Missouri Conservationist March 2022

2022·6.9 MB·English

by  Missouri Department of Conservation

MISSOURI
VOLUME 83, ISSUE 3, MARCH 2022
SERVING NATURE & YOU
CONSERVATIONIST
RENEW YOUR
HUNTING
FISHING
and

PERMITS TODAY
Buy Missouri hunting and fishing permits from vendors
around the state, online at mdc.mo.gov/buypermits, or
through MDC’s free mobile apps, MO Hunting and MO Fishing.
MISSOURI
CONSERVATIONIST
Contents
MARCH 2022
VOLUME 83, ISSUE 3
10
ON THE COVER
Western kingbird
: NOPPADOL PAOTHONG
600mm lens, f/9
1/250 sec, ISO 100
GOVERNOR
Michael L. Parson
THE CONSERVATION COMMISSION
CHAIR Wm. L. (Barry) Orscheln
VICE CHAIR Mark L. McHenry
SECRETARY Steven D. Harrison
MEMBER Margaret F. Eckelkamp
DIRECTOR
Sara Parker Pauley
16
DEPUTY DIRECTORS
Mike Hubbard, Aaron Jeffries,
Jennifer Battson Warren
OD.ORG MAGAZINE STAFF
WO MAGAZINE MANAGER
DAVID CAPPAERT, BUG AASSnteSgLOpiaehCEr aDrIDnAya iITAelTyE Or TM cEhRhDouerrIrTfbeOeldrR
-
PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
Cliff White
STAFF WRITERS
FEATURES Kristie Hilgedick, Joe Jerek,
Dianne Van Dien
10 DESIGNERS
Shawn Carey, Marci Porter
For the Love of Birds 22
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Noppadol Paothong, David Stonner
Bird declines and why
CIRCULATION MANAGER
we must act now.
Laura Scheuler
by Sarah Kendrick -
mdc.mo.gov/conmag
16
Black Widow DEPARTMENTS
Beautiful spider with an ugly 2 Inbox
reputation.
3 Up Front With Sara Parker Pauley
by Paul Calvert
4 Nature Lab
22
5 In Brief
Conservation Areas
28 Get Outside
Get Yelped
30 Places To Go Download this
Staff visit conservation areas
32 Wild Guide Pawpaw issue to your
and give their reviews. phone or tablet at
by Magazine Staff 33 Outdoor Calendar mdc.mo.gov/mocon.
Download for
Android
Inbox
e
the mom showed up and led her baby off into the
Letters to the Editor LEARNING TO FLY woods. From time to time, they’d pass back by, and
Submissions reflect In the December 2021 issue, I read Learning to Fly we got to watch that fawn grow to maturity.
readers’ opinions and [Page 22]. I liked learning how to make flies. Thank Mike Marshall Black
may be edited for length you for writing the article. I’d like to see more
and clarity. Email about fly-fishing. I can’t wait for spring to try out MEMORIES CONTINUE
[email protected]
the new flies. My dad loved your magazine and always kept a
or write to us:
Andrei S. via email copy on his kitchen table. When I’d visit, he would
MISSOURI
show me a page or two — he especially loved the
CONSERVATIONIST
OUTDOOR ADVENTURE What Is It? I think he must have signed me up for
PO BOX 180
JEFFERSON CITY, MO 65102 I was happy to see the brief article in the January a subscription, too, because it started showing
2022 issue about a new MDC team focused on up in my mailbox after one particular visit. He
expanding nature-based outdoor recreation on passed away about six years ago, but I still get that
conservation areas [Annual Review, Page 23]. I subscription every month. It’s a welcome reminder
START ‘EM YOUNG would love to see more promotion of activities, of my dad, and I spend days thumbing through the
Our youngest such as hiking, camping, biking, paddling, and rock pages at the kitchen table during breakfast. Thanks
granddaughter — climbing. By doing so, a whole new generation of for making such a wonderful publication.
