Volume 6, Issue 4 March 2015

Notes from the Dashboard Yotes in spring!I was standing on the deck of the office taking pictures of our gobblers and deer in the winter wheat about 300 yards out. There were about 3 big gobblers and 20 or so hens and about 8 whitetail working the field. As I was snapping photos looking through the 300 MM lens one deer looked odd. Turns out it was not a deer but a large coyote working his way around the deer focused on the turkey hens. He was a big male and was moving uncharacteristically slow towards the turkey. He then laid down putting his head to the ground for maybe 15 seconds then up and slowly moved another 10 to 15 feet closer to the turkeys with the deer flagging but not running, all now weather veined towards him."I put the camera down and went to get the rifle, he was heading right to the house now and the technique he was about to employ could be deadly not only to the turkeys but to my border collie. And what is that you ask."The big male appears that he was working his way to literally slowly herd the turkeys into the woods where the rest of the pack would be lying in wait for them. The turkeys would watch him and be easier prey for the rest. "A friend and fellow hunter observed this on his spring turkey hunt last year. He called the two gobblers in and they were

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Notes from the Road - Page 3

Some simple and quick steps you can undertake this spring to refresh your habitat and prepare your habitat for upcoming additional management efforts.

New to deer meat? - Page 6

Deer meat. Venison. They’re one and the same, and there is a lot of it available across Arkansas during and even after hunting seasons.

11 new cases of CWD - Page 11

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reports that 11 new cases of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) have recently been found in deer harvested in Macon, Adair, and now Cole counties.

THE WHISTLE CALL Quail and Upland Wildlife Federation

Volume 6, Issue 4 March 2015

coming across the field when the coyote came out, acted the same and got the turkeys to run into the woods where 4 other coyotes got one of the full grown gobblers quickly. He could not get across the field fast enough to see what happened, the yotes quickly took the gobbler from the kill sight. They will use the same technique on dogs and cats and are very successful as a pack."This male did not get the chance to complete the herding technique but all hunters and sportsman need to know the clever and well skilled ability of these predatory animals. If you are calling spring gobblers, be aware yotes may appear near you or focus on your boss gobbler with their own hunting goals in mind."Spring is also their breeding season and when the female dens up, she will be working a smaller range from the den to feed the pups and not roam a large area with the male. I have found several dens as we work in the woods and pasture areas, best technique is to open the area up so the entrance is very visible. The female likes cover to protect the entrance when the pups begin to venture out. Don’t pile up dirt with root bundles when you are mechanically clearing areas, it is a perfect set up for a den, not to mention a home for snakes, possums, skunks."Another land owner (cattleman) observation, when they did controlled burns in wooded or pasture areas with rabbits present, when the rabbits ran away from the fire, the yotes were waiting at the head of the fire. Now they keep a couple of shooters at the head of the fire to limit the damage they are doing on calves."Add yote hunting to your spring agenda, calling them can be very productive especially when the breeding season is on and if you see them on their “hunt” know how they work and just maybe get more than one yote."Catch you across the creek,"!

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Volume 6, Issue 4 March 2015

Notes from the Road: Time for some spring habitat cleaning!In this spring issue of the Whistle Call I wanted to point out several recent QUWF Habitat Tip One Sheets and other related quail blogs that have been written regarding some simple and quick steps you can undertake this spring to refresh your habitat and prepare your habitat for upcoming additional management efforts. Spring is always a great time to look closely at your current habitat conditions after the harsh winter snow, ice, and winds have pounded down your existing habitat projects. One of the blogs referred to above that I wrote this month is titled “Simple Steps to Refresh Your Winter Cover” and is located in the “More-Quail” section of blog entries along with some other excellent habitat blogs on habitat management for quail and other upland wildlife for you to take a look at. They can all be found at http://mdc.mo.gov/blogs/more-quail so go check them out. "Additionally early spring is a great time to start planning your upcoming spraying efforts that you will be conducting during the later spring and summer months. Whether it will be a native warm season grass conversion from cool season grasses or a invasive weed/brush spraying, we have recently completed a new habitat one sheet that I wanted to draw your attention to in this issue of the Whistle Call. It lays out the simple steps of selecting a good sprayer if you don’t already have one, how to set it up for maximum operation and efficiency while in the field as well some good tips on how to calibrate your sprayer. As always with any chemical applications always follow all label guidelines as shown on chemical container labels and always double check your figures before spraying. Take a look at this habitat info sheet as it will give even the experienced landowner who has an existing sprayer some good tips and a quick refresher on the best use of an ATV sprayer or other sprayer type they might be using. Also if you have always thought about buying a sprayer but never have done it, this tip sheet will also guide you through some of the import steps to keep in mind as you select and get ready to use one. A small ATV Sprayer can be an excellent habitat management tool for any size landowner to conduct a wide variety of habitat management activities."So make sure as you get out and enjoy some of this early spring weather on the nicer days many of us are starting to have be sure to go check out your current and past habitat management conditions and see just what simple steps and tips above you can follow to increase and improve your habitat for many species of wildlife going into the rest of 2015. "Keep up all the great work out there that each of you, your landowners, your chapters and conservation partners are doing on crucial wildlife habitat projects, landowner and youth field day events, as well as all your other conservation outreach efforts that you are working on in your local communities each and every day, as you are Definitely…….…. “Making a Difference for Wildlife One Acre at a Time”!! " !

Chief Wildlife Biologist"Wildlife Partnership Coordinator

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Spraying With Your ATV - Handout 2 One of the great uses for your ATV is spraying herbicides. Many try it and have varying results, even failure. Others struggle to figure out why they use so much chemical per acre. Here are a few hints to get the job done right. !Select a good sprayer

• Spend a little extra and get a unit that will last, look for one that uses generic parts (replaceable at farm supply stores).

