Dexter, Missouri - Year number six of the Otter Slough Greenwing Event has come and gone.  If you missed it then you missed a good time.  Fisheries Management Biologist Mike Reed got the crowd of approximately 200 started on the right foot with some nice largemouth bass, crappie and bluegill which were shocked, tagged and returned to Cypress Lake.  Mike told the 80 or so youth who crowded along the shoreline around his boat, “Catch one of these fish with a red tag and I’ll buy you a chocolate milkshake.”   That’s all it took for at least one young angler who turned to his dad and said, “I want to fish here!”

From fish the group moved to banding doves, shooting ducks on the Ducks Unlimited laser shot game, watching a Labrador retriever do his thing and then to the main event of banding and releasing wood ducks.  The day was topped off with an explosive demonstration of a rocket net as Wildlife Biologist Tommy Marshall managed to capture three snow goose decoys to show folks a common wildlife capture technique. 

Several MDC staff members were on hand to answer questions and help with the work at hand.  In addition, volunteers from four area Ducks Unlimited committees helped remove ducks from trap and net sites.  Some volunteers were up at 4:00 am in order to get to their assigned stations on time.  Mike Wilburn of the Dexter Ducks Unlimited committee commented, “It was just like getting up for duck season only without the shotgun!”   DU volunteers handed out commemorative duck bands, duck calls and other free items to youth who attended.  Wilburn told the youth, “Now you’ve been banded too!” 

This year’s event was the biggest and best yet.  We captured more birds and had more youth ready to band and release them.  DU volunteers and a bunch of eager kids helped trap, band and release a total of 76 wood ducks, mourning doves and one hen mallard.  We are already making plans to improve our catch rates and hopefully continue to grow the event.  Getting kids excited about the outdoors and conservation is the best part of my job and Saturday’s event definitely accomplished that.  We hope that everyone makes time to head outdoors and we will see you next July about 7 am on a Saturday morning as Area Manager Kevin Brunke and his staff host the next Otter Slough Greenwing Event. 

Mark Reed

Stoddard County Conservation Agent

Missouri Department of Conservation

573-421-3240

mark.reed@mdc.mo.gov