August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Center in St. Charles MO
This area is located in St. Charles County in the state of Missouri and covers a 6, 987-acre conservation area under the ownership and management of the state’s Department of Conservation. The Department of Conservation purchased the land from the United States government in 1947 with the help of August Anheuser Busch, Senior’s wife, Alice Busch. The Department of the Army and the Weldon Spring Ordnance Works used portions of the area in the 1940s to produce TNT and DNT. There are still 100 old bunkers previously used to store TNT in the area. The Atomic Energy Commission utilized the area between 1958 and 1967 to dispose of rubble contaminated by radium and uranium.
History
Earlier in 1947, Alice Busch donated $70, 000 towards purchasing the area for conservation purposes and as mainly as a memorial for her late husband August Anheuser Busch, Sr. the area was historically known as a processing facility for uranium ore and DNT and is part of a superfund site. The land was later decontaminated to help protect public health and water quality. The portions affected because of TNT became part of a federal environmental cleanup project. It was also a requirement that the project meets specific environmental health & safety standards. The area is currently considered safe for the pursuit of all recreational activities permitted in the area, including the wildlife found in the area. Learn about the St. Charles MO Police Department.
The Department of Conservation fosters recreational utilization of the conservation area by the general public. It also encourages providing fish and wildlife with the food and resources they need to healthily and abundantly. You can also walk the hiking trails, take pictures of the wildlife, drive the auto tour, or just decide to sit under a tree and relax while you enjoy the sounds and sights of the wildlife outdoors. You are allowed to hunt for various species of wildlife. However, note that there are special regulations put in place to regulate the hunting activities in the area. You can visit the department’s site, particularly the Area Regulation section, or you can check with the office for up-to-date regulations, for a complete guide on the current regulations on hunting. You can find out more about the history of and the activities permitted in the area by visiting the Missouri Department of Conservation website.
Activities
There are several activities you can perform and things you can consider when you visit the area, including bird watching; boat rentals; dog training; managed hunts; field trials (require special use permit); hunting of deer, squirrel, rabbit, and dove; fishing to catch catfish, black bass, sunfish, trout, crappie, or Muskie; trapping, which requires special use permit; shooting range (archery); and trails (biking and hiking).
Recreation
The area offers various recreational activities to help meet a wide range of visitors’ needs. There is a visitor center, a picnic area, fishing dock, pavilion, viewing blind, and boat rentals.
If you’re a fan of hiking and biking, there are numerous trails for these activities in the Conservation Area covering a total area of 7.3 miles. Hunting and fishing activities are also permitted as long as you adhere to the appropriate regulations. The Department of Conservation stocks 32 lakes with black bass, crappie, catfish, muskellunge, sunfish, trout, and bluegill to enable fishing activities. Some areas are managed to support the growth of dove populations for effective hunting.
So, if you’re a fan of nature and its activities, you can visit the area and have fun. You can choose to hunt, fish, or hike, depending on the activities you enjoy. Just ensure you adhere to the appropriate rules and regulations.
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Driving directions from our office to August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Center
Take Bluestone Dr to MO-94 W/S 1st Capitol Dr in Saint Charles
Head southwest on Scherer Pkwy toward Ford Ln and turn left onto Bluestone Dr
Turn right onto Pralle Ln
Continue on MO-364 W/MO-94 W to Boone Township
Use the left 2 lanes to turn left onto MO-94 W/S 1st Capitol Dr
Use the left 2 lanes to merge onto MO-364 W/MO-94 W via the ramp to Weldon Spring
Take exit 8 A for MO-94 W toward Weldon Spring
Continue onto MO-94 W
Continue on Hwy D to your destination
