December 14, 2007 - TOP STORIES
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State might expand ATV access to Mississippi headwaters
Bovine TB fears prompt special hunt in NW Minnesota
Minn. program encourages hunters to donate deer to food shelves
Minnesota covered by snow early in season
State might expand ATV access to Mississippi headwaters
ATV access may be expanded in state forest
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Four-wheeler riders could get access to some roads and trails near the headwaters of the Mississippi River under a plan being considered by the state.
The draft plan from the Department of Natural Resources is aimed at keeping ATVs on marked paths along 84 miles of roads and trails in Mississippi Headwaters State Forest. But the plan goes against the advice of two DNR scientists who recommended in March that state lands within the forest be closed to off-road driving. And river advocates are upset.
“The last thing we need is to have is a bunch of ATVs buzzing up and down each side of the river,” said Jerry Maertens, member of Mississippi Headwaters Protection Alliance, a grass-roots group trying to keep public lands near the Mississippi free of off-road driving.
Currently, riding is allowed on county trails and many state-owned corridors in the area. The draft plan would allow ATVs on 17 miles of state-owned roads and trails and 67 miles of county roads and trails.
DNR planner Bill Johnson said the agency coordinated its trail recommendations with Hubbard, Clearwater and Beltrami counties, which control most of the land in the Mississippi Headwaters State Forest.
Three members of the five-person study team behind the DNR plan wanted to close the forest to ATVs earlier this year.
In March, Michael North of the agency’s ecology division and Rob Naplin from its fish and wildlife division recommended closing ATV trails on state land. The headwaters area is “a sensitive natural resource of national significance,” a long-term designated canoe route, and a stretch of wild river filled with wildlife such as trumpeter swans, red-shouldered hawks, goshawks and bald eagles, they wrote. Steep hills and sandy soil makes the area vulnerable to off-road driving, they wrote, and erosion already has occurred from illegal driving near and through the river.
They also wrote that hundreds of miles of ATV trails are already available on nearby county lands and in other state forests. “Remote and isolated canoeing opportunities are rare when compared to motorized riding opportunities in this part of the state,” they wrote.
A third member of the team favored closing all state trails in the forest to help enforcement.
Two other team members from the forestry and trails and waterways divisions recommended that some trails be open and others closed, and that the DNR work closely with counties to provide connections and consistent rules for a much longer trail system that extends beyond the state forest.
Mike Carroll, DNR regional director in Bemidji, acknowledged that the staff had a “split decision” about what to do and said he made the final decision to propose keeping some trails in the forest open to ATVs.
“I felt that keeping the corridor open for connectivity (with ATV trails on county lands) was a legitimate point,” Carroll said.
He said that it didn’t seem fair to exclude ATVs in an area of the state where highways cross the river and snowmobile trails cross the river on small bridges. Cooperating with counties and proposing clearly defined trails with buffer zones along the corridor will be better for the environment in the long run, Carroll said, and should make enforcement easier.
The plan was published Nov. 13 and is open to public comment for 60 days. It will be the focus of a public meeting Jan. 16 at Bemidji State University.
Two Inlets ATV Trail proposal out for public review
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is seeking public review and comment on a proposed ATV trail connection in northeastern Becker County. The eight-mile trail, designed to facilitate travel in and around the community of Two Inlets, is intended to be a grant-in-aid (GIA) ATV route open only to ATVs.
The proposal, submitted by the Two Inlets Forest Riders ATV Club (sponsored by Clover Township), includes approximately three miles of new trails that lie primarily within existing county road rights-of-way, and extends GIA status to five additional miles of existing routes within Two Inlets State Forest. If approved, these segments would be added to the 120-mile Forest Riders GIA ATV trail system that is currently maintained by the club.
The ATV trail segments described in the club’s proposal have already undergone a rigorous DNR interdisciplinary review. The project addresses rehabilitation of wetland areas previously impacted by ATV use and the need to ensure safe and sustainable ATV use in this popular riding area. The proposal also considers a number of alternative trail alignments, which are also included on the project map.
The DNR welcomes public perspective on this project proposal. Copies of the proposal and maps are available at www.mndnr.gov. Requests and comments may also be directed to Tim Browning, Regional Trails & Waterways Supervisor, 6603 Bemidji Ave N, Bemidji, MN 56601, (218) 308-2360, tim.browning@dnr.state.mn.us. Written comments will be accepted until 4:30 PM on Friday, January 18, 2008.
