Midwest Deer Hunting: Missouri Conservation Department

Showing posts with label Missouri Conservation Department. Show all posts

Friday, April 18, 2014

MDC limits firearm antlerless permits for upcoming deer season

Decrease in deer numbers and resulting hunter and landowner input prompt changes.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri Conservation Commission approved regulation

changes at its meeting today (April 17) in Jefferson City that will reduce the availability of firearm antlerless deer hunting permits from “any number” in most of the state to one in most of the state.

Exceptions to this regulation change allow hunters to fill two firearm antlerless deer permits in Chariton, Randolph, Macon, Linn, Sullivan, and Adair counties, which surround the area where chronic wasting disease (CWD) has been found in a small number of deer in Macon County. According to the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), continuing to maintain stable deer numbers in this “CWD Containment Zone” will help limit the spread of the disease to other deer and other areas.

Other areas where hunters can fill two firearm antlerless deer permits include urban zones around the state where deer numbers are typically higher than desired, and in Barton, Howell, and Oregon counties where local deer numbers are higher than deer management goals.

The regulation changes are scheduled to become effective for the 2014 fall deer hunting season.

Details on these changes and other information on deer hunting will be available in the Department's “2014 Fall Deer & Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information” booklet available beginning in July at locations where permits are sold, MDC offices and nature centers, and online at mdc.mo.gov.

According to MDC Deer Biologist Jason Sumners, the regulation changes are in response to lower overall deer numbers around much of the state as a result of long-term efforts to reduce the deer population through increased doe harvest. Previous regulations allowing the harvest of any number of antlerless deer have helped to decrease and stabilize deer numbers in many areas where deer numbers were too high.

Sumners added that the planned effort to reduce deer numbers in some areas was intensified by an unanticipated, extensive outbreak of hemorrhagic disease (HD) throughout most of the state related to the record-setting drought during summer and fall of 2012. With the resulting recent decrease in deer numbers in many areas of the state, some hunters and landowners have voiced their concerns about the level of doe harvest and the continuing need to offer hunters “any number” of antlerless permits.

“Our Regulations Committee considers the changing status of the deer herd across the state -- along with feedback from hunters, landowners, and others -- each year as it reviews recommendations for deer-hunting regulations,” Sumners said.

“Deer populations in Missouri vary regionally and county-by-county as habitat, hunting regulations, hunter numbers, and frequency and severity of disease outbreaks affect deer numbers,” he explained. “As these factors change over time, our deer management strategy is to be responsive to those changes.”

He added that MDC’s deer management strategy focuses on using science-based wildlife management practices, providing opportunities for all citizens to enjoy deer-related recreational activities such as deer hunting and watching, maintaining a healthy deer population, and providing related information to the public.

The Department is planning public meetings throughout the state for this summer to share information and get public input on how and why it manages Missouri’s deer.

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Missouri Archery deer, turkey harvests up from last year

Scarce acorns helped deer hunters, while Missouri’s turkey flock

continues to rebound from several years of poor nesting success.

JEFFERSON CITY–Bowhunters posted increases in both deer and turkey harvests during Missouri’s 2012-2013 archery deer and turkey hunting season, topping the previous year’s figures for the second year in a row.

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reports that hunters checked 53,997 deer during the four-month archery season. That is a 2.5-percent increase from the previous year, which was a record. Archers checked 3,217 turkeys, a 10-percent increase from the previous year.

Top archery deer-harvest counties were Jefferson with 1,211 deer checked, St. Louis with 1,098, and Camden with 1,062. Top archery turkey-harvest counties were Jefferson with 95 turkeys checked, Laclede with 79, and Greene with 76.

Adding the archery harvest to the number of deer taken during the six portions of firearms deer season brings Missouri’s 2012-2013 deer harvest to 311,304, up 6.8 percent from the previous year. The total 2012-2013 turkey harvest, including the youth and regular spring seasons, the fall firearms season, and the archery season, is 56,511.

Permit sales also increased. MDC issued 202,421 archery deer and turkey hunting permits for the 2012-2013 season, 4.9 percent more than the previous year.

MDC Resource Scientist Jason Sumners says the continued growth of bowhunting’s popularity is partly responsible for the strong archery harvest, but weather also played an important role.

“With more people taking up bowhunting each year, you would expect to see a corresponding growth in the number of deer taken,” says Sumners. “This year hunters also got a boost from weather events that reduced the availability of acorns. Deer rely heavily on acorns for fall food, and when that food item is scarce they have to move around more to meet their nutritional needs. That makes them more visible to hunters.”

