Northern Wilds

Looking Forward to Cool Fun

Wow, what a summer. After a wet start in June that brought flooding first to Thunder Bay and then to Duluth, we basked in sunshine that delivered smiles to everyone from anglers to gardeners. Legions of visitors flocked to the Northern Wilds to enjoy our weather, too.

But all good things come to an end—especially northern summers. Up here, it isn’t unusual to see snowflakes mixed among the falling leaves. Call it crazy, but most of us who live here welcome the snow’s arrival. This is especially true of our contributors. In this issue you’ll find cold-weather gear roundups from three writers who really know their stuff—Lee Boyt, Kate Watson and Bryan Hansel. You’ll also find a historical look at famous fall storms from Breana Roy, who often tracks current weather events at the Cook County Airport.

Mike Furtman and Shelby Gonzalez ventured into the forest to help us discover a couple of common, but uncommonly seen birds—the spruce grouse and the saw-whet owl. Elle Andra-Warner reports from the woods about a little-known and mysterious crash of B-47 bomber that may have been armed with nuclear weapons. Mike Hillman tells us about an old-time northwoods cure-all, the union suit.

About our cover:

Shawn Perich, Editor • editor@northernwilds.com

Javier Serna, Managing Editor javier@northernwilds.com

In this issue, we are proud to share some hunting stories you may not read anywhere else. As you likely already know, many folks who love the Northern Wilds are alarmed at the steep and rapid decline of the moose population. Managing editor Javier Serna talked to tourist operators, hunting guides and others to learn their perspectives about moose and the state and tribal moose hunts (lasting over three months) that continue in spite of the decline. Gord Ellis reports moose numbers are falling in northwestern Ontario, too. Since Minnesota is scheduling its first hunting season for wolves, Ellis also reports on who hunts wolves in Ontario, which has a hunt, and how they do it.

If hunting isn’t your thing, Breana Roy tells about some places where you can hike in October and November and not encounter hunters. Joan Farnam explains why you should begin planning next year’s garden now. After all, it’s never too early to begin dreaming of spring.

CON tri B utO r S: Elle Andre-Warner, Lee Boyt, Gord Ellis, Joan Farnam, Michael Furtman, Shelby Gonzalez, Bryan Hansel, Mike Hillman, Kelsey Johanson, Breana Roy, Paul Sundberg, Kate Watson

available.

—Shawn Perich and Amber Pratt

Grand Marais photographer Paul Sundberg captured this images of the Grand Marais lighthouse during an autumn storm.

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Minnesota Conservation Officer Kills Research Bear

A conservation officer with the Minnesota DNR shot and killed a collared black bear on Thursday, Aug. 2 in the Ely area after it entered a garage where children were present.

Residents called authorities after the bear entered their garage. The residents reported they made repeated unsuccessful attempts to scare the bear away, including using an air horn, and that the bear snarled at them.

According to the DNR, two conservation officers arrived to find the bear still in the area. After the bear stood its ground, despite attempts by a conservation officer to frighten it away, one of the officers killed it. The bear had been collared by a local research organization.

Under DNR policy and state law, conservation officers and other enforcement agencies may kill nuisance bears if it is determined the bear is a threat to public safety. An average of about 20 bears are killed legally each year in Minnesota under state laws that allow private property owners or peace officers to take bears to protect property and public safety. Minnesota has a population of about 19,000 bears.

Group repairs Superior Hiking trail

The June flood that racked the region did some major damage to the Superior Hiking Trail.

The worst was in the Fond du Lac and Jay Cooke State Park areas, which remain closed. The Fond du Lac trailhead and a 0.6-mile spur trail will need to be cleaned up and re-built as well as several other places in the two parks. These sections won’t be open until at least next year, according to the Superior Hiking Trail Association.

The Magney-Snively trailhead in western Duluth is closed due to damage on Skyline Parkway and will reopen when that road is repaired. There was extensive damage elsewhere, but as of early September, the rest of the trail is open. There was also extensive damage in the Two Harbors area.

The Encampment River Bridge went out, as well as bridges at Crow Creek, Wilson Creek and many tributary bridges. The ramp on the Split Rock River Bridge was washed out.

New! Sled Dog Race in Works

The trail section between C.R. 301 and Castle Danger had been closed but was opened in early September. South of Two Harbors, the A-frame Sucker River Bridge went out, but is up again. Along the Gooseberry River, debris was cleaned from a three-mile section of the trail, and six small bridges also had to be reset there.

