Conservation department boosting outdoor activities with clinics

Jacob Meikel, St. Joseph News-Press, Mo.
·2 min read

May 24—The Missouri Department of Conservation is hoping to build interest in outdoor activities with a series of events and free clinics.

In 2020, hunting and fishing permits saw an increase of more than 80,000 compared to 2019. Since then, a local conservation agent at the Northwest Regional office said interest has taken a dip since the heights of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The loss of new hunters and fisherman and outdoor people is by far greater than it has ever been. We've got less and less people that are hunting and fishing," said Dave Carlisle, a Northwest Regional conservation agent.

Carlisle said the conservation department is looking to get people who may never have been involved in outdoor sports past the barriers that keep them from participating, and that's where clinics will play a role.

Next month, the department will host a free clinic for women looking to learn more about firearms for hunting, something the agency has put on for years.

"The main goal with the department is trying to recruit people to hunt and fish and to use conservation in a wise manner," Carlisle said. "If we can get women together who may have an interest in outdoors or maybe all they want to do is have an interest in shooting and then maybe pick up sports of hunting or just practice target shooting, then it's a win-win."

Active hunting and fishing act as a management tool, according to Carlisle.

"It is something that helps our agency and other agencies across the country manage their wildlife," he said. "When you start looking at down the road what that impacts, that impacts people's love for the outdoors, maybe or maybe not they won't be visiting some of our national parks, they may not be hunting or fishing in other parts of the country."

Carlisle said the clinic for women aims to teach safely handling a gun and hopes to boost the confidence of participants.

"Whether it be for teenage girls, adult women ... youth, it's just to get people competent and confident in their abilities and to give them something else to try," Carlisle said.

For a list of upcoming events and clinics, go to mdc.mo.gov/events and select the county or region where you live.

Jacob Meikel can be reached at jacob.meikel@newspressnow.com.

Follow him on Twitter @NPNowMeikel.