Sports

Four-wheeling enthusiasts, come one, come all to another exhilarating ATV/ UTV/Jeep family adventure in the hills of Hardy and the surrounding Ozarks! Celebrate the incoming autumn days on Saturday, Sept. 17, starting at Loberg Park in Hardy. Check-in is at 9 a.m. and the ride starts at 10 a.m. Registration fee is $25 per unit and will be done on site. As always, this is a familywelcome event. Bring the kids, bring the dog, bring whoever who is up for a nice 42-mile road trip! This will be an all-road scenic ride through the Ozark hills. A lunch stop will be at Cox Implement in Highland midway through the ride. There will be several games played, followed by lunch which will be catered by Bob and Sandy's with BBQ sandwiches, beans and slaw. Cash prize drawings will be held, one winning ticket for $100 and five tickets for $20. Other prizes include gift certificates to local restaurants.

In June, personnel from the Trout Management Program (TMP) and Jim Hinkle Spring River State Fish Hatchery conducted a seasonal population monitoring and tagging event on the Spring River. Sixty percent of all fish collected in June were trout, but Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass, Shadow Bass, Longear Sunfish, Warmouth, Bluegill and Walleye were also collected. Several Brown Trout stocked in 2021 were collected during the event. Prior to stocking, those fish were marked with freeze brands (see picture to right) so they could be identified when recaptured in the field. So far, those fish have exhibited good growth during their first year in the fishery. Brown Trout stocked in 2021 were stocked at an average length of 9 inches, but are now averaging ~13 inches. The TMP will continue this project for at least two years, and is designed to obtain estimates of trout growth and survival on Spring River.

HARPER FREEMAN - 2ND BRYLEE ARY - 2ND ASPEN KRAFT - 1ST CRIMSON PIPER - 1ST ANSLEY O’NEILL - 1ST MCKENZIE STEVENS - 1ST LEXI HARGUS - 2ND NEVEAH VANWINKLE - 4TH JACELYN WRIGHT - 1ST BRAELYNN HASKINS - 3RD BRILEY SMITH - 4TH BELLE BAKER - 1ST BRINNLEY BUSCH - 2ND MERCEDE WILSON - 2ND DESTINY DAILEY - 5TH JEMMA KATE SMITH - 1ST Athletes from Gina’s Gymnastics competed at a meet held in Bolivar hosted by Tumbles. .

On Monday, Aug. 1, a new face joined Grizzly Athletics at Missouri State University-West Plains (MSU-WP). Rusty Laverentz began his duties as full-time athletic director. He brings more than 20 years of higher education experience to the position.

Meet “Astro” at MDC building and learn how man’s best friend is helping conservation. Dogs can be a great tool for conservation-related work.

Comment on MDC’s draft CWD Surveillance and Management Plan July 25 through Aug. 8 at mdc.mo.gov/cwdplan. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is revising its surveillance and management plan for chronic wasting disease (CWD) and is seeking public feedback on the plan’s goals and objectives, and potential changes to deer hunting regulations.