Whether jigging for panfish, learning how to mush a team of dogs or being introduced to snowshoeing techniques, the DNR Becoming An Outdoors Woman (BOW) program’s annual winter workshop will be fun for all. The workshop is Friday, Feb. 26, through Sunday, Feb. 28, at the Audubon Environmental Learning Center near Sandstone. The program is for women ages 14 and older.

“The winter workshop provides a unique opportunity to try out different winter sports in a supportive atmosphere,” said Linda Bylander, BOW coordinator. “Prior experience doesn’t matter. A desire to discover the fun and excitement of doing these of doing these activities does.”

Participants select their three favorite activities from a list of classes including dog mushing, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, quillwork, archery, ice fishing and winter hiking.

Lodging, meals, instruction, equipment and evening entertainment are all included in the workshop fee. Registrations are accepted by calling the Audubon Environmental Learning Center at 888-404-7743.

More information about the winter workshop and other BOW offerings is available online or by calling the DNR Information Center at 651-296-6157 or toll-free 888-646-6367 and requesting a printed copy of events.

“Being outdoors on a winter night with the light of the moon and hundreds of candles is a near-magical experience that appeals to people of all ages,” said Park Manager Paul Kurvers.

In addition to skiing, snowshoeing, and hiking, the event will include a full evening of family-oriented activities and entertainment:

• Gigi Nauer will provide live music at the Trail Center.
• Naturalist Dave Crawford will present a short program of nature photographs and music commemorating the park’s Prairie Care landscape restoration project at the Visitor Center.
• The park’s 5½-foot bull snake, Ripley, will be on display in the Visitor Center.
• Sky conditions permitting, astronomy enthusiast Kenny Bahmer will have two telescopes set up near the Trail Center parking lot to provide visitors with a magnified view of the magnificent Orion Nebula and other features of the winter sky.

This annual event, sponsored by the Friends of Wild River State Park and supported by National Honor Society students from North Branch Area High School, drew about 2,000 people of all ages and abilities to the park last year, and organizers are hoping for a big turnout again this year.

Refreshments will be available at the Visitor Center and Trail Center. Ski and snowshoe rentals will be available at the Trail Center while supplies last. The cost to rent equipment is $6/day for snowshoes and $10/day for skis, boots, and poles. To reserve rental equipment in advance, call 651-257-0685.

Color-coded maps will be available at the park office, so participants can choose a route based on how far they want to go and how much they want to see. If there’s not enough snow for skiing or snowshoeing, trails will still be lit for walking.

A Minnesota State Parks vehicle permit is required to enter the park and may be purchased at the park office ($5 for a one-day permit or $25 for a year-round permit). A Minnesota Ski Trail pass is also required for all skiers age 16 or older. One-day ski passes ($5) are available at the park office. Annual ski passes ($15) may be purchased at businesses that offer the DNR Electronic Licensing System or by filling out a mail-in application at the park office.

Wild River State Park is located three miles north of Minnesota Highway 95 at Almelund, halfway between Taylors Falls and North Branch. For more information, call 651-583-2125 or visit mnstateparks.info.

Proposed for muskie management are Roosevelt Lake in Cass and Crow Wing counties; Upper South Long Lake and Lower South Long Lake in Crow Wing County; Tetonka Lake in Le Sueur County; and the Sauk River Chain in Stearns County.

“All of these waters meet or exceed the biological and physical criteria for muskie management,” said Dirk Peterson, DNR acting fisheries chief. He said there are eight key biological considerations including:

• Proposed muskie waters must be greater than 500 acres.
• Waters must contain adequate numbers and species of prey fish.
• Water clarity must be moderate to clear.
• Gillnet catches for northern pike must be three or less.
• Waters must have the potential to produce a trophy fish.

“All five proposals are consistent with our management approach,” said Peterson. “Also they have been selected in part because of their geographic location. These lakes represent a strategic approach to provide muskie fishing where opportunity is limited.”

The muskie is one of Minnesota’s largest fish, growing to more than 50 pounds and more than 50 inches in length. Anglers have become increasingly interested in the so-called “fish of 10,000 casts” now that 50-plus inch fish can be caught in Lake Mille Lacs, Lake Vermillion and other waters that have been stocked since the 1980s.

“As muskie grew in size and abundance, so did interest catching them,” said Peterson, noting that muskie anglers are the fastest-growing segment of Minnesota’s fishing population. He said the DNR is addressing the trend of increasing interest in muskie through a long-range northern pike and muskie plan that was developed with stakeholder input. That plan calls for adding up to eight new muskie waters by 2020.

