Two streams for one float trip provide varied fishing opportunities

Tim Wild holds up one of the big smallmouth bass that the Gasconade River is famous for in south central Missouri.

Most anglers are unwilling to divulge information about their favorite fishing holes. Because the spot I’m happy to share is nearly seven miles long and has strict fishing regulations that protect my favorite targets, I welcome fishermen and anyone looking for fun on the water.

Several times over the past few years we have used Boiling Springs Campground (aka BSC Outdoors in Dixon, Mo.) as our base of operations for floating and fishing trips. Family-owned and operated by Larry Helms and his clan, the family-friendly campground on the banks of the Gasconade River delivers on summer fun.

Last year we floated from BSC to the new state Department of Conservation boat ramp at Jerome, Missouri. With 6.3 miles of Gasconade River between the put-in and take-out, we found ample angling opportunities on a famous Ozark stream.

Along with segments of the Big River in Jefferson County and the Meramec River in Crawford County, 20 miles of the Gasconade River have been included in special management areas that protect smallmouth bass since 1995. Anglers may only keep one smallmouth, and it must be at least 15 inches long.

The success of the special regulations experiment 30 years ago has led to additional locations adopting the rule for all or parts of 12 streams in the state, including the entire length of the Big River from Council Bluff Lake to the Meramec River at Eureka, and about 15 miles of the Joachim Creek from Highway V near Valles Mines to Highway A, west of Festus.

Also included in the expanded special management regulations is 45 miles of the Big Piney River from a place called Slabtown Access (that just sounds fishy) to its confluence with the Gasconade River. The last few miles of that stretch is where my newest favorite fishing spot story starts.

The BSC Outdoors launch spot at Shanghai Spring on the Big Piney River provides the perfect stretch for a fishing and floating trip to the campground’s home base on the Gasconade River.

BSC has an access point at Shanghai Spring on the Big Piney River about five miles upstream from the Gasconade. Floating from there to the campground offers unique experiences to go along with the chance to catch some big fish. By floating and fishing both streams, it’s like taking two different trips on the same day.

In comparison to the Gasconade, the Big Piney is narrow. It has more rapids and a slightly steeper gradient, so it is conducive to fun floating speeds. The Gasconade spreads out wide between Ozarks bluffs. It’s current is slower but keeps the pace of the trip moving downstream. The two rivers have had a difficult summer so far as rain and storms out of Springfield often kept water levels too high for floating.

In simple terms I like to describe the difference between the two streams this way: If you float down the middle of the Big Piney you can cast to either riverbank looking for fish. When you reach the Gasconade, you have to choose to fish on the right side, the left, or in the middle.

This big channel catfish attacked a crankbait while Dave Wild was floating down the Gasconade River in his kayak.

Past trips on the Big Piney and Gasconade have produced both of my two personal best smallmouth bass. This summer I wasn’t able to match that success, but I did see my fishing partners boat some beauties. The other lure of river fishing comes in the variety of species that can be caught. Our group landed large and smallmouth bass, goggle-eye, crappie, bluegill, a big red ear sunfish, a gar, white bass, and a bruiser channel catfish that attacked a crankbait offering. In addition to the smallmouth bass regulation on the Big Piney, goggle-eye (also known as rock bass) have an eight-inch minimum length limit to improve that fishery.

BSC Outdoors’ namesake is an interesting spot on the Gasconade River. Located at the base of a towering bluff, Boiling Spring is below the river level most of the time, so its flow of nearly 42 million gallons per day bubbles to the surface like a cauldron of cold water. It is always busy with swimmers during the hot part of a summer day.

For information about camping or floating call 573-759-7294 or visit bscoutdoors.com.

John Winkelman has been writing about outdoors news and issues in Jefferson County for more than 30 years and was the Associate Editor for Outdoor Guide Magazine.

Archived article brings back memories of fishing with Uncle Richard

This picture of my Uncle Richard Starke and his hoop nets was one of several used to illustrate an article about commercial fishermen in the September 1967 Missouri Conservationist magazine.

On more than one occasion I have advocated for state residents to subscribe to the free Missouri Conservationist magazine. Its spectacular photography and stories about the outdoors and wildlife are a true treasure.