In Duluth, there were sections that needed tread re-built, as well as a number of bridges that needed to be re-set. The trail was re-routed permanently in the Kingsbury Creek area, and there’s a temporary detour through Spirit Mountain Recreation Area.

A new three-day sled dog race is coming to the Northern Wilds.

The race, called Gichigami Express, will begin in Grand Portage on Jan. 6, proceeding to the Gunflint Trail. On the second day of the race, mushers will race from Trail Center down to Grand Marais. The sled dog teams will return to Grand Portage on the third and final day. The Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa has guaranteed a $25,000 purse. After each leg of the race, a banquet will be held, allowing the communities to show hospitality and meet the mushers.

The use of the word “Express” in the race name is a reference to the area’s 18th century fur-trading history. The North West Company employed teams of dogs to carry information, mail and

news from interior fur posts to the Agents in Montreal. It was called the “Winter Express.”

The race will celebrate the history and culture of mushing in Cook County, and the three communities (Grand Portage, Gunflint Trail and Grand Marais) each have their own histories in sled dogs, which will be highlighted.

The spectator-friendly event, which will have a 30-team limit, will start accepting applications on Oct. 1. Applications postmarked prior to Oct. 1 will be discarded, according to the race organizers.

An informational meeting for interested volunteers and spectators will be held at Trail Center on Oct. 2 at 6 p.m. For more information, go to www.gichigamiexpress.com.

Beargrease race

The John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon begins on Sunday, Jan. 27.

The 400-mile marathon begins Sunday in Duluth, heads to Trail Center on the Gunflint Trail and returns to Duluth on Wednesday. That race is limited to 30 teams.

There’s also the Mid-Distance Race, which begins in Duluth on Sunday and finishes in Tofte, typically on Monday

set for 2013

evening. That 100-mile race is limited to 50 teams.

The extended weekend of events kicks off with a fundraising gala at Graceland Ballroom in Duluth on Friday, Jan. 25. On Saturday, there’s a “cutest puppy” contest held at Fitger’s Brewery Complex in Duluth. Also Saturday are the opening ceremonies, where teams draw their positions, at the Depot in Duluth.

Trail crews, shown here replacing a bridge on the Sucker River, spent the summer repairing flood damage to the Superior Hiking Trail.

The Gichigami Express will run in three stages, providing spectators with ample opportunities to see the teams and learn about mushing.

Road repairs continue on Highways 61 and 1 red rock builds splash pad

The township of Red Rock built a splash pad at its marina this summer.

The 2,000 square foot concrete slab has 12 water features, which run on a four-minute cycle.

Users activate the pad by holding their hand over an activator on the north end of the pad. Not all of the water features spray simultaneously, though all 12 features come on and off throughout the fourminute cycle.

The project was popular this summer throughout the Live from the Rock Folk Festival, and it has otherwise been a hit with children seeking to cool off on hot days.

A number of road projects will continue into the fall. In St. Louis and Cook counties along Highway 61.

From St. Louis County C.R. 281 and Lake County C.R. 61, opposing traffic will take turns using the same lane until Nov. 16.

Between the Silver Creek Tunnel and Little Marais, there will be single-lane closures between 6 p.m. and 7 a.m. on weekdays until Oct. 12.

There will also be daytime delays on Highway 61 between the Lester River Bridge in Duluth and Two Harbors, where traffic in both directions will be reduced to one lane until Nov. 16.

There will also be short, intermittent full closures on Highway 61 in Cook County, from C.R. 67 to the Canada border, until Oct. 22.

Elsewhere, the Highway 1 detour south of Ely, which was originally scheduled to be lifted by Aug. 15, will continue until

mid-October. This is the second time the timeline has been extended. Highway 1 will be closed between Forest Road 424/New Tomahawk Road and just north of Forest Road 553. The Minnesota Department of Transportation said motorists are required to follow the posted detour.

For updated travel information on all Minnesota roads, call 511 or visit www.511mn.org.

Red Rock’s new splash pad is a big hit with kids seeking to cool off and have fun.

Expect short delays when traveling along Highway 61. JAVIER SERNA

National Forest hires two rangers

The Superior National Forest ranger districts based in Ely and Cook both named new district rangers in August.

At the Kawishiwi Ranger District in Ely, Mark Pentecost has accepted the position of District Ranger. Pentecost is from Gnatville, Ala., and has three children. He is a graduate of Jacksonville State University, the Air Force War College and the Army Command and General Staff College. For the last 10 years, Mark served as the deputy director of the Alabama Land Trust, Inc. and the Georgia Land Trust, Inc.

