Because of the covid-19 pandemic, more-and-more outdoor minded people are more than ready to get outdoors to take advantage of what Missouri campgrounds have to offer. The usual first big holiday weekend of the season, Memorial Day Weekend, had special meaning for a lot of campers — including Harold Davis, of Springfield...

Fishing for catfish has long been an activity that has provided angling excitement as well as great table fare. When the dog days of August roll around, anglers like Fred Brooks and Tom Robbins of Sedalia, break out the catfishing gear and head for the lake...

With the hot days of July — having fun in the outdoors means being on, in, and around the water. More-and-more people are discovering that type of fun in a canoe or kayak. The canoe, and now, the kayak are the most versatile small craft available today. Both are well adapted to travel the inland waters as well as in open water. Both are unmatched for wilderness, and you can travel with them to the outback. They are light, so it makes a good car-top craft for the fishing family...

Most any time of the year you can catch catfish in Missouri, but many catfishing anglers go after catfish big time around the Fourth of July. Some cat fishermen go jugging, others set trotlines, fish at night or just hit the water whenever they can...

There are a lot of people on the water this year because boating and all the recreational activities associated with it are fun. Whether they are into fishing, swimming, sailing, boat camping or being on the water for a cruise down the lake, boating is becoming increasingly popular every year on the state’s waterways...

Last weekend campgrounds around the area had campers for the warm weekend which brought out anxious campers and anglers. If you really want to enjoy camping and fishing in Missouri try it out in early June. You don’t have to put up with too many bugs and fishing is usually some of the best of the year...

Any bass angler will tell you that a when a bass hits a topwater lure, the explosion as a fish strikes, can cause your heart to race and is as exciting as it gets. Late spring is one of the best times to try topwater lures. Tom Harper once told me that right after the Memorial Day Weekend it is time to tie on a topwater lure and hit the lake...

A favorite may activity for many people is floating an Ozark stream on one of the many float streams available throughout the Ozarks. I remember the first time the Harold Butler family took their first float trip of the year on May first and it turned out to be a very good start of the season for all four members of the family...

Sunday, April 22 will mark the 48th anniversary of Earth Day with events across the country for people of all ages and interest. The theme for this year is End Plastic Pollution. Plastics are poisoning and injuring marine life, disrupting human hormones, littering our beaches and landscapes and clogging our streams and landfills. The exponential growth of plastics is now a threating the survival of our planet...

The Youth Weekend Spring Turkey Hunt last weekend saw a big drop in the number of turkeys harvested. The cold and snowy weather was the main factor in the low numbers of bearded birds taken. Of the 1,723 birds harvested statewide, Vernon had only 19 birds checked...

The white bass are running according to veteran Ozark anglers who are already going after those finny fighters. When you hook one you know it has to be a white bass. Your drag on your ultra-light reel had better be set right or the line will break as the fighter heads for deep water...

They say we fish to get away from the pressures and speed of everyday life, that may be true until the fishing really heats up. When the largemouth bass are blasting the surface or walleyes are swirling the shallows, relaxed fishing is out the door. You are on the hunt, the faster you get a lure in the water the better...

With trout parks having recently opened, it’s time for that growing number of hardy souls (who can throw a heavy-weighted hook and outlast a fish that might weigh 30 to 100 pounds) to ready themselves for the upcoming spoonbill snagging season — beginning, Thursday, March 15...

“There is nothing like opening day at Bennett Spring,” said 42-year-old Bobby Phillips, of Marshall — after taking part in his 20th consecutive opening day of catch-and-keep trout fishing season on Thursday. His inaugural trip for the opening of the catch-and-keep season at Bennett Spring was back when he was a 7-year-old...

There are few pleasures in the sport of fishing that can match that of taking a trout, bass or bluegill or other fish on a fly of your own creation. On cold winter evenings, like the ones we have been experiencing this year, with a wind rattling the windows, you can sit at a bench reliving past fishing experiences and put together the ingredients for future ones...

The countdown has started, in less than a month, the unofficial start of fishing season begins. Of course, the fishing never stops in Missouri, but there is something special about the annual trout fishing season opener in the four trout parks on March 1...

The probable cold and dreary days of February can cause many outdoorsmen and women to get cabin fever, though it doesn’t have to be that way. There are many ways to enjoy this month while waiting for the good fishing, turkey and mushroom hunting in March and April...

Back when I first started hunting rabbits, it seemed that there would always be plenty to hunt, but times have changed. Cottontail rabbits were so plentiful around our house and garden it was no trouble shooting enough to feed our family and neighbors. ...

Staying inside during the winter months, and you’ll avoid the potential for frostbite, pneumonia, ear infections and other maladies. Trouble is, you might miss some of the good months for crappie fishing. Should you decide to try your luck, you should definitely dress for it...

The cold temperature we had to start off the new year reminded me of hunting ducks in ice-covered water near the Osage River. As I was resting against an old oak tree, shivering I recall it was hard to bend my fingers; I tried to hold my loaded 20 gauge 870 Remington, that was cradled in my arm while both hands were in the side pockets of my hunting coat. ...

Its January and the hunting seasons are winding down as the archery deer and turkey season will end on Jan. 15 as well as the quail and pheasant seasons. However, more and more people are taking advantage of the winter months by feeding and watching the many species of birds that are around in the winter...

It was the week before Christmas years ago when I embarked on my first pheasant hunt in Missouri. Back then, as it is today, the season was statewide, although there were only a few places where there were enough birds to hunt. John Madden was the county conservation agent who told me there were pheasants in places near the Missouri River, where he had seen them, in which I had already knew...

As 2017 is winding down, most anglers’ thoughts are looking toward the good spring fishing they will find. However, there are many anglers who never quit, including a growing number of crappie fishermen like Jim Simms of Marshfield. Instead of shopping for Christmas presents like he said “I should have been doing,” Simms was on Stockton Lake pulling in slab crappie. ...

Loel Wilson, Taberville, has hunted duck at the Schell-Osage Conservation Area for 37 seasons and calls it his favorite spot to have success. This season promises to be one of the better ones. The ducks are pouring into the state as colder temperatures move in...

Deer hunting will continue this weekend as the firearms antlerless portion runs for three days, Dec. 1-3 in open counties. On Dec. 23 through Jan. 2, 2018, the alternative method will close out the firearm deer season. During the alternative portion muzzleloading, centerfire pistols,air-powered guns, crossbows, atlatls and regular bows may be used...

If ever there was a month that could be called “Sportsman’s Month” it has to be November. Whatever your outdoor pursuit — it all comes together this month, as November in Missouri holds something for everybody. I remember when the late Ray Heady, who was the outdoor editor of the Kansas City Star, said, “My health is always better in November.” That holds true for many Missouri outdoorsmen and women...

Chronic Wasting Disease caused the Missouri Department of Conservation to enact a special regulation requiring mandatory testing for 25 Missouri counties for the opening weekend of the November firearm portion of the deer season. (Nov. 11-12). Missouri deer hunters harvested 94,977 deer during the opening weekend. Vernon County had 863 deer checked during the opening weekend. The November firearm season ends on Nov. 21...

