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BWA Newsletter - January 2005A Bluffland Whitetails Association quarterly publication for
Deer groups meet to discuss management optionsDeer hunting organizations from across the state converged upon Little Falls, Minnesota recently to talk about potential season changes that would increase the age structure of antlered deer and to better manage the deer herd as a whole. Sponsored by Minnesota Quality Deer Management (MN QDM), the attendees of the meeting included representatives from Bluffland Whitetails Association, Minnesota Deer Hunters Association (MDHA), MN QDM, Pope and Young Club, Minnesota State Archery Association, and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. In an age where “deer season change” has become the catch phrase of many hunters, the groups sought common ground which could lead to better hunting for both trophy hunters and for those who want to fill the freezer. Several “tools” for buck management were discussed, including “earn a buck,” antler restrictions, no hunting during the rut, limiting buck tags, and discontinuing party hunting for bucks only. Of the groups in attendance, BWA, MDHA, and MN QDM made their positions known. BWA has, historically, not supported changes that would limit hunter opportunity, such as antler restrictions or “earn a buck.” Instead, the group has pushed for a later deer season that would prohibit hunting during the peak of the rut, when bucks are most vulnerable, and for an increased doe harvest that would reduce pressure on young bucks. MDHA has not supported any changes that would affect the age structure of the herd; although Mark Johnson, Executive Director of MDHA, stated that they would like to query their membership on that topic. Recent articles in the MDHA Whitetales magazine have shown an apparent interest in deer season changes, although no specifics have been mentioned. MN QDM has long used antler restrictions as a tool for managing the buck population and recently submitted a bill to implement such restrictions in northwest Minnesota. That bill passed, but implementation is at the discretion of the DNR and has not yet occurred. Instead, the DNR sought public input through a telephone survey directed at hunters. Although a majority of hunters wanted larger bucks, there was little agreement about which tools would most effectively attain that goal. According to Lou Cornicelli, Big Game Program Coordinator for the DNR, southeast Minnesota hunters will also be asked to give their ideas for management of the deer herd. Within the next few months, a hunter survey will be conducted in zone 3 to determine the level of support for deer season changes. Although the groups did not come to an agreement on methods for protecting young bucks, there was little discord about increasing the harvest of does in many areas of the state. The groups agreed that population management through the harvest of does was needed in areas of the state that have an overpopulation of deer. Cornicelli stated that deer season changes are inevitable, but the primary focus will be on population management through doe harvest. He felt that a byproduct of increasing the harvest of mature does in the herd may be an increase in the survival of young bucks, particularly in areas where either-sex tags are available. This statement met with concern from some in the group. Wildlife photographer Bill Marchel and Jay Strangis, editor of Petersen’s Bowhunting Magazine, both expressed that additional measures will be needed to meet the goals of trophy hunters. Regardless, it is certain the upcoming changes have not yet been formulated and that additional meetings between all stakeholder groups will be necessary to determine changes that are equitable to all.
—Chris Kolbert
A message from BWA's president...Deer season reminiscing… Once again, the deer season has come and gone. Bows have been set aside in a corner or closet, guns have been cleaned, oiled, and put away, and hunting gear has been stowed. For those of us who are preoccupied with thoughts of white-tailed deer 365 days a year, it is time to reflect on the events of the last few months; what we did right, what we could have done better, and, of course, what we’re going to do differently next year. This is a part of hunting that many of us enjoy and helps to build the anticipation for the upcoming year. I would imagine that for those in wildlife management, the end of deer season has a similar effect. Harvest numbers are tallied and plans begin for setting management objectives for the next year. This year, additional efforts are being made to set the direction of deer management for years to come. In northwest Minnesota, DNR officials recently completed a hunter survey to determine which buck management tools are most acceptable. Although a majority of hunters wanted changes that would improve the deer age structure, there was little agreement on the methods that should be used to protect young bucks. A similar survey will be held in southeast Minnesota within the next few months. A lesson that we could all learn from the northwest study is that if we want to increase the number of older bucks in the herd, we will have to decide as a group which strategy would be most helpful and then communicate that information through the survey and upcoming public input meetings. One thing that was done right was the addition of either-sex tags to the 3A season. For the second year in a row, zone 3A deer hunters had the opportunity to take antlerless deer. Either-sex tags were available to all youth hunters and to adult hunters by lottery (over 5000 were available). Although the number of applications did not meet the number of available tags, many hunters benefited from this option. Several hunters have reported that they had tried initially for a decent buck but decided later to harvest a doe in order to put some meat in the freezer. The attitude that it is better to harvest a doe instead of a small buck will go a long way toward managing the deer population and will help BWA to meet its goal of improving the age structure of the herd. 2004 banquet season As expected, the Chatfield and LaCrescent banquets were very successful this fall. For the first time, the Caledonia banquet merged with the LaCrescent banquet. People like Rick Boyer, Steve Bjerke, Mike Staggemeyer, Geoff Heppding, Ryan Forbes, Paul Novotny, and many others too numerous to mention, spent a lot of personal time to ensure that there was a good show for our members. Putting on a banquet is hard work and our sincere thanks go out to those who worked to make them successful. Due to scheduling difficulties, the Elgin banquet was not held in 2004. However, plans are in the works to hold the banquet in 2005. Currently, plans are also being made for a Rochester banquet, which will be held February 18, 2005. Dates, times, and locations for the upcoming banquets will be published on our events page as soon as they are available. BWA is also planning to expand the number of banquets that are held each year. If you are interested in helping with, or holding a banquet, please contact us at Bluffland Whitetails Association, RR 2 Box 238, Preston, MN 55965, or by email at info@blufflandwhitetails.org. 2005 BWA Whitetail Expo Just as the adrenalin rush of the 2004 deer season begins to decline and the tree stand memories of the “one that got away” slowly fade, BWA will once again hold its BWA Whitetail Expo. Last year, over 3000 people attended the one-day event, far surpassing our expectations. Be prepared to see some of the biggest bucks hunters have ever taken from southeast Minnesota and keep in mind that their offspring are still out there. The event will be held at the Mayo Civic Center on January 22. This year’s speakers will be well-known hunters, authors, and video and television personalities Greg Miller and Gary Clancy. Over 150 exhibitors are expected to attend, including many vendors of whitetail hunting gear, archery products, muzzleloading equipment, taxidermy displays, and outfitters. —Chris Kolbert, president
