Chief Grey Bear

Well, you have now put me on a mission. Some web pages say they don't have wings another says some do and some don't. So I guess maybe we are both right. I still haven't seen one fly.

Actually I think the correct name is Water Skater. Its a 4 legged creature that skates along the surface. I'm wrong. You are right. I just looked at the pic. I have never seen one flying that I knew of. Where did you read that they can fly?

Have you got your new toy yet? Gas is dropping down here pretty good. 2.71 as of last night. We might hit another spot close to Jolly Mill too.

Hey Scott How did it turn out for you?

Heck, I'm just the oppisite. I'v got a whole frigging bunch of plactics and just don't throw them anymore. I used to love to throw a 6 inch worm on small creeks and rivers. Had a blast. I have just got into this crankbait craze over the last few years and can't seem to shake it. I wonder if Silver Mallard ever threw a worm on his Fly Rod?

Well? Yeah? I am pretty sure??? Ok now I am having trouble keeping up. Was is Terry or Merlin????

Thanks Bill, that clears up some things.

OK OK, there may be something to this thing that Terry planted a device to determine where my hot spots are. It looks like that since you guy's outed him, the creature is gone. Maybe they do migrate?????????

Thanks Bill. Let me ask you a couple questions then. Does this also apply to river guides? Without a gas powered motor? Electric motor?

Well, I have to agree with you there. Man doesn't do much to help. I'm in pretty good with a research scientist for the MDC. I have sent an email so I should hear something in a couple of days. Hopefully he isn't out of town.

A little bit ago there was some discussion on this forum about fish showing up in odd places mysteriously. Some said that eggs stick to the legs of water birds. I believe that since my dad many years ago said it. We always believe what our Dads say don't we? He told of his young days in the country in Barry County of ponds that were built and never stocked but ended up having fish in them. Some of you don't believe that and I can understand your questioning of such. I also questioned my dad about it. He didn't have an answer but had seen it happen. But I'm gonna stay out of that debate, (Yeah right) that is not what I am writing about. Well, sorta. My kids have a red wagon that is full of rain water. It's been in there a few days now. Well, as I was sitting outside last night reading and enjoying the birds feeding, my son says "Dad, there is a water spider in my wagon." I get up to investigate and sure enough there he is. Now it is quite a ways to the nearest pond. 300 or 400 yards anyway. Last I knew, they don't migrate like turtles. SO just how in the heck did he get there?

Hey way to go. Living your dream. Good luck! I gotta question for you though. The last I knew Missouri did not require a license to be a guide. It's my undstanding that they used to but not anymore. Was it the Coast Guard test you are speaking of? Or am I out of date?

Well, give me a couple of days and let me see if I can get an offical 'ruling' if you will from MDC. Ha! Better make it a couple of weeks!LOL!!

The state of Missouri does not protect the English Sparrow or the Starling. In fact in an issue of the Missouri Conservationist a couple of years ago they advocated the eradication of the two. Like feral hogs, starlings and sparrows cause destruction to the environment and therefore can and in my book will be dealt with severely and permanently. Death by severe acute high velocity lead poisoning. OK so my pellet gun only goes about 750fps, it works very well.

Well, I was gonna ask how in the heck that got there. But I found out when I went to type this response. I should have put a space between the B and the ). But I didn't and I got a When need to start some kind of Starling Shooting club. OOOhh OOOOOhh I know a Starling tournament!

That is the reason I shoot every Starling and English Sparrow I can. Another contributor to the decline is house cats. I read a report a few years ago that in North America house cats kill in excess of 1 Billion(yes that is with a song birds a year. It doesn't matter how well fed the feline is, it is instinct that they have to hunt and kill. Not eat, but hunt and kill.

I don't believe any shotguns are being used here. It has been identified by those here as human and animal waste. Now if we could just get the officials to admit it too. Don't think for a minute they are not in the know. And as for phosphates a lot of crops are grown in Jasper and Barton counties. All are fertilized. And its not just a farming thing either. Many folks in town have their lawns fertilized also. Its all up stream in the water shed. I'm not saying we are gonna stop it all. I think we just need to take the proper precautions and be good stewards of the land and waterways. It's comical to read that some say its OK to have pollution but by golly you better make dang sure you C&R that fish, use a barbless hook, don't use powerbait...yadda..yadda..yadda..... Just an observation, not finger pointing.