At the La Croix Ranger District in Cook, Andrew Johnson also accepted the position of District Ranger. Johnson has worked at three other national forests: Manti-LaSal in Utah, Coconino in Arizona and Flathead in Montana. He has a master’s degree in recreation resource management and planning from

the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry.

Grants benefit Lake Superior

Minnesota’s Lake Superior Coastal Program recently awarded $316,147 in grants to 13 projects that protect, preserve and enhance the coastal resources of Lake Superior.

Funding for the grants comes from the Coastal Zone Management Act and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management.

Among the projects are: replacement of a damaged and deteriorating trail bridge that crosses Silver Creek in Jay Cooke State Park; design development to improve parking and public access at the Temperance River Wayside; septic system designs for the Tofte Town Hall and a proposed assisted living facility; a stream restoration assessment of

Otis Creek, and lake monitoring of three lakes near Kimball Creek; hands-on training for controlling invasive species along the North Shore of Lake Superior.

New rules for off-road vehicles

The U.S. Forest Service has implemented new rules for off-road vehicle users. Maps showing motorized routes are posted on the Superior National Forest Website. Paper copies are available at all Superior National Forest offices. Motorized travel in the Superior National Forest is only allowed on roads and trails designated in the map.

According to the Forest Service, nearly the same total miles (1,600) of offhighway vehicle routes exist as before, though some have been redirected to locations that increase loop-riding opportunities by 285 miles and longdistance riding opportunities by more than 300 miles. A forest-wide reduction of 154 miles of roads includes 9.5 miles

currently within a mile of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

Busted on Basswood Lake

The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources charged 20 U.S. residents and issued another 78 warnings during a four-day enforcement blitz on Basswood Lake in Quetico Provincial Park in July.

Conservation officers from the Fort Frances District along with park wardens from Quetico Provincial Park checked 169 individuals for compliance with fishing, boating and park regulations.

Among the charges and warnings were fishing without a license, over the limit of fish, possessing a fish of a prohibited length, fishing with barbed hooks, importing live bait into Ontario, not having a park permit, fishing with live bait in Quetico and operating a boat in Quetico.

Lake Superior 20/20 Studio Art Tour

Sept. 28-30 & Oct. 5-7

Enjoy the hospitality of 20 artists as they open up their studios to the public, spread over 20 miles of the North Shore. Live demonstrations of glass blowing, jewelry making, ceramics, oil painting, watercolor and more will be given. Studios are open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Visit www.lakesuperior2020.com for more information.

Crossing Borders

Sept. 28-Oct. 7

Enjoy the fall colors while participating in a free, self-guided tour of a select group of professional artist studios located along the North Shore. Learn about the process each artist goes through to create a masterpiece. A wide array of art will be featured this year such as pottery, weaving, jewelry, glass sculptures, leather, wood carving and more. For more information, visit www.crossingbordersstudiotour.com.

Yarn Harbor

is a full service yarn shop supplying the community with beautiful yarns, books, notions & classes.

Check out our website and blog for classes & events website: www.yarnharborduluth.com or find us on Facebook! blog: yarnharbor.wordpress.com

17th Annual North Shore Health Care Golf Tournament

Oct. 7

Register now and help benefit health care in Cook County with the 17th annual North Shore Health Care Foundation Golf Tournament. Golf with medical providers and community members and enjoy the beautiful fall colors at Superior National Golf Course in Lutsen. The format will be a four-person team scramble. A 19th hole reception will take place at Lutsen Resort on Lake Superior. For more info or to sign up, visit www.northshorehealthcarefoundation.org.

Rodney Brown with the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra

Oct. 19

Talented Northwest Ontario singer and songwriter Rodney Brown is celebrating his new release “Fort William” with a special launch concert on Friday, Oct. 19 at 8 p.m. at the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium in Ontario. Brown’s new CD brings to life the history of the voyageurs and the First Nations peoples at the North West Company’s fur trading post on the Kaministiquai River over 200 years ago. Tickets can be purchased online or in person at the Community Auditorium. For more info, visit www.rodneybrown.ca or call 807-344-1057.

Moose Madness Festival

Oct. 19-21

Enjoy the last long fall weekend while the moose are on the move before the chill of winter sets in. It’s rutting season and signs of moose are all over town. Partake in the moose medallion hunt, earn moose bucks, enter different contests and earn prizes. There will also be a moose tracks race, but be sure to wear something “moosey!”

Grand Marais Art Colony Annual Members Show and Sale

Oct. 19-Nov. 21

Visit an incredible exhibit that showcases a variety of artwork created by Art Colony members. Artwork includes sculptures, glass, ceramics, oil, collage, mono-prints, watercolors, and many more. Many of the pieces can also be purchased. Visit www.grandmaraisartcolony.org for more info.