• It must have an adjustable pressure gauge. • Choose a sprayer with a good handgun or buy a good one and add it to the unit. • Choose a sprayer size appropriate for your projects. As a rule, it will take 10-gallons of

chemical mixed with water to cover an acre - but remember always read the label. For example, glyphosate mixed at about 5 ounces per gallon can be used to remove grasses and weeds from a food plot. For shrubby oaks use up to 8 ounces per gallon of water. !

The 25 gallon version shown here, allows us to spray two (2) acres easily and does not upset the center of gravity of the ATV. Mount the sprayer on the rear rack of the ATV. Use two (2) tie-down straps to keep the unit steady and in place. Placing a towel under the sprayer unit will keep it from scratching the racks. Rubber strips also work well. !Most sprayers now have the two-wire plug in making it very fast to hook power to the pump. The version pictured has a direct hookup to the battery. !Setting the pressure

• Turn the handle on top of the gauge to adjust the sprayer pressure. This may take some experimenting. Setting the pressure at 40 PSI on the model shown prior to turning on the booms gives a 20 pound pressure when the booms are on.

• If using just the handgun, you may choose to set the pressure higher (50 or 60 PSI) to be able to reach farther. !

Operation: • Double check that all is secure and the connections are good. • Always check the operation of the sprayer with plain water first to make sure

everything is working right and all spray nozzles work (spiders sometimes make nests in the nozzles). • Speed—Some ATV sprayer manufacturers suggest a speed of 4 to 5 mph but it may be closer to 6 or 7

depending on your pressure and the sprayer nozzle sizes so it is important to calibrate the sprayer to ensure proper application. For more information on calibrating a sprayer go to: http://www.youtube.com/user/MOlandowner

• When spraying in the field, assure proper coverage by overlapping approximately one-foot on each pass. !Finishing:

• When finished, flush the sprayer and boom with water, making sure to do this in a safe area.

• If you are done for the season, to protect it from winter freezes, put about 2 gallons of RV antifreeze in the tank and pump it through until the pink liquid comes out of the nozzles.

• Take the handgun off and drain it completely before storing and tape up the end of the hose.

• You can duct tape plastic bags over the nozzles to keep out spiders and other critters.

• If you have a folding version like the one pictured, spray the hinges with WD-40.

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Four tips for understanding your soil sample Fertilizer and lime recommendations can be confusing. All the different numbers and suggestions can really make it difficult to understand what your soil and crop needs to perform its best. Let’s simplify things with a few quick tips to understanding your SOIL SAMPLE. 1. Soil pH is the first thing you need to get right. Although some crops are more tolerant of acidic soils than others, your plot will perform best with a pH of 6.5-7.0. Lime is relatively inexpensive and is the key to successful plots. For perspective a plot with a pH of 5.5 is 100 times more acidic than one at 6.5. Over 50% of fertilizer added to a plot with a 5.5pH is wasted because it is not able to be used by the plants. 1-2 tons per acre of ag lime is very common to get your plots where they need to be. 2. Remember that the 3 numbers on bagged fertilizer (N-P-K) are based off of 100lbs, not 50. In a 50lb bag of 13-13-13, there are 6.5 lbs or units each of actual nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium. If your sample says you need 40lbs each of N-P-K, you would need 350lbs per acre of 13-13-13. This would give you 45.5 lbs of N-P-K. 3. An advanced soil test is needed to get current levels of micro nutrients like copper, iron, zinc, boron, etc. These micros are usually not present in bagged fertilizer. Although they are needed in very small amounts in comparison to the macro’s (N-P-K), it can be worthwhile to do an advanced sample every 3-4 years and keep the micro’s up to date. 4. As a general rule of thumb, cereal grains, corn, and brassicas are nitrogen lovers. Legumes such as clovers, peas, beans, or alfalfa fix their own nitrogen from the atmosphere and need very little at planting time. For example, once established, clover can be fertilized with a common 0-20-20. At planting time, a low nitrogen blend like 5-20-20 can be used to give the young clover a small dose of nitrogen while it develops a root system and begins to affix its own from the air. On the other end of the spectrum, corn can use 100-200 lbs of nitrogen per acre for maximum yield.

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New to deer meat? Here are some basics LITTLE ROCK – Deer meat. Venison. They’re one and the same, and there is a lot of it available across Arkansas during and even after hunting seasons. But not everyone is familiar with deer meat and how to prepare it. If you’re a somewhat puzzled person with deer meat on hand and no experience cooking it, here are a few basics from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Shake negative notions about deer meat out of your head. “Wild taste” and “gamy” don’t enter the picture if the meat is good (handled properly). Don’t try to compare deer meat to beef or any other meat you’re accustomed to cooking. It’s different. It’s better, with some basic knowledge of wild game cooking. For starters, get it in your mind and keep it there that deer meat is extremely lean. That’s one reason it is so much healthier for you than beef, pork, even chicken and turkey. But extremely lean also means you have to keep the deer meat moist in cooking or else you’ll be preparing a substitute for shoe leather or roofing shingle. Let the deer meat dry out, and you’ve messed up first class. This means don’t fry it.  There can be exceptions, but we’re talking basics here. If you want chicken fried steak, use beef, not your deer meat. And immediately we turn to the term braise and simmer. These work with deer meat.  Instead of the chicken fried steak technique, try cutting the deer meat into serving size pieces, brown quickly in a small amount of hot oil then turn the heat down and simmer it in mushroom soup until tender. You may prefer the brown-type mushroom soup over the cream of mushroom type, but it’s your choice. Both will work as will other liquids. Work the seasonings in at the simmering stage, not in the browning. Salt, pepper, oregano, chili powder, chopped onion, diced green pepper – use your experience, your imagination and your preferences here. Serve the finished product over rice, over noodles or by itself. Chances are you’ll be proud of the result.  This next suggestion for handling a gift of deer meat may raise some disagreements. But think of grinding the meat or cutting it into half-inch or smaller cubes. Now all sorts of cooking avenues await you, many eliminating the no-no of letting the deer meat get too dry in cooking. Chili. Spaghetti. Meat loaf. Sloppy Joes. Stroganoff. Stew. These are just starters. You can add to them. Deer meat is excellent for any of these methods, and you can pretty well handle it like beef or other familiar meat for all these moist cooking dishes. Good, tasty roasts can come from deer meat, but these may be a little difficult for the novice wild game cook. Somehow the notion abounds that wild game should be cooked to well done or beyond. Wrong. Think medium. Think medium rare. Think and keep thinking moist, moist. The benefactor who brought you that deer meat probably didn’t bring the bests of the roasts, and more than probably the benefactor did not give you the tenderloins, the most prized of deer meat. Grind or cube that chunk of deer meat you were thinking of roasting. You’ll improve the odds of a tasty table dish. A final note: Have fun with your gift of deer meat. Deer hunting is rich in story telling. Create one of your own to go with the first-time dish you have prepared. Give it a creative, even far-out, name. Work up a tale to go with it. Most of all, enjoy the deer meat. There is lots of it here in Arkansas.

