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BWA Newsletter - October 2005A Bluffland Whitetails Association quarterly publication for
Doing our part as deer huntersBy Dave Kolbert If you’re like many BWA members, deer hunting for you is a year-round activity. You begin the year scouting the winter woods, locating new covers and hunting sheds. Come spring you’re out checking to see what crops have been planted around your favorite hunting areas. If you own land, you may be planting food plots and trees, or building a new retaining pond. Summer evenings find you driving the gravel roads, binoculars or spotting scope on your lap looking for deer, especially those velvet-crowned bachelor bucks. Then, before you know it, the leaves are changing colors, the morning dew turns to frost, and it’s show time—time for you to assume your role as hunter, as the top-of-the-food-chain predator that you were born to be. It comes as natural as breathing, and yet if you think about it, it’s an awesome honor and responsibility. Whether viewed as a right or a privilege, deer hunting invariably comes with responsibilities to society, to the animals we harvest, to our fellow hunters and to ourselves. Here’s how each of us can do our part to fulfill those responsibilities and to protect and preserve deer hunting.
No deer, regardless of size, is worth endangering a life—yours or anyone else’s. Most hunters have received firearm safety training, but everyone would benefit from a refresher. Dig out and re-read a copy of the basic rules of firearm safety. Make copies for your hunting companions, post them in the deer shack, then live by them. Never be afraid to point out unsafe handling of firearms or broadheads. The careless use of tree stands causes more serious injuries each year than any other deer hunting practice. Always use a full safety harness when setting up and hunting from a tree stand. If you get to your stand and realize you’ve forgotten your harness, bite the bullet and go back for it. This minor sacrifice could save your life. One of the most important rules of safe hunting is to know where you and your companions are at all times. If you have to move, use a two-way radio to let others know your new location. Just don’t discuss deer activity or hunting tactics. Informing others of your location will help keep you from becoming a victim of “friendly fire.” If you find yourself lost, stop hunting and get your bearings. Once you’re certain you’re where you’re suppose to be, you can resume hunting. If you have unknowingly trespassed and run into the landowner or another hunter; be polite, apologize, and ask for directions back to the land you have permission to hunt. Given the tragedy in Wisconsin last fall, every deer hunter should be aware of the danger of trespassing, and of aggressively confronting a trespasser. If you have the slightest concern, use your cell phone to call 911.
Today’s deer hunters are well aware of the need to harvest does. We know that if we want to increase the number of mature bucks—a goal the majority of hunters support—we must balance the buck-to-doe ratio and bring the number of deer into line with the carrying capacity of the habitat. Oddly, some hunters believe that harvesting does is someone else’s job. ‘It’s up to the “doe hunters” to balance the herd,’ they say. The truth is that harvesting does to better manage the herd is everyone’s responsibility. If you can’t bring yourself to take a doe, help a young person or an adult new to deer hunting harvest one.
I’m not keen on mandatory point restrictions. They’ve just not proven very effective in consistently producing mature bucks, except in highly controlled situations such as fenced ranches. Nor do I feel I have the right to tell someone else what size buck they must harvest. Such decisions are a matter of one’s goals, ethics and personal circumstances. Every deer taken by legal ethical means is a trophy in my book. For that teenager, new adult hunter or senior, that basket-rack buck may be the most memorable deer of their lives. Who am I to deny them that experience? That said, I am a firm believer in letting immature bucks walk, or what I like to call “catch and release deer hunting.” As a diehard angler, I’ve experienced the benefits of the growing number of fishermen and women who release the majority of the fish they catch. Some as a result of special regulations, but more often as a result of personally imposed standards of harvest. The same practice is being applied today by many experienced deer hunters. Like releasing a nice trout, bass or muskie, letting a buck walk when you know you could have taken him is very gratifying; even more so when it’s voluntary.
Setting the example for others, BWA took the lead in helping to create Minnesota’s first youth deer hunt in the Whitewater Wildlife Management Area. Why give kids this opportunity? Because despite the occasional bright spot such as turkey hunting, hunting and hunters are on the decline. The average age of the American hunter is fast approaching 50, and most license and conservation stamp sales are gradually declining. There is tremendous competition for the time and attention of today’s youth. The future of hunting depends on introducing more kids to hunting in a fun enjoyable manner. The early youth deer hunt does just that. Some have argued that we don’t need more hunters, but the fact is that more hunters are lost each year than are recruited. That does not bode well for you and me in a suburbanized nation raised on Disney cartoons, or for the future of hunting and wildlife conservation. Let’s step up to this challenge. Introduce your kids to hunting. Become a hunting mentor. Invite a co-worker or friend to hunt with you this fall. Don’t make excuses; just do it.
As a landowner you may not realize it, but granting that stranger who politely asks the opportunity to hunt your land may be the greatest gift you can give to the future of hunting. The dynamics of land ownership are changing. Wildlife habitat is being irreparably fractured by the explosion of country homes and rural sub-developments. Family farms are disappearing; bought up by corporations, investors, and even hunters desperately trying to secure a quality hunting experience. In regions with limited public land such as southeastern Minnesota, these trends are denying many hunters and their kids a place to hunt. While you may have little control over such changes, you can as a landowner help give these displaced hunters a place to hunt. No, you don’t have to let everyone who asks hunt, but do say yes whenever possible, especially to those hunters willing to help you harvest those surplus does. And as a hunter, when a landowner gives you permission to hunt, treat them and their property with utmost respect and gratitude.