With the duck season opening last weekend, area waterfowl hunters are excited about the conditions on conservation areas — including Schell-Osage, located in St. Clair and Vernon counties near Schell City, where more than 10,000 ducks were (present) for opening weekend...

Weather permitting, the 2017 duck season is forecast to be a good one. Duck season opens in the north and middle zones today, while the opening day in the south zone starts on Nov. 23. The daily limit on ducks is six, which includes four mallards with no more than two hens. Other popular ducks, including wood ducks, have three included in the daily limit and, one pintail. The Canada goose season will start again on Nov. 11 and run through Feb. 6, with a daily limit of three...

The recent cooler weather has stirred interest in taking walks on the wild side. Autumn walks in the woods are a rare pleasure in itself — with jacket unzipped in a perfect cool afternoon, sunlight flickering through brightly colored branches and, the rich smell of fresh fallen leaves crunching beneath your feet. ...

As the leaves begin to change their color, Missouri walleye anglers are on the water — after one of the best eating freshwater fish that swims — the walleye. Since there is no closed season on Missouri’s (large) impoundments, walleye anglers have plenty of time to go after this fish that is growing more popular in the state; from the spring spawning run right up through fall and even winter...

Before daylight on opening morning, a turkey hunter was at the same location in Hickory County as he was on the opening day last year where he took a turkey. He hoped the same thing would happen again this fall. Having scouted the area a month in advance, he found turkeys using the area, so his hopes were high as he settled down in a grove of oak trees next to an open field and waited...

In 1972, members of several thousand clubs along with 40 major national organizations supported the concept of a National Hunting and Fishing Day, which was celebrated on Sept. 23 of that year. Today, Hunting and Fishing Day is a vital part of the American sporting tradition. On Sept. 23, the nation’s more than 40 million sportsmen and women will be introducing non-hunting and fishing public to the enjoyment of our outdoor traditions as the 45th anniversary of Hunting and Fishing Day continues...

An time-honored Ozark tradition has giggers gearing up for the start of the fall season that opened yesterday and runs through Jan. 31. The daily limit is 20 suckers, except on the Currant River, where only five northern hogsuckers may be included in the daily limit...

Opening day of the small migrating birds season started Friday. As usual, some cool nights have nudged the doves to pack up and head south. “I have seen more doves this year than in a long time,” said Jim Lawson, a 67-year-old Missouri dove hunter. “In my 25 years of hunting those fast flying birds, I don’t remember seeing so many birds before opening day, but it seems we always get some cool nights just before the season opener on September 1 and the birds aren’t around too long. ...

Camping! Either you love it or hate it. It all depends on when, where and how. The “when” is still about the same for most campers, but the “where” and “how” has changed over the years. With the big Labor Day weekend coming up, plans have been or will be made for the last camping trip for many camper families. With school starting and more activities to take up weekend time, camping may be put on the back-burner...

It’s hard to believe that in less than a month many hunting seasons will open, starting with dove, rail and snipe on Sept. 1. Gun season will start off with a big bang, opening Labor Day Weekend. Of course, squirrel season has been open since May 27, but most hunting doesn’t get going until dove season each Sept. 1...

As my son Brad and I looked over the farm pond, where in the early morning we saw dimpling rises in the weeds along the shoreline. That was all we needed to see to know there were fish working; so out came the ultra-light fishing gear and the fun started. It took less than an hour before we had all the fish we wanted to clean. It proved once again that farm ponds can save the day when nothing is hitting in the big impoundments...

Missouri is filled with an abundance of places for great fishing expeditions. Nearly one-fourth of the state’s population — which encompasses all ages, fishes. Missouri spends millions of dollars on fishing tackle and even more on goods and services annually. This is good for the state’s economy and helps fulfill the need for recreation...

The 90 degree July heat might make some people think the fishing wouldn’t be good, but anglers like Bill Sparks, of Billings, know otherwise. Sparks proved the point on a recent 94 degree day by catching lots of crappie ­— a 20-inch walleye, a three pound channel cat as well as having several fish break his six pound test line before he could reel them in...

A lot of area catfish anglers are happy to see the Fourth of July come and go. No matter how they fish, jugging, trot line, stream or lake, day or night, cat fishermen are ready to get serious about their sport. Jack Baker is one of those anglers that does it all. He recalls that his first fish was a bullhead from a small stream near his home...

A favorite Fourth of July weekend activity for many people, including the Harold Simms family is floating an Ozark stream. The weekend of June 24-25 was their fifth float and fishing trip this year. “We have two canoes so we load up with supplies and some fishing gear for the day,” said Harold Simms. “Although fishing wasn’t our main reason for floating, we managed to pull 11 nice crappie out of several deep holes that added to the enjoyment of the trip.”...

Bluegills and kids go together. Usually, the first fish many youngsters catch are either bluegills or sunfish. These summer months are a great time to fish for them in ponds, lakes or streams. Many anglers still experience a great fishing trip by going after these fine eating, hard fighting fish. ...

Bennett Spring State Park was a bee hive of activity last weekend with the annual Kids Fishing Day taking place Saturday. Coupled with the Free Fishing Weekend in Missouri, a crowd descended on the Bennett Spring area. Not only were there some 500 youngsters at the stream, but there were hundreds of tubers, canoes and kayaks floating down the Niangua River, as well as many campers in the camping area at Bennett Springs State Park. ...

Boating is becoming increasingly popular every year on the state’s waterways. As predicted there will be lots of people on the water this year due to boating and all the recreational activities associated with it. Whether they are into fishing, swimming, sailing, boat camping or being on the water for a cruise down the lake...

Back in 2008 a trio of anglers from Jefferson City were fishing on Stockton Lake over the Memorial Day holiday when they saw what they thought was white bass chasing shad to the surface. They cast silver spoons to the area and to their surprise they started catching walleyes...

Nearly every angler gets their start at fishing by casting their line from the bank. The simplicity of fishing from the bank is offset by the limitations of finding good fishing locations. Sometimes, the locations are restricted to places where the angler may not be able to reach, even with long casts to the structure that hold fish...

In spite of the high and dingy water at Caplinger Mills bridge, anglers are catching crappie and catfish. “This is my favorite place to camp and fish, it’s like my second home,” said Fair Grove angler David Hupman. “I fish for whatever hits my hook, but I mainly like to catch crappie and walleye.”...

After the two-day Teen Anglers Tournament held last weekend on Stockton Lake, J.P. Sell, Springfield president of Teen Anglers said, “I think it was absolutely amazing, We ended up having kids from four different states, 271 teams and 206 boats on the water and at least half of the young anglers weighed fish.”...

The heavy rain that hit the area has all but stopped hunting and fishing. Stockton Lake, which had been five-feet low, is now more than eight-feet high. Pomme de Terre is more than 20 feet high and most streams and ponds have overflow conditions. Before the big rains hit, one of my great grandsons caught his first fish from our pond and was the happiest boy around and proud of his first catch –– a six inch bluegill...

This is the time bass fishermen wait patiently for bass to move into shallow water –– while actively feeding they are particularly vulnerable to fishing. Jack Melton, Springfield, is one of the many bass anglers who looks forward to late April and early May when bass fishing is good –– especially fishing with topwater lures...