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GC101XL Compact Predator Call!The NEW GC101XL electronic game call is compact, durable and extremely effective for such an affordable unit. You can’t go wrong with this predator call if you are a beginner or a more experienced hunter that prefers a more convenient compact unit. Simply check your batteries, toss it in your backpack or use the convenient beltclip and you are off to your favorite hunting place. Put the main unit on the ground or hang it from a nearby tree or bush and climb into your treestand. After a day of whitetail deer hunting, call up a coyote, it's always a great idea to save a fawn for the future. 12 Quality game calls included by Wildlife Technologies, 100 yard remote ability, can play two calls at the same time.

GC300 Electronic Predator Call!The NEW GC300 is compact, durable and extremely effective for such an affordable unit. You can’t go wrong with this predator call if you are a beginner or a more experienced hunter that prefers a more convenient option. Great for attracting coyote, bobcat, fox, wolf, bear, crow and raccoon. 12 Quality game calls included by Wildlife Technologies, 300 yard remote range, can play two calls at the same time.

GC350 - Programmable - Up To 24 Calls!The NEW GC350 is a highly efficient unit, it is durable, easy to operate, powerful and extremely affordable.  You can’t go wrong with this electronic game call if you are a beginner or a more experienced hunter that demands expandability. Great for attracting coyote, bobcat, fox, wolf, bear, crow, raccoon, whitetail deer, snow geese, wild turkey and much more. If you are a master of the hand call, take advantage of the remote range and stay better hidden from your game. The more advantages you have, the more results you are potentially going to see. 24 Quality game calls included by Wildlife Technologies, 300 yard remote range, decoy activation from remote.

GC500 - Programmable - Up To 200 Calls!The NEW GC500 is a highly efficient unit, it is durable, easy to operate, powerful and extremely affordable.  You can’t go wrong with this electronic game call if you are a beginner or a more experienced hunter that demands expandability. Great for attracting coyote, bobcat, fox, wolf, bear, crow, raccoon, whitetail deer, snow geese, wild turkey and much more. With the amber backlit digital screen and control buttons it is the ideal night time hunting companion.  If you are a master of the hand call, take advantage of the remote range and stay better hidden from your game. The more advantages you have, the more results you are potentially going to see. 24 Quality game calls included by Wildlife Technologies, up to 200 can be loaded, 300 yard remote range, decoy activation by remote.

Wildlife PartnerWildlife partner

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Pigweed. The food plot weed nightmares are made of Pigweed (Palmer Amaranth) has been a frequent topic of conversation among farmers and food plot guys in the last several years. Pigweed has been causing severe problems because of its rapid growth and in many parts of the county, resistance to glyphosate which leads to problems in glyphosate resistant crops that are being grown. In warm season food plots, whether it is a spring planted perennial or annual blend, pigweed can very quickly become a problem and overtake the plot. When left to mature and go to seed, pigweed grows a substantial amount of seeds that can continue to cause problems for years down the road. They key to killing and controlling pigweed is early identification and proper herbicide application. Imazamox is a great broadleaf control herbicide with chemistry that has excellent results and residual control on pigweed and other broadleaf weeds. Imazamox (brand names Weed Reaper or Raptor) can be sprayed over legumes including clover, alfalfa, beans, peas, and lablab. Ideally, broadleaf weeds should be less than 6 inches in height for the best kill. My first experience in testing imazamox was on a severe infestation of pigweed on over 10 acres of spring planted LABLAB a few years ago. The Lablab was less than two weeks out of the ground when I noticed a solid carpet of pigweed beginning to emerge. Left untreated, the Lablab would have easily been outgrown by the rapid growth of pigweed and my summer crops would have been non-existent. I tested BIOLOGIC WEED REAPER (imazamox- active ingredient) at a rate of 4oz per acre with AMS (ammonium sulfate) and a surfactant as a tank additive. I was pleasantly surprised on my return trip to the fields to find a 95% + kill on all broadleaf weeds including the solid carpet of pigweed that was completely nuked. The only areas I could find with less than ideal results were due to inconsistent spots in the spray pattern and not failure on the herbicide. These were all at the end of my turn rows where I didn’t get quite enough overlap. If you have trouble growing warm season plots because of broadleaf weeds, imazamox may be your answer. Nobody likes to spend the money and effort of planting only to have it ruined by problematic weeds.