NSMA’s 22nd Annual Bluegrass Masters Weekend

Nov. 2-4

The North Shore Music Association presents a full weekend of bluegrass music and workshops for both musicians and fans alike. The featured instrument for the workshops will be the banjo, and the featured artist and performer will be Bill Emerson, known as one of the five most influential string banjo players of all time. He has recorded and performed with more bands than any other banjo player. For more info on workshops and Bill Emerson’s performance, visit www. northshoremusicassociation.com.

Grand Marais Art Colony Empty Bowls Lunch and Silent Auction

Nov. 8

Visit, www.grandmarais. com for more details.

More than 100 families use the local food shelf every month, which is why the Grand Marais Art Colony annually holds the Empty Bowls Lunch and Silent Auction, a community fundraiser for the local food shelf to help end hunger. Community members can make hand-made ceramic bowls to donate for the dinner event. Dinner guests can then pick out their favorite bowl to fill with soup donated by a local restaurant. For more info, visit www.grandmaraisartcolony.org.

NHFS’s Winterer’s Gathering & Arctic Film Festival

Nov. 15-18

The North House Folk School is celebrating the history of winter travel and traditional ways of life in the North. There will be workshops, a gear swap, community dancing, a winter tent camp, evening films, crafts and much more. Alaskan author Seth Kantner will also be featured, giving a presentation Saturday night and teaching a course on photography and another on writing. David Cronenwett, a professional naturalist, survival instructor and writer, will also be featured. For a full list of courses being offered and more info, visit www.northhouse.org.

S E p T. 22-N Ov. 8

Rock Art Exhibit

Waterfront Gallery, Two Harbors www.waterfront-gallery.com

S E p T. 28-30 & O CT. 5-7

Lake Superior 20/20

Studio Art Tour

9 a.m. www.lakesuperior2020.com

S E p T. 28-O CT. 7

Crossing Borders Studio Tour www.crossingbordersstudiotour.com

O CT. 4-31

Haunted Ship Tour

Duluth Entertainment Convention Center www.decc.org

OCT 6. S AT u R dAy

Guided Hike

Split Rock River Wayside to Beaver Bay. 10 a.m. www.shta.org

O CT. 7, Su N dAy

North Shore Health Care Foundation Golf Tournament www.northshorehealthcarefoundation.org

O CT. 12-13 & 19-20 & 26-27, F R idAyS AN d S AT u R dAyS

Haunted Corn Field Gammondale Farm, Slate River www.gammondalefarm.com

O CT. 13 & 20, S AT u R dAyS

Boo at the Zoo

Lake Superior Zoo, Duluth 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., www.lszoo.org

O CT. 14-20

Wolf Awareness Week

International Wolf Center, Ely www.wolf.org

O CT. 18, T H u RS dAy

Todd Lindahl seminar on Lake Superior passenger boats. Cook County Higher Education, Grand Marais www.cookcountyhistory.org

O CT. 18-21

North House Family Weekend

North House Folk School Grand Marais www.northhouse.org

O CT. 19, F R idAy

Rodney Brown with the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra Community Auditorium, Thunder Bay 8 p.m. www.rodneybrown.ca

O CT. 19-21

Moose Madness Festival

Grand Marais www.grandmarais.com

O CT. 19-N Ov. 21

Annual Members Show & Sale

Grand Marais Art Colony www.grandmaraisartcolony.org

O CT. 19-21 & 26-28

Haunted Fort Nights Fort William, Thunder Bay www.fwhp.ca

O CT. 26-28

Curling Club 2nd Annual Bonnie Barbisan Memorial Bonspiel Fort William, Thunder Bay www.fortwilliamcurlingclub.com

O CT. 30-31, N Ov. 6

Rock of Ages

Thunder Bay Community Auditorium Thunder Bay, 7:30pm 1-800-463-8817

N Ov. 2-4

NSMA’s Annual Bluegrass Masters Weekend Lutsen Resort www.northshoremusicassociation.com

N Ov. 3, S AT u R dAy

A Wine Affair

Thunder Bay Community Auditorium 5 p.m. www.tbca.com

N Ov. 8, T H u RS dAy

Empty Bowls Lunch and Silent Auction Grand Marais Art Colony www.grandmaraisartcolony.org

Lake Superior Rental Cottage

The Canadian Experience Thunder Bay, ON www.vrbo.com/248709

N Ov. 9-11

Courtesy Freight Northern Ontario Superspiel Thunder Bay www.majorleaguecurling.com