This is the time bass fishermen wait patiently for bass to move into shallow water –– while actively feeding they are particularly vulnerable to fishing. Jack Melton, Springfield, is one of the many bass anglers who looks forward to late April and early May when bass fishing is good –– especially fishing with topwater lures...

When the 2017 spring turkey season opened Monday morning, many hunters reported hearing lots of gobbles just before sunrise, but then the big birds kept silent. Bob Morgan has hunted turkeys for more than 20 years and weighed in with his thoughts about opening day...

Throughout the world the ancient sustainable method of spearfishing has been an ongoing practice. The conjured image of any of our forefathers seeking to provide his family a meal from a lake, river or stream enters the mind. Spearfishing is alive and well right here in the Ozarks, with our abundance of beautiful lakes and rivers nearby...

On the way to the lake, to get in on the good crappie, walleye and white bass fishing, I nearly ran off the road when I saw two big tom turkeys all fanned out near several hens. It's a sight that would get any turkey hunter's adrenalin going. It's like finding a big bunch of morel mushrooms or snagging a catching a limit of crappie...

It's spring, the outdoors are coming alive. White bass are starting their spawning run, walleye have been moving, trout parks are open, snagging for paddlefish is going strong and turkeys have been heard gobbling early in the morning. A neighbor asked if I had been scouting for turkeys since it's less than a month away before the spring season opens with Youth Weekend Hunt on April 8-9, followed by the three-week regular season starting April 17...

Tournament fishing is the ultimate test of a fisherman's nerves. Everyone loves to tell big-fish stories, but a tournament angler can't lie. At the end of each day of tournament fishing the scales tell the truth about ones' skills. Tournament fishing keeps getting more popular, with as many as hundreds of fishermen registered in a single tournament...

March 15 is marked on many calendars in Missouri, including one by Harold Davis. Davis a spoonbill angler who arms himself with deep sea gear and lives for opening day of paddlefish snagging season. Davis is a dedicated spoonbill snagger who owns several deep sea fishing rods and reels with an 80-pound test line that he uses in search of those monster fish dwelling in the Osage River as well as Table Rock Lake...

Walleye fishing in Missouri is heating up. Though you can catch a walleye just about anytime of the year, many anglers really get excited when this popular fish starts their spawning run and the fish gather in larger numbers. Walleye spawn when the water temperature ranges between 42 to 54 degrees. ...

Thousands of anglers line the banks and-or in the streams, shoulder to shoulder awaiting the sound of the siren at 6:30 am. The annual ritual will begin. There is not another fishing event like opening day at our trout parks. For most, it is the anticipated thrill of being there year after year on March 1...

The annual Conservation Federation of Missouri media camp was held for the third year in a row at Lilly's Landing on Lake Taneycomo. The Conservation Federation of Missouri is the voice for Missouri outdoors. Its mission is to insure conservation of the state's wildlife and natural resources including the preservation of the state's rich outdoor heritage through advocacy, education and partnerships...

The recent February weather has brought out many anglers who usually spend this time of year getting their tackle ready for the good spring fishing Bob Walters, Warsaw, couldn't stand it when the temperature hit 60 degrees so he picked up his fishing gear and headed for the lake. ...

The recent report of finding a female mountain lion in Shannon County has many hunters saying, "I told you so." For years, there have been reports of sightings of panthers, also known as cougars, pumas or mountain lions, but the reports were turned away saying they were just something else or perhaps an animal that escaped from a circus. ...

For many outdoor minded people, this is the worse time of the year. With winter boat and sport shows winding down, hunting seasons nearly ended. In addition, fishing catch-and-keep at the trout parks won't be open until March 1. Don't let the winter blahs get you down. Even in the middle of winter there are plenty of things to do that will continue towards the enjoyment for outdoor minded people with activities during late January and all of February...

Hardy trout anglers are having a ball winter fishing our Missouri trout parks. Bill Weaver, Kansas City, said, "I had never fished at Bennett Springs in winter before a few years ago. Now I am hooked on it. I have hooked and released lots of rainbows in January and didn't have to fight crowds of other anglers, like I do in March. ...

As we move into January, hunting seasons are winding down. Archery deer and turkey season ends this weekend, as well as quail and pheasant seasons. However, more and more people are taking advantage of the winter months by feeding and watching the many species of birds that are around during the winter...

As we ran out of time in 2016, it was a good year for most outdoors minded people. A look back shows it sta++rted out good and ended up the same. Hunting was good for most game and fishing never ended even as the new year started. The old year saw 14 fishing records recorded. ...

In visiting with a neighbor this past week, he reminded me that the recent snow and cold isn't all that bad for an outdoorsman. "It's a great time for checking where the wildlife are by finding their tracks in the snow. Many people would be surprised to see how many birds and animals are closer than they might think and, for the hunter, he can see how and where deer, rabbit and other game animals spend their winter."...

An early morning phone call from Strafford resident Dennis Heymer, was all it took for me to grab some crappie fishing gear and head for the lake. Heymer is a winter crappie angler who typically catches larger crappie and more of them in the cold winter months. More than he does during the heat of summer. So when he said the crappie started moving into their winter habitat, it's time for me to get serious and go fishing, no matter how cold it is outside...

While at the grocery store this week, I ran into several hunters who had just ended the 2016 antlerless firearm season. After discussing their hunting adventures the conversation turned to the fact that Christmas is fast approaching. "I'm not going to be one of those last minute shoppers!" one hunter had said, while another commented that shopping for an outdoor enthusiast is easy today with all the items available in so many retail stops, big department stores as well as online shopping...

This past weekend, orange clad hunters were out searching for does as this was the end of regular firearm deer season. The antlerless portion of the deer season was limited to just three days this year. The firearm alternative methods portion is set for Dec. ...

Last Sunday was a day that duck hunters looked forward to, with cool and gusty south winds and an overcast sky. The ducks that had been holding up north started moving into Missouri as the cold and damp weather hit northern states pushing ducks south...

Several seasons ago, I talked to Thomas Dailey, a research biologist for the Missouri Conservation Department. He said, "It couldn't be much worse for the quail in southwest areas of the state. Back in 1986 the count was 40, but in 2002 it had dropped to just two (in terms of their study)...

The 19th annual Stockton Lake Managed Deer Hunt for hunters who have physical disabilities was held this past weekend, before the regular statewide firearm deer season. The hunt was located in three area parks around the lake. Hawker Point, Orleans Trail South and Masters had deer stands available for the handicapped hunters...

As the 2016 Early Youth Weekend Deer Hunt opened the morning of Oct. 29, thousands of Missouri youngsters took to the woods looking for a deer to come within shooting range. The early season gives young hunters a chance to utilize their hunting skills during the statewide youth hunt and a jump-start on their elders...

Real duck hunters are a special breed. They sit for hours in cold weather conditions waiting for a chance to have a flock of ducks sail into their spread of decoys. At first light on a crisp November morning, you are knee-deep in leaf-strewn water, snuggling up one arm comfortably to the trunk of an old oak tree where you chose to make a makeshift blind...

With just over a week left of the fall turkey season, hunters are finding a shortage of birds this year. Hunting can be difficult unless you are one of the lucky ones who get a chance to flush a flock. It's a great time of year for outdoor-minded people. The recent weather conditions have made it great for just being outside. Fall color is nearing its peak, fishing is good and hunting seasons are opening...

