Perhaps the most important thing to remember about a stream is that, here in southwest Missouri, we all live near one. That means we all play a part in either making it better or worse for all the creatures that live in and around a stream – including we humans. The more each of us…
“Catch and release” has become an important phrase in the fishing world. In addition to being a good way to sustain the fishing resource for future anglers, this self-explanatory angling procedure is necessary for those who fish in areas (or fish for species) that have minimum length limits, minimum length limits and other restrictions. However,…
By Francis Skalicky Probably no insect puts a bigger scare into humans than the wasp. Bees rank high on some folks’ fright list, but they’re often given a break because of their well-known – and much valued – pollination work. Some people include spiders on their insect scare list, but they don’t qualify because of…
In terms of discovering and tracking a scent, a dog’s nose knows best. That’s one of the principles at the heart of the Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) new canine unit. This branch of MDC’s Protection Division was launched earlier this year with five dogs and their conservation-agent handlers stationed across the state. These dogs…
By Francis Skalicky Here’s a head-scratcher: If you see an abundance of poison ivy growing in various places in summer, does that make it a “good year” or a “bad year” for poison ivy? Regardless of which side of this discussion you lean towards, there’s one thing all people can agree on – now is…
“Don’t believe everything you hear,” a phrase usually used for stories about humans, can also be applied to some animal anecdotes. To be clear – there are many animals that have truly amazing traits which make for remarkable aspects of their lives. However, thanks to centuries of tale-telling, some of these characteristics have been fabricated,…
Missouri’s fight to eliminate feral hogs is a battle that can’t be lost – it’s that simple. The harm they do to crop fields and the disease threats they pose to domestic hog herds could have devastating economic effects on agriculture across the state. The havoc their destructive habits wreak on wildlife habitats could have…
The animal that once had a chance to make a strong case for being the Show-Me State’s most important mammal is now one of the state’s seldom-mentioned creatures. Today, in terms of human consideration, Missouri’s beavers live their lives in relative obscurity. They’re still considered a game animal; beavers are a furbearer and are part…