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Keeping summer plots weed-free One of the most common problems in food plots, especially perennials, is weed competition. Weeds rob your plot of essential nutrients, water, and root space. Given time and opportunity, weeds will quickly mature, produce seed, and overtake a well intended food plot. The use of herbicides is one of the greatest tools a wildlife manager can utilize to keep weeds under control and get the most out of your plantings. Here are a few tips to get the most from your efforts."1. Read The Label-the information on the herbicide labels contain great info and will identify what weeds they control and what crops it is designed to protect."2. Spray when grasses or broadleaf weeds are young and thriving. If you wait to spray when they are tall and mature, the results will often be less than desirable. If weeds are already tall and maturing, mow first and return 7-10 days later to spray the new re-growth. "3. Spray in good conditions. Cloudy and still days are best. Windy and rainy days do not make for good conditions to spray in."4. Make sure spraying equipment is functioning properly and carry some spare spray rig parts to the field. There’s nothing worse than having a busted hose or clogged tip in the field and be without the tools to fix it."5. Make sure to add a surfactant or crop oil when called for, many grass specific herbicides do not work well without one."6. For optimal results, use AMS (ammonium sulfate) or add Biologic M.E.E.N Green (a water soluble fertilizer) to your tank mix when spraying selective herbicides. AMS or M.E.E.N Green will increase the effectiveness of the herbicide by helping the weeds readily trans-locate it to the roots for a good kill, at the same time it will foliar feed the plot with essential macro and micro nutrients."7. Know the size of the fields you are going to be spraying so you can apply the appropriate amount of solution. To practice and calibrate your sprayer, find a field and measure it with a GPS or use a range finder to determine the acreage. Fill your spray tank with just water and take note of the speed you travel and the amount of water you apply over the known area. This will help take a lot of guess work on applying the correct amount. Most herbicides work best when 12-20 gallons of water are used over an acre with the appropriate herbicide."Another very common problem is the flush of weeds you get after planting warm season annuals such as soybeans, peas, or lablab. Anytime you disturb the ground with a piece of equipment like a disc, harrow, or tiller you are likely to get a fine crop of weeds that germinate from seeds that have been in your soil profile for years waiting on their chance to grow. Many times these weeds will outgrow the crop you have planted and end up choking it out. I typically use this sequence in the spring when planting my warm season annuals, keep in mind that glyphosate (round-up) is a contact and non residual herbicide. If it doesn’t contact something green and growing it is basically in-active. It does not have any residual activity in the soil and will not affect seeds you are preparing to plant."I generally spray the area to be planted after a good portion or all of the plot has a good flush of spring weeds. In the South this is usually around early to mid April. Wait around a week and go in and work the soil with a disc or tiller or whatever your primary tillage equipment is. This disturbance of the soil should create a new flush of weeds over the plot in a relatively short period of time, after I see a good carpet of weeds starting to emerge, I spray again with 41 % glyphosate (generic round-up). Wait just 3-5 days and lightly prepare the top couple 3-4 inches of soil again and plant. This second spray application seems to really cut down on early weed problems in spring planted plots. Giving the plot you are planting time to get established and canopy out to shade the soil will drastically cut down on the amount of weeds that can grow.

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MDC reports 11 new cases of CWD in Missouri deer Most recent cases of Chronic Wasting Disease found in Macon, Adair, and Cole counties. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reports that 11 new cases of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) have recently been found in deer harvested in Macon, Adair, and now Cole counties. A buck harvested near the village of Centertown in Cole County is the first case of the disease to be found outside of the Department’s six-county CWD Containment Zone of Adair, Chariton, Linn, Macon, Randolph, and Sullivan counties. All previous cases have been limited to Macon, Linn, and Adair counties. These 11 new cases bring the total number of Missouri free-ranging deer that have tested positive for CWD to 14 for this past season and 24 overall since the disease was first discovered in the state in 2010 at a private hunting preserve in Linn County. CWD has also been found in 11 captive deer in Macon and Linn counties. The Department has collected more than 43,000 tissue samples since it began testing for the emerging disease in 2001. MDC has collected more than 3,400 tissue samples for CWD testing from harvested and other free-ranging deer this season. Results for about 330 tissue samples are still in the process of being tested by an independent, outside laboratory. “We will provide an update of final results once all testing has been completed for the season,” said MDC Deer Biologist Jason Sumners. “We will continue to monitor the spread of the disease through more CWD testing this coming fall and winter. We are also updating our efforts to help contain the spread of the disease and will be working out the details over this spring and summer.” Chronic Wasting Disease infects only deer and other members of the deer family by causing degeneration of the brain. The disease has no vaccine or cure and is 100-percent fatal. Missouri offers some of the best deer hunting in the country, and deer hunting is an important part of many Missourians' lives and family traditions. Infectious diseases such as CWD could reduce hunting and wildlife-watching opportunities for Missouri's nearly 520,000 deer hunters and almost two million wildlife watchers. Deer hunting is also an important economic driver in Missouri and gives a $1 billion annual boost to state and local economies. Lower deer numbers from infectious diseases such as CWD could hurt 12,000 Missouri jobs and many businesses that rely on deer hunting as a significant source of revenue, such as meat processors, taxidermists, hotels, restaurants, sporting goods stores, and others. CWD also threatens the investments of thousands of private landowners who manage their land for deer and deer hunting, and who rely on deer and deer hunting to maintain property values. For more information on CWD in Missouri, visit the MDC website at mdc.mo.gov/node/16478."

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Chapter ChatterBooth at the North Carolina State Council had at Southern Farm Show. We raffled of a Tri Star Viper G2 Silver 28 ga. L to R Gerald Mitchell, Wesley Keene, and Don Stroud.

