MDC changing waterfowl hunting at Montrose Conservation Area in response to ongoing low-water levels

MONTROSE, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is proposing changes to  waterfowl hunting at the Montrose Conservation Area (CA) in Henry County in west-central Missouri. MDC is proposing eliminating the “waterfowl hunting only” designation for the area and making it an “open area” for hunting various game and other outdoor activities. The area would continue to be open to waterfowl hunting during the season with no reservations needed.

MDC noted that the changes will better serve hunters, anglers, and other area-users and will allow angling, open waterfowl hunting, archery deer hunting, wildlife viewing, and other activities on the area.

The Missouri Conservation Commission gave initial approval to the proposed changes at its Feb. 4 open meeting in Jefferson City.

The proposed changes are a result of significantly low-water levels of the lake over the past seven years resulting in key areas that were once under water now being dry ground. 

In the early 1950s, the utility company, Evergy (formerly KC Power and Light), bought nearly 4,000 acres of land along Deepwater Creek in Henry County as a site for a coal-fired electrical generating plant. A 1,600-acre lake was built to provide the water necessary to cool the plant. 

In 1957, the company leased land to MDC for public use with a renewed lease in 2007 that includes 2,750 acres of habitat managed for public use such as fishing, bird watching, camping, and hunting for waterfowl and other game. Plant operations included a warm-water discharge that promoted waterfowl use by maintaining open water during cold periods in the fall and winter months. 

The plant was decommissioned in 2018 and Evergy’s approach to managing the lake level changed. Now water is released downstream to prevent fish kills from low dissolved oxygen during the summer months, which has led to much lower water levels. The past few years of drought have also resulted in minimal stream flow and surface water runoff to recharge the lake and wetlands, creating historically low water levels. This has sharply reduced opportunities for fishing and waterfowl hunting with the lake levels currently too low for boat use. This has made it impractical to continue a managed waterfowl hunting program for designated blinds and pools. 

Waterfowl blinds will be removed from the area, except the disabled-accessible waterfowl blind. It and the related pool will remain open but only to qualifying hunters and their parties. The area will be designated a Waterfowl Refuge when not in use and will be closed to all other uses from Oct. 15 – March 1.

MDC reminds hunters participating in open waterfowl hunting at Montrose to know the following: 

• Waterfowl hunting opportunities will be strictly on a first-come, first-served basis
• Habitat conditions will be variable, based on rain events, stream flow, and lake levels
• The lake and wetlands will be considered “open area hunting” and there will be no blinds or designated locations. 
• All waterfowl hunters must self-register upon arrival and possess a Daily Waterfowl Hunting Tag, which must be turned in at the end of the hunt
• The Disabled-Accessible Waterfowl Blind and pool will be available only to qualifying hunters through the online waterfowl reservation system.
• The waterfowl refuge zones will remain intact and be closed to all use from Oct. 15 through March 1.

MDC will be seeking public comments on the proposed regulation changes for Montrose CA from March 17 through April 15. Get more information and submit comments for proposed regulation changes during the timeframe at mdc.mo.gov/about-regulations/wildlife-code-missouri/proposed-regulation-changes

MDC will then compile comments received and share them with the Commission prior to its May 29 open meeting when the Commission will give final consideration to the proposed regulation changes. If approved, the changes would become effective Aug. 30.

Learn more about the Montrose CA at mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/places/montrose-conservation-area. 

Learn more about waterfowl hunting in Missouri at mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/species/waterfowl.