Bovine TB fears prompt special hunt in NW Minnesota
ST. PAUL (AP) – Fears of bovine tuberculosis have prompted the Department of Natural Resources to announce a special deer hunt in northwestern Minnesota to thin the herd there.
The 16-day hunt will run from Dec. 29-Jan. 13 in deer Permit Area 101, which is near Skime.
The hunt was announced Dec. 4 after three more deer killed during the fall hunt tested positive for the disease. That brings the total number of wild deer found with the disease to 13 since testing started in 2005.
Since then, eight infected cattle herds in Roseau and Beltrami counties have been destroyed.
“To my knowledge, we’ve never reopened the deer season for this reason,” said Lou Cornicelli, DNR big game supervisor.
“The goal is to dramatically lower deer densities in these areas both to protect the wild deer herd and to reduce possible risk to cattle herds,” Cornicelli said.
Despite fears of the disease, the deer harvested during the special hunting season should be edible, he said. Few deer will be infected, and even infected animals would be safe to eat once they are cooked to 170 degrees.
DNR officials will staff registration stations in the area on the weekends to examine deer for bovine TB.
Hunters can use any 2007 license or permit from any zone. They can also buy additional disease management permits for $2.50, or deer also can be tagged with any remaining unused tags from the 2007 season.
About 1,400 deer have been killed so far this fall in the 450-square-mile area.
After the late season hunt concludes on Jan. 13, the DNR will conduct an aerial survey of the area to determine deer distribution and abundance. Once that information is collected, the DNR will contract with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Wildlife Service for sharpshooters to reduce populations in localized areas of the core bovine TB area.
Details of the special late-season hunt in deer Permit Area 101 only:
• deer of either sex may be taken
• hunters can use any 2007 license or permit from any zone
• a hunter must have a license and use the legal weapon for that license; for example, a hunter cannot use a rifle if he or she does not have a valid 2007 firearms license
• new or replacement licenses can be obtained at any Electronic Licensing System agent, and hunters can buy additional disease management permits for $2.50
• deer also can be tagged with any remaining unused tags from the 2007 season; for example, deer can be tagged with an unfilled firearm license, disease management permits, bonus permits or all-season tags
• all harvested deer must be registered at Olson Skime store in Skime; Riverfront Station in Wannaska; Thief Lake Wildlife Management Area headquarters during regular business hours; or Red Lake Wildlife Management Area headquarters during regular business hours.
For more info: Thief Lake Wildlife Management Area (218) 222-3747 or Red Lake Wildlife Management Area (218) 783-6861
Minn. program encourages hunters to donate deer to food shelves
FOREST LAKE, Minn. (AP) – Dozens of food shelves in Minnesota are stocked with deer meat this fall, thanks to a new state-funded donation program that has helped make more protein available to hungry families.
Kathy Wills, manager of six food shelves, says she received 1,500 pounds of ground venison through the program this fall.
“It’s definitely not going to stick around for long,” Wills said. Her organization, Family Pathways, has locations in Forest Lake, Onamia, Cambridge, North Branch, Lindstrom and Sandstone. Wills said the meat is flying off shelves and she expects it to last about a month.
Last winter, lawmakers earmarked money and raised nonresident hunting fees to pay for processing of up to 4,000 deer killed and donated by Minnesota deer hunters.
“It’s fantastic,” Wills said. “I know our food shelf in Onamia had about 129 pounds last year, but (one processor) has already given us 790 pounds. Our freezers are stocked full, thanks to deer hunters.”
The state doesn’t have a final tally on donated deer yet, but a St. Paul Pioneer Press sampling of participating meat processors indicates each facility processed around 20 to 30 deer. With 70 participating processors, the number of donated deer could be about 2,000.
“I don’t think we’ll reach 4,000 to 5,000 deer,” said Rep. Rick Hansen, D-South St. Paul, who authored the venison legislation and donated a doe. “But I think the program will grow, and we’ll see more processors involved in the future.”
Hunters can drop off whole, hide-on deer at participating meat processors, and the state reimburses the processors $70 for each donated deer they grind into venison burger. The processors give the meat to a food pantry.
Minnesota’s deer donation programs started in 2004 when groups such as the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association got local hunters to give deer to food pantries. About 300 deer were being donated annually, but hunters had to pay the $50 to $70 processing fee themselves.
This year, lawmakers approved a one-time allocation of $160,000 and raised nonresident hunting licenses by $5 to pay for processing. Next year, $13 bonus deer hunting permits – which allow hunters to shoot extra deer – will increase by $1.
