Dexter, Missouri - Four Dexter Bearcat Baseball athletes earned Honorable Mention on the 2017 All-Conference Baseball Team.  Congratulations to Spencer Owens, Clay Mullins, Hunter Parrott, and Kris Rinehart.

The full team is listed below.

Pitchers: Will Gilmer from Sikeston, Colten Weber from Jackson, Noah Brown from Notre Dame, Ronin Rice from Poplar Bluff, Tanner Tibbs from Poplar Bluff, and Drake Mills from Cape Central.

Infielders

Will Pratt — Sikeston

Ty Ellis — Kennett

Tyson Cox — Poplar Bluff

Turner Fritts — Poplar Bluff

Braeden Dobbs — Jackson

Justice Crosnoe — Jackson

Garrett Siebert — Notre Dame

Outfielders

Trey Smith — Sikeston

Cameren West — Kennett

Mike Anagnostopoulos — Poplar Bluff

Palmer Campbell — New Madrid

Cole Welker — Jackson

Catchers

Patrick Maddox — Kennett

Mason Libla — Poplar Bluff

Trevor Haas — Notre Dame

Utility

Matt Lambert — Poplar Bluff

Drew Brown — Jackson

Bryce Bays — Sikeston

Pitcher of the Year: Ronin Rice — Poplar Bluff

Co-Players of the Year: Braeden Dobbs — Jackson

Tyson Cox — Poplar Bluff

Coach of the Year: Steven Edwards -— Poplar Bluff

Honorable Mention

Spencer Owens — Dexter

Clay Mullins — Dexter

Hunter Parrott — Dexter

Kris Rinehart — Dexter

Thailin Marsh — New Madrid

Jacob Keene — New Madrid

Brian Sylvester — New Madrid

Joe Darlin — Poplar Bluff

Jared Moses — Poplar Bluff

Chase Silman — New Madrid

Jarrett Newell — Jackson

Zane Wallace — Kennett

Tyler Knight — Jackson

Joe Baker — Cape Central

Hunter Hiett — Cape Central

Brenton Tidd — Kennett

Winston Welter — Notre Dame

Austin Dill — Notre Dame

Reid James — Notre Dame

Will Ferrell — Notre Dame

Wyatt Pratt — Sikeston

Congratulations to James Lucas on breaking the state record by catching a 1-pound, 1-ounce redear sunfish with a throwline.

O'Fallon, Missouri -  The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reports James Lucas of O’Fallon became the most recent record-breaking angler in Missouri when he caught a redear sunfish on a private pond in Lincoln County. The new “alternative method” record fish caught by Lucas on March 24 weighed 1 pound, 1 ounce. Lucas’ recent catch broke the previous state record of 6-ounces, caught in 1996.

“I was pretty excited when I pulled the redear sunfish out of the water because fishing that day wasn’t easy,” James Lucas said.

Lucas added the weather outside wasn’t great for fishing when he caught the new state record.

“I’m just thankful my friend drove the boat and braved the conditions with me while I caught another state-record fish,” Lucas said.

Lucas is pretty familiar with state-record fish, as he now holds two of them in Missouri.

“I caught this fish on purpose with my throwline because I want to break more state records,” Lucas said.

Lucas caught the fish with a throwline. A throwline is a method for catching fish that involves lowering or throwing a fishing line into the water without the use of a rod and reel. The line can be anchored to an object on shore or held in hand.

“I choose to use a throwline because it is very challenging, and I enjoy a challenge!” said Lucas.

MDC weighed the redear sunfish on a certified scale in O’Fallon.

“This is the fourth state-record fish this year. 2017 is shaping up to be a year for state-record fish,” said MDC Fisheries Programs Specialist Andrew Branson. “The mild weather we have had this year means more anglers are fishing, and catching big fish.”

Lucas said he released the redear sunfish back into the private pond, and now plans to go after more state-record fish.

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.