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Turkey Talk: Three tips for taking a tom 1. The importance of reconnaissance Scouting is possibly the most important element of hunting anything, but especially turkeys. Learning roost locations, strutting zones, grit sources, bugging habitat and the lay of the land can mean everything. Now and again you may call a gobbler through a fence or blow-down, or over a creek or road, but don't count on it happening often. You want to position yourself within an area they have utilized before that’s easy for them to access, and scouting will teach you your best options. Learning where that bird is going to be at certain times of the day is important. Keep a journal if necessary. If you "take their temperature" while scouting, it can make it easy when it's time to hunt. If you scout in advance of the hunt, remember the birds may have different daily routines and possibly inhabit different areas when the season arrives. The most reliable information will be gathered within a week before you actually hunt. 2. The best defense against natural turkey biology Knowing what to do if a tom “hangs up,” stops gobbling to your calls or is traveling with live hens (as examples) is important if you wish to have consistent success. Natural turkey biology can sometimes make turkey hunting seem difficult. You can read about what to do or watch DVDs on how to handle different situations, but experience is the best teacher. Three attributes that will serve you well regardless; are persistence, patience, and hunter’s savvy. Not every set-up is going to result in gobblers running into meet you. Persistence is important – trying again and again is how we learn. If you don’t give up, it will happen. Persistence is more important than being a good caller. A little hunter’s savvy can go a long way. Even if you’re new to turkey hunting, but are a longtime woodsman (or woman), knowing the woods, how other animals act and how to play what Mother Nature deals you can be “a feather in your cap” (pun intended)."3. Get the gear, get the gobbler Having the correct equipment, knowing how to use it properly and how you will perform with it, is equally as important as our other points. Some of the most essential paraphernalia will be your camouflage, calls, and decoys - and let’s not forget your gun or bow. Remember that turkeys can see color better than you or I and have eyes that are seated at the sides of their heads. Without moving their head, they can see approximately 270 degrees. That alone is amazing, but then know the fact that they have perception, or “focus” of that ENTIRE AREA, and it’s amazing! Their eyesight for picking up movement is also better than ours. Camo from head to toe is important. Colors that aren’t natural or movement will get you busted. Mossy Oak Bottomland is a great all-around pattern that blends into the shadows well. The final tool you shouldn’t enter the turkey woods without are decoys. Decoys can accomplish a few tasks for you. They attract the bird(s) closer, draw the attention off of the hunter, and a decoy can even be used as a yardage marker if needed."

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Wildlife Partner

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Malta Bend man lands record 120-pound blue catfish with trotline Burr Edde III breaks 50-year Missouri record for blue catfish caught using alternative method."JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Burr Edde III of Malta Bend became Missouri’s most recent record-breaking angler when he landed a giant blue catfish on a stretch of the Missouri River in Saline County using a trotline. The new “alternative method” record blue catfish caught by Edde on March 21 weighed 120 pounds, 8 ounces, with a length of 55 and 1/8 inches and a girth of 45 inches. Edde used cut Asian carp as bait."The new giant broke the previous alternative-method state-record blue catfish of 117 pounds caught more than 50 years ago on the Osage River in 1964."Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) staff verified the record-weight fish on March 25 using a certified scale at Bass Pro corporate headquarters in Springfield. The fish was preserved on ice for official weighing."“Oh my goodness! That’s a big fish,” Edde recalled when he first saw the giant. “How am I going to get this one into the boat?! It was definitely an experience of a lifetime to catch one that big. I was blessed. And there are still lots of them out there!”"The longtime angler said he would have liked to release the record fish back to the river or donate it to the fish tanks at Bass Pro, but it didn’t survive long enough. “It’s too big to actually have mounted, but I’m getting a replica made.”"Missouri record fish are recognized in two categories: pole-and-line and alternative methods. Trotlines are considered an alternative method in Missouri and consist of a length of heavy fishing line stretched across a section of water and secured at both ends. A series of shorter drop lines are attached to it every several feet with baited hooks at the free ends. Other alternative methods include: throwlines, limb lines, bank lines, jug lines, spearfishing, snagging, snaring, gigging, grabbing, archery, and atlatl."For more information on state-record fish, visit the MDC website at mdc.mo.gov/node/2476

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BOYT HARNESS PRODUCTS 2015

Wildlife Partner

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Six ways to save Monarchs By David Mizejewski National Wildlife Federation Monarch butterflies are in trouble. Over the last few decades, populations of these iconic orange and black butterflies have declined by over 90 percent."The National Wildlife Federation is teaming up with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other partners to reverse this alarming trend and ensure that this beautiful butterfly has a future."The Problem Like all butterflies, monarchs lay their eggs on select plants, called “host plants." These are the only plants their caterpillars can eat, and for monarchs, milkweed is their only host plant."Unfortunately, milkweed is becoming harder for monarchs to find. Despite being ecologically important and an often ornamental wildflower, many consider milkweed a weed to be eradicated, both in agricultural lands as well as in the urban and suburban landscape. As we’ve gotten better at wiping out milkweed, monarchs have suffered. Even when milkweed isn't being targeted directly, monarch habitat in the United States is being gobbled up by development."Monarchs are also being directly killed by pesticides, both as caterpillars and as adult butterflies in farmlands and backyards."This, coupled with threats to the monarchs’ overwintering grounds in Mexico and California, has resulted in the precipitous decline of the insect's population in North America."Six Ways to Save Monarchs with NWF There is hope for the monarch, if we act now. NWF and our partners are taking on the challenge, and we need your help. Here are six ways that you can join the effort to make a difference for"monarchs."Help save grasslands - America’s native grasslands are critically important for monarchs. They offer both milkweed for monarch caterpillars as well as nectar plants for adult butterflies (and many other pollinators too). Today, more than 90 percent of native grasslands have been converted to cropland and development."Grasslands are disappearing faster than any other ecosystem in North America, and that's a big problem for monarchs. Join NWF in fighting to save grasslands for monarchs."Support highway habitat corridor - NWF and USFWS are working to create a coalition of agriculture leaders and highway transportation organizations to plant milkweed and nectar plants along monarch migratory flyways and in other important monarch breeding grounds along key Midwest and Texas corridors."Learn more about highway habitat corridor plan and how to support it."Plant milkweed- You can make saving the monarch personal by planting milkweed in your yard or garden. There are many milkweed species found in North America, so no matter where you live, there’s at least one species native to your area. You'll be rewarded not only with the knowledge that you are making a difference, but by attracting monarchs to enjoy. Find out what milkweeds are from your region."Don't use pesticides - Monarchs are insects, and so spraying insecticides will kill them. Make the commitment to avoid spraying pesticides in your yard. Find out how to garden organically."Create monarch habitat - NWF’s Garden for Wildlife program can teach you how to turn any outdoor space into a complete habitat for monarch. Just provide food, water, cover and places to raise young. It all starts with what you plant and you can create a habitat garden in your own yard, at your office, your"church or the local schoolgrounds. Entire communities are launching efforts to create monarch habitat. Learn how to create a wildlife-friendly garden."