N Ov. 10, S AT u R dAy

Annual Split Rock Lighthouse Beacon Lighting Split Rock Lighthouse, Two Harbors 218-226-6372

N Ov. 10-11

Christmas House Tour Thunder Bay Art Gallery Thunder Bay www.tbag.ca

N Ov. 15-18

Winterer’s Gathering & Arctic Film Festival

North House Folk School Grand Marais www.northhouse.org

N Ov 16-18

Midwest Mountaineering Outdoor Adventure Expo Minneapolis www.outdooradventureexpo.com

N Ov. 17, S AT u R dAy

Rotary Christmas parade Thunder Bay www.fwrotary.ca

N Ov. 17, S AT u R dAy Holiday Sale & Quilt drawing Cross River Heritage Center Schroeder www.crossriverheritage.org

N Ov. 18-19

Banff Mt. Film Festival Marshall School, Duluth www.duluthxc.com

N Ov. 23-25

AMSOiL duluth National Snocross Spirit Mountain, Duluth www.VisitDuluth.com/snocross

Perfect Storms –Lake Superior’s

Tragic Rage

By Breana Roy

The Grand Marais Lighthouse. PAUL SUNDBERG.

Watching the gentle waves of Lake Superior crash on a calm day can be tranquil and awe-inspiring. But as the months grow colder, the lake becomes menacing. The deep blue hue of the lake turns grey and the waves become rough. Many ships have sunk during the stormy autumn months.

Stormy nights come and go throughout the summer and fall. But every now and then, a storm beyond measure rips through, causing massive destruction in its path, such as the Great Lakes Storm of 1913. This storm was one of the deadliest natural disasters to hit the Great Lakes region, killing more than 200 people. It swallowed numerous ships and stranded many more. It produced winds over 90 mph and waves over 35 feet high. This devastating storm ravished the region from Nov. 8 -11.

This terrifying storm also produced a blinding snowstorm in parts of the region, making navigation on the lakes nearly impossible. Many people referred to this storm as the “White Hurricane,” “Big Blow,” and “Freshwater Fury.” While Lake Huron suffered the most, all but Lake Ontario suffered shipwrecks. Lake Superior swallowed H.B. Smith, Leafield, L.C. Waldo, and the Turret Chief, to name a few.

Another devastating storm was the 1905 storm on Lake Superior. This late November gale lasted three days and also

produced hurricane winds. Roughly 30 ships were added to Lake Superior’s watery grave, including the Ira H. Owen and Lafayette. The steamer Mataafa went down just off the entrance to the harbor in Duluth while residents watched helplessly. The Split Rock Lighthouse was built shortly after the 1905 storm.

Other storms have caused many more shipwrecks. The lake's most famous shipwreck is the Edmund Fitzgerald. The entire crew went down with the ship on Nov. 10, 1975, about 17 miles north-northwest of

"With many of the shipwreck stories come the fascination of ghostly tales."

Whitefish Point, Mich. Her legend lives on in many books, movies, and songs, including the famous 1976 ballad “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” by Gordon

Lightfoot. However, while the site of the shipwreck has been recovered, the tale regarding, her downfall is often disputed. This is one of the many mysteries covered up by the lake.

With many of the shipwreck stories come the fascination of ghostly tales. Many stories have been told of ghost ships wandering the lake, forever trying to find a safe harbor. Some people claim to have seen eerie images on foggy, stormy nights. Unknown lights have been seen on the lake, too. And many ships have “disappeared” in the sea.

The ghostly tale of the steamer Bannockburn is similar to the tale of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Lost to the sea on Nov. 21, 1902, it is known to many as the “Flying Dutchman of the Great Lakes.” Both the Fitzgerald and Bannockburn were claimed to have been spotted by another ship before disappearing shortly after. But unlike the Fitzgerald, no trace of the Bannockburn has been found. The entire ship seems to have vanished into Lake Superior.

Many shipwrecks claimed by Lake Superior’s rage have been found. Some of these can even be seen on a perfect day using a glass bottom boat. Or if you are feeling ambitious, scuba diving lessons can be taken to view certain shipwrecks.

Even on its most vicious days, Lake Superior holds a quality of beauty beyond description. Its menacing waves are as intriguing as they are intimidating, and many of its mysteries will never be solved.

The Edmund Fitzgerald famously sunk in November 1975. NOAA

Morose about Moose Minnesota’s

moose hunt continues in the face of a declining herd

By Javier Serna

There used to be some roads back in the Northern Wilds where one could go for a drive and reasonably expect to see a moose. In northeast Minnesota, the state’s last stronghold of moose, those days are gone. It’s sobering when considering how important moose are to Minnesota’s natural history and heritage.