Board member profile
I’ve been married to my wonderful wife Jennifer for eight years and am employed at Johnson Printing in Rochester. I’ve worked in the printing business for over 20 years. I grew up in a small town in Buffalo County Wisconsin, and I am very fortunate to have an understanding wife, and relatives there, who let me hunt in such a wonderful place. Hunting in Wisconsin, among other things, has shown me the obvious differences in the buck/doe ratio and buck age structure compared to hunting in Minnesota. The two passions in my life are hunting and racing. I have been working the local dirt tracks for the last 15 years or so doing every job I could possibly do, which has led me to the promoting side of it this year in Kasson. I sure hope you can come watch the excitement this year with us (shameless plug). My other passion, of course, is hunting. But I must tell you that before I became involved with the people in BWA, I was the average hunter who only thought about deer hunting two weeks prior to the season, and then went on to other things when the season was over. WOW, have things changed. Now I think about deer just about every day. The very first BWA meeting I attended sparked my curiosity, and after many in-depth conversations with a very good friend, I decided to keep attending meetings, which ultimately ended up with me being on the board of directors. And although there was little shortage of hunting experience within the group, I was still able to be a positive asset to the group with my vocal input and also my experience in the printing field. I am a progress-oriented person and am also currently involved with organizing the upcoming BWA banquet on February 18, 2005, in Rochester. We've all heard the old adage "It takes all kinds to make the world go round," and that certainly applies to this group as well. Diversity equals strength if it is used towards a common goal. I hope you will join us. And you might be surprised at what you will learn as well. I know I was.
Member profiles
I grew up on the Iron Range 10 miles east of Grand Rapids in the small town of Taconite, Minnesota. I started to deer hunt the year I turned 12; 1964. My dad and I hunted with a group of 20 hometown buddies in North Itasca County around the community of Togo. We use to stand hunt and make drives, but what I remember most about the first three years of my hunting experience was the lack of deer in camp. As a matter of fact, my dad and I didn’t see a deer for those three years. Even though I didn’t see a deer during that time, I had a great time with my dad; sharing deer camp, the campfires and, of course, the deer stories. The fourth year of deer hunting we changed our hunting area and moved closer to home (about 2 miles from town). As luck would have it, I shot my first three deer; and my dad shot two. That year, we made a big contribution to our hunting party. The meat from the deer was always split among the hunting party because, in those days, you shot anything that came along. I guess you could have called us true meat hunters. I grew up eating venison; it was a mainstay for most families in the north country. I can remember my dad saying, “Horns, Ha, you can’t eat them.” But one only had to look at the Boone and Crockett rack from the deer he shot when he was 13 that hung on the wall as you walked in the house, and you knew that’s what you really wanted. Over the years I have been very lucky and have shot more than my fair share of deer, and among my hometown buddies, they nicknamed me “Meat-Hog.” It wasn’t until I took up bow hunting, and took advantage of the longer seasons, that I got selective in my hunting. I still get deer, but I have set my sights much higher over the past several years. I shot a nice 10-point buck in 1995 by Grand Meadow with a shotgun, and finally this year, I shot a nice 10-pointer with a bow. My dad died two weeks before gun season three years ago; he was 72 and still hunting. He taught me everything I know about deer hunting, and he will be missed every season from here on out. Part of his legacy is the great hunting memories he left with me and my brothers. It is my intention to pass on what my father and the sport of deer hunting have taught me to my children and grandchildren. As a matter of fact, my grandson was with me in the stand, for the first time, this fall. I have been a nursing home administrator for 19 years, with the last 10 being in Stewartville, MN. I have been married 33 years to a very special person. Cheryl, my wife, has put up with me, as they say, through thick and thin. She has never given me a bad time about hunting or fishing. We are now empty nesters and have, and intend to, travel more in the next few years. Of course, we will travel when it’s not deer season. We consider ourselves lucky because our children have married and settled in Rochester. We have the opportunity to be a big part in their family life. Cheryl and I belong to St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in Stewartville. I am a member of the Stewartville Lions Club, the Stewartville Sportsman Club, BWA and AARP. I serve on the City of Stewartville’s Economic Development Committee and the University Center Rochester Advisory Council. I want to thank the BWA for its efforts in trying to educate people on deer herd management to improve buck size. But I believe education is as far as it should go. I don’t believe a person should be mandated to shoot bucks of a certain size. The idea is to enjoy the hunt, with the anticipation that Mr. Big will show himself. Yes, everything could use improvement, but I believe the DNR has done a wonderful job of managing our wildlife and deer population. If one could shoot a 10- or 12-pointer every year, it would not be long before the hunt would cease to be special. Hunters now have to do their homework and work hard to get a mature deer. Several years ago, after reading BWA material, I personally decided to shoot only wall hanger bucks. I have passed up many bucks since that time, but I still have enjoyed venison by shooting three or four does a year. BWA’s educational piece, I believe, is the key to getting a bigger buck in the long haul. We need to continue to stress buck management but retain choice with our young hunters. The old meat hunters like me will move on in life, and things will change on their own. If it is for the best, only time will tell. I just hope we don’t rush it!
