CAMPFIRE CHAT WITH
MOC PRESIDENT GRETCHEN STEELE
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Spring Greetings Missouri Outdoor Communicators!
Is it just me, or does it seem like 2022 went by in the blink of an eye? Not only did 2022 seem to last only a week or two, it appears that 2023 is plowing ahead at breakneck speed. I’m already getting reports of morel mushrooms and spring flowers. Wait – wasn’t it just Christmas and New Year’s yesterday? Now it’s already turkey season!
I’ve been wondering since we saw such sharp rises in new outdoor enthusiasts during "the pandemic years" would those folks continue to enjoy outdoor pursuits when other avenues for entertainment and recreation reopened?
By the looks of stats that I've been able to gather from here and there and yon, it does indeed appear that most have continued their newfound outdoor pursuits. In fact they are continuing them with a passion for learning more and doing more. Let's call that a win and one of the good things that came out of the pandemic years.
Something else that I like to think is a plus from the pandemic years is that we expanded our networks and altered the way we often work. While many of us are strictly hook-and-bullet style communicators, many also communicate in a more "news" oriented fashion. We cover outdoor related public affairs, legislative issues, debates about rules and regulations, and how those changes impact outdoor enthusiasts.
Given the shrinking status of so many local newsrooms, we've had to form alliances and relationships with what is considered more traditional/mainstream media producers. Suddenly outdoor-related stories are hot topics!
Now more than ever, it seems I find myself working in cooperation and collaborating with local newsrooms. This expansion of the network, so to speak, can be more than a little beneficial to those in the outdoor communication fields.
This is where Missouri Outdoor Communicators shines and can be a great resource for our local news providers who may be facing budget and staffing cuts. These collaborative relationships can also open up new markets for us as communicators.
I can't tell you how often I have referred a non-outdoor news person to a MOC member or assisted them in finding the right spokesperson to help them provide better coverage about an outdoor-related news item.
Networking, collaborating, and learning - those are the things that drew me to MOC in the first place. How many of us have considered recommending membership in MOC to the local sports writer or small-town newspaper editor? These folks, while not strictly outdoor communicators, increasingly find themselves covering outdoor-related storylines. Why not encourage them to join and become part of an organization that can help them better report and communicate about the outdoors?
I'm sure we've all had the experience of seeing a "regular" reporter cover an outdoor news story and just groaned at some of the errors. One particular instance that jumps to mind is a story about deer hunting violations that utilized images of elk.
Here's my challenge to each of you for 2023 – Reach out and recruit a new media member whose work may not solely focus on the outdoors. Our membership dues are most affordable, and they will help us broaden our horizons as well.
I need to do that very thing as soon as this task is complete. I just got an e-mail from a local news reporter asking if I could help them understand better what was in a press release about hunting violations.
The world of outdoor communications will be better for it, don't you think?
Here's wishing everyone a lovely spring ahead, filled with stringers full of fish, bags of mushrooms and turkeys hanging from the totes! I look forward to reading all those great pieces our members will produce about the excellent spring outdoor opportunities in the beautiful Missouri outdoors!
- Gretchen Steele, President
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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE |
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Well, much like Missouri's winter, the Winter edition of MOC TALK never really arrived, despite the best of intentions.
The last several months have been rather busy around the MOC headquarters, which would partially explain the missing newsletter, but, just like the spring season, this newsletter is chock-full of good stuff.
Here are some of the highlights:
The 2023 annual conference is right around the corner and we have an excellent lineup of activities, speakers and seminars, so I hope you'll be joining us at the beautiful Meramec State Park, May 19-21.
There's also some big news for several MOC members -- Mark Van Patten has received an incredible and well-deserved recognition and Missouri Department of Conservation has had a major breakthrough with an endangered species. More on these incredible stories are below.
And, speaking of MOC members, we've had a very successful season of recruitment and have 25 new members that have joined our organization. Of the 25 new members, 15 are new Active Media Members and 10 are new Supporting Members. So, the future of Missouri Outdoor Communicators is looking as bright as a sunny spring morning.
I hope you all have been taking ample opportunities to get outside and enjoy our natural wonders this spring season.