6 months — loves people can be exposed to the beauty of our state Andrew Richmond St. Louis
the pictures as and enjoy the many recreational opportunities.
much as the older My husband and I recently spent a lovely half day A LIFELONG READER’S HOPE
grandkids, and we rock climbing at the newly opened climbing area in Since I was born one year after you started
enjoy sharing the Rockwoods Reservation. We were very grateful to publishing in 1938, I can truly say that I’m a lifelong
whole magazine have such a nice place to go climbing close to home reader. It’s seldom that I don’t read it cover to cover
with them! in St. Louis. We look forward to seeing more areas with anticipation and awe of the excellent content
become open to climbing. and photography. I can only hope my grandchildren
Margery and Garry Ellis
Wentworth Debbie Frank St. Louis and their children can enjoy the fruits of your efforts
with an underlying appreciation of the outdoors and
LEAVE WILDLIFE WILD environment as I have had the privilege to enjoy.
A few years ago, we found a fawn alone and Dave Pope via email
hunkered down by our house. It wasn’t long until
----------------//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////0
~
Connect With Us!
Conservation Regional Offices ~
Headquarters Southeast/Cape Girardeau: 573-290-5730 Southwest/Springfield: 417-895-6880
/moconservation ~
573-751-4115 Central/Columbia: 573-815-7900 Northwest/St. Joseph: 816-271-3100
@moconservation PO Box 180 Kansas City: 816-622-0900 St. Louis: 636-441-4554 ~
Jefferson City, MO
Northeast/Kirksville: 660-785-2420 Ozark/West Plains: 417-256-7161
@MDC_online 65102-0180 ~
--------------•IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII//////////IIIIIII//////IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII//////////IIIIIII//////IIIIIIIIIIII]
MISSOURI CONSERVATION COMMISSIONERS The Missouri Department of
Conservation protects and
Have a Question for manages the fish, forest,
a Commissioner? and wildlife of the state.
Send a note using We facilitate and provide
our online contact form at opportunity for all citizens to
mdc.mo.gov/commissioners. MMaarrggyy SStteevveenn MMaarrkk BBaarrrryy use, enjoy, and learn about
EEcckkeellkkaammpp HHaarrrriissoonn MMccHHeennrryy OOrrsscchheellnn these resources.
2 Missouri Conservationist | March 2022
Up
Want to see your photos
Front
in the Missouri Conservationist?
Share your photos on Flickr at
flickr.com/groups/mdcreaderphotos-2022
or email [email protected].
with Sara Parker Pauley
_ Even in middle age, I’m childlike when it comes to snow
— not the light, dusting kind, but the blanketing kind that
broad brushes the landscape entirely and silences the world.
Most of Missouri got a late winter snow like this a few weeks
ago. And though I love the stillness that such a snow brings, I
was relieved by the song of a cardinal the next morning, remind-
ing me that life still abounds, and spring is coming soon.
1 I came across a 2007 BBC special recently that featured sci-
entists arguing with musicians on why birds really sing — to
2 attract mates and keep rivals away, said the scientists. Yes,
1 | Eastern and because it brings them joy, said the musicians. Back and
gartersnake forth they presented their cases. Why couldn’t both be true?
by Paul Rains,
As musician David Rothenberg noted, “the seemingly inno-
via Flickr
cent topic of bird song shows us that we need a combination of
2 | Six-spotted
many visions of nature to make sense of the whole.”
tiger beetle by
Maria Moore, But many of our feathered earthly companions are in trou-
via Flickr ble. We’ve lost nearly 30 percent of all birds since 1970 and
3 | Bloodroot by even some common species such as sparrows are in decline.
Mark Putman, To learn more about this plight and what you can do to turn
via Flickr the tide, MDC ornithologist Sarah Kendrick’s article on Page
10 will shed light and hope.
As poet Douglas Malloch reminds us, “You have to believe
3 in happiness or happiness never comes. Ah, that's the reason a
bird can sing, on his darkest day he believes in spring.”
....