As much as I enjoy venison, I don’t have to hunt to feed my family. You probably don’t either. For many of us, hunting is simply our favorite recreational activity. We do it to connect with nature, to relax, and most importantly to have fun. There was a time, however, when I was so focused on harvesting bucks that hunting almost became work. While I still love the challenge of hunting mature bucks, eventually I realized that for me the size of the deer isn’t as important as the challenge and fun of the hunt itself. If you sense you’re on the “book or bust” treadmill, pause for a moment to consider what really matters to you. Is having a bragging buck on the wall at all costs really that important? If it is, go for it. But understand that not everyone shares your goal, or buys into the non-stop, monster buck marketing messages designed to sell us everything from designer camo to doe pee. And when that 13-year-old arrives at camp with his or her forky, don’t spoil the thrill of their first deer. Give them your sincere congratulations.
It’s an exciting time for deer hunters. Deer herds are at carrying capacity in many areas, but often lack balance in buck-to-doe ratios and age structure. Hunters must be willing to take more does while selectively harvesting bucks. More importantly, they must be willing to organize, speak out and work for change. BWA is an organization of concerned hunters and landowners who believe that deer management can, and must be, continuously improved for the benefit of deer and all deer hunters. I urge you to join BWA and to get involved. I can’t think of a better way to do our part to improve the future of deer hunting.
A message from BWA's president...We are now in the magic time of the year for outdoor people. The weather is changing, fall colors are occurring and the fall hunting seasons are open. The only fault I can find with the fall months is that they pass by too quickly. The annual banquet in La Crescent was again a huge success! Steve Bjerke, Rick Boyer and their great committee did a superb job of recruiting new members, renewing existing members and raising money. BWA makes good use of these funds for such things as this newsletter and other work we are doing in southeast Minnesota. I hope everyone who attended had a great time, and thanks again to the La Crescent committee! A new hunter survey has been written by the Minnesota DNR and is going to be done through the mail. The survey is going to be sent to three different regions in Minnesota, and zone 3 is one of them. Several hundred hunters will be surveyed in zone 3, and if you are lucky enough to receive one of these surveys, please take time to carefully fill it out and send it in to the DNR. Lou Cornicelli, DNR big game coordinator, has allowed me to review it. There are many great questions about deer hunter ideas and interests for the future of Minnesota deer hunting, including questions about hunter interest in improving buck age structure, buck survival, and other hunter harvest factors. Pilot hunting projects are also being conducted by the DNR in seven state parks this fall with two regulations being evaluated; antler point restrictions and earn-a-buck. Hunters will then be surveyed to evaluate their opinions. These hunting projects are part of the plan of DNR research biologist, Marrett Grund, called "Minnesota’s Alternative Deer Management Program.” The deer season this fall in zone 3 has a few more changes. It again becomes easier to harvest more female deer. Minnesota, like most Midwestern states continues to have an over population of deer in some areas. Please make use of this opportunity and do your part for deer herd control—harvest a doe and let a yearly buck live for another day. More and more hunters are choosing to let young bucks live, and it is starting to make a difference in our buck age structure. Minnesota's herd has such great potential, and we all need to do our part to help the herd reach this. The following is a little check list for my fall hunting season to be a success:
—Jim Vagts, president
Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry (FHFH)
Our local FHFH program needs your support to transform deer donated by hunters and landowners into nutritious venison for the poor and hungry of our community. One deer can feed up to 200 hungry people! Funding is the primary obstacle to providing nutritious meat to those in need. FHFH raises financial support locally to pay licensed, inspected, and insured butchers to prepare and freeze donated venison. The hunter is only responsible for purchasing the license and bringing the deer to the butcher shop. Only fresh legally taken animals will be accepted. The meat is then picked up and distributed to the hungry by food banks and local feeding agencies. While FHFH did not invent the ideas of using venison to feed the hungry and homeless at soup kitchens, shelters and pantries, we have certainly worked on improving and organizing the process. BWA member John Peck of Rochester, MN has now started an FHFH program in your area. BWA has given substantial financial support to the two participating butchers and processors; Burt’s Meats in Eyota (507-545-9904), and Litscher’s Meat Processing in Rushford (507-864-7906). Participants are encouraged to call ahead to ensure sufficient funding is available at the time, to cover the processing costs. “I realized that this program would benefit the needy and at the same time help the DNR reach their deer population goals,” John said. “With so many opportunities in southeast Minnesota to take extra deer, this area could feed a lot of hungry people.” For more information, or to make a tax deductible donation, please contact:
John (Jack) Peck, Area Coordinator, Bluffland FHFH
Member profiles
I recently graduated from Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC), with an associate degree in Business, along with playing baseball for two seasons. This fall I transferred to Winona State to start my junior year and pursue my bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with possibly a minor in Accounting. I will also continue to play baseball. My permanent address is La Crescent when I’m not attending college. Every year my education for hunting deer grows through the teachings of my father Steve, brother Chad, grandfather Marland, and the BWA. Ever since I could walk, I remember helping my father hang his trophies in our garage in town. Every time he came home with a buck he had a big smile on his face. I knew my time was coming and soon I would enjoy bagging my first buck. As a youngster, each season I would tag along with my father, brother and grandfather. I was taught to be quiet, watch, listen, wait patiently, and the right moment would present itself. When that moment came, the thrill of the kill was well worth the wait. The year I bagged my first buck, all that I was taught was worth that wait. The nervousness, excitement, the thrill, and now, I was able to put my tag on the buck. Now comes the lesson on field dressing my buck. Grandpa must have been as excited as I was because he was the first one there and the person to show me how to take care of the buck and field dress it properly. Spending time in the outdoors is something I have always loved. Whether we are deer hunting, small game hunting, looking for sheds, or even fishing; sharing the successes and our stories with each other gives me the opportunity to appreciate these activities. Deer hunting with my grandpa, dad, and my brother has taught me a lot over the last eight years. Everything from setting up stands, rubs and scrapes, wind direction, carrying a firearm or bow in the woods and pretty much everything deer hunting involves. Although we are out there to hunt, I also learn a lot about life. My dad encouraged me to become involved with BWA, and I have been a member for four years. I volunteer my time with the La Crescent committee when they host their annual banquet, which is held at the La Crescent American Legion. I enjoy hearing all about the changes and what is coming in the future in the quarterly BWA Whitetail newsletters. I think that the BWA has made a big difference in changing the way a lot of people hunt. I have enjoyed being a part of BWA and have learned a great deal about what the DNR has been doing in the southeastern part of Minnesota.
