfish invasions

• spoke at Missouri Farm Bureau Federation’s annual reso-lutions committee

• spoke at Commencement for MDC Conservation Agents

• testified to Clean Water Commission on Missouri River and Jamison Island

• spoke to all employees at annual meeting of Missouri State Parks

• spoke at memorial dedication at Rock Bridge State Park

• lectured at Mizzou Natural Resources Policy class

• spoke at regional breakfast at Pheasants Forever National Convention

• testified to stop SJR 27 to expand Conservation Commis-sion

• testified in support of Missouri Department of Conserva-tion budget

• testified in support of Missouri Department of Natural Resources budget

• advocated for wildlife in development of Alaska National Petroleum Reserve

• keynote at Iowa Sportsmen’s Rally in Des Moines

• keynote at Int. Hunter Education Association convention in Kansas City

5) CFM The Voice For Missouri Outdoors

For decades, CFM has championed the fact that con-servation practices and production agriculture are both products of the land. Wise use of natural resources is at the heart of this symbiotic success. Without one, the other is invariably something less. To that end, the objective of enhancing awareness of the public, we delivered a solid performance in 2012. Among many other things, CFM:

• advocated for development, funding and passage of the next Farm Bill

• spoke up for release of CRP lands for moderate grazing during the drought

• exchanged membership and board seats with Missouri Farmers Care

• participated in Magnificent Missouri inaugural event

• testified on behalf of the Missouri Department of Agricul-ture’s budget

• served on task forces to address threats to our natural resources like feral hogs, Thousand Cankers Disease, and Gypsy Moths

6) Promoting Conservation AND Agriculture



Since CFM led the effort to bring this international pro-gram to Missouri in 2004, our efforts have encouraged its steady growth and improvement. This in school, Olympic style archery training has emerged as a premier student en-gagement and self-improvement activity…and as a promi-nent venue of hunter recruitment.

In 2012, our partnership in support of the exemplary leadership of the Missouri Department of Conservation staff who now lead the program reached new heights. Thanks to generous funding from especially the Missouri State Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, along with support from Whitetails Unlimited, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Bass Pro Shops, Safari Club International, and CFM’s own resources, MO NASP now is serving over 59,000 Missouri students in 268 schools! Virtually no schools are dropping out of the program and many, many new ones enroll each year. Together, we have invested almost $200,000 in support of MO NASP.

Furthermore, 2012 brought two additional long term

goals to life: in 2013 the NASP World Tournament will come to St. Louis in June. And in 2014, the Missouri State Tournament will come to Mizzou.

8) Missouri Legislative Sportsmen’s CaucusWe have many friends among members of the Mis-

souri General Assembly. Since 2003, members have voluntarily participated in caucus events to have fun together and to celebrate our incredible Missouri out-door legacy. For the first time, membership in 2012 rose to 142 of the 197 members of the legislature. Thanks especially to Senators Mike Kehoe and Ryan McKenna for enrolling every single member of the Sen-ate! Overall Chair, Representative Eric Burlison and co-chair Linda Black, lead recruitment in the House and ran the operations of the caucus.

CFM hosted a breakfast meeting for all members with home made squirrel gravy, home made biscuits and fresh coffee…nearly 100 members in attendance! CFM helped set and bring to life a packed agenda of concealed carry class for members, staff and their fami-lies, a sporting clays benefit shoot to raise funds for the National Archery in the Schools Program, sponsorship of the Missouri Governor’s Invitational Youth Wild Turkey Hunt, and our initial Thank you to Members Rally at the Missouri Capitol.

7) Missouri’s National Archery in the Schools Program

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This year a partnership between CFM and the Open Space Council resulted in bringing this incredible pro-gram from the Tennessee Wildlife Federation to Missouri. G.O.U. is an award winning program to get inner city kids outdoors. It originated in Memphis and has expanded to Nashville and Knoxville. Missouri and North Carolina are piloting G.O.U. for the very first time outside Tennessee.

In 2012 we completed the initial training for adminis-trators of the program. We also began planning the first events for fall, 2013, in the St. Louis area.

10) Operation Game Thief Program (OGT)

CFM continued their leadership in providing support to Conservation Agents in the field through this great tool. Technological advances like smart phones for agents and telecheck now put enforcement tools at the agent’s fin-gertips instantaneously. OGT’s telephone service, 800-392-1111, provides 24-7 access for the public to report violations. In 2012 OGT also paid $8,150 in rewards to

44 individuals for information leading to arrest and convic-tion of violators. Since 2003, CFM has paid $107,039 in rewards for information which led to 587 convictions. OGT is our way of doing what we can to “stop poachers in their tracks.”

9) Great Outdoors University (G.O.U.)



Since 2006, CFM convention has grown in participation and fund-raising each year. This year CLC attendance hit 75, general attendance was estimated at well over 400, and for the first time total attendance at convention likely made it to 500!

We also set a new record in fundraising of $22,409 net in 2012, up from the high water mark of $22,291 set the previous year. Forty-seven resolutions were passed to make the future even brighter for Missouri Outdoors. Thanks to our zealous and effective CFM Convention Committee this was our best event so far!

Conservation Federation of Missouri Internal Milestones for 2012

1) Record quality and attendance at Convention

The OAKs are tasked with follow up on the recommendations of the 2009 A Summit on the Future of Missouri Outdoors. In 2012 clear roles for each of the 3 subcommittees emerged. The Education Subcommittee completed their efforts to capture every example of outdoor and environmental educa-tion already ongoing in Missouri. This inventory is the essential first step in preparations for our planned Outreach and Education Summit in 2013. The Funding Subcommittee secured resources to prepare for the next summit, in 2014, on funding for natural resource conservation. The Natural Resources Subcommittee crafted and got passed a resolution to call for the ban of tall fescue and brome grass in new Conservation Reserve Program enrolled lands. This recommendation was adopted and put into practice in 2012.

2) Outdoor Action Committee (OAKs)

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Sponsorship and the number of participating shooters has grown each year in our Pull for Con-servation event held each August at River Hills near Boonville. In 2012 we had 130 shooters and 74 station sponsors. Chair Tom Russell and his committee ran a first class event which netted over $14,000 for CFM!

In January, we hosted the inaugural “Cabin Fever” event at Prairie Grove Shotgun Sports near Millersburg. This first event attracted 78 shooters and netted over $4000 on the coldest weekend of the year!

3) CFM Sporting Clays events

CFM was invited to the NWF annual meeting at the National Con-servation Leadership Institute in West Virginia in 2012. Our role was to jointly host a workshop on coalition building with our Teaming With Wildlife (TWW) success as the example. Through TWW, our Missouri network connects over 310 businesses and organizations, with a combined reach to 1.35 million citizens.

Awareness of our success contributed to NWF’s working with state affiliates to attempt to grow the number of states with this sort of strength and efficacy. Our counterpart, the North Carolina Wildlife Federation and members of the NWF board and staff have collaborated throughout 2012 to produce recommendations to NWF for consider-ation at their 2013 meeting.

5) National Wildlife Federation (NWF) State Power Building Task Force

A multi-partner agreement was created between CFM, the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives and mem-bers of the CFM Business Alliance, especially Drury Hotels and Bass Pro Shops, to provide advertising revenues for Ru-ral Missouri, business advertising for Drury Hotels and Bass Pro Shops, and new member recruitment for CFM from among readers of Rural Missouri. For several months, we had a full page ad on the page facing the regularly featured outdoors page, thereby reaching out to over 1.4 million readers each month.

An additional opportunity for CFM came about as Mis-souri State Parks commissioned a very nice pull out section in Missouri Life magazine. CFM supported this with two ads, at a discounted rate, to create awareness of CFM and recruit new members. In addition to the over 20,000 regu-lar subscribers, another 75,000+ examples of this special edition was printed and placed in all Missouri Welcome Centers.

4) Membership Recruitment in Rural Missouri and Missouri Life

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A brand new committee has been appointed with the charge of marketing CFM. Chair Bettie Yahn-Kramer and members have worked to put together a solid plan for this big project. Two principle goals are being ad-dressed immediately: solidifying our brand and retooling our website.

6) Marketing Plan

Our Constitution and by-laws Committee has taken up the task of a major rewrite of CFM by-laws. After sev-eral years of minor revisions, we found our by-laws to be, in places, redundant and even not clearly representative of how we operate. The committee, chaired by Norman Leppo, has invested great effort in ensuring that our by-laws perfectly reflect how we operate and are as succinct, logical and easy to read as possible.

7) By-laws revision

With some years of quarterly updates and revisions to our plan, the Strategic Planning Committee, co-chaired by Howard Fisher and Earl Cannon, took on the task of revamping, streamlining and simplifying our plan. The product of their efforts will be ready for board consider-ation in 2013.

