Mudslinger at it again

[Haris122]

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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?

Good question. I'm probably missing a few things but I'd say year long, the main thing the MDC does for me is provide free access, like Al said. Fishing wise the main advantage to a lot of other options, is that MDC land is open longer, and frequently in more remote and scenic areas. Out of most true MDC owned land I know, I won't get chased off past a certain time like in the county, city, DNR, and municipal parks/accesses. Hunting wise, it's nice to at least get a chance to go out somewhere with a rifle, without having to either know someone, or own your own land. And in going with the hunting, they have shooting ranges that are either much more reasonably priced than private ones, or free, provided you're willing to drive out to them. Hunting wise I can't think of much more. Certain CA's have extra food plots and watering holes and such, but in my experience the availability of game there, squirrels aside, is on the low end (just too many people I guess). As far as fishing goes, for a lot of the river accesses, it's similar to hunting. They don't seem to stock any fish in the rivers aside from the trout in the red ribbon section. A good portion of the lakes I fish, also seem to be only naturally stocked. That's kind of one thing, along with better enforcement that I'd kind of like more of, from them. They make it more accessible which I like a lot, but that also causes more pressure on resources that have to solely replenish naturally. On the other hand they have constructed plenty of little lakes and offer other fishing opportunities I otherwise wouldn't have, that I definitely make use of. Busch CA, and the winter trout program come to mind.

[David Unnerstall]

There seems to be a lot of trying to fix things that aren't broke, these days.

[fishinwrench]

Not sure what they breed at Lost Valley but chances are I could do without it.  

 

 

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Good question. I'm probably missing a few things but I'd say year long, the main thing the MDC does for me is provide free access,

That was bought and paid for long ago, unless they have recently developed a new one that you use, and it wasn't free.    And keeping in mind that most all access areas have been paid for many times over it is interesting to know that IF their future funding ever gets cut they threaten to throw up gates and keep you out of them.    Seem fair to you ?   It doesn't to me.

[Haris122]

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That was bought and paid for long ago, unless they have recently developed a new one that you use, and it wasn't free.    And keeping in mind that most all access areas have been paid for many times over it is interesting to know that IF their future funding ever gets cut they threaten to throw up gates and keep you out of them.    Seem fair to you ?   It doesn't to me.

It doesn't seem fair to me, but I don't know if I ever read anything on them threatening to do that. I imagine there's still some maintenance costs associated with those accesses though. Fixing boat ramps, and parking lots, and the occasional habitat improvement (or intended improvement) at some places. If I saw right they did have a few more spots they now help manage that they didn't before this year, and thus that became accessible or more known to the public, as well as a few legitimate new conservation areas they bought over the last few years.

[SpoonDog]

 

1 hour ago, fishinwrench said:

Not sure what they breed at Lost Valley but chances are I could do without it.  

Exactly- you're not sure.  You don't know.  You don't know that if you caught a striper or a hybrid or a walleye last year it's because MDC raises them at Lost Valley.  There are dozens of public accesses and thousands of acres of public lands in your six-county area- I don't even live there and I've used Lead Mine, Fiery Fork, Saline, Toronto Springs, and whatever the one on Turnback is.  There's an MDC office in Camdenton, I pass a sign for an MDC sign shop every time I'm in LOZ, and you're an hour away (or less) from Runge- an excellent, free public educational facility.   Provided by MDC.  You may not know all the things MDC does, even in your own neck of the woods, but that doesn't mean MDC does nothing. 

 

1 hour ago, fishinwrench said:

That was bought and paid for long ago

Every year, MDC cuts a check to every county in the state for Payments in Lieu of Taxes.  Doesn't matter if it's a chunk of vacant forest or a boat ramp or a nature center.  If MDC bought it after 1976, MDC's still paying for it.  And that's just part of what MDC spends money on: things like "employees" cost year after year, it's not as though you raise one age class of walleye or wipers and you're done, it's not as though you burn one woodland or prairie and it's all set for the rest of time. 

[Norm M]

 I'll trade you the hot mess the IDNR is for the MDC with any and all warts perceived or real . Y'all got it good compared to me .

[fishinwrench]

31 minutes ago, SpoonDog said:

 

Exactly- you're not sure.  You don't know.  You don't know that if you caught a striper or a hybrid or a walleye last year it's because MDC raises them at Lost Valley.  There are dozens of public accesses and thousands of acres of public lands in your six-county area- I don't even live there and I've used Lead Mine, Fiery Fork, Saline, Toronto Springs, and whatever the one on Turnback is.  There's an MDC office in Camdenton, I pass a sign for an MDC sign shop every time I'm in LOZ, and you're an hour away (or less) from Runge- an excellent, free public educational facility.   Provided by MDC.  You may not know all the things MDC does, even in your own neck of the woods, but that doesn't mean MDC does nothing. 

 

Every year, MDC cuts a check to every county in the state for Payments in Lieu of Taxes.  Doesn't matter if it's a chunk of vacant forest or a boat ramp or a nature center.  If MDC bought it after 1976, MDC's still paying for it.  And that's just part of what MDC spends money on: things like "employees" cost year after year, it's not as though you raise one age class of walleye or wipers and you're done, it's not as though you burn one woodland or prairie and it's all set for the rest of time. 

Once again, all those areas have been paid for long ago.  And while MDC might write a check each year for taxes (do they really?)  you seem to be ignoring who and what makes that check good. 

As for maintenance, I can tell you that all they did to the access nearest to me after the flood was sub-contract some landscaping business from Iberia to stop by and push the ramps clear with a bobcat (10 minutes tops).  Two months later the giant piles of trash and wood debris still remain next to the ramp.  We picked the trash out of it ourselves (11 big bags worth) and scooped off the courtesy dock because it looked like hell and was blowing all over the parking lot. 

Is this what they consider "maintenance" and allot themselves a good price for?    I'd fire them if so.  Jus'sayin.

[Chief Grey Bear]

18 hours ago, SpoonDog said:

 You may not know all the things MDC does, even in your own neck of the woods, but that doesn't mean MDC does nothing. 

Oh please! It's no different than when I go to the Hamburger Shop! Just a bunch of workers, if you can call them that, I never see them working just yakking and playing grabass. If one happens to get tired of me standing there, they take my order, turn around and stuff my burger and fries in a bag. That's it. I don't see anybody cook the burger. I don't see anyone put it together. I don't see anyone do anything. They need to fire half of those lazy bums! Nobody ever does anything. 

 

[fishinwrench]

If it's a buck-fifty hamburger you kinda expect mediocre.   But when it's a nine-dollar one I expect a pickle and for the bun to not be stale.

[txdave]

Gentlemen and ladies having grown up here in Missouri and lived in other parts of the country you have unbelieveable access. Come visit Texas and try to find a place to even go squirrel hunting. Not many places for the average person to go and attempt to hunt. Wildlife areas are all draw to hunt. Deer hunting better have family with land or deep pockets.Not unuasal for 5 guys to lease 500 acres at $2000 per gun. Really good not high fenced ranches, year round lease, including a feeding program can run $10,000 a year. Same with bowhunting. Fishing is a little better they do a reasonable job of stocking but mostly in the coastal fishery.