OUTDOOR CORNER: MISSOURI CHANGES GEARS FROM TURKEY TO SQUIRREL SEASON

This week we will do a little spring cleaning. We will go "out with the old" (spring turkey season) and "in with the new" (squirrel hunting and stream fishing).

You could say that Missouri's spring turkey hunting season is history (the three-week season ended last Sunday). You could also say that the season made history with an all-time record harvest of 50,338 birds. That is an increase of 2,015 birds over the record set in 1998.

Southeast Missouri was a mixed bag when it came to the number of turkeys checked. Of the 16 counties that comprise the southeast region, only seven reported more birds taken than last year. Hunters checked 3,690 birds in this part of the state, an increase of 19 birds over 1998.

Ste. Genevieve County led southeast with 584 turkeys checked (an increase of 114 from 98). Bollinger County accounted for 514 turkeys (down 55 from 98). St. Francois County reported 470 (a drop of 36). Perry County checked 447 (up 31). Other county numbers (with changes from last year): Cape Girardeau 344 (-18); Iron 277 (-25); Wayne 244 (-22); Butler 202 (-19); Madison 177 (-24); Reynolds 152 (+9); Stoddard 145 (+18); Scott 86 (+8); New Madrid 24 (+19); Mississippi 23 (+20) and Dunklin county with one (1) bird checked.

Now, "in with the new". With daytime temperatures climbing and spring turkey season over, most hunters put their shotguns away and reach for fishing poles.

However, with just a little planning, sportsmen can combine both hunting and fishing into the same outdoor excursion. This is made possible because Saturday (May 22) marks the opening day for Missouri's statewide squirrel season and also black bass in streams in the southeast part of the state.

By including a cooler full of ice with their other gear, outdoorsmen can go squirrel hunting in the cool, early morning hours and have an easy method of keeping the game from spoiling. As the day warms up, they can grab their fishing poles and head for the stream to pursue bass.

Squirrel season runs from May 22, 1999 to January 15, 2000. There is a daily limit of six squirrels and a possession limit of 12.

A small game hunting permit is required unless you meet one of the following exemptions: 1) you are a Missouri resident 65 years of age or older; 2) you are less than 16 years of age and are hunting in the immediate presence of a licensed adult hunter or carry a valid hunter education certificate card; or 3) you meet the definition of a landowner as defined in the Wildlife Code of Missouri.

Here in Southeast Missouri we have both fox squirrels and gray squirrels. They each exhibit slightly different habitat preferences so, if you prefer one species over the other, there are some things you might want to consider before setting out in search of the main ingredient for squirrel and dumplings.

Fox squirrels are red in color and can weigh up to three pounds. They eat their own weight in food each week. They are most often found along wooded creek bottoms that adjoin corn fields and other crops. They find mature hedge rows, small woodlots and wooded pastures to their liking.

The gray squirrel weighs about one-half as much as the fox squirrel (about 1.5 pounds). They prefer extensive, heavily wooded areas with good ground cover. By nature they tend to be more secretive than the fox squirrel. A mature gray squirrel may consume up to 100 pounds of food per year. Much of that food will be in the form of acorns.

Because acorns make up the majority of a gray squirrel's diet, it would not be an overstatement to say that "acorn production equals squirrel production". Unfortunately, we did not have a very good acorn crop last year. The result? Squirrel numbers are not very good in this part of the state. That doesn't mean that there aren't enough squirrels to provide some excellent hunting opportunities, it simply means that, in many areas, you will have to hunt more diligently to be successful.

We have discussed stream fishing for black bass in a recent column so I will not go into detail here. Just a brief reminder that the daily limit is six and the possession limit is twelve. Also, remember that all black bass less than twelve inches in total length must be returned to the water unharmed immediately after being caught from the unimpounded portion of any stream.

The season remains open statewide through February 29, 2000. After March 1, 2000, consult the Wildlife Code of Missouri for details of closed portions of southeast Missouri.

Gene Myers is a Missouri Department of Conservation agent in Cape Girardeau County.