SARA PARKER PAULEY, DIRECTOR
[email protected]
The Missouri Conservationist (ISSN 0026-6515) is the official monthly publication of the Missouri
Department of Conservation, 2901 West Truman Boulevard, Jefferson City, MO (Mailing address: PO
Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102.) Equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from programs
of the Missouri Department of Conservation is available to all individuals without regard to their race,
Want another chance to see color, religion, national origin, sex, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, veteran status, or disability. Ques-
tions should be directed to the Department of Conservation, PO Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102,
your photos in the magazine? 573-751-4115 (voice) or 800-735-2966 (TTY), or to Chief, Public Civil Rights, Office of Civil Rights, U.S.
Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20240.
 In the December issue, we plan to feature SUBSCRIPTIONS: Visit mdc.mo.gov/conmag, or call 573-522-4115, ext. 3856 or 3249. Free to adult
Missouri residents (one per household); out of state $7 per year; out of country $10 per year. Notifica-
even more great reader photos. Use the
HY tion of address change must include both old and new address (send mailing label with the subscriber
syuebarm-riosusinodn pmicettuhroeds so af bnoavtiev eto M siesnsodu uris wyoildulri fbe,e st OTOGRAP natu amdbdeitri oonna il te) nwtirtyh o6f0fic-deas.y notice. Preferred periodical postage paid at Jefferson City, Missouri, and
flora, natural scenery, and friends and family NN PH PPhOoSnTeM: 5A7S3T-5E2R2: -S4e1n15d , ceoxrtr.e 3sp8o5n6d oern 3c2e4 t9o. CCiorpcuylraigtihotn ©, P 2O0 2B2o xb y1 8th0e, JCeofnfesresrovna tCiointy C, MomOm 6i5s1si0o2n- 0o1f 8th0e.
engaged in outdoor activities. Please include OR LY State of Missouri.
where the photo was taken and what it depicts. TAYL Printed with soy ink
mdc.mo.gov 3
Nature
L A B
by Dianne
Van Dien
Each month, we highlight research
MDC uses to improve fish, forest,
and wildlife management.
RESOURCE SCIENCE
Slowing Insecticide
Movement in Soil The soil in vegetative buffer strips, such as grassy field margins and trees
along streams, helps reduce movement of neonicotinoid pesticides from crop
fields into waterways and other sensitive habitats.
_ Neonicotinoids (also called neonics) are a
common type of insecticide, often applied to corn and
soybean seeds. They protect plants, but when carried lined with trees) and brought the soil back to a lab
by rainwater into streams and other habitats, neon- for chemical analyses and experiments.
ics can harm beneficial insects and other nontarget Results showed that imidacloprid passed most
species. quickly through crop soil and most slowly through
“Only about 5 percent of neonicotinoids is taken up Study shows soil from wooded riparian areas. Organic carbon
by the crops,” explains U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) was a key factor. The more organic carbon in the
vegetative
ecologist Lisa Webb. “So, the residual 95 percent is left soil, the more imidacloprid was retained rather
buffer strips
to move around in the soil.” than being carried away in water. Soil from grassy
can reduce
To learn what might keep residual neonics from and riparian buffer areas contained more than twice
neonicotinoid
moving into nontarget ecosystems, MDC partnered as much carbon as soil from crop fields.
movement
with University of Missouri researchers to study how “This study shows the importance of protecting
into other
one neonicotinoid — imidacloprid — interacts with and expanding riparian corridors as well as woody
soils from different habitats. habitats draws to help keep these chemicals out of aquatic
First, the team randomly selected six sites from ecosystems,” says retired MDC Environmental
MDC conservation areas where crops are planted. Resource Scientist Doreen Mengel. “Similarly,
Then, at each site, graduate researcher Laura Sat- planting grassy strips along the edges of crop fields
kowski collected soil from crop fields, grass buffer can help, and including cover crops in crop rotations
strips, and nearby riparian areas (streams or rivers can add carbon to the soil.”