Archery season has been open for nearly a month as bow hunters have been looking for a trophy buck or a big turkey. A lot of these bow hunters used to hunt with a gun, but changed to bow for several reasons. George Rogers, a former gun hunter, said, "When you have around three months to get a deer compared to just a few days, it's easy to switch, and besides it much more of a challenge to get your deer with a bow."...

With the outdoor spotlight on hunting during October, anglers have reason to be active as well. During the fall, many sportsmen welcome diversions such as the baseball playoffs and the World Series; high school, college and professional football and other sports. However, during the autumn months, some fishermen want more than a good football game to keep them indoors, they need to be fishing...

This past Saturday, Prairie Day at Wah-Kon-Tah Prairie, was held near El Dorado Springs. The event drew hundreds of interested people including Richard Anderson, of Joplin, who said, "I am glad I came up here today because I learned a lot about Missouri prairies. ...

The song, "What a difference a Day Makes," could be applied to the opening day of the dove season, and the following day for many Missouri dove hunters this year. It couldn't have been a better day for opening the dove season at the Sloan Conservation Area, as hunters had plenty of targets along with weather unusual for Sept. 1...

Every Labor Day reminds Dave Duncan of a special fishing trip taken a few years ago. He was fishing Table Rock when his line suddenly moved sideways and he set the hook. He said, "I will never forget that moment. A big bass came out of the water and nearly caused me to fall into the lake. ...

Since Sept. 1 comes on a Thursday this year, the large population of doves within the state won't have much time to dodge hunters before the big Labor Day weekend. Which will be fine with many hunters like George Cooper, a retiree who has spent many opening days through the years working...

If you like to eat like I do while on an outdoor trip, there are many ways to enjoy meals while enjoying your favorite kind of outing without spending a lot of time cooking. Most people feel that the more work that can be cut from cooking, the more time there is for fun. ...

Now that the dog days of summer are here, having fun in the outdoors means being on or in the water. More and more people are finding fun in a canoe or kayak. Tom Pitts uses his canoe much more than his bass boat. He said, "A lot of my friends have kayaks, but I still use my canoe. I think it is the most versatile small craft available today. It's well adapted to travel the inland waters and can function in the open water as well...

It's hard to believe that, in less than a month, hunting seasons will be opening (Sept. 1). Starting with dove, snipe and rail, hunting will get started with a bang. Of course, squirrel season has been going on since May 28th, and frog season started June 30th, but most hunting doesn't get going until the dove season starts Sept. 1...

A lot of anglers are choosing to fish in the heat, which, in my opinion, is still better than not fishing at all. Last week I found there are many successful late July anglers who are catching crappie to catfish. Ron Daugherty, Carl Junction and Jay Ellis, Webb City, hit Stockton and caught 27 keeper crappie using red thunder or salt and pepper jigs...

When Charles Miller moved to the Ozarks from Colorado, he thought his trout fishing days were behind him. It came as a big surprise when he found that there were some good trout fishing throughout Missouri. After being in the state a few weeks, he picked up a Missouri Department of Conservation brochure on trout fishing in Missouri and discovered not only were there four trout parks that he had already heard of. ...

Traveling across our Missouri Ozark lakes region, it's hard not to take notice of all of the small ponds dotted throughout the landscape. Primarily, they were built for livestock. If the pond is larger than an acre, you can almost bet it holds a good population of largemouth bass, bluegill and channel catfish...

The honor of being one of the most popular as well as abundant fish in Missouri goes to the catfish. Especially popular with the fishermen is the channel cat. Channel cats are found in nearly all of the state's streams. Lakes and ponds that hold channel cats are common, and produce some good fishing...

At sunset June 30, area ponds, lakes and streams is where you would have found many early frog hunters. They will be ready to snag some of those (a fitting nickname) "Chicken of the Pond" tasty amphibians whose flesh is often compared to chicken or fish...

Now that summer has officially arrived, it's time to hit ponds, lakes and streams to catch bluegills. The peaking time is now. In late June and early July, concentrations of bluegill will be spawning along shallow lake shores. Look for craters of round, light spots on the bottom, which are the nest sites...

Years ago, Outdoor editor of the Kansas City Star, Ray Heady, claimed there is nothing compared to catching bass than with a topwater lure. May through June is the best fishing of the year. When bass come roaring up out of the depths of water with their big mouths wide open and you see the big fish exploding through the center spray, it gets your adrenaline going like nothing else in fishing...

Anglers often hear the phrase, "When you find a pattern, then you can catch fish." The problem, of course, is finding that pattern. In many ways, each species of fish is individual. Because of this, the pattern for catching each will vary with the fish's movements, seasonal habits as well as feeding periods. You can work out your own catching pattern for each species...

More than 2,000 individuals attended the weigh-in at the Teen Anglers Tournament held on Stockton Lake Sunday. They watched as the young anglers brought in their catch to be weighed. There were 166 teams of two anglers representing 54 Missouri middle and high schools...

In May, campers' thoughts turn to the campgrounds for many reasons. Spring, camping is special. You don't have to put up with many bugs, and usually the fishing is at its best. Camping in a tent or RV can be a family adventure during spring before the big Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial start of the camping season...

More than 400 young anglers got hooked on trout fishing at the Kid's Free Fishing Day at Bennett Spring last Saturday. Kids from 5 to 15 participated in the event where lots of rainbow trout were caught during the day including a few lunkers. Hatchery manager Ben Havens said, "Everything went well, even the weather. ...

Back in 1976, when America was celebrating its 200th anniversary, Sugar Farris was starting the first bass fishing tournaments for woman known as Bass'n Gals. It was the equivalent of the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (BASS). At one point it had 32,000 members in clubs and held nine tournaments a year, but ceased operations in 1997...

If you are a crappie angler, now is the time to hit the water. Fishing reports from area lakes show the crappie run is on and anglers are taking limits of these tasty fish at Table Rock, Bull Shoals, Pomme de Terre, Lake of the Ozarks, Stockton, Truman and Smithville as well as other area impoundments streams and tributaries...

When the 2016 spring turkey season opened Monday, Kevin Hess, Springfield, had a pocket full of memories of past hunts. None of his many hunts pleased him more than bagging his first Florida-Osceola bird. That turkey completed his getting a Wild Turkey Grand Slam, meaning he has now taken all four species of turkeys: Eastern, Rio Grande, Merriam and finally the Osceola. ...

Finding fish without a boat is something Brad Hailey, Walnut Grove, has had success doing over the past several weeks. Last week, he along with two friends, Gabe Gray, Greenfield and Landry Jones, Willard, hiked a short distance to a stream in Dade County. The location is where Hailey had traveled many times over the past 20 years to catch fish...

The white bass run has gotten underway on Southwest Missouri lakes and streams. With the water temperature hitting the 50s, whites started moving up spawning streams, and anglers were on hand to intercept them. All it took for me to get excited about catching white bass was a call from Les Jarman, who just the day before, along with his son, Luke, had caught lots of whites. ...

"I can see why Table Rock is rated as one of the best bass lakes in the country," said Fred Clark after he took his sixth largemouth bass of the morning. "I started fishing around Campbell Point many years ago and have caught a ton of bass from the lake over the past 30 years. ...