My family and I have been trying to take advantage of the incredible spring weather and get outside every chance we get, even at times to the frustration of our teenagers at time. The funny thing is, every time they complain about having to go out for another hike, trail ride, etc., they always end up enjoying themselves and being in a much better mood afterward as a result. Isn't nature amazing?
- Kyle Stewart, The Beenders Walker Group
Missouri Outdoor Communicators Executive Director
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STILL TIME TO REGISTER FOR THE
2023 MOC ANNUAL CONFERENCE
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Are you ready for another outstanding conference?
In just under a month, the Missouri Outdoor Communicators will be meeting at Meramec State Park near Sullivan, Mo. from May 19-21 for the 2023 annual conference.
We'd like to take this opportunity to thank the Sullivan Chamber of Commerce for their financial sponsorship of the 2023 MOC conference.
Registration for the 2023 Missouri Outdoor Communicators Conference costs $75 per person and that includes all meals and conference activities.
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HIGHLIGHTS OF 2023 MOC CONFERENCE ACTIVITIES |
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Below is a highlight of some of the activities that are scheduled during the upcoming MOC conference. As with past MOC conferences, attendees will be able to select which activities they'd like to participate in based on their interests and audiences. When you register for the conference, please be sure to indicate which activities you want to participate in.
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Third Annual Thayne Smith Memorial Service Day
For 2023, participating MOC members will embark on a river clean-up along a 5.5-mile stretch of the Meramec River on Friday morning, May 19.
The clean-up will begin at 9:30 a.m. with a put-in at the state park. The take out will be at Meramec Caverns.
Kevin French, concessionaire at Meramec State Park, is generously donating a raft and two canoes for our clean-up efforts.
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Hiking at
Meramec State Park
The park's natural heritage is as rich as its abundant cultural heritage. More than 13 miles of hiking trails offer a great way to explore the natural features of the park. The hiking trails wind throughout the wooded areas, past cave entrances and along the river, offering picturesque views of the scenic Meramec River and the river valley.
The 461-acre Meramec Upland Forest Natural Area features glades, caves, sinkholes and wet meadows. Rare plants, rare animals and rare opportunities for solitude are just a few of the reasons to explore this remote area of the park.
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On-The-Go Craft Improvement Seminar: Guided Sunrise Photography Walk/Hike at Meramec State Park
Join MOC President and professional photographer Gretchen Steele for a guided sunrise photography walk/hike at the state park.
Gretchen will cover basic photography principles and how to "ferret out photo opportunities to tell the story of a trail via photos. Many of us write about trails and destinations and this fun seminar can help folks learn how to best tell a trail story in images."
Thanks to Gretchen Steele for volunteering her time and expertise to lead this on-the-go Craft Improvement Seminar.
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Guided Drift Boat Fishing for Trout and Smallmouth Bass (limited to four active media members only)
Take to the Meramec River in search of trout and smallmouth from a well-equipped drift boat. Damon Spurgeon of Cardiac Mountain Outfitters, based in St. James, will be able to take no more than four active media members out on the river for a full-day of fishing.
Those that are interested in signing up for this activity will need to plan to carpool from Meramec State Park to Meramec Spring Park in St. James. A sack lunch will be provided.
A special thanks goes to Damon Spurgeon, owner or Cardiac Mountain Outfitters, for donating this fishing trip.
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Trout Fishing at Westover Farms (limited to 10 active media members)
Westover Farms, located near Steelville, is one of Missouri's premier trout fishing destinations.
This privately owned, beautiful trout park pays homage to the original town of Westover which stood where the family-owned farm now operates.
Owners Tom and Lisa Schlueter have revitalized the property, transforming Westover into one of the top fly fishing areas in the Midwest. Their antique, hand-hewn log and stone homes offer accommodations for overnight guests and pay tribute to the property’s rich history. Built from the wood of old homes throughout the state, these vintage Missouri houses transport our guests to a simpler way of life while maintaining all of today’s modern conveniences.
Fish the spring-fed streams that run through the property in search of rainbow trout. MDC trout regulations apply.
Those that are interested in signing up for this activity will need to plan to carpool from Meramec State Park to Westover Farms. A sack lunch will be provided.
A special thanks goes out to Tom and Lisa, owners of Westover Farms, for hosting our group.
