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.

Buy permits from vendors, online, or through MDC MO Hunting and MO Fishing apps.

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 26, marks the opening of both squirrel season statewide and catch-and-keep bass season in most streams south of the Missouri River.

SQUIRRELS

Hunters can pursue fox squirrels and gray squirrels from May 26 through Feb. 15, 2019, 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.

Get more information on squirrel hunting from MDC's 2018 Summary of Missouri Hunting and Trapping Regulations, available where permits are sold, or online at huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/species/squirrel

BLACK BASS

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 26 to Feb. 28, 2019. 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.

According to preliminary data from Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), young turkey hunters harvested 1,723 turkeys during the 2018 spring youth season, April 7-8. Top harvest counties were Franklin with 51 turkeys harvested, Miller with 43, and Maries with 43.

Young hunters checked a little over 4,000 turkeys during last year’s youth weekend.

MDC’s Turkey Biologist, Jason Isabelle, says the drop in harvest can be attributed mostly to unseasonably cold temperatures this weekend and for much of spring thus far.

“Weather was the biggest contributing factor to this year’s low youth turkey season harvest,” Isabelle said. “Temperatures that were well-below average probably made it difficult for young hunters to spend as much time hunting this past weekend as they would have with more seasonal temperatures.”

Isabelle also notes that in addition to cold temperatures this weekend, spring has been slow to get here this year causing turkeys to be a little behind schedule as far as the winter flock break-up.

“When turkeys are still flocked up as they are in much of the state right now, it can make for some very challenging hunting,” he said. “With warmer temperatures in the forecast, hunting conditions should be much more favorable for the upcoming regular spring turkey season.”

The invasive Bradford pear tree can cause problems for Missouri native plants and animals.

Missouri - The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) encourages homeowners and landscapers to avoid planting Callery pear trees this spring.

Better known as Bradford pears, the Callery pear tree is an invasive species known to multiply quickly and crowd out Missouri native plants. While it’s been a popular landscaping tree for decades, cultivated forms have spread aggressively throughout the state.

“Different varieties of Bradford pear trees were planted close to each other, which allowed them to cross pollinate and take over natural areas,” said Forestry Field Program Supervisor Russell Hinnah. “But they’re also a poor landscaping choice because they don’t do well in storms, often losing limbs or splitting apart.”

Stopping the spread means selecting alternate trees for yards and forested property.

“The best plan is to select a native species to Missouri, and there are several great options,” said Hinnah. “Serviceberry trees produce similar showy white blooms in the spring and have small red fruits that attract wildlife.”

Eastern redbuds and Missouri’s state tree, the flowering dogwood, are also good alternatives. The redbud tree grows quickly with eye-catching lavender flowers in the spring. Dogwoods do best in shady areas but can be somewhat difficult to grow.

Learn more about stopping the spread of the Callery pear at the Callery Pear Field Event Friday, April 13, in Columbia.