I became a member of BWA this fall when I was given a free membership because I was chosen to participate in the youth hunt in the Whitewater State Management area. My hobbies include skateboarding, snowboarding, fishing and now hunting. This was my first taste of hunting, and I really appreciated my mentor, Mark, for spending time teaching me how to hunt, and to do it safely. My experience at the youth hunt is included in the youth hunt letters found later in this newsletter. I had a lot of fun this year, and I plan to keep hunting. I want to thank the Bluffland Whitetails, and everyone else involved, for the opportunity to participate in the youth hunt.
2005 BWA Whitetail Expo 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Location: Mayo Civic Center, Rochester, MN This event will be of interest to all outdoors people from southeast Minnesota. Featured speakers will be Gary Clancy and Greg Miller. The Expo is open to the public. Admission for adults is $5 at the door. Youth and children age 15 and under are free of charge.
In the spotlight...Jeff FlemingPreston, MN Occupation: DNR conservation officer I was born in Minnesota and have lived here all of my life, being raised on a beef, hog and horse farm in Steele County. My education started on the farm, continued at a one-room country schoolhouse from first though sixth grade, and then I attended public school and graduated from Owatonna High School in 1976. I worked at a factory for a couple of years after high school before attending Rochester Community College (RCC) for Law Enforcement. While at RCC, I worked as a student laborer for the Section of Wildlife, working for some of Minnesota’s best wildlife managers. I graduated from RCC in 1981 with an AA degree in Law Enforcement, got married and transferred to Winona State University (WSU) to work on my BA in Psychology. I worked as a police officer in Houston, Minnesota, for about six months while attending WSU. The start of my senior year at WSU, the State of Minnesota offered me a position as a conservation officer, and I officially became a “game warden” in September of 1982. To me, this was the dream job of dream jobs. Given the choice between Worthington or Spring Valley stations, I chose southeast Minnesota. I’ve had the chance to transfer to anywhere in Minnesota, but once you become part of a community, join a church, and become involved in the schools, you just can’t leave God’s Country. I’ve been blessed with a great wife and two children who always seem to amaze us. Game wardens from lake country can’t figure how anybody can live in an area without lakes. Let me tell you, it’s because we don’t have lakes. Lakes are okay, but I love trout streams, turkey gobbles all spring, the lack of mosquitoes, a great deer herd, and a chance to see timber rattlesnakes. The people of this area of Minnesota are fantastic. I could not have nicer folks to work for. I’ve left out a few details. My folks gave myself and six siblings the freedom to choose our own lives. All we needed to do was work hard and get educated. My father was a social worker and farmer. He taught me to work and respect people, but not accept the bad behavior of people. My mother is a science and math teacher. She gave me the gift of respecting nature. I’m a voracious reader, and as a kid if it had to do with the out-of-doors, I read it. As a kid, I’m sitting in my deer stand watching people chase deer with pickup trucks and shooting from the vehicle. The behavior of these poachers was, to say the least, very galling to me. I was a kid who wanted to do everything right and realized early on that one person can make a difference. Killing something is simple; any jerk can chase a deer to exhaustion with a truck and then shoot it. Hunting and fishing while respecting the animal you’re after really changes your point of view of the world. We’ve all heard game warden stories, and most of these are myths. Everyone always seems to get a good laugh out of these. Game wardens, by the very nature of what they do, are mythical characters; not many of us around, and we seem to show up at strange times and places. I knew as a kid I wanted to be one of these mythical characters. What I’ve come to learn as a conservation officer is to let the people I serve know that I’m a person. It’s easy to make a mistake hunting or fishing; I understand and look at their intent to violate the law. I’ve learned a few things about people’s behavior the last 22 years, and in this line of work, the truth is almost always more entertaining than fiction. The conservation officers of southeast Minnesota can’t do this job without the help of the people of the Blufflands. Natural resources belong to all of us and are worth protecting for future generations.
BWA directors meet with new DNR research biologistIn October, the board of directors of BWA met with the new DNR farmland research biologist in Rochester. Marrett Grund, a Minnesota native from New Ulm, recently returned to Minnesota to replace Chris DePerno at the farmland research station in Madelia, Minnesota. His new title is DNR Farmland Deer Project Leader. Dr. Grund got his education from Minnesota State University, the University of Missouri and Southern Illinois University. He has worked for the past three years with Dr. Gary Alt at the Pennsylvania Game Commission. While there, Dr. Grund worked with the deer research and management program. The Pennsylvania Game Commission has made some drastic changes in their deer management the last few years dealing with overpopulation and over harvest of young bucks. When comparing Minnesota to Pennsylvania, BWA directors learned some interesting facts about harvest data and hunter densities. Pennsylvania has twice the hunter numbers and one-half the land mass of Minnesota. Pennsylvania harvests 90 percent of their yearling bucks each year compared to Minnesota which harvests 80 percent. It seems Minnesota hunters harvest almost the same number of yearling bucks as Pennsylvania with much lower hunter density. We spent considerable time talking about deer populations and buck age structure in southeast Minnesota. It was a very beneficial meeting, and Bluffland Whitetails Association looks forward to working with Dr. Grund in the near future. We very much appreciate the time he spent talking with our board of directors.
 Pictured L to R: BWA board member Bryan Todd, DNR research biologist Marrett Grund, BWA president Chris Kolbert, BWA vice president Jim Vagts and BWA board member Gary Bartsch.
History of the Pope & Young ClubSoutheast Minnesota is very lucky to have the National headquarters of the Pope & Young Club located here in Chatfield, Minnesota. And in October, they held a grand opening for their new facilities and museum. The following article was written by Pope and Young’s executive secretary, Kevin Hisey.