I know that I have been a fan of the magazine for as long as I can remember, and even longer than that apparently, because I learned recently that my Uncle Richard Starke was featured in the pages of the September 1967 copy. I wasn’t old enough to read the articles, but I’m certain someone showed me the pictures.

Uncle Richard handles the fish he caught in his nets on the Missouri River.

The story—titled “The Vanishing Breed”—never mentioned my uncle specifically, but the four photographs of him and his hoop nets provided great illustrations about the work of a commercial fisherman. I could almost see myself trailing behind him as he walked down the ramp to his flat-bottom john boat and 40-horse Evinrude.

My neighbor Mel Ott also was a commercial fisherman. He plied the trade setting trotlines on summer weekends with 500 baited hooks below the Alton Dam on the Mississippi River. Uncle Richard ran his nets daily in the Missouri River upstream from Hermann. What great fortune it was to have been a kid in their boats multiple times.

The article from 1967 mentioned the decline in the number of anglers who caught fish to sell. Uncle Richard offered his live or dressed for people who came to his docks on the Gasconade River. Mel sold his to a fish market in the St. Louis area, and a list of regular customers who were anxious for fresh catfish.

According to data from 1945 when the state Department of Conservation started compiling the information, 1,210 commercial fishermen caught a million pounds of fish from the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. By 1965 the number of permits had dropped to 751 and their take was down to 279,000 pounds of fish.

“In 21 years, the number of fishermen using these two rivers has declined about one-third while the pounds of fish harvested has declined nearly three-quarters,” the article by state fisheries biologist John W. Robinson reported.

My conservation department go-to guy Joe Jerek, news services coordinator, said the state issued 157 permits this year for resident and non-resident commercial fishing.

Lifting a large net filled with fish into a small boat while the Missouri River current pushes against the hull was just part of the hard work involved in commercial fishing.

I can attest to the story’s claim that commercial fishing is hard work. I was much more of an observer than a participant in the labor, but I can tell you what a marvel it was to watch those big nets come into a small boat while the muddy current pressed on the aluminum hull.

The story mostly focused on the pollution and channelization that brought steep drops in the numbers and size of fish available on the state’s two big rivers. The Missouri River in particular was tamed from a wide and wild stream to a deep canal to enhance industrial transportation.

“This wholesale habitat destruction has resulted in the diking off of chutes, closure of backwater sloughs, exposure of large expanses of barren, shifting sandbars, and a narrower, faster-flowing river,” the article states.

The amount of pollution in the river is likely less than it was in the 1960s. I have a vivid memory of a childhood boat ride on the Missouri River that led to a large pipe spewing a steaming, green stream directly into the river. One of the most surprising elements of the article was the attitude about that sort of dumping.

“There are some professionals in the pollution control field who have stated that the greatest economic value of the Missouri River is for waste disposal,” the story says. “Those of us in the conservation field will, of course, refuse to accept such a thing. It is up to the sanitary engineers to devise modern methods of waste treatment so that all effluents in combination will not adversely affect the river.”

The September 1967 edition marked the 28th year for the Missouri Conservationist magazine and its efforts to educate state residents about the natural world around us. You can find previous issues from as far back as 1995, a link to sign-up for a digital subscription, or request a mailed copy at mdc.mo.gov/conmag.

John Winkelman has been writing about outdoors news and issues in Jefferson County for more than 30 years and was the Associate Editor for Outdoor Guide Magazine.

State offers free online session about black bears in Missouri

Unless they are sleeping, black bears are always looking for food. Make sure you are not leaving things for them to eat.

The chances for a bear encounter in Jefferson County for this year diminishes as summer fully sets in and the wandering young bruins of spring are settling into the more comfortable environs in the rural areas of the southern Missouri Ozarks.

Even if we have already missed the opportunity have a black bear close to home, there is still a way to learn more about one of the state’s biggest wild animals. The state Department of Conservation will host an online webinar at 1 p.m. on Friday, July 25, with facts about bears and how to avoid negative interactions.

The conservation department estimates that the population of bears in the state is about 1,000 and growing at about 9 percent per year. That growth means young males spend the spring looking for an expanded home range.

A Rocky Mountain bull elk may weigh as much as 800 pounds, so size-wise black bears can claim second place with an estimated maximum weight of about 600 pounds. The two big mammals share a history in the state too.