“More people ask me where to see a moose than where to find walleye,” said Larry Schanno, a life-long resident of the region, retired logger and owner of Our Place in Finland. “I tell them to find wolf [skat].”

The days of finding a bounty of moose antlers has passed, Schanno said, recalling the spring of 1993, when he found 93 sheds. Schanno said he started noticing the decline 15 years ago.

A 16-mile stretch of Highway 1 up to Isabella used to be a reliable place to look for moose; Schanno’s personal record on that road was 14 moose in one drive, but that was, perhaps, 20 years ago, he said. He hasn’t spotted a moose since May.

“Moose are my totem,” said Schanno. “I feel a linkage with them.”

Mandy Theiner at the Grand Marais Visitor Information Center said about half of the center's 30,000 visitors ask where to find moose. “We don’t like to be discouraging,” said Theiner. “We tell them you might see one, you might not.”

Kelly Shepard, a bear- and deer-hunting guide from Grand Marais, said he would give up part of his income in the form of a smaller deer herd, if it meant a restored moose herd. During this fall’s bear season, Shepard and his crew saw only one moose driving about 15,000 miles through forests and swamps.

Shepard also thinks the lack of timber cuts has made it difficult on moose, a scenario that’s been explored by biologists, who are also pondering what effect three larger-than-average wildfires in the Boundary Waters, including last year’s Pagami Creek fire, are having on moose habitat.

“That’s potential moose habitat that we need to keep monitoring over the next several years,” said Ron Moen, a leading moose researcher from the University of MinnesotaDuluth. “It takes years for the browse to grow up and become available to moose.”

It’s hard to comprehend the downward trend, especially when the leading moose biologists don’t fully understand why moose are disappearing.

While there is grave concern in both the public and the scientific community, there are many dif-

ferences of opinion. Debate has raged over the possible effects of global warming, disease and parasites (perhaps related to increasing deer numbers) or the potential that a rise in the wolf population is to blame.

The Minnesota DNR just launched a pair of projects that will track both adult moose and calves with GPS collars, allowing teams to get to perform field autopsies within 24 hours or less, buying time that the DNR hopes will determine a culprit.

“These collars are fairly cutting edge,” said Glenn DelGiudice, who took over as the DNR’s leading moose researcher early this year.

But some, such as Shepard, worry that such efforts are coming too late. He shares an increasingly popular belief that the state’s residents-only, oncein-a-lifetime moose hunt should be called off for now, an option the DNR considered in February after the winter aerial survey was estimated at 4,230, down from 8,840 in 2006.

The state hunt will go on for now, though the number of permits was cut from 100 to 87. The DNR doesn't consider hunting to be a factor since the bulls-only hunt is designed to remove less than two percent out of the population.

“Biologically, we feel the population can sustain this on a very limited basis,” DelGiudice said.

Local Ojibwe bands also hold moose seasons. The Fond du Lac Band is issuing 72 bull-only permits for a tribal season running from Sept. 22 to Dec. 31. The 1854 Authority (Grand Portage and Bois Forte bands) is holding a hunt concurrent with the state season where tribal hunters may kill one moose of either sex.

Moen said a hunt could be designed to stay at that two percent harvest rate even if the herd fell to 100, though he suspects there would be little appetite for a hunt at that point. Shepard and most of his friends and associates have already stopped applying for the moose hunt.

Recent history points to the Northwest Minnesota moose herd, which dropped below 100 moose in the last decade, falling from about 4,000 moose in a 20-year period. That hunt was ended in the late 1990s.

It’s no wonder some lifelong hunters have stopped applying for a hunt they have surely dreamed of, and would have cherished.

“It’s going to be embarrassing when we have to bring moose over from Maine,” said Shepard, imagining a reintroduction effort.

With Minnesota's moose herd declining by more than 50 percent in the last six years, they have become difficult to find. | MICHAEL FURTMAN

Moose Are In Decline In Northwestern Ontario, Too

By Gord Ellis

As a young man growing up in Thunder Bay, moose sightings were no big deal. On family drives, we saw moose just about everywhere we went outside the city. They even wandered into the city.

I’ll never forget the moose that somehow got into our fenced, high school football field and could not get out. Northwestern Ontario was considered some of the best moose habitat on the continent, and getting a moose was relatively easy.

That, however, has changed. Seeing a moose on the side of a northern Ontario highway in 2012 is now relatively rare.

