| | ||||||||
BWA Newsletter - Spring 2008A Bluffland Whitetails Association quarterly publication for
2008 Minnesota Deer and Turkey ExpoThe third annual Deer and Turkey Expo was held in Owatonna at the Four Seasons Centre of the Steele County Fairgrounds March 7th, 8th, and 9th. BWA worked as a team with Glenn Helgeland and his business, Target Communications, to host this growing, annual event. Glenn did a lot of promoting to make this the best Expo ever. With the cold weather outside, it was a good weekend to be inside, and it showed with the attendance up all three days. Many of the show goers stayed at the show most of the day and took advantage of the many seminars and checked out the latest equipment and services provided by the exhibitors. One of the big attractions at the Expo is the deer contest where individuals bring in their heads for official scoring and then are displayed for the duration of the show. At 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, an awards ceremony was held with the better heads receiving recognition and trophies in different categories. Four “Best of Show” trophies were given to the owners of four awesome heads. The number of heads entered was up 40 percent over last year. Trophies were also given out for bear and moose. BWA's 50' booth was stocked with numerous displays promoting the concept of letting bucks reach a mature age. BWA directors were on hand answering questions, selling merchandise, selling memberships, promoting dedicated funding and trying to get the opinions of Minnesota deer hunters. Target Communications did a good job of lining up seminar speakers including Gordon Whittington, Gary Clancy, Mark Kaysar, Tony La Pratt, Scott Bestul, Michele Leqve, and others. Also, Byron Ferguson was there with his long bow doing his usual magic. The seminars were very good and well attended. A gentleman by the name of Roger Schepel drove three and a half hours from Madison, South Dakota and brought three nice heads. Roger was well rewarded for his efforts as he took home two trophies plus a “Best of Show” trophy for his impressive Boone & Crockett head. Congratulations Roger! BWA and Target Communications have already booked the Expo for 2009, and hopefully we can make every year "the best show ever."
A message from BWA's president...As most of our readers know, BWA played a big role at the recently completed Deer and Turkey Expo held in Owatonna, MN. The BWA booth display, as always, centered around the concept of promoting better herd management along with ethical hunting methods. This year BWA stepped up to educate and promote the dedicated funding issue. This will be on the ballot in November and, if passed, will provide the most money ever for clean water and wildlife in Minnesota. BWA booth workers talked with many interested and concerned hunters on a variety of issues. The more common concerns were deer numbers, high and low, cross tagging, season dates, age structure, and shining. I was pleasantly surprised by the wide-spread concern about the issue of cross tagging for bucks. Cross tagging is the term we use for attaching someone else's tag to a buck before or after we have used our own tag. Simply put, there is no limit to how many bucks any hunter can legally harvest. Many hunters I talked to would like the practice of buck cross tagging stopped. Most hunters realize the number of mature bucks is extremely limited, and there is no justification for a hunter to kill more than one buck. Most older deer hunters probably started hunting by making deer drives and cross tagging, but hunter attitudes are changing. We don't let our brother-in-law hit our golf ball, or our uncle throw our bowling ball, do we? We can't help but wonder when or where the practice of cross tagging started. We know native Americans herded buffalo over cliffs to get a large supply of meat with the least effort or danger to those involved. Pioneers, no doubt, were quite dependent on wildlife for their food supply that had to be acquired with primitive weapons. Most deer hunters these days are not dependent on venison as their sole supply of meat, and even if that was the case, it would be much more practical to take the easier to harvest, better-tasting anterless deer. I talked with officials from other states at a Foundation for North American Wild Sheep (FNAWS) fundraiser this past weekend about Minnesota's practice of cross tagging bucks. I asked Todd Norden, district manager, management section, wildlife division, State of Nebraska, for a quote. Todd said this, "The hunting tradition is based around people with moral and ethical standards who respect the game they pursue and harvest. It is the responsibility of the hunter to harvest what they themselves legally pursue and yet allow the species to propagate." Randy Kreil, wildlife chief, State of North Dakota, made the following comment. "Individuals who have licenses should be required to harvest their own game and maintain the ethics of hunting." Cross tagging is not tolerated in most other states and carries stiff fines and can result in jail time. In South Dakota, giving your tag to another hunter to put on a big game animal is called "lending license" and carries the same penalty as the hunter who uses the tag. The Minnesota DNR estimates eliminating buck cross tagging would save 10 to 15 percent of our bucks. At the public input meeting in Winona last week, Lou Cornicelli from the Minnesota DNR stated that he does not support buck cross tagging. BWA would like cross tagging for bucks eliminated in Minnesota. However, the organization supports cross tagging on antlerless deer so that the herd population can be managed properly. With enough hunter support, we can make this change and take a big step in improving our deer herd age structure.