What do these seemingly random and detached…even ordinary…events have to do with anything? The Confederate brothers were Will and Maurice Thompson, and they turned to the English longbow for survival. The captured Indian was named “Ishi” and is widely considered the last truly primitive Indian in North America. The doctor assigned as his physician was Dr. Saxton Pope. The young man in San Francisco was Doug Easton, and the book he read was “Hunting with the Bow and Arrow” by Saxton Pope. The young man in Detroit was Fred Bear, and the lecturer was Arthur Young. The bowyer from Seattle was Glenn St. Charles, and the time was 1941. The mechanical engineer was H. W. Allen, and the result of his “tinkering” was the compound bow. These are the roots of modern-day bowhunting. These events are part of a chain that is bowhunting’s history and evolution and have resulted in the popularity of bowhunting today. This history is on display at the Pope and Young Club / St. Charles Museum of Bowhunting in Chatfield, Minnesota. Today, bowhunting’s numbers are strong. It is immensely popular. And we seem to take for granted the liberal season lengths and bag limits that we are afforded. However, this wasn’t always the case. In truth, bowhunting’s growth is a relatively recent development. In the early to mid 1900s, when hunting with the bow and arrow was still in its infancy, there were relatively few archers. There were no specific archery seasons. In fact, it wasn’t until 1931 when the first state (Wisconsin) even recognized the bow as a legal hunting weapon. Game agencies were very skeptical of the effectiveness of the bow. The general hunting community laughed at the bow as just a stick and a string—a toy. Something needed to be done. Thus, a group of archers within the National Field Archery Association, led by Glenn St. Charles, started tackling the issues of proving the effectiveness of the bow and arrow and improving the image of bowhunters on a national level. The result of their efforts was the formation of the Pope and Young Club in 1961. That mission was primarily dealt with through the Records Program (a scientific system of recording, documenting and honoring big game animals taken with bow and arrow) and the establishment and promotion of high standards of ethics and Rules of Fair Chase. The Pope & Young Club Founded in 1961 as a non-profit, scientific organization whose objectives included bettering the image of bowhunting, the Pope and Young Club has grown to be the standard-bearer of the principles of fair chase, ethics and sportsmanship in bowhunting. Named in honor of pioneer bowhunters Dr. Saxton Pope and Arthur Young, whose exploits during the early part of the 20th century drew national attention to this “forgotten” and challenging form of hunting, the Club encourages responsible bowhunting by promoting quality hunting, sound conservation practices, high standards of conduct and fostering dedication to the protection of our future.
Founders Pope and Young MEMBERSHIP The Club is a membership-based organization: a fraternity of like-minded, dedicated bowhunters—men, women and youth—committed to the principles of the Club. Any bowhunter, who has pursued the challenge of bowhunting long enough to have taken at least one North American big game animal with a bow (not necessarily a “record book” animal) may join the Club as an Associate Member. Annual membership is $25 and includes our quarterly newsletter, membership certificate, card, decal, updates on Club supported projects, programs and fundraising activities. Most important, though, your membership can be a singularly important and fundamental demonstration of support for the protection of our bowhunting heritage. Interested bowhunters can join as a member on the Club’s web site or by contacting the Club at the address found at the end of this article. Note: A bowhunter may also take advantage of a special, reduced introductory membership offer of $10 when also submitting an entry of an animal into the Records Program. RECORDS PROGRAM The Pope and Young Club encourages quality bowhunting by awakening interest in, and honoring outstanding examples of, this continent’s big game animals. Scientific data collected from the scoring of these animals goes into the Club’s archives as part of the organization’s ever-growing file on North American big game species. Record books and statistical summaries are published periodically to update and distribute the compiled information. The Club is recognized world-wide as the official repository for bowhunting records relating to native North American species. The Records Program provides great insight into the past and present management and health of wildlife populations, is a testimonial to traditional game management and is the effective means to perpetuate the Fair Chase Ethic. Information on entry procedures and official measurers in your area can be found on the Club’s web site or by contacting the Club’s headquarters at the address below. CONSERVATION PROGRAM The Pope and Young Club is dedicated to the perpetuation and sound management of wild animals and their habitat. Members work actively behind the scenes, supporting various educational, field research, pro-hunting and game management programs and projects with moral, financial and volunteer support. The Conservation Committee is responsible for investigating and recommending worthy projects to the Board of Directors. In recent years, annual conservation budgets have exceeded $80,000 (US) per year in grants awarded to worthy projects. Many different types of fundraising efforts, including record book sales, record book entries, commissioned prints, raffles and auctions, provide the Conservation Fund with what is necessary to carry out its goals. ETHICS & FAIR CHASE The core values of the Pope and Young Club’s membership revolve around the principle of high standards of conduct and ethics in our hunting lifestyle. We believe that an ethical code is necessary for all responsible hunters and is the key to protecting hunting’s future in our society. The concept of fair chase is a component of an ethical code. In addition to following all hunting laws and regulations, adherence to the Rules of Fair Chase is required by anyone submitting an