rFisherk

That wonderful, Terrieman. I just completed my third round of emails to my senator and representatives, because all of them are on the wrong side of these issues. This is what I sent this last time; decided to just get personal this time: Like most seniors, I vote in every election. I don't vote party line, and I usually don't make my choice based on one issue. The outdoors, and its various pleasures, however, have always been important to me, but as a senior living on SS, they now are my sole means of recreation and enjoyment. Please protect the Missouri Department of Conservation from the onslaught of legislation aimed at them.

Good for you, Awhuber. So few contact their representatives, that those who do exert considerable influence, especially if they are voters in the district. Are you in his district?

Sorry about that. I've corrected it to Robert Ross. I'd never heard of the guy, but I have a good friend named Ryan Ross and was wondering as I typed it if they were related. I guess everyone needs an editor, right? Thanks for the correction. Oh, and by the way, it is Kruger, not Krueger. And now I'm wondering, since you think I'm simply "bashing" this representative, do you think these are good bills? If so, why?

There are at least a dozen bills currently being considered that are aimed at damaging or destroying the Missouri Department of Conservation. They're coming at the MDC from every imaginable angle, but Rep. Robert Ross, District 142, has come up with a couple more. Ross recently filed HB’s 833 and 834. HB833 would flatly prohibit “clear cutting” and establish the “Forestry Management Consortium” to implement and prescribe management of state-owned forestland. The bill would require the department to follow the consortium’s recommendations “without variance.” HB834 would prohibit the department from purchasing or receiving donated land without legislative approval. Ross additionally filed a joint resolution that, if approved by voters, would require legislative approval for any land purchased by the department. Although I'm investigating this further, the "clear cutting" Ross is attacking is the MDC's practice of creating food plots on many of its Conservation Areas to enhance wildlife habitat. Right now, the MDC is realizing considerable profit from the sale of timber, so I suspect this is another effort to cut their revenues any way possible. I don't think the other bill has a chance, because it is ridiculous. To tell private citizens they can't sell, or even donate, land to the MDC without legislative approval is so contrary to citizen's rights and free trade, I believe even those law makers blinded by their hatred of MDC's political independence will have trouble supporting this measure. Ross, by the way, is on the committee for Conservation and Natural Resource. What do you think?

I used to fish the white bass/whiper/striper runs up in the North Fork, just above Norfork Lake. Hooked a dozen or so stripers over 20 pounds on a 10-weight Sage. Landed two. I waded. You really have to be in a boat to go after them when they turn sideways to the current and head downstream, which they always do. Uncontrollable. Lost fly lines and backings.

Sorry, it should be CWD, Chronic Wasting Disease, in the title. Can't edit the title, evidently.

I wonder: do any of our Missouri farms import from, or have imported from, Ohio?

Check this out for the full story: http://www.indystar.com/story/news/2015/02/12/kentucky-bans-hoosier-captive-deer-imports/23307885/

I'm not selling or trading, but if you're ever in Eminence, MO, check out Burris wood carvings. Guy's a real artist. He has fish too.

Actually, I think it pay to buy good poppers.

Even though I'm old, I still love to hunt the first game I ever pursued (squirrels) and fish for the first kind of fish I caught (bluegill). I've evolved to use a .22 for squirrels and a fly rod for bluegill. You can catch bluegill on literally any kind of fly, but I think a weighted black fur ant is best. Most popular is small poppers, but thousands of outings have proven to me you can catch more and bigger panfish with something that sinks. What your favorite bluegill fly?

Maybe so going directly to MDC, Fishinwrench, but CFM has tremendous influence on the MDC. If enough members expressed an interest in it, CFM would pressure the MDC to seriously consider it. If you're not a member of CFM, then you probably don't have much influence on the things you would like to see done. Consider it like a citizen's union for conservation.

I'm going to urge the Conservation Federation to urge the MDC to get this established in MO. Add that to the million acres of conservation areas, plus all the National Forest land, and practically the whole state is a happy hunting grounds.

That is a fine program. I may go back to Kansas this fall. Same deal for non-residents?

I'm interested in this, Ness: "Kansas has a 'Walk-In Hunting Area' program, in place since the mid-90's, in which farmers get a little cash and make their properties available to hunters. There are something like 2,000 of them across the state, and who knows how many acres; more than a million." How does this work for the hunter? Do you get a list of participating farmers when you buy your license? If your driving down the road, is there some small sign on the participating properties. Is there any extra fee for the hunter to participate? Things like that. Kentucky needs something like this.

I've been coyote hunting.

Who? How you doin'?

I've had some very good times hunting in Kansas with Mike Pearce. Turkey hunted there with Ray Eye too.

