Vol69 no4 2008

JULY 2008VOL. 69, NO. 4

589Register

Today!

11CONSERVATIONLEADERSHIP CORPS

Make Your Nomination

NEWS & ISSUES

CFM SPORTING CLAY SHOOT

2008 FALLCONFERENCE

Plan To Participate

Operation Clean Stream

MISSOURI

One thing about taking a standfront and center on conserva-tion issues: the world iswatching! And every one of

us independent, capable, focused, caringand passionate individuals has and isentitled to an opinion. I suppose it is thenature of hunters, anglers and trappersespecially to be self-reliant, decisive andto be very comfortable living with thedecisions we make.

Our organization, CFM, is naturallyvery much a reflection of our member-ship. We have a lot of members. We havea bunch of very different organizationsaffiliated with us. We have always beenand, because of the first two qualities list-ed here, will always be a very diversegroup. The large and diverse board ofdirectors of CFM moves like molasseswhen it comes to discussing most topicsof our business or of conservation regu-lations or of natural resource policy. Butwe move like lightning when the discus-sion comes to the agency we Missourianshave created and have given by constitu-tional amendment responsibilities anddesignated funding for conservation ofour forests, fish and wildlife.

A significant part of every day forCFM is invested in keeping up withgoings on at MDC. Regulations commit-tee meetings, Commission meetings,workshops, task forces, public meetingsto discuss or hear input on a variety ofsubjects, private meetings with key mem-bers of the staff, cooperation on manyprojects and programs…these are but the

first few specific points of contact weshare with MDC full time which come tomind. Why all the investment from ourside? What is our role, if any, in all this?

Think of us as parents. If your childdoes something you don’t like, causingyou either disappointment or evenembarrassment, do you make yourselffeel better by publicly flogging the kid?Do you send them to their room? Takeaway their allowance? It all depends. Iwould argue that there are as many stylesof parenting as there are parents. I wouldfurther argue that the action of the par-ent depends a lot on what the kiddoes…and it depends on the nature ofthe kid. Most everyone outside (andinside) Missouri agrees that our kid,MDC, is the best there is. Arguably thebest there ever has been.

When something turns out this good,you thank your lucky stars! Because ofthe wisdom and right actions of our citi-zen-conservationist ancestors, we havethe opportunity to look and reach farbeyond the petty grievances of the nit-pickers of our day. We have the responsi-bility to wisely use today’s opportunitiesand resources not only to meet currentdemands and desires, but to address andto prepare for the challenges of thefuture. Our heirs deserve the best we canmuster, just as we are the beneficiaries ofour ancestors’ best efforts.

For 73 years we have served asguardians and advocates of Missouri’sunique system of conservation gover-nance. Surveys, polls, public meetings,

letters, e mails, phone calls, personal vis-its, comments at our booth at myriadpublic events, and even election resultsclearly demonstrate that the vast majorityof Missourians fundamentally agree withus. Forests, fish and wildlife areimmensely valuable and important toevery one of us. Their stewardship byMDC is working. Our job at CFM is notdone, and likely never will be. We mustnot allow ourselves to become compla-cent. We must always strive to improveour organization and the agencies servingus. Never a mere rubber stamp of blindapproval, never a mere watch dog bark-ing at every passing car orpedestrian…but a wise, resourceful,attentive guard dog…keeping a watchfuleye on our favored kid.

Dave MurphyExecutive Director, CFM

2 J U L Y 2 0 0 8

Watch Dog Or Rubber Stamp?

The Cup

VIEW FROM THE STONE HOUSE

WildlifeJuly 2008

Vol. 69, No. 4

MISSOURI

Missouri Wildlife is the official publication of theConservation Federation ofMissouri, Affiliate of theNational Wildlife Federation.

ISSN 1082-8591

728 W. MainJefferson City, MO 65101-1559

Phone • 573-634-2322 Fax • 573-634-8205

Email • [email protected] • http://www.confedmo.org

MISSOURI WILDLIFE (USPS 012868) is pub-lished bimonthly in January, March, May, July,September and November for subscribers andmembers of the Conservation Federation ofMissouri, 728 W. Main, Jefferson City, MO65101-1559. Of each member’s dues ($25minimum) $2.00 shall be for a year’s subscrip-tion to Missouri Wildlife. Periodical postagepaid at Jefferson City, MO. and additionalmailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to MISSOURI WILDLIFE, 728 W. Main, Jefferson City, MO 65101-1559.

Glenn ChambersMike Schallon

Duane AddlemanDan Zerr

Randy Washburn

Dave MurphyLynne Jensen Lampe

Laurie Coleman

Amy Buechler

PresidentFirst Vice PresidentSecond Vice PresidentSecretaryTreasurer

Executive Director/EditorDesign & ProductionAdmin. Associate/Membership and Managing EditorTeaming With WildlifeCoordinator

OFFICERS

STAFF

COVER: The 2007 National ConservationAchievement Award. CFM is best inAmerica, according to National WildlifeFederation. Photo © Glenn D. Chambers,2008. Special photographic lighting effectsprovided by Creative Photo.

Just about the second that I becomeconvinced no one will ever learnanything worthwhile watching tele-vision…the Detroit Redwings win

the Stanley Cup. As a kid in North Mis-souri, my friends and I skated on many afrozen farm pond, emulating the likes ofBobby Hull, Gordie Howe, and much,much later we celebrated the “Miracleon Ice.” We LOVED hockey, and foundits “fight club” qualities ideal for zealous,heavily bundled up, freezing young farmboys. As you should know, the absolutepinnacle of achievement in professionalice hockey, is for your team to win the

Stanley Cup. As you may not know, thisis about the only top prize in profession-al sports which is one of a kind. It is atraveling trophy, in the most literalsense.

There are many fascinating traditionssurrounding The Stanley Cup. The onewhich is my subject today is that theCaptain of the winning team takes ithome with him the night of victory.Each night thereafter, for as long as ittakes, players, coaches, supportstaff…every contributor to this grandteam achievement…gets to have TheCup for a day. Copious amounts of

champagne have been quaffed from it.Breakfast cereal has been eaten from it.Babies have been christened from it.Most every holder of The Cup for a dayhas their picture taken with it. Thesephotographs are always a poignantimage of the real personality of a veryreal person.

So what? Well, we have just won TheStanley Cup of Conservation. TheNational Conservation AchievementAward is proudly displayed on the frontcover of this issue of Missouri Wildlife.Beginning with our Board of Directors,we intend to allow any of our leaders,

supporters and contributors who wouldlike to possess the trophy for a week! Wewill handle the scheduling, transferal,etc. from the CFM office. We hope thiswill make sharing the recognition funand personal for each and every one ofyou who have helped us earn thisincredible recognition. We hope lots ofphotos and really positive memoriesresult for every one who participates.Thank you for your role in CFM receiv-ing this award and recognition!

Dave MurphyExecutive Director, CFM

Affiliate of the Year – National Conservation Achievement

AwardRecognizing a NWF affiliate organizationfor outstanding conservation accomplish-ments and collaborative efforts with NWF

and its supporters.

The Conservation Federation of MissouriThe Conservation Federation

of Missouri (CFM) has become thestate’s leading voice for conservation,

its sphere of influence today going far beyond the hunter/angler focus of its

origin. Through many innovative programs CFM engages the whole community as it seeks to protect

Missouri’s wildlife and wild places.Its Conservation Leadership Corps

encourages high school and university

students to become activists by offeringthem a unique opportunity to influence

conservation policy and actions.And Share the Harvest, a program that began in 1992 through which

hunters donate their harvested deer to the needy, now delivers over 300,000

pounds of venison to food banks across the state.

“Thank you for this awe-some award!!! It is agreat honor to havebeen selected for The

Affiliate Of The Year–National Conser-vation Achievement Award.

I bring you greetings from Missouri,THE SHOW-ME STATE. In the con-servation arena we have been showing

the way for CONSERVATION since1935. On September 10 of that year,about 75 visionaries met in Columbiaand formed the RESTORATION ANDCONSERVATION FEDERATION OFMISSOURI. Their mission was to seekthe approval of Missouri voters,through the initiative petition processto pass a constitutional amendment(AMENDMENT No. 4) to take CON-SERVATION out of politics and put themanagement of fish, forests, andwildlife in the hands of professionals.Citizens circulated petitions, andsecured enough signatures to put theissue on the ballot, and it passed by anoverwhelming majority. That effortcreated a Conservation Departmentthat was science-based and free of poli-tics. Today the Missouri Departmentof Conservation is recognized as one ofthe finest state conservation agenciesin the nation.

