L&H Outdoors Magazine Winter '19

Gooseberry Falls State Park | MN Public Lands | Birding Sax-Zim Bog | Downward Trend in Hunter Participation

2

Lake & Home Outdoors WINTER 2019

WINTER 2019 Lake & Home Outdoors

3

Contents

In This Issue

46

OFFICE 6

From the Office

by Erin Hintz

8

PRODUCTS

Building an Idea into a Business Ice Rigs Tackles Tricky Issue of

Tangled Lures

by Patrice Peterson

18

JEWELRY

Nature Jewelry

For the Non-Traditional Customer Jewelry by Johan Fills a Niche with Custom Creations

by Alicia Underlee Nelson

18

8

28

ICE FISHING Darkhouse Days

by Richard Massey

Minnesota DNR 38

Downward Trend in Hunter Participation

Results of 2018 Small Game Hunter Survey Results also Indicate Lower Harvest

BIRDS 40

Birding Sax-Zim Bog

4

Lake & Home Outdoors WINTER 2019

by Judd Brink Guide/Naturalist, MN Backyard Birds

40

46

FEATURED STATE PARK

Gooseberry Falls State Park

ORGANIZATIONS

A Century of Stewardship

Fergus Falls Fish & Game Club

50

Celebrates 100-Year Anniversary

Volume 3, Issue 2 • WINTER 2019

by Patrice Peterson

57

BUSINESS OFFICE

Minnesota DNR

MN Public Lands Infographic

118 South Vine Fergus Falls, MN

58 Service Directory

PUBLISHED BY Compass Media

50

Publisher Kip Johnson

EDITORS Brent and Jennifer Rogness

Sales manager John Burns

ART DIRECTOR Kip Johnson

Sales staff Jerry Shea jerry@lakeandhomemagazine.com 218.205.7454

28 For advertising rates and information, contact artwork@lakeandhomemagazine.com.

Subscriptions available upon request.

Erin Hintz erin@lakeandhomemagazine.com 218.205.2120 Rebecca Haarstad rebecca@lakeandhomemagazine.com 262-994-8744

MAILING ADDRESS Lake & Home Outdoors 118 South Vine Fergus Falls, MN 56537 artwork@lakeandhomemagazine.com

T

ime flies. It’s commonly known and said often but still, milestones can catch us off guard making it hard to believe how quickly it's really gone. Realizing that we’ve started our third year with Lake & Home Outdoors was one of those moments for me.

Lake & Home Outdoors started as an idea to fill what we felt was a gap in the area, and was intended as a resource to bring Minnesota sportsmen together, inform you of what's going on in the industry locally and connect you with the people who are experts in our area.

As the third magazine in Lake & Home’s lineup, Outdoors edition was an impressive undertaking for a relatively small group of people. From digging for topics, to discovering the experts to bring them to fruition, to photography, design and advertising sales, Lake & Home Outdoors is really a labor of

love for the many people in our office who are passionate about all that the Minnesota outdoors has to offer. These people hunt and fish right alongside you, and have the same appreciation for the land and wildlife in our area.

Seeing the response from our first publication up until now has been overwhelming. Lake & Home Outdoors keeps our staff busy refilling racks and we could not be more grateful for everyone who shares our enthusiasm.

So, as we turn our sights to the new year, and continue the third year of Outdoors, it's as good a time as any to say thank you to everyone who has picked up Lake & Home Outdoors, brought it to deer camp, or left it on a coffee table to share; everyone who has continued to follow our stories, and our advertisers who make it possible.

We’re kicking off the new year with another great issue of Lake & Home Outdoors. In this issue you’ll find an article acknowledging another milestone as Fergus Falls Game & Fish celebrate their 100th anniversary.

You will also discover feature articles on darkhouse spearing and a business called Ice Rigs. We are also excited to showcase Jewelry by Johan, which focuses on sportsman jewelry made from unique sources such as deer antlers, dinosaur bones, and whiskey barrels. Local outdoor gems such as Gooseberry Falls and the Sax-Zim Bog are featured, perhaps giving you an idea for your next Minnesota outdoor adventure.

From everyone at Lake & Home Outdoors, thank you for sharing our enthusiasm for Minnesota’s great outdoors! We hope you enjoy this issue!

Erin Hintz

Marketing Consultant Lake & Home Outdoors

6

Lake & Home Outdoors WINTER 2019

WINTER 2019 Lake & Home Outdoors

7

8

Lake & Home Outdoors WINTER 2019

OUTDOORS

PRODUCTS

WINTER 2019 Lake & Home Outdoors

9

G

rowing up in rural Minnesota, Nick Smith was always coming up with ideas for different things that would make people’s lives more organized or more enjoyable. As he became an adult and his passion for fishing grew, his father Steve says a lot of those ideas became focused on outdoor activities like fishing and hunting.

“When I first saw this particular idea he had for keeping all your ice fishing lures on a plastic board with magnets – so you can attach them and see them and have immediate access to them – I really wanted to help him move that idea forward,” says Steve, who lives near Pine City and works at Pine Technical and Community College. “I had never

10 Lake & Home Outdoors WINTER 2019

started a business, and he had never started a business, but we started Ice Rigs together.

We’ve worked hard, learned a lot, and still enjoy working together.”

The Ice Rigs Original Mag Tack System came to realization out of a frustrating ice fishing trip Nick took several years ago. When the fish started biting, the lures he desperately needed were either unavailable or tangled up when he needed them. For the next few months, he thought long and hard about a solution – something that could replace his old-fashioned system of throwing the lures into various compartments of his tackle box.

“When I first saw this particular idea he had for keeping all your ice fishing lures on a plastic board with magnets - so you can attach them and see them and have immediate access to them - I really wanted to help him move that idea forward.”

- Steve Smith

When he finally came up with the idea of using magnets on a board, Nick began to visualize and develop a prototype, and he began to believe that he could actually make his idea become a reality.

Without electronics or high-maintenance equipment, this tackle storage system utilizes 27 rare earth magnets (see sidebar, page on page 16) on each side of a durable plastic board. Every magnet grips the hook of an individual lure, keeping them in place, keeping them visible, and keeping them from tangling. There are also specific spots for larger lures and lures with multiple hooks.

Also included in this three-piece system is a custom pine frame that can be attached to any hard-sided fish house wall – or stand up on a flat surface. The Mag Tack board, with lures on each side, slides in and out easily. For storage and travel, the boards fit into a Plano 3707 plastic carrying case, which can be ordered separately or as part of the system.

The plastic board is milled at a firm in Plymouth, but everything else is constructed at a shop on the Smith property near Pine City.

The father-son team works together, using a machine press to install the magnets, and building the wood frames for the wall mount.

NOTHING HAPPENS OVERNIGHT After creating that first prototype almost seven years ago, it took another year before Nick felt he had a marketable product. At the time, he was working for a masonry firm, but he was pursuing an opportunity to become more involved at the SandHaven Resort on Sand Lake, which meant a huge time commitment during the summer.

