Missouri - The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) announces that Missouri hunters, anglers, and trappers may use electronic images of permits on mobile devices as legal, valid permits beginning July 30. Prior to this, hunters, anglers, and trappers had to have paper copies of permits on them when pursuing these activities.
For fishing permits and most hunting permits, an electronic image of the permit -- such as a PDF (Portable Document Format) -- on a mobile device will be sufficient. The exceptions are for deer and turkey permits.
Use free MO Hunting mobile app for deer and turkey permits
Deer and turkey hunters must void their permits after harvesting related game animals and report their harvests using the Telecheck harvest reporting system. A simple electronic image of those permits is not sufficient to complete this process. MDC’s free MO Hunting mobile app takes care of these requirements.
MO Hunting enables Missouri hunters, anglers, and trappers to purchase, view, show, and store current hunting, fishing, and trapping permits and associated details. It also shows permits purchased during the previous year. MO Hunting also lets deer and turkey hunters electronically void their permits and Telecheck their harvests directly from the app. MO Hunting even uploads Telecheck confirmation numbers back to the mobile device and enables hunters to view details on all deer and turkey they have previously checked.
MO Hunting is available in the Google Play and iTunes stores. Get MO Hunting and learn more about the app at mdc.mo.gov/mobile/mobile-apps.
Deer and turkey tagging still required if hunters leave game
Deer and turkey hunters must still tag their harvested game if they leave the immediate presence of the harvested animal. Hunters using paper permits may simply attach the voided permit to the animal’s leg. MDC suggests sealing the paper permit in a zip-top bag and attaching the bag with string, wire, or tape. Hunters using the MO Hunting app must attach a label with their full name, address, permit number, and date of harvest to the deer or turkey’s leg if they leave the animal unattended.
Additional labeling requirements
After being Telechecked, harvested deer and turkeys may be possessed, transported, and stored by anyone when labeled with the permit or any label that includes the full name and address of the hunter, date taken, and Telecheck confirmation number.
Get more information on hunting, fishing, and trapping from MDC online at mdc.mo.gov.
Mourning doves, Eurasian collared doves, and white-winged doves may be taken from Sept. 1 through Nov. 9 from one half hour before sunrise to sunset with a combined daily limit of 15 and a combined possession limit of 45 for all three species.
Sora and Virginia rails may be taken from Sept. 1 through Nov. 9 from one half hour before sunrise to sunset with a combined daily limit of 25 and a combined possession limit of 75 for both species.
Wilson’s (Common) snipe may be taken from Sept. 1 through Dec. 16 from one half hour before sunrise to sunset with a daily limit of eight and a possession limit of 24.
Blue-winged, green-winged, and cinnamon teal may be taken from Sept 12 through Sept. 27 from sunrise to sunset with a combined daily limit of six and a combined possession limit of 18 for all three species.
American woodcock may be taken from Oct. 15 through Nov. 28 from one half hour before sunrise to sunset with a daily limit of three and a possession limit of nine.
Additional details about early migratory bird hunting regulations will be published in MDC’s “2015 Migratory Bird Hunting Digest” available later this summer where hunting permits are sold, at MDC offices and nature centers, and online at mdc.mo.gov.
“We’ve been collecting bugs for our insect zoo for weeks and we can’t wait to show them off at this event,” said Jordi Brostoski, a Cape Nature Center naturalist.
Though they may be tiny, bugs have big stories to tell about adaptations and the many ways they survive. Certain types of cicadas spend more than a decade underground before emerging as adults. Some bugs, like water striders can actually walk on water due to the surface tension of the water and the strider’s brush-like leg structure. A dragonfly nymph may be a bug, but that doesn’t stop it from being a carnivore and devouring a tadpole.
“We may underestimate the lives of bugs, but I think folks will find there’s a lot to discover about these little creatures,” Brostoski said.
This event will explore those stories through insect hikes, a bug zoo and crafts.
No registration is required for this event and all ages are welcome.
Hercules beetles have amazing strength, as they're able to lift more than 850 times their own weight. Learn more fascinating bug stories at Insectigations, July 18, at the Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center. (MDC file photo)
Missouri - One of the most catchable fish in Missouri waters, especially in the summer months, is the group known as panfish, and the peak catching time is now.
In late June and early July, concentrations of bluegills will be spawning along shallow lake or pond shores.
Look for craters of round light spots on the bottom, which are the nest sites.
Bluegills and sunfish relatives are excellent table fare, possibly better flavored than walleye. These panfish may be filleted or scaled, then rolled in seasoned flour and fried.