—Gary Bartsch, president
3rd annual BWA Winter Get-Together heldOn February 16, 2008, the third annual Granger Winter Get-Together was held at Jo’s Long Branch. This was, as usual, a wonderful time. The people of this area, some from Iowa and some from Minnesota, came together to support BWA’s cause. Although not as well attended as last year, we still managed to raise a great deal of funds. This year several games were added, and guns, bows, and prizes were given away. A great meal, provided by Jo’s Long Branch and the Fillmore County Pork Producers, was enjoyed by all. Representative Rick Hansen, who helped spearhead the venison donation bill last year, was in attendance. He shared with us great news that the dedicated funding bill had passed the House and Senate and would be added to the ballot on our next election. BWA would like to thank all of our sponsors for the Granger event.
Gun sponsors:
BWA thanks all who attended and volunteered their time. We are looking forward to seeing you at next year's Get-Together.
Member profile
Steve Reiman
Most of my deer hunting, until 2001, was in the flat lands of central Wisconsin. It wasn’t until I was fortunate enough to find a piece of property in Houston County to build and retire on that I enjoyed the tremendous wildlife habitat of southeast Minnesota. I’ve always been interested in habitat preservation and development, going back to when I was a “Wildlife” major at the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point. I’ve never regretted changing from that major but always wondered what if …. Since purchasing the property, we’ve experienced the fantastic help of the NRCS office as well as the Forestry Department in helping to develop and implement a management plan that included the construction of water diversions (ponds), development of food plots, implementing a “controlled” burn and timber stand improvement projects – all for the enhancement of habitat for deer, turkeys and pheasants. It’s been great fun to see the results that have helped both game and non-game species. Family and friends have enjoyed hunting and harvesting mature bucks, as well as does, since we moved to our property in 01’. I’ve been fortunate enough to “arrow” mature bucks in each of the last two years and more importantly, have enjoyed just being in the outdoors with friends and family. All this would not be possible without the understanding of my wife Mary. I’m pretty sure she thinks I’m obsessed. I’m not sure when I joined BWA, but probably soon after moving to Minnesota. I think the organization was founded on solid precepts, particularly as it relates to the work they’ve done to help affect change with herd balance, doe harvest and management working with the Minnesota DNR and working on the enhancement of the venison donation program, which is fantastic. I’ve attended a number of banquets and even worked “the money box” at the last Caledonia banquet. Banquets certainly bring together people of the same interest to support a great resource. Our natural resources are our greatest asset – I admire BWA’s work to see those assets thrive.
Director profile
Dan Blum As I grew up, my dad showed me how to set traps, and as soon as I set my first line, I was hooked on anything that had to do with the outdoors. If it wasn’t trapping, it was hunting or fishing. As I got older, deer hunting started out as just another sport that I became hooked on. As each year passed, deer hunting became more exciting than the year before. Early on, doe permits were hard to come by so hunting bucks was common, and I soon found out that was not an easy challenge. As the herd grew, doe permits became more easily obtained. I truly looked forward to being able to harvest either sex as it didn’t matter to me since I really enjoyed venison. In the process, button bucks were mistaken for does and soon I was able to distinguish mature animals from yearlings and have been selective for some time now. About three years ago, I started coming to BWA meetings and began hearing all kinds of things that had to do with managing our herd, which is a complex issue. I’ve learned what it takes for a buck to become mature, and it takes a lot. Educating the public, from our fine up and coming hunters to the rest of us sportsmen and women, we all play key roles in how the whitetail’s future in Minnesota plays out. This past year, I was able to hunt for some quality bucks and passed up several nice animals determining that each animal not shot was for specific reasons, mainly needing more age for better antler growth. Three years ago, that would not have been the case. And as I’ve hunted and talked with other hunters, many share some of the same reasons they may or may not take a shot. It’s very encouraging that we as a group can be selective and make our own personal changes along with the help of our DNR and all involved in the rule making process. I hope BWA continues on its path in helping educate as well as influencing changes that truly aid in balancing the herd and turning out quality animals in the state of Minnesota.