Forty years later, in 1976, the Con-servation Federation of Missouri ledby a group of devoted citizens, decidedto secure a strong, stable, financialfunding source to expand and fund anew generation of conservation in amovement called “The Design ForConservation”. The Citizens Commit-tee for Conservation enlisted volun-teers to circulate petitions and gathersignatures in an effort to put a “one-eighth of one percent sales tax initia-tive” on the ballot. If passed by thevoters of Missouri, those tax dollarswould be dedicated to the Conserva-tion Department. In the Novemberelection of that year, Missouri votersapproved the conservation sales tax tosupport their Department of Conser-

vation. The annual income from thistax generates about $100,000,000annually.

More recently, the ConservationFederation of Missouri has takenanother bold step and created TheConservation Leadership Corps(CLC). We recruit high school and col-lege-age students in an effort to devel-op youth as private citizen conservationleaders for the future. This effort hasbeen extremely successful, and withwell over 100 alums to date, our CLCprogram is becoming a national rolemodel for other National Wildlife Fed-eration affiliates to follow. We have twoof our young ambassadors here with usthis evening (I introduced them at thispoint, Cara Stuckel and Mark Corio).While at this meeting, these youngpeople have made contacts to travel toat least three states this summer and fallto help set up similar organizations intheir respective states.

On behalf of some 80,000 affiliatemembers and more than 7,500 sustain-ing members back home in Missouri,who were really the folks responsiblefor this award, I say a BIG THANKYOU for this prestigious award.”

Receiving that award was a wonder-ful experience and I wish that everyone of you could have been there toshare the experience with your col-leagues and co-workers.

I personally THANK EACH OFYOU for what you do for CFM and foryour support.

Glenn D. ChambersPresident, CFM

M I S S O U R I W I L D L I F E 3

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

2007 National Wildlife Federation Affiliate Of The YearConservation Federation of Missouri Garners 2007 National Conservation Achievement Award

When will you add your name to the list?CFM Life Membership Application

Name: _____________________________________________________________

Address: __________________________________________________________

Phone: _______________________Email:_____________________________

Payment Method (circle one): Cash Check

Credit Card _______________________________ Exp. Date:__________

Charles Abele, Saint LouisDuane and Nancy Addleman, SpringfieldRichard Ash, Saint CharlesDane Balsman, PerryvilleJim Tom Blair, Saint LouisStephen Bradford, Cape GirardeauGlenn Chambers, ColumbiaRon Coleman, Saint AlbansMark Corio, ColumbiaJohn Enderle, KelsoMr. & Mrs. Andrew Fleming, ColumbiaHoward & Sara Fleming, MoberlyMr. & Mrs. Matt Fleming, MoberlyDave Kolb Grading, Saint CharlesGray Manufacturing Company, Saint JosephGery Gremmelsbacher, Saint LouisAllan Hoover, Pleasant HillLarry & Joan Hummel, GlencoeDon Johnson, FestusRoger & Debbie Johnson, HumansvilleDuane & Cosette Kelly, IndependenceSara Knight, Charlotte, NCCarl Kurz, Leawood, KS

Gerald Lee, Kansas CityJoel LeMaster, FultonNorman Leppo, Saint LouisLeroy Logan, ArnoldChip McGeehan, MarshfieldCynthia Metcalfe, Saint LouisDavid Murphy, ColumbiaDean Murphy, Jefferson CityAbe Phillips, Saint LouisGerald Ross, Jefferson CityMike Schallon, BallwinTimothy Schwent, JacksonCharles & Winnie Stribling, MexicoTim Thompson, Saint CharlesBarbara VanBenschoten, Kansas CityLee Vogel, Kansas CityAl Vogt, ColumbiaRandy Washburn, Jefferson CityStephen Wilson, HartsburgDick Wood, Saint LouisHoward Wood, Bonne TerreRobert Ziehmer, California

Conservationists For Life($1,000 Contribution)

The Meramec River, oncerated as one of the mostdegraded streams in thestate of Missouri, has

enjoyed an amazing renaissanceover the past 40 years as a result ofthe work of many volunteers, pub-lic and private efforts to restore itsconservation value, outdoor recre-ation benefit and natural beauty.River restoration work began inearnest in 1967 with the first Opera-tion Clean Stream and still contin-ues today.

The Open Space Council pro-duced a new documentary, Mer-amec River: Miracles and Milestones,to celebrate the renaissance of thisgreat river. Produced with the helpof Emmy-winning videographersJohn Baker and Jim Karpowitz, thefilm covers such topics as river his-

tory, conservation, outdoor recre-ation and economic value of theMeramec Basin to the region andState of Missouri. Premiered onMay 1st at the Sheldon Concert Hallin St. Louis, Meramec River: Mira-cles and Milestones is now availableto the public.

A new CD inspired by the film isalso available for purchase. RiverVoices and Songs is a compilation oforiginal folk music, old favorites andriver stories composed by local tal-ent. Proceeds from the film and CDwill go toward conservations effortsof the Open Space Council in theMeramec River Basin.

Order your copy of each today onthe Open Space Council website,www.openspacecouncilstl.com orcall 636-334-3035 for more informa-tion.

4 J U L Y 2 0 0 8

Go to www.riverhillstraveler.com/traveler-subscription.php.Click on FREE TRIAL. Or call 1-800-874-8423

and ask for a free sample subscription.

TravelerRiver Hills

• Examine Traveler in your home.We’ll send the outdoor magazine of the Ozarks to your home

FREE FOR THREE MONTHS. then we’ll send a bill ($18).If you want to keep getting Traveler, pay the bill. If you don’t,

you won’t. It’s that simple.

HUNTING FISHING CAMPING BOATING

For a FREE Copy of the MagazineCall 1-800-706-2444

orVisit our Web site at

www.outdoorguidemagazine.com

OutdooR Guidemagazine

High SchoolWins ThirdConsecutiveEnvirothon

They say the third time is acharm, but in Parkway North’scase, it has been charmed fromthe start. Parkway North High

School has won the state Envirothoncompetition for the third straight year.The school is part of the Parkway SchoolDistrict in St. Louis County.

The Envirothon consists of studentscompeting at five outdoor testing stations— aquatic ecology, forestry, soils and landuse, wildlife and the 2008 current conser-vation issue, recreational impacts on nat-ural resources. Test stations require thefive-student teams to answer a variety ofboth hands-on and written naturalresource questions. Each team also givesan oral presentation to a panel of judges.

Winning this competition three timesin a row is no easy feat. As team membersfrom Parkway North can attest, it requiresa lot of dedication.“We meet every Mon-day after school, and we attend lectures atWashington University when we can,”said Amal Al Lozi, a member of the win-ning team.“I also study at home a lot.”

“As a group, we’ll go to parks and iden-tify trees and things,” said team memberKathleen Beilsmith.“Our coach has a lotto do with our success though, too.”

Parkway North coach Russell Bartonhas sponsored the team for the past five

years.The team will go on to compete at the

2008 Canon Envirothon in Flagstaff,Ariz., July 28 to Aug. 3. The Envirothon isNorth America’s largest high school natu-ral resources competition, with morethan 40 states and seven Canadianprovinces competing at the national level.

The state event features the top threeteams from each of Missouri’s sevenregional competitions held throughoutthe year. Contact your local soil and waterconservation district office for regionalcompetition dates.

Sponsors for the Missouri Envirothoninclude the Missouri Department of Nat-ural Resources, the Missouri Associationof Soil and Water Conservation Districts,local soil and water conservation districts,the Missouri Department of Conserva-tion, the Missouri Soil and Water Conser-vation Districts Employee Association,the U.S. Department of Agriculture Nat-ural Resources Conservation Service, theUniversity of Missouri Extension and theShow-Me Chapter of the Soil and WaterConservation Society.

For more information, contact theDepartment of Natural Resources’ Soiland Water Conservation Program at 573-751-4932 or the department toll free at800-361-4827.

Experience The Journey

Parkway North Heads To National Competition

M I S S O U R I W I L D L I F E 5

Outdoor Program For Youth

The Land Learning Foundation willhost a free outdoor learning event foryoungsters at their Dean Lake facility onSaturday, August 23, 2008.

The Youth Game Fair will feature pre-sentations and demonstrations byexperts on conservation and agriculturesubjects such as trapping, retriever work,duck calling, and food sources, alongwith hands-on activities such as archery,fishing, knife making, and trap shooting.There are over 50 displays and activitiesfor youngsters to see and participate in.

Special features of the day-long eventinclude a visit from the State Patrol heli-copter at 10:00 a.m. and a chance to meetBruce Horrell co-host and co-producerof The Wingshooter, Tom Nelson, hostand producer of The American Archer,Pro-fishermen, John Sappington andRick Lisek, Jr., with entertainment byRalph Duren, master of wildlife calls.

A free lunch will be provided, soplease register. Activities are from 9:00a.m. until 3:00 p.m.

The Land Learning Foundation facili-ty is located four miles west of Triplett,MO, on Highway Z.