According to Sumners, acorn availability is a greater factor in determining hunter success in the southern half of the state, where forest land dominates the landscape. So he was not surprised to learn that the 2012-2013 deer harvest increased by approximately 22 percent in the Ozark and Southeast regions. He says deer numbers in southern Missouri have grown steadily over the past decade. Also, acorns were abundant in the previous two hunting seasons, keeping the deer harvest fairly modest. This combination was bound to produce a substantial deer harvest.

In contrast, deer numbers have been declining slowly in northern Missouri, leading to a decrease of approximately 6 percent in the Kansas City, Northeast, and Northwest regions. Reduced deer numbers in many parts of north Missouri is a result of increased harvest pressure on does that has resulted from liberalization of antlerless harvest opportunities and, in the Kansas City Region, a reduction in buck harvest as a result of the antler-point restriction.

Hunters in the Central and Southwest regions checked approximately 12 percent more deer, and St. Louis Region hunters checked approximately 18 percent more deer than they did in 2011-2012. These trends reflect slowly increasing deer numbers on average in these areas.

“Deer numbers vary from county to county in those regions,” says Sumners. “The causes of those variations include varying levels of harvest pressure on does, an outbreak of hemorrhagic disease in 2007 and, in southwest Missouri, reduced availability of antlerless permits.”

Before the 2012-2013 hunting season, Sumners predicted that the statewide deer harvest totals would not be affected significantly by the increased incidence of hemorrhagic disease that accompanied last year’s drought. That turned out to be correct.

“We know that to varying degrees, hemorrhagic mortality affected deer populations across much of Missouri,” says Sumners, “but it is still too early to tell if the decrease in harvest in some areas is the direct result of disease or a combination of recent trends of declining deer numbers as a result of a deliberate effort to reduce deer numbers in much of northern Missouri by harvesting more does. In many parts of central, northern, and western Missouri it is no longer necessary to continue high doe harvest to reduce or stabilize deer numbers.”

Sumners says MDC will consider reducing the availability of antlerless-deer permits where deer numbers seem to be near or below target levels. However, he notes that hunters and landowners also must take an active role in decisions about how many does to shoot.

“Restricting doe harvest can help when deer numbers are down in big areas,” says Sumners, “but it takes a valuable tool away from Missourians who want to manage deer populations locally. We have reached a point in Missouri’s history where hunters and landowners must begin to work together to make localized harvest decisions based on local deer populations. However, in some areas regulation changes may be necessary to curb undesirable declines in deer numbers. ”

MDC Resource Scientist Jason Isabelle notes that the 2012-2013 archery turkey harvest was up more than 20 percent from the previous five-year average and was second only to the 2009-2010 harvest of 3,298.

“The increase in the archery turkey harvest is largely a reflection of the improved hatches we’ve had the past couple years,” says Isabelle, “in addition to the increase in the number of archery hunters.”

Isabelle says regional harvest totals were 542 in the southwest, 511 in central Missouri, 425 in the Southeast, 418 in the Ozarks, 383 in the St. Louis area, 319 in the northwest, 318 in the northeast, and 301 in the Kansas City area.

MDC recorded 10 firearms-related deer-hunting incidents during the 2012-2013 hunting season. Three were fatal.

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Missouri Conservation Commission set dates for 2013 turkey- and deer-hunting seasons

Conservation Commission sets 2013 turkey, deer season dates

Early action helps hunters who must plan vacation ahead of time.

JEFFERSON CITY–The Missouri Conservation Commission set dates for 2013 turkey- and deer-hunting seasons at its December meeting, giving hunters plenty of time to schedule vacation.

The Commission set the following dates for turkey hunting.

Ø Youth season, April 6-7

Ø Regular spring season, April 15-May 5

Ø Fall firearms turkey season, Oct. 1-31

Bag limits and shooting hours remain the same as last year. Additional details, including spring managed turkey hunts and regulations for spring turkey hunting on conservation areas, will be published in the spring turkey hunting regulation guide in March.

The Commission set the following dates for 2013-2014 firearms deer hunting.