Minnesota deer hunters donate 78,000 pounds of venison in 2007In the first year of a new venison donation program, Minnesota hunters donated 1,977 deer, creating the opportunity for 97 food shelves located throughout Minnesota to distribute 78,000 pounds of venison. “Overall, I think we had a very successful first year,” said Lou Cornicelli, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) big game program coordinator. “Most of the deer donated came from areas with overly high deer population densities, and the venison from those deer was put to very good use.” The donations were made possible by a new venison donation program that allows hunters to donate harvested deer without having to pay processing costs. Managed by the DNR and Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA), the program’s goal is to provide a sought-after food source to those in need while encouraging hunters to harvest additional animals to help manage the deer herd. “Hunters always could donate harvested deer,” Cornicelli said. “But without funding, only a few deer were donated annually. The infusion of new money allowed us to greatly expand the program.” The program is funded by a legislative appropriation, a nonresident license fee increase and voluntary donations when resident hunters purchase a deer license. Cornicelli said the hunting portion of the program is designed to allow hunters to harvest extra deer in areas where deer populations are above wildlife management goals. In 2007, permit areas that allowed individual hunters to take more than one deer provided 95 percent of the donations. Nearly 70 percent of donated deer came from permit areas that allowed the harvest of five or more deer. The program requires that hunters donate deer only to processors certified by the MDA and that deer be free from signs of illness, field dressed with the hide intact, free of visible decomposition or contamination and properly identified with a DNR registration tag. In 2007, 72 certified processors distributed the venison to 97 Minnesota food shelves.
First-time food plotsAfter reading about food plots for the hundredth time; after watching yet another whitetail harvest over a food plot on TV; after hearing the success stories at the local archery pro shop; you have decided that you must have your very own food plot to make your hunting season a success. Welcome aboard! As a full time farmer since 1995 and the owner of Back Forty Wildlife Management, LLC since 2001, I would like to offer a few tips to improve your odds of a successful food plot. Before delving into the specifics, it should be noted that food plots do not equate to guarantees of successful hunts. Food plots are simply one more piece of the hunting puzzle that improves your odds ever so slightly in the deer woods. But on the other hand, harvesting a whitetail near a food plot - grown with your very own sweat equity – makes for a proud and enjoyable moment in the deer woods. Where are you going to plant? Will there be enough sunlight? Do you want to provide nutrition for the deer all year long? Or do you want your plot to attract deer to a specific area when hunting season rolls around? What is your budget – how big of a plot can you afford to plant? (With rising fertilizer and fuel prices, be aware that the plot’s seed cost will likely be the cheapest part of the equation.) For the sake of simplicity, let’s choose a food plot site in a small meadow near the edge of the woods. Up until a few years ago, this level ½-acre spot in the woods was grazed by a herd of beef cows, and it now supports a healthy population of smooth bromegrass and a few thistles. Let’s also choose to plant a seed mix containing clovers, alfalfa, and rapeseed (such as Wildlife Buffet’s “Buck Spring” seed blend). A soil sample should be taken as soon as the ground thaws in the spring - consult with your local farmer’s elevator coop for assistance. Keep an eye on the site as spring progresses, and plan to spray post-emergent herbicides (Round-Up and 2-4D) when the existing forage reaches four to six inches in height. Wait two or three weeks and then till the soil lightly (ATV disc or drag section). Apply lime and fertilizer as indicated by your soil test results. Till the soil again and then leave it alone for four to five more weeks. Check the site for weed emergence and apply additional post-emergent herbicide as needed. An ideal planting date in the southeastern part of Minnesota is August 1st (yes, August 1st!). Till the soil, broadcast the seed blend, and till the soil (lightly) again. At this point, pray for rain and hang a tree stand nearby. Food plot success will now depend upon August rainfall and heat units, but history has shown this to be a VERY good time to plant a food plot. Food plotting can be as simple as scratching the soil with a hand rake and scattering some seed, as long as your food plot expectations are low. But if you want to get some high-yielding food plot results from your sweat equity investment, then be prepared to engage in “micro-farming” – precise fertilizer and herbicide applications as well as good-quality seed selection, resulting in bin-busting yields. No matter what type of food plot strategy you choose to employ, remember to learn as you go and have some fun! For professional assistance with your food plot, as well as custom planting services, seed and deer mineral sales, etc., please visit www.backfortywildlife.com or call 1-888-422-2540.