David Boland I was born in a farm house near Spring Valley in 1940 and started hunting small game with my dad when I was nine years old. I became a trophy hunter in the early 70s and soon after realized everyone needs to share responsibility to help wildlife and their habitat. I moved to a farm near Chatfield in 1984 and started to try and improve deer habitat with prairie grass planting and food plots. We had sheep graze our farm for eight years before we realized the sheep had to go. Getting rid of the sheep made a dramatic improvement in the wildlife habitat. My hobbies include bow hunting, shed hunting and measuring. I started measuring in 1968, and my passion for measuring has taken me into most US states and several Canadian provinces. I have had the opportunity to measure nearly 9000 trophies, of which over 900 qualified for Boone and Crockett. I have bow hunted in 15 states and four Canadian provinces. My first western trip was with my barber to Wyoming for mule deer. I have hunted exclusively with a bow since 1969. I became involved with Bluffland Whitetails Association in 2000 and share Bluffland’s concept of a balanced deer herd. This will reduce the doe population and allow the immature bucks to survive and reach the magic age plateau of four-five years. With the traveling I do to other whitetail states hunting and measuring, I have seen the results of a more balanced deer herd. I realize making changes is difficult; however, we need to do a better job of educating the hunting public and encourage deer hunters to pass up immature bucks. I appreciate the changes the DNR has done and the new things they are trying. These changes are a direct result of the countless hours of work done by Bluffland Whitetails members.
Landowner profile
Tom LisotaCaledonia, MN Age: 37 Wife: Marcy Children: Clayton (7), Christian (5) and Ryan (2) Occupation: Sales representative I guess I have been deer hunting in Trempeauleau County, Wisconsin since the age of about 10 or 11 years old. Before I was able to carry a gun (legally), I was a brush beater for my dad and uncles, making big deer drives. We hunted a family farm that my father and two uncles purchased just for deer hunting back in 1972. The property is approximately 240 acres with about 50 acres tillable; just the right mix of ridges, ditches, and crops to hold large numbers of whitetails. Being born and raised in the suburbs of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, I cherished the good times in the woods with relatives. We had a large crew of hunters (15 to 20), mostly uncles and cousins, but some friends would come along, too. Back then, we all knew the local farmers, as my dad was born and raised in the area. Finding a place to hunt was no problem, and driving whole ridgelines for deer was our specialty. Alas, those days are gone from recent memory, with large acreages being chopped up and sold to people just like me, an avid deer hunter. Naturally, if you enjoy doing something, you want to prolong the doing of that something, so at the age of 16, I started bow hunting. Bow hunting opened my eyes to a whole new world of deer hunting; the whitetail’s world. A world of strategies, ambushes and angles ruled only by the direction of the wind. A world that forces you to be a competent student of nature where the mature whitetail is your professor. And it is in this world that I wish to raise my children. Well, the good Lord has blessed Marcy and me with three beautiful boys and two steady jobs; and after saving for a long time, we were able to fulfill one of our lifelong dreams. Two years ago, we purchased a small farm in Houston County and one day hope to build a new home there and chase whitetails around the back yard with the boys. As a new landowner I’ve been talking to the neighboring farmers just to check out what they were seeing and harvesting for deer. They run the gambit, from non-hunters who allow almost anyone to hunt their farms (with the “deer are vermin” mentality), to meat hunters (Shoot a doe!), to whitetail aficionados. I’ve been talking with them about BWA and its mission to improve deer hunting in Minnesota. Much can be done in Minnesota to improve whitetail hunting such as increasing opportunities to harvest does, structuring the season so dominant bucks aren’t shot before they can pass on their genes, youth hunts, even extended muzzleloader seasons, maybe earn-a-buck. We as hunters can do something to influence the professional wildlife managers at the State by getting involved with groups like Bluffland Whitetails Association, but we as individuals can do even more. When you grab your bow, or throw your shotgun over your shoulder, you have in effect become a wildlife manager. Most everyone at BWA understands that. We need to impart that knowledge to friends, neighbors, relatives, and anyone who will listen. This two-track approach, BWA at the state level and individually educating other whitetail enthusiasts to our cause, should ensure that the best days of whitetail hunting in Minnesota are yet to come. Thanks BWA, and good hunting.
In the spotlight...
Eric AthertonRochester, MN Age: 37 Wife: Kenna Occupation: Outdoors editor, Rochester Post-Bulletin I was born in Minneapolis, but my family moved to Iowa when I was five; it took me 26 years to get back to God’s country. During that time, I graduated from Sumner High School in northeast Iowa, and then spent eight years attending universities in Iowa, Kentucky and Missouri. Along the way I managed to convince an Iowa farm girl to join me on the journey, and Kenna and I recently celebrated our 15th anniversary. There’s no truth to the rumor that I fell for Kenna after I saw her dad’s 350-acre farm on Iowa’s Mississippi River bluffs. I wasn’t a hunter at that time. In 1994, I was sitting in a doctoral seminar at the University of Missouri, surrounded by incredibly smart people, when it suddenly occurred to me that the world didn’t need more 20-page essays about Mark Twain. And it certainly didn’t need one written by me. So, I took a job teaching English at a private military academy in Mexico, MO. While I was there, a colleague took me deer hunting. Using a borrowed Model 94 Winchester .30-.30, I shot my first deer on my first day of hunting. It was huge, I thought, but then my buddy threw the button buck over his shoulder and carried it to my car. It fit in the trunk of my 1986 Camry with plenty of room to spare. The rest is history. Two years later I was in journalism school, hoping to be the next great writer for Outdoor Life. It hasn’t happened yet, but I’ve shot a few more deer and a handful of turkeys; and my dog, Penny, occasionally makes me look good during pheasant season. I’ve even learned to love sitting on a bucket in sub-zero weather, staring into a hole while I wait for the crappies to bite. More importantly, I’ve met some great people along the way, without whom my writing would be pretty drab. A journalist’s work is only as interesting as the people he meets, and in that regard, I’ve been extremely fortunate.