Ø Urban portion, Oct. 11-14

Ø Early youth portion, Nov. 2-3

Ø November portion, Nov. 16-26

Ø Antlerless portion, Nov. 27-Dec. 8

Ø Alternative methods portion, Dec. 21-31

Ø Late youth portion, Jan. 4-5

The Conservation Commission also simplified requirements for tagging harvested deer, effective June 1, 2013. Other deer-hunting regulations will be set in the spring of 2013. Details will be published in the fall deer and turkey hunting regulation guide.

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Bowhunters needed for MDC wildlife observation survey

Survey is easy and valuable way for bowhunters to get involved in helping MDC manage Missouri’s wildlife resources.

By Joanie Straub, MDC

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) encourages all bowhunters to participate in its annual bowhunter observation survey. This survey provides valuable information that assists MDC in gauging the health of wildlife populations, such as deer and turkey, and helps staff make harvest management decisions.

“This is an easy and very valuable way for bowhunters to get involved in helping MDC manage Missouri’s wildlife resources,” says MDC Resource Scientist Jeff Beringer. “Information provided by the survey helps us assess trends in animal populations and determine if numbers are increasing, decreasing, or remaining stable. This information also has important implications on the establishment of harvest regulations.”

Courtesy MDC

MDC mails surveys to participating bowhunters in early September. From Sept. 15 through Nov. 9, participants record the date, county, number of hours spent bowhunting, and the number of deer, wild turkeys and furbearers observed during their hunts. After Nov. 9, participants mail the postage-paid surveys back to MDC so the information can be analyzed.

To participate in the 2012 survey, email Paul.Rogers@mdc.mo.gov and write “Bowhunter Observation Survey” in the subject line. Participation requests must be received by Sept. 1. Include name and mailing address in the body of the email. Bowhunters can also send their name and address to: Bowhunter Observation Survey, Missouri Department of Conservation, 3500 E. Gans Road, Columbia, MO 65201.

MDC began conducting its bowhunter observation survey in 1983. Beringer said more than 190,000 bowhunting permits were distributed in 2011 but only approximately 7,000 bowhunters participated in last year’s survey.

“To maintain the high quality of information we receive from these surveys, it is very important more bowhunters participate,” says Beringer. “I encourage all Missouri bowhunters help keep Missouri a great place to hunt by participating in the survey.”

For more information about deer and turkey archery hunting regulations, visit mdc.mo.gov and search “archery hunting.”

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

MDC offers free workshops on managing private land for deer

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Missouri is a great place to hunt deer and private landowners are key.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is offering free workshops in August and September to help landowners, hunters and others manage private land for deer. Workshop topics will include: creating or improving habitat for deer and other wildlife; developing a deer-management plan; estimating deer numbers, ages and how many deer land can support; using camera surveys and other data; deer biology, antler growth and breeding behavior; MDC cost-share opportunities, and more.

“Missouri is a great place to hunt deer and private landowners are the key,” says MDC Resource Scientist and Deer Biologist Emily Flinn. “More than 90 percent of land in Missouri is privately owned, so we work with and for private landowners to help them create and manage their land for deer. Managing private land for deer also benefits a variety of other wildlife.”

Flinn adds that deer hunting contributes approximately $1.1 billion annually to the state and local economies and supports more than 12,000 jobs in Missouri.

She urges landowners, hunters and others to attend one of the following free deer management workshops:

SPRINGFIELD -- Aug. 11, 8 a.m. - noon

MDC Springfield Conservation Nature Center, 4601 S. Nature Center Way

To register, call 417-895-6880.

COLUMBIA -- Aug. 18, 8 a.m. - noon

University of Missouri Bradford Research & Extension Center, 4968 Rangeline Road

To register, call 573-875-5540 ext. 3.

ST. JOSEPH -- Sept. 8, noon - 4 p.m.

Missouri Western State University Kemper Recital Hall in Spratt Hall, 4525 Downs Drive

To register, call 816-271-3100.

ST. LOUIS -- Sept. 22, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. (lunch provided)

MDC Powder Valley Nature Center, 11715 Cragwold Road in Kirkwood.

To register, call 636-528-4877 x3.

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Sept. 12, 6 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

MDC Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center, 2289 County Park Drive

To register, call 573-290-5218.

For more information on managing private land for deer and other wildlife, vist mdc.mo.gov and search “deer management” or contact a local MDC office.

Monday, May 28, 2012

MDC to hold open house on CWD next steps June 2 in Macon County

Distribution of Chronic Wasting Disease April, 2007 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Open house will be at New Cambria High School June 2 between 1-4 p.m.