6th annual whitetail show held in BrownsvilleSix years ago Ed Gittens and his wife Deb had a vision of starting a whitetail deer display in Brownsville, Minnesota. Ed started calling friends and neighbors and hooked up with the Shellhorn Bar and Grill, and as they say, “the rest is history.” From that humble beginning the event has grown into a great winter outing with near-capacity crowds and many trophy class heads and sheds. This year, conservation officer Scott Fritz brought eight deer heads that were confiscated by local conservation officers. They were all good heads with several in the Boone and Crockett class. Ed's helpers for the show included Tim Bechtel, Rick Boyer, John Pitts, and Brian Czechowicz, along with others. Donated prizes were from Randy Kjos, Rick Boyer, Mike Sieve, Sam Nottleman, Tim Craig and Ed Gittens to name a few. Keep up the good work Ed and Deb and everyone else who contributed. In the six years of holding this event, the concept of harvesting does and letting the small bucks grow up has become more and more popular. Hunters like to talk about the bucks they let walk. My wife and I are firmly in support of the principles that BWA advocates. We're happy to be able to join together and do our part to make these ideas work.
Sincerely,
In the spotlight...
Scott Fritz
|
My first recollection of enjoying the sport of hunting was tagging along with my dad when he was duck hunting in the Brownsville Minnesota area when I was about eight or nine years old. Dad’s first passion was waterfowl, thus mine in my early hunting career. I still have the first shotgun I purchased (870 Remington 12 gauge) at age 11. Dad and I enjoyed over 40 years of hunting together including many waterfowl trips to Saskatchewan—some with my two boys. Dad hunted well into his 80’s, and “Deer Camp” in Clark County, Wisconsin with Dad, my sons, and friends holds many fond memories.
I graduated from Stewartville High School in 1979. I attended Brainerd Technical College and Rochester Community College where I received degrees in Natural Resources and Criminal Justice. I was hired in 1985 as a Conservation Officer for the state of Minnesota.
 | BWA director Jim Vagts and DNR Commissioner Mark Holsten. |
Minimize soil erosion on woodland roads and trails
Jim Edgar
Preston Forester
DNR Division of Forestry
Editor's note: This article is reprinted from a previous newsletter as we are approaching the first erosion season after the devastating rains and floods of August 2007.
The terrain of southeast Minnesota is a result of the erosive forces of water in the recent and distant past. Without the results of flowing water many years ago, we wouldn’t have the steep wooded hillsides and beautiful views that we are blessed with in this area.
Erosion is a major factor in land management in the blufflands. Farmers spend considerable time and expense laying out grass waterways, contour strips, terraces and purchasing soil-saving tillage equipment; all with the goal of keeping the soil on the field where it belongs.
Our woodland soil is subject to erosion since most land in tree cover is steep; usually steeper than the adjacent cropland. The soil that produces high-quality forest products and abundant wildlife is easily dislodged and washed down our steep hillsides if not properly protected.
In most woodlands, the trees, shrubs and leaf litter provide erosion protection to forest soils. The removal of trees in a timber harvest is seldom a significant cause of erosion in our bluffland wooded areas. New vegetation grows back quickly and provides protection for the soil after large trees are removed as long as the leaf litter and other vegetation is left in place.
Most woodland erosion occurs because of improper construction and use of trails and roads that expose soil to rainfall and snow runoff. A poorly constructed or designed road or trail can quickly become a ditch or gully, washing away the valuable topsoil and dropping it into nearby creeks and rivers.
