Hunting is in, paintball is out for Missouri Conservation Dept.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Hunting? Sure. Paintball? Take a hike -- that's the answer from the Missouri Department of Conservation for permissible uses of its land.

The Missouri Conservation Commission decided on a list of permissible and impermissible uses of its land at its July meeting, after being told area supervisors are getting more requests for uses of department land that don't reflect the mission of promoting hunting, fishing, nature appreciation and nature education.

Other "inappropriate" uses of its land include hot air ballooning, commercial photography, hang gliding, radio-controlled vehicles, music festivals, and rock climbing.

Up-and-coming pursuits such as geocaching -- a form of satellite-guided treasure hunting -- are being watched as well.

The policy affects a variety of areas included in more than 550,000 acres of Conservation Department land.

That property ranges from small plots like the 8-acre Crichton Access on the James River in Springfield to such sprawling tracts as the 21,000-acre Bull Shoals Reserve on Bull Shoals Lake and the 3,223-acre Bushwhacker Wildlife Area in Vernon and Barton counties.

Responding to questions

The decision wasn't based on specific problems, but on a growing number of questions about which activities are appropriate and what are not, department policy specialist Jane Epperson said.

"It all comes back to resources, and can that use be compatible and not conflict with other users," Epperson said.

"It's all about attaining a balance."

Other state and federal agencies may permit such activities, she said.

While the list provides area managers with guidelines, they'll still be responsible for issuing special use permits, Epperson said.

That judgment can vary, she said. For example, horseback riding in a hilly area prone to erosion might not be suitable, but riding in a flat area with little danger of erosion might be permitted, she said.

Enforcing the ban will be left to the department's agents and area supervisors.

Southwest area protection supervisor Mike Eutsler said he's fielded requests to hold weddings and family reunions on conservation land, as well as using parking lots for ultralight aircraft runways.

Fielding requests

Some activities aren't appropriate because they interfere with hunters or anglers; others don't fit the department's mission, he said.

"I'd say they are probably going to be denied any of those things," he said.

"If you open the door to one set of folks, you open it to everyone. The thing any more is the safety concern. We have to be careful of something that doesn't fall in our mission statement."