Scott: Completing 2011's unfinished business

2011’s departure left me with some unfinished business that needs my attention. While I’m not going to resolve to resolve every item on that list, I would like to make progress on at least a few of them.

Prairie management is at the top of that list. Early in 2011, I wrote a column criticizing some of the techniques either being used or not being used by the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) to manage a number of prairie Conservation Areas (CA) in Pettis County.

The column generated a record number of reader responses, all but three of which agreed with my position.

Being part of such a large majority was gratifying, but there are two sides to every story, and one of the negative comments came from the MDC biologist who’s responsible for managing the areas in question. He later tried to reach me by telephone, but we missed connections.

I intended to make contact with him, but one thing led to another, and it never happened. In other words, I dropped the ball. Hopefully, I’ll pick it up again fairly early this year.

The unforeseeable loss of my four-footed friend and rabbit-hunting partner, Grace, last summer threw me for a loop from which I’ve yet to fully recover. That uncharacteristic lack of focus has been especially hard on Amy, the now seven-month-old pup my dream had been for Grace to train.

I’ve worked and played around the house and the backyard with her, but the fact that Amy still doesn’t know that the scent of a rabbit should be more attractive than that of a field mouse is far more my fault than hers. My solution to that problem is going to be a professional trainer. I’ve never sent a dog to a trainer before, but the one I’m going to use comes highly recommended. I’ll keep you posted.

The 2011 deer season is a poster child for unfinished business. It’s been a record setter, but not in a good way. Despite having spent more time deer hunting than I’ve ever spent before in my entire life, there is only one deer in my freezer. I’m not sure if this should make me feel better or worse, but it’s the only one I’ve had a chance at.

And to make the season stranger, I’ve filled both of my archery turkey tags — a lifetime first. The archery season doesn’t close until Jan. 15, and it only takes a few seconds to turn a bad deer season into at least a better one.

I guess you’d have to say that catching a big muskie in 2011 is unfinished business. Or maybe it’s unstarted business, because I didn’t get around to going to Pomme de Terre or any of Missouri’s other prime muskie waters.

Maybe the fact that I’ve met a guy who claims to be a muskie fisherman will help. Asking him to go along might not only make me more apt to go, but might provide me with some some tips and possibly even a lure or two.

I’m wary of counting partially completed projects as unfinished business, because if I did, I’d have enough unfinished business to keep me busy until at least Jan. 2013.  There is one I’d like to finish though.  

I’ve designed a removable rear deck for my boat.  Now, several months later, I’m reminded that I’ve purchased  all the materials I’ll need every time I have to move them so I can get to my work bench.

But come to think of it, unfinished business isn’t really a bad thing.  Life must get pretty dull for people who stay on top of things.