A properly constructed road or trail can provide access to the wooded area as well as keep soil erosion to a minimum. Road or trail design will vary with the type of vehicle that is to be used and the amount of area that is available for the road.
Plan to install water bars or broad-based dips when constructing a steep road. These allow water to be directed off the road so it doesn’t create a gully. On low-traffic roads, a gentle side slope down hill will allow much water to be shed from the road before it can accumulate.
As soon after construction as possible, stabilize the road surface with grass. Sod, once in place, absorbs the impact of falling rain and also keeps flowing water from contact with the soil. When choosing what type of grass to plant on your trail, make sure that it will grow in the amount of sunlight available on the site and is winter-hardy for our area. A seed mix that includes legumes such as clover will be beneficial to wildlife such as deer, turkeys and grouse. Mulching with straw or hay will help keep the soil in place until the seeding gets established.
After your road is stabilized with grass, limit vehicle travel during times of wet or saturated soil conditions. Spring, before the frost leaves the ground, and after a heavy rain, are good times to stay off a woodland road. If rutting or other damage does occur, repair and reseed the damaged areas as quickly as practical.
Many woodlots have existing roads and trails from previous timber harvest or other activity in the woods. Often these roads are stable and need no further work. When existing roads are actively eroding, they should be stabilized. As with new construction, the use of grass cover, water bar construction and side sloping to shed water are the most common methods to stabilize an existing road. If deep gullies are present, the road may need to be re-graded before other work is attempted. In some cases, existing roads may not be usable. These roads should be stabilized and closed.
Activities in our woodlands such as hunting, hiking, timber harvest, tree planting, bird-watching and fishing can all be enhanced by having access roads and trails in the woods. A well-constructed road or trail can have minimal impact on the forest soil while allowing improved access for the use of our woodlands.
The USDA Forest Service, Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry has a publication available, A Landowner’s Guide to Building Forest Access Roads. It can be ordered, one copy at no charge, at the following web site: www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/stewardship/accessroads/accessroads.htm.
If you do not have internet access or have other questions about woodland road/trail construction, contact your local forestry office.
DNR public input meeting
The Minnesota DNR organized a Deer Season Simplification Committee (DSC) to assist with simplifying the deer hunting regulations. The DSC was comprised of 13 citizen participants representing various interests including deer hunting groups, new hunters, outdoor media and others with knowledge of deer hunting issues.
The group agreed on six major recommendations that could simplify the deer hunting seasons:
The DNR scheduled nine public input meetings around the state to get hunter feedback during the month of March.
The southeast Minnesota meeting was held March 11 at the Elks Lodge in Winona. Lou Cornicelli presented a power point presentation explaining the reasoning for the recommended changes.
The meeting had a good turnout of interested hunters and landowners. The discussion after the power point presentation varied from deer herd numbers to more youth hunts, and the pros and cons of eliminating all season tags. The issue of cross tagging of bucks was discussed with Lou stating his position of not being in favor of buck cross tagging.
All in all, it seemed like a good informational meeting with those in attendance leaving with a better understanding of the proposed changes.
Getting kids outdoors
by Sara Grover
It was late fall when I took a group of elementary school age kids to a wooded hillside in a city park on the edge of St. Charles to scout for whitetail deer. As part of our weekly Project Get Outdoors after-school program, we headed out into the forest with great expectations. Now I have never actually hunted whitetail deer, but that didn’t seem to matter to the children and certainly not to me. So often adults are shy to expose their children to nature for fear that they may not have all of the answers. But for a child, taxonomy, identification skills and answers are of least importance. Kids just want to touch, feel, smell, hear and see the natural world and let their senses go wild.
Being an interpretive naturalist for Minnesota state parks and knowing the importance of discovery play, I had absolutely no fears that I might be unable to answer a question or that the kids might get bored at my lack of experience with hunting. As long as I displayed excitement and enthusiasm, I knew that walking in the woods; whether we saw a deer or not, would be an experience they would long remember.
