Input wanted on state deer management plan

People interested in deer are encouraged to contribute ideas and feedback about possible deer management topics that will shape Minnesota’s first-ever deer management plan.

“We’re asking people to let us know what they think about specific topics that could be included in the deer plan,” said Adam Murkowski, big game program leader with the Department of Natural Resources. “We’re anticipating that these topics will involve hunting opportunities and also balance a range of perspectives that consider deer management and habitat.”

Possible deer plan topics and an online comment form can be found at www.mndnr.gov/deerplan. Comments also can be submitted by email to DeerPlan.DNR@state.mn.us and people can attend any of 12 public engagement meetings throughout the state between Tuesday, Jan. 31, and Thursday, March 2.

Online and email comments can be submitted through Sunday, March 5, and people can both comment electronically and attend meetings in person if they wish.

During the next year, the recently formed deer management plan advisory committee will review technical information and public input collected through this and other processes. The committee will make recommendations to the DNR for the deer plan, which is expected to be finished by the spring of 2018.

Meetings will be from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. and are scheduled in:    

• Thief River Falls, Tuesday, Jan. 31, Ralph Engelstad Arena, 525 Brooks Ave.
• Alexandria, Thursday, Feb. 2, Broadway Ballroom, 115 30th Ave. E.
• Andover, Thursday, Feb. 9, Bunker Hills Activities Center, 550 Bunker Lake Blvd. NW.
• Bemidji, Wednesday, Feb. 1, Hampton Inn, 1019 Paul Bunyan Drive SE.
• Brainerd, Tuesday, Feb. 21, Central Lakes College cafeteria, 501 W. College Drive.
• Cambridge, Thursday, Feb. 16, Cambridge High School, 430 8th Ave. NW.
• Duluth, Wednesday, Feb. 22, Room W2630 at Lake Superior College, 2101 Trinity Road.
• Mankato, Thursday, March 2, County Inn & Suites, 1900 Premier Drive.
• Montevideo, Monday, Feb. 27, T.A.C.C. Minnesota Army National Guard, 711 S. 17th St.
• Mountain Iron, Thursday, Feb. 23, Iroquois Room at Mountain Iron Community Center, 8586 Enterprise Drive S.
• Rochester, Monday, Feb. 6, Century High School, 2525 Viola Road NE.
• Windom, Tuesday, Feb. 28, Windom Community Center, 1750 Cottonwood Lake Drive.

The DNR strives to maintain a healthy wild deer population that offers recreational and economic opportunities, while addressing conflicts between deer, people and other natural resources. Habitat management, hunting, research and monitoring are several primary tools used to manage the Minnesota deer population. More information on deer management is on the DNR website at www.mndnr.gov/deer. 

Red Lake Watershed District and DNR progress on Pine Lake flood project

The Red Lake Watershed District and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources continue their efforts toward better water management of the Pine Lake watershed in Clearwater County.

One of several flood damage reduction projects in the watershed district, the Pine Lake project will allow for water level management throughout the year by constructing a new control structure on Pine Lake and creating upstream retention basins to reduce flood damage at the lake and areas downstream.

A 45 square-mile drainage area flows into Pine Lake. Runoff causes rapid increases in lake levels in the spring and cabins have been flooded in 13 of the last 33 years. Lower lake levels in late summer, fall and winter can result in lake access issues for shoreland owners and may be detrimental to over-wintering fish populations.

Recently, the watershed district and the DNR signed a memorandum of understanding to seasonally hold water in the wetland located on the Little Pine Lake Wildlife Management Area (WMA) as part of area flood damage reduction efforts in the watershed. The WMA is located upstream from Pine Lake.

Under the memorandum, the watershed district will build a new dam on the wetland on Little Pine Lake WMA and the DNR will use it to manage water levels upstream to reduce flood damage and enhance wildlife habitat. In late fall, the DNR will drop water levels 2 feet in anticipation of holding upwards of 4 feet of water during a flood.

“Lower fall, and in drier years, lower spring water levels would offer some natural resource enhancements,” said Dave Rave, Bemidji DNR area wildlife supervisor. “Lower water levels will provide breeding and migrating waterfowl and shorebird habitat. In very wet springs, we will hold back water to minimize flooding at Crookston and other areas downstream.”

Better water management in this and other watersheds will ensure that they work efficiently to meet local needs and also help address a Red River basin region-wide goal, the Red River Basin Commission established to reduce peak flows along the Red River of the North.

Landowners and other watershed partners attended public meetings last July and provided input on the Pine Lake project, as well as a similar project on the Four Legged Lake watershed. The project teams met in August. The public input is now being used to determine the best options for both projects.

