ST. CHARLES – The Missouri Conservation Commission met Dec. 12 for a closed executive session and Dec. 13 for its regular open meeting, both at the MDC St. Louis Regional Office in St. Charles. Commissioners attending the open meeting in person or online were:
- Margaret F. (Margy) Eckelkamp, Chair
- Mark L. McHenry, Vice Chair
- Raymond T. (Ray) Wagner Jr., Secretary
- Steven D. Harrison, Member
PRESENTATIONS
The Commission received the following presentations/reports:
- Director’s Comments – Jason Sumners, Director
- Louis Region Updates — Gary Calvert, St. Louis Regional Administrator
- Report of the Regulations Committee — Laura Conlee, Deputy Director and Chair, Regulations Committee
- Recommendations to set season dates for each portion of the 2025-2026 firearms deer hunting season and recommendations to modify cervid carcass transport regulations and establish cervid carcass disposal regulations — Jason Isabelle, Cervid Program Supervisor
- Turkey Update, recommendation to establish season dates and limits for the 2025 Missouri Spring Turkey Hunting seasons, and regulations recommendations on conservation areas and managed hunts — Nicholas Oakley, Scientist
- Financial Report — Melanie Crane, Chief Budget Officer
- Conservation Employees’ Benefits Plan Update — Tom Neubauer, Human Resources Branch Chief
- November Flood Impacts — Clint Hale, Hatchery Systems Manager and Jacob Careaga, Infrastructure Management Branch Chief
- Major Construction Projects Status Report — Jacob Careaga, Infrastructure Management Branch Chief
ADMINISTRATION
The Commission:
- Approved items on the Consent Calendar.
- Approved recommendations to set season dates for each portion of the 2025-2026 firearms deer hunting season and recommendations to modify cervid carcass transport regulations and establish cervid carcass disposal regulations.
- Approved recommendations to establish season dates and limits for the 2025 Missouri Spring Turkey Hunting seasons and regulation recommendations for conservation areas and managed hunts.
- Approved authorization to amend the existing professional services agreement with HDR, Inc. of Omaha, NE for the design and construction administration of the Bennett Spring Fish Hatchery Renovation Project currently under construction in Laclede County.
- Approved to accept the donation of approximately .53 acres in Johnson County as an addition to J.N. Turkey Kearn Memorial Wildlife Area.
- Approved the purchase of 73 acres in Harrison County as a new conservation area to be named Blazing Prairie Conservation Area.
- Approved the purchase of 140 acres in Pettis County to be named the Dr. Harry and Lina Berrier Memorial Tract of Paintbrush Prairie Conservation Area.
- Approved the disposal of a 3.6-acre parcel of the Worth Community Lake in Worth County to settle a property discrepancy with a neighboring landowner.
- Approved the disposal of the 11-acre northern portion of the Powell Tower site in McDonald County through a transfer of ownership of 3 acres to the White Rock Fire Protection District and through selling the remaining 8 acres via public
- Approved the advertisement and sale of an estimated 1,272,028 board feet of timber located on 586 acres of Compartment 33, Angeline Conservation Area in Shannon County.
- Approved the advertisement and sale of an estimated 6,386,003 board feet of timber located on 1,375 acres of Compartment 22, Current River Conservation Area in Shannon and Reynolds County.
- Approved the suspension or revocation of one or more hunting, fishing, trapping, or other privileges of 16 individuals for cause or court ordered:
- Jose Castro, Affton, Fishing, 1 Year;
- Carlos Eleis, St. Charles, Fishing, 1 Year;
- Jaylen S. Fendrick, Laddonia, Hunting, 1 Year;
- Jose C. Funez, St. Louis, Fishing, 1 Year;
- Ponciano Grajeda, Ballwin, Fishing, 1 Year;
- Shawn D. Harris, Arnold, Hunting and Fishing, Add 2 Years to Current Revocation;
- Phun Hei, Garland (TX ), Fishing, 1 Year;
- Thomas Kung Tum, Garland (TX), Fishing, 1 Year;
- Bi G. Liu, Herculaneum, Fishing, 4 Years;
- Angel Lopez, Overland, Fishing, 1 Year;
- Carlos P. Morales, St. John, Fishing, 1 Year;
- Victor Santos, St. Charles, Fishing, 1 Year;
- Heath Shockley, East Prairie, Hunting, 2 Years;
- Jimmie D. Webb, Nevada, Hunting and Fishing, 1 Year;
- Jessie E. Willis, East Prairie, Fishing 1 Year; and
- Mark McKnight, Bourbon, Class III Wildlife Breeder, 3 Years.
- Set the next open meeting for Feb. 7.
This document is provided for public information only and is not an official record of the Missouri Department of Conservation or Missouri Conservation Commission.
To watch recordings of Commission meetings, go to http://on.mo.gov/2nodPJU.