While there may be evidence that black bears were never totally eliminated from the state, elk were wiped out by market hunting and habitat destruction. The conservation department used a relocation program to bring in elk from Kentucky and return the native wapiti to a relatively small range in Shannon, Reynolds and Carter counties.

Missouri did not engage in a similar efforts to bring back the bears, but the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission did work to restore that state’s population. Most, if not all, of Missouri’s bears wandered here across our southern border.

During the free webinar, conservation department naturalist Wendy Lott will share facts about black bears in the state including details about their life cycles, habitats and favorite foods, and their interactions with humans historically and more recently.

The state flag for Missouri depicts grizzly bears rather than black bears, according the Secretary of State’s office, which makes some sense since we had almost as many grizzlies here (none) when the flag was designed in the early 1900s. An important food, fat and fur source for native Americans and early settlers, black bears were believed to have been extirpated early in the last century.

Black bears in Missouri typically live in heavily forested areas. Most of them spend the winter in dens that could be caves, downed trees, brush piles, excavated hollows, and other natural areas deep in the woods.

Bears mate in the late spring, but egg development doesn’t begin until hibernation in the fall and cubs are born in their dens in late January or February. The baby bears usually stay with mom until the following year.

Bears are not picky eaters. Their favorite foods are whatever is in reach and in season. In the spring new leaves and even woody stems are main targets. When fruits and berries are ripening, they find a lot they like. Bears are well-known for their taste for honey, but they are willing to eat the bees that make it and other insects. Meat is also on the menu in the form of small animals, fish, frogs and even carrion.

Food will likely be the most important lesson in Lott’s presentation. People should do all they can to keep from providing a food source for bears. Once they learn that we can provide easy pickings, they will return to those opportunities. Among the most common tips are: don’t leave pet food outdoors, store garbage in a secure location, keep grills clean, remove bird feeders or hang them high, and use electric fencing around bee hives and other potential food sources.

Advanced registration is required through the department website mdc.mo.gov.

John Winkelman has been writing about outdoors news and issues in Jefferson County for more than 30 years and was the Associate Editor for Outdoor Guide Magazine.

Managed deer hunt applications available online in July

The 2025 Fall Deer and Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information booklet is now available online and at permit vendors. It includes details on this year’s managed hunts.

Last year nearly 25,000 hunters applied for almost 6,000 permits to hunt for deer in 143 managed locations in Missouri. The annual application period is open from July 1 through July 31, so now is the time to study the results from previous seasons to determine when and where works best for you.

The Managed Hunts page at mdc.mo.gov includes links to data from previous years, so hunters can review statistics to gauge their opportunities for being selected and for harvesting deer at most locations.

The primary factor in completing an application is that hunters may only choose one hunt. The drawing is conducted through the state Department of Conservation website and accumulates preferences points for those who were not selected in previous years to earn extra chances.

If simply getting picked to participate is success enough, be aware that everyone who applied last year had their names drawn for two archery hunts in Cape Girardeau, one at Caney Mountain Conservation Area, and one at Marais Temps Clair. Applicants also had 100% draw rates for a muzzleloader hunt at Forest 44 Conservation Area and a firearms hunt at Weldon Springs.

Those six events were obvious exceptions among the 143 hunts last year. The most popular opportunities in 2024 were an archery hunt at Jefferson Barracks Park in St. Louis County with 942 applicants for 30 permits, 1,115 people who applied for 75 chances to hunt at Whetstone Creek Conservation Area, and 1,207 hunters who wanted one of 100 spots at Cuivre River State Park.

While earning the chance to hunt is nice, the statistic that may matter most is the success rate for those who participate. Outstanding in last year’s data was the work of five hunters who were selected from among 40 applicants for the archery hunt at McDonnell County Park in St. Louis County. The took home 12 deer in the effort to reduce the population at that small park.

Everyone knows the reputation the park at Jefferson Barracks has for deer density. That is why so many people apply for the 20 permits available just north of the Jefferson County line. Sixteen of the 20 hunters last year harvested 29 deer from the park.

Places like the St. Louis County Parks and Missouri State Parks are included in the conservation department’s managed hunt program to assist with population control. Those options are usually good places to consider for hunters who are interested in putting meat in their freezers. Proximity is also a key consideration.

