OUTDOOR CORNER: MISSOURI SETS FALL HUNTING DATES

With temperatures soaring and summer officially here, it probably seems like an eternity until cool fall weather signals the arrival of many hunting seasons. That may be the case, but hunters can now make specific plans.

A busy agenda at the Missouri Conservation Commission's meeting in May included approval of deer and early waterfowl seasons, liberalization of rabbit hunting regulations and several changes to fishing regulations. Conservation officials say the net effect should be more, better and easier hunting and fishing opportunities.

The Commission approved firearms deer season dates of Nov. 15-25 statewide and Jan. 3-4 in Deer Management Units 1-17, 20, 22, 23, 58 and 59. The January portion of the firearms deer season will be only for persons with unused Any-Deer or Bonus-Deer hunting permits for the units listed above.

Muzzleloader deer season dates will be Nov. 15-25, Dec. 6-14 statewide and Jan. 3-4 in the units listed above. Archery deer and turkey season will run from Oct. 1 through Nov. 14 and Nov. 26 through Jan. 15. Fall firearms turkey season dates will be Oct. 13-26.

Deer hunters will find it easier to tag their game this year. Transportation tags showing the successful hunter's full name and address can be either homemade or MDC issued. Hunters will simply invalidate the harvest log portion of their deer hunting permits by notching the edge of the permit. The date and time of kill on deer hunting permits is no longer necessary.

The commission made the change in response to hunter requests to simplify the procedure. Blank, adhesive deer/turkey transportation tags sill be available at permit vendors statewide if hunters prefer to use these rather than make their own. Some hunters who purchased their deer permits early will receive convenience stickers in the mail. These stickers will simplify the deer checking process, but are not mandatory.

Other deer and fall turkey hunting regulations remain the same as last year. Full details will be listed in the 1997 Fall Deer and Turkey Hunting information guide available from hunting permit vendors in July.

The Commission also approved a regulation allowing the hunting of rabbits and squirrels with dogs during deer season in most of the state. Only Bollinger, Butler, Carter, Dent, Iron, Madison, Oregon, Reynolds, Ripley, Shannon and Wayne counties will be closed to hunting these species with dogs during the firearms deer season.

The Commission approved early teal season Sept. 13-21, subject to final federal approval. Other regulations remain unchanged from last year. The Commission also approved hunting seasons the same as last year's for mourning doves (Sept. 1-Oct. 30), snipe (Sept. 1-Dec. 16), sora and Virginia rails (Sept. 1-Nov. 9) and woodcock (Oct. 15-Dec. 18).

The Commission also approved a regulation making it illegal to "wantonly leave, abandon or needlessly waste any edible portion" of legally taken wildlife. The regulation is aimed at such behavior as catching large numbers of paddlefish or sturgeon, removing their eggs for sale as caviar and then discarding the fish, or shooting a buck deer, removing the antlers and discarding the body. Such "wanton waste" encourages excessive harvest that can deplete wildlife populations.

The Commission also approved several changes in regulations on fishing effective March 1, 1998. They voted to liberalize the use of outboard boat motors larger than 10 horsepower at most MDC lakes. At present, the use of motorized boats on these waters is restricted to those with electric motors or outboard motors 10 horsepower or smaller. The change will permit the use of boats with larger motors as long as they are operated at slow, no-wake speed. To be sure of motor restrictions and other regulations, anglers should check rules posted at each MDC lake before launching their boats.

Among other fishing regulation changes approved by the Commission was a 42-inch minimum length limit on muskellunges at Lake Girardeau in Cape Girardeau County.

Gene Myers is a Missouri conservation agent in Cape Girardeau County.