March madness doesn't just apply to basketball or the opening of the trout parks. On March 15, spoonbill snagging season opened. Many snaggers have had their calendar marked since the end of last season. Veteran snaggers like Jon Belcher, Osceola, had their gear ready. Belcher's been after spoonbills for more than 50 years...

It sounded like a perfect setup; more than a million snow geese in the Squaw Creek area, a top-notch outfitter who had put out 2,000 decoys plus electronic calls, ideal weather and a conservation order that allowed hunters no limit of snow geese ---- while the only permit required was a $5 permit for resident hunters...

The day was Feb. 23, 2007, and although spring was still weeks away, signs of it stood out like an elephant in a parade. Just like this year. With mild temperatures and a warm 62 degrees I headed for the lake under the bright sunshine. Birds were chirping, even the meadowlarks were perched on fence posts singing their song as I passed down the road to the lake...

The countdown has started, the unofficial start of fishing is almost here. Of course, fishing never stops in Missouri, but there is something special about the annual trout parks on March 1. Brian Canaday, Missouri Department Conservation, Fisheries Division Chief, said, "We have plenty of fish for the season. ...

Back when I was growing up,quail hunting was great. On many hunts it wasn't unusual to flush three or four coveys during a cool November morning. Things are a lot different today. I have talked to some quail hunters who remember how it was, but this past season hunters like Ralph Nelson and his pointer hunted places where he use to find plenty of bobwhites, but never flushed a single bird all day. The decline of Missouri's quail population has been well documented...

For more than 50 years I have found good trout fishing on Lake Taneycomo in February. For some reason, hooking the largest trout of the year has been happening in February. Last year in early- February, Brandon Butler, executive director of the Conservation Federation of Missouri, who is the voice for "Missouri's Outdoors" whose members are citizens for Conservation of Natural Resources in the state and Protection of our Outdoor Heritage, started a Media Camp at Lake Taneycomo. ...

The high and dingy water in area lakes has slowed winter fishing down, but some anglers have found fishing good especially for bass and crappie. One Kansas fisherman who has been pulling out crappie and bass from Missouri waters is Phil Schmidt Overland Park, Kan., who spent several days last week catching both species...

It's that time of the year when the outdoors moves indoors as Boat, RV and Sportshows get going bringing in thousands of anglers, hunters, vacationers, boaters and campers that are looking for products that help them enjoy their sport. Many outdoor adventures begin at these shows and with the holidays behind, now is the time to look forward to spring and summer outdoor activities that outdoor people enjoy most...

There are few pleasures in the sport of fishing that can match that of taking trout, bass, bluegill or other fish on a fly of your own creation. On cold winter evenings with a bitter wind rattling the windows, you can sit at a tying bench, reliving past fishing experiences while putting together the ingredients for future ones...

Missouri quail season ends Friday and its that time of the year when the outdoor calendar gets slim. The only good hunting seasons still open are rabbit, squirrel, crows, coyotes and waterfowl in the south zone. While the trout season at the four trout parks won't be open for catch and keep until March 1...

The quail-season ending Jan. 15, proved what many bird hunters had feared ---- not many quail. Gene Franklin and Clay Long, Columbia, hunted on some of the best looking quail fields in the state, but only flushed one covey and it was small. Long said, "In what we used to call a normal season we would have flushed three or four big coveys in the area we covered." Franklin added that things are different this time around...

As we run out of time in 2015, a look back shows it was both good and bad for outdoorsmen and women. For me, it started out good and ended up the same. Quail hunting was nothing like back in the 50s, but I was able to find birds where the habitat was good for holding birds. I caught fish from Truman to Table Rock...

Now that the leaves are off the trees, it's a good time to take a walk in the woods with a camera or cell phone ---- with camera capabilities that you can use in the area of any one of the big impoundments. Carefully walking through the woods with a camera or cell photo in hand rarely results in more than blurred images as well as an occasional scenic shot. There is a lot more to this kind of photography than most hobbyists realize...

It's one thing to find fishing for crappie in the spring when they are spawning on a lake known for bass and other species, but in December? There is good news for crappie anglers this month on area lakes. Once you find them, they can be some of the best eating as well as fun to catch. No matter how big, deep or intimidating, places around docks, marinas, coves and brush piles can produce crappie all year...

It was too good of a day not to go fishing, so Bob Mckenzie, Aurora, headed for Roaring Ricer State Park to do some catch and release winter fishing for trout. Mckenzie has fished Roaring River for more than 20 years, but never keeps a fish, he is all catch and release. ...

Weather suited for ducks greeted the opening weekend of waterfowl hunting in the state's south zone. The duck season in the south zone will continue through Jan. 24, 2016, while hunting for Canada geese will continue through Jan. 31, 2016. As the season opened in the south zone over the Thanksgiving weekend, hunters found a growing number of mallards moving into the state. ...

The 2015 firearm November portion brought out a lot of deer hunters across Missouri last Saturday. The opening day usually finds at least a quarter of the deer harvested during the 11-day season. The chances of a hunter getting a deer on any other day after the opening weekend falls off dramatically...

Both ducks and deer hunters are ready for action as the statewide 11 day November portion of the deer season will open Saturday.Young duck hunters in the middle zone had their opening weekend last Saturday with good results. On opening day at Schell-Osage Conservation Area. ...

It was a special weekend for young hunters as both the Youth Deer and duck weekend youth hunts took place in the middle zone. The statewide youth hunt for deer was the 15th year youngsters, age six to 16 got a jump on their elders. The youngsters also got an early hunt for ducks in the middle zone...

Charlie Campbell, of Forsythe, is a veteran angler at Bull Shoals Lake. Due to the recent high water levels at the lake, he hadn't fished it for awhile, but now that the water levels have fallen to a level that makes launching a boat easier, Campbell decided to go bass fishing. When Campbell and his wife, Wanda, started up the lake near Beaver Creek, they were shocked by a sight they had never before seen...

The fall turkey season slipped up on me this year. Usually I've made plans a month in advance of opening day, but with all the summer-like weather, I guess I was thinking more about waterfowl season. When looking out the kitchen window this week and seeing six big turkeys in the yard, it was time to get serious about getting a Thanksgiving bird...

Nevada Daily Mail Last Sunday was a good day for floating and fishing. The changing color of leaves was just getting started, the temperature was good and the river in good condition to float. The lack of a breeze made for an easy float as late summer turned into early fall. Within the next few weeks, the glow of autumn in the Ozarks should see the peak of color. A floating and fishing trip on any of the Ozark float streams is an experience never forgotten...

Nevada Daily Mail National Hunting and Fishing Day was celebrated Sept. 26 by the more than 1.1 million anglers, a-half-million hunters, plus people who enjoy wildlife photography or just watch and enjoy Missouri's rich wildlife and natural resources...

Nevada Daily Mail Cooler weather last weekend made opening day of the teal season more like duck hunting for the hunters who hit the Schell-Osage Wildlife Area. Just prior to the start of the 2015 teal season, there were few teal using the area, but on Saturday morning hunters were pleasantly surprised to find more birds had moved into the pools of water, producing some good hunting to start off the season...

