Get Outside in November

Bald Eagle Watch

Winter is a good time to look for bald eagles. They are usually seen near lakes, rivers, and marshes as they forage for fish or carrion. Strike out on your own to catch a glimpse of these majestic birds or join MDC for a bald eagle event. Visit mdc.mo.gov/events to find an event near you.

Still Blooming

It may be November, but you are seeing the bloom of a flower! Eastern witch-hazel is a shrub or small tree, occurring mostly in Missouri’s eastern Ozarks, that flowers from November to December. Its flowers are yellow, adding a splash of color to woodlands as the fall foliage begins fading away.

Give Your Rake a Break

Before you spend another precious weekend day raking leaves, consider this — why not leave them be? Fallen leaves are not only good for wildlife but they are good for the environment.

Backyard wildlife — including insects, butterflies, and other pollinators — need fallen leaves for refuge and food. The insects that overwinter in leaf litter now are essential food for nesting songbirds in the spring.

Deciduous trees absorb their leaves’ nutrients and shed their leaves every fall. But the fallen leaves don’t go to waste. Their nutrients nourish the soil, creating a nice mulch layer that helps rain and snow melt soak into the ground.

The Beauty of Mushrooms

On your autumn hikes, keep an eye out for mushrooms, which decorate autumn woodlands the way wildflowers do in the spring. It’s a great time to learn more about Missouri mushrooms, which ones are edible and which ones are not. To help in your identification, use A Guide to Missouri’s Edible and Poisonous Mushrooms, available online at short.mdc.mo.gov/ZNf or order a free copy at short.mdc.mo.gov/4Yq.

Hunters, Help Us!

November 11-12: Mandatory sampling of deer opening firearms weekend in select CWD management zone counties. Get information on chronic wasting disease and find sampling locations at mdc.mo.gov/cwd

Missouri Trappers Association 2024 Fur Auction

Saturday, Feb. 24, 8 a.m.

Montgomery County Fairgrounds, 700 South Sturgeon Street, Montgomery City, MO 63361

All ages.

Looking for a place to sell your fur? The Missouri Trappers Association will hold its annual fur auction, featuring both green and finished fur. Applications for lot numbers will be accepted starting Nov. 1 with a deadline of Jan. 1. Applications received in this time period will be entered into a lottery to determine selling order. To get a complete set of rules, visit missouritrappers.com or contact fur auction chairman Jim Love at 636-359-2203.

Everyone is welcome to attend even if you are not selling fur. Breakfast and lunch are available.

Measuring Your Trophy

Saturday, Nov. 18, 8:30–10:30 a.m.

Online only

Registration required by Nov. 17. Call 888-293-0364 or visit short.mdc.mo.gov/4eZ.

All ages.

Ever wonder what people mean when they say their deer scored 170? Have you wanted to know if your harvest was a trophy-setting animal? Join us for this class to learn how to score your harvest and what animals can be scored. This class does not qualify you to become a scorer. An official scorer must score your animal to be eligible for any record setting.

Find more events in your area at mdc.mo.gov/events

Natural Events to See This Month

Here’s what’s going on in the natural world.

• Crayfish breed.
• Eastern gartersnakes can be seen on mild days.
• Voles and mice are active, creating tunnels under the snow.
• Mated female paper wasps seek overwintering nooks.
• Bald cypress fruits ripen.