To register for this free outdoor learn-ing experience, call Marsha Leimkuehlerat the Land Learning Foundation at 660-634-2240 or you may register on-line atwww.youthgamefair.com. Parents andaccompanying mentors are welcome.

2008 Fall ConferenceThe 2008 Conservation Federation of

Missouri Fall Conference will be held Fri-day, Saturday and Sunday, September 12,13 and 14, 2008, at Camp Clover Point,Lake Ozark State Park, Osage Beach, MO.

Programs planned are ColemanRepair,ATLATL (spear throwing),Archery, Share the Harvest, Sediment Pol-lution, Taxidermy and crafts for adultsand kids.

Entertainment will be games, bingo,square dancing, marshmallow roast,campfire, story telling and guitar playing.Feel free to bring a stringed instrument orharmonica.

The Happy Hour and White ElephantSale on Saturday afternoon is always agood time. When you are cleaning outyour garages and basements save somegood stuff to donate to the White Ele-phant Sale. The sale helps to defray theexpenses of the Fall Conference.

The food is always wonderful!A registration form is included in this

issue of the magazine.If you wish to bring a camping vehicle

or tent, instead of staying at the camp, tentand camping vehicle reservations can bemade at Lake Ozark State Park throughthe Missouri Department of NaturalResources for a small fee. You can contactthem toll free at 1-877-422-6766.

Put September 12, 13, and 14, 2008 onyour calendar and plan to attend for thisrelaxing weekend. See you there!

Operation Clean StreamThe 41st Annual Operation Clean

Stream will be held August 23, 2008,beginning at 8:00 am. Volunteers of allages are invited to participate in a large-scale cleanup of the Meramec, Big,Bourbeuse, Courtois and Huzzah Rivers.Operation Clean Stream is MissouriStream Team #5. This event is sponsoredby The Open Space Council. For moreinformation visit www.openspacecoun-cilstl.org or call 314-334-3035.

Walnut Native Stand Management and ProfitJuly 26 (8:00-8:30 Registration) –

Please come for a 3-hour tour of nativestands of valuable walnut growing alongthe Batchelor Creek and a tributary. Ifyou have some wooded creek bottom onyour farm, you likely have some walnut.Tour stops will explain why these soils aretypically so well suited for walnut, stepsto take in choosing which trees to keep,procedures for timber stand improve-ment, assessment value of some standingwalnut, and how to manage a timber sale.Come to the Kent and Lori farm placelocated on the gravel road due west ofShamrock, MO, on Hwy B between Aux-vasse and Montgomery City.

August 3-6 – The National WalnutCouncil Tours and Meeting will be inColumbia with field tours in CallawayCounty on Aug 4 and tours in HowardCounty on Aug 5. Tours will consist ofmanaged walnut plantations, managednative stands of walnut, MO PacificWalnut Mill at New Franklin, and amanaged white oak mixed hardwoodforest.

Pre-register by July 1 online atwww.walnutcouncil.org (click on Annu-al Meeting) or you can call (573) 882-0898 for more details.

Welcome CFM New Members

Earl Barge, ChesterfieldTom Baron, Midlothian, VADick Bienvenu, WentzvilleRobert Blocker, Saint LouisStephen Boschert, GlencoeJames Bowers, Kansas CityDuane Brandsgaard, Lees SummitJeffrey Brock, Saint Joseph

Richard Buckman, Kansas CitySandra Carroll-Berger, GladstoneJim Casper, JonesburgTom Coats, Mountain GroveFaith Cregger, Saint LouisChristopher Crowley, BallwinLou Dames, Bonne TerreShellie Dattler, Saint LouisBrian Dean, Saint LouisDon Diesel, BloomsdaleSteven Donaubauer, BallwinVivian Engleman, ChillicotheDaniel Evans, O’FallonKarri Feeney, MemphisIlene Fleshman, LebanonGreg Greer, Saint LouisJames Helvey, Saint ClairRobin Higley, RollaNick & Mary Rose Hilkemeyer, FreeburgReggie Householder, AuxvasseDarwin Jones, BethelStanley Kelleigh, Kansas CityJohn Key, Saint LouisRonald Klatt, RussellvilleJohn Kolb, Jefferson CityKathleen Logan Smith, Saint LouisMagee’s Trading Center, EoliaBarbara Martin-Frohoff,

Shawnee Mission, KSTom McFetridge, Saint CharlesJohn McGowan, ColumbiaAngie McMichael, Holts SummitJoseph Miller, Saint LouisBryon Minor, ColumbiaJames Montgomery, BrookfieldGeorge Murphy, Saint LouisBrett Nelson, SikestonJake Nickelson, FultonDoug Novinger, ColumbiaEllis Owens, ClintonHarlan Palm, ColumbiaCrystal Parson, Pleasant HillRyan Peck, SedaliaRodney Pennington, RogersvilleDave Polley, RidgewayShannon Price, DawnJohn Purcell, Saint LouisDannie Rhoads, KirksvilleChristina Ritter, ArnoldClint Ruediger, Saint PetersTravis Scott, ColumbiaJames Simon, MaconSusan Smydra, GlencoeRobert Sparks, KirksvilleBarry Sprinkle, LibertyRoger Theroux, Kansas CityThomas Ulm, Kansas CityDavid Vernon, ColumbiaRichard Wadlow, Park HillsLaura Lee Westhues, Lees SummitCharles Wiles, Cape GirardeauDaniel Williams, Saint CharlesScott Wilper, WellingtonLinda Wilson, BreckenridgeEd & Susan Wrasmann, RollaJames Young, O’Fallon, ILRandy & Barbara Zelch, RosebudCharles Zimmerman, Joplin

NEWSA COLLECTION OF STORIES FROM AROUND THE STATEAND ISSUES

6 J U L Y 2 0 0 8

FOREST FROM THE TREES

In October, 2007, our farm becamecertified in the Missouri Tree Farmprogram. This year, in MissouriWildlife, we will run a series of arti-

cles recounting why and how this cameabout. Others have suggested severaltimes that details of this living historymay prove useful to some folks and inter-esting to many more. This is the fourth ofthe expected six articles.

Having completed timber standimprovement treatments on all ourstands, we were ready for the final step inthis first round of major actions. Timefor our first timber sale. You may recallfrom our last article that we left all themarketable trees, marked for removal, ineach stand. To meet our goal of reducingoverstocking to ensure both overall foresthealth and good growth rates for individ-ual trees we wanted to keep, we still had abunch of trees to remove from through-out the forest. The good news was thatthese future logs were, thanks to all ourefforts of improving access to variousparts of the farm, relatively accessible forharvest. The great news was that therewere folks very interested in buying them!

The same private consulting foresterswho prescribed our timber standimprovement treatments marked trees forsale as they took inventory. We wanted tokeep our very best trees as seed stock, toproduce even better quality timber in thefuture and to optimize benefits forwildlife. So either by sale or TSI, we selec-tively removed trees unlikely to enhanceeither future timber or wildlife habitatvalues. It amazed me that 1,689 trees of 23species were marketable, among those tobe removed. This may sound like a lot oftrees to some folks, but consider that 240acres of timber at maturity with normalstocking would support maybe 35 treesper acre, or 8,400 total. One should notethat few of our stands were at maturity.And all stands were heavily overstocked.We likely had more than 20,000 treesbefore TSI and before the sale. It becamevery clear to me that this heavy overstock-ing was stifling growth, health and vigorof individual trees. Overstocking wasalso curbing acorn, nut and fruit produc-tion and thereby diminishing the wildlifecarrying capacity of our forest.

Our foresters estimated a conservativefinancial value for each log. The summa-tion of all species and logs gave us a prettygood idea of what a fair price for ourwhole timber sale might be. We then sentthe inventory list, without estimates of

value, to all nearby or even remote log-ging firms that we thought might beinterested in bidding on our logs. We setup a day for them to come and visit ourwoods and to ask us questions. At thetime I remember feeling like a kid withmy first lemonade stand with a sign“Trees For Sale!” in the front yard. All theloggers were great folks, conscientiousabout our property, wanting to be able tofully evaluate what our logs might beworth to them, and wanting to fullyunderstand our expectations. All in all avery positive experience for us and, Itrust, for the loggers and for our forestersas well.

We set a deadline for receiving bids.One or two loggers chose to deliver theirbids personally and await the opening ofall bids. We made this into a public event,serving coffee and cookies. MAN, OMAN was I ever disappointed when noneof the bids were even close to the value wewere expecting! During the time we weredoing TSI, timber prices (sometimes veryvolatile) took a dive. At this moment iswhen private consulting foresters, in myopinion, proved most valuable. Theyadvised us not to accept any of the bids! Iimmediately thought,“How are we evergoing to demonstrate that good forestrypractice pays?” “Will anyone ever againtake seriously my zealous advocacy forTSI?” “How will I explain to my wife thatall the money we have invested, all thehard work, and all the tough decisions westruggled through were really worthwhilewhen no one wants to pay us what wethink the logs are worth?” It was a verytough moment.