Neonicotinoid Movement in Soil
at a Glance
Imidacloprid (a neonicotinoid pesticide) moves more slowly
through soils with more organic carbon and most easily through
soils with little carbon, such as the soil in many crop fields.
MDC Partners: University of WN CAREY
MReisssoouurcrie Ss cahnodo Ul oSfG NSa tural ON: SHA
Manidss Wouirldi Clifoeo Rpeesreaatirvceh FUisnhit so i3l .c6a9rb%o n so i3l .c0a6rb%o n so i1l .c2a5rb%o n J mimoti9hdv5eea%s cfi looe oulpdft r iodf BUFFER STRIP: MDC STAFF; ILLUSTRATI
4 Missouri Conservationist | March 2022 Learn more at short.mdc.mo.gov/Zso
In Brief
News and updates from MDC
GET HOOKED ON
TROUT FISHING
MDC ENCOURAGES ANGLERS
TO MARK THE ANNUAL
OPENER WITH A TRIP TO ONE
OF FOUR TROUT PARKS
 March 1 marks the annual opening
of catch-and-keep trout fishing in
Missouri at the state’s four trout
parks: Bennett Spring State Park near
Lebanon, Montauk State Park near
Licking, Roaring River State Park near
Cassville, and Maramec Spring Park
near St. James. The catch-and-keep
season at the trout parks runs through
Oct. 31.
MDC operates trout hatcheries at all
four parks and stocks rainbow trout daily
throughout the season.
Trout anglers need a daily trout tag to
fish in Missouri’s trout parks. Daily trout
tags can only be purchased at each of
the four trout parks. Missouri residents
16 through 64 and nonresidents 16
and older also need a fishing permit in
addition to the daily tag.
The cost of a daily trout tag to fish
at three of Missouri’s four trout parks —
Bennett Spring State Park, Montauk
State Park, and Roaring River State
Park — is $4 for adults and $3 for those activity, supports more than 2,300 jobs, and creates more than $70
15 years of age and younger. A daily million dollars in wages. About 30 percent of Missouri trout anglers
fishing permit for Missouri residents come from other states, so a substantial portion of trout fishing
and nonresidents is $8. The daily limit is expenditures is ”new money” for the state’s economy.
four trout. Missouri also offers excellent trout fishing throughout the state on
At Maramec Spring Park, where rivers and streams that support naturally reproducing trout. For more
the daily limit is five trout, the cost of a information on trout fishing in Missouri, visit short.mdc.mo.gov/Zvy.
daily trout tag for adults is $5 and $3 for Buy Missouri fishing permits from numerous vendors around
anglers 15 years of age and younger. the state, online at mdc.mo.gov/buypermits, or through MDC’s
Trout hatcheries are just one way free mobile apps, MO Hunting and MO Fishing, available for
that conservation pays in Missouri. download through Google Play for Android devices or the App
MDC staff stock more than 800,000 Store for Apple devices.
trout annually at the state’s four trout
parks and approximately 1.5 million REMINDER TO TROUT ANGLERS: To prevent the spread of the
trout annually statewide. Trout anglers invasive alga called didymo or ”rock snot,” the use of shoes, boots, or
NNER spend more than $100 million each year waders with porous soles of felt, matted, or woven fibrous material
DAVID STO imn othree tShhaonw $-1M80e mStialltioe,n w inh ibcuhs gineensesr ates ibsu pfrfeorh aibreitaesd. Gate atl lm trooruet ipnfaorrkms, atrtioount astt rsehaomrts.,m Ldakce.m Toan.geoyvc/o4mZAo,. and
mdc.mo.gov 5
In Brief
Ask MDC
Got a Question for Ask MDC?
Send it to [email protected]
or call 573-522-4115, ext. 3848.
FINAL DEER, TURKEY HARVEST
TOTALS TALLIED
Q: I saw a barred owl on
Deer the edge of our woods.
