Projects

The MDC Deer Program uses surveys such as this one to gauge public opinion regarding deer numbers and management strategies and as indicators of deer population trends in each county. We greatly appreciate the responses we receive which help make our surveys an effective management tool!

The Archery Deer Hunting Survey asks questions about perceived changes in the deer population (number of big bucks and total deer compared to the past 5 years), opinions about deer population size and trends in the county most hunted, and specific days that are hunted and number of deer that were killed each day of the archery season. Data on specific days hunted and number of deer killed are important both for a “trips-per-kill” estimate and to better understand when hunters are spending time afield. “Trips-per-kill” often influences hunter satisfaction and is also an important indicator of deer population trends.

The sampling pool for this survey is any hunter that receives an archery deer hunting permit during a given deer season. Following the 2016 deer season, we sent 35,000 surveys to archery hunters (about 7% of our total deer hunters or 18% of our archery deer hunters).

We have summarized the primary results of the 2016 survey and present the data.

Some findings from the 2017 Missouri Archery Deer Hunting Survey include:

• 5% more archers used crossbow in 2017 compared to 2016, and 5% fewer archers used compound bow; suggests archers may be switching methods.
• Most archers believe there are about the right number (57.7%) or too few (33.8%) deer in the area they hunt most.
• Most (69.9%) archers believe CWD is a threat to Missouri’s deer population.
• Compound bow hunters have a slightly lower success rate and slightly higher wounding rate compared to crossbow hunters.
• Estimated trips/archery kill ranged from 5.7 - 7.9 prior to the November firearm portion and increased to 12.3 - 15.9 following the November firearm portion.

Some finding from the 2017 Missouri Firearms Deer Hunting Survey include:

• Most firearms hunters believe there are about the right number (53.9%) or too few (34.8%) deer in the area they hunt most.
• In 2017, all regions of the state had an increase in the number of firearms hunters who felt the number of deer in the area they hunt most was “about right” compared to 2016.
• 80.7% of firearms hunters hunt exclusively on private land.
• Most (74.0%) of firearms hunters believe CWD is a threat to Missouri’s deer population.
• Estimated trips/kill was lowest during the Early Youth portion at 5.7 and highest during the Alternative Methods portion at 17.2.

In the spring and early summer of 2023, the Missouri Department of Conservation interviewed mill owner/operators from a random-sample of primary wood processors throughout the state, asking for information on their firms from 2022. In this report we present forest industry trends, harvest levels and other details. Such detailed information is necessary for intelligent planning and decision making in wood procurement, forest resources management, and forest industry development. Likewise, researchers need current forest industry and industrial roundwood information for planning projects.

Widespread use of neonicotinoid insecticides in North America has led to frequent detection of neonicotinoids in surface waters. Despite frequent surface water detection, few studies have evaluated underlying sediments for the presence of neonicotinoids. Thus, we sampled water and sediments for neonicotinoids during a one-year period at 40 floodplain wetlands throughout Missouri. Analyzed for six common neonicotinoids, sediment samples consistently (63% of samples) contained neonicotinoids (e.g., imidacloprid and clothianidin) in all sampling periods. Mean sediment and aqueous neonicotinoid concentrations were 1.19 μg kg–1 (range: 0–17.99 μg kg–1) and 0.03 μg L–1 (0–0.97 μg L–1), respectively. We used boosted regression tree analysis to explain sediment neonicotinoid concentrations and ultimately identified six variables that accounted for 31.6% of concentration variability. Efforts to limit sediment neonicotinoid contamination could include reducing agriculture within a wetland below a threshold of 25% area planted. Also, prolonging periods of overlying water >25 cm deep when water temperatures reach/exceed 18 °C could promote conditions favorable for neonicotinoid degradation. Results of this study can be useful in determining potential routes and levels of neonicotinoid exposure experienced by nontarget benthic aquatic invertebrates as well as potential means to mitigate neonicotinoid concentrations in floodplain wetlands.

Environmental Science & Technology 2019 53(18),10591-10600.

The Great Flood of 1993 created 466 new wetlands along the Missouri River floodplain between Kansas City and St. Louis, providing an opportunity to see how wetland dependent species use these newly created habitats. This study focuses on the occupancy and fate of amphibians using new and existing floodplain wetlands after this flood event.

Zoonotic disease emergence is not a purely biological process mediated only by ecologic factors; opportunities for transmission of zoonoses from animals to humans also depend on how people interact with animals. This paper proposes an expanded “One Health” conceptual model for human-animal exposure that accounts for social as well as epidemiologic factors.