FINS, FEATHERS AND FUR

JACKSON -- The Southeast Missouri Quail Unlimited and Bird Dog Association will hold a two-day bird dog trial this weekend.

The event will be held Saturday and Sunday at the Meier Hunting Club grounds, located off Highway 34 west of Jackson.

The nationally-sanctioned meet starts at 7:30 a.m. both days.

Three classes puppy, derby and shooting dogs will be held in each of two classes. The Open Division class will be held Saturday and the Amateur Division trials will be held Sunday.

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JEFFERSON CITY May 1 has been proclaimed "Fishing Day" in Missouri, and June 6-7 have been declared Free Fishing Days.

Gov. John Ashcroft hopes to realize some of the benefits of angling on Fishing Day in Missouri.

On April 8, when he signed the proclamation declaring Fishing Day, Ashcroft resolved to go fishing himself.

At the same time, Ashcroft proclaimed June 6 and 7 Free Fishing Days in Missouri, when anyone can fish in Missouri without a permit.

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JEFFERSON CITY The Missouri Conservation Commission approved the purchase of 289 acres at its April meeting, held at Department of Conservation headquarters here.

The Commisison approved the purchase of 186 acres on Lake of Ozarks in Benton County as a public access area; 28 acres in Gentry County as an addition to Elam Bend Wildlife Area and 75 acres on the St. Francis River in Wayne County as an access area.

The Commission also accepted as a gift 13.5 acres in St. Louis County from the M. Elizabeth Gempp estate.

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OLIVE BRANCH, Ill. The bass and crappie are hitting at Horseshoe Lake near Olive Branch.

A few two-pound crappie have been reported, caught around the tupelo clumps at Horseshoe, and an avid Cape Girardeau bass anglers reports good bass action at various spots around the lake.

Anglers are hoping bass fishing will be good at Lake of Egypt early nest month. The 4th annual River County Outdoors Bass Tournament will be held at Lake Egypt May 3.

The team entry fee is $55 with an April 29 deadline. Late entries are $70.

Additional details are available by contacting Mike Estel, (618)-833-2158.

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SPRINGFIELD Mothers will be in the spotlight during a special two-day program to be conducted by the Illinois Department of Conservation.

"Outdoors For Moms," an event planned May 30-31 at Wolf Creek State park, northeast of Shelbyville, will be a hand-on event aimed at mothers who want to learn "how to rough."

An all-female instructor staff will feature ten camping, fishing, hiking, fire building, outdoor cooking and nature appreciation.

"By the end of the weekend, participants will have learned the basic skills needed for taking kids on camping trip and other excursions," said Fran Chastain, an organizer for the program.

Applications will be accepted by telephone through 24 by calling (217)-785-5822.

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JONESBORO, Ill. Shawnee National Forest dirt and grass-surfaced roads will remain closed through May 10.

"This regulation is needed to prevent natural resource damage when roads are wet or soft due to rains," said James Shull, special agent for Shawnee.

Drivers of motorized vehicles, including all terrain vehicles (ATVs) and motorcycles are reminded of the road closures.

"Riding and violations have increased with the warmer weather," said Shull. "Because ATVs are not licensed in Illinois, riding them on public and forests roads is a violation of state law."

No Shawnee National Forest trails are designated for use by all-terrain-vehicles or off-highway motorcycles, added Shull. "Suitable roads and trails will be designated under guidelines in the revised forest plan which is expect to be approved soon."

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POTOSI, Mo. - A man showing off a turkey he thought he had killed was shot in the leg when the barely alive bird thrashed around in his trunk and triggered his shotgun.

"The turkeys are fighting back," said Washington County Sheriff Ron Skiles.

To make matters worse, it turns out that Larry Lands, in his early 40s, and his son Larry Jr., 16, were hunting a week before the start of turkey season and will probably be fined, the sheriff said.

The accident occurred last week after the two Mineral Point men shot the turkey and put it in their car, along with a loaded shotgun. They drove to a neighbor's house to show the bird off.

While the son was pulling the turkey out of the trunk it began struggling, according to the sheriff, and its claw fired the gun. The shot went through the side panel of the car and into Lands' leg.

Lands was taken to a St. Louis hospital for treatment and was listed in satisfactory condition Thursday.

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PUXICO The 1992 fishing season at Mingo National Wildlife Refuge opened recently.

The entire refuge, unless otherwise posted, is open for fishing. A regulation change allows use of electric motors outside the wilderness area this year.

Visitors to the refuge are required to obtain an entrance fee permit, which is available at the Visitor Center, located on Highway 51, a mile north of Puxico. Daily permits are $2 per vehicle.

Mingo Refuge is administered by the U.S. Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service.

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COLUMBIA Fur prices rebounded dramatically in Missori during the 1991-1992 trapping season, giving the state's 3,300 trappers reason to rejoice. But experts say the fur business, once a multi-million dollar industry in Missouri, still faces disaster if the European Economic Community (EEC) proceeds with plans to ban U.S. furs.

Dave Hamilton, furbearer biologist for the Missouri Department of Conservation, said pelts of eight species of furbearers brought higher prices this year than in 1991. Only two furbearer species brought lower prices at Misouri's three fur auctions compared to last year.

Leading the increases were muskrat pelts, which brought an average of $2.29, compared to 83 cents per pelt last year an increase of 176 percent. Coyote pelts posted the largest dollar increase and the second-largest percentage increase, jumping from an average of $7 in 1991 to $18.70 this year. The average price of red fox pelts soared 142 percent, from $6.23 to $15.10, and raccoon pelt prices climbed 137 percent, from $3.71 to $8.78.

Other species for which prices increased included: opossum, 90 percent; gray fox, 76 percent; mink, 41 percent; and beaver, 17 percent. Species for which average pelt prices decreased were striped skunk (down 25 percent) and bobcat (down 12 percent).