In addition to the St. Louis County Parks archery hunts, Jefferson County hunters would want to consider regional locations like the August A. Busch Conservation Area in St. Charles County and the Columbia Bottoms Conservation Area at the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers in north St. Louis County.

Other nearby hunts include the Fabick Nature Preserve near Fenton, Forest 44 Conservation Area near Valley Park, Rockwoods Range and Rockwoods Reservation near Eureka, Dr. Edmund Babler and Castlewood State Parks in west St. Louis County, Robertsville State Park in Franklin County, and St. Joe State Park in St. Francois County. Last year 22 hunters at St. Joe harvested 51 deer.

The managed deer hunt program also has special events exclusively for youth, disabled hunters, and for women. A beginner category added recently provides hunts for anyone who has never taken a deer in the past to hunt with a mentor. Most hunts have pre-event meetings with mandatory attendance required to participate.

The application is available through July 31 at mdc.mo.gov. Hunters need to review all of their options and hope for the best of luck in finding an opportunity that fits their circumstances. Results are posted online in August.

John Winkelman has been writing about outdoors news and issues in Jefferson County for more than 30 years and was the Associate Editor for Outdoor Guide Magazine.

Hummingbirds spread out during summer months

While hummingbirds are nesting through the summer months, they are less likely to be seen at feeders, a state ornithologist says. Missouri Department of Conservation photo

After hearing from several readers about their observations of what seemed like fewer hummingbirds this spring, I checked in with state Department of Conservation ornithologist Kristen Heath-Acre to learn if there was an issue with the little bird’s numbers.

While other migratory bird populations have plummeted, she said the hummers are actually in an opposite situation.

Referencing the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Heath-Acre said, “eBird trend maps show ruby-throated hummingbirds are increasing or maintaining populations in Missouri in the past 10 years.”

I also thought I had seen fewer birds this spring at my feeders, and now that the season has changed to summer, my nectar offering seems more likely to attract downy woodpeckers and an occasional finch to its red flowers rather than my hummingbird targets.

“As the weeks pass in the summer, the birds pair up and spread out across the landscape over territories that the male defends for the female to build a nest and raise their young,” Heath-Acre said. “As hummingbirds spread out to breeding territories, they are naturally not as concentrated in flocks that we see at feeders initially in the spring.”

While that explains the dog days dilemma, why were their fewer in some places this spring? My neighbor Steve reported that his usual entourage (more like a swarm) was here earlier, and others I’ve heard from told similar stories, but what about those other observations?

“Regrettably, we have no way of knowing why they don’t always return to feeders they’ve previously visited,” Heath-Acre said. “It’s possible they could’ve found a better place to migrate through or perhaps they stopped to fill up their tanks at another property. These situations are tough because folks watch hummingbirds yearly for many years, and it’s no fun when they don’t refuel there or stop coming. We’re just not sure.”

Weather events, storms, habitat destruction, mortality events, or any number of things can affect the timing and locations of bird migration annually, she said.

“Those threats vary across the different parts of a migratory bird’s range, from the breeding range up here to stop-over sites during migration and on the wintering grounds,” Heath-Acre said.

The silver lining remains that the ruby-throated hummingbird is faring well, but comprehensive studies analyzed by the Cornell Lab show North American bird populations are down by nearly 3 billion (that’s a B) birds since 1970.

Common birds – the species that many people see every day – have suffered the greatest losses, according to birds.cornell.edu. More than 90% of the decline comes from just a dozen bird families including the sparrows, blackbirds, warblers, and finches.

The losses include favorite species seen at bird feeders, such as dark-eyed juncos, aka snowbirds, down by 168 million, and white-throated sparrows down by 93 million. Eastern and western meadowlarks have lost a combined 139 million individuals in the past half century.

“We want to keep common birds common, and we’re not even doing that,” said Pete Marra, a study coauthor who formerly directed the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center and now directs the Georgetown Environment Initiative.

We will get to see the hummingbirds again – with the bonus that their successful nesting means there will be babies too – getting fueled for their long flights in the fall.

“You’ll often see them in concentrated groups again in the fall when they all flock up and start heading south,” Heath-Acre said. “Most of Missouri’s hummingbirds are gone by early October, so it’s okay to bring the feeders back indoors around then.”