Jack Anderson and his wife of 42 years, Charlotte, settled in his boat and cruised to their favorite bluegill and crappie fishing hole. Anderson pointed out that his wife has matched casts with him ever since they made a honeymoon fishing trip to the Lake of the Ozarks back in 1973.
Like many Missouri anglers, the Andersons have been called panfish anglers, which is appropriate for people who primarily fish for bluegill, perch and crappie.
Charlotte said, " We like to fish for panfish because we like to eat what we catch. You can't get a better tasting fish than a crappie or bluegill."
On one of their latest fishing trips, the goal was to put enough fish in the boat for a couple of meals. In seconds after arriving at one of their favorite spots, they cast their hooks with earthworms. In less time it took to say, "I got one," Jack pulled in an 8-inch fighting bluegill. As he spoke, his wife hauled in another big bluegill. In less than an hour, they had caught about two dozen fish including a one-pound crappie.
Anderson said, " I have done a lot of bank fishing in my life, particularly when I had trouble with my back. Like anyone who fishes for panfish from the bank the biggest problem is getting your line far enough out to catch fish. I found by using a small sinker and a bobber works best."
It doesn't matter if the couple are fishing from the bank or in a boat, they catch their share of panfish and then some.
A closer look at Missouri panfish:
Green sunfish: State record is 2 pounds, 2 ounces taken from Stockton Lake back in 1971. Its back is dark olive with lighter sides. The gill cover lobe is black, except for light colored red margin. Six years would be a long life for green sunfish.
Bluegill: State record is 3 pounds taken back in 1963 from a pond. Like most of the panfish, bluegills provide good table fare. They may be best when coated with seasoned flour and fried in butter. The bluegill's fighting qualities are excellent. They can be taken on a wide variety of lures and bait.
White crappie: The state record is 4 pounds, 9 ounces taken in 2000 from a pond. It has the same general appearance as a black crappie except slightly more elongated. It also has sides of silver with shades of purple and seven to nine vertical bars. It's good on the table, but a notch lower on the culinary scale than the black crappie. They generally don't fight as well as the black crappie.
Black crappie: The state record is 4 pounds, 8 ounces, taken from a farm pond in 1967. The black crappie can live 10 years or longer. It has dark specks on sides than are both yellow and green. It offers good table fare. Black crappie are good fighters who prefer clearer water than the white crappie.
Panfishing techniques
For panfish, most anglers rely on small hooks tipped with minnows or worms. Spinners and small spoons work on panfish.
Fly fishing anglers have good luck with panfish species by casting small poppers to top feeding fish and using wet flies to drop into feeding zones.
Pan-fishermen will want to look for dropoffs during the summer. Still-fishing with a small jig or flyfishing with wet flies or small poppers is effective for bluegills.
With thousands of ponds, many large impoundments and streams to fish plus a season that never closes, Missouri pan-fishermen are ready for a summer of good fishing and great eating.
Frogging can be done with either a fishing permit or a small game permit. Children under the age of 16 and Missouri residents 65 years of age or older are not required to have a permit. The Wildlife Code of Missouri allows those with a fishing permit to take frogs by hand, hand net, atlatl, gig, bow, trotline, throw line, limb line, bank line, jug line, snagging, snaring, grabbing or pole and line. With a small game hunting permit, frogs may be harvested using a .22-caliber or smaller rimfire rifle or pistol, pellet gun, atlatl, bow, crossbow, or by hand or hand net. The use of an artificial light is permitted when frogging.
Missouri has two frog species that are legal game — bullfrog and green frog. Bullfrogs are larger and therefore more sought-after. The taste and texture of frog meat is similar to that of fresh-water fish. For frog leg recipes, visit the MDC website at mdc.mo.gov/node/15131.
The daily limit is eight frogs of both species combined. The possession limit allows you to have no more than 16 frogs at a time.
It's important to know once a frog is speared or shot, it must be harvested. The Wildlife Code of Missouri prohibits the release of a speared frog as "wanton waste" because the animal is not likely to recover. Any frog taken into actual possession, unless immediately released unharmed after being caught, is included in the daily limit.
Almost any place with enough water to float a canoe is likely to harbor at least a few frogs. Frogs can be found in farm ponds and huge reservoirs, creeks, drainage ditches and rivers, sloughs, marshes and swamps statewide.
Conservation makes Missouri a great place to hunt and fish, so grab a gig and visit a pond or simply grab a frog and head to the frying pan before the "frog days" of summer are over.