entry into the Club’s Records Program. Simply defined, fair chase is the ethical, sportsmanlike and lawful pursuit of free-ranging wild game animals in a manner which does not give the hunter an improper or unfair advantage over the animal. Though such rules focus on the pursuit itself, the spirit of fair chase is an attitude and a way of life based in a deep-seated respect for wildlife, for the environment and for other individuals who share the bounty of our natural resources. MUSEUM OF BOWHUNTING The mission of the Pope and Young Club/St. Charles Museum is to increase the awareness and appreciation of North America's bowhunting heritage and history. Glenn St. Charles, the Club’s principal founder, and his family amassed an extensive collection of bowhunting and archery artifacts dating back into the 1800s. Preserving and protecting that priceless collection is a component of the mission. We also are sharing the collection and its story with the public in a manner that individuals can understand and appreciate the history, heritage, evolution and value of our great American outdoor lifestyle. That is the challenge and goal of our Museum Program. The Museum is open free to the public. Hours, for the winter, are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For more information about the Pope and Young Club, please contact:
273 Mill Creek Road PO Box 548 Chatfield, MN 55923 Phone: (507) 867-4144 Email: pyclub@isl.net Website: Pope & Young Club
Whitetail highlights from Pope & Young record bookIn 1997, the Pope and Young Club came out with the first edition of Bowhunting Records of North American Whitetail Deer. Six years later, they published a second edition, and the article below includes highlights from this book. The whitetail deer, odocoilous virginianus, is our most popular big game species. As we all know, there are more deer in southeast Minnesota now than during our fathers’ and their fathers’ lifetime. These superb animals are watched, pursued, and hunted by tens of thousands of hunters every fall. This is the wild animal that dreams are made of, books are written about, and that provide great picture taking opportunities. The Pope and Young Club is all about recording and honoring this great animal. The first record book that was published in 1975 covered seventeen years of records, which had a list of 662 entries. Twenty seven years later in 2002, the book listed 28,354 record-book deer, which is a yearly average of 649. And the number of entries per year is still accelerating, as can be seen in the statistics that follow:
This huge increase in entries points out several issues; the whitetail deer is prospering, bow hunters are becoming more successful, and probably more hunters are recording their harvests. The following are the top ten states with the most listed entries; and with the exception of Texas, are all from the Midwest:
As shown above, Wisconsin and Illinois are in a class by themselves when it comes to bow hunting deer entries. When looking at the list of top ten entries for all time typical and non-typical deer, it shows a different picture. Wisconsin does not have a single entry in either list. Iowa is leading in the typical class with three entries, followed by Illinois and Minnesota with two, and Kansas with one. In the non-typical class, Kansas blows all other states out of the picture with six of the ten entries. And one has to remember that Kansas has not been on the deer hunting scene that many years and has a much lower population than most other Midwestern states. Three of the top four deer in these two classes were harvested in the 1960s. Minnesota’s two deer in the top ten typical deer class were harvested in 1986 and1995. Now let’s take a closer look at Minnesota and our two nearest neighbors, Iowa and Wisconsin. When evaluating the three states for high scores, Iowa has 80 deer that score 170 or better, Wisconsin follows with 42 entries, and then Minnesota with 33 animals scoring 170 or better. It is interesting to note that Iowa has twice the entries with about one-third the deer population of Wisconsin or Minnesota. Looking at scores of 169 to 160, we find Iowa and Wisconsin having 105 and 104 respectively, followed by Minnesota with 73. The next interesting data was when these record-book bow deer were harvested. The dates for the harvest are as follows for the top scoring forty deer in each state:
It is quickly seen that Iowa and Wisconsin have most of their entries in the last fourteen years, while Minnesota had forty-eight percent of their entries before 1990. In the early days of modern deer hunting, Minnesota was alone at the top in producing high-scoring deer. This data reinforces what many of us believe; the deer herd in Minnesota does not compare to neighboring states like it did in the past. What does the book say about zone 3 in Minnesota? There are only four counties in the state having more than 100 entries, and one of them is Winona County. Houston and Dakota Counties have 75-100 deer entered, which are the only two counties in the state in this category. Thus, zone 3 has three of the top seven counties in Minnesota for Pope and Young record entries. Almost all of the counties in northeast Iowa have more than seventy entries. Looking at Wisconsin, Buffalo County is all alone with over 400 entries. The other counties across the river have from 90 to over 300 entries. After looking at the statistics from these three states, it quickly becomes clear that southeast Minnesota, northeast Iowa and western Wisconsin form the area in these three states with the best deer production. All of this material shows what we already knew; we live and hunt in the area that has the best whitetail deer factory in the United States. BWA’s goal is to manage this factory to become the best deer hunting state among these three powerhouse states!!
La Crescent banquet a great successBluffland Whitetails Association banquet committee would like to extend our thank you to the following sponsors for their donations and prizes to our 3nd annual banquet that was held Thursday, September 30, at the La Crescent American Legion clubroom. The banquet was a great success, and we also extend our congratulations to all the prize winners. We hope to see you back in 2005!
