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For those who read this column and enjoy the outdoor colors in the fall of the year, it would be wise to take a trip this weekend as the colors will begin to fade pretty soon. For reasons that only Mother Nature knows, the colors did not begin to appear as early as they normally do and therefore the early October color watching didn’t happen. The late spring, the warm conditions during part of the winter seems to have messed up everything outdoors.  I have recently seen doe deer with young ones that still have their spots.  During the normal weather, the young buck deer have nubbins on their heads that you can see if you get close enough.  Usually

It won’t be long before big hunting seasons arrive in Missouri. Waterfowl hunting will begin October 25-26 with the youth hunt. The regular season in the Middle Zone which encompasses Lake Wappapello, Duck Creek, and Otter Slough and the rest of the area around these locations begins November 1 continuing through December 30. Be sure to check your Waterfowl Hunting Digest you should get when you purchase your license. If you do not have a Waterfowl pamphlet, there is no charge and you can pick one up anywhere they sell hunting or fishing permits. I was reminded the other afternoon that the Missouri Fish Gigging season is open. I saw a boat rigged with lights heading out Highway 60 toward

I’ve already seen some deer forecasts for my home state of Missouri, and it’s a wonder we even bother buying tags according to a few journalists. With all the doomsday talk about our poor, diseased, malnourished, and minuscule deer herd, I thought a bit of logic and facts might keep a few guys from selling off their rifles! First of all, there is one other authority on our deer herd that you can safely take advice from, and that’s Mr. Jim Low, the head writer for the Missouri Department of Conservation. As of right now, the only two people I’d listen to in reference to deer numbers is Jim and myself, there may be other legitimate sources out there, I

This week’s column will venture into a different direction than normal as I intend to give some wisdom from the Woods that gets away from hunting and fishing. How about flower growing? Our house is at the end of a private lane off Butler Co. Road 415 and there is timber lining the driveway all the way to the house. When visitors approach the driveway, they see a sign that lists some of the items available from Maggie’s Farm & Hatchery. Maggie is our great-granddaughter and approaching her third birthday. Their house is less than 100 yds. from ours and that little rascal routinely visits us with her dogs in tow. When we moved out here in 1979, there was

When the subject of stream fishing pops up, there are lots of trips that come to mind.  Probably the most interesting is one I took with co-worker Al Looper, years ago on upper Black River.  What a mistake it was.  Al insisted on taking the trip with his 14ft. Lone Star.  We were going to fish an area that I was not really familiar with, Mill Springs to Williamsville. I could vaguely remember being on that stretch of water with my brother Richard one time and didn’t remember too much about the river as I did most of the paddling.  We had taken two vehicles and left my station wagon at the take-out point and were going to drive back