JEFFERSON CITY Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) will hold an informational open house on Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in Macon County on June 2 at New Cambria High School, 501 S. Main St. The public is invited to stop by 1-4 p.m.

MDC staff will provide information on five recently found cases of CWD in free-ranging deer in northwest Macon County, explain disease management actions the Department is taking, answer questions and provide information on managing private land for deer.

MDC’s disease-management steps to help contain the spread of CWD include two regulation changes to the Wildlife Code of Missouri, recommendations on transportation and disposal of deer carcasses and continuing CWD sampling of deer harvested in the area where CWD has been found.

Restriction on Feeding

The Conservation Commission approved a regulation change at its May 25 meeting that places a restriction on activities that are likely to unnaturally concentrate white-tailed deer and promote the spread of CWD. The ban on the placement of grain, salt products, minerals and other consumable natural or manufactured products is limited to the area where CWD has been found in Macon County and is comprised of Adair, Chariton, Linn, Macon, Randolph and Sullivan counties.

The regulation includes exceptions for backyard feeding of birds and other wildlife within 100 feet of any residence or occupied building, or if feed is placed in such a manner to reasonably exclude access by deer. The regulation also includes exceptions for normal agricultural, forest management, crop and wildlife food production practices.

According to MDC Deer Biologist Jason Sumners, the reason for the regulation change is that activities such as feeding and placement of minerals/salts that artificially concentrate deer greatly increase the likelihood of disease transmission from animal to animal or from soil to animal.

Removal of Antler-Point Restriction

The Conservation Commission also approved a regulation change at its May 25 meeting for a special harvest provision that rescinds the antler-point restriction (four-point rule) in Adair, Chariton, Linn, Macon, Randolph and Sullivan counties.

According to Sumners, the reason for the regulation change is that management strategies such as antler-point restrictions, which protect yearling males and promote older bucks, have been found to increase prevalence rates and further spread the disease.

Sumners explained that yearling and adult male deer have been found to exhibit CWD at much higher rates than yearling and adult females so a reduction in the number of male deer can help reduce the spread of CWD. He added that the movement of young male deer from their birth range in search of territory and mates is also a way of expanding the distribution of CWD.

Don’t Remove Carcasses from Area

MDC also encourages hunters who harvest deer in Adair, Chariton, Linn, Macon, Randolph, and Sullivan counties not to take whole deer carcasses or carcass parts out of the area where CWD has been found. Exceptions to this include meat that is cut and wrapped, meat that has been boned out, quarters or other portions of meat with no part of the spinal column or head attached, hides or capes from which all excess tissue has been removed, antlers, antlers attached to skull plates or skulls cleaned of all muscle and brain tissue, upper canine teeth and finished taxidermy products.

According to Sumners, the reason for this regulation change is that CWD can be transmitted from the environment to deer through soil and water that contain infected waste and/or infected carcasses. Deer can be infected with CWD but have no visible signs or symptoms. Moving harvested deer that still have parts known to concentrate CWD (brain, spinal cord, eyes, spleen, and lymph nodes) from the area known to have CWD can introduce the disease to other parts of the state through the improper disposal of carcasses.

He explained that hunters should make every attempt to avoid moving the head and spinal cord from the area and properly dispose of potentially infected deer carcasses, including bones and trimmings, to minimize the risk of exposure to uninfected deer. MDC advises hunters to double-bag carcass parts and take them directly to a landfill, or place them in trash cans for pick-up. Burying carcass waste deep enough to prevent scavengers from digging it up is another acceptable option. As a last resort, and only on their own land, hunters can put carcass waste back on the landscape. Carcasses should be put as close as possible to where the deer was harvested so as to not spread CWD-causing prions to new locations. If possible, put the carcass in a location where it will be inaccessible to scavengers and other deer.

Fall Harvest CWD Sampling

Sumners added that MDC will also continue to work with hunters who harvest deer this fall in Adair, Chariton, Linn, Macon, Randolph and Sullivan counties to collect samples for CWD testing. Details on these efforts are being developed and will be shared before the 2012 fall deer hunting season.

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Three more cases of CWD found in free-ranging deer in Macon County, Missouri

A white-tailed deer (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

MDC testing of free-ranging deer results in five total cases of CWD with all found in same area.

JEFFERSON CITY Mo – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) received final test results today from 656 tissue samples taken from free-ranging deer harvested earlier this year.Results included three CWD-positives with two from adult does and one from an adult buck.The testing was conducted by MDC staff and area landowners in a 163-square mile area in northeast Linn and northwest Macon counties specifically for CWD sampling.