Once upon a time, very early in theentire process, our foresters had promisedus that the difference in revenues wewould receive in future sales would morethan pay us back for what we invested intheir services. This proved to be absolute-ly true.

The foresters maintained contact withthe firms that bid on our logs. Theyshowed the loggers what they were certainour timber was worth and encouragedthem to find a way to pay full price. Thesolution came in the form of compro-mise. Isn’t this a familiar concept to usMissourians? With prices being low, allloggers were stretched pretty thin forfinancial resources, with all availablefunds wisely invested in standing timber.Also most logging yards were full of read-

Trees For Sale!

The health of America’sThe health of America’sThe health of America’sThe health of America’sprivate forests dependsprivate forests dependsprivate forests dependsprivate forests depends

on youon youon youon you

American Tree Farm System ® promotesthe sustainable management of foreststhrough education and outreach to familyforest landowners. For information abouthow you can become a part of the Tree Farmprogram contact the Missouri State TreeFarm Committee @ 573-634-3252 or visitwww.treefarmsystem.org

See TREES, page 12

M I S S O U R I W I L D L I F E 7

The Missouri Department ofConservation has announcedreplacements for three upper-level administrators who have

retired in recent months. All three comefrom within the agency’s ranks.

Conservation Department DirectorJohn Hoskins announced the promo-tions at the April meeting of the MissouriConservation Commission, the four-per-son, bipartisan body appointed by thegovernor to set agency policy. Appointedwere: Assistant Director Tim Ripperger,who previously served as ProtectionDivision field chief; Fisheries DivisionChief Bill Turner, formerly Fisheries Pro-grams Coordinator; and Protection Divi-sion Chief Larry Yamnitz, who had beenserving as Protection Division field chief.

“The Conservation Department isfortunate to have a pool of talented, sea-soned professionals from which to fill itstop positions,” said Hoskins.“One advan-tage of having one of the nation’s topconservation agencies is being able toattract and keep the best and brightestpeople in various disciplines. Our peopleare, without a doubt, our biggest asset indelivering the services that Missouri citi-zens expect.”

TIM RIPPERGERRipperger, 52, grew up in Cooper

County. He earned a Bachelor of Sciencedegree in fish and wildlife managementfrom the University of Missouri-Colum-bia and is currently completing a mastersdegree in public administration at MU.His duties will include supervising theOutreach and Education Division, PolicyCoordination Unit and federal aid pro-grams.

Ripperger’s first job with the Conser-vation Department was as a conservationagent headquartered in Mound City in1977. He held other field positions beforebeing promoted to northwest regionalprotection supervisor in 1985. In 2005 hemoved to Conservation DepartmentHeadquarters in Jefferson City to take thejob of protection field chief. His priorwork included strategic planning andworking with print and broadcast media.

He is an ardent outdoorsman, whohas hunted and fished from Alaska to theGulf of Mexico and backpacked exten-sively in the Rocky Mountains. He hastraveled in all 50 states.

“Working for the ConservationDepartment is a lifelong dream that I amfortunate enough to live every day,” said

the new assistant director.Hoskins said growing up with rural

roots and being part of a farming familygave Ripperger insight and knowledgeabout Missouri landowners that he couldnot have gotten any other way.

“Working in two major urban centershas broadened his understanding of theneeds of a diverse constituency,” saidHoskins.“This geographical balance willbe important as a member of the Conser-vation Department’s administrativeteam.”

LARRY YAMNITZYamnitz, 52, is a native of Perryville

who spent his formative years in the St.Louis area. He earned a Bachelor of Sci-ence degree in wildlife conservation andmanagement from Southwest MissouriState University. He went to work for theConservation Department as a conserva-tion agent in Texas County in 1980. Helater moved to Conservation DepartmentHeadquarters to serve as protectiontraining supervisor, and he was promotedto protection programs supervisor in1993 and to protection field chief in2004.

His natural rapport with hunters andanglers, coupled with a talent for com-municating with the public aboutresource management issues, twiceearned Yamnitz the Outstanding Officerof the Year Award in the Ozark Region.He has served as president, secretary andtreasurer of the International Associationof Natural Resources Enforcement Train-ers and held the same offices in the Mis-souri Association of Certified LawEnforcement Training Directors.

Yamnitz said his love for the outdoors

grew out of time spent on his family’sfarm in Perry County and was reinforcedby his involvement in Boy Scouts.

“I love to float fish Ozark streams,”said Yamnitz,“and I started hunting forsquirrels as a kid with my dad alongside. Iuse a recurve bow for deer and have beenknown to chase a few turkeys and ducks,as well as muzzleloader hunt for deer.”

Hoskins said,“Larry’s ability to thinkstrategically, deal effectively with difficultand complex issues, and value the impor-tance of teamwork and cooperation haveearned him trust and respect throughoutthe Department. These attributes, alongwith his personal work ethic and moralcode, will prepare him to successfully leadthe Protection Division and be a keyplayer in the future of the department.”

BILL TURNERTurner, 57, is a native of Medford,

Minn. His interest in conservation datesback to middle school, when he wrote apaper about becoming a forester.

“Somehow I gravitated to fisheriesinstead,” he said.“Fishing has always beena favorite pastime. My granddad and Ispent many summer days panfishing onlakes and river fishing. It has always pro-vided our family with great times.”

Turner earned a Bachelor of Sciencedegree in biology and a master’s degree inaquatic ecology from St. Cloud State Uni-versity, St. Cloud, Minn. He joined theConservation Department in 1977 as afisheries biologist and received promo-tions to fisheries management biologist,and fisheries programs coordinator.

His most recent work included negoti-ating a settlement with Ameren-UE fordamage to fisheries resources at Bagnell

Dam and helping develop guidelines forhydroelectric generation there for thenext 40 years. Requirements that Turnerhelped write into Ameren-UE’s operatinglicense will help prevent fish kills andreduce detrimental effects of rapidchanges in river flow below the dam andkeep the level of Lake of the Ozarks morestable, creating better spawning condi-tions for fish.

Turner is an active member of theAmerican Fisheries Society (AFS), co-founding and chairing the North CentralDivision’s Rivers and Streams TechnicalCommittee. He has served as president ofthe AFS Missouri Chapter and is a mem-ber of the Conservation Federation ofMissouri and the American WaterResources Association.

Turner’s honors include the MissouriAFS John L. Funk Award of Excellence,the AFS North Central Division Meritori-ous Service Award, the Fisheries DivisionEmployee of the Year and the MissouriState Employee of the Month awards.

“Through his extensive background,Bill has honed the characteristics neces-sary to lead a vital division,” said Hoskins.“His proven technical expertise, ability toaddress multiple, shifting demands andnegotiate positive outcomes will beinvaluable as he undertakes FisheriesDivision Chief responsibilities. These tal-ents, along with his personal commit-ment to excellence and integrity willmake him a vital member of the depart-ment’s leadership team.”

Ripperger, Turner and Yamnitzassumed their new duties May 1.

Jim LowNews Services Coordinator

Conservation Department Promotes Three To Top Spots

AGENCY NEWS

Assistant Director Tim Ripperger Protection Division Chief Larry Yamnitz Fisheries Division Chief Bill Turner

8 J U L Y 2 0 0 8

Get More Bang For Your Buck!

The second annual sporting claysshoot will be held at River HillsSporting Clays near Boonvilleon August 16. This is a fun

event so plan to attend and help us raisemoney for a worthy cause—our naturalheritage. Our great friends and support-ers at Bass Pro Shops are again majorsponsors and we are indebted to them forall their help. I urge you to continue topatronize Bass Pro Shops as a way ofthanking them for all they do for CFM.

Shooting clay targets is a good way toimprove your shotgun skills and interactwith friends and other CFM membersthat will be in attendance. It doesn’t takelong to shoot a round and then you canhead back to the spacious club house,relax, have lunch and peruse numeroussilent auction items that you surely can’tdo without. After you cool down, youmight want to reshoot the course or par-ticipate in some of the other shootinggames for fun. There will be opportuni-ties to challenge other groups for braggingrights so bring plenty of shells.

River Hills is a first class facility and theowners, Ken and Barbara Pickett, who areCFM members, do an excellent job pro-viding sporting targets and an atmos-phere where you can relax and enjoy theday. You don’t have to be a serious shoot-er to enjoy this event. In fact the coursewill be set for hunters, casual shooters andnon-competition shooters. The event willconsist of a 2-man scramble and an indi-vidual shoot. In the 2-man scramble,

each team shoots a total of 100 targetsfrom 14 stations. At each station, 3 targetswill be thrown and the team will have 4shots between them to break the 3 targets.Nine or 12 targets will be thrown at eachstation. In the individual event there willbe 7 stations and each person will shoot50 targets. It’s fun; I guarantee you willenjoy it and you have an excellent chanceof winning money.