MDC sets migratory game bird and waterfowl hunting seasons

New hunting-zone boundaries approved in 2016 will be implemented beginning this year.

Jefferson City, Missouri - At its April 7 meeting, the Missouri Conservation Commission approved recommendations from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) for the upcoming 2017 migratory-game-bird hunting season and 2017-2018 waterfowl hunting season.

2017 MIGRATORY GAME BIRD HUNTING

Mourning Doves, Eurasian Collared Doves, and White-Winged Doves
Season: Sept. 1 through Nov. 29
Limits: 15 daily and 45 in possession combined total for all three species
Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset

Sora and Virginia Rails
Season: Sept. 1 through Nov. 9
Limits: 25 daily and 75 in possession combined for both species
Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset

Wilson's (Common) Snipe
Season: Sept. 1 through Dec. 16
Limits: 8 daily and 24 in possession
Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset

American Woodcock
Season: Oct. 15 through Nov. 28
Limits: 3 daily and 9 in possession
Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset

2017-2018 WATERFOWL HUNTING
Duck-season dates for 2017-2018 provide additional late-season hunting opportunities.

Teal
Season: Sept. 9-24
Limits: 6 daily and 18 in possession
Hours: Sunrise to sunset

Ducks
Season:
North Zone: Nov. 4 through Jan. 2, 2018
Middle Zone: Nov. 4 through 10 and Nov. 16 through Jan. 7, 2018
South Zone: Nov. 23 through 26 and Dec. 4 through Jan. 28, 2018
Bag Limit: 6 ducks daily with species restrictions of:

• 4 mallards (no more than 2 females)
• 3 scaup
•  wood ducks
• 2 redheads
• 2 hooded mergansers
• 1 pintail (new limit)
• 2 canvasbacks
• 2 black ducks (new limit)
• 1 mottled duck

Possession Limit: Three times the daily bag or 18 total, varies by species
Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset

Coots
Season: Same as duck season dates in the respective zones
Limits: 15 daily and 45 in possession
Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset

Snow, Blue, and Ross's Geese
Season: Nov. 11 through Feb. 6, 2018
Limits: 20 blue, snow, or Ross's geese daily with no possession limit
Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset

White-Fronted Geese
Season: Nov. 11 through Feb. 6, 2018
Limits: 2 daily and 6 in possession
Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset

Canada Geese and Brant
Season: Oct. 7-15 and Nov. 11 – Feb. 6, 2018
Limits: 3 Canada geese and brant in aggregate daily, 9 in possession
Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset

Light Goose Conservation Order
Season: Feb. 7, 2018, through April 30, 2018
Limits: No daily or possession limits
Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset
Requirements: Persons must possess a Conservation Order permit to participate in the Conservation Order. An exception to the above permit requirement includes any person 15 years of age or younger provided either she or he is in the immediate presence of a properly permitted adult hunter 18 years of age or older with hunter-education certification or who is exempt.
Methods: For the taking of blue, snow and Ross's geese, hunters may use shotguns capable of holding more than three shells and recorded or electronically amplified bird calls or sounds or imitations of bird calls or sounds.

YOUTH HUNTING DAYS

North Zone: Oct. 28 and 29
Middle Zone: Oct. 28 and 29
South Zone: Nov. 18 and 19
Limits: Same as during regular waterfowl season
Hours: Same as during regular waterfowl season
Requirements: Any person 15 years of age or younger may participate in youth waterfowl hunting days without permit provided they are in the immediate presence of an adult 18 years of age or older. If the youth hunter is not certified in hunter education, the adult must have the required permits and have in his or her possession proof of hunter-education unless exempt. The adult may not hunt ducks but may participate in other seasons that are open on youth hunting days.