For those who want to do more to protect hummingbirds and other species, she suggests not overusing bug killers.

“I encourage people to avoid spraying insecticides, if possible. Birds, and particularly their young, are often insectivores,” she said.

For more information on ruby-throated hummingbirds visit the conservation department’s field guide at mdc.mo.gov.

John Winkelman has been writing about outdoors news and issues in Jefferson County for more than 30 years and was the Associate Editor for Outdoor Guide Magazine.

Ten (or so) places to take the kids for summer adventures and learning

Mastodon State Historic Site brings fun and learning together in a easily accessed package for Jefferson County residents.

A friend of ours asked for recommendations for local places to take her children during their summer vacation. She planned to visit one new location each week for the kids to explore and learn. I thought it was a great idea, so I assembled my ten best suggestions.

She did not put any restrictions on the list, but I tried to limit it to locations within an hour or so of Jefferson County, and I excluded the obvious superstar spots in St. Louis including the Gateway Arch, St. Louis Zoo, and Science Center. Their greatness goes without saying, and you probably could assemble a list of 10 cool places to visit that are inside the big city’s limits.

I always recommend Mastodon State Historic Site when people ask me what Jefferson County has to offer. The museum documents our area’s natural history with prehistoric evidence. The playground equipment and picnic area provide great day activities for a family. The three hiking trails range from easy and accessible to a challenging workout.

My other Jefferson County suggestion is the Sandy Creek Covered Bridge. While it doesn’t have an abundance of attractions, the uniqueness of its namesake structure is something you can put your hands (and feet) on to cross the creek the way area residents did more than a century ago. There are only four covered bridges remaining in Missouri.

A herd of American bison roam freely at Lone Elk Park in St. Louis County for a unique drive-through experience.

St. Louis County has several locations for learning and exploring that are not as world-renown as the Arch and its expansion memorial. Combining locations is also a possibility. For example, Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center pairs well with Lone Elk County Park. One is an educational mecca, and the other is a drive-through, wildlife viewing opportunity. Grant’s Farm fits that bill too. A quick caveat: Lone Elk is better in the winter when you can see deeper into the woods.

One more St. Louis County location offers a cool immersive experience. The Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House puts visitors among dozens of butterfly species and about 150 tropical plants. Admission is $8, but it’s free for members of the Missouri Botanical Garden. The Shaw Nature Reserve in Gray Summit is also a Botanical Garden property, and it provides options to see native plants in their natural settings.

The underground world of Meramec Caverns in Sullivan, Missouri, offers a 60-degree environment on even the hottest summer day.

Venturing further from the metropolitan area, Elephant Rocks State Park is more than a bunch of super-sized stones. It is natural history on display as a huge playground. Since you are already in the Arcadia/Ironton area, additional outdoor adventures can be found at Johnson’s Shut-Ins and Taum Sauk Mountain. Collectively the two state parks offer a unique chance to get your feet wet and view of the horizon from the highest peak in the state.

The highest spot in the state maybe be more than an hour from most of Jefferson County, and so is one of Missouri’s lowest. Meramec Caverns puts a whole different world on display with guided tours along lighted walkways. The year-round, 60-degree temperatures are certainly appealing on a hot summer afternoon.

I feel compelled to mention couple of other locations beyond the one-hour driving range. The Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City puts history on display and can provide and a civics lesson or two. A visit to Central Dairy for ice cream is a worthy reward for a long car ride.

Last year we went to Watkins Woolen Mill State Historic Site near Independence, Missouri. It is not a day-trip by any measure, but if spending the night can be worked into the plan, a glimpse at the past about how fabric was made in the 19th Century is on display along with a historic house and farm.

John Winkelman has been writing about outdoors news and issues in Jefferson County for more than 30 years and was the Associate Editor for Outdoor Guide Magazine.

Scenic course experience exposes popularity of disc golf

Disc Golf Monkey owner Russel Burns launches his drive from the No. 10 tee box at Hanna Hills Disc Golf Course in Laquey, Mo.

While it might not come to mind as a traditional outdoors sport, it would be difficult to play disc golf anywhere except outside. Jefferson County has several locations, so I have had many opportunities over the years to give the game a shot.

