I seen on the news a couple of days ago that the MO Department of Conservation set up a Taxidermy shop in the very small town of Birch Tree MO in the Missouri Ozarks. The area is very rural but Birch Tree was a central location for several counties. I hunt near there.

The sting went on for about 2 years with a conservation agent running the taxidermy shop.

One of the things that shocked me was that there where 432 violations of which 299 where major! That over 1 violation every 2 days on average.

The real shocker was of the game submitted to the shop 62% where either taken illegal, or sold illegally.

I am glad the Conservation is taking this approach along with more traditional methods to get poachers. If they didn't get the idea from another state I am sure others will follow given the success of this sting.

Don't get me wrong some Conservation agents are too gung ho like the ones we get where I live. No one wants this area because there is not as much game as there is in any part of the state so we always get someone that is green right out of school trying to make a name for him or her self. Which is good and bad. I hate getting check several times a year when they are new and once they get to know me they usually don't even bother checking me out.

I say great job MDC and keep it up!!!!