Urban Bowhunting Specialist Springfield

[Rick Wakeman]

The Missouri Department of Conservation is planning to conduct a managed urban archery deer hunt to reduce the doe population of specific properties owned by City Utilities in Springfield, MO ( District 7 ). This will be a MDC sanctioned and managed hunt, but they have asked the Missouri Bowhunting Council for assistance in training the selected individuals in urban-specific tactics and safety.

Tentative class dates are June 26, July 24, and September 11, 2010 at the MDC Southwest Regional Office located at 2630 N. Mayfair in Springfield. For more information contact the SW Regional Office at (417) 895-6880.

If you are interested in volunteering to help with the training classes, please contact Brian Peterson at (417) 794-3422 or Denny Ballard at (573) 808-3773.

[Rick Wakeman]

The Managed Hunts in the Springfield area (Fellows Lake and Lake Springfield) have been CANCELLED. This goes for the Urban Bowhunting Specialist (UBS) training classes as well. There was little or no fanfare to the cancellation and when pressed for a response, it was stated that liability insurance was the crux of the issue. City Utilities (the landowners in both areas) had voiced concerns over this issue, and from earlier meetings and discussions, I surmise that they were hoping that we (Missouri Bowhunting Council) would provide this policy as we did in the St. Louis program (as I understand it, there is currently no liability insurance provided with the UBS program there due to funding issues). For the complete story on the Springfield hunts, refer to:

http://www.news-leader.com/article/2...-for-this-year

Our issue is that A: we are not insurance undewriters, and B: MDC wanted to alter the UBS program to a random drawing, allowing anyone who possessed a valid archery license and had passed the Bowhunter Ed course to participate regardless of experience or qualification. We took issue with this due to the volitile nature of the urban bowhunting setting--only the most experienced and qualified bowhunters should be out there.

Insofar as the cross bow issue is concerned: Yes, when we caught wind of the possible inclusion of cross bows in the urban portion of the archery season, Denny Ballard notified MDC that he would decline to continue teaching the UBS program. I expressed my solidarity with his position, but ammended my position to support the UBS program until it was officially and undeniably stated that cross bows were in the archery season. Denny has requested an audience with Director Ziehmer to discuss cross bows and I am still awaiting answers from MDC Supervisors to my inquiries about the crossbow dating back to June.

With todays political and finacial climate, the crossbow issue will undoubtedly surface again (and likely soon). Our only hope is that we can be included in the discussions with the powers that be rather than finding out about it reading the fall reg's.

Brian Peterson, President UBM
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Brian Peterson, President
United Bowhunters of Missouri