MDC sets CWD sampling efforts for deer season

Find more information at mdc.mo.gov/cwd and in MDC’s “2018 Fall Deer & Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information” booklet, available starting in July where permits are sold.

Missouri - The Missouri Conservation Commission recently approved recommendations by the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) for its fall and winter efforts to find cases of chronic wasting disease (CWD) and help limit the spread of the deadly deer disease to more deer and more areas.

MDC confirmed 33 new cases of CWD following the testing of nearly 24,500 free-ranging Missouri deer through its sampling and testing efforts last season. The new cases were found in Adair, Cedar, Franklin, Jefferson, Linn, Macon, Perry, Polk, St. Clair, and Ste. Genevieve counties. These new cases bring the total number of free-ranging deer in Missouri confirmed to have CWD to 75. Learn more at mdc.mo.gov/cwd under “CWD in Missouri.”

Based on the findings from the past season, MDC has added seven new counties to its CWD Management Zone: Bollinger, Cape Girardeau, Grundy, Madison, McDonald, Mercer, and Perry.

These seven new counties join 41 existing counties of the Department’s CWD Management Zone. The Zone consists of counties in or near where cases of the disease have been found. Mercer County was added because of the proximity of a CWD-positive deer found in southern Iowa. McDonald County was added because of CWD detection in northwest Arkansas.

The 48 counties are: Adair, Barry, Benton, Bollinger, Boone, Callaway, Cape Girardeau, Carroll, Cedar, Chariton, Cole, Cooper, Crawford, Dade, Franklin, Gasconade, Grundy, Hickory, Jefferson, Knox, Linn, Livingston, Macon, Madison, McDonald, Mercer, Miller, Moniteau, Morgan, Osage, Ozark, Perry, Polk, Putnam, Randolph, Schuyler, Scotland, Shelby, St. Charles, St. Clair, St. Francois, Ste. Genevieve, St. Louis, Stone, Sullivan, Taney, Warren, and Washington.

MDC has increased the availability of antlerless permits in the seven new counties and expanded the firearms antlerless portion to help harvest more deer in the counties and limit the spread of the disease.

MDC has also removed the antler-point restriction for Grundy and Mercer counties, which are included in the Zone.

To help limit the possible spread of CWD, MDC encourages hunters to process deer as close as possible to where harvested and to properly dispose of carcass parts by leaving or burying parts on site, or bagging parts and placing them in trash containers.

NEW COUNTIES PART OF DEER FEEDING BAN

The seven new counties added to the CWD Management Zone are also now included in MDC’s ban on feeding deer and providing mineral supplements, effective July 1.

According to the Wildlife Code of Missouri, the placement of grain, salt products, minerals, and other consumable natural and manufactured products used to attract deer is prohibited year-round within counties of the CWD Management Zone. Exceptions are feed placed within 100 feet of any residence or occupied building, feed placed in such a manner to reasonably exclude access by deer, and feed and minerals present solely as a result of normal agricultural or forest management, or crop and wildlife food production practices.

The feeding ban does not apply to food plots or other agricultural practices.

MANDATORY CWD SAMPLING

MDC will require hunters who harvest deer in 31 counties of its CWD Management Zone during the opening weekend of firearms deer season, Nov. 10 and 11, to present their deer – or the head with at least six inches of neck attached -- for CWD sampling at one of 61 sampling stations throughout the counties.

The 31 counties include those where CWD has previously been detected, those within approximately five miles of a positive, select counties along the Missouri-Arkansas border near where cases of CWD have been found in Arkansas, and the seven counties added to the CWD Management Zone.

The 31 counties for mandatory sampling are: Adair, Barry, Bollinger, Cape Girardeau, Cedar, Cole, Crawford, Franklin, Grundy, Hickory, Jefferson, Knox, Linn, Macon, Madison, McDonald, Mercer, Moniteau, Ozark, Perry, Polk, Putnam, St. Charles, St. Clair, St. Francois, Ste. Genevieve, Stone, Sullivan, Taney, Warren, and Washington.

MDC asks hunters to field dress and Telecheck their deer before taking them to a CWD sampling station. 

“MDC is trying to limit the spread of CWD in Missouri by finding cases and slowing the spread to more deer and more areas,” said MDC Cervid Program Supervisor Barbara Keller. “Mandatory sampling is a powerful surveillance tool we use to monitor the levels of CWD in areas known to have the disease, but more importantly, to detect any ‘sparks’ or new areas of infection so we can begin managing for the disease in those areas without delay. With 75 confirmed cases of CWD in wild deer since 2012, the disease is still relatively rare in the state and we want to keep it that way.”

MDC will again offer voluntary CWD sampling for deer harvested in any of the 48 counties of the CWD Management Zone during the entire deer season from Sept. 15 through Jan. 15, 2019. Get more information on MDC’s voluntary sampling efforts, including locations, later this summer at mdc.mo.gov/cwd under “Voluntary Sampling.”

MDC asks hunters to field dress and Telecheck their deer before taking them to a CWD sampling station. Hunters can get test results for their CWD-sampled deer online at mdc.mo.gov/CWDTestResults.