As we entered the forest, I asked the kids to not only look for signs of deer, but to also listen, touch and smell the things around them. As we walked along, they quickly discovered deer tracks and scat. Further into the woods, the kids began to notice rubs (or "scrubs" as one boy enthusiastically announced) on several young trees. I let them wander around on their own, within earshot of me, and soon they were each following deer trails of their own discovery. This forest was bordering a trailer park where several participants in the after-school program lived. Every day they were surrounded by this beautiful habitat, but sadly they had rarely explored it or been able to appreciate the natural splendor within it. When it was time to head back indoors, the kids begged to stay out longer. They were eager to see a real live deer traveling down one of the many paths they had found. After only an hour or so of guiding the children through this wonderland and encouraging them to see this familiar landscape in a different way, the children now felt a different connection to this special place.
So why am I sharing this experience with you? Well, I think it's important for adults to understand the impact they have on a child's lifelong interest in the outdoors. I often speak before groups to share about the Project Get Outdoors program in southeast Minnesota. I highlight both the reasons why kids need nature and the impact of nature's absence, mainly obesity, depression, attention problems, crime and detachment from the land. It is important that we as parents, grandparents, caregivers and mentors understand that children need nature for healthy physical, mental and spiritual development. For so many reasons, society seems to have shifted away from nature. It could be from an increase in single parent families, or a general fear of nature exploited by the media. Finding cause has become more and more irrelevant. Society has dealt the hand we must play. The fact is we live in a complex, fast-paced world full of technology, competitive sports and pressures to succeed. In today's culture, nature seems to be considered more of a distraction from success than a part of it. Outdoorsmen and women like members of Bluffland Whitetails understand and appreciate the human need for nature. We all understand how nature helps us to learn, relax, renew, reduce aggression and increase tranquility in our busy lives. We understand and accept our role in the conservation of our natural resources. We as stewards to the environment even understand the importance of hunting as a wildlife population management tool. Unfortunately far too many Americans don't realize the importance of nature and don't make it a priority in their busy schedules. That is why Project Get Outdoors, a non-profit organization, is working to implement FREE after-school/out-of-school programs into the 26 school districts of the blufflands region of southeast Minnesota. These programs meet once per week to introduce children to nature and outdoor recreation activities. Project GO programs are the missing prerequisite to modern environmental education which has struggled since the 1970's to ignite in children a lifelong appreciation for our natural resources. Project GO is helping kids to establish comfort outdoors and connections to the local landscape.
Although I am very proud to be a spokesperson for Project GO, it is my sincere wish that there was not a need for such programs. It would be great if every parent, grandparent, caregiver and guardian understood the importance of outdoor experiences and made sure to introduce children to nature early on in life. But this is not the case. Today's kids need more than ever mentors to walk with them in their exploration of the living world that surrounds them. I am also proud to be teaming up with Bluffland Whitetails Association and Ray Howell in hosting a Kicking Bear Camp for kids this August in Houston, MN. The Kicking Bear program not only promotes outdoor activities but provides an avenue to the outdoors for those children who otherwise may not have an opportunity to do so.
As a parent myself, I know it can be frustrating trying to pull your child from the television, computer or video games and get them outside. But like brushing their teeth and eating their vegetables, it is crucial to their health and longevity that kids get outdoors. And like the kids I took deer scouting, outdoor exploration becomes easier the more and more they get out there to strengthen their connections to the plants, animals, air, water and soil that makes up the land that gives us life.
The National Wildlife Federation has implemented this new slogan that I think challenges us parents to provide for our children their need for outdoor activity; All it takes is one GREEN HOUR a day to set your child on a path of physical, mental and emotional well-being.
More information is available online to provide you and your family easy outdoor activity ideas. Web sites sponsored by The National Wildlife Federation, Minnesota and Wisconsin DNR and The National Parks Service are excellent reference sites for learning more about getting our youth involved with hunting and outdoor activities. Also a great resource book is, "Last Child in the Woods; Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder," by Richard Louv. For more information about Project GO, please visit our website at www.projectgetoutdoors.org.
Answers to Breeding Trivia Quiz: 1-D, 2-B, 3-B, 4-D, 5-D, 6-C, 7-B, 8-D
Bluffland News / Bluffland Events / Contact Bluffland