FINS, FEATHERS, AND FUR

There has been a delay in the collection of user fees for boat launching ramps and swimming beaches in Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Louis District, announced the delay last week.

The nation-wide fees were authorized by tahe Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993, and were to go into effect after May 19.

Implementation of the fee program has been delayed until signs, self-deposit fee vaults and other materials needed to implement the fee program have been received, which is not anticipated before mid-summer.

When implemented, the fees will be collected at high-use recreation areas at Mark Twain Lake and Wappapello Lake in Southeast Missouri, and Carlyle Lake, Rend Lake and Lake Shelbyville in Southern Illinois.

More than 28,000 spectators turned out for tahe sixth annual Silver Bullet National Drag Boat Race, held last month at Lake Wappapello.

Water crafts zoomed across the lake at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour, with the fastest boats closing in on 200 miles per hour.

"Free Fishing Days" will be held in Missouri and Illinois this month.

Missouri free fishing days are June 11-12.

Illinois free fishing days are June 10-13.

During these special observances, residents and non-residents alike can fish free.

Several communities, park districts, service organizations and outdoor clubs are planning special fishing activities during the four free days in Illinois, which is observing its 10th year of free fishing days.

Free fishing days in both states are held in conjunction with National Fishing Week, which has been proclaimed for June 6 through 12.

The Mingo Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center and Mingo National Wildlife Refuge are teaming up to host a fishing clinic June 11 in recognition of National Fishing Week.

The event will be held at Gritman Lake, located at the south lend of the refuge near the Mingo Job Corps Center, near Puxico.

The program is geared toward youth who have little or no fishing experience, but is open to people of all ages.

The three-acre Gritman Lake has been stocked with more than 1,100 large channel catfish and 100 hybrid sunfish in preparation for the clinic.

Classes will start every five minutes, starting at 8 a.m.

Additional information is available by contact the Mingo Refuge, Route 1, Box 103, Puxico, Mo., 63960, telephone (314)-222-3589.

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.

The Missouri Department of Conservation will sell three isolated tracts of land originally acquired along with land for conservation areas during a MDC auction, to be held at Salem, Mo. June 18.

Other items on the list of surplus property to be sold include two- and four-wheel-drive trucks ranging from half-ton to two-ton, sedans, four-wheel-drive utility vehicles, crawler tractors, motor graders, farm tractors and implements, outboard motors, boats, boat trailers, lawn mowers, a semi trailer, chain saws, water pumps, truck tool boxes, typewriters, recorders, copy machines, computer equipment, cameras and binoculars.

Land to be sold includes 160 acres near Dry Fork in Phelps County, 120 acres at Lone Star in Pulaski County and 80 acres at Larson CA in Texas County. MDC was unable to provide public access to these tracts, which were surrounded by private property.

The items for sale will be on display from 1 until 5 p.m. June 17 at the MDC maintenance shop, junction of Highways 72 and 32 in Salem. Potential buyers also will be able to examine the property beginning at 8 a.m. the day of the sale. The auction will begin at 10 a.m. June 18, with the land to be sold first, and the vehicles last.

The Conservation Commission will holds its June meeting at Cassville, June 24.

The Commission discussed and approved an annual expenditure plan totalling $113,475,327 for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1994. The plan includes $25,000,000 for capital improvements, and $88,475,327 for equipment, personnel and expenses. Spending is strictly limited by actual revenues received. Approximately 63 percent of the funds are expected to come from the 1/8 percent conservation sales tax, 19 percent from hunting and fishing sport permits, 11.5 percent from federal taxes on fishing and hunting equipment, and 6.5 percent from miscellaneous other sources.

The Commission also approved three new land acquistions: 55 acres in Mercer County added to Lake Paho area to provide protection for the watershed and add three small ponds to the area; 310 acres in Shannon County to consolidate a large department holding, and extend MDC's common boundary with the Ozark National Scenic Riverways; and 3.5 acres in Bollinger County to add to the 460-acre Dark Cypress Swamp area.

Attending the meeting were Jerry P. Combs, Kennett, chairman; Andy Dalton, Springfield, vice chairman; John Powell, Rolla, secretary; and Anita B. Gorman, Kansas City, member.

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.

To help Missourians celebrate National Fishing Week, The USDA Forest Service is offering free camping at all campgrounds in the Mark Twain National Forest June 10 through 12.

Many Forest Service campgrounds are near streams or lakes. Campsites are available on a first-come, first-served basis, but with 650 campsites available, there should be plenty of room.

Additional information about Forest Service campgrounds is available by contacting Mark Twain National Forest, 401 Fairgrounds Road, Rolla, Mo., 65401. Phone: (314) 364-4621