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Join NWF affiliate efforts in your state - Eleven ofNWF's state affiliates are active partners in the Garden for Wildlife program, teaching people how to create habitat for monarchs and other wildlife. They offer regional expertise and resources, offering native milkweed seeds, running monarch tagging and citizen science efforts and even working on legislative solutions. Joining these efforts is a great way to get involved on the local level. Find out if your state's NWF affiliate is working to protect monarchs."Monarch populations have plummeted over the last 20 years. "It's Up to Us The loss of any species weakens the ecosystem that all species rely on for survival, including humans. Monarch butterfly decline is an indicator that there is something wrong in our shared environment and a warning that we could be affected as well. Do we really want to live in a world where the next generation has no chance of seeing a monarch butterfly on a flower?"We are committed to reversing the decline of the monarch. NWF's President Collin O'Mara has this to say: "I have a 3-year-old whose eyes pop wide open when she sees monarchs crawling on leaves in the backyard. This is one of those keystone species. These are things that don't make headlines, but they are indicators that something bigger is happening.""Will you help us be part of the solution and make sure monarchs have a future?

KU to study prairie-chickens University will work with Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies

By The Associated Press

The University of Kansas has a $2. I million contract to study the Lesser Prairie-chicken. The university will work with the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies to track the federally threatened species in hopes of conserv-ing the birds' habitat.

A conservation plan by the association calls for voluntary cooperation from in-dustries in Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and Kansas. Kansas has the largest prairie-chicken population of those states.

The Kansas Biological Survey, a part of Kansas University, for five years will monitor the location and costs of proj-

ects that impact the animal's habitat. The plan is to encourage industries to build in clusters rather than spreading over a lot of territory.

Kansas Biological Survey research associate Mike Houts says fewer prairie-chickens means changes to shortgrass and shrubland habitats.

Morel Mushroom Hunting Tips Hunters should do their research prior to consuming any mushrooms

as some forms found in Kansas can be toxic Of all the edible Kansas flora that

debut in early spring, none may be so prized as the morel mushroom. Finding these tree stump-dwelling fungi can make for quite an adventure, so as hunters come from far and wide, the Kansas De-partment of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) reminds hunters of a few tips for a legal, safe and fun mushroom hunt:

- Stick to state parks and wildlife areas. Walk-In Hunting Access (WIHA) areas are not open for mushroom hunt-ing. These lands are private property and accessing them for anything other than hunting game during the identified access period is trespass unless hunters have the appropriate landowner permission.

- Be prepared to walk. The use of motorized vehicles on public lands is restricted to maintained roads only, so if your mushroom honey-hole is off the beaten-path, strap on those hiking boots.

- Be aware of your surroundings. Public lands are open for many types of hunting and fishing activities. This time of year, mushroom hunters can expect to encounter turkey hunters and anglers looking to lure in white bass and crappie. There's plenty of space for everyone, so when in doubt, move to another spot.

- Enjoy your harvest. Mushrooms found on KDWPT public lands may only be harvested for personal consump-tion and selling mushrooms harvested from KDWPT-managed lands is against state law (see K.A.R. 15-8-20). You've worked hard for your harvest, so enjoy the fruits of your labor and heat up a fry-ing pan.

- Use a mesh or breathable bag as a container. Allowing the mushrooms to air out after being picked will prevent un-wanted sweating and keep them in tip-top shape until they can hit the dinner table.

- Cook your mushrooms thoroughly before eating them. Some morels can make people sick if consumed raw. This wild mushroom is often served fried, or baked and stuffed.

Typically found under hardwoods and along rivers, the yellow morel, also known as the common morel or sponge mushroom, is the most sought-after wild mushroom in the state. Other types of morels also found in Kansas may include the thick-footed, black, half-free, bell, and edible morel. Hunters should do their research prior to consuming any mush-rooms as some forms found in Kansas can be toxic.

A Guide to Kansas Mushrooms book is available for purchase online through the KDWPT Outdoor Store at ksout-doors.com/outdoor-store. Purchases can also be made over the phone by calling (620) 672-5911.

New wildlife area acquired in Jefferson County Special hunts offered on newly-acquired public land

Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism's (KDWPT) Public Land staff are excited to announce the addition of a wildlife area in Jefferson County. The recently-acquired, 840-acre area is approximately 6 miles northwest of Law-rence. Called Buck Creek Wildlife Area, it derives its name from Buck Creek, which bisects the property and is one of the few perennial streams in the area that remains unaltered.

