Hunting and fishing areas to be expanded at Mingo Refuge

By MIKE MCCOY

Statesman Staff Writer

PUXICO, Mo. -- Mingo National Wildlife Refuge is offering expanded hunting and fishing opportunities, it was announced by Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell this week. The announcement came in advance of National Hunting and Fishing Day on Sept. 28. The Mingo Wildlife Refuge is one of 20 refuges across the country where hunting and fishing is being expanded. Six national refuges are being opened to hunters and fishermen for the first time.

Peter Rea, Visitor Services Park Ranger at Mingo National Wildlife Refuge, said the expansion will add about 6,000 acres of hardwood bottomland forest available to hunters, and would add another pool for waterfowl hunters.

The proposed expanded hunt opportunities at Mingo were published in the Federal Register Sept. 24. There is a 30-day public comment period while it is in the Federal Register. After this 30 day comment period and if there are no issues, the new plan becomes finalized and implemented.

Mingo Wildlife Refuge has been open to hunting and fishing for some time. The expansion means that more land will available to hunters for deer, turkey and other hunting seasons. In recent years, duck hunting has been available on Pool 8 at the Refuge. Hunters draw at Duck Creek for a chance to hunt on that pool. Beginning with the implementation of the new plan, Pool 7 will be open to duck hunting for three days a week.

If the preferred plan is implemented, the hunting area would be expanded for archery deer/turkey, spring turkey and squirrel to include all areas south of the Ozark Highland Auto Tour (OHAT), North of Ditch 11 and east of Ditch 6 (Figure 6). The area between Ditches 4 & 6 would be closed to archery deer hunting on Oct. 31 and would require personal property to be removed daily from the wilderness. Areas of Monopoly Marsh that are under water would be closed to hunting. Squirrel Season would close the day before archery deer season begins."

Quota and special hunts may be expanded under this alternative to include more hunts as needed to control deer populations on the refuge. The quota hunts will be based on the annual spotlight surveys, desired populations and in coordination with the Mo. Dept. of Conservation.

Rea says that muzzleloading is allowed for deer hunting during a managed deer hunt. That hunt willl be held Dec. 7-8 this year. The refuge also allows youth to hunt during the state designed Youth Hunt.

Waterfowl would remain by MDC draw only under this alternative. Waterfowl hunting in Pool 8 would remain seven days per week during season for up to 50 hunters and Pool 7 would be open three days per week for up to 25 hunters. All waterfowl hunting would end at 1 p.m. Some years the hunt(s) would not occur due to lack of water or management needs for Pool 7 and/or Pool 8.

Raccoon season would be by SUP only and would coincide with the statewide season/regulations. Raccoon hunting would be allowed refuge-wide, but areas would be specified in the SUP. Raccoon, bobcats and feral hogs may be taken by any legal means while hunting other open species during open season for that species.

"Sportsmen and women were a major driving force behind the creation and expansion of the National Wildlife Refuge System more than a century ago and continue to be some of its strongest supporters, especially through their volunteer work and financial contributions," Jewell said. "Keeping our hunting and angling heritage strong by providing more opportunities on our refuges will not only help raise up a new generation of conservationists, but also support local businesses and create jobs in local communities."

National wildlife refuges generate important benefits from the conservation of wildlife and habitat through spending and employment for local economies, said Jewell. According to the National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, published every five years by the Service, more than 90 million Americans, or 41 percent of the United States' population age 16 and older, pursued wildlife-related recreation in 2011. They spent more than $144 billion that year on those activities. Nearly 72 million people observed wildlife, while more than 33 million fished and more than 13 million hunted.

The Service manages its hunting and fishing programs on refuges to ensure sustainable wildlife populations, while offering historical wildlife-dependent recreation on public lands.

Established in 1944 under authority of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the 21,592-acre Mingo NWR is located in Stoddard and Wayne counties in southeast Missouri. A shallow basin, the Refuge lies in an abandoned channel of the Mississippi River bordered on the west by the Ozark Plateau and on the east by Crowley's Ridge. The Refuge contains approximately 16,000 acres of bottomland and upland hardwood forest, 3,000 acres of marsh and water, 1,800 acres of cropland and moist soil units, and 170 acres of grassy openings. "