WINTER 2019 Lake & Home Outdoors 11

“Once I was able to get the prototype working fairly well, I showed my dad, and he came on board,” says Nick. “Then we began the process of finding different suppliers and working slowly, but surely, to refine this idea and design a product that would have a broad appeal to the fishing crowd. We felt it was especially important to find super highquality magnets that would be able to hold the lures in place, even if the boards are tossed around or thrown into the back seat of a truck.”

Part of the reward can sometimes be found in the journey along the way, and both Nick and Steve were amazed at the number of different people who were there to help them during that journey.

12 Lake & Home Outdoors WINTER 2019

“We built up a network of helpful people who had been on the same journey in one way or another, and were willing to show us how to navigate through it,” says Steve. “It seemed like every time we hit a road block or became overwhelmed, there was someone who would reach out with advice. It was up to us to take that advice and apply it, but it was really cool that so many people were willing to help just out of the goodness of their hearts.”

They started selling the Mag Tack System to the public at the St. Paul Ice Fishing and Winter Sports Show in 2015, and Nick says that 100 percent of the feedback from customers since then has been positive.

“We felt it was especially important to find super high-quality magnets that would be able to hold the lures in place, even if the boards are tossed around or thrown into the back seat of a truck.”

- Nick Smith

WINTER 2019 Lake & Home Outdoors 13

“We got a lot of attention that first year, especially for a product that had never been seen by the public before,” he says, “so we did plenty of explaining and handson presentations. We continue to get a booth at the show, and for the past two years we’ve teamed up and shared our booth with Missouri Secrets Tackle, a family-owned company out of North Dakota. I also spend time during the winter months working with different bait and tackle stores and dealers for possible distribution.”

WHO USES THE MAG TACK SYSTEM? Bill Dietz does a considerable amount of ice fishing all over the lakes area in his SnoBear, a track vehicle that functions as a mobile ice house, with four built-in fishing holes and a forced air heating system. With a passionate and enthusiastic approach to ice fishing, he spent a great deal of time over the years searching for a better fishing tackle management system that would be organized, efficient and effective.

“I had never seen anything like it, and it was the perfect solution. I have at least 20 of these systems all set up and ready to be hung on the wall above one of the drilled holes at any time. All I have to do is pull it off the magnet, put it on the line, and I’m all set.”

- Bill Dietz

“About three years ago I found the Mag Tack System at the Ice Fishing Show in St. Paul,” says Dietz, who has lived in Minnesota for the past 26 years after growing up in North Dakota. “I had never seen anything like it, and it was the perfect solution. I have at least 20 of these systems all set up and ready to be hung on the wall above one of the drilled holes at any time. Each board has a specific array of lures for a particular lake, or a particular technique, or even a board with just spoons on it. All I have to do is pull it off the magnet, put it on the line, and I’m all set.”

The Mag Tack System is especially advantageous when he fishes at Lake Winnipeg, a basin lake with tough terrain from ice heaves and ice jags.

“You can’t even get a permanent ice house set up there, and you have to move at least a dozen times per day to be effective,” he claims. “Since you’re jostling around a fair amount, the tackle actually stays in place, and I’m ready to fish as soon as I get to each new spot.”

WHAT COMES NEXT? Although Ice Rigs started off with a very specific product for people with permanent style fish houses, the Smiths both believe that the business is expanding its appeal. With plans for slight variations and new products that will hit a broader market, Steve says they hope to be able to help “organize tackle for anyone who has tackle.”

They both believe that hunting and fishing are supposed to be relaxing ways to switch gears, get out of a stressful work situation and have fun with friends, family or kids.

“In a small way, I think our product helps people to do that,” says Nick. “It’s been so enjoyable and rewarding for me to be able to help an average angler get their hands on a quality product that gives them a way to stay organized and makes it easier for them to go out fishing.”

For Steve, the reward is watching his son and working with him to build this business. “I really wanted to see Nick have an idea and be able to do all those steps to bring it to fruition” he adds. “He’s really been able to see a dream come to life.”

OUTDOORS

A simple idea has turned into Ice Rigs, a company that has also made a huge personal impact on Nick’s life, allowing him the freedom to run a business shaped around his plans, interests and passions.

Rare - Earth Magnets These magnets, made from alloys of rare-earth elements, are the strongest type of permanent magnets made. Developed in the 1970s and 1980s, they produce significantly stronger magnetic fields than the more common ferrite or alnico magnets. Rare-earth magnets resist demagnetization and have a high saturation level, which is an indicator of the physical pull strength a magnet can achieve.

Sleeper-style fish houses have been around a long time. ‘Camping’ on the ice, in the past, was a main attraction for resorts on the big lakes.

Lakes like Lake of the Woods, Mille Lacs, and Leech Lake to name a few. Today, the sleeper fish house is now available for everyone to enjoy.

The biggest change is the ability to tow them safely and legally down the road on wheels. The addition of crankdown and hydraulic axles make towing your fish house a breeze. This also opens the door to year-round use. Yes, the fish house of old, with its redesign, can be used for summer camping fun too.

Glacier Ice Houses are “Minnesota built Minnesota strong” and carrying on the proud tradition of manufacturing in America’s Heartland. With 15 locations in Minnesota and another 10 throughout the Midwest, Glacier Ice House knows what the customer is looking for. The number one feature anglers insist upon is quality!

They want a solid, well-built house that will not give them any surprises. The second feature is comfort. Spending a weekend or even longer on a frozen lake gets downright nasty. A well-built, well-insulated fish house makes those sub-zero days and nights worry free.

Glacier Ice House offers only the finest quality, most comfortable luxury on the market. Glacier Ice House’s best sellers are the 170-foot and 20foot RV Explorer, which come with three holding tanks and tank monitors like a traditional RV. The sleek, blue ice Glacier 817TH looks right at home out on the ice. You will quickly forget you’re sitting on 16 inches of ice. The interior has a natural wood finish, a small kitchenette, three bunk beds, 30K BTU forced air furnace, two 30 pound propane tanks and six fishing holes. There are 18 models to choose from and each model is standard with storage, cook stoves, sleeping bunks, seating, TV hookups and much more.

WINTER 2019 Lake & Home Outdoors 17

OUTDOORS JEWELRY

18 Lake & Home Outdoors WINTER 2019

WINTER 2019 Lake & Home Outdoors 19

D

elicate antler shards, perfectly smooth wood and even fragments of meteorites and dinosaur bones aren’t just materials you might find deep in the forest or on an archeological dig.

You can also find them in a jewelry case.

You don’t have to be knowledgeable about jewelry to be intrigued by Jewelry by Johan.

The materials that designer Johan Rust uses are almost guaranteed to spark curiosity and attract even the most ambivalent people.

20 Lake & Home Outdoors WINTER 2019

But they’re hardly a gimmick.

