Cape Girardeau, Missouri - The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center will host “Maple Sugaring” Saturday, Feb. 14 from 1-4 p.m. This program is all about the history, equipment and process of making maple syrup and sugar.

“This event is self-guided and partially outdoors so that we can show the entire process of backyard sugaring,” said Angela Pierce, a naturalist at the Nature Center. Pierce said maple sugaring has a long history in America, with earliest records of Indians using syrup for barter in the 1600s.

Though some think sugar maple trees are only found in Northeastern and North central regions of the country, the trees are also found in Missouri and have a rich history of use for maple sugaring.

Pierce said maple sugaring is a great way for people to discover nature in the cooler months. However, there are techniques that should be used to ensure the health of trees when they are tapped for sap.

“This event will teach the appropriate conservation practices for successful backyard sugaring,” said Pierce.

The maple sugaring program is just one way the MDC helps people discover nature. All groups and ages are welcome and no registration is needed. For more information on this and other events at the Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center, call 573-290-5218 or go online to mdc.mo.gov/capenaturecenter.

Fruitland, Missouri - On Nov. 25, 2014, a fire at the northbound Fruitland Rest Area left the building unusable. The facility has remained closed since that time. The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) will open the facility open Friday, Jan. 23 to primarily serve commercial truck parking.

"We looked at rebuilding the facility versus converting it to truck parking," said MoDOT Assistant District Engineer Matt Seiler. "The cost to rebuild the rest area, not including yearly maintenance contracts, would cost Missouri taxpayers more than $115,000. We weighed that against the number of nearby private businesses offering 24-hour service to travelers. We feel converting the facility to truck parking is the best option for the taxpayers of Missouri."

Once fully converted, the site will offer more than 15 parking spaces for commercial trucks and vault restrooms. Until the vault restrooms are complete, portable restrooms will be available.

"Currently, the cost to maintain the Welcome Centers at Marston and Hayti, as well as the dual Fruitland facilities and northbound Bloomsdale rest area is nearly $1,400,000," said Seiler. "Because of the reduced maintenance with the conversion to truck parking, we are negotiating new rest area cleaning contracts. Any additional cost savings to Missouri taxpayers will be spent to repair roads and bridges."

Missouri began constructing rest areas based on criteria established in 1968. At that time, rest areas were constructed to provide travelers with restroom facilities and a place to stretch their legs. With private businesses now providing these same opportunities and better built vehicles, the need for rest areas is not as critical today. But there is a growing demand for commercial vehicle parking.

"Parking space for commercial vehicles is a nationwide concern," said Seiler. "Commercial vehicles comprise approximately 30 to 35 percent of the average daily traffic on our interstates. More parking will help commercial vehicle operators meet their USDOT requirements to rest and will reduce the current, unsafe practice of parking on ramps."

The Southeast District has previously converted four facilities to truck parking along Interstate 55. Those include the dual rest areas located in Steele, the northbound facility at Marston and the southbound facility at Bloomsdale. All feature parking for commercial vehicles and vault restrooms, while the Bloomsdale facility houses a weigh scale also.

For more information, contact Seiler at (573) 472-5340 or call MoDOT's Customer Service Center toll-free at 1-888-ASK-MODOT (1-888-275-6636).

Puxico, Missouri - Bald eagles are large birds of prey and in winter they follow waterfowl flocks that often settle on southern wetlands in large numbers. Together, eagles, geese and ducks provide a dramatic winter show. Hosted by the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Eagle Days event includes wildlife viewing opportunities outdoors and indoor nature programs Saturday, Feb. 7, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Pat Holloway, an MDC education consultant, said families and visitors of all ages can expect a fun, adventurous event that will help conquer cabin fever.

”Join us for an outdoor nature experience and discover cool facts about bald eagles, which were chosen as our nation’s symbol in 1782,” Holloway said, adding that visitors are encouraged to dress appropriate for outdoor winter weather.

Staff from Dickerson Park Zoo will present educational programs featuring a live eagle throughout the day. The Mingo National Wildlife Visitor Center will display items related to eagles. Several outdoor spotting scope sites on Mingo National Wildlife Refuge and Duck Creek Conservation Area (CA) will provide opportunities to view eagles, ducks and geese in the wild. Both Mingo and Duck Creek are expansive areas, so visitors are encouraged to pick up a brochure containing a map of the eagle viewing stations when they arrive.

All Eagle Days activities are free. Mingo National Wildlife Refuge and Duck Creek CA are located along highway 51, north of Puxico. For more information about Eagle Days events, call Mingo National Wildlife Refuge at (573) 222-3589 or MDC at (573)290-5730. To learn more about eagles and places to view them in Missouri, visit the MDC website at mdc.mo.gov/events/eagledays.

Article by Candice Davis.  Photo submitted by MDC.

Jefferson City, Missouri - Missouri’s 2014-2015 deer-hunting closed Jan. 15 with the conclusion of the state’s archery season. The Missouri Department of Conservation reported that the total deer harvest for the current season was 260,552, which is 7,978 more than the 252,574 deer checked during the previous year.

Hunters checked 51,755 deer during the current archery season with top counties being Jefferson with 1,080, St. Louis with 1,063, and Franklin with 1,032. The harvest for the previous year’s deer archery season was 1,248 fewer at 50,507.

The 2014-2015 archery turkey season also closed Jan. 15 with a total of 2,587 birds checked compared to the previous year of 2,546 birds checked. Top counties were Greene with 64, Franklin with 60, and Callaway with 54.

For more information on the 2014-2015 deer harvest, and past-year deer harvest summaries, go online to http://mdc.mo.gov/node/29442.

MDC also reported 14 hunting incidents during the 2014-2015 deer hunting season. Four were fatal and involved a fall from a tree stand, a heater explosion in a deer blind, a gunshot wound from another hunter, and a heart attack while hunting.


Dates for the 2015-2016 firearms deer season are:

Urban portion – Oct. 9 through 12
Early youth portion – Oct. 31 and Nov. 1
November portion – Nov. 14 through 24
Antlerless portion – Nov. 25 through Dec. 6
Alternative-methods portion – Dec. 19 through 29
Late youth portion – Jan. 2 and 3
The 2015-2016 archery deer and turkey season will run Sept. 15 through Jan. 15, excluding the November portion of deer season, Nov. 14 through 24.

Conservation makes Missouri a great place to hunt deer and turkey. For more information, go online to www.mdc.mo.gov.

Jefferson City, Missouri - Missouri youth, archery, and firearms turkey hunters can apply online for managed hunts during the 2015 spring turkey season beginning Jan. 9 to Feb. 28 through the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) website at mdc.mo.gov/node/11252. Managed hunt details and application procedures are outlined on the webpage. Application results will be available beginning March 13.

Spring turkey hunting youth weekend will be April 11 - 12 with the regular spring season running April 20 - May 10.

Detailed information on spring turkey hunting will be available in MDC’s 2015 Spring Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information booklet available online at mdc.mo.gov in late January with printed booklets available from permit vendors and MDC offices and nature centers around the state beginning in mid-February.

Conservation makes Missouri a great place to turkey hunt. To learn more, go online to mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/turkey-hunting.

Photo taken by Anthony Beeson.