Missouri’s first two cases of CWD in free-ranging deer were detected in two adult bucks harvested in northwest Macon County during the 2011 fall firearms deer season. The three most recent CWD positives were harvested within two miles of the two original cases of CWD.

MDC conducted its 2011 fall tissue-sampling effort in response to two cases of CWD found in captive white-tailed deer at two private, captive-hunting preserves in Macon and Linn counties. Since October 2011, three more captive deer at the Macon County preserve have tested positive for CWD. Depopulation, quarantine and other management activities at the private preserve are being coordinated by the Missouri Department of Agriculture. The five cases of CWD in free-ranging deer have been found within two miles of the Macon County preserve.

While MDC identified the first case of CWD in free-ranging deer in Missouri in January, the Department has been testing for it for years. With the help of hunters, MDC has tested more than 34,000 free-ranging deer for CWD from all parts of the state since 2002.

MDC staff are further analyzing recent test results, continuing to evaluate efforts and lessons learned from other states with CWD, and consulting with various other wildlife experts around the country. The Department’s main objectives are to limit the prevalence and restrict the spread of CWD in Missouri.

According to MDC Deer Biologist Jason Sumners, there are several main factors associated with the management of free-ranging deer that will influence the future prevalence and distribution of CWD in Missouri: local deer density, deer concentration, the movement of deer and the movement of deer carcasses.

“Yearling and adult male deer have been found to exhibit CWD at a much higher rate than yearling and adult females,” Sumners said. “Of the 10 cases of CWD identified in both captive and free-ranging deer in Missouri, eight have been in adult bucks. Additionally, dispersal of yearling males from the range where they were born is one of the most likely means of expanding the distribution of CWD. The movement of infectious materials in the form of hunter-harvested deer carcasses that contain heads and spinal columns, where the disease concentrates, may also serve as a means of introducing CWD to other regions of the state.”

Sumners added that CWD has been found in only one small pocket of the state. “Our management efforts will focus on minimizing the prevalence and preventing the further spread of the disease from the area. We will keep the public informed as we develop those efforts.”

CWD is a neurological disease that is limited to deer, elk, moose and other members of the deer family, known as “cervids.” CWD can only be confirmed in deer by laboratory testing of the brain stem or lymph tissue. CWD is transmitted through prions, which are abnormal proteins that attack the nervous systems of these species. These prions accumulate in the brain, spinal cord, eyes, spleen, and lymph nodes of infected animals. CWD is spread by animal-to-animal contact or by animal contact with soil that contains prions from urine, feces or the decomposition of an infected animal.

Deer and other cervids with signs of CWD show changes in natural behavior and can exhibit extreme weight loss, excessive salivation, stumbling and tremors. CWD can be present in and transmitted by infected animals for up to several years before symptoms of the disease appear.

“Most deer that test positive for CWD appear to be healthy,” Sumners said. “Although one of the free-ranging does that tested positive for CWD did exhibit clinical signs of the disease.”

The Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA) says there is no evidence from existing research that CWD can spread to domestic livestock, such as sheep or cattle. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (MDHSS) says there is no scientific evidence that CWD is transmissible to humans through contact with or the consumption of deer meat.

The disease was first recognized in 1967 in captive mule deer in Colorado. CWD has been documented in both captive and free-ranging deer in Missouri, along with neighboring Kansas and Nebraska. It has been documented in free-ranging deer in neighboring Illinois, and in captive elk in neighboring Oklahoma. CWD has also been documented in both captive and free-ranging members of the deer-family in Colorado, Minnesota, New York, South Dakota, Wisconsin and the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan. Maryland, New Mexico, North Dakota, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming also have documented cases of CWD in free-ranging members of the deer family. Michigan and Montana have documented cases of CWD in captive members of the deer family.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

CWD found in two free-ranging deer from Macon County

Image via Wikipedia

Two positive results for Chronic Wasting Disease are first for free-ranging deer in Missouri.

JEFFERSON CITY Mo – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) received two positive test results for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) from 1,077 tissue samples taken from free-ranging deer harvested by hunters in north-central Missouri during the 2011 fall firearms deer season. Both positive test results were from adult bucks harvested by Missouri hunters in Macon County, and are the first CWD-positive results for free-ranging deer in Missouri.