“Public input has been helpful in determining suitable alternatives for evaluation,” said Myron Jesme, Red River Watershed District administrator. “We’re encouraged that the DNR and the Red Lake Watershed District have signed an agreement that establishes authority and responsibility for water level management on the Little Pine Wildlife Management Area.”

For more information on both Pine Lake and Four Legged Lake Watershed projects and progress, visit www.redlakewatersed.org/.

Wildlife Drive opening July 18 at Roseau River Wildlife Management Area

The 27-mile “Wildlife Drive” through the Roseau River Wildlife Management Area (WMA), 20 miles northwest of Roseau, will be open to vehicular travel July 18-26 and the following weekends through Aug. 16. The drive traverses wetland, woodland, brushland and farmland habitats, providing visitors ample opportunity to see wildlife.

Roseau River WMA is one of the viewing stops along the Pine to Prairie Birding Trail, which consists of 45 sites spanning a 223-mile corridor from pine to prairie in the northwestern part of the state. These sites offer some of the most spectacular birding in the state, along with scenic beauty and friendly communities.

The viewing route also cuts through the northern reaches of the Juneberry 3 wildfire, which burned an area in excess of 30,000 acres in October 2011. The fire opened up stands of woody vegetation, creating new foraging sites for birds and mammals and improving nesting cover for a wide array of birds for years to come.

Approximately 149 bird species breed within the Roseau River WMA. Yellow rails, horned grebes and Western grebes are a few of the rare breeding species found within the area’s vast wetlands. Along the drive you may also encounter trumpeter swans, loons, white pelicans, sandhill cranes, great blue herons, eagles, a variety of ducks and other water birds, sedge wrens, yellow warblers, Nelson’s sharp-tailed sparrows, black bears, deer, beaver, otter, muskrat, red fox, gray wolf and the occasional moose.

Aside from excellent wildlife viewing opportunities, the WMA “pools” offer spectacular year-round northern pike fishing opportunities. Visitors typically fish along the dike roads or near the water control structures. When the dike roads are closed to motorists, visitors can bike to Pool 1 West or Pool 2 from the parking areas. During the waterfowl hunting season only, motorboats of 10 horsepower or less may be used on the Roseau River WMA.

The Wildlife Drive can be easily accessed at the main dike road, located one and three-quarter miles south of the WMA headquarters on Roseau County Road 3. Only motor vehicles licensed for use on public highways are legally permitted to operate on this road. Motorists are urged to use caution due to narrow roads, soft shoulders, deep ditches and two-way traffic. The speed limit on all WMA roads is 20 mph. Note that the wildlife drive may be closed due to inclement weather or road construction.

For more information, contact or stop by the Roseau River WMA office to pick up a bird list, maps, fishing regulations and additional information before your visit: 218-463-1130, 27952 400th St., Roseau, MN 56751, or visit www.dnr.state.mn.us/wmas/.

Barriers to Bushels to Address Current Production Issues in Corn and Soybeans

To help address key management issues of Northwestern Minnesota producers, Barriers to Bushels will be held at The Flom Community Center on February 27^th and the Crookston Inn (formerly Northland Inn) on February 28^th. This is a program developed by University of Minnesota Extension aimed at current issues and research in corn/soybean crop production with the intent to ultimately help increase a producer’s margins.

Topics include:

Management Strategies for Avoiding SCN Pitfalls - Dr. Phil Glogoza, UMN Extension, Extension Educator-Crops

Managing Costs of Corn and Soybean Production - Bret Oelke, UMN Extension, Extension Educator, Farm Business Management

Corn Production – Managing Inputs for High Yields While Controlling Costs - Dr. Jeff Coulter, UMN Extension, Corn Production Specialist

Weed Management Issues in Corn and Soybeans – Managing Herbicide Resistant Weeds - Dr. Jeff Gunsolus, UMN Extension, Weed Scientist

Past participants expressed that they have benefited from the useful, research based, and timely information the University brings to these meetings and the open discussion format designed to encourage audience interaction. This program is aimed at providing crop management benefits to producers and Ag professionals.

Program cost is $30 which includes lunch (provided courtesy of local sponsors) and handouts. Registration begins at 9:00 a.m. at both locations. Four CEU’s have been applied for at each location. Pre-registration is not required. For more information contact Doug Holen at 320-589-1711, Howard Person at 218-745-5232 or Jerry Buckley at 218-784-5550.

Sponsored by Polk, Norman and Mahnomen/Becker County Soybean-Corn Growers and their check-offs.