Rust blends these unusual elements with more traditional materials like precious gems, titanium, tungsten and gold to create unique (and often custom-designed) rings, necklaces, bracelets and cuff links. The style is streamlined and strong, a modern look that’s as versatile and durable as the pieces he designs.

Jewelry by Johan was founded in 2008. By 2016, Jewelry by Johan’s Etsy store had sold

30,000 rings. Now it’s morphed into a thriving family business, where everything is made on-site in Oakdale, Minn.

Since the shop can create pretty much any piece of jewelry in any finish customers can imagine– flat, beveled, sandblasted, matte, inlaid with jewels– in sizes 2-22, there are a lot of variables to consider. And potential customers often have questions about how the design process works and which materials to choose.

To make things even more fun, the design process isn’t limited to natural elements– even mind-bending ones like dinosaur bones and meteorites. Jewelry by Johan has designed pieces made from buildings, musical instruments and even an airplane that were meaningful to customers. You seriously have to read on to see how the sentimental pieces that clients bring in are reimagined into a meaningful new form. The work that Jewelry

by Johan does stretches the imagination and encourages us to rethink what accessories can be.

And although Jewelry by Johan’s look is bold and clean, it’s not just for guys. There are a variety of options for men and women, as well as gifts that are appropriate for special occasions like graduations, weddings, anniversaries, Father’s Day and Mother’s Day.

Office manager Leanne Kolodziej (who also happens to be Rust’s daughter) took a few moments to tell us about some of Jewelry

by Johan’s most popular products, how the materials are shaped into jewelry and how you can preserve and wear your own memories in a unique piece.

WHICH DESIGNS ARE THE MOST POPULAR AND WHY?

Our titanium wedding band designs with two or more inlays are very popular. I think once people learn all of their material options, it’s hard for them to choose just one!

Wedding bands in general are by far our top-sellers. A lot of times customers have us create wedding bands that coordinate with a more traditional engagement ring.

WINTER 2019 Lake & Home Outdoors 21

WHICH DESIGNS ARE THE MOST POPULAR WITH OUTDOORS PEOPLE AND WHY?

Definitely our ring designs that showcase our 100+ hardwood options and antlers; usually those that feature both together. Our whiskey barrel oak wood jewelry is very hot right now. Best of all, we offer the option for customers to supply their own materials for no additional customization fee, so if they have a sentimental piece of wood and/or their own antlers that they’d like us to use, it makes the item so much more personal.

22 Lake & Home Outdoors WINTER 2019

DO PEOPLE RESPOND DIFFERENTLY TO JEWELRY MADE OF ANTLERS, WOOD, BONE AND METEORITES? WHY OR WHY NOT?

People typically respond with amazement because most have never thought of a wedding band beyond metal and gemstones. People get very excited to learn our ring design options exist.

WHAT JEWELRY TRENDS HAVE YOU OBSERVED THAT YOU THINK WILL INFLUENCE STYLES IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS?

Our non-traditional style of rings is definitely on the rise. We’ve been in business since 2008 and were one of just a few jewelers offering nature-inspired rings. Now, there are larger domestic and international companies starting to offer more, which is a positive sign of demand and makes for healthy competition.

We have been fortunate to sustain ourselves with amazing customers around the globe who still value our handcrafted quality and top-notch customer service.

WINTER 2019 Lake & Home Outdoors 23

HOW DO YOU DESCRIBE YOUR AVERAGE CUSTOMER? Our customers are usually VERY creative and laid back. We work with many partners who are getting married and want something beyond what is available at most jewelry stores, couples who want to infuse their personalities and hobbies into their wedding rings. We’ve created rings from a sentimental tree branch, a rocking chair, wooden cabin siding, guitar strings, a vinyl record, piece of metal from an F-15E fighter jet, and so much more.

24 Lake & Home Outdoors WINTER 2019

DO PEOPLE MOST COMMONLY BUY FOR THEMSELVES OR FOR OTHERS? WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IS? Most definitely for others, because LOVE! Typically, the customers are couples buying wedding bands and engagement rings for their significant-others-to-be.

Our unique, non-ring gifts are very popular, too. We have men’s and women’s accessories featuring our materials and those are commonly purchased for bridal party members, birthday gifts and other special occasions, such as anniversaries, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. Our meteorite gifts are popular for grads; they remind them to keep reaching for the stars!

HOW DO WATER AND WEAR AFFECT THE JEWELRY? No differently than other jewelry. Our Ring Armor coating does a fantastic job at protecting the materials that need it (antler, wood, crushed materials) from water and general wear. And, we offer a lifetime warranty on it, so in the uncommon event it does fail at doing its job or becomes damaged, we will repair/replace for no cost.

HOW DO FINISHES, CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES AND OTHER CHOICES PRESERVE JEWELRY? Our Ring Armor coating is very effective at protecting natural materials from wear and water damage. For customers with very hands-on careers and hobbies, we usually recommend a ring with metal edges or an overlay design, which has metal on the outside and a natural material on the inner sleeve, for added peace of mind.

WINTER 2019 Lake & Home Outdoors 25

WHAT’S THE MOST DELICATE RING MATERIAL? THE MOST DURABLE? All of the materials are very durable, but if we had to choose one that’s the most delicate, it would be our lapidary materials that are inlaid in solid form (e.g. fossilized dinosaur bone and lapis lazuli), which best showcases their colors and patterns. They are very hard stone, but if they are hit on a harder surface, they could crack or break.

Titanium is hands-down the most durable, which is why it’s our most popular metal choice for our ring designs. It’s also very lightweight and costs less than white gold or platinum, but looks very similar.

WHAT’S THE MOST COMMON QUESTION THAT YOU GET ABOUT YOUR JEWELRY? Can your rings be resized? And, in most cases, the answer is “No” because of the inlays. But, that is why we offer our custom ring sizers to anyone who can’t visit us in store to get an accurate size. Our custom sizers are crafted in the desired ring’s estimated size and width, which significantly impacts size.

26 Lake & Home Outdoors WINTER 2019

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE CUSTOMERS TO KNOW BEFORE THEY PURCHASE FROM YOU?

Nearly anything and everything is possible.

Because we handcraft everything in-house and have the capability for full-service design consultation and creation, we turn your jewelry dreams into reality! That includes crafting rings in sizes 2-22 and more traditional jewelry designs. What can you imagine?

With Jewelry by Johan, the sky is truly the limit. Whether you want to own a little piece of space or hold fossilized history in the palm of your hand, there are unique pieces that can challenge your preconceived notions of what jewelry can be. And if you want to commemorate a particularly memorable hunt, honor a meaningful place or event, or carry a piece of your passions with you every day, the possibilities are endless.

OUTDOORS

WHAT’S THE QUESTION YOU WISH THAT PEOPLE WOULD ASK?

Do you offer in stock jewelry options? The answer is “Yes!” Most of our jewelry is madeto-order, but we also have a good selection of pre-made rings and unique gifts. Our Signature Styles are composed of top-selling rings, necklaces, bracelets and cuff links.