4th annual La Crescent banquet well attended
Hunting and aerial photography
John Kelly/Jim Edgar If you have been hunting the same ground since you were 16, this may not apply to you. But if you are going to a new area or have a new member in your group, aerial photographs could be useful. Maps and plat books show the roads and ownerships, but aerial photographs show where the field stops and the woods begin. Aerial photography has been around since the Civil War, when balloonists would use cameras to take pictures of the fortifications of the enemy. In World War I, airplanes started to be used, and now we have satellites that circle the earth and take pictures on a regular schedule. How does this help you? Most of the forested counties in Minnesota have aerial photography available to you to use for free. The Minnesota DNR has a web site, http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/airphotos/search.html, where you can look at the photo, download it and/or print it. With a little computer knowledge, you can download the file, enlarge it and make prints to hand out to your group.
If computers don’t appeal to you, or if you want higher-quality photos, they can be purchased on photographic paper in sizes up to 36” by 36.” These photos can be purchased individually or in ‘stereo pairs’. A stereo pair allows a more detailed look at the area in the photo. Stereo pairs are photos of the same area that are taken from different locations (photographed in sequence from the airplane). When looked at using a tool called a stereoscope, you are able to see the elevation changes on the landscape. You will see the steep ridges, deep valleys and other features of the landscape; something that you cannot do with just one photo. Stereoscopes are available from companies that sell forestry tools and equipment. Costs range from $10 and higher. If you don’t have access to the internet, contact your local DNR Forestry office for an order form for aerial photography for the area that you are interested in.
1st annual Minnesota deer and turkey expoATTENTION: An organization called “B & J Promotions” is sponsoring a sports show called “BLUFFLANDS DEER & TURKEY EXPO” at Mayo Civic Arena in Rochester in January 2006. This show is not in any way associated with BWA or the three-day Expo referred to in this article which is being put on in March 2006 by a partnership of BWA and Target Communications. Top quality seminars by nationally-known speakers, a wide range of hunting/shooting equipment manufacturers as exhibitors, and an extensive display of trophy Minnesota whitetail deer, black bear and moose ... that’s the three main support legs of the new Minnesota Deer & Turkey Expo. The Expo will be March 10-12, 2006, in the Four Seasons Centre on the Steele County Fairgrounds in Owatonna. The Minnesota event will be produced with the assistance of the Bluffland Whitetails Association (BWA) and its members. The Expo succeeds a one-day event the BWA had produced for three years. Those events and attractions are just the start of a weekend to cure your cabin fever. Other things to see and do include a hands-on optics test area and wildlife (North American species only) identification contest, venison butchering and wild game cooking demonstrations, an outdoor photo contest, a children’s target archery instructional program and shooting range, laser and airgun shooting ranges, deer and turkey skeletons with every bone in each identified, and more. The line-up of seminar speakers and topics will place heavy emphasis on habitat management of private property, food plots, and deer herd management by selective harvesting, along with scouting and hunting techniques for deer and turkeys. The Minnesota event is the fifth in a circuit of Deer & Turkey Expos produced by Target Communications Corp., in Mequon, WI. Other events are in Lansing, MI; Bloomington, IL; Columbus, OH and Madison, WI. “Owatonna is in the midst of a lot of Upper Midwest deer hunters, Minnesotans and beyond,” said Glenn Helgeland, president of Target Communications and producer of the new expo. “Everyone who hunts or fishes knows how to find Owatonna, and it’s an easy drive from just about everywhere. We expect to draw hunters from at least 15 states. Our existing four Midwest shows already draw from 37 states. Undoubtedly, many attendees of this new expo will come from the same states, but they’ll probably come from additional western states, too.” Attendees should really enjoy an optics area that will feature monoculars, binoculars, spotting scopes and rifle scopes. The optical products are there for hands-on attention, so attendees can determine which gives them the best performance for their particular needs and budget. “We all want to get the most bang for our buck,” Helgeland said. “The best way to get that, by far, is with hands-on examination, trial and the opportunity to talk with knowledgeable factory people and outdoor experts. The wildlife identification contest that goes with this will make it more fun and helpful. And we’re working up a good prize list, too,” he added. New cooking seminars will complete the circle of instruction on enjoying all aspects of hunting. The expos already offer seminars on hunting and meat processing. Now attendees can learn how to turn a venison roast into a meal as tasty as any served in the fanciest restaurants in this country or in Europe, where wild game is commonly on the menu. “Our seminars and demonstrations run the gamut — how to grow and support deer and turkeys, how to find them, how to take them humanely, how to handle the carcass properly, how to process it, store it and cook it for best results,” Helgeland said. “We want to help everyone gain total utilization of these great renewable natural resources, including the visual enjoyment of observing and photographing them. As outdoor people and hunters, we never get our fill of enjoying the world of the whitetail deer and wild turkey. And that’s the way it should be.” To be sure that young people get continued exposure to shooting sports, the 2006 events will have information on the National Archery in Schools Program. This is a joint venture among NASP, state wildlife management and education departments, archery equipment manufacturers and organizations. The goal is to provide Olympic-style target archery training in physical education classes from kindergarten through high school with spillover into hunting at appropriate ages as the individual interest and participation continues. The New Products Special Display Area, introduced in 2005 at TCC’s other expos, quickly became a popular, useful feature. New products are displayed in a special area where attendees can enjoy a hands-on view of the latest in hunting equipment and accessories, then go to the exhibitor’s booth for more information. The expo highlights exhibits of hunting products and accessories (black powder, centerfire firearms, archery), guides and outfitters from throughout North America, wild game cooking items, book/magazine/video producers, and more. These are the places to see new products and to get your questions answered by product specialists. Many exhibitors will have products for sale. Show hours are: 2 p.m. - 9 p.m. Friday, March 10; 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. Saturday, March 11, and 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sunday, March 12. Tickets are $9 one-day adult; $16 two-day adult; $6 for Hunter Education Course graduates ages 12-18 who show proof of course completion at ticket window (otherwise pay adult price); $3 youth ages 6-11, with children five and under admitted free. On Friday Family Night, all youth ages 11 and under are admitted free when accompanied by an adult. All seminars are free once you have your admission ticket.