8) Strategic Plan revision

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CFM Officers

Board of Directors

President: Richard Ash, OzarkFirst Vice President: Al Vogt, Columbia

Second Vice President: Ron Coleman, Saint AlbansSecretary: Mossie Schallon, Wentzville

Treasurer: Randy Washburn, Jefferson City

Craig Alderman, BuffaloMike Baker, DeSotoMarvin Behnke, Saint LouisJim Blair, ClaytonJeff Blystone, IndependenceStephen Bradford, Cape GirardeauBrian Brookshire, Jefferson CityRobert Brundage, Jefferson CityCharley Burwick, SpringfieldEarl Cannon, Jefferson CityJerry Castillon, EllisvilleGlenn Chambers, Columbia *Charlie Davidson, Jefferson CityKatherine Dockery, Saint LouisKen Drenon, Jefferson CityChuck Drury, Saint LouisHoward Fisher, Higginsville *Howard Fleming, Moberly *Elsa Gallagher, ExcelloR. Jack Garrett, West Plains *David Hamilton, Saint LouisHerman Hanley, Grain ValleyLinda Hanley, Oak GroveKeith Hannaman, Blue SpringsDonald Harris, SpringfieldBarry Hart, Jefferson CityMickey Heitmeyer, AdvanceBill Hilgeman, ManchesterC.W. Hook, Higginsville *Don Johnson, Festus *Duane Kelly, Kansas CityMarty King, University CityBill Kirgan, Saint JamesJudd Kirkham, Climax Springs *Seth Klein, BlandDan Kleinsorge, Jefferson CityJohn Knudsen, HermannDan Kreher, BallwinAnn Kutscher, Jefferson City *Grace Leinberger, LinnJoel LeMaster, Fulton

Norman Leppo, Saint LouisIke Lovan, Steelville *C.F. Luebbert, Tipton *Ranney McDonough, Poplar BluffBill McGuire, Jefferson CityRichard Mendenhall, ColumbiaArnold Meysenburg, Lees SummitMisty Mitchell, SpringfieldZachary Morris, NixaJohn Neporadny, Lake OzarkTom Noyes, Lathrop *Frank Oberle, NovingerDave Pace, SalemRod Pennington, RogersvilleBrian Peterson, CedarcreekAlbert Phillips, Saint Louis *Charley Ponciroli, BrentwoodTom Russell, ColumbiaMike Schallon, Wentzville *George Seek, MeadvilleE. “Sy” Seidler, Saint Louis *Chad Shoemaker, MexicoEd Stegner, Pilot GroveDennis Stubbs, FestusNorm Stucky, Jefferson CityJim Talbert, Jefferson CityTim Thompson, Lake Saint LouisGary Van De Velde, Jefferson City *Dan Vogt, CentraliaWallis Warren, BeaufortJames Washabaugh, Jefferson CityDan Witter, Holts SummitDick Wood, Saint Louis *Howard Wood, Bonne Terre *Nicole Wood, Bonne TerreJerry Woodson, PerryvilleBettie Yahn-Kramer, Saint CharlesDan Zerr, O’FallonJim Zieger, Blue Springs

* CFM Past President

Income Program Grants/Scholarship Fundraising Meetings Membership Dues Publications and Advertising Miscellaneous

$276,720$25,675

$138,183$84,331

$185,208$6,000

$186,366

$902,483

$496,033$1,350

$50,302$64,238$36,644$34,885$22,662$10,773$34,358

$310,499

$1,061,744

Expenditures Programs Grants/Scholarships Fundraising Meetings Membership Publication Miscellaneous Capital Improvements Operating Payroll

*232,834 in 2011 income was expended as Programs in 2012



Anglers of Missouri, Inc.

Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives

Bass-Hole Bassmasters of Missouri, Inc.

Big Game Hunters, Inc.

Bobwhite Quail Restoration Association

Bridlespur Hunt Club

Capital City Fly Fishers

Central Missouri Chapter Safari Club International

Chesterfield Citizens Committee for the Environment

Deer Creek Sportsman Club, Inc.

Festus-Crystal City Conservation Club

Forest and Woodland Association of Missouri

Friends of Rock Bridge Memorial State Park

Greenway Network, Inc.

Heaven’s Anglers

Howardville Community Betterment

Jefferson County Coon Hunters, Inc.

Meramec Area Sportsman Association

Mid Missouri Outdoor Dream

Mid Missouri Trout Unlimited

Midwest Diving Council

Mississippi Valley Duck Hunters Association

Missouri Association of Meat Processors

Missouri Atlatl Association

Missouri BASS Federation Nation

Missouri Bird Conservation Initiative

Missouri Bow Hunters Association

Missouri Chapter of the American Fisheries Society

Missouri Chapter of the Wildlife Society

Missouri Chapter Soil & Water Conservation Society

Missouri Conservation Agents Association

Missouri Conservation Pioneers

Missouri Consulting Foresters Association

Missouri Ducks Unlimited State Council

Missouri Forest Products Association

Missouri Grouse Chapter of QUWF

Missouri Hunter Education Instructors Association

Missouri Hunting Heritage Federation, Inc.

Missouri National Wild Turkey Federation

Missouri Native Seed Association

Missouri Parks & Recreation Association

Missouri Parks Association

Missouri Prairie Foundation

Missouri River Bird Observatory

Missouri Smallmouth Alliance

Missouri Society of American Foresters

Missouri Sport Shooting Association

Missouri State Campers Association

Missouri State Chapter of the Quality Deer Management Association

Missouri State University Bull Shoals Field Station

Missouri Taxidermist Association

Missouri Trappers Association

Missouri Trout Fishermen’s Association

Missouri Whitetails Unlimited

Mule Deer Foundation

North Side Division Conservation Federation

Open Space Council of the Saint Louis Region

Ozark Fly Fishers, Inc.

Ozark Wilderness Waterways Club

Perry County Sportsman Club

Pomme de Terre Chapter Muskies, Inc.

Quail & Upland Wildlife Federation, Inc.

Quail Forever & Pheasants Forever

River Bluffs Audubon Society

River Relief, Inc.

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

South Side Division Conservation Federation

Southwest Missouri Fly Fishers

Tipton Farmers & Sportsman’s Club

United Bow Hunters of Missouri

Walnut Council & Other Fine Hardwoods

Wecomo Sportsman’s Club

Wild Elk Institute of Missouri

Windsor Lake Rod & Gun Club

CFM Affiliates

Platinum:

Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives

Bass Pro Shops

Drury Hotels

Shelter Insurance Companies

Gold:

MidwayUSA

silver:

Gray Manufacturing Company, Inc.

James T. Blair IV

Pyramid Home Health Services

Basic:

Bee Rock Outdoor Adventures, LLC

Cap America

Citizens Telephone Company

Columbia Daily Tribune

Cooper’s Oak Winery and A & K Cooperage, LLC

Dickerson Park Zoo

DJ Case & Associates

Farm Management Service (Dan & Cheri Erdel)

Farmer’s Co-op Elevator Association

Forrest Keeling Nursery

General Printing Service

Greenbrier Wetland Services

Heartland Restoration, Inc.

Hornbuckle Heating, Cooling & Plumbing, Inc.

Lewis County Rural Electric Cooperative

Macon Realty Company

McRoberts Farm, Inc.

Meramec Bison Farm, LLC

Mid America Mortgage Services, Inc.