Entry fee is $100 for a 2-man teamand $50 for an individual. For every 12teams and 12 individual shooters we willpay for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places. LewisClass rules will be used and there will be

lots of chances to win. The 2-man teamswill get $300 for 1st, $200 for 2nd and$100 for 3rd places and the individualshooter winners will get $150 for 1st, $100for 2nd and $50 for 3rd places. The moreteams and shooters we have the moremoney we will give away. With LewisClass rules you are not competing againstanyone. All scores will be listed, fromhighest to lowest, and then classes will beestablished for each 12 teams and 12 indi-vidual shooters. Where else can you goand have a 1 in 4 chance of winningmoney?

I invite you to dig out that shotgun you

put away after the spring turkey seasonand come out and sharpen your eye forthe upcoming dove season and the otherfall hunting seasons that will quickly fol-low. Bring your family, a friend, or betteryet several friends for a fun filled day ofshooting and camaraderie.

If shooting is not your game you canstill be involved. We can use volunteers tohelp advertise the shoot, round up shoot-ing teams and assist us during the day ofthe event. If you can help or want moreinformation about helping, contact TomRussell at (573) 657-2581, Glenn Cham-bers at (573) 445-9773 or Dave Murphy at(800) 575-2322. Our goal for this event isto raise $10,000-$12,000. To do this weneed at least 100 teams and 60 individualshooters. I know many of you havenumerous contacts that would enjoyhelping CFM with this event. We need 20committee members from throughoutthe state to help round up shooting teams.If each person gets at least 5 teams we willbe sure to reach or surpass our goals.Many of you know people who shootshotguns and I hope you will invite themto come sharpen their eye, display theirshooting skills and have a great time. Youmight also mention they have a 1 in 4chance of winning money.

With your support and help we canmake this a really special event and onethat people will look forward to partici-pating in next year. I appreciate your helpand look forward to hearing from youand seeing you August 16.

Participate in our Second CFM Sporting Clays Shoot at River Hills

Come have a blast at the second annual CFM sporting clays shoot at River Hills.

The executive director of the newMissouri Hunting Heritage Fed-eration received the ExecutiveDirector’s Award from the Inter-

national Hunter Education Association(http://www.ihea.com).

Allan Hoover (Pleasant Hill ) hasserved on the IHEA international board ofdirectors for the last three years. The awardis presented for extraordinary service tothe executive director of IHEA. The out-going executive director is Gary Berlin. Hehad this to say about Allan at the annual

conference in Fairview Heights, IL:“The first person I would like to recog-

nize is Allan Hoover. Allan is the outgoinginstructor representative from Zone 3.Contrary to what Allan continues to tellme, he isn’t just a ‘simple truck driver.’Allan’s wisdom and willingness to addressunpopular issues is very much appreciat-ed. He is extraordinarily bright and artic-ulate and is the ultimate gentleman.Allan doesn’t say much, but when he does,it would behoove you to pay attention. Itis my opinion that for an Executive Board

to operate effectively, they need boardmembers who are not always comfortablewith the status quo. An effective Boardneeds a person like Allan to question andchallenge the way in which an organiza-tion operates. Allan certainly marches toa different drummer and is willing tothink outside of the box. Because of hisability to tactfully challenge the statusquo, the IHEA is a better organization.Allan, I thank you for your contributionsto the IHEA and for the wisdom andguidance that you shared with me.”

Missouri Hunting Heritage Federation Leader Wins Award

M I S S O U R I W I L D L I F E 9

2008 Annual Fall ConferenceConservation Federation of Missouri

September 12-14, 2008

Advance Registration FormReturn completed form to CFM by September 5, 2008

Name of Each Participant Complete Mailing Address Phone No. Cost *

Total Enclosed $

Please list the names and ages of all children ages 4–12 (cost is only $50 for those ages 4–12):

NOTE: Camp facilities are not set up for children under the age of 4.

1. ___________________________________________________ 3. _________________________________________________

2. ___________________________________________________ 4. _________________________________________________

If you plan to stay at a location OTHER than the barracks at Camp Clover Point, please circle one of the following:

1. A state campground 2. Local motel 3. Home 4. Other _____________________________________________

* Total advance registration is $75 per person or $145 per couple. (Children ages 4–12 pay $50 for the weekend.) Theday rate is $10 per day and $10 per meal. If you do not plan to stay for the duration of the conference, please indicatethe day(s) and meal(s) at which you will be present.

Registrations received after September 5 will be $85 per person or $160 per couple .

Please make your check payable to CFM and mail it to 728 West Main, Jefferson City, MO 65101.

You may also pay by credit card. Credit Card # _______________________________ Exp. Date _________

Signature of cardholder_____________________________________________

1 0 J U L Y 2 0 0 8

My favorite time of the dayis what biologists call the“crepuscular” period(poets call “the gloam-

ing”; and artists refer to as the “bluehour”) – that period when it is neithernight nor day; before sunrise or aftersunset when lightsoftens, distancesbecome ill-defined,and…wildlife isvery active!

Years ago Ilearned the joy, theanticipation, theaesthetic reward oftwilight andnature. I’ve been privileged to enjoy“game drives” at dusk in Africa; theseemingly everlasting twilight of latesummer in the arctic; sunset walks onbeaches; and pre-dawn runs in myneighborhood. My heart rate alwaysticks up a notch with the anticipationof what I might see…whether giraffes,short-eared owls, or ‘possums, …orjust the wind in the trees. There isalways an unexpected pleasure to beenjoyed during an early morning orlate evening excursion.

A short while ago I was in Tucson,Arizona – a surprisingly large city (witha metro area over 900,000!), but oneblessed with national park units oneither side of it, national forest sur-rounding it, and some of the most beau-tiful sunsets in North America. So, oneevening I set out on my own version ofthe “game drive.” My quarry? Had to besomething unique to the southwest;something a bit exotic… Javelinas(!!), -the native wild pigs (also known as col-lared peccaries) of the southwest. Thename javelina derives from the Spanishfor spear (or javelin). Javelinas areabout two feet tall at the shoulder, weighabout 50 pounds, and are approximatelyfive feet from snout to tail. They aresocial animals, commonly seen in bandsof 8-10 animals – perfect prey for mycrepuscular sojourn.

I drove to the west unit of SaguaroNational Park, and found a dirt road(rental car companies hate me!) thatheld, to my eye, great potential forjavelina viewing. I drove slowly, stop-ping often – especially near drainages(arroyos!) to listen for any intriguingdesert sounds. In the first 30 minutes Imanaged to spot…a rabbit. Hey, at

least it was a desert cottontail! By thenmy “blue hour” was rapidly turningblack. I drove until well into truenight, but never got a glimpse of thejavelinas, nor frankly much else (nodesert quail, no rattlesnakes,…inSpanish: nada!).

A wasted trip? No, not in the least.Although my goal (yes, as my familywill attest - I am a bit over goal-orient-ed!) was javelinas, the gloaming washardly disappointing. My reward thatnight? Well, the tangy, spring desert airtasted very different than the late win-ter, oak forest air at home. But, mostmemorable was the huge, red sun thatas it set put the park’s forest of saguarocacti in spectacular silhouette. Thesetree-sized cactus plants, each individ-ual with its unique number, size, andespecially shape of “arms” looked likean alien army marching across thedesert floor. Honestly, I was so capti-vated by the saguaros that I could haveeasily missed a javelin or two. The

image of the saguaro, black against thered sky of the desert, with mountainsand mesas backlit in the distance willstay with me forever.

And, that’s the beauty of nature attwilight…it’s always a great show –whether in the desert, on the Africanplains, or along a Missouri stream. Ihope you can find time (remember, thegloaming comes to you twice a day, freeof charge, right out your backdoor) totake an evening “game drive” or sunrisewalk this summer.

Oh, and I’m kind of set on finding a(live!) armadillo this summer onevening stroll, so…if you happen to seeone on your own crepuscular jaunt,drop me a note about the route, please.You can reach me at [email protected]. Happy roaming in thegloaming!

Mark R. RyanDirector,

The School of Natural Resources

An Update From The Director’s Office

SCHOOL OF NATURAL RESOURCES

Will you join today to help us conserve our natural resources for tomorrow?

Check the member category you prefer:❑ $25–Individual ❑ $15–Student ❑ $30–Family ❑ $100–Corporate ❑ $1000–Lifetime

Please mail this application with your membership dues to:Conservation Federation of Missouri728 West MainJefferson City, MO 65101-1559

If you have any questions, call us at 1-800-575-2322 or visit us at www.confedmo.com.