The number of area archers is still growing with many hunters getting ready for the Sept. 15 opening of the archery deer-turkey season. Veteran archer Jim Campbell got me started bow hunting more than 20 years ago. Jim was one of those archers who made his own bow and arrows. He said, "You can't get started too early."...

Nevada Daily Mail When the 2015 teal season opens, there should be plenty of places for the birds that have water. Fred Green, a veteran teal hunter said, " With all the rain we have had this year, most all the ponds and potholes should be good places to find birds when the season opens Sept. 12."...

September 1 falls on a Tuesday this year, so the good population of doves will have several days to dodge hunters before the big Labor Day weekend. That is fine with many hunters including George Franklin, a retiree who has spent many opening days at work...

Jodi Wornell of Brighton, is the ultimate kayaker. She hits the water with her kayak at every opportunity. She has fished and floated nearly every stream in the Ozarks as well as many of the large impoundments and in other states. Last year she took a trip to New Zealand where she used a kayak in the ocean. Her favorite Ozark stream to float is the White River...

Jodi Wornell of Brighton, is the ultimate kayaker. She hits the water with her kayak at every opportunity. She has fished and floated nearly every stream in the Ozarks as well as many of the large impoundments and in other states. Last year she took a trip to New Zealand where she used a kayak in the ocean. Her favorite Ozark stream to float is the White River...

Nevada Daily Mail As we looked over a Vernon County farm pond during the late afternoon sunlight, we saw dimpling rises in the weeds along the shoreline. That was all we needed to know that there were bluegill in the pond. Out came the ultra-light fishing gear and the fun started...

Although its early-August with all the heat and dog days ahead, it's hard to think that in less that a month, hunting seasons will be open for hunters who go after the small migratory birds. Dove hunters will start off September, their season opens and continues through Nov. 9 with a daily limit of 15 doves and a possession limit of 45 birds. Early indications show there are plenty of birds in the state today and hunting should be very good, at least for the first week of the season...

Nevada Daily Mail Angler Justin Whitlock of Springfield, doesn't let the high water or hot temperatures stop him from fishing. Last weekend, at Pomme de Terre, he was fishing from a dock at the State Park Marina. He said, "With all the high water and heat, this is the best place to try to catch fish."...

Nevada Daily Mail When many people think about hunting mushrooms, they think "morels." Moreover, many folks never think of July as a good time to hunt and find another excellent edible mushroom, but they are missing out on some of the best wild food available at this time of the year...

Nevada Daily Mail It was about this time of the year when I got a call from a fishing friend suggesting we go crappie fishing. I thought the sun and the heat of July had gotten to him. He said "Really, the crappies and bass are hitting in the lake near my house. Meet me at the dock and I'll show you."...

Nevada Daily Mail The catfish family can be separated by a simple criteria into two major groups that anglers try to catch: the large catfishes that include channel cats, flathead and blue catfish, all of which often weigh over 20 pounds; and the bullheads both yellow and brown, which rarely exceed four pounds...

Nevada Daily Mail Fishing for a lunker fish is exciting. The big fish caught or lost, is the subject of many campfire conversations, and is a common bond between anglers. It also supplies a lifetime memory as a special pride in fishing accomplishment any angler can resist...

Nevada Daily Mail One of the most catchable fish in Missouri waters, especially in the summer months is the group known as panfish. The peak catching time is now. In late June and early July, concentrations of bluegills will be spawning along shallow lake or pond shores. Look for craters of round light spots on the bottom, which are the nest sites...

Nevada Daily Mail What most people see when looking at a tree sapling is only a sapling. However when Lyle Shaulis looks at one, he sees a bow in the rough. Recently, Shaulis found a hickory sapling he thought would make a good longbow for hunting and fishing, so he took it home and started working it into a sturdy piece of hunting equipment...

Nevada Daily Mail River otters, the largest member of the weasel family, are cute and their playfulness endears them to many humans. But to many anglers and farm pond owners they are serious fish predators with the ability almost overnight to make a pond fishless...

Nevada Daily Mail After watching a Bassmasters tournament weigh-in, some onlookers were in agreement that the fishing world had really changed from the days when you would take a cane pole with a can of worms and head for the river or lake. Modern technology has given anglers a wide selection of sophisticated gear to help find fish fast. ...

Nevada Daily Mail With the big unofficial start of the summer outdoor season, campers, boaters, anglers and other outdoor enthusiasts were ready to take advantage of the holiday. However, hunters like Randy Harper, Clinton, were able to get a jump start on the big weekend...

Nevada Daily Mail While traveling across the different areas of Missouri, it's hard not to notice all the small ponds, which were built to provide water for livestock. If a pond is larger than a half an acre, you can almost bet it holds a good population of largemouth bass, bluegill and maybe channel catfish...

Nevada Daily Mail Harold Elliott, Mount Vernon, once told me that when the turtles are on the road, the crappie are on the bank. Recently I started seeing turtles on the road so I checked to see if the crappie were on the banks of both streams and lakes...

Nevada Daily Mail After the first two weeks of the three week spring turkey season, Missouri turkey hunters have taken 36,464 bearded birds. Prior to the opening, Jason Isabeel, Missouri Department of Conservation turkey biologist, said he looks for another good season...

Nevada Daily Mail "It looks like Bennett Spring on opening day," said Fred Harper, Warsaw, as he looked over the one-half acre pond at the Lost Valley Fish Hatchery. The 14th annual Kids Fishing Day at the hatchery drew 476 youngsters along with parents, grandparents and other friends and relatives crowded around the pond...

April 11, 2015 at 8 a.m., will be a date and time that 11 year-old Kooper Bay will never forget. For that was when he shot his first wild turkey gobbler. It wasn't just a turkey gobbler he shot, it was also a bird with 10 beards, scoring 179.25 by the National Wild Turkey Records, making it the third highest score in Missouri and ninth in the nation...

Nevada Daily Mail Each April, there are three things that get outdoor minded people fired up. With good fishing as water warms ---- the fish get active and start spawning runs ---- the woods sound off with the sound of turkeys gobbling as the firearm spring turkey is about to open and hunting morel mushrooms gets underway...

Nevada Daily Mail It's turkey time! With some cooperation from the weather, this could well be another good spring season for Missouri turkey hunters. We know there are plenty of big toms roaming around the state. Kicking off the 2015 spring season, will be this weekend's annual Youth Hunt Weekend, followed by the regular three week season on April 20. ...

Nevada Daily Mail Crappie anglers know that in April the fishing and catching can be excellent, as the fish move into the bank for the annual spawning run which makes an ideal situation for catching a limit of these tasty fish. Veteran crappie anglers say that if you can't catch fish in the spring, you just aren't a true crappie angler...

Nevada Daily Mail Whether you call it paddlefish, spoonbill, or shevelnose-cat, the snagging season for this living fossil began in Missouri on March 15. One of North America's largest freshwater fish will not take bait or lures, but must be snagged or grabbed with a hook, if an angler wants to catch one...

Nevada Daily Mail The news from the Missouri Department of Conservation that the pheasant hunting season this year will be open statewide, doesn't mean that the numbers of the popular game- bird has increased. Beth Emmerich, research scientist for MDC, said, "Having a statewide season on pheasants will eliminate some of the confusion regarding pheasant hunting."...