Middle River Bluffs

Midwest Mailing Services

Osage Canoes, LLC

Quality Forest Management, LLC

REMAX Boone Realty

R. L.’s Swimming Pools, LLC

Show Me Printing

Sierra Bullets, LLC

Tabor Plastics Company

The Bank of Missouri

Business Alliance Members

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Charles Abele, Saint Louis

R. Philip Acuff, Saint Joseph

Duane Addleman, Springfield

Michael Duane Addleman †

Nancy Addleman †

Nancy Carol Addleman, Springfield

Tom Addleman, Harrisonville

James Agnew, Arnold

Craig Alderman, Buffalo

Allen Appell, Calhoun

Richard Ash, Ozark

Carolyn Auckley, Ballwin

J. Douglas Audiffred, Ballwin

Michael Baker, DeSoto

Dane Balsman, Frankfort, KY

Don Bedell, Sikeston

Jim Tom Blair, Saint Louis

Jeff Blystone, Independence

Glenn Boettcher, Owensville

Marilynn Bradford, Cape Girardeau

Stephen Bradford, Cape Girardeau

Mark Brandly, New Baden, IL

Scott Brundage, Columbia

Glenn Chambers, Columbia

Bryan Chilcutt, Columbia

Ed Clausen, Jefferson City

Ron Coleman, Saint Albans

Mark Corio, Arnold

Bill Crawford, Columbia

Andy Dalton, Springfield

Ryan Diener, Marthasville

Joe G. Dillard, Columbia

Ron Douglas, Springfield

Charlie Drury, Saint Louis

Chuck Drury, Saint Louis

Tom Drury, Saint Louis

John Enderle, Kelso

Joe Engeln, Columbia

Howard Fisher, Higginsville

Mary Louise Fisher, Higginsville

Andrew Fleming, Columbia

Howard Fleming, Moberly

Lori Fleming, Columbia

Matt Fleming, Moberly

Paula Fleming, Moberly

Sara Fleming, Moberly

Manley Fuller, Tallahassee, FL

Matt Gaunt, Columbia

Timothy Gordon, Belgrade

Blake Gornick, Kirkwood

Richard & Sally Graham, Hartsburg

Joseph Gray, Saint Joseph

Debbie Gremmelsbacher, Saint Louis

Gery Gremmelsbacher, Saint Louis

Mark & Kathy Haas, Jackson

Christopher Hamon, Kirbyville

Herman Hanley, Grain Valley

Milt & Deanna Harper, Columbia

Jack & Pat Harris, Saint Louis

Mickey Heitmeyer, Advance

Loring Helfrich, Sikeston

Randy Herzog, Saint Joseph

James Hill, Mexico

Allan Hoover †

John Hoskins, Fremont

Larry & Joan Hummel, Glencoe

Patricia Hurster, Saint Louis

Jim Jacobi, Saint Charles

Aaron Jeffries, Jefferson City

Don Johnson, Festus

Malcolm “Mac” Johnson, Hartsburg

Roger Johnson, Humansville

Pat Jones, Williamsburg

Tom Karl, Farmington

Cosette Kelly, Kansas City

Duane Kelly, Kansas City

Marty King, University City

Judd Kirkham, Climax Springs

Elizabeth Knight, Charlotte, NC

Jeff Kolb, Weldon Spring

Carl Kurz, Leawood, KS

Ann Kutscher, Jefferson City

Larry Lackamp, Bates City

Kyle Lairmore, Owensville

Jay Law †

Gerald Lee, Kansas City

Joel LeMaster, Fulton

Norman Leppo, Saint Louis

John Lewis, Columbia

Leroy Logan, Arnold

Christine Logan-Hollis, Blackwell

Bob Lorance, Stover

Ike Lovan, Steelville

Wayne Lovelace, Elsberry

Chip McGeehan, Marshfield

Teresa McGeehan, Marshfield

Richard Mendenhall, Columbia

Tom Mendenhall, Columbia

Cynthia Metcalfe, Clayton

Walter Metcalfe, Clayton

Davis Minton, Dexter

Lowell Mohler, Jefferson City

John Moore, Jr., Gelena

Johnny Morris, Springfield

John & Patricia Mort, Smithville

David Murphy, Columbia

Dean Murphy, Jefferson City

First Lady Georganne Wheeler Nixon, Jefferson City

Governor Jay Nixon, Jefferson City

Charlie & Mary Beth O’Reilly, Nixa

Larry & Nancy O’Reilly, Springfield

Austin Owens, Lebanon

Jeff Owens, Marshfield

Sara Pauley, Hartsburg

Scott Pauley, Hartsburg

Abe Phillips, Saint Louis

Jan Phillips, Saint Louis

Glenn & Ilayana Pickett, Columbia

Jessica Plaggenberg, Florissant

Becky Plattner, Grand Pass

Jerry Presley, Centertown

Albert Price, Columbia

Nick Prough, Blue Springs

Kirk Rahm, Warrensburg

Kurtis Reeg, Saint Louis

David & Janice Reynolds, Springfield

Gerald Ross, Jefferson City

Tyler Ruoff, Savannah

Bruce & Jan Sassmann, Bland

Fred Saylor, Independence

Evelyn Schallon, Ballwin

Mike Schallon, Wentzville

Mossie Schallon, Wentzville

Pamela Schnebelen, LaBarque Creek

Ronald Schwartzmeyer, Arnold

Timothy Schwent, Jackson

Travis Scott, Columbia

George Seek, Meadville

E. “Sy” Seidler, Saint Louis

Sara Seidler, Saint Louis

Anita Siegmund, Saint Louis

Gary & Susanna Smith, Neosho

M. W. Sorenson, Columbia

Ed Stegner, Pilot Grove

Charles & Winnie Stribling, Mexico

Mary Stuppy, Joplin

Mark Sullivan †

Jacob Swafford, Portales, NM

Jim Talbert, Jefferson City

Travis Taylor, Lawson

Tim Thompson, Lake Saint Louis

Jeff “J. T.” Tillman †

Robert Tompson, Moberly

Alex Uskokovich, Glendale

Gary Van De Velde, Jefferson City

Barbara vanBenschoten, Kansas City

Lee Vogel, Kansas City

Al Vogt, Columbia

Julius Wall, Clinton

Ginny Wallace, Jefferson City

Randy Washburn, Versailles

Henry J. Waters, III, Columbia

Mary Waters, Columbia

Robert O. Werges, Arnold

Mark Williams, Lawson

Michael Wilson, Saint Louis

Stephen Wilson, Hartsburg

Addie Witter, Annville, PA

Brenda Witter, Holts Summit

Daniel Witter, Holts Summit

Owen Witter, Columbia

Dick Wood, Saint Louis

Howard Wood, Bonne Terre

Joyce Wood, Bonne Terre

Nicole Wood, Bonne Terre

Dan Zerr, O’Fallon

Jim Zieger, Blue Springs

Emily Ziehmer, California

Robert Ziehmer, California

Ethan Zuck, Strafford

Guy Zuck, Strafford† Deceased

Lifetime Members

StaffDave Murphy, Executive Director

Travis Scott, Director of Development

Debra Lee, Teaming With Wildlife Coordinator

Micaela Haymaker, Office Manager

Laurie Coleman, Membership Associate/Managing Editor




2012 Resolutions1 - Ecological Flow Guidelines

2 - Gravel Mining

3 - Support the Enforcement of the MDC Crayfish Regulation

4 - Support of Further Research of Habitat Use During Flood Conditions

5 - Study of Impacts of Horses Along the Current & Jacks Fork Rivers

6 - Continued Support for Missouri Archery Education

7 - Piloting Missouri’s Open Space Plan Initiative through Columbia

8 - Updating of the State Forestry Law’s Forest Crop Land Program

9 - Establish the Missouri Trails Alli-ance & Comprehensive Statewide Trails Plan

10 - Missouri Recreational Trails Program

11 - Support for the Installation of Self Service Bicycle Repair Stations on the Katy Trail

12 - Elimination of Tall Fescue from CRP Grasslands

13 - Incentive for Encouraging Conver-sion of CRP to Diverse Native Mixes

14 - Eliminating Fescue/Brome from CRP

15 - Supports the Establishment of Re-cycling Programs at all Missouri Institu-tions of Higher Education

16 - Importance of CFM Involvement in Waste Reduction, Reuse and Recy-cling

17 - Spring Archery Turkey Season

18 - (Tabled) Hunter’s Safety

19 - Renewable Energy Initiative

20 - Addressing Asian Carp Through Public Awareness

21 - Share the Carp

22 - Stream Mitigation

23 - Encourages Reauthorization of the North American Wetlands Conserva-tion Act

24 - Waterfowl Management Area Party Size Increase

25 - Ronald D. Oesch

26 - Health Benefits & State Parks

27 - Support for the Reintroduction of the American Burying Beetle in SW Missouri

28 - Glade Reserve Program

29 - Support for the Research and Prop-agation of the Ozark Hellbender

30 - Support the Research on Hine’s Emerald Dragonfly and Its Habitat

31 - Unify Resources Which Encourage Beneficial Prescribed Burning

32 - Supports Public Education on White Nose Syndrome

33 - Protect Church Mountain

34 - Support for Missouri State Parks

35 - Conservation Internships for MO High School and College Students

36 - Encourages New Initiatives to Pro-mote Youth Small Game Hunting

37 - Recognition for Al Vogt and Diana Mulick

38 - (Tabled) Portrayals of Nature and Wildlife in Conservation Magazine Publications

39 - CLC & PFCA Acknowledges Partnership

40 - Implementation of “Nature Educa-tion Week”

41 - Public Drinking Water

42 - Support for Clean Water

43 - Energy Efficiency

44 - Children in Nature

45 - Land and Water Conservation Fund Resolution

46 - Support of the DNR Solid Waste, Hazardous Waste & Recycling Efforts

47 - Lead Legacy in Missouri

Full titles and texts of resolutions available at www.confedmo.org

Award Winners For 2011

Conservationist of the Year Dave Pace, Salem (pictured above)

Conservation Communicator Steve Jones, Sullivan

Conservation Educator Keith Hannaman, Blue Springs

Conservation Legislator Representative Steven Tilley

Conservation Legislator Senator Kevin Engler

Forest Conservationist Wayne Lovelace, Elsberry

Professional Conservationist Elsa Gallagher, Excello

Wildlife Conservationist Frank Oberle, Novinger

1 6 M A R C H 2 0 1 3

Join the CFM Business Alliance today!Check the annual member category you prefer:q $250—Basic q $1,000—Silver q $5,000—Gold q $10,000—Platinum

CFM Business Alliance members will receive a one-year subscription to Missouri Wildlife,

recognition in each issue of Missouri Wildlife and a CFM Business Alliance sticker.

Please mail this form with your gift supporting CFM to:

Conservation Federation of Missouri728 West Main

Jefferson City, MO 65101-1559

The Conservation Federation of Missouri is a 501(c)(3) organization. If you have questions, call us at 1-800-575-2322 or visit us at www.

confedmo.org to sign up online

Business Name: ______________________________________________

Contact Name: ______________________________________________

Address: ____________________________________________________

City: _______________________________________________________ State: _______________________________________________________

ZIP code: ___________________________________________________

Work phone: ________________________________________________ Home phone: ________________________________________________

Fax number: ________________________________________________ E-mail address: ______________________________________________

Please make checks payable to the Conservation Federation of Missouri. We also accept MasterCard, Visa, or Discover

below or online at www.confedmo.org

Credit card number: __________________________________________ Expiration date: _____________________________________________

Signature of cardholder:_______________________________________

M I S S O U R I W I L D L I F E 1 7

1 8 M A R C H 2 0 1 3

teaming with wildliFe

On March 18-24, 2013, Na-tional Wildlife Federation will mark the 75th anniver-sary of the annual national

Wildlife Week celebration! The an-nual event is the longest running edu-cation program for connecting kids to outdoors and teaching them about the magnificent wildlife in our world. NWF provides a website for educa-tors and students to learn more about opportunities to watch, support, take action to help restore and to learn about the habitat and wildlife in their back yard. Please visit www.nwf.org/wildlifeweek to find out more and see how you can spread the word.

This year’s theme is “Branching Out for Wildlife”. The focus is trees and their value for wildlife and people. Conservation Federation of Missouri is presenting our first Missouri Cel-ebration of National Wildlife Week through a Children’s Painting Com-petition and Capitol Day on March 13th, 2013. Bass Pro Shops and Wonders of Wildlife have generously offered to sponsor the painting com-petition and will be at the Capitol on March 13th to share in the award pre-sentation to our lucky winner. Bring-ing a love for everything outdoors to our children is the best legacy we can share. The theme of the painting competition for kids from age 6-14 is “Missouri Wildlife: What I love about Missouri outdoors!” It will be judged by Conservation Leadership Corps at CFM’s Annual Convention in Jef-ferson City, Missouri at Capitol Plaza Hotel, February 22-24, 2013.

CFM is conducting activities prior to the National Wildlife Week so we

can bring more awareness about the week to schools and the media as well as to government leaders. The Capi-tol Day activities on March 13th will include seminars, live wild animals, a chance to meet your legislators, the awards program for the CFM Chil-dren’s Painting Competition and an evening reception. Please mark your calendars for the event and register online at www.confedmo.org.

Looking forward to an exciting in-augural event for all fans of Missouri Wildlife to come and speak up!!!

“The wildlife and its habitat can-not speak, so we must and we will.” ~Theodore Roosevelt

Debra LeeTeaming With Wildlife

Coordinator, CFM

Conservation Federation of Missouri “The Voice For Missouri Outdoors”

Helps NWF Celebrate National Wildlife Week

Photo credit to: John Kirchner


Conserve Life:Slow Down More than 1,100 people die on Missouri highways each year.

Don’t become a statistic. Conserve life by slowing down and by always making sure your seatbelt is buckled. BUCKLE UP

Chariton County farmer Kenny Reichert was recog-nized as one of the

nation’s conservation leaders January 29 at the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) annual conference in San Antonio, Texas.

Reichert, who owns and operates a farm near Bruns-wick and is chair of the Chariton County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) Board of Supervi-sors, received the Olin Sims Conservation Leadership Award from Jason Weller, acting chief of the USDA’s Natural Resources Conser-vation Service (NRCS). The award recognizes an indi-vidual who provides superior service to the conservation community in promoting and leading conservation on pri-vate lands. The late Olin Sims was a Wyoming rancher and NACD president whose life was distinguished by years of volunteerism to conservation.

