The concept and calculations for leap day and leap year are quite simple, but the schedule has always been a question in my mind. I understand that it takes 365 days and six hours for the earth to complete a full trip around the sun, but why in the world would anyone choose to make February longer?
Personally, I’m fond of February since it’s my birth month, and I’m a fan of its focus on Black history and heart health. Still, it has never made sense to me, or anyone else I’m sure, why it has an inconsistent number of days with all the other months every year, and it gets the extra day once every four.
Doesn’t it seem logical that the calendar should have been created with simple math in mind? Seven months with 30 days and five with 31 adds up to 365. Then every year you could add the bonus day at a more favorable time of year like May or June. Having a September 31 would seemingly extend summer for one extra sunset.
The real complication with the current system is that it delays opening day of trout fishing season in the state’s parks by 24 hours. Friday, March 1, is opening day for trout fishing in the four parks in Missouri that cater to those who love catching the cold water species.
The state Department of Conservation operates hatcheries at all four parks and stocks the streams with rainbow trout daily while the season is open through Oct. 31. The weekend opening could bring about 10,000 anglers to the streams depending on the weather. There will be big crowds no matter what, but a warm and sunny Saturday and Sunday will pack the places.
The proceeds from the daily trout tags – and annual trout fishing permits for fishing outside the parks – help to fund the hatcheries, which stock about 800,000 fish in the trout parks throughout the year and about 1.5 million trout statewide with the winter Urban Fishing Program and supplementing fish in natural, cold water streams.
The closest park to Jefferson County is Maramec Spring near St. James. The park is owned and operated by the James Foundation, but the conservation department hatchery provides the fish. Bennett Spring, Montauk and Roaring River are in state parks operated by the Department of Natural Resources.
The required daily “trout tag” is $5 for adults and $3 for anglers 15 years old or younger. The limit is four rainbow or brown trout combined. In addition to the daily tag, a Missouri fishing permit is required for residents ages 16 through 64, and for non-residents 16 or older. The annual fishing permit is $13 for state residents, and the non-resident fishing license for the year is $51. Those prices reflect increases approved by the state Conservation Commission at its September meeting and are effective beginning Feb. 29. The new permit costs are up about $1 across the board, and mark the first price hike in 20 years.
Other price increases hunters and anglers will be paying this year include a bump from $17 to $18 for resident spring turkey hunting permits and the any-deer firearms hunting permit. Extra antlerless-only deer tags will be $7.50 this fall, up from $7.
Hunters and anglers under age 16 and 65 or older remain exempt from purchasing annual small game hunting or fishing permits. Daily trout tags and annual trout permits are still required for all ages.
Missouri hunting and fishing permits are valid through the last day of February each year, so 2023 tags are good for one extra day this year, but when March 1 rolls around, 2024 fishing licenses are required. The permits are available at many retail vendors, online or through the state’s Mo Hunting and Mo Fishing apps.
Don't Call Me Outdoor John 