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5 days ago | 
myleaderpaper.com | John Winkelman
Jefferson County and its neighbors continue to rack up substantial increases in cases of chronic wasting disease discovered in deer harvested by hunters. After upping its total by more that 50 percent last year, Jefferson recorded an increased number of cases again this year, according to an annual report by the state Department of Conservation.
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1 week ago | 
myleaderpaper.com | John Winkelman
First and foremost this week I have a correction. In my column last week about hummingbirds, I recommended using powdered sugar in feeders. The recipe I shared should have said to mix four parts water with one part of granulated sugar. Thanks to the alert Leader reader who questioned my mistaken recipe, the result of an editing error. Brown sugar, honey or any artificial sweeteners are also all incorrect ingredients.
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3 weeks ago | 
myleaderpaper.com | John Winkelman
Spring brings bright color back to a gray landscape, and few things illustrate that vibrancy better than the ruby-throated hummingbird. The daffodils arrive sooner, the redbuds are easier to spot, and the woods pop with new green, but the tiny speedsters are the stars of April. I’ve heard reports about the return of the annual mini-migrators to Jefferson County, so now is the time to mix up some sugar water and place your feeders where they will be found in a fly-by.
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1 month ago | 
myleaderpaper.com | John Winkelman
The awards podium was a popular place for Jefferson County archers at the National Archery in Schools Program state tournament March 19-22 in Branson. Twenty-three area schools participated in the bullseye tournament and proved once again how strong our county is in this popular sport.
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1 month ago | 
myleaderpaper.com | John Winkelman
The city of Herculaneum and a few other online sources have recently posted helpful tips for pruning Bradford pear trees. The once-revered ornamental landscaping plants, now recognized as invasive, are notorious for how easily their branches shear off in storms. Recent spring turbulence has reemphasized the need for tree trimming and observing safety in chainsaw use. The procedure is simple; one cut across the stump as close to the ground as possible is recommended to eliminate future troubles.
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1 month ago | 
myleaderpaper.com | John Winkelman
We just celebrated the first day of spring, and it’s not too early to begin making plans for summer. You can register now for the annual Discover Nature Girls Camp scheduled for June 16-17 in the St. Louis region. The camp accepts up to 60 girls ages 11 through 15 each year, and as of March 20, more than half of those spots were already taken. The link to registration provided by the state Department of Conservation is short.mdc.mo.gov/4jc.
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1 month ago | 
myleaderpaper.com | John Winkelman
One of the most contentious but least consequential issues that hunters argue about is non-residents coming to our state to hunt for deer, turkey and waterfowl. The state Department of Conservation is asking hunters and the public for their opinions on the subject. A survey was emailed March 10 to 56,000 state residents and 1,800 non-residents who purchased permits over the past two years, according to a press release from the department.
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2 months ago | 
myleaderpaper.com | John Winkelman
Most of the chatter following last year’s firearms deer hunting season was about the reduced harvest totals. Rationale such as weather, acorns, moon phases and timing didn’t appease the skeptics, but when reviewed over time, things certainly were not that bad. The overall harvest total was down 15 percent from the record set the previous year and 8 percent below the most recent five-year average, but there were still 276,272 deer taken by hunters.
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2 months ago | 
myleaderpaper.com | John Winkelman
Following my presentation at the Jefferson College Speaker Series in February, one of the guests asked me if the hiking trails I talked about in Jefferson County were publicized somewhere. I told him that I didn’t know where he might find that information, but since I had just highlighted 20 great places for a walk in the woods, I offered to share that group. My list is not exhaustive, and in fact, prior to my talk, a different guest asked me about two places in the county I have not visited yet.
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2 months ago | 
myleaderpaper.com | John Winkelman
With opening day of trout fishing season this weekend, there will be plenty of reasons for celebration at Montauk State Park and big crowds of people at all four of the state's trout fishing parks. Montauk, near Salem, was devastated by historic flooding in November and remained closed throughout the winter catch-and-release season, but contractors, state staff and volunteers worked throughout the past three months to assure the facility would be ready by opening day.