Nevada Daily Mail For the first time in the 31 year history of the Cabela's Master Walleye Circuit, a tournament was held in Missouri. The event last weekend kicked off the circuit's 2015 season and drew anglers from 10 states as much warmer weather welcomed the 44 walleye anglers to Stockton lake...

Every angler should be acquainted with Kipling's outdoor poetry, not simply because of its artistry and musical quality, but because it sounds like the depths of a man's soul and possesses understanding and appreciativeness acquired by experience. It is March, and though belated blizzards come roaring down from the north, blotting out the sun and burying the earth with white, our spirits rise for we know it cannot last long. Spring and the good fishing lie just around the corner...

The countdown is about to end on the opening day at Missouri's trout parks. Of course, fishing never stops in Missouri, but there's something special about the annual trout fishing in the four trout parks on March 1. There won't be much elbow room for tossing a lure this opening day, which falls on a Sunday. Robert Sikes at the Bennett Spring State Park store, said, "When the opening day falls on a Sunday, we expect more anglers than on any other day."...

Last weekend, as I looked out my kitchen window, I saw several deer feeding on acorns under a big oak tree. Several of the deer stood out as their antlers gleamed in the sunlight. This signified to me that it was time to start looking for shed antlers. Now that most of the hunting seasons have ended, including rabbit and squirrel, antler hunting gives hunters a winter diversion that has its rewards...

There were several firsts in the recent Polar Bear Bass Tournament held Sunday on Stockton Lake. Ashley Ruggles, a senior at Hillcrest High School, along with her mother, were the only females in the tournament. The 17-year old student proved her fishing ability by bringing the limit of five bass to the weigh-in that weighed more than 17 pounds including one fish that tipped the scales at more than 7 pounds...

With the temperature in the 60s and even 70s for the first Missouri Conservation Federation's Media Camp at Lilley's Landing Resort on Lake Taneycomo Jan. 26-29, the trout anglers took advantage of some of the best winter trout fishing in the country...

Bennett Spring State Park's winter catch and release program is growing in popularity and with the spring-like weather over the last weekend, hundreds of anxious trout anglers were on hand to improve or maintain their fishing skills while waiting for the traditional March 1 start of the regular season in Missouri's trout parks...

Don't tell a growing group of Missouri outdoorsmen, that there isn't anything to do in January or February in the outdoors. In fact, they say, they keep as busy then as they do in the summer months. Many Missourians finds plenty of things to do in the Ozark outdoors during the winter months. Hunting seasons are still going on for several species including rabbits, squirrel, goose and ducks...

It's the time of the year when a breed of outdoor people don't mind wading in icy water and cold temperatures to pursue their sport of trapping. More than 11,000 Missouri trappers face the challenge of catching a long list of furbearers with traps they have set...

Nevada Daily Mail The day after Christmas, area lakes saw anglers catching fish in spite of the cold weather. Anglers at Table Rock, Pomme de Terre, Stockton, Truman and the Lake of the Ozarks had fishermen casting lures. For the past 15 years, Tom Smith and Fred Stark, of Des Moines, Iowa, have made trips to fish in some of the area lakes just prior to the annual Kansas City Sportshow. ...

Although the duck season in the north zone has ended and will close in the middle zone on Dec. 30, the south zone will continue through Jan 25. Canada goose hunters will see their season run through Jan. 31. Recently, I was reminded of how hunting for Canada geese has changed over the years. As a youngster, I remember if a hunter shot a Canada goose, it was a big deal, like a once-in-a lifetime event...

Nevada Daily Mail December is nearly half gone and a lot of outdoorsmen and women can't wait until spring to get outside, and there are many others who look forward to the winter months for a variety of reasons. Hunters like Carl Ferguson, of Sedalia, who has hunted rabbits for more than 40 years, said, "That first snow means it's time to go rabbit hunting. ...

Nevada Daily Mail When I was a kid growing up, I loved winter. There was snow to sled and ride on, rabbits, quail and ducks to hunt. Frozen feet, numb hands and a dripping nose were no problem. It started on November 10, when the quail season opened and there were plenty of them to hunt, the same with rabbits. The ducks had started to move into our area and hunting them was no problem...

Nevada Daily Mail Dennis Hymer of Strafford, is a serious crappie fisherman. He catches crappie in all of the four seasons. In the spring, when the fish are spawning, he said "the catching is easy." In the summer he goes a little deeper. In the fall and winter, he is still pulling crappie from the lake and has come up with a way to fish indoors when the temperature gets below freezing...

Last week, the Arctic weather caused a huge push of migrating waterfowl into Missouri that has made area duck hunters happy. Hunters from all across the state have tried their luck at the Schell-Osage Conservation Area near El Dorado Springs. A large concentration of the popular mallard ducks along with thousands of snow geese have stopped at the area to rest and feed on their way south...

Nevada Daily Mail Missouri deer hunters are getting ready for opening day of the November portion of the statewide firearm season. Today, more than 400,000 orange clad deer hunters will kick off the 2014 November portion of the firearm deer season ---- looking for a trophy buck or a nice size doe. Many of the first weekend hunters will be rewarded as opening day and weekend usually results in a sizable harvest of up to 80 percent of the 11-day season...

Nevada Daily Mail Last Saturday, Nov. 1, started the 2014-15 quail season, much to the delight of many area hunters. After years of declining quail numbers, a glimmer of hope for the upcoming season should see a slight increase of the numbers of this popular game bird...

Nevada Daily Mail Weather wise, it was a great weekend, but for serious young duck hunters, it wasn't duck hunting weather. With temperatures hovering around 80 degrees and a bright blue sky, most of the hunters in the Middle Zone Youth Weekend Duck Hunt had headed for home before noon without firing a shot...

Last week, while on a muskie fishing trip on Pomme de Terre Lake, with Earle Hammond, (who locals refer to him as Mr. Muskie), I saw first hand the vicious strike and fight of this sharp toothy fish.Hammond cast a shad lure near some structure and started retrieving the lure...

Hunting seasons are popping up like spring mushrooms. The prospects of a good fall hunting season in Missouri has optimism running high. The firearm fall turkey season opened Oct. 1. Hunters reported seeing lots of young birds. The latest totals show most of the top counties are in the Ozarks. After a good breeding season, turkey numbers are very good. Results of the annual brood survey show that for the third time in the last four years, the ratio of polts-to-hen was 1.7 percent Statewide...

Nevada Daily Mail "That was the best fishing trip I have ever had, everything went nearly perfect including the weather," said Alan Hill, a veteran from the Iraq war, who was wounded in 2007 after his truck convey was hit. KAMO Adventures, who supports wounded veterans by taking them on hunting and fishing trips here to the Ozarks, organized their second fishing adventure for several veterans on Stockton Lake. ...

Nevada Daily Mail The 43rd annual National Hunting and Fishing Day was celebrated last Saturday in recognition of the millions of Americans who hunt, fish, photograph or simply enjoy the country's rich wildlife and natural resources. One of the largest events was held at the Bois D' Arc Conservation Area, west of Springfield. ...