Today’s announcement of the five waters under consideration marks the beginning of a lengthy process to determine if the lakes will eventually become muskie waters. The DNR will post information on the proposed stocking at boat landings at the five lakes this spring, conduct public input meetings this summer and fall, and accept public comments until early next winter. If the DNR decides to move forward with the proposals, stocking would start in 2011. It would be 12 to 15 years after that before the fish reach 48-inches, the minimum size at which a muskie can be kept.

“Our process will be very transparent,” said Peterson, who noted the agency recognizes the muskie’s mystique appeals to a certain segment of anglers and generates the opposite reaction in others. The proposal will be discussed at the upcoming DNR stakeholder roundtable and later by a citizen advisory committee that is focusing on northern pike and muskie management.

Currently, muskies are found in 116 Minnesota water bodies. Of these, 64 are waters that have been stocked by the DNR.

Effective this year, the DNR will close a portion of its French River Hatchery near Duluth, shift trout production among various hatcheries, and reduce or eliminate stocking in 60 lakes and streams. This will take place in areas where results have not met expectations or where self-sustaining trout populations have been established.

The new approach follows an in-depth assessment by DNR staff and implements various aspects of the DNR’s Lake Superior and southeast Minnesota trout plans. Last year, the DNR stocked 2.2 million trout at a cost of $2.4 million. In recent years the DNR’s trout program has included 615 designated trout streams, 163 designated trout lakes, 112 inland lake trout lakes, 2 two-story trout-and-warm water fishing lakes, and the 1.4 million-acre Lake Superior.

“We are reducing operating costs where they are high, and stocking efforts where the return on investment is low,” said Dirk Peterson, acting DNR fisheries chief. “We are doing this in a way that will minimize any effects on the majority of anglers.”

Anglers will not be significantly affected because stocking reductions will be in only those waters where fishing pressure was low, trout survival and growth was poor, or the stocking has resulted in a self-sustaining fishery that is no longer dependent upon stocking, Peterson added.

The upcoming changes are the result of a lengthy internal review of the DNR’s trout program. Managers revised traditional stocking recommendations based on angler use, the number of fish caught by anglers, and whether stocking still made sense based on competing warm water fish populations or other factors. This field assessment included reviewing the Lake Superior and southeast Minnesota trout plans.

Similarly, DNR staff took a hard look at the French River Hatchery, which is the agency’s most expensive hatchery to operate and the most susceptible to biosecurity issues because of its connection to Lake Superior and the entire Great Lakes system, which contains a growing number of invasive exotic species and fish diseases. To address these concerns, the agency will shift part of the French River Hatchery production to the DNR hatchery near Remer.

Specifics of the new trout plan include:

• The Spire Valley Hatchery near Remer will produce 80,000 yearling rainbow trout Kamloops to be stocked in the Lester, Talmadge and French rivers. Previously, these fish had been reared at the French River Hatchery.
• The French River Hatchery will produce up to 12,000 fingerlings and 25,000 yearling rainbow trout Kamloops in addition to 550,000 steelhead fry and 55,000 frylings for stocking in Lake Superior.
• All brook trout production will be shifted from Spire Valley in central Minnesota to the Crystal Springs hatchery in southeastern Minnesota. The Peterson Fish Hatchery in southeastern Minnesota will continue to produce lake trout fingerlings and yearlings and rainbow trout yearlings.

More information on streams and lakes where stocking will be increased, reduced or eliminated is available on DNR Web site.

Pheasants can survive as long as two weeks without food, but they become more vulnerable to predators and adverse weather conditions when they are forced to spend time and energy in the open looking for food.

The DNR offers the following tips for feeding pheasants:

• Do not place feeders near a road. Attracting pheasants (and deer) to roadsides can be dangerous to motorists as well as wildlife.
• Feeders should be placed within 150 yards of good winter cover. This allows the birds to feed and then return quickly to cover. The most important reason for feeding pheasants is to keep them in areas of good winter cover, such as large cattail marshes, shrub swamps, or shelterbelts with at least four rows of evergreens where they stand a much greater chance of surviving winter.
• Place food where birds have been seen feeding in an open, windswept area near thick cover. A high spot with a southern exposure is best.
• Simple feeder cribs can be constructed of hardware cloth that is 3 to 4 feet wide (1/2″ mesh) and is double-wrapped and hog-ringed together to form a cylinder. Wire the feeder to a steel post or another object to keep it erect. Designs for constructing barrel feeders can be found on the DNR Web site.
• Once feeding is begun, don’t stop until there are large, snow-free areas in fields. Pheasants become dependent on feeders. One of the biggest mistakes is to stop feeding before waste grain becomes available.

Now is also a good time to work with local clubs or wildlife managers to assess local habitat needs and plan improvements for next year, such as food plots near winter cover. For additional information on pheasant feeding, contact a local DNR wildlife office.