Name __________________________________________________________________

Address ________________________________________________________________

City __________________________________State ____________Zip code __________

Work phone: ____________________________Home phone: ______________________

Fax number: ____________________________E-mail address: ____________________

Please make checks payable to the Conservation Federation of Missouri.*Or you may charge your membership dues to your MasterCard, Visa, or Discover.

Credit card number ________________________________Expiration date __________

Signature of cardholder ____________________________________________________

Your membership dues include a one-year subscription to Missouri Wildlife, logo sticker, and membership card.

Why I BelongTo CFM

When I was born in 1941the CFM had alreadybeen working 6 years to

ensure I would grow up in a statewith quality outdoor opportunities.I have enjoyed great times in theoutdoors, as have my children andnow my grandchildren. I can restassured that the CFM will protectMissouri treasures from any selfishgroup or individual. CFM mem-bers are made of the right stuff!

Robert O. WergesArnold, MO

M I S S O U R I W I L D L I F E 1 1

Remember that old ElectionDay saying “Vote Early andVote Often”? Well, now youhave the opportunity to do

just that…legally! The EducationCommittee of the Conservation Feder-ation of Missouri is seeking nomina-tions of students to the ConservationLeadership Corps. We need your help!From anglers and archers, from coonhunters and canoeists, from fishermenand falconers, from affiliates and sus-taining members, we want your input.

What is the Conservation Leader-ship Corps? Those Federation mem-bers who attended any of the last sixConventions are well aware of thisvibrant group of young men andwomen that want to make an impacton conservation issues now and in thefuture.

For those unfamiliar with the CLChere is a brief summary of the pro-gram. The CLC consists of a group ofhighly recommended students, rang-ing from juniors in high schoolthrough seniors in college. These stu-dents have already achieved academicsuccess and have been involved in con-servation projects and issues. TheCorps began in 2002 with a smallgroup of students. Each year themembership has expanded. In Febru-

ary of 2008, approximately 50 stu-dents participated in the annual Con-vention.

The program has been enthusiasti-cally received by CLC members andFederation members alike. Followingare some comments received from thestudents:

“Great meeting and talking withpeople as well as seeing how the resolu-tion process works.”

“The issues discussed were pertinentand important to all our members.”

“A great way to meet people andgain knowledge of conservation.”

“Thank you for allowing me thisgreat chance.”

Please take a few minutes to nomi-nate that special student! Provide anopportunity for a young man orwoman to see how CFM works. Let abudding conservationist meet and net-work with others on important issues.Our aim is to have students from everypart of our great state. We also urgeyou to nominate students from all cul-tures and backgrounds. This is yourchance to make a contribution to thefuture of CFM!

We need to receive your nomina-tions by October 3, 2008. Thank you.

Nominate An Outstanding StudentCLC Seeks to Expand Participation

CONSERVATION LEADERSHIP CORPS

Mission Statement: Engaging youth in sustaining the conservation of our natural resources.

Purpose: Sustain conservation leadership in Missouri and the Conservation Federation of Mis-souri through involvement, education and training of future leaders by providing selected highschool and college students with networking skills, conservation education opportunities andfull participation in policy making and the legislative process.

Vision 1: Young members of the Conservation Federation of Missouri who are dedicated to itscause and are being educated and trained to assume future leadership roles within the organ-ization.

Vision 2: A cadre of involved, educated and trained young individuals committed to the con-servation of Missouri’s abundant natural resources.

Vision 3: A group of well-educated and trained professionals who are committed to working inthe field of natural resources management in Missouri.

Please nominate a Missouri high school junior through college senior studentwho has exhibited excellent academic achievement, conservation honors, andconservation leadership.

Student Name: ______________________________________________________

Street or PO Box: ___________________________________________________

City: ______________________________ ZIP Code: ___________________

Email Address: _____________________________________________________

Telephone Number: _________________________________________________

Present School: _____________________________________________________

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nominator: ________________________________________________________

Affiliate or Sustaining Member: ________________________________________

Street or PO Box: ___________________________________________________

City: ______________________________ ZIP Code: ___________________

Email Address: _____________________________________________________

Telephone Number: _________________________________________________

What qualities does the nominee exhibit to make him/her an excellent candi-date for Conservation Leadership Corps?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Return this form by October 3, 2008, to:

David Murphy, Executive DirectorConservation Federation of Missouri728 West Main StreetJefferson City, MO 65101-1534

Conservation Leadership Corps attendees problem solve at the 2008 Annual Convention.

AL

V

OG

T

The great thing about Mis-souri’s state parks and historicsites is that there’s always plen-ty of fun to be had, regardless

of the season, but these destinations aremost popular duringMissouri’s summermonths.

With gas prices onthe rise, many Mis-sourians are lookingfor an inexpensivegetaway close to home. Whether you’relooking for a day on a warm sandybeach or a cultural experience in aquaint French village, you’ll find it inMissouri’s state parks and historic sites.

For detailed information on thesesites, visit mostateparks.com, whichincludes a locator map, directions toeach site, a list of the services available,camping information, upcoming activi-ties and other details to help ensureyour trip’s a success.

This summer, visitors to Missouri’sstate parks and historic sites will alsohave a unique opportunity to docu-ment their adventures through the 2008Passport Photo Contest. Sponsored bythe Missouri Department of NaturalResources, this new program runsthrough December. Each month, Mis-souri state parks will supply a theme,and visitors are encouraged to submitphotos from their travels that depictthat theme.

Photos will be judged based oninterpretation of the theme, originality,creativity, use of the state park or statehistoric site, storytelling and quality ofthe photograph. One monthly winnerand four honorable mentions will be

chosen and displayed on the photocontest Web page. Each photographercan submit up to two photos eachmonth. Digital photographs are pre-ferred; however, print photographs willbe accepted. Those submitting five ormore entries overall will receive a Mis-souri state parks keepsake photoalbum.

The Passport Photo Contest is partof the department’s “Get Out and Play”initiative, which is a promotion encour-aging kids to spend more time outsideand connect with nature. Photographscan be taken at any of Missouri’s 84state parks or historic sites. For a com-plete list of rules, the monthly themesand entry forms, visitwww.mostateparks.com/getoutandplay/passportphoto.htm.

Plans will also begin to take shapethis summer for Missouri’s newest statepark, Current River State Park, which islocated off Highway 19 north of Emi-nence in Shannon County along theCurrent River. An informational displaywill be placed at the entrance roadexplaining the significance of the park.The Department of Natural Resourcesalso hopes to have an open house some-time this summer so citizens can visitthe site and see the progress beingmade.

Current River State Park was madepossible by a partnership developed bythe governor’s office, the Department

of Natural Resources and the MissouriDepartment of Conservation. TheDepartment of Conservation trans-ferred the land to the Missouri Depart-ment of Natural Resources in 2007 foroperation as a state park. The land isthe site of the historic former AltonClub/Jerry J. Presley ConservationEducation Center. Missouri has nothad a state park along the CurrentRiver since 1968 when Big Spring,Round Spring and Alley Spring stateparks were transferred to the NationalPark Service to serve as the cornerstone

of the Ozark National Scenic River-ways.

Whatever adventures your familymay be looking for this summer, youcan find it in a nearby state park or his-toric site! For tips and more informa-tion on saving money on gasoline, visitthe department’s Energy Center onlineat www.dnr.mo.gov/energy/saving-green.htm.

Doyle ChildersDirector, DNR

1 2 J U L Y 2 0 0 8

Missouri State Parks—Great Getaway With $4 Gasoline

AGENCY NEWS

ily available, decent quality, inexpensivelypriced logs. The solution? In our case,because the logger was close by and readi-ly accessible we were able to work out aschedule of payments instead of the usual“down payment up front and balancewhen we begin logging.” With delays ofweather it wound up taking considerablymore than the 4 months the logger esti-mated to conduct his harvest anyway. Wegot paid full price for our logs. For us,private consulting foresters were key, butthe Missouri Department of Conserva-

tion has excellent foresters in the field, aswell. Perhaps my narrative has helpedyou appreciate why, in our case, we need-ed the immediately available services of aprivate firm. And their negotiations onour behalf, no doubt, went well beyondwhat any agency professional could beexpected to provide.

Next time I’ll report on tax implica-tions, further steps in management andresults so far. The final segment of thisreport will really encourage participationin the Missouri Tree Farm Program.

Dave MurphyCFM Executive Director

TREES, continued from page 6

Whether you’re looking for a day on a warm sandy beach ora cultural experience in a quaint French village, you’ll findit in Missouri’s state parks and historic sites.

Remember family,friends, or colleagues

with a donation to CFM.See page 14.