“Like Olin Sims, Kenny Reichert sees conservation of natural resources as more than something you just do for yourself and for the benefit of your own farm or ranch. It’s something you do

to benefit your neighbors, community, state and coun-try,” Weller said.

Reichert has been practic-ing and advocating no-till planting for nearly 30 years, and has served a key role in promoting conservation ac-tivities through NRCS’ Mis-sissippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative (MRBI). Reichert’s efforts have been key in getting farmers in his area to implement practices that are helping to improve water quality in the Missis-sippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. Reichert also has become an untiring promoter of soil health. He guided the Chariton County SWCD board in organizing two workshops to promote soil-health-building practices like cover crops. More than 300 people attended the work-shops.

Reichert also steered the Chariton County SWCD’s efforts in working with NRCS, the Missouri Depart-ment of Natural Resources, the Missouri Department of Conservation, the Univer-sity of Missouri and private businesses to develop a soil health demonstration farm. The farm is one of two in the nation that is testing which

cover crops perform best at improving soil health and water quality.

“I have never seen as much excitement as there is now with cover crops,” Reichert says. “We’re just revisiting the days of my grandfather. They were using cover crops without knowing the science behind why they worked. Now we have the technology and research to back up why they make such good sense.”

To help alleviate fears of his fellow farmers who were concerned with the costs and effectiveness of completely changing their farming prac-tices, Reichert represented his district in encouraging

the Missouri Soil and Water Districts Commission to implement a pilot cost-share program in Chariton County for cover crops.

Reichert says he is hon-ored to receive the Olin Sims award, but adds that he doesn’t view what he does as anything special.

“To me, I’m just doing what I should be doing,” he says. “And it isn’t just me doing these things; it’s the (Chariton County) board. I just happen to be chairman and am out front.”

Charlie RahmState Public Affairs Officer,

NRCS

Missouri Farmer Recognized As National Conservation Leader

From left, NACD past president Gene Schmidt, Kenny reichert and Acting NrCS Chief Jason Weller at NACD conference in San Antonio. Photo credit: NrCS.

2 0 M A R C H 2 0 1 3

AFFILIATE EVENTS

GREENWAY NETWORKMar 1-3: Alpine Shop Great Canoe & Kayak Event, KirkwoodMar 4: Monthly Board Meeting, Saint Peters (7:00pm - 9:00pm)aPr 1: Monthly Board Meeting, Saint Peters (7:00pm - 9:00pm)aPr 6: Mission: Clean Stream 2013aPr 20: Earth Day Eve, The Muny, Forest Park (4:00pm - 7:00pm)aPr 21: Earth Day Festival, The Muny, Forest Park (11:00am - 6:00pm)

MID MISSOURI TROUT UNLIMITEDMar 5: Regular Monthly Meeting, Jack’s Gourmet Restaurant, Columbia (7:00pm)Mar 9: Special Meeting - National Speaker George Daniel, ColumbiaaPr 2: Regular Monthly Meeting, Jack’s Gourmet Restaurant, Columbia (7:00pm)feB 8: Conservation Banquet, Stoney Creek Inn, Columbia (5:30pm)

MISSOURI ATLATL ASSOCIATIONMar 2-3: Missouri Deer Classic, Boone County Fairgrounds, Columbia; Jon Wood (573) 881-6622 or Ron Mertz (314) 680-3596Mar 9: American Legion Archery Range, Columbia; Jon Wood (573) 881-6622 or Ron Mertz (314) 680-3596Mar 23: Jakes Day Event, Hermann Rod and Gun Club, Hermann; Jon Wood (573) 881-6622 or Ron Mertz (314) 680-3596aPr 6: Bridges Mountain Man Spring Rendezvous; David Lohr (417) 280-6304aPr 26-28: Raging Cow Atlatl Event, Grinnell College, Grinnell

MISSOURI BASS FEDERATIONaPr 6: Board Meeting & President’s Rodeo, HermitageaPr 7: Spring Fling, Pomme De Terre Lake, Harbor Marina (6:30am - 3:00pm)

MISSOURI DUCKS UNLIMITEDMar 2: Christian County Chapter Dinner, The Nixa Event Center, Nixa (5:30pm - 9:00pm); Kenny Dugger

(417) 818-8148, Jared Doty (417) 766-1826 or Brad Watson (417) 766-4552Mar 9: Saline County Dinner & Live Auction, Saline County Fairgrounds, Marshall (5:30pm - 10:00pm); Jeff Knott (660) 202-3422, David Ripley (660) 815-7732 or Dennis Yokeley (660) 202-7718Mar 12: Moniteau County Sponsor Dinner, Madison’s Cafe, Jefferson City (6:00pm - 9:00pm); John Overbey (573) 796-4711Mar 16: Platte City Membership Dinner, Platte County Fairgrounds, Tracy (6:00pm - 9:30pm); Harry Lett (816) 806-0602 or Jim Lindsey (816) 365-2719Mar 16: State Committee - State Convention, Stoney Creek Inn, Columbia (6:00pm - 10:30pm); Tony Berter (913) 221-6119, Ginny Zinck (660) 460-0031 or Todd Carlton (573) 893-7449Mar 23: Moberly Dinner, VFW Hall, Moberly (6:00pm - 9:30pm); Linda Leffeier (573) 470-6324Mar 23: Troy Dinner, Lincoln County Fairgrounds, Troy (5:30pm - 10:00pm); Shane Creasy (636) 322-9747Mar 30: Branson - Lakes County Membership Dinner, Big Cedar Lodge, Branson (6:00pm - 10:00pm); Ryan Zeller (417) 294-4164aPr 5: Grand River Sponsor Dinner, Country Club, Chillicothe (5:30pm - 9:30pm); Eric Reeter (660) 646-8147aPr 6: Golden Valley Sponsor Dinner, Elks Lodge Banquet Room, Clinton (5:30pm - 9:00pm); Trevor Hickman (660) 221-0417aPr 6: Wetlands for Kids Day, Busch Wildlife Area, Saint Charles (10:00am - 3:00pm); Dan Crigler (636) 299-2109 or Todd Carlton (573) 415-6697aPr 13: Saint Joseph Membership Dinner, Knights of Columbus Hall, Saint Joseph (5:30pm - 9:30pm); Casey Schultz (816) 390-6196, Chris Thompson (816) 383-2410 or Josh Garner (816) 261-5465aPr 13: Fort Leonard Wood - Big Piney Membership Dinner, Pershing Community Center, Fort Leonard Wood (6:00pm - 9:30pm); Mike Mette (573) 337-0226 or Adam Brill (573) 586-7704

aPr 20: Saint Louis Mid County - Show-Me Black Duck Dinner, Andre’s South, Saint Louis (6:00pm - 11:30pm); Caroline Whiting (314) 583-3749 or Eddie Whiting (314) 450-6420aPr 27: Monroe City Dinner, Knights of Columbus Hall, Monroe City (6:00pm - 11:30pm); David Willis (573) 248-6711

MISSOURI HUNTING HERITAGE FEDERATIONMar 1-3: Clinic & Chukar Hunt, Hedge Hollow Ranch, Bates CountyMar 16: Second Annual Spring Fling Trap & Turkey Shoot

MISSOURI NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FEDERATION FUNDRAISING BANQUETSMar 1: Carroll County Longbeards, Rupe Center, Carrollton; Joe McCum-ber (660) 322-0801Mar 1: Parkville Gobblers, Athletic Complex, Parkville; John Shene (816) 365-2853Mar 1: Sand Burr Strutters, VFW Hall, Sikeston; Allan Lynch (573) 887-1261Mar 2: Mark Twain Forest Longspurs, Lions Club, Potosi; Tony Hollinsworth (543) 438-2219Mar 2: Platte Purchase, Moila, Saint Joseph; Edward Helsel (816) 253-9583Mar 2: Randolph County Long-beards, Saint Pius X Gymnasium, Moberly; Larry Terry (660) 651-8636Mar 2: Sho-Me, Shrine Mosque Banquet Room, Springfield; Matthew Kramer (417) 887-4455Mar 7: Current River Longbeards, Southern MO Baptist Assembly, Van Buren; Delbert DeWolf (573) 323-4789Mar 8: Carman Springs Longbeards, Willow Springs R-4 Elementary Caf-eteria, Willow Springs; Terry Newton (417) 469-2881Mar 8: Lake of the Ozarks Chapter, Tri County Convention Center, Ver-sailles; Kurt Heisler (573) 378-6032Mar 8: Osage Prairie Thunderin’ Toms, Eagles Lodge, Nevada; Bruce Rogers (417) 876-2521Mar 8: Stealth Gobblers, Johnson County Fairgrounds, Warrensburg; David McCannon (667) 747-8260Mar 9: Heartland Gobblers, Ameri-can Legion Hall, Poplar Bluff; Chuck Stewart (573) 222-7182Mar 9: Moniteau Monarchs, Knights of Columbus Hall, Tipton; Brian Hill (573) 796-3885