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Floating the Meramec River
Fed by Maramec Spring and many smaller springs, the Meramec is one of the longest free-flowing rivers in the state and is floated most of the year. The most floated sections are those between Maramec Spring and Meramec State Park, although there is still much reasonably attractive river down to St. Clair or even Pacific.
The Meramec River also is one of the most diversified rivers in North America. More than half of the species of fish in Missouri are found in the Meramec River. The most popular game fish are all three black bass (largemouth, smallmouth and spotted), panfish, catfish, drum and even trout.
The conference float trip will be a 5.5-mile float from Meramec State Park down river to Meramec Caverns. Canoes, rafts and kayaks will be provided by Meramec State Park.
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Guided Tour of Fisher Cave at Meramec State Park
Fisher Cave is truly one of Meramec State Park's most spectacular natural wonders.
Naturalist-led lantern tours provide an interesting adventure for park visitors. From the low, narrow streamside passages to the huge rooms filled with calcite deposits, Fisher Cave offers one outstanding cave scene after another. Inside these rooms and passages are well-preserved bear claw marks, cave wildlife and a vast array of calcite deposits ranging from intricate hellectites to massive columns 30 feet tall.
A special thanks goes out to Brian Wilcox, senior naturalist at Meramec State Park, for taking care of our group.
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Guided Tour of the famous
Meramec Caverns
Go on a guided tour of this seven-level natural wonder, possibly the oldest stop along historic Route 66. Meramec Caverns has been a tourist attraction since 1933 and is one of Missouri's most popular "outdoor" attractions. The cave has a rich history and is reputed to have been used by Jesse James and his gang as a hideout.
Tours are conducted along well-lighted walkways. Cavern tour takes one hour and twenty minutes, covering 1.25 miles.
A special thanks goes out to Judy Terelli, co-owner of Meramec Caverns, for taking care of our group.
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Explore the Meramec State Park Nature Center
At the visitor center, you will find park literature, exhibits and a slide show to obtain an overview of the park's natural, cultural and recreational resources.
Many of the center's exhibits focus on the Meramec River, which contains the greatest variety of aquatic life in Missouri. These exhibits include a 3,500-gallon aquarium; a life-size riverbank diorama; and a complete collection of the river's unique, rare and endangered mussels.
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Spouse/Guest Tour: City of Sullivan's Third Saturday Morning Flea Market in the Historic Downtown District of Sullivan
Presented by the Sullivan Downtown Business Partnership, Saturday, May 20 is the second installment of Sullivan's 2023 Springtime Downtown Market.
Stroll along historic Main Street and peruse local shops, boutiques, antiques, crafts and original creations.
The Sullivan Downtown Business Partnership is working hard to bring lots of food and fun to Main Street.
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MAKE YOUR CONFERENCE
LODGING RESERVATIONS TODAY
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The MOC conference headquarters at Meramec State Park will be at the Hickory Ridge Conference Center and pavilion overlooking the Meramec River. We will plan to hold most of our meals, seminars and hospitality gatherings at the conference center.
MOC members and guests have the choice between staying in the 20-room Hickory Ridge Motel (pictured), located next to the Hickory Ridge Conference Center and renting a park cabin for the weekend.
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ABOUT THE HICKORY RIDGE MOTEL:
The motel features 17 units with two queen beds (five of which are pet friendly), and two loft units with three queen beds and kitchenette.
Motel rooms at Hickory Ridge are $80 per night for a standard two-queen motel room and $120 per night for a three-bed loft unit.
To reserve your motel room, please call 573-468-6519. Please note that if you call to make a motel reservation, please call on Friday, Saturday or Sunday to ensure someone is at the park store to take your reservation. If you have to leave a message, someone will get back with you.
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ABOUT THE CABINS AT
MERAMEC STATE PARK:
For those that would prefer to stay in a park cabin during the conference, cabins are available on a first-come first-served basis. Cabins rent for $125 per night up to $300 per night, depending on cabin selection.
The cabins at the park were all built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, along with the overlooks, pavilions and roads at Meramec State Park. While retaining their rustic look, the cabins have been renovated to include full kitchens and baths and central heat and air. Cabins are located throughout the park among the pines and hardwoods overlooking the Meramec Valley. Bedding, towels, linens, pots and pans and small appliances are included.
