October 21, 2023

By Bill Graham

Mix fishing fun with Halloween festitivities at the Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) free Fish or Treat event from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 28, at the education pond at Burr Oak Woods Nature Center in Blue Springs. MDC will provide fishing gear, bait, and coaching on how to catch and handle fish. Attendees are welcome to come in costume. All ages are welcome.

All participants will get to go fishing in the education pond with help from MDC staff. But there will also be fish-themed games and prizes. Families and individuals are welcome to attend.

Registration is required. To register, visit http://short.mdc.mo.gov/ZSo. For more information about the Burr Oak Woods Nature Center, visit https://mdc.mo.gov/burroakwoods.

Burr Oak Woods Nature Center Closure
The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) will close the Burr Oak Woods Nature Center and Conservation Area in Blue Springs, including trails, on Saturday, Oct. 21, and Sunday, Oct. 22. The temporary closure is due to a managed mentored deer hunt with firearms on those days. Managed mentored hunts help newcomers learn about and go deer hunting while also helping to control the deer population in the conservation area. Keeping deer numbers in check protects wildlife habitat and helps keep the deer herd healthy.

Archery deer hunts will be held at Burr Oak Woods from Nov. 1 to Nov. 30 and from Dec. 4 to Jan. 5. But the hunting will be away from traffic areas, and the nature center and conservation area will remain open to the public during those dates.