FINS, FEATHERS, FUR

Pond management workshops are scheduled next month at Cape Girardeau and Poplar Bluff.

"We'll be discussing aquatic vegetation, species of fish which should be placed in a pond and other pond-related topics," said a spokesman of the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDOC) which will sponsor the workshops along with the Soil Conservation Service.

The Cape Girardeau workshop will be held at the MDOC regional headquarters at Cape Girardeau April 9, at 7 p.m. The Poplar Bluff workshop is set April 2 at Three Rivers Community College.

Reservations and additional information are available by contacting the Butler County Soil Conservation Service (314-785-6160) or the office at Cape Girardeau, (314-290-5730).

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PIEDMONT The 12th annual Southeast Missouri Open Turkey Calling Contest will be held at the Clearwater Grade School gym here April 4.

Trophies will be presented in 10 classes Youth; Mouth Calling; PeeWee; Gobbling; Wing Bone/Yelper; Owl Hooting; Friction; Wayne County Championships; SEMO Amateur; and SEMO open.

The event is sponsored by the Piedmont Jaycees and the McKenzie Creek Archery Club.

The contest starts at 6:30 p.m.

Additional information is available by contacting Glen Tooke, (314)-856-4824.

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OZARK The Missouri Conservation Commission approved the purchase of 97.5 acres in four areas, and accepted 224 acres as gifts from two areas during its meeting recently at Lake Ozark.

Purchases include four acres on Loutre River in Montgomery County and 28 acres on the Gasconade River in Wright County as new access areas; 62.5 acres in Barry County as an addition to Flag Spring State Forest and three acres in Andrew County as an addition to Nodaway Valley Wildlife area.

The gifts were 130 acres in Ray County, and 94 acres in Buchanan County.

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OZARK The Missouri Conservation Commission will hold its next meeting April 14, at Department of Conservation headquarters in Jefferson City.

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GREENVILLE More than 200 people are expected to compete in various outdoor contests here during the old Greenville Blackpowder Rendezvous to be held at the Greenville Recreation Area on U.S. Highway 67 at Wappapello Lake April 4-5.

Rifle and pistol shooting, knife and tomahawk throwing, and fire starting with flint and steel are among contests to be held during the two-day event.

Additional information is available by calling (314)-222-8562.

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

The entire refuge, unless otherwise posted, is be 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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JEFFERSON CITY Missourians who want to catch fish tomorrow should be thinking about stocking their ponds today. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is accepting applications now for stocking of qualifying private ponds statewide.

The Fisheries Division provides fingerling bluegill, channel catfish and bass to private pond owners. To qualify to receive fish, pond owners must submit applications and have their ponds inspected by MDC personnel to ensure that they will sustain fish populations.

Pond owners don't have to let everyone fish in their ponds if they accept fish from MDC. They do have to agree to permit a reasonable amount of access to the fishing resource, but it is up to them who fishes in their ponds.

Applications for pond stocking can be obtained from conservation agents or MDC offices. Applications must be submitted by July 15. Actual stocking begins with catfish and bluegills in September or October. Bass fingerlings are provided the following June, giving fish in the initial stocking a chance to grow a bit before the bass are stocked, so they are not all eaten.

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ST. LOUIS Peregrine falcons in St. Louis have laid an egg for the second year in a row.

A female falcon laid the egg in a nest on the 36th floor of the Southwestern Bell building. The female and its mate are among 53 falcons released in the St. Louis area by the World Bird Sanctuary (formerly The Raptor Project) over the past six years. Sanctuary officials say they hope the pair will produce two more eggs this year.

Last year, the same female laid two eggs, but only one hatched. Sanctuary workers replaced the second, infertile egg with a captive-bred peregrine falcon hatching. The pair adopted the substitute chick, and it survived, but the falcons' natural offspring died in a collision with a window.

If any of this year's hatch survive, it will be the second year of wild peregrine falcon reproduction in Missouri since the 1880s.