That has got to be some of the stupidest stuff I have ever read in my life! Do you really believe what you have wrote?? I agree in princple what you are saying. But we also have to remember that a number of small farms along the same stetch of water can equal one large corprate farm. Therefore we must all practice conservation the best we can. I commend you and your family for doing what they can to keep it clean. I only wish others would do the same. Carry on soldier!!

Here is another interesting read in the Globe today. http://www.joplinglobe.com/local/local_story_160174436.html Take note of the last paragraph and read between the lines. It sums up exactly what I post above about lip service. But if you don't mind having the runs all the time, I guess it doesn't matter much.

My gut feeling says nothing. This problem just didn't start yesterday. It has been a known problem for some years now. Remember the DNR just approved another huge poultry operation very close to Roaring River. Going against much local opposition. Money talks and that is the problem. Articles such as the one Rusty posted have been appearing for some years now and every time they read it, the local governments on the city, county and state level act as if it the first they have heard of it. I wish I had the money to run for county commissioner. I would most likely not get reelected, but I sure would make life ruff on a few. That is most likely what it is going to take. Someone such as us that has a true love of the land that we live on and the air that we breath. And not just give a bunch of lip service at election time!!!

Well, I'm gonna have to sit this one out. I was afraid that was gonna happen. I do want to get together with you guy's one of these days. Maybe later we can formulate a plan like this for later in the summer or early fall. Sorry guy's.

quote name='jdmidwest' date='Jun 9 2007, 09:12 AM' post='40019'] As far as livestock pollution, it would be hard to pinpoint as there are cows everywhere. Well, I hardly think we are talking about pinpointing the problem to each and every individual cow. I think we need to pinpoint that Ecoli is coming from animal waste and we need to develop a plan to significantly reduce the possibility of it entering the streams to the best of our ability without letting call of the almighty dollar interfere. I think that they might even have a river access or two around Riverside Camp on the right. Multiply it by all of the feeder streams that runoff into the river from the hills during a rain. The Spring River drainage starts up around West Plains so it would be hard to narrow down. Then there is the South Fork. It could be coming in from Mammoth Spring itself, runoff into a sinkhole somewhere. I always get a kick out of the locals that come down to Lasseters to fill up jugs of the fine spring water. Fish guts, Ducks, runoff from town, yummy. You know what their gut feels like!

I have been watching this for a few years now. This is not the first report on Spring River. The Carthage High School Stream Team has been reporting this for over 5 years. The DNR when finally pressed on the issue said that they are not trained to take samples. Well, I don't have to tell you that that did not set to well. Last I heard, the DNR has decided to work the the Carthage Stream Team and others to locate the problem. Everybody already knows what the problem is. Actually in my book there are 2 of them. One is unregulated septic tanks or lack there of. There has been an unprecedented growth in country living. Second it the explosion of beef, hog and poultry operations in SW Missouri. Missouri is second only behind Texas in beef production. And the majority of that is in SW Missouri. SW Missouri has more beef than people. But I doubt you will get the truth from your local government. These operations are big business. I like how they can't figure out why it always spikes during a time of high water. Its very simple people. In stead of spending years try to find the source, which we already know, lets develop a plan to combat it. You know you can't have it both ways. As this news keeps getting press, you will have a reduction in tourism. Then you have a reduction in residents. Once those two are gone, you can't have growth in business. Who wants to live or visit an area that has bad water? So what is the problem in having a buffer along the creeks and rivers? Say 25 feet from the average high water mark?

I offer my condolences on being a wildcat. Nobody should have to endure that. I'm also sorry that you're having trouble catching sizable fish. If you would like renumerate me for my services, I can put you on some sizable fish long before you reach the Elk. I can put you on them. I can't make you catch them though.