WAPPAPELLO - Hunters wanting to place a floating duck blind at Wappapello Lake will need to register their blind on Aug. 20.

The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers at Wappapello Lake will hold the annual duck blind registration on Aug.20 at the Bill Emerson Memorial Visitor Center. Anyone wishing to place a floating blind on the lake needs to be signed up before 1 p.m. Hunters not signed up by 1 p.m. be required to wait until the drawing/placement process is completed to register and choose a location for your blind.

Blinds, which must be provided by the applicant, must meet the “Minimum Standards for Floating Duck Blinds”. Copies of the “Minimum Standards for Floating Duck Blinds” will be available the day of the drawing.

The registration fee for a duck blind is $15 and applicants must bring cash, in the exact amount, or a personal check or money order made payable to “FAO, USACE, St. Louis District”.

Persons interested in registering a duck blind and cannot attend the drawing, may contact Park Ranger Eric Limanen at (573) 222-8562, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. following the drawing. Interested hunters may also drop by the project Office to obtain an application form and a copy of the “Minimum Standards for Floating Duck Blinds”.

Duck blinds may be placed on the lake after Sept. 6.

The Corps of Engineers also issued a reminder, that it will begin a gradual lake drawdown at Wappapello the week of Dec. 15,. and will continue to draw the lake down until it reaches conservation pool (usually by the first week of January) in accordance with established lake management standards.

Hunters are asked keep this in mind when choosing a location for placement of a duck blind.

All blinds affected by low water levels must be relocated to areas that will not become dry during the drawdown.

Photo Above: Wappapello at sunset (SMT file photo by Annabeth Miller)