WINTER 2019 Lake & Home Outdoors 27

OUTDOORS

ICE FISHING

28 Lake & Home Outdoors WINTER 2019

WINTER 2019 Lake & Home Outdoors 29

T

he little bell on the door jingled and into Ronning’s Cafe walked my old man, Dutch Massey. It was in the late 50s and Patsy was singing “Crazy” on the jukebox. I remember it well because it was the first time I went pike spearing.

He explained the basics of the sport to me as we ate eggs, bacon and toast.

I already knew about ice fishing, but this was something different, way different.

More like hunting. I had seen my dad’s spear before and had been bugging him to take me with him to the darkhouse for a couple of years now. Today would be my turn to handle the spear.

30 Lake & Home Outdoors WINTER 2019

As we drove down to Marsh Lake, he explained why it was THE place to spear pike in our area. Vast and shallow, it was a perfect pike factory. A village grew there each winter. Darkhouses were moved onto the ice just off shore and holes were cut, big holes. A pattern the size of your spear hole was laid out and two holes were drilled with a hand auger in diagonal corners. Then a big hand ice saw was used to cut from each hole and complete the outline.

With the block now loose, the ice tongs were employed to lift out the block. It was a real tough job in those old days. Now the same hole can be cut with a chainsaw in about 10 minutes, or simply drill holes next to each other in the outline and use an ice chisel to chop the block loose. The only thing that hasn’t changed is pulling up the block. It helps to cut it into smaller pieces.

Little did I know then that I was being groomed to take a major role in that ponderous undertaking.

But as I came to realize, it would be worth every bit of that struggle when a monster pike came sliding up to the decoy. That day, my education began. My father was a union bricklayer and was subsequently laid off in the winter, which meant he could spear every day during ice season.

That made it easy to daily chip a coating of ice off the hole and keep it open. His fishing partner, Stan Ronning was co-owner of the darkhouse but had the cafe, so he couldn’t be down at the lake every day. His time came on the weekends, like mine. But this particular

WINTER 2019 Lake & Home Outdoors 31

day of learning belonged to me. As sunrise came over the ice, the view into the hole was magical.

First, without warning, a huge carp drifted in and nearly scared the life out of me. Dad told me to practice on that fish by lowering the tines of the spear just a bit into the water and aiming for just back of the head. He told me the reason for putting the tines of the spear into the water was that it wouldn’t splash and spook the fish, and that refraction would throw off your aim unless you could see where things were under the water.

So with that brief warm-up with the carp, I felt I was ready. It took two hours of waiting for a pike to show up, and when one finally did it came at the decoy from the top of the hole and seemed to be looking right at me. Of course I knew enough to be perfectly quiet, but Dad slowly took hold of the decoy line and led the fish off to the right side, ever so slowly.

The big pike followed and when his back was turned, I lowered the spear and took a shot at the back of his neck.

32 Lake & Home Outdoors WINTER 2019

The spear hit him and all hell broke loose. He spun around as the line attached from the spear to my wrist jerked and pulled. The barbs on the tines did their job and in short order my first pike was on the deck. Opening the door we were blinded by the daylight while I pulled the spear out and applied a hammer to the back of his head. In less than an hour he was flash frozen like an ice pop pike.

I was very proud of my first speared pike and back home was happy to clean him for supper.

Holding him by the tail with a pair of pliers, I poured boiling water from a tea kettle down the length of him. That lifted all the slime from him and allowed me to scale him very easily before eviscerating. Remember, these were the days before we knew about filleting fish and we liked to fry them with the skin on. I still do.

Today, pike spearing is still practiced, and is going through a kind of mini-renaissance.

The younger generation has found out about it on YouTube and it has seemingly captured their imaginations. There are quite a number of entertaining videos of pike spearing to be found there.

I feel the best way to learn about this sport is the old-fashioned way. Find someone who does it and ask them your questions.

I’m pretty sure they will be happy to tell you about it and probably will let you join them in one of their darkhouse vigils.

Probably the best source of information on pike spearing would be found on the Minnesota Darkhouse & Angling Association website. These folks know the sport like nobody else does and would love to hear from you about your desire to learn about this ancient activity. They can steer you to what you need by way of equipment and recommend resorts where you can rent a fullyequipped darkhouse to give you a real taste of why this tradition keeps going.

It seems the Minnesota DNR has decided to help the sport along, too. They have allowed spearing on lakes that were previously off limits due to muskies being present. Mille Lacs and Cass Lakes are now open to pike spearing. The high point of spearing was in the 1950s when over 40,000 licenses were sold, according to Chris Kavanaugh, DNR regional fisheries manager, who told me 25,000 licenses are sold each year these days. But, he added, the number of spearers is bumping up as a younger crowd is becoming interested.

Kavanaugh feels the drop in license fees to only $5 has been a factor, along with the events by the Darkhouse Association to show interested people how darkhouse spearing is done.

Now it’s 60 years later. Patsy is still with me, only now she’s on my iPhone. I play her pretty loud in the darkhouse, but that’s OK because the only thing that spooks fish is a bump on the floor or on the wall. Although I’ve spooked one when a drip of water from my boot over a crossed leg hit the surface of the hole. And believe me, a spooked pike can escape in a heartbeat.

WINTER 2019 Lake & Home Outdoors 33

Like a bow hunter, we sit waiting for a pike to appear. Like a bow hunter, we hope the quarry comes in from behind us so we can strike without a chance to be seen.

Two years ago, I had that luck. It was a great morning. After getting to my house before sunrise to chip out my hole and let everything settle down before the light came up, I was a bit miffed when nothing showed up for the first two hours.

Leaning back in my chair I had nodded off when a ping-ping-ping sound woke me up.

It was the foot-long live bait struggling to escape from the biggest pike head I had seen for a number of years. That wide head was directly between my feet, motionless and intently eyeballing the meal in front of her. Like a trophy buck, she didn’t live that long and get that big by being stupid. She was just idling there without attacking, sizing things up. Time weighs heavy in situations like these.

She wasn’t in the hole far enough for me to throw, but what should I do? What could I do?

Needless to say, at age 69, I’m a seasoned outdoorsman and I knew that she wouldn’t stay there for much longer. So taking the bull by the horns, or rather the decoy by the string, I slowly pulled the lure to the top of the hole.

34 Lake & Home Outdoors WINTER 2019

Hypnotically she drifted after the bait, as my right hand brought the spear into position.

With the tines under the surface, I drove the spear into the back of her neck. Chaos ensued! She began spinning to get free and I was glad that spear was roped to my wrist.

Using both hands I drove her into the sand at the bottom of the hole and held on until the struggle lessened.

Then I pulled her up and flopped her on the deck. She was a beauty. She had wrapped up the lines from both the live decoy and the wooden one, so I pulled my knife and cut all the lines wrapped around her and opened the door to look her over in the blinding daylight.

I was spotted by a neighboring angler and a crowd soon gathered.

She was 43 inches long with a 17-inch girth.

