Stultz Hunt Club reaches century mark

Sunday, October 3, 2004

By Ben Holman

Nevada Herald

A century ago, 25 hunting enthusiasts joined together to create a club that would preserve the hunting and fishing environment at Stultz Lake, just a few miles northwest of Nevada, for future generations. One hundred years later, that mission lives on with the Stultz Lake Hunting and Fishing Club.

On Oct. 5, the Stultz Lake Hunting and Fishing Club will officially reach its centennial anniversary. The club, along with the land it occupies, has played an important role in the history of Vernon County.

Long before the current owners controlled the fate of the land, Stultz Lake was a prime hunting ground for native Americans, according to an article written by club member Barth Hinkle -- who calls himself the, "unofficial club historian." Also, Civil War era soldiers were sent on forays to the lake to hunt waterfowl to feed troops at nearby Fort Scott.

According to Tim Wysong, the club's current president, the area around Stultz Lake was used as a wallow by buffalo roaming into Missouri and that the wallow can still be seen today.

According to Hinkle's article, the lake's location, in central Vernon County, places it directly beneath an ancient waterfowl migration flyway. Since Vernon County is in this unique position, there are more waterfowl hunting and conservation lands in Vernon County than anywhere else in the state.

It was this prime location that spurred club founders to organize a corporation to protect the lake and preserve the hunting grounds. Wysong said that this club is the oldest hunt club west of the Mississippi River and that it has even played a notable role in the development of federal law.

In the spring of 1919, Frank W. McAllister, Missouri Attorney General and a member of the club, determined that federal law that restricted the hunting of migratory birds to the Autumn season was unconstitutional.

The law was enacted in 1918 to enforce a provision in the 1916 Migratory Bird Treaty between the U.S. and Great Britain, acting on the behalf of Canada. Hinkle writes in an article on the subject, "Missouri had always considered Spring hunting proper, and McAllister had told Missouri hunters that the Migratory Bird Treaty Act … would be declared unconstitutional because it was a state's right to regulate hunting."

According to Hinkle, McAllister convinced several club members of his position and provoked the local authorities into placing the club members under arrest. McAllister's assuredness that the law would be deemed unconstitutional proved unfounded, however. The case reached the Supreme Court which found that the federal government had the authority to pass laws required to implement a treaty.

Throughout its history, the club has worked to maintain and expand the unique setting around Stultz Lake, seeking out further additions and making improvements where necessary.

The club currently maintains approximately 1,200 acres of land around the lake.

According to Wysong, there is a French trapper's cabin on the property that the club is currently working on preserving, among other projects.

The club continues to limit its membership to 25 people -- the same number it was founded with -- in order to ensure that Stultz lake is not overused and remains in the natural state that it is in.

According to Wysong, to become a member would require someone already in the club to sell their shares in the club. Since most of the members have been members for a long time, someone selling their shares isn't likely -- Wysong has been a member for around 32 years and Hinkle for over 40. Members indicate that they enjoy being a part of the club because it works so hard to preserve the natural state of the property.

"It's just one of the few places I can go, so close to Nevada, that's absolutely natural," said Hinkle.

"It's just a very unique place," said Wysong. "There are very few tracts of land that are as pristine and I would like to see that preserved for future generations to enjoy."

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