Trophy Deer/Bear/Moose ContestYou’re invited to enter your trophy whitetailed buck, black bear or moose in the trophy deer/bear/moose contest at the 2006 Minnesota Deer & Turkey Expo, March 10-11-12 at Four Seasons Centre, Steele County Fairgrounds, 1525 S. Elm Ave., Owatonna, MN. “Expect to see a representative display of Minnesota big game trophies,” said Glenn Helgeland of Target Communications, producer of the new expo. “Minnesota produces trophy animals. Lots of them. Everyone who hunts enjoys seeing home-grown wall-hangers, even when we have to ask ourselves where those big trophies were when we were in the woods.” Trophy contest entry fee is $15; in return, you get a three-day pass which has a $27 value. There is no advance entry; just bring your trophy to the show. Entries begin at noon Friday and close at 10 a.m. Sunday. Award presentation begins at 4 p.m. Sunday, and entries must be present to win. No trophies will be released between noon and 3 p.m. Sunday. All trophy measuring is done by members of the Measurers of Minnesota (MOM) with the assistance of additional certified Pope & Young Club and Boone & Crockett Club measurers. Awards are based on antler score only; or skull measurements, as applicable. For additional entries, it’s $7.50 if the trophy already has been officially measured; $15 if the trophy has not been officially measured. If the trophy already has been officially measured, it will not be measured again, so bring paperwork proof with you if it has already been officially scored. Antlers do NOT need to be mounted but must still be attached to the original skull plate, and the skull plate must be solid. No sheds are allowed in the Expo. Bear skulls must be clean. In the Minnesota deer brackets, there will be firearms, archery and black powder divisions with typical-antler and non-typical-antler classes in each; Historical (2004 season or earlier) and Current-Year (2005 season) categories. The black bear division has firearms and archery categories. The moose division has a moose division; period. Entries in the Out-of-State Category (whitetail deer only) can be from anywhere except Minnesota. Trophies taken in Canada or Mexico also may be entered here. It will have firearms and archery divisions, typical and non-typical classes. Show hours are: 2 p.m. - 9 p.m. Friday, March 10; 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. Saturday, March 11, and 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sunday, March 12. Tickets are $9 one-day adult; $16 two-day adult; $6 for Hunter Education Course graduates ages 12-18 who show proof of course completion at ticket window (otherwise pay adult price); $3 youth ages 6-11, with children five and under admitted free. On Friday Family Night, all youth ages 11 and under are admitted free when accompanied by an adult. All seminars are free once you have your admission ticket. Target Communications is a Wisconsin-based company producing five such shows; this new Minnesota event is being produced with the assistance of the Bluffland Whitetails Association. For more information, call 1-800-324-3337 or visit http://www.deerinfo.com.
Managing your wooded habitatby Colin Williams
When it comes to managing for trophy bucks on your land, it is important to understand that the deer herd alone can only take you so far. Both habitat and herd management considerations should be addressed as well. How a herd is managed will certainly have an impact on habitat; both positively and negatively.
