The Conservation Commission met April 19 at Bennett Spring State Park and April 20 at the Laclede Electric Cooperative, Lebanon.
Commissioners present were:
- Stephen C. Bradford, Cape Girardeau, Chairman
- William F. "Chip" McGeehan, Marshfield, Vice-chairman
- Cynthia Metcalfe, St. Louis, Secretary
- Lowell Mohler, Jefferson City, Member
The Conservation Commission set its next meeting for May 18 in Jefferson City.
PRESENTATION:
Commission meetings are open to the public. Those wishing to be placed on the agenda for a presentation or other business must send a written request to Director, Department of Conservation, P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180, or FAX (573) 751-4467, at least 10 working days before the meeting date. The deadline for the next meeting is May 2.
The Commission heard presentations by:
- Gary Webb, Ludlow, regarding hand-fishing.
- Kenneth Waldron, Jackson, regarding the bobwhite quail population and management practices on Crowley's Ridge Conservation Area (CA).
- Natural Areas Coordinator Mike Leahy regarding the Missouri Natural Areas System.
- Resource Science Field Chief Ron Dent regarding the ongoing Catfish Harvest Evaluation Project.
- The Commission also presented a 2,000-hour service award to Shepherd of the Hills Conservation Center volunteer David Porter.
REGULATIONS
The Commission approved recommendations from the Regulations Committee to:
- Rescind the experimental hand-fishing season.
- Establish an Apprentice Hunter Permit.
- Establish an 8-inch minimum length limit on rock bass in segments of the Meramec River, Courtois Creek and Huzzah Creek.
- Establish requirements for owners of black bears, mountain lions, and gray wolves and hybrids under Class I or Class II wildlife breeders permits to use passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags and DNA samples to identify each animal.
- Other changes to hunting and fishing regulations specific to certain areas.
ADMINISTRATION
The Commission took the following action:
- Awarded a contract to Lappe Cement Finishing, Perryville, the low bidder for construction of the Seventy-Six CA Boat Launch Ramp and Parking Project in Perry County for $353,422.95.
- Awarded a contract to Keith Contracting, LLC, Columbia, the low bidder for construction of the Ted Shanks CA Wetlands Restoration Project in Pike County for $498,473.
- Designated three new natural areas (NAs): Alley Spring NA in Shannon County, Auxvasse NA in Callaway County and Spring Creek Gap NA in Maries County.
- Suspended hunting and/or fishing privileges of 22 Missouri residents for Wildlife Code violations. Those whose privileges were suspended are:
| Jeremie T. Bolte | Cedar Hill | 1 year | All sport privileges |
| David H. Branam | New Madrid | 1 year | All sport privileges |
| Cody L. Brown | Preston | 2 years | All sport privileges |
| Richard J. Dains | Foley | 1 year | All sport privileges |
| Chad M. Davis | Kearney | 1 year | All sport privileges |
| Wess B. Doss | Holt | 1 year | All sport privileges |
| Skylar E. Fisher | Edwards | 2 years | All sport privileges |
| Aaron G. Graham | Kearney | 1 year | All sport privileges |
| Raymond G. Head | Macon | 1 year | All sport privileges |
| Matthew W. Jones | Spokane | 3 years | Hunting only |
| Gary A. King | Leeton | 4 years | Hunting only |
| Deborah D. Martin | Winfield | 1 year | All sport privileges |
| Matthew C. McClurg | Cross Timbers | 1 year | All sport privileges |
| Steven R. Scherer | Columbia | 1 year | All sport privileges |
| Jerry W. Shepard | Laquey | 1 year | All sport privileges |
| Aaron W. Surface | Russellville | 1 year | All sport privileges |
| Justin P. Thompson | Norborne | 1 year | All sport privileges |
| Dustin G. Walker | Dexter | 1 year | All sport privileges |
| Timothy A. Welch | Ellington | 1 year | All sport privileges |
| Shaun D. Wood | De Soto | 1 year | All sport privileges |
| Justin L. Wright | Norborne | 1 year | All sport privileges |
| Gary D. Yocum | Reeds Spring | 1 year | All sport privileges |
- Suspended or revoked all hunting and fishing privileges of 184 persons who are not in compliance with applicable child support laws.
- Suspended the hunting and fishing privileges of one Missouri resident and 110 nonresidents under the provisions of the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact.
- Suspended all hunting privileges of one Missouri resident for three years for injuring another person in a firearms-related hunting incident.