Well over 20 pounds, and my fourth monster of that size. I was an instant celebrity on the lake that day. My posse gathered for pictures within minutes. They were all men and women of a certain age, except for a granddaughter of my pal Tom Albright. As a spoof, we took a picture of young Stella with my fish and she sent it to her sister who had stayed home in bed that day. Stella texted that she had speared it. Fun.

WINTER 2019 Lake & Home Outdoors 35

It’s always enjoyable to be part of the spearing community down on our lake. Our four friends help each other cut the big holes and pull the big blocks of ice out of the holes together. We settle into an area as a group and move around the lake as a group, too.

That way, we can keep the holes open when they freeze over during the night. We all have keys to each other’s ice houses so if one or more of us is unable to come down for a day or more, the others will keep the holes open.

When the weather gets tough, we convoy down to our houses. We all have 4-wheeldrive pickups, so if the lead driver gets stuck we run a tow rope from the second vehicle to him and pull him out. When things get dicey weather-wise, it pays to travel together for safety’s sake.

Pike spearing has a wonderful tradition here in Minnesota. One of the big draws to spearing has to do with the crafting of decoys to attract a pike. Big money is spent today to acquire these handmade works of art.

The artists who make them are too numerous to mention and most of their creations are truly amazing masterpieces. The carving of a block of wood, the detailing with a Dremel tool, and finally the painting, weighting and floating of the decoy takes a significant amount of time.

These artists pride themselves on making a working decoy that will “swim” correctly in the water. Not that most will ever be used in a darkhouse. They, like handmade duck decoys are for collecting and display.

As you can see, pike spearing has a rich history and tradition in our state. Learned from the Native Americans as a subsistence activity, it was embraced by the early settlers and became the elite ice activity it is today.

36 Lake & Home Outdoors WINTER 2019

Even Ice Castle, the builder of high-end wheeled fish houses can now sell you a deluxe darkhouse. Like bow hunting, the reason most hunters love the activity is the same as the reason folks love spearing.

Bow hunters and pike spearers value the fact that when they enjoy an outing they get away from their high-stress work world and are able to throttle down. Bow hunters can blend into the woods and clear out the cobwebs in their

minds. Spearers can study the bottom activity in the hole. Fish, frogs, even muskrats, beaver, and otter have come through my spearhole.

There’s a description of both activities that I really like: It’s hours of boredom followed by an event of adrenaline rush that could result in one of those memories of a lifetime.

OUTDOORS

WINTER 2019 Lake & Home Outdoors 37

OUTDOORS MN DNR

The most recent small game hunter survey from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources revealed the fewest number of hunters pursuing species like grouse, waterfowl and squirrels since the DNR began keeping track of these figures in 1969. Small game license sales have been trending lower for the past 20 years.

38 Lake & Home Outdoors WINTER 2019

“Every year that license sales go down means our challenges in maintaining healthy wildlife habitat go up,” said Nicole Davros, farmland wildlife research supervisor. “Declines in hunter numbers affect both hunters and nonhunters alike. License dollars help pay for habitat management that also benefits the water that we drink and the pollinators that help produce our food.”

The survey, mailed to a sample of small game hunters annually, helps the DNR estimate both hunter numbers and harvest by type of small game. Wildlife managers use the survey to inform population monitoring and decisions about habitat management and hunting regulations.

Tracking license sales is also important because hunters generate the largest portion of the funding that pays for managing wildlife and their habitats. A continued decline in small game hunting license sales could affect the extent to which the agency can manage wildlife and their habitats in the future.

License sales and resulting harvest estimates reflect an aging hunting population. The DNR has programs to retain hunters and recruit new and lapsed hunters, but they haven’t kept up with the number of hunters leaving the fields.

Contributing to the decline in hunter numbers are many factors including competing activities, time constraints, limited access to hunting lands and changing relationships with the natural world. Amid the challenges, one effective way to recruit and retain hunters is to provide continued mentorship.

“The key is to continue to support and engage our new hunters,” Davros said. “Don’t just take a person out once. Keep asking them to hunt with you and provide continued support as they learn.”

HARVEST RESULTS One positive out of the report was found in the numbers of pheasants harvested. Hunters harvested 205,395 roosters in the 2018 pheasant season, up 19 percent compared to 171,883 the previous year. This was likely due to an increase in the number of pheasant hunters in 2018. An optimistic fall hunting forecast likely encouraged more hunters to go afield. While the numbers reflect an uptick in recent years, 2018’s pheasant hunter numbers still fall 24 percent below the 10-year average.

The ruffed grouse harvest of 195,515 birds was down 30 percent from the 2017 estimate of 285,180 grouse and was the lowest harvest in the last 11 years. The estimated number of grouse hunters was 67,765, which is the lowest on record, a period that spans more than 40 years.

Fewer people hunted waterfowl last year than the year before, resulting in fewer state duck stamps being sold and a lower overall harvest. About 614,800 ducks were harvested in 2018, compared to 688,000 ducks in 2017.

The Canada goose harvest was 187,600 geese, well below the 2017 harvest of 267,000 geese. Despite fewer hunters, duck hunter and goose hunter success rates were 89 percent and 77 percent, respectively, which was slightly better than the 10-year averages.

IMPLICATIONS FOR THE FUTURE OF CONSERVATION The decline in small game hunter participation translates into an annual average of nearly $1 million dollars less in small game license sales compared to the 1990s. This estimated loss doesn’t account for other hunting-related expenditures including gun and ammunition sales, visits to gas stations and restaurants, and stays at lodging facilities – all things that benefit local economies.

“This isn’t just about having less money to do conservation work,” Davros said. “It’s also a hit to our rural economies. Simply put, fewer hunters means fewer dollars into those small towns – whether it’s fewer sandwiches and candy bars being sold, and ultimately fewer jobs and businesses being supported in these areas.”

Despite the overall decline in hunter numbers, wildlife conservation remains a core value

of Minnesotans. In 2008, Minnesota voters amended the state constitution to support actions that benefit Minnesota’s natural resources. Hunters played a large role in both initiating and supporting this amendment.

The resulting Legacy Amendment increased the sales tax by one-eighth of one percent to protect drinking water sources; to protect, enhance, and restore wetlands, prairies, forests, and fish, game, and wildlife habitat; to preserve arts and cultural heritage; to support parks and trails; and to protect, enhance, and restore lakes, rivers, streams, and groundwater.

“Minnesotans care about conservation, but who pays for conservation in the future?”

Davros said. “We’re grappling with that question here along with others in the conservation community across the country.

To address this challenge, we know that we need to increase the number of hunters, and also work together with people who care about the outdoors whether or not they hunt.”

The complete small game hunter survey report is on the DNR website.

OUTDOORS

WINTER 2019 Lake & Home Outdoors 39

OUTDOORS BIRDS

The Sax-Zim Bog is one of the best winter birding locations for owls and rare birds in the country. This area attracts birders and photographers from across the country and around the globe for the opportunity to see and photograph birds. One of the largest bogs in the state is located approximately 30 miles northwest of the city of Duluth, Minn., in St. Louis County.