Missouri’s 2021–2022 deer hunting season ended We have about 12 acres
Jan. 15 with a preliminary total harvest of 293,670. Of of forest behind our
the deer harvested, 143,049 were antlered bucks, 26,599 house. Would an owl
were button bucks, and 124,022 were does. Top harvest house be a good idea?
counties for the season were Franklin with 6,392 deer  Barred owls reside along
harvested, Texas with 5,478, and Callaway with 5,452. forested streams, lakes, rivers,
Hunters harvested 297,214 deer during the 2020– and swamps, particularly in
2021 deer hunting season, with 140,855 being ant- deep woods with big timber.
lered bucks, 28,652 being button bucks, and 127,707 They forage at night, and often
being does. even during the day. But when Barred owl
Deer hunting ended with the close of the archery large trees are removed or
season. Preliminary data showed that hunters checked downed, these cavity nesters phrase, Who cooks for you, who
60,834 deer during the 2021–2022 archery deer sea- miss out on opportunities for cooks for you all?
son, making it the third highest archery deer harvest on quality habitat. To find out more about
record. Top counties for the archery deer season were Jef- Erecting a nesting box can how to correctly build
ferson with 1,563 deer harvested, St. Louis with 1,368, help attract a breeding pair and place a box, visit
and Franklin with 1,274. to your neighborhood. Make short.mdc.mo.gov/4Zm.
Hunters checked 67,487 deer during the 2020–2021 sure you put it up well before
archery deer season. This year’s archery deer harvest breeding season, which begins Q: I found these on the
total was 10 percent below last year’s record harvest in earnest in March. Attach a sunny side of a juniper.
and 8 percent higher than the previous five-year average. guard to keep predators from What insect makes these?
For deer harvest totals by season, county, and type of raiding eggs and young. It’s  These were made by
deer, visit short.mdc.mo.gov/Z3g. For deer harvest sum- best for the box to be about evergreen bagworm moth
maries from past years, visit short.mdc.mo.gov/4ZM. 12–15 feet high, attached to caterpillars. These caterpillars HOFF
For more information on deer hunting in Missouri, visit either a live tree or a post. And create their cases, or “bags,” DOER
short.mdc.mo.gov/ZvC. barred owls are more likely to using silk and bits of plant OBBIE
use the box if it is within 200 foliage. The caterpillars drag ORMS: R
FTaullr akrcehyery turkey hunting also ended Jan. 15. Prelimi- feeOt onfc ew aat ebrr.eeding pair has tfeheedse a cnads eesv eanrotuuanldly aws iltlh seeyc ure NG; BAGW
O
H
nary data showed 2,523 turkeys harvested. Top counties identified and occupied the the bag to a branch or other OT
fkoery tsh he afravlle asrtcehde, rJye tfuferkresoyn s ewaistohn 6 w7,e aren dFr aCnaklllainw wayi twh i6th9 t6u1r.- sthpraecee ,r oeuxnpde,c wt thoi tsee eeg tgwso. Tohr e soliAdl tshtoruucgthu rnea tmo epdu tphaet e. OPPADOL PA
N
Hunters harvested 2,350 turkeys during the 2020– incubation period will last 28 evergreen bagworm, these WL:
O
2she0aar2vsF1oeo snrfa t,m ligln oaofror ecorh mnteulairrnytkie oet unyto r hko seanhyr vo pseraetssa.ttm s itonudnfrco.k.rmemyo as.tgeioaonsvo /fZno3sr, g tv.h iFesoi tcr us mhrrooernrtet. dfsoearey A4nsl,2,t hai tdnosa ducy glstahh.s est hioci sws eolerwitesl sia sor enf ohreto aoorftetsed n codbafea tgcteriwerdpeouisorll mauarnsss d tafr ereseehe drscu. o obNvnseo, r ariemn dvcaa liurlnlidye itnyg HERT; TURKEY, BARRED
mdc.mo.gov/4ZQ. For more information on turkey hunt- is commonly heard and easily juniper clippings, but they’ll M RAT
ing in Missouri, visit short.mdc.mo.gov/Ztu. identifiable as sounding like the attach clippings of whatever DEER: JI
MDC reported one fatal and three non-fatal, self-
inflicted firearms related hunting incidents during deer
season.