Plant conifers for a better hardwood planting
Open fields such as Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres and unused pastures are sometimes planted to trees. Reasons for planting trees include improved wildlife habitat, aesthetics, erosion control, meeting government program requirements and future financial return from timber harvest. Hardwood trees such as oak, maple, black cherry, ash, and walnut are commonly planted in these open areas. These species are chosen for the valuable wildlife food they provide, beautiful fall color, valuable timber or because they are the trees growing in the nearby woodlot. Although there can be several reasons for planting hardwoods in an open area, most landowners eventually want to have some tall, straight trees that resemble those growing in the woods. In many cases hardwood seedlings planted in an open field do not end up looking as desired. Animal damage, mostly from deer and gophers, and competition from sod and weeds are two major reasons for poor growth. Short, branchy trees are a result of slow growth and animal damage combined with not enough shade from the sides to force growth up instead of out. Because of cost, hardwood seedlings are seldom planted at a density much above 500 trees per acre. Hardwoods planted at this density are not crowded enough to force the growth up. Instead they grow short, large crowns, resembling an apple tree instead of the tall hardwood found in a forest setting. By planting more trees per acre, the seedlings will be more crowded and are forced to grow up toward the sunlight. Lower branches that are in the shade of the adjacent trees will die and fall off. The result should be a tall, straight tree with few low branches; a better-formed tree than would grow in a less dense plantation. Conifer (pine and spruce) seedlings can be planted with the hardwoods to increase the total number of seedlings per acre. Conifer seedlings are cheaper than hardwoods, anywhere from ¼ to ½ the cost per seedling. A denser planting can be done using a mix without spending as much as if planting the same higher number of hardwoods. A planting of 600 to 800 trees per acre (2/3 to ¾ conifers) will be thick enough to force seedlings to grow up more than out, yet not require thinning before the first 20 years. The conifers act as a nurse crop forcing the nearby hardwoods to grow straight. Conifers are usually able to become established and grow with less weed control than hardwood seedlings. Once they reach the height of 4 to 6 feet, they usually jump in growth, adding as much as 2 or 4 feet in height per year. This rapid growth upward, and the corresponding growth to the side, forces the adjacent hardwoods to grow up instead of out like an apple tree. The ground is shaded by the conifers sooner, eliminating sod competition on the hardwoods. With no grass, the site is also no longer suitable habitat for gophers; rodents that can really cause damage in a tree planting. White pine, Red (Norway) pine and spruce are commonly planted with hardwoods in southeast Minnesota. The pines grow fastest, giving competition quicker, but in some cases, they may require thinning sooner than spruce. White pine does well on most soil types, while Red pine doesn’t tolerate poorly drained soils. Deer prefer to eat White pine, so in areas with a high deer population, Red pine or spruce may be a better choice. I like the conifers and hardwoods planted in separate rows. Herbicides for sod control can be sprayed over top of the hardwood rows without spraying the adjacent conifer row(s). The conifers usually will not need chemical release from competition after the second year, while the hardwoods will grow better with additional sod control. When the trees become too crowded, thin them by removing a row of conifers. If a market for pulpwood is available, and it can be removed without damage to the more valuable hardwoods, sell the row of conifers. When planting, space the rows far enough apart to allow equipment in to take out a row without damage to the next row. Rows spaced 8 feet or more apart should give enough room for thinning equipment to work without damage to the remaining trees. If no market exists, the trees can be felled and left in place. Both methods of thinning will allow the remaining trees adequate room to grow. Example:
You should end up with much straighter oak, walnut, maple, ash and cherry than if you planted the area to 500 hardwoods. Your trees should more resemble those in the forest than those in the orchard.
2004 Whitewater Youth Hunt lettersThe following letters were written by youth who were chosen to participate in the 2004 Whitewater Youth Hunt held October 21-24, 2004.
Joe Dick
Timmy Dick
Kayla Kolbert
I looked at my dad, and my dad looked at me. Then, I laughed. I simply laughed! Dad started to also. Then we hugged. I got a deer! My first deer in my whole life! WOW! We stood up and saw the other deer, a little button buck I think, looking around, confused. Dad said “Mehh.” He wanted to see what the deer would do. In his confusion, he started to run toward us, then figured us out, and ran off. We walked out to the dead deer. Its legs were moving, and I was afraid it wasn’t dead yet. But we figured out it was just nerves. Instead of shooting the heart, I shot the head! I guess it doesn’t matter as long as I got it. After field dressing, we dragged it out, took pictures, and got it registered. I thank God and my lucky stars. I GOT A DEER!
Brandon Mata
Dan Mayfield
Throughout the rest of the hunt, we saw six or seven more deer. One of them was a four-point buck that was too far off for a safe shot. That night, when we got back to the tent, I realized I hadn’t brought my sleeping bag. Mark, my mentor, let me use his, and he slept with the inner liner. It was a really cold night. I had a lot of fun this year, and I plan to keep hunting.
Lora Meyers
My dad packed a lunch which helped me not to feel so cold. Then around 3:15, my dad hit me in the shoulder and said get your gun ready. Get your gun ready! He had seen a deer coming down the hill on our right. She was moving pretty quickly. I looked over there and saw her and got my gun up. My dad whistled at her, trying to get her to stop, but she wouldn’t. Dad said shoot, shoot! I said okay and shot once; I didn’t know I could shoot again. She kind of kicked a little, and then she cut down the hill less than 15 yards, and she disappeared. She ran behind a hill, so we tracked her about 150 yards. At first I thought she was lost, but then I said that’s it, that’s it, right there! I was so excited, and so was my dad. I was like finally we found her, my first deer.
BWA president Chris Kolbert presenting Lora Meyers of Stewartville a gift certificate to Gander Mountain. Lora's name was drawn from those who had shot a doe during the Whitewater Youth Hunt held October 21-24, 2004.
William Perry
Eric Rausch
BWA annual meeting heldBWA held its annual meeting on December 15, 2004, at the Southern Minnesota Sportsman’s Club in Rochester, Minnesota. It was well attended by BWA members from a widespread area of southeast Minnesota. The meeting began with the usual formalities of an annual meeting, covering last year’s events and our financial status. President Chris Kolbert reviewed the highlights and accomplishments of BWA for the past year. This included discussing several sessions we’ve had with St. Paul DNR staff on deer management philosophies. Jim Vagts, BWA vice president, then paid tribute to the two members on the board of directors who are leaving the board after a long term of service. Bryan Todd was recognized for his membership recruitment, organizing banquets, and organizing and implementing the first-ever special youth hunt in Minnesota. Geoff Heppding was recognized for his many contributions to BWA including his annual banquet in Chatfield and serving as coordinator for our very successful BWA Expo that is held each year in Rochester at the Mayo Civic Center Arena. Jim then recognized the dedication and leadership that Marilyn Bratager has demonstrated as editor of our widely-read newsletter and web master of the BWA web site. He pointed out that she has recently taken over managing the BWA membership database, and that her promptness and thoroughness has been highly appreciated by the board of directors.