To book a cabin, make your reservation at www.MeramecPark.com. Cabins can be booked online at anytime.
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ABOUT OUR 2023 CONFERENCE HOSTS: |
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The pristine beauty of the Meramec River and its surrounding bluffs, caves and forests were recognized as supreme natural treasures very early in the Missouri state park system, being designated as a state park in 1926.
The park's natural heritage is as rich as its abundant cultural heritage. Several miles of picturesque riverbank scenery are preserved in the park, providing a haven for river wildlife and recreation. Hidden within the park's expansive forest are several springs and more than 40 caves, including the famous Fisher Cave, a spectacular natural wonder.
Meramec State Park also has a strong Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) presence as well. In 1933, the craftsmen of the CCC began constructing trails, picnic shelters and other facilities at the park. Nine years of CCC work left Meramec State Park with a collection of comfortable facilities that blend into the rugged landscape with their rustic design.
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ABOUT SULLIVAN, MO:
Sullivan provides a great deal of recreational activities with several city parks, including nine baseball diamonds, soccer fields, a City Lake with surrounding walking trail, the Route 66 Splash Park, the 18-hole Sullivan Municipal Golf Course, the Tessa Park and North side Trail System, a large swimming pool, skating rink and playground complex.
Just a few miles from the city is Meramec State Park, which is visited by thousands of individuals each year and offers camping, caving, and rafting. Lastly, just a few miles down
I-44, is the world-renowned Meramec Caverns.
Sullivan offers a great quality of life with its ample opportunity for shopping, dining, employment, and recreational activities.
The Sullivan Area Chamber of Commerce works towards the development, advancement, and prosperity of the area’s businesses and to enhance the community’s quality of life through civic, cultural, and educational organizations. The Chamber's 2023 motto is Connect, Enhance and Inspire.
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THANK YOU TO OUR HOSTS AND SPONSORS
A special thanks goes out to Kevin French, concessionaire at Meramec State Park for hosting our group.
Another special thanks goes out to the Sullivan Chamber of Commerce for sponsoring our 2023 conference.
Lastly, an additional thank you is owed to MOC members Jo Schaper and Eugene Vale. MOC is leaning on Jo and Eugene's depth of expertise and experience at Meramec State Park and the surrounding area for our conference planning and activities. Many thanks to Jo for making the cave tour arrangements for our group.
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2022 MOC ONLINE HOLIDAY AUCTION A SUCCESS |
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MOC's third annual online holiday auction wrapped up in early December and was another great success!
The 2022 online auction raised just over $3,000. In total, our last three online auctions have raised just shy of $9,000 for MOC.
Proceeds from the holiday online auction go towards MOC's general operating fund and the 2023 Thayne Smith Memorial Service Day project.
The 2022 MOC online auction featured 15 items primarily consisting of outdoor getaway packages and guided fishing trips, all donated through the generosity of MOC's Supporting and Media members.
A HUGE THANK YOU goes out to all who donated their time, services, expertise and products to this auction:
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Deb and Ed Franko, Bass & Baskets Bed & Breakfast and Big Ed's Guide Service
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Bill Smith, Scenic Rivers Guide Service
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Joe Bragg, Thump30 Guide Service & Z-Man Fishing Products
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Jim Rogers, Bennett Spring State Park and Roaring River State Park
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Brad Wiegmann, MOC media member
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Lynn Berry, Branson Convention & Visitors Bureau
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Steve Thompson, Bridal Cave & Thunder Mountain Park
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Damon Spurgeon, Cardiac Mountain Outfitters
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Teresa Friend, Current Situation at Southern Comfort Cabins and RV Park
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Phil and Lisa Lilley, Lilley's Landing Resort and Marina
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Ann Walters, Margaritaville Lake Resort
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Paul Leahy, The Oaks at Margaritaville Lake Resort
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Ryan Walker, Ozarks Stream Guides
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Kathy Pirtle, Shack's Cabin at Stockton Lake
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Kris and Amanda Nelson, Tandem Fly Outfitters
And, of course, a THANK YOU is in order for Brent Frazee, MOC Supporting Member Liaison, for helping to secure some great donations to ensure our online auction would be a continued success.