In this photo, you should be able to see a distinct browse-line on the woodland edge. There are no cattle on this farm and haven’t been for years. Browse lines, such as this, give evidence of a herd out of balance with the available habitat. When deer damage is this obvious, imagine the impact on any natural re-generation growth inside the woods. Desirable seedlings, such as oak and fruit trees, have little chance of reaching full maturity. The first step you should take is to have your farm evaluated. There are DNR wildlife and forestry specialists scattered throughout the state of Minnesota, and a farm visit with these folks would be an invaluable first step. The agency I work for, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), has the directive to administer a variety of cost-share programs to aid in habitat improvements. We can, will and do work together with state agencies, such as the DNR, other federal agencies such as Fish and Wildlife, and one of the many private consultants and non-profit groups such as Bluffland Whitetails, to help reach your habitat management goals. A good number of you have planted trees, managed a few food plots or maybe built a pond or two; but one habitat consideration most often overlooked is the quality of your woodland acres. I can’t begin to tell you how many farms I’ve visited in January and February and walked through a mature stand of timber providing little or no under-story cover, and the landowner doesn’t understand why his deer herd moves off come winter. It’s simply like a living room with no furniture or a kitchen with no food. I don’t know about you, but I need a couch to lie on and some chips on the coffee table. Deer are no different; without food or cover they will either move on or destroy what cover and food is available. According to Minnesota NRCS State biologist, Mark Oja, woodlands must provide for the basic needs of wildlife; food, water and shelter, and plant succession is an important part of meeting that need. “While some species depend on certain stages of forest succession, most farmland wildlife need more than one stage of succession to prosper,” said Oja. “The correlation between forestland and an abundance of wildlife is the right combination of stages, amounts, and distribution of forest succession. These factors are necessary to satisfy the needs for a variety of wildlife species.” Many landowners are convinced that the simple approach of protecting their woodland from disturbance will be enough to provide wooded habitat; but, according to Oja, this may not be enough. “With few exceptions,” noted Oja, “successful forest management, for both timber and wildlife, requires active manipulation to achieve most woodland habitat improvement goals.” As avid deer hunters, most understand and employ hunting tactics relating to hunting the edge. Whether it be the edge of a cornfield, the edge of a drainage or more importantly, and very effective, edges of varying types of woodland habitat, these variations in plant cover, water and topography are much more than places to hunt; they provide habitat diversity. Generally speaking, the greater the vegetative diversity, the greater the diversity and number of wildlife present due to varying cover types and improved food availability. There are a number of ways a woodland habitat can be improved, and Oja encourages landowners to seek professional advice from the Minnesota DNR or other qualified consultants. Why? Every piece of land has its own set of circumstances and management considerations; both human and environmental. Cookie cutter woodland management plans simply will not cut it. Some farms may need a wide-scale, invasive species control approach and other farms may just need some thinning of the forest canopy to allow enough sunlight to promote natural regeneration. Managing your woodland acres can have a much more significant effect on available deer habitat than establishing a few food plots and planting a tree here and there; but keep in mind, habitat management also includes herd management. You can put in a countless number of hours and write a good amount of checks to get your habitat where you want it; but if you don’t recognize the need for managing the herd, your habitat may never have a chance to reach your intended goals. DNR wildlife specialists can evaluate your farm and help you draw up a blue-print for both habitat improvement techniques and herd management suggestions as well. When it comes to specifically managing your woods, Oja offers the following suggestions:
BWA board members attend legislator reception
They were given a personal tour of the regional office of the Nature Conservancy which occupies the entire second floor of the building. For a short time the two members were mistaken for legislators. It didn’t last long, but it was great for the moment. The event was very interesting, and a short talk was given by each legislator about their long-term goals for the future of hunting, fishing and water issues in Minnesota. The legislators honored were: Reps. Erik Paulsen, R-Eden Prairie; Dennis Ozment, R-Rosemount; Denny McNamara, R-Hastings; Alice Hausman, DFL-St. Paul; Joe Hoppe, R-Chaska; and Tom Hackbarth, R-Cedar; and Sens. Keith Langseth, DFL-Glyndon; Steve Dille, R-DasseU; Dallas Sams, DFL-Staples; and Dennis Frederickson, R-New Ulm. Bartsch and Vagts had an opportunity to visit with most of these people and spread the word about BWA. Vagts had a long visit with Rep. Dennis Ozment, who is chairman of the environment committee. Rep. Alice Hausman’s short talk was very interesting, and she has great plans for the future of Minnesota’s outdoor issues. This event also allowed the board members to discuss BWA issues with Dave Scad, Ed Boggess and Larry Nelson, who were there representing the Minnesota DNR. All in all, the event was a very worthwhile experience.
The following are some interesting facts obtained from the Nature Conservancy regarding habitat loss:
Midwest deer and turkey study groupEach year about a dozen Midwest state’s biologists get together for a four-day conference to discuss current issues in wildlife management. This year the Minnesota DNR hosted this event at Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center in Lanesboro, Minnesota on August 21- 24. Bluffland Whitetails Association was invited to attend for one day on August 22nd. Four BWA board of directors attended and found it to be a very interesting and worthwhile experience. The welcome and opening remarks were given by Larry Nelson, DNR assistant director of wildlife. Ryan Bronson then gave an interesting discussion on what Minnesota is doing for hunter retention and recruitment. David Fulton from the University of Minnesota presented a detailed summary on work he is doing in social science research and wildlife management. Fulton is working together with Lou Cornicelli, DNR big game coordinator, on this issue. The social science research is related to people; including landowners, hunters and the general public and how they fit into the wildlife management picture. This has become more important in recent times and will continue into the future.
During the afternoon session Lonnie Hansen, deer biologist from Missouri, talked about the antler point restriction program their state started two years ago. The hunters in Missouri attended meetings and selected point restrictions as their first choice to improve buck age structure. This plan was implemented in portions of the state that needed herd number reduction and hunters wanted improved buck survival. After two years, they are happy with the results, which have resulted in higher female deer harvest, and a 30-percent reduction in yearling buck kill. Keith Warnke from Wisconsin talked about their T-zone and earn-a-buck seasons in their state. Wisconsin has huge deer over populations and is dealing with chronic waste disease (CWD). The only management tool they have found to reduce herd numbers is the earn-a-buck program, but it will not be used in 2005 because of resistance from deer hunters. Marrett Grund, DNR farmland wildlife research biologist, ended the afternoon talking about Minnesota’s Alternative Deer Management Program. The Minnesota DNR will be conducting several special gun deer seasons this fall.
Following the meal there was a great opportunity for BWA directors to visit with the biologists from the other states. Dale Garner, Chief of Wildlife from Iowa, and Lloyd Fox from Kansas gave us some insight from their very successful deer programs. THANK YOU to the Minnesota DNR and Lou Cornicelli for inviting BWA to attend this event.
It's all in the jeans
Marrett Grund, Ph.D. When I grew up, my dad taught me that deer were colorblind. Therefore, I could wear anything into the field and still be inconspicuous to deer—as long as I didn’t move. I wound up not being all that successful at hunting deer, so I decided to do some research on what deer could actually see. Here are some of the things that I learned.
The basics of color visionColor vision is basically defined as the ability of an animal to distinguish light energy of different colors at the same light intensity. A small portion of the light energy spectrum is considered visible light. Within this visible spectrum, humans can see blue, green, and red colors. Different combinations of these colors produce white or any other color within the visible light spectrum.
