Mudslinger at it again

[Chief Grey Bear]

http://m.columbiatribune.com/opinion/conservation-deal-making/article_008463bf-d948-57a8-ab7b-3cd3660b705d.html

 

[fishinwrench]

A question for all:   What did the MDC do, or accomplish, last year in your area that was beneficial to you, or something you care deeply about?

Second question:  How much did it cost?

Third question:  Was it worth it?

[jdmidwest]

I just assume he was a posting about the expansion of the almighty government.  Not much to go by there.

[Al Agnew]

Wrench's question about what MDC has done for me lately did get me thinking a bit.

Let's see...in the last few weeks I have used three different MDC river accesses, one of which had been damaged by the big floods and was being repaired the day I used it.  I was able to do my part the last two trips to remove some spotted bass that were under the 12 inch minimum length on other bass on the river I fished, thanks to somewhat enlightened MDC regulations governing non-native spots.  Today my wife and I hiked a natural area that is taken care of by MDC, and which is one of the more spectacular scenic areas in MO.  I WAS checked last summer by an agent at the end of a float trip on one of my favorite stretches of river, something that doesn't seem to happen often enough but it was nice to know that he's at least keeping an eye on that stretch now and then.  Mary and I finally got out a month or so ago to hike for the first time a fairly new conservation area that's only a few miles from the house, and it's a pretty cool piece of land.  I enjoyed a couple of articles in the newest magazine, and would have used their mushroom book to ID any shrooms I found today but the warm weather hasn't made anything pop yet.

There are a lot of deer and turkeys in my area.

There are a lot of river accesses that wouldn't be useable without MDC.

There are a lot of places to hunt, hike, and fish that wouldn't be available without MDC.

Their publications (I have them all) are extremely helpful in many ways.

They aren't perfect.  I get impatient with the pace of some of their decisions and aggravated with some.  They probably waste money.  I don't always agree with their spending priorities.  But dang it, having spent a lot of time in other states with departments set up much differently than what we have here, this is still one of the best.  I will disagree with them sometimes, but I will do my part to defend their independence from the legislature and their funding sources.

[Mitch f]

 

8 hours ago, Al Agnew said:

Wrench's question about what MDC has done for me lately did get me thinking a bit.

Let's see...in the last few weeks I have used three different MDC river accesses, one of which had been damaged by the big floods and was being repaired the day I used it.  I was able to do my part the last two trips to remove some spotted bass that were under the 12 inch minimum length on other bass on the river I fished, thanks to somewhat enlightened MDC regulations governing non-native spots.  Today my wife and I hiked a natural area that is taken care of by MDC, and which is one of the more spectacular scenic areas in MO.  I WAS checked last summer by an agent at the end of a float trip on one of my favorite stretches of river, something that doesn't seem to happen often enough but it was nice to know that he's at least keeping an eye on that stretch now and then.  Mary and I finally got out a month or so ago to hike for the first time a fairly new conservation area that's only a few miles from the house, and it's a pretty cool piece of land.  I enjoyed a couple of articles in the newest magazine, and would have used their mushroom book to ID any shrooms I found today but the warm weather hasn't made anything pop yet.

There are a lot of deer and turkeys in my area.

There are a lot of river accesses that wouldn't be useable without MDC.

There are a lot of places to hunt, hike, and fish that wouldn't be available without MDC.

Their publications (I have them all) are extremely helpful in many ways.

They aren't perfect.  I get impatient with the pace of some of their decisions and aggravated with some.  They probably waste money.  I don't always agree with their spending priorities.  But dang it, having spent a lot of time in other states with departments set up much differently than what we have here, this is still one of the best.  I will disagree with them sometimes, but I will do my part to defend their independence from the legislature and their funding sources.

This pretty much sums up how I feel, I couldn't have said it any better.

[fishinwrench]

In the 6 county area where I spend all my time I don't know of anything, that's why I was interested in other areas.  Surely they keep themselves busy I just don't know where, or doing what.

[SpoonDog]

14 hours ago, fishinwrench said:

A question for all:   What did the MDC do, or accomplish, last year in your area that was beneficial to you, or something you care deeply about?

Second question:  How much did it cost?

Third question:  Was it worth it?

 

It's a red herring, isn't it?  The bill has nothing to do with MDC's expenditures, just adding more commissioners. 

 

Why restrict it to last year?  I'm headed to the state nursery in the next couple weeks to pick up tree seedlings for the 50 acres of a former cow-calf operation I inherited- red oak, walnut, pecan, plus some shrubs for wildlife and stabilization of streambanks that were wrecked by livestock- benefiting myself, my family, the folks I let hunt there, my neighbors, and downstream landowners.  MDC's partnering with ag groups to eliminate wild hogs, doing volunteer outreach with wood duck boxes, holding workshops for elementary teachers, working with nurseries on a native plant sale, offering funds to protect wetlands on private lands, and hosting a youth archery tournament.  I know lots of MDC folks assist with 4H and FFA groups, they provide insight on forestry prescriptions and logging contracts among their more mundane projects. 

 

It's not hard to come up with a pretty long list of things they do.  IMO it's totally worth it.

[SpoonDog]

1 hour ago, fishinwrench said:

In the 6 county area where I spend all my time I don't know of anything, that's why I was interested in other areas.  Surely they keep themselves busy I just don't know where, or doing what.

Isn't Lost Valley Fish Hatchery out your way?

[mjk86]

So, what, if any are the proposed advantages/disadvantages of adding 2 more members?  whats the poimt of adding members?

[trythisonemv]

Think mdc does its fair share to help our wildlife conservation and management! I agree with Mr Agnew in that I don't always agree with the decisions made. Like urban trout. This one seems silly.  But they manage all my favorite access areas and keep them looking good. As far as money they don't get much anyway and there are other state branches that spend and waste more. Also love their publications