Women can discover nature through rabbit hunting

Puxico, Missouri - The Valentine’s Day weekend is the perfect time for Southeast Missouri women to relax and have fun hunting rabbits, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC). The annual Women’s Rabbit Hunting Clinic is scheduled for Feb. 11, beginning at 8 a.m., near Duck Creek Conservation Area.

“This is a very hands-on course and is an environment where anyone can learn, even if they’ve never fired a gun before,” said Conservation Agent Mic Plunkett.

The clinic begins with an introduction to rabbit hunting, where the women learn rabbit species identification, hunting techniques, safety and regulations. They then learn how beagles assist in hunting rabbits before testing their shooting capabilities with expert instruction.

"We ensure each participant gets an opportunity to target shoot with one-on-one instruction before we take them to the field to hunt,” Plunkett said.

After target practice and classroom instruction, the group is accompanied by guides while they try their hand at hunting rabbits. At the end of the day, there’s instruction on cleaning and cooking the harvest before the new hunters share their hunting stories.

Plunkett said those who sign up should come prepared for camaraderie, shared adventures and excitement.

"Every part of the clinic is designed to take someone through the whole experience step by step to ensure safety, a fun time and an understanding of why hunting is important,” Plunkett said.

“This rabbit hunting clinic is part of the Conservation Department’s mission to help people discover nature by spending time outdoors,” Plunkett said.

For more information and to sign up for the Women’s Rabbit Hunting Clinic, call the MDC’s Southeast Regional Office at (573) 290-5730. For more information about rabbit hunting in Missouri, go online to mdc.mo.gov/hunting.

Top harvest counties were Howell, Franklin, and Texas.

Missouri -  Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) shows that deer hunters in Missouri harvested 185,066 deer during the November portion of fall firearms deer season, Nov. 12-22. Of the 185,066 deer harvested, 95,383 were antlered bucks, 18,889 were button bucks, and 70,794 were does. Top harvest counties were Howell with 3,910 deer checked, Franklin with 3,738, and Texas with 3,562.

Last year, hunters checked 186,542 deer during the 2015 November portion of firearms deer season with 90,094 being antlered bucks, 20,911 being button bucks, and 75,537 being does.

MDC reported three firearms-related hunting incidents during the fall firearms November portion. Two of the three incidents involved self-inflicted firearm wounds and occurred in Barry and Camden counties. The third involved one hunter in a party in Grundy County wounding another while shooting at a deer.

Deer hunting in Missouri continues with archery deer hunting from Nov. 23 through Jan. 15, firearms late youth portion Nov. 25-27, firearms antlerless portion Dec. 2-4, and firearms alternative methods portion Dec. 24 through Jan. 3.

Top harvest counties for opening weekend were Franklin, Howell, and Texas.

Missouri -  Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) shows that deer hunters in Missouri harvested 96,131 deer during the opening weekend of the November portion of the fall firearms deer season Nov. 12 and 13. Of the 96,131 deer harvested, 55,753 were antlered bucks, 8,873 were button bucks, and 31,505 were does.

Top harvest counties for opening weekend were Franklin with 2,041 deer checked, Howell with 1,950 and Texas with 1,939.

Last year hunters checked 97,002 deer during the opening weekend of the 2015 November portion of firearms deer season.

The November portion of fall firearms deer seasons continues through Nov. 22. Archery deer season opens again Nov. 23 through Jan. 15, 2016. The late youth portion of firearms deer season runs Nov. 25-27. The antlerless portion of firearms deer season runs Dec. 2-4. Lastly the alternative methods portion will run Dec. 24- Jan. 3, 2017.

Missouri offers some of the best deer hunting in the country and deer hunting is an important part of many Missourians’ lives and family traditions. Deer hunting is also an important economic driver in Missouri and gives a $1 billion annual boost to the state and local economies.

Article by the Missouri Conservation Department.  Provided photo of Dace Wisdom and his first deer!

Congratulations to Mark McArtor on breaking the state record by catching a 9-pound, 1-ounce hybrid striped bass with a jug line on the Lake of the Ozarks.

Camdenton, Missouri - The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reports that Mark McArtor of Camdenton became the most recent record-breaking angler in Missouri when he caught a hybrid striped bass on the Lake of the Ozarks.

The new “alternative method” record hybrid striped bass caught by McArtor on Oct. 31 weighed 9-pounds, 1-ounce with a length of 27 inches. McArtor caught the fish with a jug line in front of his house on the lake.

“My wife and I are thrilled to have caught a state record fish,” McArtor said. “I still can’t believe it!”

McArtor said he was using shad for bait trying to catch blue catfish when he caught the large hybrid striped bass.

“This wasn’t the first hybrid striped bass we caught,” he said. “We actually caught a pretty decent sized one last year, but it didn’t meet the qualifications for the Department’s master angler program.”

MDC staff verified the record-weight fish using a certified scale in Camdenton. This is the 15th state record fish caught this year by an angler.

“A state record fish can be caught any time of the year, but we normally do not receive many state record fish applications once summer is over, “said MDC Fisheries Programs Specialist Andrew Branson. “But since the weather has been warmer this year a lot people are still fishing, which means a better chance of someone catching a state record fish.”

McArtor noted he hopes to catch more state record fish like this one with his wife.

“Catching another state record would be great, but really I am just happy with what the lake provides,” McArtor said.

Missouri state-record fish are recognized in two categories: pole-and-line and alternative methods. Alternative methods include: throwlines, trotlines, limb lines, bank lines, jug lines, spearfishing, snagging, snaring, gigging, grabbing, archery, and atlatl.

Photo and article submitted by the Missouri Conservation Department.

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) announced that hunters checked 3,698 turkeys during Missouri’s fall firearms turkey season, Oct. 1-31. Last year’s fall firearms turkey harvest total was 6,158. Top harvest counties for the 2016 fall firearms turkey season were Greene with 128, Franklin with 96, and Wayne with 92.

MDC’s turkey biologist says this year’s low fall firearms turkey harvest total can be attributed to several factors, including a poor turkey hatch, above-average acorn production, and a decline in hunter participation.

“This year’s turkey hatch was very poor, so there were far fewer young birds for hunters to pursue this fall,” said MDC Turkey Biologist Jason Isabelle. “We had above-average acorn production in much of the state this year as well, which typically results in fewer turkeys being harvested.”

In addition to the effects of a poor turkey hatch and above-average acorn production, interest in the fall firearms turkey season has been declining in Missouri as it has in a number of states.

Isabelle noted, “This year’s fall firearms turkey permit sales total of 11,696 permits was the lowest on record since the season started in 1978.”

Fall archery turkey hunting continues through Nov. 11 and then resumes again from Nov. 23 through Jan. 15, 2017.