FALCONRY SEASONS

Falconry Season for Doves
Season: Sept. 1 through Dec. 16
Limits: 3 daily and 9 in possession, singly, or in the aggregate (any ducks, coots, or mergansers taken by falconers must be included in these limits)
Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset

Falconry Season for Ducks, Coots, and Mergansers
Season: Open during duck seasons (September teal season, youth hunting days, and duck seasons) and Feb. 10 through March 10
Limits: 3 daily and 9 in possession, singly, or in the aggregate during the regular duck-hunting seasons (including teal and youth seasons) and extended falconry seasons (any doves taken by falconers must be included in these limits)
Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset

HUNTING ZONE DESCRIPTIONS

New hunting-zone boundaries approved in 2016 will be implemented beginning this year. A map of the new hunting zones will be included in the MDC “2017 Waterfowl Hunting Digest,” available beginning this summer where hunting permits are sold.

NORTH ZONE: That portion of Missouri north of a line running west from the Illinois border at Lock and Dam 25; west on Lincoln County Hwy. N to Mo. Hwy. 79; south on Mo. Hwy. 79 to Mo. Hwy. 47; west on Mo. Hwy. 47 to I-70; west on I-70 to U.S. Hwy. 63; north on U.S. Hwy. 63 to U.S. Hwy. 24, west on U.S. Hwy. 24 to Mo. Hwy. 10, west on Mo. Hwy. 10 to U.S. Hwy. 69,  north on U.S. Hwy. 69 to Mo. Hwy. 116, west on Mo. Hwy. 116 to U.S. Hwy. 59, south on U.S. Hwy. 59 to the Kansas border.

SOUTH ZONE: That portion of Missouri south of a line running west from the Illinois border on Mo. Hwy. 74 to Mo. Hwy. 25; south on Mo. Hwy. 25 to U.S. Hwy. 62; west on U.S. Hwy. 62 to Mo. Hwy. 53; north on Mo. Hwy. 53 to Mo. Hwy. 51; north on Mo. Hwy. 51 to U.S. Hwy. 60; west on U.S. Hwy. 60 to Mo. Hwy. 21; north on Mo. Hwy. 21 to Mo. Hwy. 72; west on Mo. Hwy. 72 to Mo. Hwy. 32; west on Mo. Hwy. 32 to U.S. Hwy. 65; north on U.S. Hwy. 65 to U.S. Hwy. 54; west on U.S. Hwy. 54 to the Kansas border.

MIDDLE ZONE: The remainder of Missouri.

NONTOXIC SHOT REQUIREMENTS

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 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Missouri - Memorial Day weekend brings an extra-special celebration for squirrel hunters and bass anglers in Missouri. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reminds them that the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend, May 27, marks the opening of both squirrel season statewide and catch-and-keep bass season in most streams south of the Missouri River.

Hunters can pursue fox and gray squirrels from May 27 through Feb. 15, 2018, with rifles, shotguns, and other legal firearms methods, along with archery equipment, slingshots, or atlatls. The daily limit for hunting and trapping is 10 with a possession limit of 20. Valid permits for squirrel hunting are: Archery Hunting, Daily Small Game, Small Game Hunting and Fishing, and Small Game Hunting.

Hunters with valid permits can also take squirrels with cage-type traps. Traps must be plainly labeled on a durable material with the user's full name and address, or conservation number. Squirrel traps must have openings measuring 144 square inches or less, for instance, 12 inches by 12 inches. Hunters must attend their traps daily. The same regulations apply to rabbits and groundhogs during their respective seasons.

Memorial Day weekend brings an extra-special celebration bass anglers in Missouri. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reminds them that the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend, May 27, marks the opening of both squirrel season statewide and catch-and-keep bass season in most streams south of the Missouri River.

The black bass catch-and-keep season applies to most streams south of the Missouri River for largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted or Kentucky bass and runs from May 27 to Feb. 28, 2018. Anglers may catch and release these species legally all year, anywhere in the state. They may keep legal-sized bass caught from impoundments and some rivers and streams all year long, statewide. In most of the state's waters, the daily limit on black bass is six. Black bass taken from rivers and streams must be at least 12 inches long in most areas. Additional specific regulations may apply to specific waters or areas. Anglers must have a valid fishing permit or be exempt.