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MOC MEMBER MARK VAN PATTEN INDUCTED INTO THE NATIONAL FRESHWATER FISHING HALL OF FAME |
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The Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame, based in Hayward, Wis., announced it will be inducting three people into their 2023 class of legendary individuals, and MOC's own Mark Van Patten is among the honored inductees.
This recognition is bestowed on those that have spent a great share of their lives promoting, educating, and sharing their passion for fresh water fishing in a manner that positively impacts the sport for the millions of anglers around the world.
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There are many who love to fish, but few that can be considered Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Famers.
Mark is a retired Fisheries Management Biologist for the Missouri Department of Conservation. He worked as a Stream Team Biologist for the Southeast and St. Louis regions in Missouri. He coordinated the activities of Stream Team volunteers throughout his region empowering them to take an active stance in protecting and preserving the rivers and streams they love.
As a private citizen, Mark founded the first Stream Team in Missouri in 1989. In his personal time he is a published author and for 13 years hosted a national weekly PBS Television show on fly tying Called “The Tying Bench.”
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Mark spent a lot of time on, in and next to his favorite river, the Roubidoux Creek in Pulaski County. As he became disturbed by the amount of dumping and debris in this once pristine resource, Mark decided to do something about it. With his friends, the Roubidoux Fly Fishers, he organized a Roubidoux River Cleanup in 1988, removing 14.7 tons of debris in just a couple days. When he heard that the Conservation Federation of Missouri was beginning a new statewide river cleanup program for volunteers, Mark signed up as Missouri Stream Team Number One. Since those inspiring beginnings, the Missouri Stream Team program has exploded in numbers and in the diversity of work that is being done for Missouri waters. Twenty-five years since its founding, there are now over 5,000 Missouri Stream Teams all over the state. Volunteers do water quality monitoring, stream health training, riparian restoration and tree planting, litter pickups and river access adoptions, storm drain stenciling, advocacy, education and much more. The program has been a model for citizen water engagement in the country and receives major support from the Missouri Department of Conservation and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
Mark is a longtime member of MOC, founding member and president of the newly launched Ozark Riverways Foundation, published author, an in-demand speaker, a life member of the Federation of Fly Fishers, and a leader in the cause of cleaning up Missouri’s rivers and streams. Mark also serves as a seasonal park ranger for the Ozark National Scenic Riverways and hosts a monthly fly fishing seminar at the park. He has received numerous awards and honors, all a testament to his skill and passion for the sport of fishing
A well-deserved congratulations to Mark on this outstanding recognition of his service and talents!
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CONSERVATION NEWS:
MDC CONFIRMS FIRST ZOO-RAISED HELLBENDER SUCCESSFULLY REPRODUCING IN THE WILD
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Story by Jill Pritchard, MDC News Services Coordinator and MOC board member.
All photos courtesy of MDC Herpetologist Jeff Briggler.
The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) announced a significant milestone in population recovery efforts of the endangered Ozark hellbender. A zoo-raised hellbender has successfully reproduced within the Current River.
“We are very excited to announce this news,” said Missouri State Herpetologist Jeff Briggler. “This is the first documented event of a zoo-raised animal fathering a clutch of eggs in the wild.”
Rivers in southern Missouri and adjacent northern Arkansas once supported up to 27,000 Ozark hellbenders. Today, fewer than 1,000 exist in the world – so few that the Ozark hellbender was added to the federal endangered species list in October 2011.
BACKGROUND
Hellbenders are large aquatic salamanders. Missouri is the only state that contains both recognized subspecies of North American hellbenders: the Ozark hellbender and eastern hellbender, both of which are listed as endangered both by the state of Missouri and by the federal government.
The primary threats are habitat alteration and degradation, over-collecting, disease, predation, and degraded water quality. Hellbenders are long-lived (with a 30-year lifespan), slow-to-mature amphibians that seldom venture far within the river.
Numerous wrinkly folds of skin along the hellbender’s sides provide increased surface area for respiration. Capillaries near the surface of the hellbender’s wrinkly skin absorb oxygen directly from the water. Because the species requires cool, well-oxygenated, clean running water to survive, hellbenders are a major indicator of overall health of a river or stream.
The adult hellbender is one of the largest species of salamanders in North America, with its closest relatives being the giant salamanders of China and Japan, which can reach 5-feet or more in length.