Mar 9: South Grand River Gobblers, Elks Lodge, Harrisonville; Rodger Benson (816) 679-3119Mar 9: Yellow Creek Gobblers, Walsworth Community Building, Mar-celine; Dennis Paalhar (660) 537-3459Mar 14: Marshfield Full Strutters, Marshfield Buildings, Marshfield; Gary Shaffer (417) 741-2006Mar 15: Kingdom of Calloway Limbhangers, Sir Winston’s Restau-rant & Pub, Fulton; John Burk (573) 676-5994Mar 15: Rocky Top Limbhangers, West Plains Armory, West Plains; Brad McKee (417) 469-0577Mar 15: Spring River Toms, Car-thage Memorial Hall, Carthage; Jerry Hartman (417) 793-0310Mar 16: Kirksville Ridge Runners, NEMO Fairgrounds, Kirksville; Josh Meyer (660) 665-4300Mar 16: NEMO, American Legion Hall, Palmyra; Travis Moore (573) 231-2859Mar 16: Polk County Hillbilly Longbeards, Elks Lodge, Bolivar; Todd Grant (417) 376-2647Mar 16: River Hills Thunderin’ Longbeards, Knights of Columbus Hall, Bloomsdale; Butch Stephens (573) 543-2165Mar 22: Nolan R. Hutcheson Memo-rial, Intercounty Electric Coop, Lick-ing; Kurt Homeyer (573) 924-2340Mar 22: Pike County Twin River, Elks Lodge, Louisiana; Timothy Brooks (573) 754-6692Mar 22: Saint Louis Longbeards, Andres Banquet Center, Saint Louis; Russ Ode (314) 644-4228Mar 23: Big River Gobblers, Deer Creek Golf Course, House Springs; Rich Christopher (636) 274-2574Mar 23: Cooper County Limbhang-ers, Knights of Columbus Hall, Boon-ville; Mark Moyer (660) 882-3959Mar 23: Lead Belt Longbeards, Saint Paul Lutheran, Farmington; Michael Mahurin (573) 576-0786Mar 23: North Central MO Local, Elks Lodge, Chillicothe; Nick Norman (660) 247-5445Mar 23: Truman Lake Chapter, Benson Convention Center, Clinton; Thomas Paul (660) 351-0788Mar 28: Triple B Chapter - Buffalo Big Birds, Double Diamond Banquet Building, Buffalo; Travis Pierce (417) 840-8761Mar 29: Lake Show-Me Longbeards, VFW Hall, Memphis; Chris Comstock (660) 216-0634Mar 29: Muddy Creek Gobblers, Thiebaud Auditorium, Lamar; Kelly

CALENDARM I S S O U r I F E S T I V A L S A N D A F F I L I A T E E V E N T S


Madison (417) 681-0364Mar 30: Lincoln Hills, Lincoln County Fairgrounds, Troy; Jay Herring (573) 898-5420Mar 30: Saline County Strutters, Saline County Fairgrounds, Marshall; Joe Pycke (660) 631-3407aPr 5: Lewis County Strutters, Queen of Peace Parish, Ewing; Ron Richard-son (660) 462-3640aPr 5: Rock Town Gobblers, Celebra-tion Family Worship Center, Iberia; Travis Lawson (573) 480-1916aPr 6: Lake Area Longbeards, Old Kinderhook Resort, Camdenton; Charles & Phillip McElyee (573) 346-7231aPr 6: Putnam County Chapter, Put-nam County High School Commons, Unionville; Joe Ream (660) 341-0895aPr 12: Mid-State, Stoney Creek Inn, Columbia; Jody Martin (573) 999-9024aPr 13: Platte City Longspurs, Platte County Fairgrounds, Tracy; Paul Lowry (816) 506-7048aPr 13: State Fair Strutters, Missouri State Fairgrounds, Sedalia; Charles Mattingly (660) 827-0758aPr 19: Green Hills, National Guard Armory, Trenton; Robin Chambers (660) 654-1192aPr 20: Gentry County Gobblers, Community Center, Stanberry; Tim Runde (660) 937-2580aPr 26: Hocomo Big Beards, Saint Joseph Hall, Fayette; Gene Smith (660) 537-4667aPr 26: Summit Ridge Longbeards, Saint Andrews Catholic Church, Holts Summit; Jeff Demand (573) 289-0401aPr 27: Fabius River Fantails, Knights of Columbus Hall, Edina; Jeff Morrow (660) 397-2610

WHEELIN SPORTSMAN EVENTSaPr 6: Disabled Accessible Youth Spring Turkey Hunt; Cody Wilson (417) 753-3164aPr 20: Ozark Greenway Thunderin’ Gobblers, Bussard Farm; Randy Bus-sard (417) 827-0513aPr 28: Wheeling Sportsmen Spring Turkey Hunt, Bois D Arc - Andy Dalton MDC; Matthew Kramer (417) 887-4455

WOMEN IN THE OUTDOORS EVENTSaPr 5: Platte Purchase, Camp Gieger, Saint Joseph; Sherry Hill (816) 992-3650aPr 12: Squaw Creek National Ladies Day, Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge, Forrest City; Lori Stickler (660) 254-4287

aPr 20: Ladies Turkey Hunt, North-west Missouri Outfitters, Denver

MISSOURI PARKS AND RECREATION ASSOCIATIONfeB 26-Mar 1: Annual Conference and Expo, Tan-Tar-A Resort, Osage BeachMar 26-28: 2013 Playground Safety Inspector Course, Memorial Hall, Saint Charles; Gary (573) 636-3828

MISSOURI RIVER BIRD OBSERVATORYMar 2: Bird Banding Demonstration, Fleming Park, Blue Springs (10:00am - 1:00pm)Mar 4: Backyard Banding, Jefferson City (2:00pm - 5:00pm)Mar 15: Flying Wild Educator Train-ing, Joplin (3:30pm - 5:30pm)MAR 23-24: March Marshbird Mad-ness

MISSOURI SMALLMOUTH ALLIANCEMar 20: Monthly Meeting, Sunset Hills Community Center, Sunset Hills (7:00pm - 9:00pm)aPr 17: Monthly Meeting, Sunset Hills Community Center, Sunset Hills (7:00pm - 9:00pm)

MISSOURI TRAPPERS ASSOCIATIONMar 16: Spring Meeting, Hillview Elementary School, Directors Meet-ing (9:00am) and General Meeting (1:00pm)

MISSOURI TROUT FISHERMEN’S ASSOCIATIONMar 1: Opening Day for Trout SeasonMar 7: Monthly Meeting (6:00pm - 9:00pm)Mar 9: Pre-Derby Meeting, Bennett Spring State Park (12:00pm)Mar 14-16: Sowbug Roundup (9:00am - 4:00pm)aPr 4: Fly Fishing Class (6:00pm - 9:50pm)aPr 11: Fly Fishing Class (6:00pm - 9:50pm)aPr 13: Tri-Lakes Expo (9:00am - 4:00pm)aPr 18: Fly Fishing Class (6:00pm - 9:50pm)aPr 25: Fly Fishing Class (6:00pm - 9:50pm)

MISSOURI WHITETAILS UNLIMITEDMar 2: Monroe City Chapter Banquet, Knights of Columbus Hall, Monroe City Mar 9: Mid-Missouri Deer Camp, Holiday Inn Executive Center, Columbia

Mar 16: Southwest Missouri Chapter Banquet, Saint Mary’s Activity Center, Pierce CityMar 23: Muddy Water Whitetails Banquet, Knights of Columbus Hall, Saint PaulMar 23: Long Branch Chapter Banquet, Macon County Expo Center, MaconMar 23: Miller County Whitetails Chapter Banquet, Mary’s Home School Gym, EugeneaPr 6: Audrain County Chapter Banquet, Audrain County 4H Building, MexicoaPr 20: Cooper County Disabled Freedom Hunt Chapter Banquet, Knights of Columbus Hall, Boonville

MULE DEER FOUNDATIONaPr 13: Ha Ha Tonka Chapter, Osage Beach; Matt Bentz (573) 365-5671 or Marty Holmes (719) 221-0732aPr 13: Annual Fundraising Banquet, Truman Hotel, Jefferson City; Matt Bentz (573) 286-7938

OPEN SPACE COUNCILMar 16: Public Work Day Project, Greensfelder Park; Katherine or Mike (636) 451-6090Mar 30: Cleanup Event with Friends of Labarque Creek; Katherine or Mike (636) 451-6090Mar 30: Tree Planting with Wash-ington University; Katherine or Mike (636) 451-6090aPr 6: Tree Planting with Friends of Labarque Creek; Katherine or Mike (636) 451-6090aPr 20: Forrest Park Earth Day Litter Cleanup; Katherine or Mike (636) 451-6090

OZARK FLY FISHERSMar 4: Board MeetingMar 7: Members Only Fly Tying Class, Greensfelder Recreation Build-ing, Queeny Park (6:30pm - 9:00pm)Mar 9: Chili Tie In, Marlan Graham’s ClubhouseMar 23: Current River Water Quality Monitoring; Scott Darrough (314) 560-1335Mar 28: General Membership Meet-ing, Greensfelder Recreation Building, Queeny Park (7:00pm)aPr 1: Board MeetingaPr 6: Mill Creek Water Quality MonitoringaPr 25: General Membership Meet-ing, Greensfelder Recreation Building, Queeny Park (7:00pm)arP 27: Blue Springs Water Quality Monitoring

OZARK WILDERNESS WATERWAYS CLUBMar 9: Potluck Dinner, Swope Park, Kansas City (6:30pm)Mar 9: Business Meeting, Swope Park, Kansas City (7:30pm)aPr 1-7: Buffalo Camp on River, Ozark Campground, Buffalo RiveraPr 13: Potluck Dinner, Swope Park, Kansas City (6:30pm)aPr 13: Business Meeting, Swope Park, Kansas City (7:30pm)

POMME DE TERRE CHAPTER MUSKIES, INC.Mar 15: Club Meeting and Dinner, Luckys (7:00pm); George Donner (816) 678-1623Mar 16: Border War Tournament; Wayne Humphrey (314) 440-2173 or George Donner (816) 678-1623aPr 20: Club Meeting; George Don-ner (816) 678-1623

QUAIL FOREVER & PHEASANTS FOREVERMar 8: Corner Covey Banquet, American Legion, Sweet Springs; Grant Bernard (660) 631-2927 or Tracey Bernard (660) 229-5285Mar 9: Missouri River Valley Banquet, Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Center, Washington; Arvil Kappel-mann (636) 239-427

ROCKY MOUNTAIN ELK FOUNDATIONMar 2: Missouri Ridge Chapter Banquet, Knights of Columbus Hall, Troy (5:30pm)Mar 9: Saint Louis Chapter Banquet, Moolah Shrine Center, Saint Louis (5:00pm)Mar 9: White River Chapter Ban-quet, Chateau on the Lake, Branson (5:30pm)Mar 9: Elk Prairie Chapter Banquet, Lions Club, Rolla (5:00pm); Carol Carmack (573) 729-5113Mar 16: Pony Express Big Game Banquet, Saint Joseph; Michael Mooney (816) 232-9553Mar 16: Ozarks Chapter Banquet, Bass Pro Shops Convention Center, Springfield (5:00pm)Mar 23: Southwest Missouri Chapter Banquet, Holiday Inn, Joplin (5:00pm)aPr 20: Thousand Hills Big Game Banquet, Kirksville; Ron Smith (660) 626-7794

CFM EVENTSMaY 19: Board MeetingsePt 21: Board MeetingDec 14: Board Meeting

2 2 M A R C H 2 0 1 3

agency news - department oF conservation

As we round out the Missouri Department of Conservation’s 75th Anniversary, we are re-minded of the firm foundation

on which YOUR Conservation Depart-ment has been built -- a foundation built by the hands and hearts of generations of conservation partners – a foundation built to serve nature and you – a founda-tion built from a base of core values that our more than 1,300 staff members and thousands of volunteers remain commit-ted to as we plan for the future.