Adult hunters may apply for one of nearly 57,000 permits to hunt a five- or seven-day season in one of 77 permit areas. Youth 17 and younger no longer need to apply for the lottery. They will be able to purchase a spring turkey permit for any permit area and any time period directly from a license agent. Applicants choose one of eight time periods in which to hunt.  A new rule effective in 2010 allows hunters not selected in the permit lottery to purchase a permit in any area for one of the hunt’s last two time periods.  Additional details are available online at www.mndnr.gov/hunting/turkey.

The survey, conducted this fall, was designed to assess proposed or possible regulatory changes. It was mailed to a statistically representative sample of 3,000 deer hunters age 18 or older who indicated they hunted either the 3A or 3B firearm deer seasons during 2008.

Hunters’ top choices for deer regulation changes in southeastern Minnesota were prohibiting the cross-tagging of bucks and instituting an antler point restriction.

The DNR received responses from 1,740 hunters - a margin of error of 2.2 percent.

Lou Cornicelli, DNR big game coordinator who developed the survey with the assistance of DNR research staff and three deer hunting groups, said hunter support for various management strategies was as follows:

• 53 percent support enacting regulations that protect a majority of yearling bucks.
• 54 percent support implementing a four-day youth-only deer hunt over what is commonly known as Minnesota Education Association (MEA) weekend.
• 50 percent support requiring hunters to shoot and tag their own buck, rather than allowing cross-tagging.
• 47 percent support instituting an antler point restriction regulation.
• 41 percent support restoring the 3A season to 9 days.
• 34 percent support restoring the 3B season to 7 days.
• 31 percent support delaying the 3A firearm season one week.
• 18 percent support delaying the 3A firearm season to late November.

“It’s interesting to note there weren’t any differences in attitudes between hunters from the 3A and 3B seasons,” said Cornicelli, who noted 3A hunters self-identify as more traditional and selective buck hunters whereas 3B hunters describe themselves as more meat-oriented and less concerned about mature bucks.

“The survey results illustrate that 3A and 3B hunters have the same opinions on deer management issues,” he said. “The differences lie in the season they hunt, not the type of deer hunted.”

Overall, Cornicelli said, a majority of hunters support regulations that protect yearling bucks.

While support was lower than previously reported in other DNR surveys the question was more specific on this survey. Previously, DNR has asked generically if hunters supported mature buck regulations and support was hovered around 60 to 65 percent.

“This survey specifically mentioned protecting yearling bucks so it wasn’t surprising that overall support was slightly lower than previously reported,” Cornicelli said.

Responses to other survey questions indicate:

• 24 percent also hunted the archery season and 15 percent also hunted the muzzleloader season.
• The average of number of years a person has been hunting is 25 and they have hunted their specific deer area for 18.5 years.
• 30 percent hunt on land they own, 74 percent hunt on land they don’t own and 4 percent leased land for hunting.
• Only 7 percent belonged to an organized hunting group.
• Only 8 percent hunted exclusively on public land.
• 3 percent of landowners allow public hunting to anyone who asks.

To put the survey in context, beginning in 2003 the DNR made antlerless permits available during the 3A season in response to increasing deer populations. Also in 2003, several other changes were instituted that included shortening the 3A season by two days and lengthening the 3B season by two days. In 2004, youth hunters were allowed to hunt both seasons.

The full survey report is available on the DNR Web site at mndnr.gov.

Doug Schultz, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) large lake specialist, said fishing pressure during the open water season totaled 785,000 hours, the highest total observed since 1999.

“It was great to see so many anglers returning to town and their favorite stretch of structure,” Schultz said. “And they weren’t disappointed. The walleye catch rate was nearly a fish an hour and the harvest rate was a quarter of that. Those are strong numbers. ”

Schultz attributed the success to a combination of factors, including a special walleye regulation, habitat conservation, walleye stocking and cormorant control. The fishery, he said, is in good shape for the upcoming ice fishing and 2010 open water seasons.

“Our 2009 netting surveys indicate walleye, perch and northern pike populations remain above long-term averages,” Schultz said. “That’s good news for anglers and benefitting businesses alike.”

Joe Mix, DNR assistant regional fisheries manager, said the DNR aims to maintain Leech Lake as a premier fishery and angling destination. He said the agency is already working with a citizen committee to adopt another five-year fisheries management plan similar to the one that will expire in 2010.

“DNR staff and citizens of the Leech lake community have learned a lot in the last five years,” Mix said. “Our intent is to build on that knowledge to sustain a strong fishery for years to come.”

Work of Walleye Advisory Committee
The new Leech Lake Walleye Planning Advisory Committee comprises 17 stakeholders who represent diverse interests from around the state. The committee makes recommendations to the agency on walleye stocking, fishing regulations, cormorant management and habitat protection.