Initially, all public hunting opportuni-

ties on the area will be managed through the KDWPT special hunts program. Con-trolling hunting pressure will allow man-agers to regulate and monitor how many, who, and when hunters have access to the area. Wildlife viewing and outdoor educational opportunities will be allowed when hunting seasons are closed.

The land consists of oak-hickory for-est, native grasses, cool season grasses, and cropland. The warm season grasses and mature timber will be managed

mostly through prescribed fire and tim-ber stand improvements. The cool season grasses will be converted over time to native grasses and forbs to enhance wildlife habitat. The cropland on the area will remain in production, and all revenue generated will be designated for funding wildlife management activities on the property.

For more information on Buck Creek Wildlife Area, contact area manager Jus-tin Hamilton at (913) 845-2665.

Kansas Wildlife Federation •Page 19

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Guilty plea in eagle deaths at Wyoming wind projects By USFWS From the Birding Wire PacifiCorp Energy, a subsidiary of PacifiCorp, based in Portland, Oregon, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Wyoming Jan. 6 to violating the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act in connection with the deaths of protected birds, including golden eagles, at two of the company’s wind projects in Wyoming."Under a plea agreement with the government, the company was sentenced to"pay fines, restitution and community service totaling $2.5 million and was placed on probation for five years, during which it must implement an environmental compliance plan aimed at preventing bird deaths at the company's four commercial wind projects in the state. The company is also required to apply for Eagle Take Permits which, if granted, will provide a framework for minimizing and mitigating the deaths of golden eagles at the wind projects."The charges stem from the discovery of the carcasses of 38 golden eagles and 336 other protected birds, including hawks, blackbirds, larks, wrens and sparrows by the company at its "Seven Mile Hill" and "Glenrock/Rolling Hills" wind projects in Carbon and Converse Counties between 2009 and the present. The two wind projects are comprised of 237 large wind turbines sited on private and company-owned land.""PacifiCorp Energy built two of its Wyoming wind projects in a manner it knew would likely result in the deaths of eagles and other protected birds," said Sam Hirsch, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. "PacifiCorp has taken steps to minimize the hazard, and with this plea agreement bas committed to a comprehensive plan to continue such efforts in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, to seek eagle take permits for each project, and to work to prevent future eagle deaths.""In documents presented in court, the government alleged that PacifiCorp Energy failed to make all reasonable efforts to build the projects in a way that would avoid the risk of avian deaths by collision with turbine blades, despite prior guidance from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). However, the company cooperated with the FWS investigation and has already implemented measures aimed at minimizing avian deaths at the sites.""Improperly sited and operated wind energy facilities can kill significant numbers of federally protected birds and other species," said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe, urging developers to follow the Service's Land-based Wind Energy Guidelines. "That's why it’s imperative that wind energy developers work with the Fish and Wildlife Service to minimize these impacts at every stage in the process.""More than 1,000 species of birds, including bald and golden eagles, are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA). The MBTA, enacted in 1918, implements this country's commitments under

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under avian protection treaties with Great Britain (for Canada), Mexico, Japan and Russia. The MBTA provides a misdemeanor criminal sanction for the unpermitted taking of a listed species by any means and in any manner, regardless of fault. The maximum penalty for an unpermitted corporate taking under the MBTA is $15,000 or twice the gross gain or loss resulting from the offense, and five years' probation."Commercial wind power projects can cause the deaths of federally protected birds in four primary ways: collision with wind turbines, collision with associated meteorological towers, collision with, or electrocution by, associated electrical power facilities, and nest abandonment or behavior avoidance from habitat modification. Collision and electrocution risks from power lines (collisions and electrocutions) and guyed structures (collision) have been known to the utility and communication industries for decades and specific methods of minimizing and avoiding the risks have been developed, in conjunction with the FWS. The FWS issued its first interim guidance about how wind project developers could avoid impacts to wildlife from wind turbines in 2003, and replaced these with a “tiered" approach outlined in the Land-Based Wind Energy Guidelines (2012 LBWEGs), developed with the wind industry starting in 2007 and released in final form by the USFWS on March 23, 2012. The Service also released Eagle Conservation Plan Guidance in April 2013 and strongly recommends that companies planning or operating wind power facilities in areas where eagles occur work with the agency to implement that guidance completely. For wind projects, due diligence during the pre-construction stage-as described in the 2003 Interim Guidance and tiers I through III in the 2012 LBWEGs- requires surveying the wildlife present in the proposed project area, consulting with agency professionals, determining whether the risk to wildlife is too high to justify proceeding and, if not, carefully siting turbines so as to avoid and minimize the risk as much as possible. This is critically important because no post-construction remedies, known as "advanced conservation practices" have been developed that can "render safe" a wind turbine placed in a location of high avian collision risk."Other experimental measures such as prey reduction, and devices that detect and deter avian proximity to turbines are being tested. In the western United States, golden eagles may be particularly susceptible to wind turbine blade collision by wind power facilities constructed in areas of high eagle use."The $400,000 fine imposed in the case will be directed to the federally-administered North American Wetlands Conservation Fund. The company will also pay $200,000 in restitution to the State of Wyoming, and perform community service by making a $1.9 million payment to the congressionally-chartered National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, designated for projects aimed at preserving golden eagles and increasing the understanding of ways to minimize and monitor interactions between eagles and commercial wind power facilities, as well as enhance eagle rehabilitation and conservation efforts in Wyoming.

