MDC needs help from deer hunters

[fishinwrench]

1 hour ago, Chief Grey Bear said:

Other than the fact that because the MDC immediately set forth a plan to combat these issues kept it at a bare minimum and not a large catastrophe. And their ongoing work keeps it at a minimum. 

 

Their ongoing work doing what, is keeping what at a minimum?

 

You sound like a politician when you talk like that.

[MOPanfisher]

I know that some things are still working in the background with not as much exposure or selected exposure, CWD primarily during the Deer seasons,  Hydrilla is one that is going strong, but mostly out of sight of those not involved, zebra mussels are still a concern for some areas more than others, silver and bighead carp, are certainly not forgotten, primarily those are education efforts.  Other things like larger $$ projects such as adding an access to a river, or enlarging/improving an existing access take time to work through the system, and usually have to be requested/planned at least 2 years in advance, with partners etc.  And that is assuming the $$ are actually there to do the work.  Feral livestock has come back to the forefront due to the restriction on hunting on most public property.  There will be others as well, that will have a big "entry" and fall off of the front page news and the real work on them will continue in the back ground, without the press involvement. 

[fishinwrench]

15 minutes ago, MOPanfisher said:

I know that some things are still working in the background with not as much exposure or selected exposure, CWD primarily during the Deer seasons,  Hydrilla is one that is going strong, but mostly out of sight of those not involved, zebra mussels are still a concern for some areas more than others, silver and bighead carp, are certainly not forgotten, primarily those are education efforts.  Other things like larger $$ projects such as adding an access to a river, or enlarging/improving an existing access take time to work through the system, and usually have to be requested/planned at least 2 years in advance, with partners etc.  And that is assuming the $$ are actually there to do the work.  Feral livestock has come back to the forefront due to the restriction on hunting on most public property.  There will be others as well, that will have a big "entry" and fall off of the front page news and the real work on them will continue in the back ground, without the press involvement. 

Gotcha.  But the results never change.  Throwing tax money towards projects when it's obvious that you're wasting your time, and the taxpayers money, is not "being nice" no matter how you spin it.  

I'm fully capable of convincing my wife that I need a different boat worse than we need to pay forward on the mortgage, but that doesn't make it the smartest choice and in the best interest of the family.

Regardless of where CWD happens to turn up.....what are they gonna do about it? Set off a bomb?  Nothing.  For a couple hundred thousand bucks they'll know where a few positive CWD cases are, that's all.  

Am I wrong by thinking that?

[snagged in outlet 3]

They made a big deal about didymo and even outlawed felt soles even though we knew that didymo has already been introduced into Missouri trout streams long ago.

I know because I was fishing in the White and driving to Taney with my boots on while didymo was in the White.  They spent all that money for boot cleaning stations at Taney and I have never seen anyone use one.  As a matter of fact I don't think they are actually anything more than a rain water puddle with hand rails so I don't get hurt. 

[MOPanfisher]

If they follow the same plan they did in North Missouri positive results would mean the killing of a lot of deer within a certain zone around the infected area.  Honestly I don't know how well it worked,   As for things like didymo, aside from outlawing felt soled boots and providing boot sanitizing stations what else can they do, realistically.  Much talk about check stations for boats to prevent transfer of critters like zebra mussels to other lakes like some do out west, where often there is only one way in or out.  Imagine trying to do that on a Table Rock with the tremendous number of accesses.  Sometimes there is only so much you can do, and anything more is simply throwing money away for little gain, the trick is knowing/finding that point.  Usually found by crossing over a little.  I would love to see MDC put forth more money, effort and planning on some of the more remote access points on Truman for example.  Some are simply a hazard to launch from, but not enough squeaky wheels.  I would like to see a program to cost share the construction of small (less than an acre) ponds on private property, knowing that each of those things carries its own baggage and cost.  some things turn out not to be nearly as bad as feared, Zebra Mussels for example, yes bad, but the lakes that have them have learned to live with it, definitely would cause issues at City Utilities in Spfld, or the various dams in operation, Feral Hogs, not the total destruction some have feared, but then again MDC has been riding them hard trying to eliminate them, and some of the places I have seen have been essentially destroyed.  So some of it is due to it not being as bad, some is due to being right or successful in the management strategy.  Honey bee Virus, we hear about it in spits and spurts, but has the potential to be devastating to many crops, but no one seems to know the answer just yet, but many are working on it. 

[ozark trout fisher]

I know a ton of people in and connected with MDC, some of whom's job it is to know what is going on with CWD. And they are very, very worried about the potential impact on deer hunting I'm the state. I can assure you it is sincere.

It is more manageable in the West due to vast acreage and spread out herds. In many places, it is present, but at low enough levels that hunters won't generally notice. But that only creates a false sense of security here.

Because the population is larger and way more concentrated in MO, the potential for extremely damaging levels of the disease are believed to be MUCH higher. To me that is what seems like common sense.

We'll see, but dismiss the threat at your own risk.

[fishinwrench]

Animals that are too heavily populated almost always succumb to disease, and scientist/biologists have known that for 100 years.  In my county there isn't a lawn anywhere that doesn't have deer tracks and piles of poop on it.  And there are 25-30 new piles of meat on the highway every day in this county alone.  So why haven't seasons and limits been extended?  Aren't they supposed to be keeping track of stuff like that and regulating to maintain a healthy population?   If so they have failed.   More venison is being fed to buzzards, coyotes, and blowfly's than is being put into freezers, that's for sure.