President Chris Kolbert then presented awards to life members of BWA. Several of these individuals were instrumental in providing financial backing to get BWA started in the early days. Following the recognition part of the meeting, President Chris Kolbert opened the floor to discussion and input from attending members. There was some excellent dialogue covering some of our accomplishments and also the many goals we are still striving to reach in the future. A very vocal Kermit McRae initiated a stimulating discussion on the trout stream issue and land access in Houston County. This prompted a rebuttal by a couple of BWA board members. Lengthy discussion also followed about land access in areas which are overpopulated with deer; particularly state parks. Discussion continued on different techniques which could be used to accomplish some of BWA’s long-term goals of improving the age structure of the deer herd in southeast Minnesota. Some of the suggested methods included moving the season back out of the rut, point restrictions and eliminating party hunting for bucks. The meeting concluded with the election of directors for next year. BWA was fortunate to have several excellent candidates on the nomination list. The board looks forward to working with two newly elected directors; Marty Stubstad of Rochester and Steve Bjerke of LaCrescent. The new members of the board join re-elected incumbent members Rick Boyer, Gary Bartsch, Kent Holen and Jeff Therring. Board members whose terms were not yet up include Chris Kolbert, Jim Vagts, Scot Bjornson and Todd Grimes. Officers will be elected at the next board meeting which will be held on January 19, 2005, at the Southern Minnesota Sportman’s Club in Rochester. Meeting locations for the months following the January meeting will be decided at a later date. Check the blufflandwhitetails.org web site periodically for updates on these locations. We were very happy to have such a nice turnout of members, and everyone enjoyed a wild game meal provided by the board of directors following the meeting.
BWA life members with their Life Membership Plaques (L to R): Jim Vagts, Mike Sieve, Rick Boyer, Jeff Soma, Mike Staggemeyer and Gary Bartsch. Not pictured: Orrin Estebo, Tom Ferris, Richard Hampe and Mike Johanns.
Tom and Jerry vs. Mike and Ikeby Scot Bjornson By 8:35 a.m. of the 2004 deer opener, I had already been treated to an interesting show of several young bucks and the does they were either pursuing or just trying to catch up with. With a late September doe already in the freezer and lots of hunting time left, I had already made “a decision” to wait for a mature buck at least out to his ears or better, so I didn’t even pick up my gun. As always though, it was very rewarding just to be in that beautiful setting and to watch them display the same rutting behavior that has been going on in this river bottom for centuries. And here I was lucky enough to be sitting right in the middle of it all on this day. I decided not to shoot this morning, but at different times shots rang out from all directions around me, and each time I wondered what the story was behind each of the “decisions” those other hunters had made. I began to think of four very different people I knew in the area and reflected upon the different reasons they hunt deer and how their decisions on what to shoot might affect the deer herd. The first shot I heard that morning came from the north. That could be Tom. He’s the hard core “big buck” hunter. All the big buck logos and decals on his truck advertise this loud and clear. Tom perceives the taking of a trophy rack as an improvement in his status among other deer hunters. And big antlers are “the” measure of success. Females are never targets, and the “scrub” bucks, as he calls them, are viewed simply as a consequence more than anything. I know if the shot I heard is Tom’s, there will be plenty of photos to go around. In the end, Tom’s “choice” means a mature buck taken once in a while, and never a doe taken. It’s a free country, and he’s a happy guy. But then I began to wonder how over run we would be with deer if everyone else waited only for big antlered bucks and took zero does. A while later, way to the south, I hear two shots. Jerry hunts there. He is much like Tom, except Jerry views any sized buck as the gauge of his success in hunting. He lets every doe go right by because as far as Jerry is concerned the more does the better. More does produce more young bucks to shoot at next year. If it’s Jerry who shot to the south, it usually means a young six- or eight-point buck down, and he’s happy. He’s also more than happy to tag any extra bucks he can for his group while passing up does. Party hunting is legal and every buck Jerry takes is a perceived improvement amongst the “hunter ranks” as well. I know many hunters who think like Jerry. It’s his choice...but again the question arises as to what a mess it would be if everyone took only bucks and no female deer. Down in the valley there is a hunter sitting in a big oak tree in a bottleneck. It’s Mike. I know Mike well. To him a big buck is a “personal” thing. He finds it distasteful to publicly gloat on killing anything, much less an animal as magnificent as a mature whitetail buck. He puts does in the freezer to eat, passes on young bucks and waits for a mature buck, which in Minnesota means spending extra money on licenses and spending extra time out there, which to him is very rewarding in itself. Mike is also a serious bowhunter and usually has a doe or two in the freezer before the gun season. And when Mike does get a chance at a mature buck with a rack out to his ears or better, he’ll take it. If not, he’ll wait, as he usually has doe venison in the freezer and more importantly, he hunts for no one’s approval but his own. Fair enough. I’ve often wondered what a healthy, balanced, stable deer herd we would have if everyone thought like Mike. Finally, there comes a volley of shots from the west. It’s Ike. Ike isn’t particular about what he shoots. Big buck, little buck, big doe, little doe... it just doesn’t matter to Ike. He’s a deer hunter, and he just wants to spend some quality time hunting and get a deer. He’s taken some small bucks, a few big ones, and many does. Ike tends to shoot the first thing that comes by, and that usually means a doe. He’s satisfied with that. Ike hunts for personal reasons which encompass the entire experience and not just a set of antlers. He also has nothing to prove to his peers. Lastly, I mused how much better things would be if everyone thought like Ike. What this all boils down to is that every time each of these guys (and each of us) puts a tag on a deer, we have made an individual management decision which has a small effect on our deer herd. However, over time, the sum of these decisions greatly affects the make-up of our deer herd. It is apparent that in the last 20 years or so there has been a great shift from traditional “deer” hunting to today’s increasingly popular trend of “horn” hunting. This big increase in the number of people competing, thinking and hunting like Tom and Jerry is causing problems for deer management not only here in Minnesota but throughout the nation. Simply put, single-minded “horn hunting” translates into steadfast herd growth along with herds made up of far greater numbers of does versus bucks. Sound familiar to anyone? Conversely, what if more people sought the total experience, placed a similar value on harvesting mature does and mature bucks, and simply hunted to feed a hungry family instead of a hungry ego? One can only speculate, of course, but when I think about what that future might look like it makes me smile every time. Here’s to good deer management and the hopes that in the future more people see the wisdoms of such thinking and aspire to be more like “Mike and Ike.”
