DNR news releases for July 16, 2012

Crow Wing State Park to host overnight program on camping basics

People can learn how to camp or refresh rusty outdoor skills during a one-night I Can Camp! program being offered by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Parks and Trails Division on Saturday, July 21, at Crow Wing State Park in Brainerd.

Experienced instructors from Conservation Corps Minnesota will teach participants basic camping and outdoor skills, including how to set up a tent, how to build a campfire, and camp cooking. All camping equipment is provided (including tents, air mattresses and cook stoves). Participants just bring their own food and bedding (sleeping bags or blankets and pillows).

The program costs $35 for a tent accommodating up to six people. A one-day vehicle pass will be included as part of the program fee, or participants may buy a year-round Minnesota state parks permit for an additional $20.

For more information, visit www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/can_camp.html. For reservations, call 866-857-2757 (TTY: 952-936-4008) between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. daily.

These programs are part of an ongoing effort by the DNR Parks and Trails Division to connect people with the outdoors. They also offer skill-building programs that introduce fishing, paddling, climbing and archery to beginners. They were created in response to research that indicated declining participation in outdoor recreation by young families.

Funding for the I Can Camp! programs is from the Parks and Trails Fund, created after voters approved the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment in November 2008. The Parks and Trails Fund receives 14.25 percent of the sales tax revenue and may only be spent to support parks and trails of regional or statewide significance.
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Working like a dog pays off for DNR conservation officer

Several deer poaching cases, including one from 1984, were recently solved thanks to the dogged determination of a conservation officer with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and his K-9 partner.

For the past five years, Conservation Officer (CO) Travis Muyres of Ham Lake has been investigating the activities of Steven J. Benolkin, 57, of Isanti for alleged trespass and poaching deer.

"Mr. Benolkin has stated on numerous occasions that he has trespassed and killed deer in the University of Minnesota – Cedar Creek property," Muyres said. "He joked that he has to hunt in tennis shoes so he can run without being caught by the warden."

Muyres has received several Turn-in-Poacher (TIP) calls regarding Benolkin hunting at night, over bait and on private property.

A November 2011 TIP call reported that Benolkin had dumped a truck bed of carrots next to a hunting blind in Isanti. Muyres confirmed the call.

Another TIP call said Benolkin was bragging in a local restaurant about a "big deer" he had shot. Muyres deployed his K-9 partner "Hunter" at the blind to locate blood evidence. The United States Police Canine Association certified wildlife detector dog located two blood spots in the snow.

"A K-9 is such an asset during game and fish investigations, you just can't get anything by them," Muyres said.

Hair and blood droplets next to the bait pile shown a deer had been taken by archery. Blood spots, tire tracks and footprints at the site indicated a deer had been loaded into a vehicle. A set of footprints lead to a vehicle parked at the end of the driveway near the blind. The property where the driveway was located is leased by Steven Benolkin.

"I made contact with Benolkin, but he said he did not shoot the deer," Muyres said.

A TIP call in early 2012 had Benolkin bragging again about a 10-point buck he had shot, even showing a picture in public. During the course of the investigation, a trail camera picture was obtained of the possible 10-point buck that was killed. Evidence led to a local taxidermist where Benolkin had dropped off the head and cape of the 10-point buck in November 2011. A deer archery tag with Benolkin's son's name accompanied the deer. Muyres took possession of the antlers, which scored trophy size.

In March, a search warrant was issued in Isanti County for Benolkin's residence. Meanwhile, conservation officers questioned Benolkin's son about the deer.

"Mr. Benolkin continued to deny any involvement with the deer, or that he took a picture of the 10-point antlers," Muyres said. "He said someone else had shot it and showed it to people, and that he didn't have to tell me who had shot the deer."

When conservation officers executed a search warrant at the residence, Benolkin said he had shot the deer and used his son's tag. He also admitted to the bait pile and blind where the deer was shot.

When questioned about seven deer mounts in the living room, Benolkin said three were taken when he trespassed on the U of M - Cedar Creek property, one he thought was shot in 1984, and the most recent one in 2004. The three deer heads were seized, along with other evidence that included a crossbow. A pickup truck was also seized.

