The popular Share the Harvest deer donation program in Missouri is getting a boost as the first of the upcoming firearms hunting seasons begins on Oct. 9 with a three-day opportunity to take antlerless deer in most Missouri counties.
When the October issue of the Missouri Conservationist magazine arrives this month, it is certain to contain interesting and important information, but most noticeable will be the spectacular photography of Noppadol Paothong.
Long periods of dry weather and hot temperatures through the summer and into early fall often lead to outbreaks of hemorrhagic diseases in deer. Late August and most of September this year have produced prime conditions for deer deaths.
Antler-point restrictions have been eliminated from state deer hunting regulations for the upcoming year. I have never cared for the rule, so I am not sad to see it gone. However, the cause of its demise outweighs any joy I might feel for fin…
It’s back to school week across Missouri, and young hunters who hope to take to the field this fall must register for one more classroom assignment before they can get a permit to hunt on their own.
A Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) investigation found a St. Francois County wastewater treatment plant polluted a portion of Big River with sewage, state officials said.
When most people think about migratory birds and waterfowl, the colorful plumage and royal presence of ducks and geese come to mind, but the gray, black, and white mourning dove graces the cover of this year’s hunting digest from the state De…
A sweltering summer day seems like a splendid time to consider the forecast for the first frost of fall. That date is an important consideration for those planning on planting a food plot of forage for deer and other animals this autumn.
Powder Valley Nature Center celebrates its 35th anniversary this year. It would be disingenuous for me to say, I can’t believe it’s been around that long, because coincidentally, we have a daughter who is 35 years old this year, and she has b…
After more than 35 years of writing about hunting, fishing and the outdoors, a few topics are bound to repeat themselves. Maybe the best possible scenario for that fact played itself out earlier this month at a fishing outing with my grandnep…
Brian Waldrop stares at two abandoned tires stacked along the bank of Plattin Creek. His orange Missouri Department of Conservation T-shirt is a beacon against the bright blue sky and lush greenery.
For those who are not counting down the days until archery deer hunting season opens in Missouri, the number is now under two months. July and August are long months, and the weather makes you yearn for fall, but now is the time to begin prep…
Editor’s note: This is the third and final installment of the Leader’s series on the Missouri Department of Conservation’s whitetail deer conservation efforts, and the struggles the department currently faces. This article focuses on the loom…
Jefferson County residents hoping to participate in the state’s managed deer hunting program this fall have many things to think about before applying for their best opportunity. The most important consideration is timing. The online applicat…
The August primary election is more than a month away, and I am already sick and tired of the television advertising. The ballot includes multiple issues, and big spenders are flooding the airwaves with relentless mischaracterizations for and…
When I interviewed new Jefferson County conservation agent Dominick Montileone III earlier this month, I was not surprised to learn that one of the places he identified as part of his indoctrination to the outdoors was in the woods and water …
Every spring the state Department of Conservation sends a reminder to “leave wildlife wild” because the advice is so important for the newborns and hatchlings that sometimes end up a little too close to home.
A bear was seen on Thursday, June 11, in the Jefferson County portion of Eureka.
Deep in the recesses of my aging mind, I have the lyrics for hundreds of old country songs bouncing around. Occasionally, one of them worms its way to my consciousness. Today that song is a 1980s tune by Earl Thomas Conley: “Every once in a b…
For more than a decade Cpl. Lexis Wilson has patrolled Jefferson County with the goal of protecting our natural resources and investigating game law violations, but the role of conservation agent goes way beyond those familiar tasks.
The deluge of overnight rain certainly played a part, but I was surprised to see so many box turtles crossing the road during a recent morning trip through central Missouri. This is the time of year when they are most active, and the good new…
I love this line from Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer. I feel like it strikes close to home.
Everyone is opposed to the boogeyman, and the state Department of Conservation is poised to jump on him with both feet.
All conversations about rails-to-trails conversions in our state begin with the story of the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad corridor. The MKT rail line property is now the 240-mile Katy Trail State Park from near the confluence of the Missour…