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Tree planting for wildlife: three things you need to know Tree planting time has been here for everyone in the South, and will be cranking up soon further North. Raising trees is addictive like other gamekeeping activities, but it often seems folks who have never tried it (or tried once and failed) put it off every year and year after that. Food plotting has become main stream and for most is an annual or bi-annual ritual, but tree planting and management “in the woods” still remains a distant second even though it shouldn’t be. Following are three of the more important tips for success."1. Don’t think you have to plant your property full of trees the first year. Oftentimes “newbs” order way too many trees-  and although they somehow barely manage to get them planted,  it ends up being a sloppy job. Then they have more trees than they can maintain resulting in poor growth and survival. Solution: plant fewer trees, but plant every year. You’ll have more time to spend planning, planting, and maintaining your trees resulting in faster growth and high survival rates. "2. Order in Advance. It’s a fact that nurseries must sell out of trees to make room for next years crop. Don’t wait until tree planting time to order trees. The best method is to order trees the summer prior and request a shipping date that coincides with your ideal tree planting time. "3. Include tree protectors into your budget. Tree tubes, also called tree protectors or tree sleeves are absolutely imperative to achieve tree planting happiness. If you want to find out for yourself that not using them results in dead trees then go right ahead. Our advice is to learn from others who have wasted precious time and money on trees to have deer and other critters ravage their seedlings. Tree protectors also substantially increase growth rates. Do it!

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Seven tips for a successful shed hunt Hunting for shed antlers is an ever-growing sport and there are numerous reasons why. If you don’t think it can be exciting you’ve probably never given it a serious try. Shed hunting has become so popular that guided week-long “shed hunts” in prime areas can cost $2,500 or more with food and lodging included. Fear not; however, sheds can be found for free in your own hunting area or on public land. There are numerous reasons why shed hunting is so popular. In a way it “extends your hunting season,” it’s good exercise and a way to take a jab at “cabin fever,” it’s a great family participation activity, it provides you with information to aid in herd management decisions, and possibly most importantly, it can be a great way to learn something to help you get closer to a mature buck the following hunting season. Not to mention that big sheds can bring in big buck$...pun intended. While deer may shed both of their antlers within seconds of one another in the same spot, don’t expect it to happen often–you may need to search a wide area to find a matching set. Following are some prime places to begin your search for sheds. 1. Common sense should tell us to begin searching in areas where we’ve seen animals during the most recent weeks prior. A spot may not seem logical to you, but if whitetails find one or more of their needs they may utilize the location anyhow. Sometimes it can be that easy. 2. Food plots of brassicas like those in Deer Radish, Winter Bulbs & Sugar Beets or Maximum, or other winter favorites like corn or sorghum can be great spots to come across sheds. You want to find them before they puncture your tractor tires a few weeks later. 3. Check fence crossings or wherever a buck may have to jump. Oftentimes when they land an antler is jarred loose. 4. South facing slopes and benches. South facing slopes receive the most sunlight throughout the course of the day thus making it warmer and more attractive to deer. The extra sunlight also helps to produce maximum stem density which means both, added food and cover. 5. Heavy cover adjacent to leftover agricultural crops is another sure bet zone for cast-off headgear. 6. Freshly logged areas with a newly accessible browse source will be a magnet to whitetails and a prime spot to find sheds. 7. Swamps with thick stands of conifer trees that absorb warmth from the sun, providing thermal cover, make for excellent wintering areas and great places to discover antlers. These areas will also have major browse sources from poplar, dogwood, sumac, white cedar, greenbrier, wild grapes, honeysuckle, wild rose, American beech or twigs and buds from other various trees and shrubs somewhere nearby."

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New For 2015 Cuddeback Long-Range IR and Black Flash

Cuddebacks are meticulously designed in the USA for the fastest trigger speed – up to 2.5 to 4 times faster than all competitive cameras. Benefits of IR IR cameras use infrared LEDs for night illumination. Night images are black and white and day images are color. • No visible light is seen unless looking directly at the IR LEDs • Night illumination range over 100 feet • Best performing IR technology Benefits of Black Flash No-glow IR cameras use infrared LEDs for night illumination. Night images are black and white and day images are color. • Virtually no visible red glow even when looking at the IR LEDs • Night illumination range up to 50 feet

Cuddeback Long-Range IR Model E2 The Cuddeback Long Range IR model E2 trail camera is the best Cuddeback IR camera ever - and at $150 it is the lowest price Cuddeback ever! It features Cuddeback's world's fastest 1/4 second trigger speed which means you'll get more images with animals and fewer blanks. A new compact "micro" housing is ergonomic and handy. Long Range IR technology gives you over 2 watts of IR illumination power and up to 100-foot infrared flash range with no visible light output on the subject. You'll get superior IR image quality and images that are correctly exposed and stunningly clear with minimal motion blur.

Cuddeback Black Flash Model E3 Cuddeback Black Flash® model E3 trail camera is the best Cuddeback no-glow IR camera ever – and at $150 it is the lowest price Cuddeback ever! It features Cuddeback’s world’s fastest 1/4 second trigger speed which means you'll get more images with animals and fewer blanks. A new compact "micro" housing is ergonomic and handy. Black Flash technology means no visible inferred flash for animals (or humans) to see and over 2 watts of IR illumination power for a flash range of over 50 ft. Correctly exposed IR images offer stunning clarity and minimal motion blur whether animals are close or distant.

Long-Range IR Model E2

Black Flash Model E3

E2 battery compartment

Wildlife PartnerWildlife partner

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Volume 6, Issue 4 March 2015

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Craig A. Alderman, executive director"

Nick Prough, chief wildlife biologist and wildlife partnership coordinator"

Advertising and circulation, admin@quwf.net"

Membership, membership@quwf.net"

Website, SMG Solutions Group, Jim Robbins"

Contributors: Craig Alderman, Missouri Department of Conservation