Benolkin is charged with a gross misdemeanor for transporting illegally taken big game, as well as misdemeanors for taking deer over bait, illegal party hunting, failure to validate site tag, failure to tag deer, and two incidents of possessing an illegally taken big game animal. Conviction of a gross misdemeanor carries a maximum fine of $3,000 and one year in jail. Restitution for a trophy buck is $1,000. A court date has been set for August 1 in Isanti County Court.
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DNR seeks public comments on Roseau/Lake of the Woods ATV Trail Grant-in-Aid funding proposal

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) invites public review and comment on a proposal to authorize state grant-in-aid funding for an approximately 81-mile all-terrain vehicle (ATV) trail in the Beltrami Island State Forest in Lake of the Woods and Roseau counties.

The proposed trail is currently open to ATV use. The trail will consist of 29 miles on state forest minimum maintenance road, 46 miles on state forest system road, one mile on township road, and five miles on Lake of the Woods county road. The trail will connect to the towns of Roosevelt and Williams, and to the Bemis Hill and Con-Con grant-in-aid trails.

Roseau County will sponsor the proposal, provide trail monitoring, development and maintenance in cooperation with the Roseau/Lake of the Woods Sportsmen's Club. The trail will be routed primarily through the Beltrami Island State Forest in Oaks and Clear River townships in Roseau County, and Myhre Township in Lake of the Woods County.

Bringing the existing trail into the grant-in-aid system would provide additional resources and funding for trail signing, maintenance, monitoring and repair. The trail will be designated for class 1 and class 2 ATV use, but will be open to highway-licensed vehicles and nonmotorized uses such as hiking and horseback riding where located on state forest roads. Twenty-seven miles of the trail are currently designated for dual off-highway motorcycle and ATV use. Both uses will continue on this portion of the trail.

The DNR welcomes public input on the trail proposal. Copies of the proposal and a project map are available for review at www.mndnr.gov/input/mgmtplans/ohv/plans.

The deadline for comments is Aug. 15 at 4:30 p.m.

Requests for printed copies of the proposal, or written comments on the proposal, should be directed to: Allen Lego, DNR Parks and Trails Division, 246 125th Ave. SE, Thief River Falls, MN 56701; phone 218-681-0889, ext. 222, or toll-free 888-646-6367.

Comments may also be sent by email to allen.lego@state.mn.us or by fax to 218-681-0948.
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DNR to hold open house and seek input on Lake Vermilion State Park development plans

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will hold an open house at the Tower Civic Center on Friday, July 20, from 5 - 7 p.m., to gather public input on the development plans for Lake Vermilion State Park.

DNR staff will be on hand to answer questions and show plans including the Armstrong Bay day-use area, Vermilion Park Drive, campground concepts, and McKinley camper cabins at the adjacent Soudan Underground Mine State Park. The public is invited to participate and provide written comments.

"We are looking forward to sharing plans for Lake Vermilion State Park and hearing feedback from visitors and residents," said Jim Essig, park manager. "We have a tremendous opportunity to preserve this special place while offering visitors access to a quality outdoor experience."

Purchased in 2010 from U.S. Steel, Vermilion is Minnesota's newest state park. The park offers 3,000 acres of land and nearly 5 miles of shoreline. Bonding dollars approved by the Minnesota Legislature provided funding for the purchase and development of the park.

For more information, including the master plan and timeline, see www.mndnr.gov/stateparks.
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DNR QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Q: I understand western prairie fringed orchids are in flower in southwestern Minnesota. Are these rare in Minnesota?

A: Yes, this federally-threatened prairie plant is one of Minnesota's rarest orchids. Typically it flowers in northwestern Minnesota in late June or early July and in southwestern Minnesota in mid-July. This year the Red River Valley plants suffered from fall and spring drought and were hit by late frosts. Very few plants will flower north of I-94.

Photographers and wildflower lovers would do best to head to southwestern Minnesota, where plants are in flower in the vicinity of Luverne and Pipestone. The most easily seen plants are near the road at Touch the Sky National Wildlife Refuge in Rock County. People can also see the orchids in the Sheyenne National Grassland in North Dakota.

-Nancy Sather, botanist/ecologist, Minnesota Biological Survey