MDC plans to obtain more tissue samples for CWD testing by harvesting additional deer in the immediate area where the two infected deer were harvested.

“Teamwork among landowners, hunters and MDC staff allowed us to detect this infection early,” said MDC Deer Biologist Jason Sumners. “We will be working with local landowners to harvest additional deer for tissue sampling. This is a first step and one of our best hopes for containing, and perhaps even eliminating, what we believe to be a recent localized event.”

MDC staff have contacted the two Missouri hunters who harvested the CWD-positive bucks to inform them of the situation and answer questions.

CWD is a neurological disease that is limited to deer, elk, moose and other members of the deer family, known as “cervids.” CWD is spread by animal-to-animal contact or by animal contact with soil that contains prions from urine, feces or the decomposition of an infected animal. Deer and other cervids with signs of CWD show changes in natural behavior and can exhibit extreme weight loss, excessive salivation, stumbling and tremors. CWD can spread through natural movements of infected animals, transportation of infected live captive animals, or the transportation of infected carcasses.

The Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA) says there is no evidence from existing research that CWD can spread to domestic livestock, such as sheep or cattle. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (MDHSS) says there is no scientific evidence that CWD is transmissible to humans through contact with or the consumption of deer meat.

MDC conducted its tissue-sampling effort during the fall firearms season in November in response to two cases of CWD found in captive white-tailed deer at two private, captive-hunting preserves in Linn and Macon counties. A third captive deer at one of the preserves tested positive for CWD in December. The two earlier cases of CWD found at the private hunting preserves were detected in February 2010 and October 2011. The two free-ranging bucks that tested positive were harvested within two miles of the Macon County preserve.

CWD in deer can only be confirmed by laboratory testing of the brain stem or lymph tissue. Tissue samples collected by MDC were tested by the Southeast Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study Laboratory of the University of Georgia, Athens, with confirmation by the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa.

The disease was first recognized in 1967 in captive mule deer in Colorado. CWD has also been documented in both captive and free-ranging deer in neighboring Kansas and Nebraska. It has been documented in free-ranging deer in neighboring Illinois. CWD has also been documented in both captive and free-ranging members of the deer-family in Colorado, Minnesota, New York, South Dakota, Wisconsin and the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan. Maryland, New Mexico, North Dakota, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming also have documented cases of CWD in free-ranging members of the deer family. Michigan and Montana have documented cases of CWD in captive members of the deer family.

CWD is transmitted through prions, which are abnormal proteins that attack the nervous systems of these species. These prions accumulate in the brain, spinal cord, eyes, spleen, and lymph nodes of infected animals. While there is no scientific evidence that CWD is transmissible to humans or animals other than deer and other cervids, health officials caution that consumption of these parts is not recommended. They also advise people to not eat meat from animals known to be infected with CWD or that exhibit signs of any disease.

While CWD is new to free-ranging deer in Missouri, MDC has been testing for it for years. With the help of hunters, MDC has tested more than 34,000 free-ranging deer for CWD from all parts of the state since 2002.

Missouri also has a Cervid Health Committee to address the threat of CWD to Missouri’s free-ranging and captive cervids. The Committee is composed of wildlife biologists, veterinarians and other animal-health experts from MDC, MDA, MDHSS and the USDA.

Friday, January 20, 2012

Missouri Firearms deer harvest just shy of 239,000

Image via Wikipedia

Total firearms harvest up 7,408 from last year’s 231,513.

JEFFERSON CITY Mo – Hunters age 6 through 15 checked 2,193 deer during the late youth hunt Jan. 7 and 8, bringing the total harvest for the 2011-2012 firearms deer season to 238,921 compared to last year’s total of 231,513.

The harvest total for last year’s late youth weekend was 1,292. This year’s combined early and late youth season harvests total 18,585 compared to 14,555 last year. Top counties during the late youth hunt were Macon with 52 deer checked, Franklin with 51 and Lincoln with 45.

Of the 238,921 firearms season total, hunters checked 570 deer during the urban portion, 16,392 during the early youth portion, 190,089 during the November portion, 14,439 during the antlerless portion and 15,238 during the muzzleloader portion.

Missouri had a record firearms deer harvest of 280,856 in 2006. The 10-year average firearms deer harvest is 252,029.

According to Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) Resource Science Deer Biologist Jason Sumners, the reduction in firearms harvest is indicative of reduced deer numbers in many parts of rural central and northern Missouri that have resulted from increased harvest pressure on does through the liberalization of hunting regulations and implementation of antler-point restrictions.