Since the late 1990s, moose numbers have been on the decline in many parts of Northwestern Ontario. The reasons for the decline are difficult to put a finger on. Certainly, the increasingly warm summers and mild winters have had some kind of impact. Warm, low-snow winters means more ticks and ultimately fatal hair loss for moose.

Some blame wolf predation. Many point to the 1999 cancellation of the spring bear hunt in Ontario with having a negative impact on moose. Just about everyone who spends time outdoors in the north is seeing more bears than ever. Big male boars are known to prey on moose calves.

The lack of moose is noticeable within the semi-rural woodlots just outside Thunder Bay. These fringe areas of the city were once loaded with moose. Now, a moose sighting near Thunder Bay is very rare.

The decrease in moose around the city has exactly intersected with the rapid growth of the deer herd. Whitetail deer are now very common in and around Thunder Bay.

A couple years ago, this writer did an aerial survey of moose with the Ministry of Natural Resources, by helicopter. In one survey area, located just a few minutes from the city, the biologist said moose had traditionally been common, although the habitat was considered just moderate for them.

Yet on the flight, we saw no live moose or even tracks in the area. We did, however, count 52 deer. The problem with deer is they carry a parasite known as brain worm. It doesn’t impact the carrier, but it’s deadly to moose. A moose with brain worm becomes disoriented, often running in circles before death. Cases of brain worm in moose are seen frequently where large numbers of deer are found.

Moose numbers seem to be increasing in southern portions of the province, and in the northern reaches, the animals are holding their own. The plight of Ontario’s moose has led to cuts in tags, and there may be more changes coming.

The MNR is re-evaluating the whole moose management system in Ontario. Whether any changes to hunting or management strategies can turn the tide for moose in the northwest, only time will tell.

Exercise Like an Onion: A Layering Guide

By Kate Watson

There’s nothing I hate more than being too hot. It’s a trait shared by many who live in northern climates, so we’ve chosen a compromise: ditch the heat, and say hello to the cold. The concern here 10 months out of the year is how to stay warm without looking like an abominable snow-thing. I take it as a challenge. A run in 30 below? Totally doable. The key is to make like an onion and layer up.

1. Base layer – Next to Skin

First things first: underwear. Breathability is the focus — if you don’t get this one right, you’re going to feel like you’re in a sauna no matter what else you put on. You want this next-to-skin layer to move the sweat away from your body.

“When you’re layering, you don’t want to wear cotton—period,” said Nancy Piragis, owner of Piragis Northwoods Outfitters in Ely. “You want to wear something that breathes and wicks and dries.”

Shelve your everyday cotton underthings and try ultra-breathable, lightweight synthetics or wool. Although wool has a colored history, nowadays it’s soft and durable. Other perks? It’s naturally odor resistant, and it helps regulate temperature.

“Unlike synthetics, which only transport

moisture in its liquid state, wool is able to transport moisture when it’s still in the vapor state,” explained Eric Humphrey of Lake Superior Trading Post in Grand Marais. “Wool wicks away the sweat before you start to feel clammy.” He’s a big fan of Smartwool baselayers when he’s out in the cold.

The folks at Stone Harbor Wilderness Supply in Grand Marais agree. Heather Janes, Stone Harbor's clothing buyer, recommends Icebreaker and Ibex wool for layering up.

“Icebreaker is awesome. It’s made from New Zealand merino — it’s green, breathable and antimicrobial,” she said. “And Ibex is transitioning to making all their stuff in North America. You can’t get much better.”

2. Mid-layer – Insulate!

Next up: the mid-layer. This layer can vary greatly depending on the conditions—a midlayer is meant to insulate, so the colder it is out -

side, the warmer the layer you’ll want. “Its job is to trap warm air that the body creates while still moving any moisture away from the body,” said Nick Whitbread, retail manager and buyer at Gear Up for Outdoors in Thunder Bay. “The midlayer can be a knitted garment of synthetic fleece or wool, or an insulated garment.”

Nick echoed the love for Icebreaker, but recommends heavier layers for colder temperatures.

“When the temperature dips into the negatives I like to wear Icebreaker as my baselayer and then go to a synthetic insulated hoody mid-layer from Arc’teryx,” Nick said. “It weighs nothing and is amazingly warm. When it gets colder still, I go to an insulated down hoody from Marmot. When it comes to warmth, down has the highest warmth to weight ratio. So that makes it the heavyweight of mid-layers.”

3. Outer Layer

– Apply as needed

The last layer really depends on the conditions and what you’re up to in the cold. Options range from heavy-duty to lightweight and packable. If you’re moving fast,

you likely need less. Lower-endurance activities dictate something warmer, as you’re not generating much of your own heat.

