Fall Hunting, Stinky Skunks, & Bat Nights: Early October with MDCOctober is officially here, and that means fall foliage, cooler trail walks, and a massive lineup of outdoor education! Sara Karnes from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) stopped by 105.1 The Bull to catch up with Grace for our first October edition of "In the Weeds".From learning archery to decoding the secret lives of bats and skunks, the first half of the month is packed. Listen to the full audio interview to hear all of Grace and Sara's rapid-fire breakdown and behind-the-scenes stories!Early October Highlights

• Mount Vernon Remnant Prairie Walk (Oct 7): Catch a sunset stroll from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM at Mount Vernon Prairie to spot rare fall flora and unique pollinators like the queen butterfly.
• Learn to Fish Clinics: MDC provides all the tackle and bait (ages 16+ just need a valid fishing license)!
• Branson: Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery on Oct 9 & Oct 16 from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM.
• Webb City: King Jack Park on Oct 10 for Family Fishing (10:00 AM to 11:00 AM) and Adult Intro to Fishing (2:00 PM to 3:00 PM).
• Skunks: Beyond the Spray (Oct 9): Dive into the fascinating lives of Missouri’s two native skunk species during this virtual program starting at 3:30 PM.
• Bats of Missouri: Discover bat behavior, local habitats, and white-nose syndrome research in person at the Springfield Conservation Nature Center on Oct 9 at 6:00 PM, or tune into the virtual session on Oct 15 at 4:00 PM.
• Fall Hunting Essentials:
• Field to Freezer (Deer Processing): Forsyth High School Ag room on Oct 13 at 6:00 PM.
• Reading the Woods (Virtual Deer & Turkey): Online on Oct 14 at 5:00 PM.
• Deer Hunting Basics 101: Shepherd of the Hills Conservation Center on Oct 16 at 7:00 PM.
• In-Person Deer Hunting: Andy Dalton Shooting Range on Oct 17 at 9:00 AM.
• Archery Workshops (Oct 17): Beginners can head to Andy Dalton Shooting Range from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM, or catch Adult Archery at the Springfield Nature Center at 3:00 PM.

Hear the complete conversation and extra event details by clicking the audio player! To register for upcoming classes or browse the full MDC calendar, visit MDC.MO.GOV