These core values focus on:• Providing excellent public service,• Treating all citizens the way we want

to be treated,• Partnering with citizens and numer-

ous conservation-related groups and organizations, and

• Using fairness, objectivity, sound sci-ences, integrity, accountability, and transparency to guide our actions.

Based on these values, MDC staff work from five major goals that will help build Missouri’s conservation future:

1.) Ensuring healthy and sustain-able forests, fish and wildlife resources throughout the state.

2.) Managing lands we hold in public trust and the associated infrastructure to ensure their continued benefits to both Missouri citizens and to forest, fish, and wildlife resources.

3.) Ensuring sound financial account-ability and transparency in all areas of operation.

4.) Providing opportunities for ac-tive citizen involvement in services and conservation education in both rural and

urban areas.5.) Engaging partners at all levels to

enhance our natural resources and ef-fectively deliver conservation services, including individuals, communities, con-servation organizations, state and federal agencies, and others.

The Department has identified chal-lenges to each of these five goals, and has established conservation priorities to address those challenges over the next several years.

As we build our conservation future to-gether, we are reminded of our founding by and for Missourians, and the countless ways citizens of the Show-Me State show you care about conserving our forests, fish, and wildlife.

As we build our conservation fu-ture together, we remain committed to working with and for all Missourians to sustain the amazing natural resources found throughout our state. These many and diverse conservation partners include citizen conservationists such as landown-ers, wildlife watchers, educators, hunters, and anglers, along with groups and or-ganizations, elected officials, government agencies, and others.

As we build our future together, we build from countless examples of how conservation helps people discover na-ture, on their own land and at our nature centers and almost 1,000 conservation areas throughout Missouri.

Through the dedication, hard work, and support of so many partners, conser-vation has made Missouri a great place to hunt and fish, and enriches both our economy and quality of life.

And as we build our conservation fu-ture together, your Missouri Department of Conservation remains committed to

the promise of serving nature and you.We encourage all Missourians to

renew your commitment to conservation in your own ways – with a fishing rod or through the lens of a camera, with a shotgun or rifle, in a boat or canoe, by looking through binoculars, or putting miles on your hiking shoes, at the end of shovel used for planting trees and other native flora, in school and out in nature’s many hands-on classrooms, with friends and family, along a trail, and in your own backyards.

For more information on how your De-partment of Conservation can help, visit us online at mdc.mo.gov, visit a nature center or MDC office, or speak with your local conservation agent and other staff.

Robert L. Ziehmer, Director, MDC

MDC Builds on Strong Foundation for Future Success

robert Ziehmer. Photo credit: MDC.

Department of Conservation remains committed to the promise of serving nature and you.


The Missouri De-partment of Con-servation (MDC) will be working

with private landowners in a small section of Linn and Macon counties to help limit the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) by reducing local deer num-bers. CWD is a fatal disease in deer.

The targeted reduction effort will focus on a core area around northwest Macon County where the disease has been found in six free-ranging deer since early 2012. This core area is comprised of a 29-square-mile block along the northern part of the Linn- and Macon-county border and comprises about 2 percent of the counties’ total area.

The effort will involve MDC staff working with cooperating landown-ers to shoot deer on their properties beginning in mid-January and ending by

mid-March. “Our extensive CWD

testing indicates that we caught the disease early while it is still limited to a small number of deer in a very concentrated area,” says MDC State Deer Biolo-gist Jason Sumners. “We hope that by significantly reducing the number of deer in the core area where

CWD has been found, we can remove infected ani-mals. This will help reduce, or potentially eliminate, the further spread of the disease to other deer in the area. It will also help prevent, or at least dramatically slow, the spread of the disease to other areas of Missouri.”

Sumners adds that more than 90 percent of Missouri land is privately owned, so landowners are vital to deer management and to MDC’s efforts to limit the spread of CWD.

“We greatly appreci-ate the cooperation and sacrifices of these local landowners,” says Sumners. “While this will greatly reduce deer numbers in this area in the short term, the effort will ultimately help protect the health of deer in the area and throughout the state by limiting the spread and impact of CWD.”

MDC will continue sampling hunter-harvested deer in future years to test for CWD, continue annual reviews of its CWD efforts, and conduct a complete evaluation in three years.

Joe JerekNews Services

Coordinator, MDC

MDC Working with Local Landowners to Limit CWD Spread

The red box on this map shows the core area around where CWD has been found, and where MDC will be working with local landowners to reduce deer numbers. The core area is comprised of a 29-square-mile block along the northern part of the Linn- and Macon-county border and comprises about 2% of the counties’ total area.

agency news - department oF conservation

Deer-reduction effort limited to area in Linn and Macon counties where CWD has been found.

Conserve Life:Slow Down More than 1,100

people die on Missouri highways each year. Don’t become a statistic. Conserve life by slowing down

and by always making sure your seatbelt is buckled. BUCKLE UP

2 4 M A R C H 2 0 1 3

agency news - department oF natural resources

Missouri’s history includes many tales about how we became

known as the “Show-Me State,” however, many also refer to Missouri as the Cave State. This is because we live above and around more than 6,600 recorded caves, a number that continues to grow each year. Our state is now second to Tennessee with 8,600 caves.

Caves continue to serve as valuable resources for our state’s inhabitants and visi-tors. They are one of the last frontiers of exploration for adventure seekers who enjoy the underground. They also reveal details of past climatic conditions and serve as an integral part of the state’s groundwater system. They provide underground conduits that move water to springs that form the headwaters of our state’s outstanding rivers and streams.

Most of Missouri’s caves are found south of the Mis-souri River in the Ozarks. Bedrock in this region is primarily made up of soluble dolomite and limestone rock formations. Numerous caves are also located between Hannibal and St. Louis, as well as in central Missouri near Columbia.

Cave Tours

Beneath the surface are some of the state’s most scenic natural wonders. Cave tours have been given in Missouri for more than 100 years. The

early tours consisted of what we would today consider ecotours. Cave visitors often scrambled over muddy banks and slogged through cave streams as they explored the caves with their guides. As tourism grew, so did tourist excursions through Missouri’s commercial caves. Now, for the comfort of visitors, most commercial caves have con-crete walkways and electric lighting along the tour route.

Onondaga Cave has been a tourist attraction since 1897. Charles Christopher was the cave’s discoverer and leader of this early tour. In 1930, Dr. William Mook learned that Onondaga Cave was under the property that he leased for use as a resort for doctors. Dr. Mook and his brother, Robert Lee Mook, dug a tun-nel into the cave and erected a barbed wire fence across “The Big Room,” at the supposed property line. Bob Bradford, the owner and tour operator of Onondaga Cave at the time, was told to stop trespassing. This was the beginning of a

property dispute that was to last until May 1935 when the Missouri Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Mook brothers. This ruling set a precedent for the establishment of under-ground property rights. The ruling reached beyond caves and impacted the quarrying, mining, oil and gas industries in Missouri.

Protecting Missouri’s Caves

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources consid-ers caves important natural resources because of their unique beauty, their history, and their role in a healthy environment.

They play key roles in groundwater movement, serve as habitat for threatened and endangered animal species, and often yield the bones of prehistoric animals as well as the artifacts of prehistoric generations of mankind. They provide outstanding opportu-nities for studying and gaining a better understanding of the geology of our landscape, and

the relationships between the environment we see at the sur-face and the one that is hidden beneath.

The need to protect the frag-ile beauty of Missouri’s caves was recognized a century ago by Luella Owen, one of Mis-souri’s earliest female geolo-gists. “The caves in this region (southern Missouri) have been deprived of great quantities of their beautiful adornments by visitors,” she wrote. “The gift of beauty should always be honored and protected for the public good.”

In 1975, the Department of Natural Resources, supported by the Department of Conser-vation, the Missouri Speleo-logical Survey, the Missouri Caves Association and others were instrumental in the pas-sage of the Cave Resources Act in 1980 by the Missouri Legislature.

The act protects Missouri caves by prohibiting vandal-ism. It protects the surface of a cave as well as the natural materials it contains, such as stalactites, stalagmites, cave life, and paleontological (fossil) remains. The law also helps to protect the quality of Missouri’s groundwater sup-plies by establishing specific legal protection to anyone whose well supply or spring has been polluted by some-one using a cave for sewage disposal or other pollution causing purposes.

The department’s Division of Geology and Land Survey, in cooperation with the Mis-souri Speleological Survey, archives and maintains a

Protecting Missouri’s Underground Treasures

Naturalist-led tours of Meramec State Park’s Fisher Cave provide an interest-ing adventure for park visitors from the low, narrow streamside passages to the huge rooms filled with calcite deposits. Credit: DNr


database of cave information. Staff geologists use the cave information on a daily basis to provide insight into the geologic framework of karst features and groundwater movement. Geologists take into account the presence of caves when evaluating the suitability of sites for various wastewater treatment systems, landfill facilities and when assisting with the clean up of hazardous waste sites. The proximity of caves, sinkholes and other solution features are considered in determining the likelihood of sinkhole collaps-es forming under wastewater impoundments or landfills. For more information on Caves of Missouri, visit the department’s website at dnr.mo.gov.

Caves in Missouri State Parks

The department’s Division of State Parks also plays an important role in protecting and promoting caves in Mis-souri. The Missouri state park system has 183 caves in 18 state parks and historic sites. State park caves tradition-ally offer casual and technical cave recreation opportunities, organized tours, wild cave adventures and interpretive programs to teach people about cave and caving.

