(MDC news release)
Two positive results for Chronic Wasting Disease are first for free-ranging deer in Missouri.

JEFFERSON CITY Mo – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) received two positive test results for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) from 1,077 tissue samples taken from free-ranging deer harvested by hunters in north-central Missouri during the 2011 fall firearms deer season. Both positive test results were from adult bucks harvested by Missouri hunters in Macon County, and are the first CWD-positive results for free-ranging deer in Missouri.

Photo by Noppadol Paothong

MDC plans to obtain more tissue samples for CWD testing by harvesting additional deer in the immediate area where the two infected deer were harvested. Continue reading CWD found in two free-ranging deer from Macon County

Turkey hunters have until Feb. 29 to apply for managed hunts during Missouri’s 2012 spring turkey season. All 19 managed turkey hunts are listed in the “2012 Spring Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information” booklet. The booklet, along with other information on spring turkey hunting, is available online at www.mdc.mo.gov by searching “Spring Turkey Hunting.” The booklet and website have application instructions, outlook information on Missouri’s turkey population, conservation areas where turkey hunting is allowed, related regulations and more. The print version of the booklet will be available from hunting permit vendors and at MDC offices in mid-February. Continue reading Leap year day deadline for Missouri managed turkey hunts

The following are proposed changes to Little Rock District park operations by lake or river project.
(Traveler is working on a more detailed report on Clearwater and Wappapello Lakes, which will run in the print and e-Editions of the February issue.)

We will update as more information becomes available. — Traveler

Beaver Lake – Rogers/War Eagle/Eureka Springs, Ark. on upper White River

- Facilities
- No park facilities will close.

- Personnel
- Will not fill vacant park ranger position supporting shoreline management/natural resource management.
- Will not hire one summer park ranger.
Continue reading Specific proposed changes for Little Rock Army Corps lakes

(Condensed from Little Rock District Army Corps of Engineers news release.)

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The Little Rock District of the Army Corps of Engineers is proposing operational changes at several of its parks, including closing some less efficient facilities.

Little Rock District operates dams and parks along the White River, within Arkansas, and at Clearwater Lake near Piedmont.
A series of public workshops to discuss these proposals and solicit public input is being scheduled for February at Piedmont, Mo., and at Mountain Home, Heber Springs, Russellville and Ozark, Ark. The workshop times, dates and locations will be announced when they are finalized. (Ed. note: See February print or e-Edition Traveler for details of proposed cutbacks at Clearwater and Wappapello Lakes, including interviews with Corps staff.)

Proposed impacts include closing 13 campgrounds, four partial campgrounds, four day use areas, one partial day use area, and 10 boat ramps in 29 parks. The recreation season at many additional parks may be shortened.

Park services proposed to suffer include the frequency of trash pick-up, cleaning and mowing, as well as increasing maintenance response time and fewer temporary park rangers, law enforcement agreements and contract park attendants.

The proposed changes will save an estimated $1.9 million annually ($921,000 for operation and maintenance expenses and $989,000 for labor).

Little Rock District operates 178 public parks and access areas. About 8% of its facilities are expected to bear the majority of the cuts.

Besides recreation, Little Rock District proposes to minimize accepted requests for private boat dock placement or alteration, as well as mowing permits on government land and meandering path permits to the access lakes. Also, the district will reduce inspections of permitted shoreline activities and possibly cancel boundary maintenance.

Periodic lock and dam maintenance, dredging, and funding of the hydropower employee training program are also affected. Most maintenance at power plants will be shifted to agreements utilizing customer funding

Little Rock District flooding costs in 2011 totaled $33.5 million. Operations and maintenance funding has been reduced $17 million, and the maintenance backlog on the district’s top 15 needs is $68 million and growing. These factors are causing the district to limit the levels of service it can offer.

During the past several months, Little Rock District performed a thorough and deliberate review of operation and maintenance programs so the district can focus available funds on the highest priority work.
The district developed a three-tier ‘triage’ like system to help categorize and prioritize tasks because the district did not receive enough money to complete all “normal” day to day tasks.The categories are must do, should do, and nice to do.
The district will address “must do” items before “should do” items, and does not anticipate having enough resources to accomplish any items in the “nice to do” category.