Many decades ago when I was in college, we played what we called Frisbee golf, picking locations around the quadrangle and throughout campus at Truman State to toss our discs toward. This past weekend I finally took the chance to join the legions of enthusiasts who recognize the game’s popularity.

Hanna Hills Disc Golf Course near Fort Leonard Wood in southwest Missouri is no place for a beginner. Fortunately, I made the loop with a couple of top-notch players, so I could pretend I fit in at the place that is rated among the 100 best courses in the world, in the top three in Missouri, and the state’s No. 1 most scenic course, according to udisc.com, the online authority for the sport.

After his retirement from the U.S. Army, Vic Bentele developed his property in Pulaski County to create a play space for his family and his soldier friends from nearby Fort Wood. He and his wife Diana cleared fairways through the woods and up and down the Ozarks hills.

With more than 300 feet of elevation change and spectacular views of the Roubidoux Creek valley, I did not have time to contemplate what happened to my college days’ disc skills. I just admired the scenery, along with the precision and distance displays put on by Vic and Diana’s son Michael Bentele, and disc golf equipment manufacturer Russ Burns.

Vic Bentele said the course does not charge players to try their luck at the course, but they do accept donations and require all players to complete a registration certificate before attempting their first toss across a small pond from the elevated No. 1 tee box.

The Jefferson County region offers more than a dozen disc golf courses. They are among 339 in the state, 10,644 in the United States, and 16,267 around the world, according to data from udisc.com. Across the state about half of the courses offer 18 holes or more, and the remainder are nine-hole courses.

Arnold, Festus and Hillsboro all have disc golf options in city parks. They are among the 89 percent of courses that are free to play. The 20 holes at Larry G. Crites Park in Festus include long open holes and wooded areas. The website says, it’s “not very beginner friendly.”

For the newbie in town, the nine-hole course at Jokerst Park in Festus gets a positive review from udisc.com. “Fun park-style course that is easy enough to bring a new person and still has enough to be fun for the seasoned player.”

The nine-hole course at Arnold City Park is rated as beginner friendly, and the same is said about the Hillsboro nine with the caveat that its “mostly shorter, but very technical holes feature wooded shots with terrain.”

The 18-hole course at Pacific Community Park opened in March 2024. Udisc.com says, “beautiful area with open and wooded holes with lots of shade. Great mix of regular and technical shots. Generally flat terrain.”

Other area courses in and around Jefferson County include the new 18-hole Knight’s Flight Disc Golf Club and Grace Way nine-hole course in DeSoto, an 18-hole course at Jefferson Barracks Park, Sunset Lakes former ball golf course in Fenton, and nine-hole courses at Kircker Park in Eureka and at Oakville Middle School, which is only open to the public when school is not in session.

Visit udisc.com/courses to find places to play near you.

John Winkelman has been writing about outdoors news and issues in Jefferson County for more than 30 years and was the Associate Editor for Outdoor Guide Magazine.

High school fishing teams open the sport to all students

The 2025 Seckman Jaguar Fishing Team included 40 anglers from grades fourth through 12th.

As most schools are putting the wraps on sports for the spring, students on area fishing teams are entering the best time of year for serious practice. Summer vacation offers many perks, and the long days of the season provide adequate opportunity for making as many casts as possible.

“Kids are so busy with activities these days, it’s hard for them to fit another activity in their schedules,” said Festus High School fishing team head coach Jay Beffa.

Organized practices are scheduled once a month, he said, but that doesn’t mean the anglers can’t find their way to some water to work on the tricks and techniques that could pay off for them in the tournament season.

The Festus team includes 62 boys and girls fishing in the high school and junior divisions. The teams include students in fourth through 12th grade. Coach Gary Hollern said his Seckman High School fishing team is up to 40 anglers for the upcoming season. Both programs started in 2021.

“The school recognizes us as a club sport, which means we get to use the school’s name and cafeteria for practices,” Hollern said. “The seeds were originally planted by Zach Hobbs and Sam Cox when they were in the 11th grade. Both of these young men are excellent anglers who helped to lay the ground work for the team to grow.”

Two Seckman High School anglers show off their catch at a NYFA tournament weigh-in.

Both Seckman and Festus participate in the National Youth Fishing Association tournaments. The teams competed in qualifying events this spring at Bull Shoals, Lake of the Ozarks and Table Rock Lake. The state championship is June 7 at Stockton Lake, northwest of Springfield.