There have been no cases of CWD infecting people, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) strongly recommends having deer tested for CWD if harvested in an area known to have cases of the disease. The CDC also recommends not eating meat from animals that test positive for CWD. 

MDC will again contact landowners of five acres or more in areas very near to where multiple infected deer have been found to offer no-cost “CWD Management Seals” to further reduce deer numbers and help limit the spread of the disease.

MDC will again also work with landowners on a voluntary basis to harvest more deer in immediate areas where CWD has been found through post-season targeted culling. These efforts help limit the spread of the disease by removing more infected deer from the areas.

The Missouri Conservation Commission also recently approved several recommendations by MDC for the upcoming deer hunting season.

Growing deer numbers led MDC to allow unlimited archery antlerless permits in Butler, Iron, and Reynolds counties and to include Howell County in the antlerless portion of the fall firearms season.

Lower deer numbers and recent harvest totals led MDC to remove Andrew, Atchison, Holt, and Nodaway counties from the antlerless portion of the firearms season.

Find more information on the upcoming deer season in MDC’s “2018 Fall Deer & Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information” booklet, available starting in July where permits are sold.

Discover nature through frogging starting June 30

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) encourages Missourians to discover nature this summer. One fun and exciting way is through frogging. Frogging season begins June 30 at sunset and ends Oct. 31. Missouri has two frog species that are legal game — bullfrog and green frog. Bullfrogs are larger and therefore more sought-after.

The daily limit is eight frogs of both species combined and the possession limit is 16 frogs of both species combined. Only the daily limit may be possessed on waters and banks of waters where hunting.

Daily limits end at midnight so froggers who catch their daily limits before midnight and then want to return for more frogging after midnight must remove the daily limit of previously caught frogs from the waters or banks before returning for more.

Frogging can be done with either a fishing permit or a small-game hunting permit. Children under the age of 16 and Missouri residents 65 years of age or older are not required to have a permit.

Those with a fishing permit may 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 artificial light is permitted when frogging.

Beginning July 1, deer hunters can apply online through the Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) website for a shot at more than 100 managed deer hunts throughout the state for archery, muzzleloading, and modern firearms from mid-September through mid-January at conservation areas, state and other parks, national wildlife refuges, and other public areas. Some managed hunts are held specifically for youth or for people with disabilities.

The managed deer hunt application period is July 1 - 31. Hunters are selected by a weighted random drawing. Draw results will be available Sept. 1 through Jan. 15. Applicants who are drawn will receive area maps and other hunt information by mail.

Get more information on managed deer hunts, preview hunt details, and apply starting July 1 at mdc.mo.gov/managedhunt.

Details about managed hunts can also be found in MDC's "2018 Fall Deer & Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information" booklet available starting in early July at MDC offices and nature centers, from permit vendors around the state, and online at mdc.mo.gov. 

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is in the multi-year process of updating Conservation Area Management Plans, and is seeking public input on how the Otter Slough Conservation Area (CA) is important to Missourians. The Otter Slough CA management plan is open for public review until June 30.

MDC invites comments from recreational users, neighboring landowners, conservation groups, elected officials, government agencies, and other interested persons or groups. To make a comment on this area plan, go online to www.mdc.mo.gov/areaplans.

MDC manages nearly 1,000 conservation areas covering almost one million public acres throughout the state for the purpose of restoring and conserving fish, forest and wildlife resources, and for providing appropriate public use, research and demonstration areas.

Conservation Area Management Plans document strategies for natural resource management and public use on specific conservation areas. Area plans also help communicate an area’s purpose and management direction to staff and interested citizens.

“It’s important that citizens have a chance to provide their input to their conservation areas,” said Matt Bowyer, MDC’s Southeast Region Wildlife Supervisor. “We provide a service by managing these areas and we strive to develop quality habitat to promote wildlife health as well as outdoor opportunities for Missourians.”

Conservation Area Management Plans do not address regulations on hunting, fishing and other area uses, which are set by the Conservation Commission and enforced under the Wildlife Code of Missouri.

Area plans are currently posted on the MDC website and available at MDC offices for public comment for a limited time.

Photo by Dee Loflin, All Rights Reserved

During Free Fishing Days, anyone may fish in Missouri without having to buy a permit.

Missouri -  Want some free fun that gets family and friends outside in nature? Get hooked on fishing with the Missouri Department of Conservation's (MDC) Free Fishing Days June 9 and 10. During Free Fishing Days, anyone may fish in the Show-Me State without having to buy a fishing permit, trout permit, or trout park daily tag.

Aside from not needing permits, other fishing regulations remain in effect, such as limits on size and number of fish an angler may keep. Special permits may still be required at some county, city, or private fishing areas. Trespass laws remain in effect on private property.

Conservation makes Missouri a great place to fish, and Free Fishing Days encourages people to sample the state's abundant fishing opportunities. Missouri has more than a million acres of surface water, and most of it provides great fishing. More than 200 different fish species are found in Missouri, with more than 20 of them being game fish for the state's more than 1.1 million anglers.