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HELLBENDER RESTORATION
MDC partnered with the Ron and Karen Goellner Center for Hellbender Conservation, a part of the Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Institute, and other agencies in the early 2000s to breed the salamanders in captivity and rear eggs collected from the wild in order to combat drastic population declines. Once the captive-bred larvae reached between 3-8 years old, they were released in their native Ozark aquatic ecosystem. Biologists began releasing a few zoo-raised hellbenders in Missouri in 2008, later increasing the number of released animals to 1,000 or more per year beginning in 2012. Since the conception of the breeding and raising of this animal in captivity, more than 10,000 Ozark and eastern hellbenders raised at the Saint Louis Zoo and MDC hatchery have been released into their native rivers.
To help recover this species within the Ozark Highlands, biologists monitor the population status of both wild animals and released animals reared in captivity, as well as locate natural nests within rivers during the fall in order to collect eggs that can be reared and released in the future.
“The majority of the hellbenders existing in the wild and all 10,000-plus released animals have a small chip embedded under their skin with a unique number to allow us to identify the animals in future encounters,” Briggler explained.
Though many have been released to the wild, most hellbenders are only just now becoming mature enough to breed. Because very few nests with eggs are found each year, capturing the event of a male attending a clutch of eggs is a rare event.
“We’re lucky to find 20 nests in the wild a year and finding a tagged father that was raised at the Saint Louis Zoo was like finding a needle in a haystack,” said Briggler. “We have been patiently waiting for this significant achievement to occur.”
In October 2022, biologists found that needle when they came across a tagged male Ozark hellbender that was attending a clutch of healthy, well-developed eggs on the Current River. The animal was attending a clutch of 128 eggs. Upon a later return to the nest, the eggs were beginning the process of hatching with the father protecting them.
“Our ultimate goal was to see the successful reproduction of a zoo-reared animal in the wild,” explained Briggler. “And we’ve now accomplished that goal in our journey to save the unique Ozark salamander.”
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FROM EGG TO FATHER
This male Ozark hellbender was collected from a natural nest of eggs in the Current River in the fall of 2013 by MDC and National Park Service staff, then transported to the Saint Louis Zoo where the eggs were hatched and reared.
“We have a dedicated team of hellbender keepers, life-support systems technicians, and veterinary staff who work tirelessly to make sure these animals get the best care possible at the Saint Louis Zoo,” explained Justin Elden, Curator of Herpetology and Aquatics at the Saint Louis Zoo, and Director of the Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Institute Ron and Karen Goellner Center for Hellbender Conservation.
The Saint Louis Zoo has nearly 20 years of experience and expertise in rearing hellbenders and has their care down to an exact science.
“This experience allowed for this animal to flourish for the six years it was reared at the zoo and prepare it for its release to the wild,” said Elden. “Caring for hellbenders through their lives, from tiny eggs to sub-adults, takes a tremendous amount of work, but it’s absolutely worth it knowing we’re aiding in the conservation of wild animals and wild places.”
The animal was released into the Current River in July 2019.
“At the time of release, the male weighed 5.6 ounces (160 grams) and measured 11.8 inches (30 cm),” said Elden. “At the time his nest was discovered in the fall of 2022, he weighed 8.9 ounces (252 grams) and measured 14.4 inches (36.6 cm).”
Based on the hellbender’s size, Briggler noted it was likely the animal’s first year reproducing.
“It was exciting to not only see the growth and healthy appearance of this father after living three years in the wild, but to also see such a healthy animal successfully reproduce,” said Briggler.
Eggs generally hatch in about 45 days, but it can take longer with colder water conditions. Upon hatching, the helpless larvae will slowly grow and develop limbs under the protection of the father for several months. In late winter or early spring, the larvae will venture outside the nesting chamber to disperse into the surrounding river habitat. Larvae will breathe with external gills for a few years before they finally absorb their gills and take on the wrinkly appearance of an adult.
“Finding a zoo-raised Ozark hellbender reproducing in the wild is one of the greatest accomplishments for our Zoo’s WildCare Institute conservation efforts and we are incredibly proud to be partnered with MDC on saving this species,” said Elden.