“This is a team tournament format consisting of two anglers, and a boat captain,” Hollern said. “The boat captain drives the boat and can coach the anglers but is not allowed to cast or fish in any manner. The goal is to weigh in the heaviest five bass.”

Finding boats and boat captains presents the biggest challenge for the teams, both coaches agreed. While many captains are family members, other area residents have made commitments to help kids get on the water for tournaments.

“This season we had two boats (not affiliated with the angler) that were able to be used to ensure we did not leave any kids on the dock,” Hollern said. “Boat captains give up their weekends to help get these anglers out into God’s great outdoors. We have had parents without boats, who see how much their kids are off the Xbox and enjoying the sport, go out an buy a boat.”

Members of the Festus High School Fishing Team volunteered at a recent veteran fishing event at the Elks Lodge Lake in Crystal City.

The fishing teams also rely on sponsors to help with funding and providing equipment.

“Being a 501(c)3 we been extremely fortunate to have several returning sponsors,” Beffa said. “We have several title sponsors that sponsor each individual tournament. We’ve been extremely blessed to be able to partner with area businesses to develop our own scholarship program above and beyond what the anglers could earn from competing in the tournaments.”

Because the programs are club teams, student anglers don’t have to be residents of the specific school districts to participate.

“If you have a young angler who is hooked on fishing. It does not matter what school they go to, you are invited to be on this team,” Hollern said. “The fish doesn’t know if the angler is young, old, boy, or girl. Anyone can win on any given day. It doesn’t matter how fast you can run or how strong you are. It’s not you against another person, it’s you against the fish.”

The Seckman coach also shared a favorite fishing quote of his from 20th century novelist John Buchan: “The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope.”

Anyone hoping for more information about the Seckman team can call Hollern at 314-562-2001. To reach Coach Beffa call 573-963-6290.

John Winkelman has been writing about outdoors news and issues in Jefferson County for more than 30 years and was the Associate Editor for Outdoor Guide Magazine.

State plans permit price increases for third consecutive year

Just ahead of free fishing weekend, the state Department of Conservation is proposing increases in the cost of permits for the third year in a row. Based on the input it collected from hunters and residents in a survey this spring, the biggest boost will be on the backs of nonresident deer and turkey hunters.

The state Conservation Commission approved the proposed price increases at its May 16 meeting in Jefferson City. The changes require a public comment period, which will be available in July, and then final approval again by the commission in September before taking effect for 2026.

Deer hunters from outside of Missouri will see their permits increase by $72, and nonresident spring turkey hunters will pay $61 more. According to conservation department data, about 43,000 nonresidents hunt deer in Missouri and 10,000 purchase turkey hunting permits in the spring. About 400,000 residents hunt deer or turkeys each year.

While the proportion of nonresident hunters and anglers is low compared to residents, a department press release stated that the opinion survey and public feedback showed Missourians generally supported raising nonresident hunting permits to bring them more in line with surrounding states.

“Across deer, turkey, and waterfowl, one potential change supported by residents is adjusting permit prices to be more in alignment with surrounding states,” said conservation department director Jason Sumners.

If the proposal gets final approval, the price of nonresident firearms and archery deer hunting permits will increase from $288 to $360. The average price of nonresident permits in the states surrounding Missouri is $443.13 for firearms hunting and $456.88 for archery. Nonresident spring turkey hunting permits will rise from $243.50 to $304.50, compared to a surrounding state average of $255.22.

Resident permit prices are also going up with the proposed changes. Firearms and archery hunters will pay $1.50 more in 2026 than in 2025. Firearms deer and spring turkey hunting permits are changing from $18 to $19.50, and archery permits will be $22, up from $20.50.

Fishing permits are also increasing under the proposal. Residents will pay $14 instead of $13, and nonresidents will see a hike from $53.50 to $57 for annual fishing licenses.

(To see all proposed permit increases see the conservation department press release.)

The price adjustments are based on the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index (CPI) related to cost-of-living increases from 2008 to 2024, the department press release stated. After nearly 20 years without an increase in permit costs, the state plans to recommend gradual price increases over 10 years at 50% of CPI growth for resident permits and an accelerated price increase for nonresident deer and turkey hunting permits to bring these permit prices more in alignment with other states.