For 2013, Missouri State Parks offers four outstanding show caves that are open to the public during the tour sea-son. They include Fisher Cave located in Meramec State Park; Ozark Caverns with its unique and breathtaking “An-gel Showers” located in Lake of the Ozarks State Park; and Cathedral Cave and Ononda-ga Cave located in Onondaga Cave State Park. Onondaga

Cave is justly celebrated for its beautiful deposits including colorful dripstones and flow-stones, and the spectacular “lily pad” room.

A trip to one of these parks offers visitors the opportu-nity to see natural geologic wonders that are unique to the cave environment. Park visitors can traverse narrow passageways and behold cavernous rooms filled with spectacular geologic wonders such as stalactites, draperies and soda straws.

Bats and White-Nose Syndrome

Where there are caves – one often finds bats. Many of Mis-souri’s bats species will spend the winter hibernating in caves and can often be found near cave entrances in summer. Gray bats live in caves year around. Bats are major preda-tors of night-flying insects such as mosquitoes and can annually consume thousands of tons of insects. Bat drop-pings called guano provide nutrients to the cave’s fragile ecosystem and form the base of the cave food pyramid.

A dangerous disease, how-ever, is spreading across the United States and affecting the bat population in our caves. The disease is a white fungus called Geomyces destructans and is typically found on the faces and wings of infected bats. Also known as White-nose syndrome, or WNS, it spreads mainly through bat-to-bat contact and has not been found to infect people, pets or livestock but is highly lethal to bats.

Signs of the disease were first discovered in Missouri in 2010. Education is an impor-

tant aspect of the overall effort to manage WNS and part of the state park system mission. Missouri State Parks staff began educating and screening visitors before each cave tour to help minimize risks to bats. While WNS is mainly trans-mitted bat-to-bat, scientists believe the fungus can also be carried on clothing, footwear and caving gear.

The department’s Divi-sion of State Parks received confirmation from the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Wildlife Health Center in late January that a bat found near the entrance of Onondaga Cave at Onondaga Cave State Park in Crawford County has tested positive for white-nose syndrome.

Staff are increasing protec-tion efforts and will require visitors to wear clothing and bring equipment that has not been in another cave before. In addition, staff took action by adjusting the touring season further into the spring and fall when the bats are gather-ing for, or preparing to leave, hibernation to avoid disturb-ing the bats.

The department’s Divi-sion of State Parks has a dual responsibility of preserving nature while providing op-portunities for people to enjoy our state parks. Nearly 20,000 people visit Onondaga Cave every year. Staff will con-tinue to provide information, educate and require additional measures for visitors to follow both before and after a cave tour when the cave opens for the tour season to help reduce the risk of cave-to-cave trans-mission of the fungus. Because the fungus can be carried from one cave to another through cave mud, recreational caving and most state park wild cav-ing continues to be temporar-ily curtailed.

Protecting Missouri’s caves, groundwater that flows through these underground resources and its valuable ecosystem continues to be a priority for the department. For more information on caves in Missouri, visit the department’s website at dnr.mo.gov.

Sara Parker PauleyDirector, DNR

Ozark Caverns, located at Lake of the Ozarks State Park, is best known for a deposit called “Angels’ Showers” - a never ending shower of water that seems to come out of solid rock. With lantern in hand, visitors can view sleep-ing bats, bear claw marks and the speleological wonders as the first explorers did. Credit: DNr

2 6 M A R C H 2 0 1 3

agency news - department oF natural resources

Some of the finest caverns in the state can be found at Onondaga Cave State Park, which has 29 caves with its borders. Onondaga Cave is one of America’s most spec-tacular caves because of the great abundance and quality of its speleothems or deposits. Stalactites, stalagmites, rim-stone dams, flowstones, drap-eries, soda straws and cave coral extensively decorate the cave. Because of this, Onon-daga Cave was designated as a National Natural Land-mark. Many of the deposits are still growing and a stream meanders through the cave in an entrenched canyon.

Onondaga Cave became popular as a tourist attrac-tion during the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. Visitors

from St. Louis were brought to Leasburg by the Frisco Railroad, and then trans-ported by wagon to the cave. Onondaga’s fame as a tourist attraction increased during the 1950s and 1960s under the ownership of Lester B. Dill. Careful to preserve the natural integrity of the cave, Dill expressed his wish that the cave be preserved as a state park. After Dill’s death, the cave and surrounding acreage were purchased by The Nature Conservancy and subsequently transferred to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

The park’s visitor center contains displays and exhibits that showcase Missouri as the Cave State and explain the significance of Onondaga

Cave. During the summer season, nature programs are held for park visitors, includ-ing tours of Onondaga Cave and the other spectacular cave in the park, Cathedral Cave.

Not all of the park’s spectacular features are underground. Located five miles from the park’s main section is a 317-acre unit that contains the Vilander Bluff Natural Area, which features some of the highest bluffs along the Meramec River. These towering dolomite bluffs provide a spectacular view of the Meramec River valley.

There are picnic areas near the Meramec River, which borders the park, and an open picnic shelter that can

be reserved make the park a great place for family gather-ings. More than six miles of hiking trails are available, and the river provides oppor-tunities for swimming, fishing and canoeing. The park’s campground offers electric/water campsites as well as basic campsites with concrete pads.

Onondaga Cave State Park is located off Interstate 44, seven miles south on state Route H from the Leasburg, exit 214. For information about state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com. Missouri State Parks is a divi-sion of the Missouri Depart-ment of Natural Resources

Sara Parker PauleyDirector, DNR

Spotlight on Missouri State Parks – Onondaga Cave State Park

Experience the geologic wonders such as the King’s Canopy, the Twins or the Lily Pad room, shown above, while touring Onondaga Cave. With an interesting history and river flowing through the cave, Onondaga Cave is a spectacular registered National Natural Landmark. Credit: DNr


&Honorariumsmemorials

In memory of Allan Hoover

Arnold & Helen Meysenburg ~ Lees Summit, MO

In honor of Commissioner Becky L. Plattner

Don Bedell ~ Sikeston, MO

In honor of Commissioner Don R. Johnson


In honor of Commissioner James T. Blair, IV


In memory of Jerry Case

Kenneth Eitel, Jr. ~ Kansas City, MO

In memory of Mary Katherine McGeehan

Bill & Barb Dowling ~ Saint Louis, MO

Lynda Zimmerman ~ Columbia, MO

McDonald’s ~ Overland Park, KS

McDonald’s

Donna Powers ~ Springfield, MO

Capital Region Medical Center ~ Jefferson City, MO

Enjoy hunting, fishing or just being outdoors? Own land and manage it for wildlife? If you answered yes to any of these ques-tions, the Missouri Depart-ment of Conservation (MDC) needs your help to improve its website, mdc.mo.gov.

The Conservation Department is redesigning its website to better meet user needs and interests, and needs volunteers to help test the new site and

provide suggestions. To participate, complete the registration form at http://mdc.mo.gov/node/20485.

Throughout the next year, volunteers may be contacted by MDC to participate in an online survey, help group similar topics by subject, or test portions of the new site.

Joe JerekNews Services

Coordinator, MDC

Help Improve MDC Website

Volunteers are needed to help test website improvements and provide suggestions.

2 8 M A R C H 2 0 1 3

Those who believe that late January isn’t the time to plan a sporting

clays tournament forgot to inform 112 folks suffering from cabin fever. January 26th dawned cool and clear but the brisk northwest wind didn’t chill the spirits of those who made the trek to Columbia to participate in CFM’s 2nd Annual Cabin Fever, mid-winter sport-ing clays event. The Prairie Grove Shotgun Sports club house was warm and there was plenty of venison chili and pulled pork and beef available for all of the day’s participants.

Ralph and Mary Ann Gates were terrific hosts as always and after completing the main course, many of the shooters hung around to try their hand at several of the fun games Ralph cooked up for the oc-casion. Shooters lined up to participate in the 2 and 4 man flurry, long bird and Cotton Ball Drop competitions after completing the main event. One of the most impressive shooting displays of the day was that of Terry Nibarger who littered the ground with the crumbs of 23 crackers in the Ritz Cracker shoot!

In the main event, top honors went to James Hay-hurst who won first place in A Class missing only three birds with second and third place finishes going to Tyler Schwab and Carl Sonder-mann respectively. B Class finishers from first through

third were Bob Schuette, Bryan Knowles and Tim Grace. Rounding out C Di-vision were Carson Banks, Dave Herbert and Jim Grace in that order.

If you missed this year’s Cabin Fever Shoot, mark your calendar for the last Saturday in January, 2014 and join us at Prairie Grove. We are already making plans to ensure that next year’s event will be even larger, with more prizes and shooting games for every-one!

CFM is grateful to the members and friends who offered donations of items and of their time to en-sure our success in this 2nd annual event. A very special thank you to Marilee Knerr and family, Grayson Strodtman and the Hallsville Baptist Church for their help with our meal!

CFM’s 2nd Annual Cabin Fever Clay Shoot Brings in 2013 With A Bang!

CFM’s Cabin Fever Clay Shoot was a big success! Photo credits: Debra Lee


A BIG THANKS TO THIS YEAR’S CABIN FEVER CLAY SHOOT SPONSORS!

Associated Missouri Electric Cooperatives

Bank of Missouri

Bass Pro Shops

George Clark MO State Chapter NWTF

Full Care Inc.

Joe Machen’s Dealerships

MidwayUSA

Mid-America Mortgage Services, Inc.

Mid-MO Recycling and Midwest Mailing

Missouri Conservation Pioneers

Mossie & Mike Schallon

Shafer, Kline and Warren Inc.