What makes this place so unique is the habitat that is found here. The large stands of existing, mature old-growth Tamarack and Black Spruce are the most dominant, but also the most threatened. The bog is also composed of a large complex of a variety of habitats including brushlands, upland conifer, upland deciduous forest, hay fields and a few small lakes dotting the landscape. The entire area covers about 300 square miles and a portion is designated as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by Audubon.

40 Lake & Home Outdoors WINTER 2019

WINTER 2019 Lake & Home Outdoors 41

up to the Brainerd area. Here a boardwalk leads you into the dark/damp Black Spruce and Tamarack Bog and is one of the better locations for finding black-backed and northern three-toed woodpeckers. This gives birders a very rare and unique opportunity to get into this often wet, spongy and fragile habitat. During the summer, one can see orchids and pitcher plants from the same boardwalk. It’s a whole different world when the snow and ice of winter are long gone.

The best time to visit is during the winter season, from the middle of December through late March. Many bogs are very remote with limited access for birding or photography.

The accessibility at Sax-Zim Bog has made the area very popular for visitors throughout the year as they travel and explore along the many gravel and paved roads. The Friends of Sax-Zim Bog, a non-profit organization, recently built a welcome center located on Owl Avenue. On a cold day, this is a good place to warm up and enjoy the bird activity at the many bird feeders around the building.

It is staffed by volunteers and naturalists during the winter season seven days a week from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m..

There is also a bird board posted outside the door with all the recent sightings and sometimes one can see a moose, timberwolf or bobcat on the list! As a guide, this is always a fun stop along the tour to visit with others and check the board. I also like to see where folks are coming from by looking at the license plates in the small parking pad that only holds about a dozen vehicles. A stop here can also get you a very important birding map and road map of the bog along with suggestions on where to go. Several interpretive signs are also found here with a short hiking/snowshoeing trail. Last winter just over 4,000 people visited the Sax-Zim Bog from 45 states and five countries!

The Friends of Sax-Zim Bog also has about 500 acres of Black Spruce/Tamarack Bog that is now protected and preserved for future generations through generous donations.

One of the first additions or tracts that became part of the 500 acres was the Warren Nelson Memorial Bog. Mr. Nelson was a great birder from Aitkin, Minn., and was one of my first mentors and birding friends when I moved

Why do the birds migrate to the Sax-Zim Bog each winter, sometimes in great numbers? I would guess there is more than one answer to this question. We do know that many of the birds are coming from the Northern Boreal Forest of Canada and points further north.

Most are just winter visitors that return in spring to their northern breeding grounds. The unique and complex habitat found within the Sax-Zim

Bog could be similar to those habitats where the birds are coming from, thus the same food source is what attracts the birds here for the winter. When the small mammal supply, such as lemmings and voles, gets depleted, the birds must move to find another stable and supple food supply to survive. Each winter can be quite different than the last as some species are not seen every winter. Predicting the migration from year to year is nearly impossible and some species may

visit for the whole winter or just for a few weeks until the conditions improve.

For some species, like many of the owls, there are “irruption� years or mass movements of birds. This cyclic phenomenon really gets birders and photographers excited. I have heard stories and even had a few clients who say they drove all night or took several flights

WINTER 2019 Lake & Home Outdoors 43

to get here just to witness such an event. I myself can recall such an event back in the winter of 2005-06 with the great gray owls. I personally tallied over 175 owls in just a few hours! This was an unbelievable experience seeing birds sitting on every telephone pole... mile after mile! That winter alone, thousands of these owls arrived in Minnesota, but many encountered peril as they were struck by cars.

For the serious birder and professional photographer, the Sax-Zim Bog is the place to be to observe or capture your first or last owl for your life list. There are 19 species of owls found in North America, most of the difficult and challenging owls can be found here in Sax-Zim. The “big three,” or target birds to see are great gray owl, boreal owl and northern hawk-owl. The boreal owl is the rarest of all the owls and gets significant attention. It is the one that folks get on a plane to see and photograph.

I enjoy sharing my passion and my knowledge about the birds and the area on my tours.

When looking for great gray owls I say, “Look for a gray watermelon with a white mustache...” and there it is! I suggest two days to cover the bog for the best opportunity and experience. Knowing where to be at the right time can make a huge difference in your success.

Last winter on Feb. 13, 2018, I found this boreal owl in my Brainerd backyard; I had over 30 people arrive to view the rare bird. The great gray owl is the most asked about and targeted bird for my tours. It’s the largest owl in North America, standing at over 30 inches tall.

Many of the winter owls are diurnal (daytime active), allowing for ample opportunities to view and photograph.

A few “hot spots” to check out include Admiral Road and McDavitt Road. These two areas get you in the middle of mature Black Spruce and Tamarack habitat. Most people drive this loop for owls and for the bird feeding station along Admiral Road. One of the most reliable locations for boreal chickadee is here at the feeding station and is another highly desired species!

44 Lake & Home Outdoors WINTER 2019

Over the past few years, pine martens have been attracted to the peanut butter that is put out for the birds. It’s quite entertaining and really draws in a crowd for photographers. A favorite stop along my tours is Mary Lou’s feeders; this is one of several public feeding sites. This is a private residence, welcoming everyone to stop and view the large array of bird feeders.

It is also one of the best locations for evening grosbeak. A photography blind can be found here as well as a portable toilet that she keeps heated for us.

science. The count circle was started in 1973, no count date or location has been set yet for this year. For more info on joining the Sax-Zim CBC, please visit https:// moumn.org/CBC/index.php

Here are a few helpful resources in birding the bog and for planning a trip to the Sax-Zim area: • For all things about Sax-Zim Bog: https://saxzim.org/ • Lodging, please visit Alesches’ Accommodations: http://www.alesches.com/ • Birding Map of 2018-2019 Sax-Zim Bog: https:// saxzim.org/birding-the-bog/birding-map-2018-19/ • Sax-Zim Bog Bird Checklist: https://saxzim.org/wp content/uploads/2015/11/Sax-Zim-Field-Bird Checklist-May-2013.pdf Here is my “Top Ten” list of birds that make this place so unique and attractive to birders and photographers who visit each winter from around the country. All are possible in any given year. In no particular order: 1. Great gray owl 2. Boreal owl 3. Northern hawk-owl 4. Snowy owl 5. Boreal chickadee 6. Pine/evening grosbeak 7. White-winged/red crossbill 8. Black-backed/Northern three-toed woodpecker

Here are a few tips that will help you enjoy your experience and might increase your opportunity to see birds.

Use birding maps to help you navigate to the many birding areas.

• Be patient and persistent.

• When driving, go slowly and watch for any movement along the roadsides for owls. Dawn and dusk are the best times to experience success.