“There are simply fewer does in the population today than there were six or eight years ago,” Sumners said. “This means that the doe harvest doesn’t need to be as high to manage population numbers as it was several years ago when deer populations in many parts of Missouri where growing rapidly.”

He added that MDC has been trying for the better part of a decade to stabilize deer numbers in many parts of Missouri.

“We have been working to bring down deer populations to reduce crop damage, deer-vehicle accidents, and other deer nuisance problems, and we’ve made good progress in those areas,” Sumners said. “Now our challenge is finding ways to fine-tune deer numbers and hunting pressure at the local level, which means that future reductions in the availability of firearms antlerless permits may be necessary.”

In contrast to central and northern Missouri, deer numbers in southern Missouri continue to slowly increase and opportunities to harvest antlerless deer are likely to increase over time.

“Regardless of your location in the state, the combination of hunter numbers, hunter access, and regulations drives the size of the local deer population,” said Sumners. “Landowners and hunters throughout the state have a tremendous effect on the deer population and ultimately determine local deer numbers. Additionally, the availability of antlerless permits for a specific county doesn’t mean that MDC feels there are too many deer. They are a simply a tool available to hunters and landowners to manage deer numbers if they need to harvest additional antlerless deer.”

He added that 93 percent of Missouri’s land is in private ownership so private landowners and cooperative efforts by neighboring landowners to manage for deer and other wildlife can be very beneficial.

MDC staff work with tens-of-thousands of private landowners around the state to help them improve wildlife habitat on their property. MDC encourages landowners to contact local MDC staff to learn more. To find local MDC staff, visit www.mdc.mo.gov and search under “Who’s My Local Contact.”

More than 500,000 hunters spend more than $690 million directly related to deer hunting in Missouri each year. Deer hunting in Missouri annually generates more than $1 billion of overall business activity and supports more than 11,000 jobs.

Friday, December 30, 2011

Missouri Muzzleloader harvest tops 15,000

Image via Wikipedia

Missouri’s muzzleloader harvest continues to grow with

increased opportunities and advances in muzzleloading technology.

JEFFERSON CITY–Hunters shot 15,238 deer during the muzzleloader portion of Missouri’s firearms deer season, the second-largest muzzleloader harvest on record.

Top harvest counties were Oregon with 314, Franklin with 285 and Callaway with 281.

This year’s muzzleloader harvest was up 18 percent from last year and fell just short of the record 15,907 deer checked during the 2009 muzzleloader hunt.

Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) Resource Scientist Jason Sumners said this year’s increased muzzleloader harvest continues a long-term trend.

Missouri held its first muzzleloader season in 1988. Back then, hunters had to declare if they intended to use a muzzleloader or a center-fire rifle. If they chose a muzzleloader, they had to use a muzzleloader during the firearms season in November but also could hunt during the muzzleloader season. That first year, the muzzleloader season was three days long.

Since then, many of the original restrictions on muzzleloader hunting have been relaxed. In 1999, MDC eliminated the separate muzzleloader deer permit, allowing hunters to buy one permit and hunt with muzzleloaders during the muzzleloader season and with center-fire rifles during the November and antlerless portions of deer season. By then, muzzleloader season was nine days long. Now it runs for 11 days.

“Those increases in opportunity to fill firearms deer permits led to increased participation in the muzzleloader portion,” said Sumners. “The muzzleloader harvest more than doubled between 1999 and 2002.”

In 2009, MDC reversed the order of the muzzleloader and antlerless seasons, putting the muzzleloader hunt in the last half of December to provide a better quality hunt for muzzleloader hunters. The muzzleloader harvest increased by 55 percent that year, surpassing 15,000 for the first time.

“Topping the 15,000 mark this year isn’t a surprise at all if you consider the changes in permit use, timing and participation,” said Sumners.

Changes in muzzleloader technology also have contributed to the sport’s increased popularity. When Missouri had its first muzzleloader hunt 23 years ago, most commercially available muzzleloaders were traditional caplock and flintlock types, and muzzleloader season was a practical exercise in hunting history. Today, most hunters use in-line muzzleloaders, often with telescopic sights. Modern propellants and bullets have changed dramatically from black powder and round lead balls, leading to improvements in ballistic performance. The loading process remains essentially the same as in pioneer days, but the accuracy of modern, in-line muzzleloaders is similar to those of single-shot, center-fire rifles.

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