Sports

Learn how to transform deer into summer sausage, jerky, and brats. In addition to spending quality time in the outdoors, another benefit of a successful deer hunt is providing delicious venison for upcoming meals.

On Sept. 15, the Trout Management Program conducted its annual fall monitoring event of the Norfork Tailwater (North Fork River) trout fishery. A total of 391 trout were collected, of which 86% were Rainbow Trout. Overall, sizes of trout ranged from approximately 7 to 27 inches, but the average sizes of Rainbow and Brown Trout were 13.2 inches and 17.9 inches, respectively. Most Brook and Cutthroat Trout were fish stocked in the tailwater within the last couple of months. The biggest trout collected during the event was a 27.1 inch (9.9 lb.) Brown Trout. The TMP also tagged a total of 104 Rainbow Trout and 35 Brown Trout during the event as part of the ongoing effort to monitor growth and movement of trout in the tailwater. Only four trout (2 Rainbow Trout, 1 Brown Trout, and 1 Cutthroat Trout) were fish that already had tags from previous tagging events. Over the next two months, the TMP will attempt to collect similar data from the Beaver, Greers Ferry and Bull Shoals Tailwaters so that comparisons of numbers and size structures can be made between fisheries.

Gaming fans get ready because the Missouri State University-West Plains (MSU-WP) Grizzly eSports team is about to begin competition! The Grizzlies will play their first NJCAAE-sanctioned event at 5 p.m. Monday, Oct.

In August, the Trout Management Program completed two, year-long angler surveys on the Bull Shoals Tailwater (White River) and Norfork Tailwater (North Fork River). The surveys were part of an effort to collect updated information on angler effort (hours spent fishing), catch, and harvest of trout on the fisheries. The program also collected important information on tackle use, residency, and use of public and private access areas. Additional information regarding opinions about the trout fisheries was also collected from anglers who agreed to participate in follow-up mail surveys. The information collected during the surveys will ultimately be used to inform management recommendations (e.g., stocking, fishing regulations) for the fisheries. The participation exhibited by anglers and guides during the surveys was incredible. Between the two fisheries, we collected information from nearly 2,400 angling parties with close to 4,900 anglers. The willingness by guides to participate in the surveys was key, as guided trips accounted for approximately 38% of all interviews on Bull Shoals Tailwater and 23% of all interviews on Norfork Tailwater. We truly appreciate everyone who took part in the surveys and look forward to sharing the results as soon as possible.