Nevada Daily Mail When the archery deer and turkey season opened on Sept. 15, thousands of Missouri bow hunters took to the woods in pursuit of a trophy whitetail or a big turkey. Archers have a long season and all of the state to hunt. Two successful bow-hunters were Lyle Shaulis and Ethan Gotheer, of Fair Play. Shaulis is the pastor of Harvest Assembly in Fair Play and Gotheer is the assistant pastor, both are veteran archers...

Nevada Daily Mail The Spring River at Mammoth Springs, Ark., attracts trout anglers from all around the country. Last weekend, in just a few hours, there were visitors to the Mammoth Springs State Park Visitor Center had visitors from 10 different states...

Nevada Daily Mail A tradition of duck hunting on opening day for more than 40 years continued last weekend when hunters from Iowa, Louisiana, and Missouri converged on the Schell-Osage Conservation Area to open the 2014 early teal season. Siman Seidel, of Council Bluffs, Iowa, and Mark Monday, of Heflin, La., joined Missourians David Forman and daughter, Brooklin, Walker, Charles Monday, of Lee's Summit and Roy Garreans, of Schell City for an opening weekend of teal hunting...

Nevada Daily Mail Missouri teal hunters should have plenty of targets when the early teal season opens next Saturday for a 16 day run. An early breeding survey showed 8.5 million blue-wing teal, so there will be a lot of teal heading south this month...

It's that time of the year when grasshoppers invade our area, and that's not all bad. I remember when my neighbor thought it was very funny as I casted a grasshopper I had just picked up into a pond. When a big bluegill followed the hopper and hit it, the neighbor saw things differently...

Nevada Daily Mail In less than two weeks the 2014 dove season gets underway, and thousands of Missouri dove hunters are getting ready. Hunters looking for a place to open the season might check, the website mdc.mo.gov/18183 to get information on nearly 100 conservation areas across the state where crops have been planted to attract the birds...

In checking last weeks fishing report, one spot looked very interesting. K-Dock on Bull Shoals reported fishing for bass wand walleye as excellent. So I checked it out. The first angler I met was David Stewart from St. Louis. Stewart admitted he was a novice angler and it showed. Having never caught a walleye, he forgot that this species of fish has teeth...

Camping! Either you love it or hate it, depending on when, where and how. The when is still about the same for most campers, but the where and how has changed a lot, over the years. Southwest Missouri offers visitors a wide range of camping experiences, from primitive solitude along the banks of lakes to developed sites, offering amenities including boat ramps, swimming beaches and modern plumbing...

Many catfish anglers like Bob Walker, Independence, are happy to see the Fourth of July arrive. That is when he starts getting serious about going after the catfish in lakes and streams. Last year, on July 6, Walker landed a 36-pound blue cat at Truman. That was just the beginning of a lot of catfish hooked by him last year...

Fishing for a lunker is exciting. A big fish caught or lost is the subject of many campfire conversations. It is a source for a common bond between anglers. It also supplies a lifetime memory, as a special pride in fishing accomplishment that no angler can resist...

To avoid the crowds and still have some great fishing over the big Memorial Day Weekend, Paul Hamilton usually hits a local farm pond with one or two of his grandchildren. "It's a great way to spend time with the kids and we always catch something, from bluegill to channel catfish," he said...

There is nothing like floating and fishing on an Ozark stream. Every stream in the Ozarks has its own character. These float streams offer good fishing from rainbow trout to catfish, as well as smallmouth bass. Every float is different and will have the floaters waiting expectantly for the view around the next bend in the stream, a view that is always new and different. Fishing and floating are popular sports in the Ozarks, where great scenery adds to the enjoyment of a fishing trip...

Missouri turkey hunters took 43,273 bearded birds during the recent three-week spring firearms season. Adding the 4,328 turkeys taken in the Youth Weekend Hunt brought the spring season total to 47,601, which was more than 5,500 more birds harvested than last year...

Although the spring turkey season is in full swing and morel mushroom hunters are out seeking a bag full of those tasty fungi, if you are a crappie angler, now is the time to hit the water. Fishing reports from most area lakes show the crappie run is on and anglers are taking limits of these tasty fish. David Teegarden, Racket, Mo., is one of the many turkey hunters who likes the fact that turkey hunters in the spring have to quit hunting at 1 p.m...

A light rain on Monday morning dampened the hopes of many Missouri turkey hunters as the three-week regular season opened. It was unlike the opening day of the Youth Weekend Turkey Hunt, when the weather was near perfect for the young hunters. The young hunters -- ages 6 through 15 -- checked 4,332 turkeys during the two-day youth turkey hunting season...

Now is a great time of the year for the outdoor- minded people of Missouri. With turkeys gobbling, mushrooms popping and fish spawning, it doesn't get much better than this. Young turkey hunters across the state just finished their special Youth Weekend Turkey Hunt by taking 4,328 turkeys, which was the largest number of bearded birds ever harvested in the 14-year history of the youth hunt. Top counties were Franklin with 107 birds checked, followed by Cedar with 96 and Webster with 92...

It was talking turkey time at the 11th annual Youth Turkey Hunting Clinic at Everhart's Wilderness Lodge, northwest of Clinton, last Saturday. A total of 40 children, age 9 through 15, from all across the state attended the event to learn about the rules and regulations on the upcoming Youth Weekend Hunt, April 12-13...

The craziness that characterizes the month of March isn't limited to just the opening day of trout fishing at Missouri's four trout parks or the big basketball tournament. Whether you call it a paddlefish, spoonbill or shovelnose cat, the snagging season for this living fossil begins on Saturday. For a growing number of spoonbill snaggers, this is the craziness of March...

To the trout angler, there is nothing like opening day of fishing in Missouri's four trout parks to remind them that spring is coming soon, despite this winter's cold and snow. Since opening day fell on a Saturday this year, a larger than usual crowd was expected, but the weather forecast kept some anglers away. At Bennett Spring, park officials said attendance was down nearly a thousand from what they expected...

The Missouri Hunting Spaniel Club held their Spring field trials last weekend, featuring Spaniel owners and handlers from 14 states. The event was held at Brushy Creek Farm, near Dunnegan. Tim Baker, Springfield, president of the local club, said, "Brushy Creek is a perfect place for hunting and hosting a field trial. The farm has 220 acres of habitat managed, exclusively to provide ideal habitat game birds...

When John Henry, 65, of Humansville, was a kid, buying flies for fishing cost a lot of money. He said, "Some of those flies cost as much as 25 cents apiece. I figured that I would get them a lot cheaper if I made them myself. "I first got interested in fly fishing on Bear Creek, in Polk County,by using a cane pole. There were two older men who loved to get out in a boat on Bear Creek...

Thursday marked the 129th anniversary of the birth of Bess Truman. It's a date that reminds me of the good times I had visiting with her over the years and keeping the Trumans supplied with the fresh crappie they loved. Truman loved almost all sports when a young woman was a champion tennis player and a very good third baseman on the local ball team. ...

It's that time of year when the outdoor calendar gets slim. The only hunting seasons include crows, rabbits, squirrel, coyotes and geese, while the trout season in Missouri's four trout parks won't open until March 1, with the spoonbill snagging season following on March 15...

The fur industry is alive and well in Missouri, as shown by furriers across the state, including Bud Keller, Collins, who has been buying and shipping furs since 1967. Keller, 86, said, "I became interested in furs when I was just a kid. My father took me hunting...