Nature's Calling - Bowhunting, Hunter Ed, & Monarch Butterfly (Sept 2015)

Get valuable tips and info about bowhunting, hunter education and monarch butterflies in Missouri in this month's "Nature's Calling."
Welcome to this month’s Nature’s Calling.
I’m Lucas Bond with the Missouri Department of Conservation.
Fall hunting seasons are drawing near and one in particular I encourage you try is bowhunting.
Today, more than 180,000 archers hunt in the Show-me state and enjoy more than a 90 day statewide season.
Archery hunting is a challenging pursuit that requires accurate shots.
Three types of bow are allowed for hunting: longbows, compound bows, and recurve bows of any draw weight.
Additionally, hunters can use illuminated sights and scopes and they can try a shot at using atlatls which are hand-held devices.
While you’re out in the woods enjoying a nice fall hunt remember instead of making a phone call to telecheck your harvest you can always use the new MO Hunting app.
The new mobile hunting app allows Missouri hunters to purchase and view annual permits and allows deer and turkey hunters to telecheck their harvests.
The 2015 archery deer and turkey season runs from September 15th thru November 13th and November 25 thru January 15th.
Before you take to the woods for a fall hunt the Missouri Department of Conservation encourages you to get your hunter education.
The hunter education course is required for anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 1967, and buys a firearm hunting permit, or any person 11 to 15 years old who hunts alone.
Missouri is a great place to hunt.
Hunter education helps make it a safe place to hunt.
Since becoming mandatory in 1987, hunter education has reduced hunting incidents and deaths in the state by more than 70 percent.
The hunter education program is divided into two parts; a knowledge and skills.
The knowledge portion can be completed either self-study by completing a student manual online, or you go through a computer on our website, or go to a four-hour class session.
Once you’ve completed the knowledge portion, you sign-up for a skills session which includes demonstrations, videos, and then a final exam.
Lairmore says that both the knowledge and skills portions must be completed to become certified.
The best way to sign up for classes is by contacting your local conservation office.
While out on a nice fall hunt or hike takes some time and discover nature and learn more about the majestic monarch butterfly.
The monarch is a striking insect common across the Show-me state.
Distinguished by their size, broods are produced in the summer and fall.
The monarch life cycle from egg to caterpillar to chrysalis to an adult only takes a little over a month to complete.
Adults live for only four to five weeks, except the last generation each year that can live for seven to eight months, migrating to Mexico in the fall.
Monarch butterflies populations are in decline due to deforestation in their wintering grounds.
Efforts are under way to protect this species and restore habitat.
Milkweed is the host plant for monarch.
They lay their eggs on milkweed and their larvae will only feed on milkweed.
So they have to have milkweeds to grow and develop into adults.
Newbold says planting milkweeds, especially in areas where they are currently scarce, can help monarchs be more successful in rearing new generations.
For more information about bowhunting, hunter education and monarchs visit mdc.mo.gov
Thanks for watching!
And remember nature’s calling, get out and enjoy Missouri’s outdoors.