What colors can deer see?Studies have shown that the retina in a white-tailed deer consists of cone receptors that allow deer to see blue and yellowish-green colors (this compares to human’s blue, green, and red colors). However, deer have only half the density of cone receptors in their retina as humans. In addition, deer also have a rod receptor in their retina that allows them to see blue to bluish-green colors in low light situations. As is always the case, results from different studies have had slightly different conclusions. The one consistent finding among studies is that deer could distinguish blue from other colors. One study also concluded that deer were least able to distinguish colors along the orange and red colors—perhaps the most important finding for many hunters. However, another study showed that deer could differentiate reddish/orange colors from blue-green colors. This study indicated that deer may have had the capability of detecting the orange colors against the blue-green colors due to the brightness of the light, not because the light had a different color.
What does all this mean?Undoubtedly, deer rely on their sense of smell and hearing to detect things that may present danger to them. However, their sense of sight is still quite important, particularly when the deer is attempting to confirm the threat of danger (after the deer smelled you, heard you, or detected your movement). Deer have excellent vision, both during the day and at night. During the day, deer can see blue to yellowish-green colors. Deer can also differentiate orange colors from blue-green colors. Furthermore, deer can see blue colors in low light situations. Therefore, I no longer wear blue jeans when I am hunting deer because I know that deer can detect blue colors during day and at dawn/dusk. Instead, I wear orange coveralls during the firearms hunting season. I wear one solid color throughout my body so that deer cannot detect a contrasting color. Deer may be able to detect the brightness of the orange, but the safety and legality of that brightness clearly offsets the potential for being observed by a deer. I have greatly improved my deer hunting success since learning all this information about deer vision. But, I have also learned that I still need to abide by my dad’s number one rule—always sit still and don’t move!
Passing on a small buck—good for all?By Scot Bjornson There’s a lot of debate these days about the needed changes in Minnesota deer management. There are many different ideas out there. There are pros and cons to each method. After years of trying to get to the bottom of it all, I can say with conviction that deer management is far from a simple issue with a simple fix; particularly when the inevitable human social factors are added to the mix. Trying to find a viable solution, which also keeps the majority happy, becomes very difficult. What’s the answer? Well, hunters have long served as a primary tool for wildlife managers, and a good deer hunter feels a self-imposed sense of responsibility towards the well being of the deer herd. Those of us who have been around awhile have witnessed the slow, steady increase of deer numbers since the 70s. Along with this population change in the herd comes the “need” for hunters to change as well. So what’s a good deer hunter to do in order to do his part to help out? Well, sometimes it’s best to just take a step back, take a good hard look at the big picture...and try to let “good old common sense” prevail. One thing I know for sure is that today our “growing” deer herd consists of a lot of female deer and a much smaller percentage of antlered bucks. Yet, each year “antlered bucks” continue to make up the majority of Minnesota’s deer kill. It would seem that to have any chance of helping the DNR reach their population management goals, the 250,000 or so deer we harvest each year should consist of more does than bucks. But it’s just not happening. As conscientious hunters, this should lead to the understanding that our deer managers actually “need” hunters to pass on some of those bucks and take antlerless deer instead. It’s just common sense. Most hunters would agree that it would be very unrealistic to expect hunters to pass up decent bucks, or the “buck of a lifetime” in the name of better deer management. But, what about passing up a fork horn or a small six- or eight-pointer? Most hunters I’ve asked this question don’t get too shook about it as long as kids aren’t expected to comply. Official surveys show the same. Also, at a time when excessive buck harvest in Minnesota is derailing population control efforts, it can’t be politically incorrect to ask “experienced” hunters to harvest does and pass on these young bucks in order to help our wildlife managers reach management goals. If we don’t do this on our own, deer numbers will eventually get to the point where deer managers will have to enact regulations which “force” us all to do it. This is exactly what happened in Pennsylvania, Missouri and Wisconsin. Fifteen years ago, the idea of passing up small bucks was often dismissed as a simple ploy focused only on growing bigger antlers. Today, however, our wildlife managers are facing some very real concerns about the steadily rising deer population. And in a state where 85 percent of hunters take only one deer each year (mostly antlered bucks), our deer managers definitely need hunters to consider taking a mature doe instead of a young buck. The cold, hard truth is, by virtue of today’s ever-increasing deer population, the idea of passing up a small buck and taking a mature doe is now more about population control than anything. And what if this concept does manage to also produce more mature bucks or “the buck of a lifetime” for more people; is that a bad thing? Let’s take a hard look at that as well. The truth of the matter is that most hunters waste little time in tagging a “wall hanger” or the “buck of a lifetime” if the chance presents itself. Have you ever heard anyone complain about shooting a big mature buck? I haven’t. And we all know mature bucks are the heaviest deer in the woods, so even the most die-hard meat hunter is ahead if he gets one. And there’s another factor to consider here. Taking “the buck of a lifetime” or a “big buck” is an exciting element of deer hunting which is, and always has been, an important aspect of the deer hunting tradition for all types of hunters. Too often this event is dismissed as a “trophy elitist” issue, even though it happens on a much greater scale to the average hunter than to the small percentage of the hard-core trophy hunters out there. I’d bet my best hunting boots that most of the smiling hunters we see in the “big buck” photos in all the magazines and the newspapers are average hunters. “Very happy” average hunters. All things considered, it’s difficult to see anything wrong with more mature bucks in the herd. No matter how I slice it, passing on small bucks and harvesting mature does will help our wildlife managers control deer populations and, at the same time, increase the number of beefy, mature bucks which benefits the meat hunters, the trophy hunters and everyone in between. The bottom line is that everyone wins if there are more mature bucks out there; not just the 5 or 10 percent who are trophy elitists.
