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Local Teachers Attend Nature's Night Shift
July 06th 2018 by Dee Loflin
Nine teachers from southeast Missouri attended Nature’s Night Shift, a workshop hosted by the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), specifically for teachers as part of the Discover Nature Schools (DNS) program. The purpose of the workshop, according to Sara Bradshaw, a MDC education consultant, is to help teachers learn how to explore the nocturnal aspects of nature in Missouri and then use the lessons from the workshop in their classroom.
The teachers attended the three-day workshop at MINGO National Wildlife Refuge, where teachers netted for bats, used black lighting to search for nocturnal insects, searched for owls by canoe, visited scent and track stations, went on a night hike and more.
Teacher workshops are directly tied to MDC’s mission to educate Missourians about nature and engage them in wildlife management and conservation. Attending teachers were from Puxico, Dexter, Poplar Bluff, Doniphan, Naylor, Ste. Genevieve, and Jefferson City, teaching class ranges from kindergarten to high school.
“Classrooms are the perfect place to start influencing the next generation and help them understand the importance of nature and conservation,” Bradshaw said. “We never want to live in a time when people don’t value nature. Helping teachers reach their students and get them excited about nature is a great way to ensure the future of conservation.”
Bradshaw led the workshop with two other MDC education consultants. She said the attending teachers’ students will benefit from these workshops because the content appeals and is relatable to all kinds of students. The lessons taught will also encourage students to be more aware of the nocturnal creatures around their area and their specialized adaptations.
“I loved seeing the excitement and enthusiasm in the teachers through each of the activities,” she said. “They were all so excited to see how what we were doing aligned perfectly with their curriculum.”
DNS curriculum is available to all Missouri teachers. It emphasizes hands-on learning, teaches problem-solving, and provides authentic and local contexts for learning. DNS teaches students from pre-K through high school about Missouri’s native plants, animals, and habitats and connects them with nature. Student books, teacher guides, and training workshops are available at no charge to Missouri educators. Teachers who formally enroll in the DNS program are eligible for additional resources including grant opportunities for equipment and field trips.
Bradshaw said she and the teachers appreciated the partnership between MDC, US Army Corps of Engineers and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which enabled the group to mist net bats during the workshop. Mist netting for bats is a capturing technique using low-visibility mesh nets suspended between two poles, usually placed near streams or logging roads, with an overhanging tree canopy above. It’s important to mist net bats because it allows biologists to gather various body measurements, attach transmitters and bands, find maternity trees, and potentially give information regarding age and migration routes. This data also helps biologists determine the presence or absence of species in an area, and protect threatened or endangered species.
“While teachers won’t necessarily mist net for bats with their students, these activities help teachers understand and get excited about conservation methods and that always translates back in the classroom,” Bradshaw said.
Bradshaw said the next teacher workshop opportunity in southeast Missouri is titled Creating an Outdoor Classroom, hosted at the Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center July 24 to 26. Teachers should contact the nature center to register no later than July 18 at (573)290-5218 or email bridget.jackson@mdc.mo.gov. Find more information about Discover Nature Schools at www.mdc.mo.gov.
Last Updated on July 06th 2018 by Dee Loflin
https://showmetimes.com/Blogpost/vaof/Local-Teachers-Attend-Natures-Night-Shift
7 New Counties Added to CWD Mandatory Testing
June 29th 2018 by Dee Loflin
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.”
NEW COUNTIES ADDED TO CWD MANAGEMENT ZONE
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.”
VOLUNTARY CWD SAMPLING
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.
ADDITIONAL EFFORTS
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.
MORE INFORMATION
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.
Last Updated on June 29th 2018 by Dee Loflin
https://showmetimes.com/Blogpost/val4/7-New-Counties-Added-to-CWD-Mandatory-Testing
Frogging Begins June 30th at Sunset
June 29th 2018 by Dee Loflin
Discover nature through frogging starting June 30
Bullfrogs and green frogs are legal game with a daily limit of eight.
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.
Last Updated on June 29th 2018 by Dee Loflin
https://showmetimes.com/Blogpost/van6/Frogging-Begins-June-30th-at-Sunset
Begin Applying July 1 for MDC Managed Deer Hunts
June 29th 2018 by Dee Loflin
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.
Last Updated on June 29th 2018 by Dee Loflin
https://showmetimes.com/Blogpost/van7/Begin-Applying-July-1-for-MDC-Managed-Deer-Hunts
Dexter Beginning Band Camp Dates Set
June 28th 2018 by Dee Loflin
Dexter, Missouri - The Dexter Beginning Band Camp will be held at T.S. Hill Middle School Monday, July 16 through Friday, July 20.
This event is for all students who will be entering sixth grade band this year.
Band camp will be held Monday through Friday; camp times vary depending on which instrument the student is playing. Here is the schedule:
8:30 a.m. – 9:20 a.m. Tubas and all Saxophones
9:30 a.m. – 10:20 a.m. Trumpets and Flutes
10:30 a.m. – 11:20 a.m. Percussion and Clarinets
1:00 p.m. – 1:50 p.m. Trombones and Bassoon/Oboe
2:00 p.m. – 2:50 p.m. French Horns and Baritones
Attendance at band camp is very important to instill proper fundamentals for the beginning instrumentalist. It is vital to set good playing and practice habits from the start. Students will have smaller learning groups to help address their individual needs.
Parent orientation meetings will be held Tuesday, July 17 and Thursday, July 19 at 6:30 p.m. in the middle school band room. Parents/guardians are asked to attend one of these meetings; it is not necessary to attend both.
If parents have any questions, please feel free to email Mr. Jinkerson (cjinkerson@dexter.k12.mo.us) or Mr. Rybolt (srybolt@dexter.k12.mo.us).
Last Updated on June 28th 2018 by Dee Loflin
https://showmetimes.com/Blogpost/van0/Dexter-Beginning-Band-Camp-Dates-Set