In addition to the Saint Louis Zoo, MDC partnered with the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission to enhance propagation efforts to ensure hellbenders remain a part of Missouri’s biodiversity.
“It is our hope that such wild breeding events by zoo-reared hellbenders will increasingly become more common as more released animals become mature,” noted Briggler.
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"CHARLIE'S CHUCKLES"
FUNCTIONAL PUNCTUATION - PUNCTUATION PAIRS
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By Charlie Slovensky, MOC founding member and father of MOC TALK.
This column is dedicated to all those outdoor communicators who couldn’t make it as clowns in a circus or standup comedians in Vegas. It will be a combination of humorous quips and anecdotes to give us food for thought as we self-analyze our writing styles. It is offered free of charge and free of malice, and with the keen knowledge that none of us can afford the option of a therapist, not that visiting one would be helpful.
Functional Punctuation –
Punctuation Pairs
Certain punctuation marks exist in parallel universes. Among these are colons and semicolons, hyphens and dashes, parentheses and brackets, and slashes and ellipses.
To use these marks to maximize the intended effect, authors must be aware of the nuances surrounding them.
An example of incorrect usage was provided by an unnamed former work colleague, who recklessly substituted colons for semicolons. He would write something like “Our Director is a wonderful person: she looks out for all of us like a mother hen.” Or, “Some of the ways she reaches out include; presenting us with opportunities for advancement, advising us of unknown perks, and recommending specific educational seminars.”
What I tried in vain to convey to my coworker was that a semicolon is used to provide a pause between phrases in a sentence, while colons precede lists of words or concepts. But the habit was so ingrained, I finally tired of admonishing him. I turned to searching for his eighth-grade English teacher to give her some peace of my mind so I could have some, too; unfortunately, she had already experienced a timely death…
Hyphens and dashes differ in the length of the interruption intentionally imposed on the reader. Ironically, the hyphen indicates a shorter pause than the dash. A hyphen is appropriate for breaking up a hyphenated word like “man-child,” whereas a dash may send the reader off in an alternate direction, as in “He wasn’t just oblivious—he was unconscious!”
Parentheses are to literature what the “aside” is to theatre. They can be used to supplement or illustrate, or even slip in a bit of humor. Examples: “Some outdoor writers (Brent Frazee, for instance) regard interviewing experts (and getting them to take him fishing) as their bread-and-butter approach to doing articles. Others, like me, find it difficult because we like to think we ARE the experts (not to be confused with know-it-all’s).”
Brackets, on the other hand, are used to identify explanatory words in quoted material, and to replace parentheses within parentheses. An example of the former might be “My dear fiends [sic] and fellow Americans . . . .” Note that the sic warns the reader to watch out for the hate speak that the orator being quoted thinly disguised in his speech introduction (or perhaps his speechwriter was setting him up for a newsworthy gaffe).
An example of the latter might be “A lot of deer hunting articles these days discuss specialized tools [calling, decoys, hay-bale blinds] to detract readers.”
Slashes have evolved to cut to the quick between words that seem to go together, like “politician/liar.” I suspect we arrived at this usage because we got tired of writing “and/or” all the time.
Ellipses are comprised of three periods with spaces between them (four periods, if occurring at the end of a sentence). They are used to denote an omission within a quotation - “Democracy . . . is not the same thing as a representative republic.”
But my favorite ellipsis function is to leave the reader hanging on a reflective pause,
as in “. . . And the rest, they say, is history . . . or myth . . . or legend . . . .”
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By Lucas Bond, MDC communications manager and host of the award-winning series "Nature's Calling"
This installment of the Craft Improvement series features MOC vice president Lucas Bond explaining how he and his colleagues, Kipp Woods and Kevin Muenks, create the award-winning series "Nature's Calling" on behalf of the Missouri Department of Conservation.
Click on the image below to view Lucas' Craft Improvement piece.
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For future issues for MOC TALK, please send story submissions, photographs, inquiries and upcoming events to Kyle Stewart of The Beenders Walker Group at [email protected].
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MISSOURI OUTDOOR COMMUNICATORS
125 E. HIGH STREET, SUITE 200
JEFFERSON CITY, MO 65101
OFFICE: 573-636-8282
CELL: 573-619-3296
WWW.MISSOURIOUTDOORCOMMUNICATORS.ORG
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