An Online Hunter Educationtraining option began July 1for Missourians. This newopportunity complements a

long tradition and legacy of qualityHunter Education training in Missouri.Hunter Education Volunteers, Conser-vation Agents, Outdoor Skills Special-ists and other Department Staff haveconducted the award-winning effortand, more importantly, had a hugeimpact on safe hunting practicesstatewide. The Conservation Depart-ment’s same outstanding Hunter Edu-cation Volunteer cadre and Departmentemployees will be conducting this newhunter education training option. Theten hour standard classroom HunterEducation Course will also continue tobe taught throughout the state.

The Online Hunter Educationoption allows a person to study thecourse on a computer and then take anonline Field Day Qualifier test. If theperson passes the test they are thenqualified to attend a Hunter Educationfield day that includes a written testand multiple hands-on performancetests. The online, written and hands-on performance tests are designed toensure the student has a workingknowledge of firearms and huntingsafety.

This new online option has beenpiloted, field tested and was popularwith both students and instructorsduring the pilot stage of the process.Check systems have been incorporatedinto the program to ensure studentknowledge and to maintain the highquality learning. “Hands-on” instruc-tion and performance tests will help

students learn practical knowledge andmake the leap from the written page toactual safety practices.

The online option allows for indi-vidual and family convenience, flexibil-ity and is American Disabilities Actcompatible. With today’s hectic sched-ules and high gas prices, it offers amore economical method to takeHunter Education. Instead of possibly

having to drive a long distance to a tenhour course over several evenings, aparticipant can now just drive once tothe field testing location.

Anyone eleven years or older maytake the new Online Hunter Educationcourse. The online portion of thecourse may be taken anytime at yourconvenience. A student may study,review and take pre-tests for free anunlimited amount of time. The studyguides, reviews and pre-tests are alsoexcellent study materials if you wish totake the standard in-class ten hourcourse or just refresh your knowledgebefore you head to the field. Onlinestudents must take and pass the onlineexam with a score of eighty percent orbetter. A payment of $15 is required toreceive your online test results andField Day Qualifier Certificate whichcovers the web-based administration ofthe program. This $15 pays the com-pany maintaining the web site and nomonies come to the Department ofConservation. The standard ten hourcourse will remain free of charge.

Once a student passes they mustprint off their online certificate and

take it to a field day. Take note, justpassing the online test does not makeyou Hunter Education certified.Online students must attend a finalfield day and pass field testing to com-plete their training and receive theirHunter Education Certification. Stu-dents must pass both a written anddemonstration test with eighty percentsuccess on the field day. Field Days willbe offered in all eight Department ofConservation Regions. Field testinglocations can be identified through theDepartment’s web site or by calling aRegional Office.

Outreach and Education DivisionChief Lorna Domke comments, “Tech-nology offers new and added instruc-tion possibilities, but we remain com-mitted to providing the sameoutstanding, high quality Hunter Edu-cation program in Missouri and build-ing on the positive safety legacy. Dedi-cated Volunteers Instructors willcontinue to be an integral and essen-

tial part of our Hunter Educationeffort statewide. The combination

of our Hunter Education Pro-gram, Shooting Ranges and

our Department’s commit-ment to shooting sports

will help carry on Missouri’s great tra-dition and heritage of outdoor recre-ation. The Department’s hunter edu-cation goals remain the same. We’llprovide a basic foundation in huntingsafety and ethics that allows a person tobuild upon their outdoor knowledgeand to make safety a priority for everyMissouri hunter.”

Many great people have helpedbuild Missouri’s Hunter Education tra-dition and legacy. We remain dedicat-ed to preserving that legacy and build-ing upon the success that Departmentemployees, Hunter Education Volun-teers and Missouri citizens haveworked to create and establish. Thiscombination of employees, volunteersand citizens have helped reduce Mis-souri’s hunting accident rate by seventypercent since Hunter Education classesbegan in 1957. Nothing is moreimportant than assuring that huntersreturn home safely from their huntingtrips and achieving that goal is one ofthe Department of Conservation’s toppriorities.

Tim RippergerAssistant Director, MDC

M I S S O U R I W I L D L I F E 1 3

Online Hunter Education Technology Meets Tradition

AGENCY NEWS

Bison MeatAmerica’s Original Red Meat

Low in fat, cholesterol andcalories.

Steaks, roast,burger. State

Inspected.

Salem(800) 827-3403 • www.meramacbison.com

A Volunteer Hunter Education Instructor teaches students hands on instruction on one method ofhow to safely carry a firearm.

MD

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“Technology offers new...instruction possibilities, but weremain committed to providing the same outstanding,high quality Hunter Education program...”

— Lorna Domke, Outreach and Education Division Chief

1 4 J U L Y 2 0 0 8

Honorariums and memorials are donations made to the Conservation Federation of Missouri to mark special occasions or show tribute to someone you care about. They are a thoughtful way to mark an occasion or to show respect to friends and loved

ones who have passed away. In this issue of Missouri Wildlife, we will list honorariums and memorials in this area.To make such a gift, please fill out this form and mail it to CFM. We gladly accept cash, check or credit card.

A Gift To CFMYour gift to the Conservation Federation of Missouri could help in so many ways. You could benefit our Share the Harvest Program, the Conservation Leadership Corps, our publications or website, our building fund or help fund our day-to-day operations. You could also honor loved ones for birthdays, anniversaries or other special events.

❑ $25 ❑ $50 ❑ $100 ❑ $250 ❑ $500 ❑ Other ________

In memory of ______________________________________________________________________________________________________

In honor of ______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Please notify (name, street, city, state, and zip) ________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

DONOR INFO: ❑ I would like more information about including the Conservation Federation of Missouri in my will or trust.

Name __________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Address __________________________________________________________________________________________________________Street City State ZIP

Phone____________________________________________Email __________________________________________________________

Credit card number ____________________________________________________Expiration date ______________________________

Mail this form and payment to: Conservation Federation of Missouri • 728 West Main Street • Jefferson City, MO 65101

Memorials

In memory of Ray Hillmannby Diane Betteridge, St. Peters, MO

In memory of Jim Crewsby Keith Turlington, St. Louis, MO

In memory of Jim Stuerkeby Nadine Stuerke, Higginsville, MO

M I S S O U R I W I L D L I F E 1 5

Summer is here, and that meansbackyard barbecues, parties andeventually back to school shop-ping. Summer is also a great

time of year to remember to reduce,reuse and recycle.

When setting the table for a barbe-cue or party, purchase reusable prod-ucts such as flatware, silverware andcloth napkins. For a unique look usebandanas for napkins and old quiltsfor tablecloths. If this isn’t possible,use paper plates and napkins withrecycled content and plastic cups thatare biodegradable and can be com-posted. For the kid’s table, a Frisbeecovered in wax paper makes a greatplate, which can be turned over andused for fun after the meal is finished.Remember to provide containers foraluminum cans and glass bottles sothey can be recycled.

Summer is perfect for growing pro-duce and visiting the local farmer’smarket. Try to grow as much produceas you can and visit the local markets

to reduce energy consumption and tosupport local growers. The produce isfresher and tastes better when it hasn’t

had to travel a long way to get to yourdinner table.

To add some decoration to tables,

take some clean steel or tin cans suchas vegetable cans or tuna cans andcover them with old road maps orwrapping paper. These can be used asa vase for flowers or as candleholderson your table.

Also, remember to reduce yourenergy consumption during the sum-mer. Carpool with friends, use masstransit, or walk and bike with friendsto get where you need to go. Whilerunning the air conditioning, set thethermostat a bit higher and use fans tocool down homes and businesses.

As summer winds down and schoolstarts up again, remember to purchaseschool supplies made of recycled con-tent and to visit a local thrift shop orsecond hand store. Not only are sec-ond hand clothes usually in greatshape and staying out of a landfill,they usually are a fraction of the costof new clothing!

Have a great summer and remem-ber the three R’s; reduce, reuse andrecycle.

