In This Issue
A weekly list of news briefs about fish, wildlife, and habitat management.
Provide input on 2021 deer populations, observations
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is seeking public input via an online survey regarding 2021 deer populations and observations. The survey includes questions about experiences hunters had during the deer hunting season; issues related to damage deer might do to crops, landscaping or gardens; and other deer-related issues. The survey is open through Monday, March 14. Get more details are on the DNR deer goal setting page (mndnr.gov/mammals/deer/management/population.html).
DNR webinar covers maple syruping, archery hunting
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources invites Minnesotans interested in learning about the basics of maple syruping and archery hunting to attend upcoming webinars.
The maple syruping webinar will be held at noon on Wednesday, Feb. 16. Kao Thao, state park naturalist, and Colleen Foehrenbacher from the Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center will have tips on collecting sap, boiling it and bottling the results.
The archery hunting webinar will be held at noon on Wednesday, Feb. 23. Desiree Holmberg, volunteer with the DNR Becoming an Outdoors Woman program, will share her experience learning to archery hunt. The webinar also will include tips on how to select a hunting compound bow and the bow accessories needed to hunt effectively in the field.
The webinars are part of the DNR’s Minnesota Outdoor Skills and Stewardship Series, which aims to give participants quick, relevant information on upcoming seasons and events, and skills to help enjoy these opportunities. The webinars are free, but registration is required. More information is available on the outdoor skills and stewardship page of the DNR website (mndnr.gov/discover).
Light goose conservation action begins Feb. 18
Hunters can help reduce the population of light geese through a federally authorized spring conservation harvest that runs Feb. 18 through April 30. Light geese are snow geese, blue-phased snow geese and the smaller Ross’s goose. Harvest regulations can be found on the DNR light goose conservation order page (mndnr.gov/hunting/waterfowl/lightgoose/index.html). The conservation action aims to reduce damage from these geese to fragile ecosystems in Arctic coastal areas and around Hudson Bay.
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The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources invites anglers and others to comment on fisheries management in several waterbodies in the Grand Rapids area through March 15.
The DNR will be using comments and suggestions from the public as it updates fisheries management plans that identify specific activities planned for designated lakes and streams over the next five to 20 years. These plans include a variety of fisheries information: summaries and evaluations of past management activities and regulations; background information such as water chemistry characteristics; water temperature information; and species presence, stocking, and historic catch rates from previous fisheries surveys.
The plans also can identify biological and social factors that might limit a fishery’s potential and seek to address these limiting factors by prescribing science-based management tools when biologically, fiscally and socially appropriate.
“Comments and suggestions from the public are important because good management plans consider angler values and include social considerations,” said Dave Weitzel, Grand Rapids area fisheries manager.
Public input helps identify values and concerns and is most useful before plans are finalized in late March. Anyone can request information and share thoughts about fisheries management by contacting the Grand Rapids Area Fisheries Office via email at GrandRapids.fisheries@state.mn.us or by phone at 218-328-8835.
The DNR Grand Rapids Area Fisheries Office is currently reviewing management strategies and will be updating lake management plans for the following lakes in Itasca County (except where noted, the new plans will have updated fisheries information including a review of walleye stocking):
- Bass (near Deer River)
- Bowstring – only updating fisheries information, not walleye stocking
- Busties
- Clubhouse – only updating fisheries information, not walleye stocking
- Grave
- Island (near Northome)
- Jessie
- Little Bowstring
- Pokegama
- Rush Island
- Spider
- Tioga
Comments and suggestions for managing other lakes and streams in the Grand Rapids work area are welcome at any time and will be considered when those plans are due for review.
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