6 Missouri Conservationist | March 2022
plant they’re feeding on. You
might look around in your flower
beds or on nearby plants for more
bagworms. To see what bagworms
look like when they’ve fed on
deciduous plants, visit short.mdc. Jacob Fisher
mo.gov/4Zs.
ST. CLAIR COUNTY
Eggs hatch in late spring and
CONSERVATION AGENT
tiny caterpillars can move to new
offers this month’s
plants by throwing out a silk thread
AGENT
into the wind, which is called
“ballooning.” Once whisked to a new
plant — sometimes far away — they
ADVICE
start to build their new bags almost Evergreen bagworms
immediately. They remain mobile
while they are feeding, carrying their with large numbers of bagworm
bags like hermit crabs carry their cases, you may want to remove these
As spring makes its return
shells. Female moths are wingless cases to help reduce the number of
and don’t leave their bags; male caterpillars present this summer. to Missouri, the excellent
moths can fly and do leave their They are overwintering in the fishing opportunities draw
bags to mate with females. Eggs are egg part of their lifecycle now. Since
anglers to boat ramps and
laid in the bags. they are not feeding, insecticidal
the water’s edge. It is a great
Bagworms can be a pest of both treatments are ineffective. But
native and ornamental evergreens. bagworms can be hand-picked time to rediscover the joys of
Not only can they strip native eastern off plants and disposed of in spring fishing for both crappie
red cedars in natural locations to the a garbage bag or thrown in a
and paddlefish. As you make
point the cedars die, but they also bucket of soapy water. For more
your way to the water, keep
can harm the ornamental junipers in information on bagworms, visit
your yard. If you have shrubs or trees short.mdc.mo.gov/4Ze. water safety in mind. It is a
good idea to bring extra layers,
as early spring mornings can
be crisp, especially on the
water. Remember, if you are
. . going to be on a boat, personal
flotation devices are required
for each occupant and should
What
be accessible in the event of
IS it? an emergency. Take a safety
tour of any vessel you board to
Can you familiarize yourself with the
guess this location of the life vests and
month’s
other safety equipment.
natural
wonder?
FOR MORE INFORMATION, INCLUDING
The answer is on REQUIRED PERMITS, NEW INFORMATION
Page 9. ON PADDLEFISH LIMITS ON SOME
BODIES OF WATER, AND MORE,
CHECK OUT A SUMMARY OF MISSOURI
FISHING REGULATIONS, AVAILABLE AT
■ MDC.MO.GOV/FISHING/REGULATIONS.
mdc.mo.gov 7
In Brief
CONSERVATION Spotlight on
WWWEEE AAARRREEE people and partners
by Angie Daly Morfeld
Mike
Szydlowski
 Mike Szydlowski, K–12
science coordinator with
Columbia Public Schools
(CPS), is always looking for
ways to engage students in
science learning beyond the
classroom. An opportunity
presented itself nearly 8
years ago when he received
information from MDC about
invasive bush honeysuckle.
An eye-opener
According to Szydlowski,
the information came in
November and really made
an impact on him. As winter
settled in and things were
turning drab, the green of
bush honeysuckle stuck out
like a sore thumb. At that
time, he mobilized CPS fourth
graders and they went to
local parks, removing invasive
honeysuckle. Since then,
the program has grown to
include third grade through
high school, and those groups
have logged nearly 7,000
hours per school year at
six local parks. Due to their
efforts, these parks have seen
anywhere from 10–80 percent
of honeysuckle cleared.
In his own words
“None of this would be
possible without our teachers
who are committed to
environmental learning. This is
more than service learning —
this is a community service. If
kids don’t spend time outside,
they won’t learn to love it
and won’t take care of it.”
: by Cliff White
What’s your conservation superpower?
8 Missouri Conservationist | March 2022