Socket Internet Services

Sport and Spine Rehabilitation

Trumans Bar & Grill

Whitetails Unlimited

And to our donors:Abe & Jan Phillips

Bass Pro Shop Columbia

Cathy Ergovich

Family Pawn, Columbia– Paris Road

Hallsville Baptist Church

Marilee Knerr and Family

Mid-America Mortgage

Midwest Gun Works

Norman Stucky

George Clark MO State Chapter NWTF

Glenn Chambers

Grayson Strodtman

Prairie Grove Shotgun Sports

Renee Martin

Scott & Sara Pauley

Sierra Bullets

What-Ya-Say / Cathy Ergovich

Winchester

Zach Knerr

Zoom Bait Company

And to our volunteers:Richard Ash

Mike Baker

Nathan Bias

Jim Choate

Alexis Cook

Judy Dixon

Jerry Kemple

Seth Klein

Caleb Knerr

Delbert Knerr

Jared Knerr

Jenna Knerr

Marilee Knerr

Zachary Knerr

Zachary Morris

Tom Russell

Mike Schallon

Mossie Schallon

Garrett Strodtman

Grayson Strodtman

Levi Strodtman

Norman Stucky

David Urich

3 0 M A R C H 2 0 1 3

Bill Nightingale is Mark Twain Na-tional Forest’s new forest supervisor.

Before moving to Mis-souri, Nightingale worked in USDA Forest Service’s Eastern Regional Office in Milwaukee, Wisconsin where he was a program manager for the region.

In 1978 he graduated from the University of Min-nesota with a degree in Forestry. He worked for several years as a seasonal employee before start-ing his career as a Forest Technician on the White River National Forest. He then worked on the Black Hills, Bighorn, Tongass and Superior National Forests in a variety of positions focusing on silviculture, sale prep, sale administration, and planning. He served as a District Ranger on the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest in Georgia

before joining the For-est Management staff in Milwaukee. He has also served as the Acting Forest Supervisor for the Chip-pewa and the Allegheny National Forests, along with being the Acting Re-gional Director for Public and Government Relations for the Eastern Region.

“I’m enjoying working with Mark Twain employ-ees and the communities that surround the forest” said Nightingale. He is married with two chil-dren attending college. He enjoys hunting, fishing, golfing and spending time with his family.

Nightingale’s report-ing date was November 5, 2012. He followed Dave Whittekiend, who accepted a position as the Forest Supervisor for the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest in Utah.

Mark Twain National

Forest is the largest public land manager in Missouri with 1.5 million acres in 29 counties in southern and central Missouri. Mark Twain National Forest’s mission is to continue to restore Missouri’s great

outdoors and maintain a healthy, working forest.

For more information about the Mark Twain Na-tional Forest, go to www.fs.usda.gov/mtnf or contact your local Mark Twain National Forest office.

Mark Twain National Forest Welcomes New Forest Supervisor

• A 15-oz tumbler/mug with double-wall construction and a stainless steel interior and exterior.

• Has a screw-on, lock-top lid and a curved, easy-pour spout.

• Easily fits most auto cup holders.

Only $20.00 (includes shipping/handling)

CFM Travel Mug

Order yours today! Just call CFM toll-free at (800) 575-2322.


Read complete rules on next page.

3 2 M A R C H 2 0 1 3

1. RULES: The following rules for the tournament will be used. These rules will be interpreted solely by the Tourna-ment Officials, and all decisions will be final.

2. ELIGIBILITY: All individuals, 18 years of age or older, who paid entry fee. Individuals under 18 years of age must be accompanied by parent or guardian. Need not be a member of B.A.S.S. or Mo. B.A.S.S. Federation.

3. ENTRY FEE:$100 per boat, which includes $10 into Big Bass Pool. Entries will be accepted at Harbor Ma-rina, Pornme de Terre Lake, between 5:30a.m. and 6:30 a.m.,April7, 2013.

4. HEADQUARTERS & TIMES: Harbor Marina. Fishing times are 6:30a.m. to 3:00p.m. Daylight Savings Time, Sunday, April?, 2013.

5. LIVE-WELL CHECK: ALL entries must participate in live-well checks.

6. DEPARTURE: Will be in sequence in which entry fees are received.

7. TACKLE AND EQUIPMENT: Only artificial baits or lures may be used. Pork style baits are allowed. No trolling.All

bass must be caught on rod and reel during tournament hours.

8. BOATS AND EQUIPMENT:Any boat 14 feet or longer will be accepted if powered by an engine of 10 horsepower or more. Boats must be equipped with functional, aerated live-well. Boats may not be trailered during tournament hours.Boats may not have motors which exceed the horsepower rating or BIA rating plate on boat. All Missouri Water Patrol laws and regulations apply.

9. SAFETY AND SPORTSMANSHIP: Safe boating and fishing practices must be observed. Life jackets MUST be worn during departure. Ignition “kill” switches are required. All Missouri Department of Conservation laws and regulations shall apply.

10. PERMITTED FISHING LOCATIONS: Anywhere on the tournament lake, except within fifty (50) yards of a public dock that dispenses boat gas, another contestant’s boat at anchor, or the take-off cove.

11. SCORING: Largemouth Bass,Kentucky Bass and Smallmouth Bass will be counted. Total stringer weight will determine place.Any bass under thirteen (13) inches pre-sented for weigh-in will cause two pounds to be subtracted

from total stringer weight for that day, plus the loss of the short fish. Any bass dead when presented for weigh-in (as determined by Tournament Officials) will cause a 0.25 lb. to be subtracted from total stringer weight for that day.Five (5) fish per boat may be weighed in.Any frozen, iced or mangled fish presented for weigh-in shall result in immediate dis-qualification.THE GATOR GRIP tournament ruler shall be the official measuring device.

12. TRUTH VERIFICATION:Each contestant shall be subject to a truth verification test. Anyone failing to pass test will be disqualified.Anyone refusing to such test shall be disqualified.

13. TIES: Ties will be broken by earliest starting position.

14. CHECK-IN LATE PENALTY: One (1) pound per minute, up to ten (10) minutes, then disqualification. NO EXCUSES. All participants must check in at official timer at end of courtesy dock of ramp.

15. TOURNAMENT CANCELLATION: If the tournament is cancelled due to reasons of safety on Sunday,April 7, 2013,the entry fees will be refunded.

NO REFUNDS WILL BE MADE FOR ANY OTHER REASON.Rul

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December 1 - Mark Kross: Nikon Buck-master 3x9x40 BDC Rifle Scope - Re-loaders Gun Supply - Lebanon, MO

December 2 - Mike Lewis: 1 Pair of Grub’s North American Frostline 5.0 Boots & 1/4 Acre Bag of Imperial White-tail Clover Alpha Rack Plot Mix - Farm-er’s Coop Elevator

December 3 - Gordon Conway: 2013-14 Missouri Raccoon Hunt - Donated by Rex Martensen

December 4 - Chris Hamon: 3 Mezzanine Level Missouri Tiger Basketball Tickets & Parking Pass - Donated by Randy Washburn

December 5 - Tom Russell: 2 Person Roaring River State Park Package - Do-nated by Missouri State Parks

December 6 - Chuck Drury: 2013 Wild-wood Springs Lodge Concert Package - Donated by Wildwood Springs Lodge & Huzzah Valley Resort

December 7 - Bob Hulsey: Remington 270 Rifle with Scope - Donated by Sprad-lin Insulation - Mexico, MO

December 8 - Bob Dinsdale: 1/2 Day 2 Person Guided Crappie/Bass Fishing Trip on Lake Ozark and 1 Night Lodging for 2 at Inn at Grand Glaize - John Blanken-beker Guide

December 9 - Kevin Brady: 2013 Wild-wood Springs Lodge Concert Package - Donated by Wildwood Springs Lodge & Huzzah Valley Resort

December 10 - Roger Adam: Shoulder Whitetail Deer Mount Gift Certificate - Donated by Walker’s Taxidermy - Mexi-co, MO

December 11 - Lowell Mohler: 1/2 Day 2 Person Guided Crappie/Bass Fishing Trip on Lake Ozark and 1 Night Lodging for 2 at Inn at Grand Glaize - Win Stevens Guide

December 12 - James Agnew: CZ 104 A Silver Over/Under 12ga - Donated by Spradlin Insulation - Mexico, MO

December 13 - David Illy: 2013 Fall Missouri Ozarks Fish Gigging Excursion with Alex Rutledge - Lodging Donated by Maple Tree Inn B & B

December 14 - William Illy: Full Body Wild Turkey Taxidermy Mount - Donated by Turkey Roost Taxidermy Studio

December 15 - Randy Washburn: 2013 Central Missouri “Blast & Cast” - 4 Rounds of Sporting Clays at Prairie Grove Shooting Sports and Lodging and Fishing at Cedar Creek Resort

December 16 - Tom Russell: Oklahoma Spring Wild Turkey Hunt for Rio Grande Turkeys - Donated by Eastgate Outfitters

December 17 - Mark Layne: South Da-kota Fall 2013 Pheasant Hunt - Donated by White Lake Hunting Lodge

December 18 - John Hart: Missouri Spring Youth Turkey Hunt for 1 - Do-nated by Gunn Creek Outfitters

December 19 - Donna Orf: 16’ “Discov-ery Sport Boat” Fiberglass Canoe made by Old Town - Donated by Steve Brad-ford

December 20 - Randy Walker: 2013 Car-dinal Package for 4 - Donated by Drury Hotels

December 21 - Robert Ridgley: Southern Louisiana Saltwater Redfish and Speckled Trout Flyfishing Trip in Dulac, LA - 2 Day for 2 People - Donated by Howard Cuevas and Xpectations Guide Service

December 22 - Mike Lewis: Kansas Spring Wild Turkey Hunt for 3 Days - Donated by Mid-West Adventures

December 23 - Raymond Rhinehart: 2 Person Big Cedar Lodge Package

December 24 - Mark Zisser: Alligator Hunt in Louisiana - Donated by Loui-siana Delta Plantation & Honey Brake Outfitters - Jonesville, LA

The “Voice For Missouri Outdoors” Holiday Sweepstakes WINNERS!

If there are any errors in your name and address, if you’ve moved from this address, or if you plan to move, please notify us at Missouri Wildlife, 728 W. Main, Jefferson City, MO 65101 or call (800) 575-2322. Visit our website: www.confedmo.org

vol74 no2 2013

Documents

missouri farmer

national wildlife federation

wildlife usps

national wildlife week

main jefferson city

national conservation

i s s o u r i w

mark twain national