In addition to local citizens who represent the Leech Lake Fishing Task Force, Leech Lake Watershed Foundation and the Leech Lake Association, the advisory committee includes representatives from outside the Walker area who involved in organizations such as the Izaak Walton League and the newly created Anglers for Habitat.

“Leech, like Minnesota’s other big waters, is a multi-faceted lake of statewide significance,” Mix said. “The committee makeup reflects this.”

The group has met five times since August and is scheduled to finalize its recommendations by late winter or early spring. These recommendations and other public input will be considered when the DNR approves the final Leech Lake plan for 2011-2015.

“A lot of the committee work has revolved around building a common understanding of the issues and the realities of resource management,” Mix said. “The committee has met with a University of Minnesota fisheries geneticist, top DNR research biologists and a fisheries manager involved with the Red Lake walleye recovery.  These have been good, informative conversations that will help shape recommendations.”  Mix encourages people to learn more about the committee and its work by visiting http://mndnr.gov/fisheries/management/llfmp.html. The Web page contains the technical materials that committee members receive and review during their meetings.

Those not directly involved in the citizen advisory committee will have an opportunity to review and comment on its recommendations when they are completed later this winter.

“Some snowmobilers wait to see how much snow is in the forecast or on the ground before getting around to taking a DNR snowmobile safety training course,” said Capt. Mike Hammer, DNR Enforcement Education Program coordinator. “In some instances it’s too late because classes have already concluded or are full. No Snowmobile Safety Certificate, no snowmobiling.”

To legally ride a snowmobile in Minnesota, residents born after Dec. 31, 1976, need a valid snowmobile safety certificate.

Plenty of training classes are available right now and may be taken in a classroom or through a CD ROM delivered program.

Classroom courses are taught in your local community by volunteers and are available for anyone 11 or older. Find a list of classes on the DNR Web site.

The DNR Adult or Youth Snowmobile Safety CD ROM for PC and MAC is available for those 16 or older.

“Snowmobilers can learn from the comfort of home, fill out the quizzes and exam, and send their results in to be officially certified. It’s as easy as that,” Hammer said. To obtain a copy of the CD, contact the DNR by phone at 888-MINNDNR (646-6367), 651-296-6157 or send an e-mail to info@dnr.state.mn.us.

For a copy of DNR’s 2009-2010 Minnesota Snowmobile Safety Laws, Rules, and Regulations handbook, call 888-MINNDNR (greater Minnesota) or 651-296-6157. It is also available on the DNR’s Web page.

Adult hunters may apply for one of nearly 57,000 permits to hunt a five- or seven-day season in one of 77 permit areas.  Youth 17 and younger no longer need to apply for the lottery. They will be able to purchase a spring turkey permit for any permit area and any time period directly from a license agent. Applicants choose one of eight time periods in which to hunt.

“Turkey hunters can look forward to more great opportunities this spring,” said Bill Penning, farmland wildlife program leader for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR). “We have significantly increased permit numbers during the last two time periods, thereby allowing anyone who is not selected in the lottery or already purchased a 2010 spring turkey license for another time period to purchase a license for one of the last two time periods.”

Minnesota residents 18 and older by April 14, 2010, must apply for a spring turkey permit either in person, via the Internet or by telephone at 1-888-665-4236 by Friday, Jan. 8, 2010. A nonrefundable $3 application fee must be paid at the time of application. An additional nonrefundable $3.50 convenience fee will be charged for all applications made by telephone o r the Internet. Nonresident hunters may apply by mail or by telephone.

Penning said the permit application no longer asks hunters to indicate a second choice for the time period in which they want to hunt. Hunters who are successful in the drawing and choose not to purchase a tag, will lose the current year’s preference point for future drawings They will not lose accumulated preference from past years.

Spring turkey archery hunters have two options. They can apply in the lottery or purchase a regular license over-the-counter for one of the last two time periods from the eight available, which allows them to hunt with a bow or firearm during the time period chosen. A second option allows them to purchase a spring turkey archery license, which allows them to hunt with a bow during both of the season’s last two time periods.

Spring turkey archery licenses only are available in permit areas that offer 50 or more permits. Applicants who are successful in the spring permit lottery are ineligible for a spring archery license.

Spring turkey hunt application information is available at DNR license agents and online.

The application booklet contains maps of open wild turkey permit areas, permit quotas, season dates and an application worksheet. Hunters are encouraged to fill-out the application form prior to purchasing a license so the process goes smoothly at the license vendor.

DNR uses a preference system drawing to select spring turkey permit winners. A special landowner-tenant preference drawing for up to 20 percent of the permits also is part of the drawing. Successful applicants will be mailed the 2010 Spring Wild Turkey Hunt Book in February.

For more information, call the DNR Information Center at 651-296-6157 or toll free 888-MINNDNR (646-6367).