Missouri Conservation Commission Conservation Action for August 2012
OutdoorHub 08.26.12
The Conservation Commission met Aug. 23 and 24 at Conservation Department Headquarters in Jefferson City. Commissioners present were:
Don C. Bedell, Sikeston, Chair
James T. Blair, IV, St. Louis, Vice Chair
Don R. Johnson, Festus, Member
ADMINISTRATION
The Commission:
- Received staff presentations from:
- Fisheries Management Biologist Mike Bayless concerning management of blue catfish at Truman Reservoir and Lake of the Ozarks
- Wildlife Ecologist Max Alleger concerning quail and small-game management
- Chief Financial Officer Margie Mueller regarding Fiscal Year 2012 year-end review of revenue and expenditure trends
- Design & Development Division Chief Jacob Careaga and Information Technology Services Chief Douglas Fees regarding fiscal year 2012 year-end review of major construction projects completed and major capital improvements and information technology projects funded in fiscal year 2013 budget
- Received public comments from Sam James and Donald Hill regarding a proposed moratorium on new Class I Wildlife Breeder facilities and Licensed Hunting Preserves that hold captive deer
- Designated an addition of 2,042 acres to the Ha Ha Tonka Oak Woodland Natural Area owned and managed by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Division of State Parks, in Camden County
- Authorized MDC staff to seek:
- An executive lump-sum spending authority of $146,886,261 for fiscal year 2014
- A capital improvement biennial spending authority of $48,000,000 for fiscal years 2014 and 2015
- Appropriations to other state agencies from the Conservation Commission Fund for fiscal year 2014 for related operational expenditures
- Approved the sale of .1 acre of the Drynob Access in Laclede County to the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission.
- Entering into a contract with Verslues Construction Company, Inc., Jefferson City, for the construction of the Maramec Spring Fish Hatchery Monitoring System Project in Phelps County, at a total estimated cost of $354,106.
- Entering into a contract with Cahills Construction, Inc., Salem, for the construction of the Charles W. Green Conservation Area Resource Science Storage Building Project in Boone County, at a total estimated cost of $284,800.
- Suspended hunting, fishing and/or trapping privileges of nine Missouri residents for Wildlife Code violations. Those whose privileges were suspended are:
- Rodney E. Allen, Dexter, hunting, 1 year
- Dalton J. Brown, Dearborn, all sport privileges, 1 year
- Evinn C. Dilly, Jasper, hunting and trapping, 4 years
- Jedidiah P. Morris, Greenfield, hunting, 1 year
- Gabriel Onisoru, Springfield, fishing, 1 year
- Joshua E. Sadler, Park Hills, hunting, 1 year
- Corey A. Shores, St. Joseph, all sport privileges, 1 year
- Dustin J. Skaggs, Gipsy, hunting and trapping, 6 months
- Tyler R. Wheeler, Liberal, hunting and trapping, 8 years
- Approved the suspension or revocation of all hunting and fishing privileges of 278 people who are not in compliance with applicable child-support laws. Privileges suspended for noncompliance are reinstated once the Division of Child Support Enforcement notifies MDC that suspendees have come into compliance with the required laws.
- Suspended privileges of three Missouri residents and 210 nonresidents under the provisions of the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact.
- Imposed hunting privilege suspensions of one to three years for seven Missouri residents who injured other persons in hunting incidents. The hunters must complete a hunter-education training course before restoration of privileges.
- Set the next regular Conservation Commission meeting for Oct. 18 and 19 in Branson.
REGULATIONS
The Commission:
- Approved the following 2012-2013 waterfowl hunting seasons.
Ducks
North Zone:
- Youth season – Oct. 20 and 21
- Regular season – Oct. 27 through Dec. 25
Middle Zone:
- Youth season – Oct. 27 and 28
- Regular season – Nov. 3 through Jan. 1
South Zone:
- Youth season – Nov. 17 and 18
- Regular season – Nov. 22 through Jan. 20
- Shooting Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset.
- Bag Limit: Six ducks daily with species restrictions of:
- 4 mallards (no more than 2 females)
- 4 scaup
- 3 wood ducks
- 2 redheads
- 2 hooded mergansers
- 2 pintail
- 1 canvasback
- 1 black duck
- 1 mottled duck
Possession Limit: Twice the daily bag (in total 12; varies by species).
Coots
Coot season runs concurrently with duck seasons in the respective zones with a daily bag limit of 15 and a possession limit of 30.
Geese
Blue, snow, and Ross’s geese – Oct. 27 – Jan. 31 statewide
White-fronted geese – Nov. 22 – Jan. 31 statewide
Canada geese and brant – Oct. 6 – Oct. 14 statewide and
Nov. 22 – Jan. 31 statewide
Shooting Hours – One-half hour before sunrise to sunset.
Bag/Possession Limit – The bag and possession limits include no more than three Canada geese daily (six in possession), 20 blue, snow, and Ross’s geese (all species combined) daily (no possession limit) with, two white-fronted geese daily (four in possession), and one brant daily (two in possession).
FALCONRY SEASON FOR DUCKS, COOTS, AND MERGANSERS:
Falconry is open during the teal (16 days) and regular gun duck season (60 days), including the youth season (2 days) in the respective zones, leaving 29 days remaining for extended falconry. The extended falconry days areFeb. 10 through March 10 statewide. The daily bag and possession limits shall not exceed three and six birds, respectively, singly, or in the aggregate during the regular duck hunting seasons (including teal and youth seasons) and extended falconry seasons.
LIGHT GOOSE CONSERVATION ORDER:
Persons must possess a Conservation Order permit to chase, pursue, and take blue, snow, and Ross’s geese between the hours of one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset from Feb. 1 through April 30, 2013. Any other regulation notwithstanding. Conservation Order participants may use electronic calls and shotguns capable of holding more than three shells. A daily bag limit will not be in effect during the Conservation Order.
ZONES: Zone boundaries remain the same as last year.
NONTOXIC SHOT:
Shells possessed or used while hunting waterfowl and coots statewide, and for other species as designated by posting on public areas, must be loaded with material approved as nontoxic by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
Full details of waterfowl hunting regulations are available in the 2013-2014 Waterfowl Hunting Digest, available wherever hunting permits are sold or online at mdc.mo.gov/node/5646.
- Established an emergency amendment that places a moratorium on new Class I Wildlife Breeder facilities and Licensed Hunting Preserves that hold captive deer to limit the spread of CWD in Missouri.
- Approved various area-specific regulations.