The public comment period on the proposed permit price adjustments will be open from July 2 to July 31. For more information and to submit comments visit mdc.mo.gov/contact-engage/public-commenting-opportunities.

According to conservation department data, permit sales account for about 17 percent of the department’s budget. The Conservation Sales Tax provides about 62 percent, and federal taxes and reimbursements make up about 15 percent. Sales and rentals, interest, and other sources result in the remaining 6 percent. On average, Missouri residents pay $24 annually for conservation through the one-eighth of one cent sales tax.

John Winkelman has been writing about outdoors news and issues in Jefferson County for more than 30 years and was the Associate Editor for Outdoor Guide Magazine.

County records 17 new positive CWD tests in 2024-25 season

An online map shows the proximity of all positive tests for chronic wasting disease in Jefferson County. The gray boxes represent cases from previous years, the colored boxes are from 2024-25.

Jefferson County and its neighbors continue to rack up substantial increases in cases of chronic wasting disease discovered in deer harvested by hunters. After increasing its total by more that 50% last year, Jefferson recorded an increased number of cases again this year, according to an annual report issued by the state Department of Conservation.

The 17 new positive tests from the 2024-25 season in Jefferson County tops the 2023-24 total of 15, and moves the county’s overall total to 60 since the first case was discovered near the Meert Tree Farm south of Festus in 2016. Fifty-nine of those confirmed positive tests have been from property within a five-mile radius of the original site.

Since 2016, hunters throughout Jefferson County have been required to get the deer they kill on opening weekend tested for CWD. Only one positive test has been found beyond the triangle formed by Interstate 55, Highway 67 and the Ste. Genevieve County line. Hundreds of deer have been tested from outside of that concentrated area, and the only outlier is a positive test from near Ware in west central Jefferson County in 2023.

While the disease does not appear to have spread its tentacles across the county, it continues to rapidly expand its range statewide. Seven counties had their first cases discovered this year including some heavy hitters in annual harvest totals. Texas County in south central Missouri is routinely in the top 10, and Callaway County between St. Louis and Columbia posts big numbers for archery and firearms harvests.

The state reported 243 new positive tests for chronic wasting disease in the 2024-25 hunting season.

In 2011 CWD was discovered in wild deer in Macon County, Missouri, near its border with Linn County. Those two counties combine for 156 of the 815 positive cases statewide. With 34 new positives this year, Ste. Geneveive County has the highest individual county total in the state with 136 cases. Franklin County added 24 new cases this year to reach 99 since the disease was first discovered there in 2015.

The annual information release reported 243 positive tests gleaned from more than 36,000 samples taken from 276,000 deer killed in fall firearms and archery seasons, and from post-season targeted removal on properties where the disease has been found in the past. Seventy of the positive tests were from 4,768 deer harvested statewide in post-season effort.

“The goal of targeted removal is to remove CWD-positive deer and reduce deer density in these localized areas to slow the spread of CWD and protect Missouri’s deer herd,” said Deb Hudman, state wildlife health program supervisor. “Targeted removal is a proven method to slow the spread of CWD, and Missouri is one of several states that uses it to manage the disease.”

A positive test rate of less than one percent is good news and a sign that the program to limit the spread is working.

Texas, Callaway, Marion, Miller and Morgan counties, which found their first positive test results in 2024-25 will be included in CWD-management zones when the Conservation Commission meets this month to establish regulations for the upcoming fall seasons. Because of the location of the positive test in Marion County, Ralls County is likely to be added for management zone regulations as well.

Hunters in those counties should expect to be required to get any deer they kill during opening weekend tested for the disease, and hunters will be permitted to hunt through the extended CWD season, which follows the November portion through Thanksgiving weekend. Providing grain, salt, minerals or other consumables for deer will be prohibited year-round in those areas.

Full details on the fall hunting season will be released in July with the publication of the annual Fall Deer and Turkey Huntoing Regulations booklet. To see full information on chronic wasting disease in Missouri visit www.mdc.mo.gov/cwd.

John Winkelman has been writing about outdoors news and issues in Jefferson County for more than 30 years and was the Associate Editor for Outdoor Guide Magazine.