The April 2010 issue of
River Hills Traveler
Spring Turkey Season Issue
Here's a complete summary of articles in the April 2010 print issue of Traveler:
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Panel seeks big smallmouth reg changes — Emery Styron
The Missouri Smallmouth Alliances Blue Ribbon Advisory Panel has proposed a slate of fisheries management changes to the Regulations Committee of the Missouri Deparment of Conservation to protect and improve smallmouth bass resources of rivers, streams and creeks around the state. Full text of Blue Ribbon panel's recommendations. Styron's story includes a response from the MDC to the recommendation.
No bloodshed at Riverways GMP session — Jo Schaper
Despite fears of participants who expected a replay of past battles between urban environmentalists and folks who live in river communities, the stakeholders workshop on the Ozark National Scenic Riverways management plan update turned out to be a healthy exchange of views. Jo Schaper interviewed various participants to get their perspective. Full text of National Park Service report on the workshop.
For early season hunting success, know gobbler logic, lay of land — John Meacham
Meacham interviews John LeGrand, Cadet, Mo., maker of Mountain Screamer game calls for his tips on bagging wary spring gobblers.
Turkey Hunting Stories
•MDC predicts 'challenging' turkey season, asks restraint — Jim Low
MDC's turkey biologist Tom Dailey predicts a turkey harvest about like last spring's 44,000 and recommends hunters pass up shots at jakes if they want more gobblers to call next year.
• Checklist: A tool for turkey hunters — Charlie Slovensky
Charlie would dream of going turkey hunting without his duct tape and a lot of other items. This veteran hunter lists all the essentials.
•Advice to 'hunt turkey like a whitetail' breaks curse — Ron Roper
Ron turned to his wise elders for counsel to end his turkey drought. Find out what worked.
•Wrong-side Tom still one-up on this outdoorsman — Greg "Rudi" Rudroff
We're not sure what Rudi has been eating or smoking out there in the woods by himself, but he swears his nemesis gobbler has gone to almost human lengths to humiliate him one more time.
•A hunter's lament: If it weren't for bad luck... — Don Rathert
Don has some character-building turkey hunting adventures in north Missouri. But did he come home empty-handed?
Guest Opinion: What's known, what isn't in CWD case — Steve Felgenhauer
Steve digs into the background of the Linn County chronic wasting disease case on a hunting ranch. He finds more questions than answers.
Editor's Mailbag: Carthaginian rises to defend native 'marble'
In her Rock Talk column last month, Jo Schaper wrote that the state capitol is made "from Warsaw limestone, named, inappropriately enough, Carthage marble." That was enough to raise the dander of Carthage resident Gary Arnold, who responded with his own research and a blistering letter to the editor. Read Gary's letter and Jo's defense.
Spring events bloom in region — Jo Schaper
We got such a good response to our fall events calendar the last two years, we decided to do a spring one. Missouri is blooming with spring festivals. You could find a fun event every weekend through June.
Expect the unexpected when hiking Ozark Trail — Melissa Gilliam
Melissa finds herself wading the creek on a 42-degree day as she conquers the Courtois Section of the Ozark Trail , spanning 35 miles in Crawford and Washington counties.
Nature's Corner: Northern water snakes are common to Missouri — Aaron Horrell
This most common of Missouri water snakes is non-venomous and not looking for a fight, but will strike and bite if cornered..
Rock Talk: Mississippi set free at Missouri Point — Jo Schaper
The dammed, diked and channeled Mississippi River reverts to a free-flowing brown giant at this delta is far eastern St. Charles County.
Comfort, design crucial in choosing fishing kayak — Bill Cooper
Coop refers to his and wife Dian's experience in giving tips for choosing a fishing kayak. Interest in kayak-based angling has been growing fast. Find ou
t the advantages and disadvantages of these agile craft.
Stalking outlaws, dodging water moccasins in cypress swamp — Jim and Donna Featherston
Jim recalls law enforcement challenges in the Allred Lake swamp area when he was a conservation agent in Butler County in the 1950s.
Seasons: Turkeys just the beginning of April's outdoor pleasures — Bob Todd
Besides turkeys to stalk, there are carp and buffalo to snag, suckers to grab, trout to entice and morels to gather.
Sam A. Baker to Wappapello is a great float in April — Bob Todd
From fishing to wildlife watching, there's plenty to occupy a person on a St. Francis River float starting at Missouri's oldest state park. It's a good river to start the floating season.
27 Wildlife Code violators lose hunting, fishing privileges — news release
Here's a list of folks who got caught breaking the Wildlife Code and had their fishing and hunting permits yanked by the Conservation Commission in March.
The Iron Kettle: Pat shares 'nice' recipes from 'nice' ladies — Pat Todd
Aunt Opal Gwinn and Judy Mahal furnish recipes for cracker salad, cheese biscuits and meat crescents, the kind of dishes you would take to church circle or a DAR meeting.
Bootheel bears stamp of French, Spanish, Native Americans — Kathleen Brotherton
Kathleen explores the Bootheel's colorful history. Among other things, we learn the French called the site of New Madrid L'Anse a la Graisse, which sounds a lot nicer than the English translation, "Greasy Cove." Can you guess where the name came from?
Through the Years in Traveler
Don Rather steps in a hole while turkey hunting. Are we beginning to see a pattern here?
Part of Alley Spring Campground getting a makeover due to floods — news release
Work is slated to begin soon on a project that will establish a new dcampsite arranhgement and traffic flow pattern in a portion of Alley Spring Campground in the Ozark National Scenic Riverways. Floods in recent years have taken their toll on this popular Jacks Fork camping spot.
Travel maps in this issue: Clearwater Lake, Lower Current and Eleven Point, Upper Meramac, Huzzah and Courtois, Parkland Region, Upper Current and Jack's Fork, Upper Meramec and Wappapello Lake.