I think Ron Spomer is the premier authority and author about ballistics and hunting in America today. He has started a new FB page called Everything Whitetail that some of you might find informative and interesting. You can check it out at https://www.facebook.com/EverythingWhitetail?notif_t=fbpage_fan_invite

By the way, they are not just trying to pass laws to limit the authority and funding of the MDC, they are trying to use existing laws to do the same thing. A group of deer breeders supported by the Missouri Deer Assc., which is the new name of the Whitetail Deer Breeders and Hunting Ranch Assc., plus the American Cervid Alliance is funding a lawsuit to have captive deer reclassified as livestock. This lawsuit probably doesn't have a chance, but it will cost the MDC big dollars to fight, which may be the main purpose of it. A bill to achieve this actually did pass some months ago, but was vetoed by the Governor. A vote to override his veto failed by one vote. One vote.This could have been devastating to the entire wild herd through the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease. This is when I started paying attention, and when I learned of the multi-pronged attack on the MDC, I started getting involved. Now the same bill to reclassify captive deer, sponsored by Munzlinger, has been reintroduced. It is in committee now, where it should die, but the committee, Agriculture, Food Production and Outdoor Resources, is chaired by Munzlinger. Do you think they will recommend it come to a vote? Munzlinger is possibly the most powerful and active opponent of the MDC, yet he is the chairman of the committee over "Outdoor Resources." That's bad enough, but he's far from alone. There is a concerted effort by a good number of representatives to damage or destroy MDC, and they have considerable support in the legislature, because many of them resent the fact they can't exert control over MDC. That's why they claim the MDC is "arrogant" and "unresponsive." It's simply because they can't control them, or the money they bring in. I implore everyone interested in the fish and wildlife "resources" of this state to join the Conservation Federation of Missouri. http://confedmo.org/ The "wolf" truly is at the door, and CFM is the citizen's organization blocking it.

Who do they do it in Kansas, Ness? I once hunted prairie chickens around Shawnee, KS, other upland game in other parts of the state. Fantastic. But I understand permission is hard to get now, that there's very little public land and it is overhunted. Is that true? It has been a couple of decades since I've been there. Does it still offers some of the best upland hunting in the nation? Where's your favorite places to fish and hunt in Kansas?

Here's the initial process,, Ness A bill is introduced and read It is read for a second time and referred to the proper committee Committee holds a hearing Committee Chair report committee recommendation So, Munzlinger can't actually decide, however, he has written the bills that are being referred to his own committee. And he, as the chairman, influences the outcome of the committee decision. It's a gross conflict of interest.

Winter has a special beauty, and I don't hibernate. I get out and enjoy it, but by February, I've about had enough of it. From an outdoorsman's perspective, about the only good thing about February--is it only has 28 days.

Phil, I have been covering conservation issues for about 40 years. In all that time, I've never seen a more serious, determined and unified legislative threat to conservation as we know it, and I'm offended that you would suggest I am crying wolf. Since the Conservation Tax was passed in 1976, there have been periodic attempts to gain control of that money. These were single pieces of legislation that few people, including myself, never expected would come to a vote, and I never even mentioned most of them in my columns and articles. This is very different. There currently are 12 pieces of legislation aimed at the Missouri Department of Conservation (a 13th was withdrawn), and I'm told by a Jefferson City insider that more are to come, though I can't personally imagine what other angle they could use. This is not just about getting control of those tax dollar, as has been in the past--it is about damaging the MDC any way possible, regardless of how it effects the sporting populace. Some of the most threatening bills will, indeed, come to a vote, because the author of these bills, Muntzinger, also is the chairman of the committee that decides whether or not to place them before the general assembly for a vote. The type of complacency you demonstrate is exactly what these legislators are counting on. When exactly is the "point in the process that we should raise our heads and take action?" After one or more of them passes? You actually have a lot more to lose in this matter than I. If any of the three bills directly effecting MDC funding passes (and all three are likely to come up for a vote), one of the things the Department says it will have to cut is rearing and stocking of trout. For some years now, I've been devoted to stream smallmouth fishing, which is one of the few things that won't be impacted by such cuts. Lilly's Landing, on the other hand, could go out of business before sanity is restored. Instead of "crying wolf," you may well be simply crying and wishing you would have joined a unified effort to curtail these effort BEFORE they do any damage, and you will be wishing you had rallied the many people you influence to the same cause. I'm 66 years old. I'm retired. I no longer write a syndicated newspaper column, and I no longer care to catch put-and-take trout--but my son does, and my grandchildren may wish to enjoy many of the opportunities that now exist under the current MDC programs. I am, in fact, crying wolf before he huffs and puffs and blows your house down.

I'm a bit surprised too. These bills, if passed, would dramatically and drastically effect everyone involved in or concerned about the Missouri Outdoors. Among many other things, hatcheries would close and private and public fish stocking would stop. There go your trout and your catfish. Even the State Trout Parks rely upon MDC hatcheries.