FINS, FURS, FEATHERS

Coming up:

April 24 Annual Missouri Beautification Association Spring Roadside Cleanup, Lake Wappapello.

April 24 Women's Trout Tournament, Montauk State Park, additional information, 548-3301.

April 25 Velo Girardeau Bicycle Ride, Scott County Pancake ride, 40 miles, meet at Scott City High School, 1:30 p.m.

May 2 River Country Outdoors Bass Tournament, Lake of Egypt, Marion, Ill., 7 a.m. start from Egyptian Hills Marina.

May 6 Pond Management workshbop, Missouri Department of Conservation Regional Office, 7 p.m.

May 8 Alexander County Spring Bird Count, Horseshoe Lake Refuge, Olive Branch, Ill.

May 21 Missouri Conservation Commission meeting, West Plains.

May 22-24 Silver Bullet National Drag Boat Races, Lake Wappapello.

July 2-4 Waterfest, Lake Wappapello.

August 28-29 Buck McNeely Outdoorsman Expo & Sporting Clays Tournament, Show Me Center.

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A Pond Management Workshop will be held at the Missouri Department of Conservation Regional office, located in North County Park, May 6.

The workshop will start at 7 p.m.

Topics to be discussed include what kind of fish to stock in a pond, aquatic vegetation, and how to grow larger fish. Additional information is available by calling 290-5730 in Cape Girardeau.

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The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will hold a series of eight hearings across the country to allow the public to comment on the future direction of the National Wildlife Refuge System.

The closest hearing for this region will a May 11 session at the Ramada Inn at Atlanta, Ga., but written comments on "Refugees 2003," will be received until June 15, 1993.

Comments may be sent to Chief, Division of Refuges, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4401, N. Fairfax Drive, Room 670, Arlington, Va., 22203.

"Refuges 2003: A Plan for the Future," is a 10-year management plan and draft environmental impact statement establishing guideline for administering the refuge system as it approaches its 100th anniversary in 2003.

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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. Some spring outdoor recreation areas in Illinois will remain closed until May 16.

Areas closed in Southern Illinois include:

Horseshoe Lake Conservation area and campground in Alexander County.

Golconda Marine day-use area in Pope County. The marina is open year-round.

Trail of Tears State Forest day=use areas and horse trails in Union County.

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The Velo Girardeau Bicycle Club will conduct its annual Scott City Pancake Ridge Sunday. The 40-mile ride will leave from Scott City High School at 1:30 p.m. Steve Dain is ride leader.

The first May ride will be a 41-mile ride, again into north Scott County. Bob O'Grady is the ride leader.

The May 9 Mother's Day ridge will a 50-mile jaunt to the Procter & Gamble plant and Trail of Tears Loop. Riders will leave from Kent Library at 2 p.m. Gene PUlley will be ride leader.

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WAPPAPELLO with the turkey season under way, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Wappapello lake has issued a reminder on rules for riding All Terrain Vehicles (ATV).

To legally ride ATVs on Corps of engineers' roads or public roadways, the owner and vehicle must be in compliance with the following state laws:

Possess a valid operator's license; operate at speeds less than 30 miles per hour; have a lighted head and tail lamp; have a "slow-moving" equipment emblem on the rear of the ATV; have a bicycle safety flag; have an adequate muffler system; have a U.S. Forest Service qualified spark arrester; have a good brake system and have the ATV registered with the state.

In addition, all riders under 18 must wear a motorcycle helmet with operating any ATV. No ATV shall carry a passenger except when being used for agricultural purposes.

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GREENVILLE More than 14,000 visitors attended the 15th annual Old Greenville Blackpowder Rendezvous held earlier this month.

Activities included shooting competitions, tomahawk and knife-throwing and fire-starting.

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WAPPAPELLO The Army Corps of Engineers at Wappapello Lake started raising the lake level toward summer (recreation) pool earlier this month.

The summer pool will be at 359.74 N.G.V.D. by May 1.

Meanwhile, recent rehabilitation of four boat ramps Lost Creek Low Water Bridge, Lost Creek Landing, Otter Creek and Possum Creek has been completed.

These boat ramps are now available for public use.

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JEFFERSON CITY Turkey hunters bagged 6,082 gobblers on the opening day of Missouri's spring turkey season, an increase compared to the past two years.

This year's opening day harvest was 1,377 greater than in 1992, when rainy weather hampered hunters. The 1991 opening day kill was 5,988 turkeys.

Franklin County reported the highest take, with 180 bearded birds checked. Texas County came in second with 159. In regional totals, central Missouri showed the largest harvest, with 984 birds taken. East-central Missouri came in second with 916.

MDC officials also reported two non-fatal hunting accidents on opening day, the same as last year. They stressed the importance of hunting defensively