Planning for the futureby Colin Williams If you are anything like me, tree stand time, for the most part, is thinking time. Not that I am much of a philosopher or anything, but those long waits between deer sightings gets a person to thinkin’. I lean my head back against the tree, it seems to help, close my eyes, and look deep into my uncomplicated little mind: “Wouldn’t it be cool, if just for a moment, the trees would disappear in a two-hundred yard radius around me so I can see if something’s coming?” or “Wouldn’t it be cool if I could transport myself to the stand where the deer are?” Of all the things I’ve been called over the years, an intellectual has never been one of them. If you are fortunate enough to own your own deer hunting property it would be safe to assume you spend much of your time sitting on stand not concentrating at the task at hand, but what you might be able to do with the property. “I wonder if a pond would work over there,” or “I should plant some apple trees down by the woodchuck stand,” or “I bet a food plot in that old pasture would bring the deer in from miles.” Many of you have already began planting a few trees, or experimenting with food plot plantings. While these efforts may certainly be worthwhile, your investment in labor and time will be better spent if you look at the big picture and plan accordingly. Whitetails live in a very simple world. The first and foremost requirement is food. The amount of food on the property, in both native and introduced forms, will have a direct relationship to herd health and sustainability. Even if there is enough food present, the property could be lacking in other ways. Deer simply do not live on food alone; other habitat requirements can also limit the utility of your property for deer, and of most significance is cover. According to Mark Oja, Wildlife Biologist with the NRCS, deer cover is categorized as both thermal and screening. “Thermal cover simply protects deer from extreme cold and heat, while screening cover gives them a place to hide,” said Oja. “You will need both.” Many landowners become so consumed with trying to feed wintering whitetails they overlook the deer’s equally critical need: good thermal cover. The more protection deer find from the wind and cold, the less energy their bodies will need. The other factor is water. Although free, or surface water, is not as important as the food and cover factors, ask those folks who have a pond on their farm how much the local wildlife utilize the water source. For those of us in Minnesota and Wisconsin, the best time to evaluate our properties for habitat need is right now – winter. Winter, in northern herds, is the most stressful time of the year for whitetails and a wonderful time to assess your property. For example, if you walk through your woods right now and there is little available forage from your shoulders down, what are the deer going to eat? Sure, you should have some areas on the farm earmarked for mast production, but if the largest portion of your farm is mature hardwood, with little under-story cover, you are providing no thermal cover or browse availability. Once you’ve decided to do some habitat management, the first step is to determine what habitat qualities are lacking on your land. Unless you own 1,000 acres or more, or live on an island somewhere, consider your neighbor’s properties as well. When evaluating your land for deficiencies in deer habitat, keep in mind that deer are an edge species. This means they prefer areas where two or more cover-types converge. Oja suggest that owners of smaller tracts should work cooperatively with neighbors and highly suggests detailed habitat management plan development. “No two wildlife habitat management plans are exactly the same,” said Oja. “Plans vary depending on management objectives, habitat and site characteristics, financial resources and existing land uses, to name a few.” This plan would, and should, include consultations with either private wildlife habitat consultants or NRCS staff. We at NRCS frequently consult with our DNR partners. Here in southeast Minnesota, DNR wildlife specialist Don Ramsden is a wonderful resource to help with this planning effort, as well as DNR forestry folks such as Jim Edgar and Kevin O’Brien. Ramsden first recommends putting yourself in the deer’s shoes. Ask yourself the questions: “If I was a deer what would I need?” Ramsden also stresses the need to plan for all species. “Planning for all the species on your farm will ensure a better quality habitat for most wildlife,” noted Ramsden. As you begin your habitat assessment, you will find that with just some minor changes to a plan your practices will benefit more species than deer alone. Not only can NRCS, and our partners in conservation, help with the planning effort, but cost-share dollars may be available to help with project implementation as well. NRCS is now taking applications for cost-share assistance under several programs: The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP). These programs may cost-share such habitat improvement measures as pond installations, tree plantings, native grass plantings, wildlife openings, timber stand improvements and so on. If this is something you are interested in, contact your county NRCS office as soon as you put down this newsletter. The application periods for winter sign-ups are short (January 28, 2005 for EQIP), and you will need to act quickly to take advantage of them. You simply need to stop by your county NRCS office and sign a program application. This binds you to nothing, but does put us to work. We, along with DNR and other conservation partners, will help develop a wildlife habitat plan. We will then use that plan as the basis to pursue cost-share dollars. We can detail program specifics when we visit your farm. If you need help with contacts, you can email me at colin.williams@mn.usda.gov or call me at (507)523-2171, and I can get you in touch with our offices in your county. Regardless of whether or not you decide to pursue cost-share assistance for your habitat improvement ideas, now is the time to assess your property for habitat need. Get out and walk the farm. Do you have winter food availability and have you planned for year-round food needs? Is there security and thermal cover areas? Do your deer have to travel to another farm for water? There is so much you can do within the scope of those three questions – food, water, shelter. The technical and cost-share assistance to help you reach your wildlife utopia goals are there; you just need to know where to look.
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Jeff Therring
Eugene Gustason
Dan Mayfield
Jim Edgar
Eric Atherton, editor of the outdoor news section of the Rochester Post-Bulletin, was also recognized and awarded a certificate of appreciation for the contribution he makes to media coverage on outdoor issues in southeast Minnesota.