9. Hoary redpoll 10. Sharp-tailed grouse

OUTDOORS

A bird-watching paradise, the Sax-Zim Bog is sure to bring a unique experience to novice and experienced birders alike. Need to check another bird off the list? The Sax-Zim just may help you in your quest.

Here are a few other birding opportunities that you might be interested in that will help you get more familiar with the area and learn about the birds: The 13th annual Sax-Zim Bog Winter Birding Festival takes place in Meadowlands, Minn., on February 14-16, 2020. For more info, please visit http://www.saxzimbirdingfestival. com/ Join the Sax-Zim Bog Christmas Bird Count (CBC) and help count birds for fun and for

WINTER 2019 Lake & Home Outdoors 45

OUTDOORS

STATE PARKS

Water at the Upper Falls of the Gooseberry River thunders down into a swirling pool. The lower, middle and upper falls are a short walk away from the parking area.

A Civilian Conservation Corps camp area is located just west of the falls where hundreds of men lived while building the state park during the 1930s.

46 Lake & Home Outdoors WINTER 2019

Known as the gateway to the North Shore, Gooseberry Falls State Park offers endless, stunning views of the rocky shorelines along Lake Superior, five spectacular waterfalls, ancient basalt lava flows and thunderous rapids of a rocky gorge on the Gooseberry River. The park is located 13 miles north of Two Harbors. It is the first of seven state parks heading northward on Highway 61 from Duluth.

Gooseberry Falls State Park is rich in geology and rustic-style historic resources. The steep, rocky shoreline was created when the earth began to split apart along the area now known as the North Shore. Lava flowed out of the earth and cooled to form volcanic bedrock that shaped the steep shoreline of Lake Superior and lava waterfalls of Gooseberry River. These flows are also the birthplace of the iron-stained Lake Superior agates. When glaciers advanced into the region, they

scoured the area, changing the landscape and creating the basin now occupied by Lake Superior, which filled 10,000 years ago when the last glacier melted.

Not only did the Civilian Conservation Corps construct large buildings found throughout the park, they also worked on many smaller projects, including 30 granite and split log picnic tables found throughout the park like this one on the shore of Lake Superior.

The area within the park has a history of human use dating back hundreds of years. Native Americans, French explorers, commercial and sport anglers and loggers were drawn to the shores of Lake Superior and forests around the Gooseberry River. Logging became the principle use of the area in the 1890s. Loggers used a railway to carry pine to the lake where logs were rafted to sawmills in Wisconsin and Duluth. Pine disappeared in the 1920s due to fire and intensive logging. A rise in North Shore tourism prompted the Legislature to authorize preservation of the area around Gooseberry Falls in 1933 to ensure it would be accessible to all.

In 1934, the park underwent development by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), who built stone and log buildings using various colors of granite quarried in Duluth and nearby Beaver Bay. They also built the original trails, campground and picnic grounds. The area officially became a state park in 1937 and by 1941, the CCC camp was closed.

A breathtaking view from the Gitchi-Gami Trail of Lake Superior in fall. The Ojibwa people called Lake Superior Gitchi-Gami, meaning “huge water.” This trail loops through a lush forest, the river mouth, three overlook decks and Nelson’s Creek as it passes by Civilian Conservation Corps structures.

WINTER 2019 Lake & Home Outdoors 47

According to the Minnesota Historical Society, the park stonework is the most visually distinctive masonry construction in the state park system. Historic buildings and features include the Refectory, built on the east bank of the Gooseberry River overlooking Lake Superior, and the 300foot long, massive retaining wall called the Concourse, or Castle in the Park. The Concourse originally provided a parking area and overlook for the nearby waterfalls and river basin. There are over 80 CCC buildings, structures and objects found within the park.

Recreation opportunities at the park are limitless and year-round. Aside from the extensive CCC features to explore, there are many exhibits throughout the park, an amphitheater and the Joseph N. Alexander Visitor Center. The Visitor Center has interpretive displays, a theater, trail center and nature store. The display area highlights the local watershed and geology of the park and Lake Superior.

48 Lake & Home Outdoors WINTER 2019

The Visitor Center is named after Joseph N. Alexander, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Commissioner from 1979-1991.

It is open year-round. Winter visitors can warm up by the fire, check out the exhibits and browse through the gift shop before heading out to cross-country ski, skate ski or snowshoe.

The Refectory is located on a prominent site on the right bank of the Gooseberry River overlooking Lake Superior. It is constructed of red and blue granite and contains a massive stone fireplace.

In the summer, hiking enthusiasts will find 20 miles of trails that traverse through 1,700 acres of mixed evergreen, aspen and birch forests bordering Lake Superior. Trails access the Lake Superior shoreline and Agate Beach, and travel along the Gooseberry River to scenic views of the basalt lava flows at the Upper, Middle, Lower and Fifth falls. Bikers can access the paved Gitchi-Gami State Trail in the park and travel as far north as the town of Beaver Bay (14.6 miles). The 310-mile Superior Hiking Trail also runs through the park as it winds its way through forests on the ridgeline overlooking Lake Superior from Duluth to the Canadian border.

Level with Highway 61 sits the Gateway Plaza atop the 300-foot long “Castle in the Park.� This highway retaining wall was the largest Civilian Conservation Corps building project in Minnesota.

The plaza offers interpretive signs and a panoramic view of the Lake Superior basin and Gooseberry River.

Wildlife viewers will find over 142 species of birds that nest or visit the area, including herring gulls, loons, winter ducks and wood warblers. The North Shore is one of the best places in North America to observe the fall raptor migration as the birds funnel down the shoreline riding thermals and updrafts created by the steep topography. Viewers will also find 46 species of mammals and 10 species of reptiles and amphibians.

In the winter, visitors can enjoy 15 miles of cross country ski trails groomed for classic cross-country skiing, including a large loop for skate skiing, a half-mile winter hiking trail to the Upper Falls and a snowmobile trail that connects to the C.J.Ramstad/North Shore State Trail. Snowshoers are welcome anywhere in the park except on groomed ski trails.

The park has 69 drive-in campsites, three pull-through sites, four wheelchair accessible sites, three group camps and two seasonal shower buildings at the campground. Park events occur year-round, including the annual candlelight ski/snowshoe/hike event in February and naturalist-led winter activities such as First Day hikes, snowshoeing and Winter Wandering walks that explore the history, nature and geology of the park.

For more information on Minnesota state parks and recreation areas or to download a self-guided tour, mobile app or weekend itinerary for Gooseberry Falls State Park and the North Shore, visit mndnr.gov/state _ parks/.

OUTDOORS

Middle Falls in winter. Many visitors come to see the waterfalls along the Gooseberry River. Several overlooks along the trail give different views of the waterfalls, river valley and tiered, rocky landscape. Summer visitors can cool their feet in the shallow water below the falls.

A wide variety of interpretive programs and hikes are available year-round at the park, including naturalist programs that explore the aquatic life along the shores of Lake Superior.

