FEATHERS, FINS, FUR

HICKMAN, Ky. The Bayou de Chien Duck and Goose Calling Championships will be held July 30, in City Park at Hickman, Ky.

Registration will start at 10 a.m., with the contests to start at 11 a.m.

The duck calling contest is a qualifier for the World Championship Duck Calling Contest, which is held annually at Stuttgart, Ark.

A special three-man pit goose calling championships will be held

Entry fees are a $25 per caller, and $30 for the three-man goose calling team.

Additional information is available by calling (502)-236-3361 during the day, or (502)-236-2243 at night.

The bald eagle will stay on Illinois' endangered species list, even though it's coming off the national list.

Todd Fink, a biologist for the Illinois Conservation Department, said the number of bald eagles is growing in the state, but the number isn't back to what it used to be. He said bald eagles will remain on the state's endangered species list at least three more years.

State officials said there are about 10 nesting pairs of eagles in Southern Illinois, and all have hatched at least one eaglet this year.

Licensed anglers may snag for certain fish year-round within a 100-yard limit upstream or downstream of the Horseshoe Lake Dam in Alexander County, and within 300 yards downstream of all locks and dams on the Mississippi Rivers and Illinois rivers.

In these areas the following species may be taken: Carp, buffalo, freshwater drum, paddlefish (two per day), bowfin, gizzard shad, carpsucker, longnose and shortnose gar and sucker (except longnose sucker).

Missouri anglers and boaters are urged to be alert for zebra mussels.

After boating in the Mississippi River, boaters are urged to inspect boats and trailers for signs of zebra mussels; drain all bilge water, live wells, and engine compartments before transferring the boat to a different stream or lake; and to empty bait buckets on the shore, not in the water.

Anyone finding what they believe may be a zebra mussel are urge to contact Ken Drenon of, information services supervisor, telephone (314)-751-4115, extension 848.

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) will conduct 42 managed deer hunts this year. Applications for the 1994 hunts are available at MDC offices statewide.

Hunters can apply individually or in groups of six or fewer.

Permitted weapons vary by hunt location, but they include bow and arrow, historic weapons, muzzle-loading firearms and modern firearms.

Any Missouri resident who is permanently confined to a wheelchair can automatically join in one of nine special hunts.

MDC also will hold a special youth-only deer hunt at Weldon Spring on Nov. 5 and 6 for youths between the ages of 11 and 15Applications for managed deer hunts must be postmarked between July 15 and Aug. 15. Additional information is available by contacting the MDC. (314)-290-5730.

Illinois has a new state record carp.

The 38-inch fish weighed 51 pounds and was taken from lake Hillcrest in Madison County by Steve K. Davis of Glenn Carbon.

The old record was a 42-pounder taken from Kankakee River 66 years ago, in 1928.

Applications for dove hunting permits for Illinois' controlled areas will be accepted by the Department of Conservation through July 15.

Permits are required at these sites Sept. 1-5.

Additional information and applications are available by calling (217)-782-7305.

The Missouri Conservation Commission has set the 1994 deer seasons. The firearms deer season will start Saturday, November 12, and end Sunday, November 20. Muzzleloading firearms deer season will include those same dates, and December 3 through 11. Archery deer season will be October 1 through November 11 and November 21 through December 31. Special managed deer hunts also were authorized.

The 1994 rail, snipe, woodcock and mourning dove season dates and limits were approved without change from last year. Teal season will run from September 10 to 18 for blue-winged, green-winged and cinnamon teal. No change was made in limits or shooting hours for these early migratory bird hunting seasons. All of these rules are subject to adoption of final Federal frameworks later this year.

The Southern Illinois Hunting and Fishing Days Keystone Beer Classic will be held at Crab Orchard Lake Sept. 17-18.

The purse will be the largest per capita payout in Southern Illinois fishing history. Based on a field of 200 teams, first place will pay $6,000.

Under the megabucks format, 200 two-man teams will fish Sept. 17. Twenty-four finalists will be selected for the Sept. 18 event. On the final day, anglers will be restricted to six designated "fishing holes" in the lake. These hole will not be known to anglers until just prior to takeoff Sunday.

All 24 teams will start Sunday's fishing with zero weight.

Additional information and registration forms are available by contacting Southern Illinois Hunting & Fishing Days Committee, P.O. Box 248, Carterville, Ill., 62918, telephone, 1-800-433-7399.