The results of Dale’s style of deer management are excellent for the photo album...and for the dinner table. This series of photos taken by Aaron Bjornson includes the buck Dale harvested last year and are a testament to Dale’s management plan. And since each buck in these photos is at the same distance and in the some pose, it is very easy to see the physical benefits of allowing bucks to reach maturity. As you can see, the biggest buck in the last photo is the one Dale harvested. I personally stretched the tape around his neck right behind the ears—29 inches! This deer is a good example of what a physically mature buck looks like, and every hunter in this state would benefit from a management plan that produced more of this type of animal; big and beefy. Dale has taken many bucks, but last year was a rough year for him as he lost his wife Michele in the early fall after a long battle with cancer. The harvest of this buck was truly a bit of sunshine amongst all the rain, and a very “timely” gift from nature. I speak for close friends and family when I say we have never been happier to see someone get a deer than on this occasion. Congratulations to BWA member Dale Boelter. Well done.
Orion Hunters InstituteOrion Hunters Institute is dedicated to the preservation of hunting as an important part of North American conservation heritage. It was founded by Jim Posewitz in 1993. Mr. Posewitz, a retired biologist, had a 32-year career with the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks. Orion, a 501(c)3 organization, promotes our hunting legacy through conservation, education programs and materials that explore the history of hunting, fair chase, and wildlife management. The new web site expands the valuable outreach and allows outdoor people to retrieve articles, stories and hunter ethics materials. The Orion Institute is a strong promoter of the use of “fair chase” by all hunters and outdoors people.
2005 Youth Hunt winnersThe following 50 youth were winners for the 2005 Youth Hunt to be held in Whitewater October 20-23, 2005.
New edition of All-time Bowhunting Record Book is now available CHATFIELD, MN — Fully updated and just released, Bowhunting Big Game Records of North America, 6th Edition, THE quintessential bowhunting record book, contains comprehensive data on more than 62,000 North American big game animals harvested in fair chase with the bow and arrow. This 856-page volume includes all animals accepted into the Pope and Young Club's Records archives through January 1, 2005.
A must for any serious hunter's personal library, Bowhunting Big Game Records of North America, 6th Edition, is a historic bowhunting milestone and an information-packed resource tool. Scientific data gleaned from the scoring forms in the archives are given for each animal listed, including: final score, length of main beams (or horns), inside spread, number of points, basal circumference, county and state where taken, hunter's name, year taken and all-time rank. The listings are enhanced with portrait photographs, field photographs and first-person accounts of the World's Records in each of the 33 recognized categories of North American big game. Also featured are chapters by Dr. Dave Samuel discussing the values of hunting and the stages of a hunter, wrapped around entertaining hunting stories, a chapter on the Pope and Young Club / St. Charles Museum of Bowhunting, and historical data. The dust jacket features a portion of the Club's newest limited edition Conservation Print, "Slipping up the Backtail," painted for the Pope and Young Club by wildlife artist Desmond McCaffrey. For the first time, a CD of the records is included with this all-time record book. The CD contains a digital version of the full record book (in .pdf format) as well as the records information in sortable database format. This book not only recognizes and honors these extraordinary examples of North American wildlife species, it also traces the past and present health of wildlife populations and offers indisputable evidence of the continued success of traditional wildlife management. Perhaps as importantly, the pages of this publication are a testimonial to the spirit and tune-honored traditions of the hunt and harvest. Bowhunting Big Game Records of North America, 6th Edition, is available for $42. Please add $5.95 for shipping. Send orders to Pope and Young Club, Box 548, Chatfield, MN 55923; or Visa or Mastercard orders can be placed by calling (507) 867-4144 or by ordering on-line at http://www.pope-young. org.
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Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry (FHFH) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that offers a unique opportunity to address the plight of the hungry along with the problem of rapidly expanding deer populations. Our mission is very simple. FHFH transforms deer—a God-given renewable resource—into food for the hungry among us.
Brad Bjerke
Most of these photos were taken with color infrared film. The colors do not match what we see when looking at a normal picture. Green leaves show as red, warm areas, like a road, show white and cold areas such as water are black. The deeper the red, the greener the object that was photographed. Once you get used to this, you will be able to pick out the thick stands of oak trees from the box elder.
Recently, 10 legislators were recognized for their support of last spring’s record amount of bonding money granted to Wildlife Management Areas (WMA)—$10 million! BWA board members Gary Bartsch and Jim Vagts attended an awards reception for these legislators in the atrium of a large office building in downtown Minneapolis.
Bluffland Whitetails Association sponsored a pork chop meal for about eighty people following the afternoon session. This meal was prepared and served by two members of the Fillmore County Pork Producers, Craig Mensink and Duane Bakke. BWA members John Buckley, Joe Hammell, Al Iverson, Mike Staggemeyer and Ken Vagts donated the money to pay for this meal. Special thanks to these great supporting members.
The fellow in the picture is a BWA member and a good friend of mine. His name is Dale Boelter. Like many of us, he has been involved with the outdoors since early childhood. For many reasons, Dale is one of the best examples of an outdoorsman that I can think of. And when I think of common sense deer management, he sets a great example there as well. Decades of experience, dozens of deer taken and patience have forged his solid management philosophy. Taking does and passing small bucks are important. Mature bucks are important...but so are his friends and family. He shares it all with them. There’s genuine celebration when someone takes a nice doe. Things generally go according to the management plan. But it’s not the end of the world if a youngster shoots a six-pointer, and it’s not the end of the world if someone takes a fair buck that was passed on earlier. Things are kept in perspective. He also unselfishly encourages others in his hunting group to take the biggest deer out there if they get a chance. What a breath of fresh air that is!! If everyone hunted this way, would we even need changes to our deer seasons? Probably not.