WINTER 2019 Lake & Home Outdoors 49

OUTDOORS

FISH & GAME

50 Lake & Home Outdoors WINTER 2019

N

ot many organizations are around long enough to celebrate a 100-year anniversary. When the Fergus Falls Fish & Game Club was founded in 1920, Woodrow Wilson was president of the United States. It was a time of prohibition, flappers and jazz, and it was the first time in history that more Americans lived in cities than on farms.

Initially started as just a fishing group, it turned out to be made up of like-minded people who wanted to hunt and fish together, and soon became known by its current name.

Over the years, the mission and the purpose of its members have changed with the times and with the needs of the community.

“This group has evolved from a fishing and hunting club to a group that focuses on conservation support,” says vice president Tony Rondeau. “I was working for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service when I joined back in the late 1970s. At that time, there were many interested and active members who did a lot of letter writing and worked with organizations and agencies, both statewide and nationally, to develop, reclaim and restore habitat across our area.”

Although the core membership fluctuates, there are currently about 140 members. The organization continues to be a sporting club, but now leans more toward land stewardship, conservation education, and habitat acquisition and development.

President Mick Siems believes the Fergus Falls Fish & Game Club is in a unique position due to its ownership of more than 1,100 acres of land that has been acquired throughout the years.

“It’s important for us to be good stewards of the land we own,” he says, “and most of that property has some kind of habitat protection from drainage, fill and building."

“It’s important for us to be good stewards of the land we own" President, mick siems

WINTER 2019 Lake & Home Outdoors 51

The group also administers the land for water quality, soil erosion and public use, and some of the habitat restoration projects have included the planting of food plots, weed control, maintaining a walking trail, and installing bluebird, wood duck and mallard houses.

Mike Rheault, treasurer, has been a member for more than 25 years, and he has seen the conservation efforts within the group – and with other outside organizations and agencies they have partnered with over the years. Multi-level, multi-agency, and multi-organization relationships have all come into play. Recognizing that it takes a neighborhood of habitat to make things work across the state, it’s going beyond owning a single piece of property.

The re-establishment of giant Canada geese to West Central Minnesota was a significant event in the history of the Fergus Falls community, and the club was instrumental in that event by raising birds for release to the wild during the early 1960s. Working together with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, club members also helped establish the West Central Goose Refuge.

52 Lake & Home Outdoors WINTER 2019

“What drew me to the organization is that it isn’t just focused on a single species or a single issue,” says Rheault. “Basically, all of us do what we do because of a love for the outdoors, and it’s not only the hunting and fishing. We have a number of members who may be bird watchers or love to hike.

Hunting and fishing are just one part of the enjoyment of our environment, and a reason to do conservation. There is always a place for habitat development.”

Along with conservation, the group has a long, rich history in education, with a particular emphasis on youth programs and activities, like The School of Fish or Firearm Safety. A firearms safety course has also been offered specifically for women.

The Prairie Wetlands Learning Center is another example of this group’s focus. The Fergus Falls Fish & Game Club was very much involved in the early discussions, planning and activities that ultimately resulted in the acquisition and development of the property and initial programming for this unique learning center.

“We also continue our support of the Prairie

“What drew me to the organization is that it isn’t just focused on a single species or a single issue.

Basically, all of us do what we do because of a love for the outdoors, and it’s not only the hunting and fishing."

Treasurer, Mike Rheault

WINTER 2019 Lake & Home Outdoors 53

“We’re putting together a calendar of all our upcoming events that will be listed on our website ( http://fffgcmn.org/),” says Siems.

“Starting on February 7, all the way until December 20, we’re going to have a display at the Otter Tail County Museum, open to the public, honoring our club, conservation, and our numerous partners (Minnesota DNR, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Pheasants Forever, and the Minnesota Waterfowl Association). Along with that will be a six-week series of coffee klatches, with a different topic and speaker each week.”

Science classes, where each year, local fourth and fifith graders are exposed to the joys and wonders of the outdoors,” says Rondeau. “Another club priority held at the Learning Center is Woodie Camp, a weeklong residential camp that immerses 13-15 year-olds in all things waterfowl. In addition, with respect to the seniors of our community, the club and its members are active supporters of the ‘Let’s Go Fishing’ program.”

The Celebration Begins Monthly meetings are held the first Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Prairie Wetlands Learning Center in Fergus Falls. To commemorate this milestone, a number of “extra” activities are planned throughout the year (see sidebar), leading up to a formal celebration on August 20, 2020, at the Bigwood Event Center in Fergus Falls.

Last month, the public was invited to a presentation relating to what happens when using lead core bullets and how they can fragment and migrate through the animal.

Other public events are in the works.

54 Lake & Home Outdoors WINTER 2019

A Sample of Upcoming Events in 2020 Weekly Coffee Klatches on a variety of conservation topics: February 14: Jim Wolters, MN DNR Fisheries February 21: Erin Lentz, USFWS Wildlife Refuge Specialist, on Small Wetland Acquisition Program February 28: FF Fish & Game Club members on Goose Restoration Project March 6: Steve Millard, birding March 13: Photography March 20: Teresa Jaskiewicz, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, on how to create a butterfly garden

“We’re putting together a calendar of all our upcoming events that will be listed on our website." (fffgcmn.org)

Area Artist Displays: December 27 – February 7: Nicole Larson, Whitetail Studios; John Wilson, winner of Federal Duck Stamp Competition February 14 – March 20: Sportsman Club awards/recognition May 1 – June 12: Local Pollinator Display June 19 - August 1: Becky Albright, Minnesota Fish Art – Gyotaku Display September 25 – November 6: Ross Heir November 13 – December 25: Duck & Fish Decoy Display

President, mick siems

WINTER 2019 Lake & Home Outdoors 55

The partnership with the museum is another example of how the group has recreated itself over the past 100 years. Siems says they want to let people in the area know who they are and what they’re about.

“Not many small clubs like ours could come close to accomplishing the types of conservation programs that we tackle,” he adds. “We are very lucky to have the kind of membership in this area that includes people with conservation agency experience, like Tony Rondeau, who participate as members and have the right kind of institutional knowledge necessary to move programs forward.”

Rondeau claims that many Otter Tail County programs involving waterfowl, grassland, hunting and fishing have had a major influence on what has happened nationally.

“This is the birthplace of the Small Wetlands Acquisition Program, which turned into the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Waterfowl Production Area Program,” he says. “The Service’s Private Lands Program also started here, with great support from the Club. It’s a rich history in the Fergus Falls area, and a lot of it has to do with total community dedication. The members of the Fergus Falls Fish & Game Club are dedicated to giving back to that community.”

OUTDOORS

56 Lake & Home Outdoors WINTER 2019

WINTER 2019 Lake & Home Outdoors 57

58 Lake & Home Outdoors WINTER 2019

ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR

FLOORING

ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR

HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING

CONSTRUCTION

LUMBERYARD

INSULATION

RADON TESTING & MITIGATION

MARINE / WATERCRAFT REPAIR

LANDSCAPING