Summer Provides Opportunity To Remember Three R’s

REDUCE REUSE RECYCLE

C O N S E R V A T I O N F E D E R A T I O N O F M I S S O U R I A F F I L I A T E S

Anglers of MissouriBig Game HuntersBridlespur Hunt ClubCapital City Fly FishersCentral Missouri Chapter Safari ClubColdwater Outing & Game PreserveEastern MO Chapter Pheasants ForeverFestus/Crystal City Conservation ClubForest Releaf of MissouriFranklin County Wildlife ClubFriends of Rockbridge Memorial State ParkGreenway NetworkHeaven’s AnglersJefferson County CoonhuntersKansas City Chapter Safari ClubKansas City WoodcarversLambert Field Rod & Gun ClubMark Twain Area Quail UnlimitedMid Missouri Trout Unlimited

Midwest Diving CouncilMississippi County Conservation SocietyMississippi Valley Duck HuntersMississippi Valley Gun ClubMissouri Association of Meat ProcessorsMissouri Bass FederationMissouri Bird Conservation InitiativeMissouri Bow HuntersMissouri Conservation Agents AssociationMissouri Consulting Foresters AssociationMissouri Department of AgricultureMissouri Ducks Unlimited State CouncilMissouri Forest Products AssociationMissouri Native Seed AssociationMissouri Parks & Recreation AssociationMissouri Parks AssociationMissouri Prairie FoundationMissouri Ruffed Grouse SocietyMissouri Smallmouth Alliance

Missouri Sport Shooting AssociationMissouri State Campers AssociationMissouri State Council Quail UnlimitedMissouri Taxidermist AssociationMissouri Trappers AssociationMissouri Trout Fisherman’s AssociationMissouri Waterfowl AssociationMissouri Whitetails UnlimitedMissouri Wild Turkey FederationMissourians OutdoorsMO Chapter American Fisheries SocietyMO Chapter of the Wildlife SocietyMO Chapter Soil & Water ConservationMO Hunter Education Instructor’s AssociationMO State University Student Chapter of the

Wildlife SocietyMonett Sportsman LeagueNortheast Missouri CoonhuntersNorthside Conservation Federation

Open Space CouncilOwensville HS Hunting & Fishing ClubOzark Fly FishersOzark Mountain PaddlersOzark Wilderness WaterwaysPerry County Sportsman ClubPomme De Terre Chapter MuskiesRiver Relief, Inc.Saint James Civic ClubShow-Me Clean StreamsShow-Me Missouri Back Country HorsemenSouth Side DivisionSouthwest Missouri Fly FishersTipton Farmers & Sportsman ClubUnited Bow Hunters of MissouriWecomo Sportsman ClubWild Elk Institute of MissouriWindsor Lake Rod & Gun Club

Use old quilts and bandanas for the picnic table, rather than paper products that you’ll throw away.

4509 Woods RoadRobertsville, MO 63072

e-mail: [email protected] our website: www.missouribowhunters.org

SOUTH COUNTY ARCHERS IS PROUD TO SUPPORT CFM & MBH

PO Box 133Gray Summit, MO 63039

ReduceReuse

Recycle

AFFILIATE EVENTSCAPITAL CITY FLY FISHERSJULY 3: Teach a Vet to Tie, Veterans Hospi-tal – Conference Room C201, Columbia(3:00pm)JULY 8: Club Meeting, Runge Nature Cen-ter, Jefferson City (6:00pm – 9:00pm)JULY 12: Stream Team 760 Outing, SalineValley Wildlife Area, Assembly of God onRoute CC (5:30pm)JULY 17: Teach a Vet to Tie, Veterans Hospi-tal – Conference Room C201, Columbia(3:00pm)AUG 7: Teach a Vet to Tie, Veterans Hospital– Conference Room C201, Columbia(3:00pm)AUG 12: Club Meeting, Runge Nature Cen-ter, Jefferson City (6:00pm – 9:00pm)AUG 21: Teach a Vet to Tie, Veterans Hospi-tal – Conference Room C201, Columbia(3:00pm)

GREENWAY NETWORKJULY 5: Kayak Swarm, Sand Ford to RedHorse Access (8:00am – 5:00pm)JULY 7: Regular Monthly Meeting, SaintCharles Community Center – College Cen-ter Building Suite 202, Saint Charles(7:00pm – 9:00pm)JULY 19: Kayak Swarm, Red Horse to RiverRound Access (8:00am – 5:00pm)JULY 26: Northern Ozark River PartnerStream Teams Annual Picnic, MeramecSprings State Park (9:00am – 5:00pm)JULY 27: Missouri Stream Team Watershed

Coalition Meeting, Sullivan (9:00am –12:00pm); Larry Cain (314) 638-9646AUG 2: Kayak Swarm, River Round to Pacif-ic Palisades Access (8:00am – 5:00pm)AUG 4: Regular Monthly Meeting, SaintCharles Community Center – College Cen-ter Building Suite 202, Saint Charles(7:00pm – 9:00pm)AUG 9: Maline Creek Monitoring, Forest-wood Park, Ferguson (8:30am – 12:30pm);Mark K. (314) 388-1423AUG 16: Kayak Swarm, Pacific Palisades toRoute 66 State Park (8:00am – 5:00pm)AUG 23-24: Race for the Rivers (9:00am –3:00pm)AUG 23-24: Operation Clean Stream 41stAnnual Large-scale Little Pickup (8:00am– 3:00pm); Ron Coleman (636) 334-3035AUG 30: Kayak Swarm, Route 66 to GreenTree Access (8:00am – 5:00pm)

MISSOURI DUCKS UNLIMITEDJULY 26: Grand Giveaway, Elks Lodge,Columbia; Scott Anderson (660) 229-0695AUG 22: Blackwater Sponsor Event, War-rensburg; Kevin Raynes (660) 429-6959

MISSOURI FOREST PRODUCTS ASSOCIATIONJULY 25: Membership Committee Meeting,Country Club Hotel, Lake Ozark (12:30pm– 2:30pm)JULY 25: Board of Director Meeting, Coun-try Club Hotel, Lake Ozark (3:00pm –6:00pm)AUG 6: Timber Purchasers Group Meeting,

Salem (1:00pm – 3:00pm)

MISSOURI NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FEDERATION

FUNDRAISER BANQUETSJULY 11: Shoal Creek Chapter, Monett Park& Casino Building, Monett; Bill House(417) 442-3719JULY 12: Finley River Chapter, RiversideInn, Ozark; Rick Pickren (417) 294-0624JULY 19: All Womens Event, Mount ValleyWinery, Augusta; Eldo Meyer (573) 484-3102AUG 1: Summit City Longbeards, RobinsonMiddle School, Aurora; Ritchie Meredit(417) 678-1731

AUG 2: David Blanton Memorial, YMCA,Mount Grove; Tom Jennings (417) 668-5986AUG 2: Saint Louis Longbeards, OakvilleElks Lodge, Saint Louis; Norb Genie (314)842-3370AUG 9: Grindstone Gobblers, CameronCommunity Center, Cameron; John Hahn(816) 449-5613AUG 9: River Bottoms Gobblers, Universityof Missouri, Portageville; Trey Rone (573)379-9609AUG 16: Springtown Wattlenecks, AmericanLegion Hall, Smithville; Troy O’Dell (816)628-4254AUG 16: Perry County Beards & Spurs, ElksLodge, Perryville; Dominic Blythe (573)547-9209AUG 23: Dry Fork Strutters, Oak MeadowCountry Club, Rolla; Barbara Baird (573)364-6320AUG 23: Ozark Mountain Gobblers, ArcadiaValley Elks Lodge, Pilot Knob; KennethSherrill (573) 546-3392

AUG 23: Saint Louis Sponsor Event,Anheuser Busch Mansion – Grants Farm,Saint Louis; John Frerichs (314) 822-

4649

WHEELIN SPORTSMENS BENEFITSJULY 26: Young’s Creek Strutters; TravisScott (573) 474-2993

WOMEN IN THE OUTDOORSJULY 26: Four Rivers Outdoor Skills Work-shop, Saint Joseph Church of Neier, Union;Charlene Eckstein (573) 484-3077AUG 2: Sho-Me Chapter, Andy DaltonShooting Range, Ashgrove; Julie Garner(417) 833-2358AUG 2: Saint Louis Skeet & Trap ClubLadies Day, Saint Louis Skeet & Trap Club,Pacific; Ellen Benitz (816) 387-6606AUG 22: Bass Pro’s Ladies Day Out, BassPro’s Outdoor World, Independence; AmyAcock (816) 785-4300

MISSOURI TROUT FISHERMEN’S ASSOCIATIONJULY 19: Family Fun Day, Fleming Hall(10:00am – 4:00pm)

OZARK FLY FISHERSJULY 24: Monthly Meeting, Smith OutfittersAUG 22-24: Summer Outing, Montauk StatePark

OZARK MOUNTAIN PADDLERSJULY 10: Quarterly Business Meeting

POMME DE TERRE CHAPTER MUSKIESJULY 12: Lindley Arm, State Park Marina(8:00am)JULY 19: Kids Day, State Park MarinaAUG 9: Pomme Arm, State Park Marina(8:00am)AUG 23: Hatchery Tour

CFM EVENTSJULY 18-20: Board of Directors Meeting,SedaliaSEP 12-14: CFM Fall Conference, CampClover Point, Lake Ozark

If there are any errors in your name andaddress, if you’ve moved from this address, or if you plan to move, please notify us at Missouri Wildlife, 728 W. Main, Jefferson City, MO 65101 or call (800) 575-2322. Visit our website: www.confedmo.org

M I S S O U R I F E S T I V A L S A N D A F F I L I A T E E V E N T SCALENDAR

Conserve Life: SLOW DOWNMore than 1,100 people die on Missouri highways each year. Don’t become a statistic.

Conserve life by slowing down and by always making sure your seatbelt is buckled. BUCKLE UP