Joan Snodgrass Tri-Lakes Realtors, Shell Knob, MO

Dangerous Hogs

It is open season 12 months a year in Missouri on feral hogs. Hunters are urged to shoot and kill them on sight.

There have always been feral hogs, but they were kept under control by normal hunting until the 1990's when they were sought as sport. European or Russian boar were introduced and they have mixed with the domestic hogs.

It is not unusual to see a 300 or 400 pound boar, with some reaching records of 600 pounds!

These hogs do damage agriculturally as they root for food. They are not particular about what they eat and consume acorns - which deer and other small animals need.

They are prolific breeders and the population has grown rapidly. The Ozark hills provide them with a comfortable habitat.

Shooting, trapping and baiting are encouraged by the conservation department.

Not too long after becoming a Shell Knob/Table Rock Lake resident, I smelled something different in the air. It was neither a pleasant or unpleasant smell - just 'different'. I mentioned it to my husband, and he gave me the usual rolling of his eyes. I then had to ask a neighbor about that strange smell in the air, and was told it was just Table Rock Lake turning over???

The lake turning over? Like sure - that makes alot of sense.

The same as turning over in bed? Come on.... wouldn't I have heard something if this huge body of water had actually turned over?

Don't they send out alerts or something? Sounds dangerous. I've lived on lakes before, but had never heard of one 'Turning Over'.

Google didn't exist and there wasn't much of what we now call internet, when I first experienced this, so I just came to accept that at some time in the spring and again in the fall, I would smell this rather fishy scent

around Table Rock Lake.

I have since read that this actually is a common occurance in large and small lakes, where there are four seasons and large temperature changes.

Table Rock has 857 miles of shoreline and covers 52,300 acres. That's over 1.1 trillion gallons of water held and alot of water to turn over!

Seasonal temperature changes are what get the job done. The colder water gets, the heavier it becomes so it sinks to the bottom of the lake, causing the water on the bottom to roll-over to the top. This is a simplistic explanation of a very interesting and detailed process involving thermocline and oxygen, which I wish I had learned more of earlier in life.

When the lake has turned over, it is cloudy for a few days, and most anglers take a few days off from fishing and head to Bass Pro Shop. Chances of catching the big lunker at this time are fairly low.

Call Joan for all your Shell Knob Real Estate Needs 417-846-7128

Tri-Lakes Realtors 417-846-3344

Most of the hummingbirds have done their Fall migration, so it must be time for Table Rock Lakes' Fall Bass tournaments to start in Shell Knob.

A Shell Knob Fall tradition is the Annual Homer Sloan Buddy Bass Tournament. It will be held on Table Rock Lake on Saturday October 4th.

The Buddy Bass Tournament can be entered any time up to the take-off time of 7:30 a.m. on 10/4. Campbell Point and Kings River Marinas are both take-off points. Weigh-in is at Campbell point only at 4 p.m.

Six bass is the total allowed for weigh-in by a two person boat. Cash prizes for the heaviest total weights and the largest individual bass will be given.

A full dinner will be served to entrants, following the weigh-in, at the Shell Knob CCC Camp.

Check out the shellknob.com/events.htm web site for rules and an application.

Call Joan for all your Table Rock Lake and Shell Knob Real Estate Needs 417-846-7128

Tri-Lakes Realtors 417-858-3344

Don't you feel good when finding the right house for your buyers? The pleasure of seeing the joy and excitement is almost as good as getting paid.

In the midst of the appraisal, bank and money problems, good sales still occur. Doing the walk- through of their new Shell Knob lakefront home last week, with my perfect buyers, I discovered there are still perfect sellers out there too! Earth Angels!

The sellers left the house immaculate. The appliances looked like they had never been used, and even the garage was clean!

They left a coffee maker, with coffee and a note next to it for the buyers to enjoy a coffee break while moving in.

They provided a bound book with all the receipts and contact info for work done on the house, as well as manufacturers information on products in the house - a complete history for the new owners.

The buyers had purchased some of the furniture, which included a bedroom set. The sellers spent the previous night there, but washed, folded and left the linens , plus soap at various sinks and in the laundry.

Knowing how exhausting moving can be, this thoughtful pair went above and beyond. Guess this is a good example of "passing it on" to new Shell Knob residents.

Call Joan for all your real estate needs 417-846-7128

Tri-Lakes REALTORS 417-858-3344