This fall, hunters were asked to voluntarily donate $1, $3 or $5 to the program, but contributions were lower than the $200,000 expected. As of last week, 23,000 of the 427,000 adult deer hunters contributed to the program, raising about $50,000.
“I’m disappointed,” said Lou Cornicelli, DNR big-game program coordinator. “It’s not that they didn’t want to contribute, but some license vendors weren’t asking hunters if they wanted to donate to the program.”
Several processors said their hunting customers didn’t know they could donate deer free this year. Tony VonBank, of Von Hanson’s Meats of Eagan, said he processed 20 donated deer but found many hunters didn’t know about the program.
Charlie Cory, of Big Steer Meats in St. Paul, said he often found himself promoting the program.
“I hope the program expands,” said Cory, who has processed about 100 deer. “You’re doing a service and hopefully helping someone who needs it.”
Hunters participating in the muzzleloader and archery deer seasons still can donate deer. The muzzleloader season ended Sunday; the archery season on Dec. 31.
Wisconsin’s venison program, which relies on donations and state money, has operated since 2000. Hunters there donate 6,000 to 10,000 deer annually.
Minnesota anglers should be aware of changes in fishing regulations when new rules were published Dec. 10 in the State Register, according the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
Rule changes include:
ICE FISHING MEAL PREPARATION - While on or fishing waters with size restrictions, all fish for which the size restriction applies must have their heads, tails, fins and skin intact and be measurable except when a person is preparing and using such fish for a meal.
TAKE A KID ICE FISHING - Anglers older than 16 do not need a license from Feb. 16-18, 2008, if they are accompanied by a child younger than 16 and are actively participating in Take A Kid Ice Fishing Weekend.
MUSKIE SEASON - Muskie season will close on Dec. 15, 2007. The 2008 season will begin on Saturday, June 7, 2008, and close on Monday, Dec. 1, 2008.
PACKED FISH LABELING - When packing fish, labels identifying the fish must include the name of the lake where the fish was caught and the size of each of the fish that are regulated under a special size limit.
NIGHT BOWFISHING - Taking fish via archery at night will be allowed from June 1, 2008, to Aug. 31, 2008, on selected lakes. Some special provisions for barbed arrows and noise level restrictions will apply.
CANADIAN-MINNESOTA BORDER WATERS NORTHERN PIKE LIMIT - The bag limit for northern pike caught in Canadian-Minnesota border waters now is three fish with only one of those fish longer than 30 inches.
WINTER TROUT FISHING - All lakes in Aitkin County and Blue Lake in Hubbard County are open to winter trout fishing.
ZEBULON PIKE RESRVOIR - This 10-acre portion of the Mississippi River near Little Falls is closed to fishing.
MADTOM/STONECAT HARVEST - A permit is required to harvest madtoms or stonecats in Dodge, Freeborn and Mower counties.
WHITEFISH/CISCOE NETTING - Changes in regulations open Devils Track Lake (Cook County) and Elbow (St. Louis County) and remove Upper Red Lake (Beltrami County), Reilley Lake (O’Reilly; Itasca County), Burgen (Douglas County), East and West Fox (Crow Wing County), Island (Itasca County), Little Jessie (Itasca County), Latoka (Douglas County), Mitchell (Crow Wing County), Nisswa (Crow Wing County), Osakis (Douglas and Todd County), Roy (Cass and Crow Wing County), Serpent (Crow Wing County) and Victoria lakes (Douglas County).
A complete list of regulation changes and additional details will be available on the DNR Web site at www.mndnr.gov/regulations/fishing/index.html
Minnesota covered by snow early in season
ST. PAUL (AP) – Winter lovers in Minnesota and businesses that depend on winter recreation have been waiting for it for a long time – and it’s finally here.
Snow, and plenty of it, early in the season.
According to a Department of Natural Resources snow-depth map, a foot or more of snow covers most of central and northern Minnesota.
Overall, the entire state has at least three inches of snow, or more.
DNR climatologist Greg Spoden said it’s the most complete and early blanket of snow for Minnesota in more than a decade.
It’s especially helpful for winter sports throughout the state when the metropolitan area is well covered early in the season.
The Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport has received about 8 inches of snow, almost up to the 10 inches it gets on average for the entire month of December.
“In December, we sort of set the emotional tone for winter,” Spoden said.
Spoden says the last time the state had such early and complete snow coverage was in 1996.
Snow depths range from about 3 to 4 inches in southwestern Minnesota to 18 inches near the North Shore.
© 2007 Outdoors Weekly Corporation