This is consistent with the Corps’ national recreation strategy to have a program that is sustainable and adaptable to fiscal challenges and responsive to user needs. And it will enable Little Rock District to provide the best levels of service within the available budget.

PROPOSED IMPACTS BY PROJECT
(As of January 17, 2012)

Recently I was reading a post by a fellow Mommy Blogger about State Parks in Illinois and bringing fun back to nature. I applaud her for being uniquely different, and speaking out that fun can be focused around real things.

Many of us forget about visiting our State Parks, and even more of us don’t realize how affordable it is to visit or stay at a state park. I know when I first started “adventuring” with kids; it was hotels or no go! I know I am pathetic! A few years back for my birthday, Ryan surprised me with a weekend at Sam A. Baker State Park. While I still had to cook, clean up after my kids, and spent a majority of my time outside in the woods, I felt like I was worth a million bucks. Continue reading Vacation on a Dime in Missouri State Parks

Chesterfield City Council will consider a ban on projectile weapons, including pellet guns, within 150 yards of a residence, tonight.

It’s all about squirrels, and Gene Schenberg’s right to use a pellet gun against his pesky pests.

File photo by Eugene Vale

Chesterfield already has a similar ordinance on the books. Prosecution under the ordinance is tough, because another piece of the city code says residents can use firearms to protect their property. Continue reading Chesterfield to debate right to kill squirrels tonight

Van Buren, MO– Bill Black, superintendent at Fort Smith National Historic Site in Fort Smith, Arkansas, has been selected as the interim superintendent of Ozark National Scenic Riverways for 120 days beginning Tuesday, January 17th.

Bill Black - NPS furnished photo

“I’m eager to experience Ozark National Scenic Riverways, and meet the park staff and partners who have a love and passion for its special resources. Listening to suggestions and concerns and conveying them to upper National Park Service management will be paramount during my tenure,” said Black. Continue reading Bill Black appointed interim Riverways superintendent

By Jo Schaper

I was down at the RV Show yesterday afternoon and got to meet a lot of folks, get some sample Traveler’s out to them, help give away a passel of little red Missouri Canoe and Floaters Assn. paddles and visit with some of our other advertisers at other booths.

The show goes until 5 p.m. today. We’ve got a number of specials going for this last day:

That’s our number one deal. You must be present at the show to take advantage of it.

Number two is this: There is a special 2 for 1 coupon at the bottom of the ad. Print it off and present it at the door from now until 4 p.m. and bring a friend! The show goes until 5 p.m.

We’re selling books, new and renewal subscriptions (everybody gets book or planner for new or renewal…just ask!) Talk with Emery and share kudos, complaints and things you’d like to see. We want to know how we are doing. Honest.

Traveler friend Marty Koch is there, with the final “Paddling Gourmet” demonstration for this show at 2:15 this afternoon.

And don’t forget: everyone needs a little red paddle!
If you see this post, please tell Emery or someone with the St. Louis RV Show that you did.

Hope to see you there this afternoon.

JEFFERSON CITY Mo – Hunters age 6 through 15 checked 2,193 deer during the late youth hunt Jan. 7 and 8, bringing the total harvest for the 2011-2012 firearms deer season to 238,921 compared to last year’s total of 231,513.

Photo by Noppadol Paothong

The harvest total for last year’s late youth weekend was 1,292. This year’s combined early and late youth season harvests total 18,585 compared to 14,555 last year. Top counties during the late youth hunt were Macon with 52 deer checked, Franklin with 51 and Lincoln with 45. Continue reading Total 2011-2012 deer harvest is 238,921

Prescribed burn January 7 helps beech, and sand forest species on Crowley’s Ridge

By Jo Schaper
(Photos courtesy Missouri State Parks – photographer Eugene Vale)

With cold temperatures and snow on the ground, what is needed to warm up is the memory of a nice warm fire.

Michelle Soenksen of Sam A. Baker SP watches the fire

About 60 acres of 161-acre Morris State Park underbrush was burned by a Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Division of State Parks fire crew in early January to help manage against invasive species, and fire-scar seeds which require such treatment to germinate next spring. Continue reading Fire at Morris SP to preserve, enhance unique species