For her outer layer, Nancy Piragis says she’s always prepared. “I always carry a hooded wind shell that can be zipped,” she said. “The ability to cut the wind and put on a hood makes all the difference if you get chilled.”

Are you snowshoeing on a super cold and windy day? Go for heavy-duty protection—a waterproof hard shell. If you’re doing a high endurance activity like running or skate skiing you probably want to keep this layer light. If it’s windy, sometimes a vest is enough to keep your core warm, while allowing your arms to move freely.

4. Accessories – The Little Extras

Head, hands and feet can have a huge impact on whether you’re having fun or freezing. Layer hats for extreme cold (then you can always take one off if you get too hot), and add a fleece neck gaiter to really keep the heat in. On milder days, if you can get over the painful ‘80s connotations, a headband is great for keeping your ears warm while allowing the top of your head to dump extra heat.

What about feet? Wool socks are excellent for keeping toes warm, and they come in many different weights for varying conditions—just make sure they aren’t too tight, or they’ll restrict blood flow. Mittens and gloves also range from lightweight to heavy. My hands inevitably freeze in gloves, so I favor lightweight fleece or wool mittens—my fingers can share their heat while they’re protected from the wind and cold.

Nasty weather no longer needs to be a reason for retreating to the treadmill. Layer wisely, and you’ll be all set to venture outdoors, regardless of what sort of weather blows in.

Kate's Tips:

The key is not overdoing it. I’ve found, for example, that for a

high endurance sport like running you should be cold for the first mile. If you start out feeling comfortably warm you’re going to get too hot fast.

Keep a layering journal. I know this sounds ridiculous, but I can

guarantee that by next April you’ll have forgotten what was most comfortable for a run on a misty and breezy 45-degree day. Check the weather before you head out. It’s helpful to know

more than what the thermometer is telling you, and websites like weather.gov easily share the wind speed and direction, and the odds of precipitation.

Brands that specialize in wool like Ibex, Icebreaker and

Smartwool are excellent, but expensive. With outdoor clothing you get what you pay for, so consider pricey purchases to be investments that should last a very long time. Many other outdoor brands have begun to recognize the merits of wool and are now adding the material to their lines.

Layers are key in the winter. | KATE WATSON

By Breana Roy

Fall is a beautiful season. An alreadymagnificent landscape is splashed in deep reds, yellows, and orange hues. Autumn air provides a crisp bittersweet pinch. It’s one of the perfect times to take a hike. But it’s also hunting season. Minnesota’s firearms deer season is Nov. 3-18. You would probably be safe to hike your normal trails, but caution should always be taken (don’t to forget to wear blaze orange). The parts of the Superior Hiking Trail on private lands are closed during the deer season, and the Superior Hiking Trail Association discourages hikers from using the portions that are open on public land. It’s no wonder some don’t feel safe sharing the woods with hunters. But there are hunter-free hiking trails to be found.

Your best bet for safe hiking without forfeiting the beautiful summit views would be Canada. Minnesota’s vast Superior National Forest is open to hunting. Hunting is not permitted in any Canadian National Parks or Ontario Provincial Parks. So grab your passport, if necessary, and make a day trip to one of these stunning parks. If visiting an Ontario Provincial Park, then a day pass is required.

Middle Falls Pigeon River. KELSEY JOHANSON

Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park

Not only will you get a great look at the fall colors, but you can also see a rip-roaring waterfall as it plummets over 40 meters of sheer cliff. This short hike from the parking lot is great for the whole family. Kakabeka Falls is about 80 miles from Grand Marais and 20 miles from Thunder Bay.

Sleeping Giant Provincial Park

Hike through the forest and enjoy a canopy of fall colors or venture to the top of the giant for a spectacular view of Lake Superior and the surrounding area. The park offers numerous trails of varying difficulty.

Pigeon River Provincial Park

Deep valleys and steep ridges formed by volcanoes, glaciers and water created this wonderful masterpiece. The Pigeon River lies next to the U.S. border about 40 miles from Grand Marais and offers two major waterfalls, the high falls and middle falls. Hiking difficulty levels vary depending on the trail.

Mink Mountain Resort

About 20 minutes beyond the Minnesota border into Ontario, Mink Mountain Resort offers numerous trails of varying difficulty and length. Many of the trails offer a spot to eat lunch and relax with a great view of Lake Superior. Most of the hikes can be accomplished within one to three hours.

Ouimet Canyon Provincial Park

Ouimet Canyon is about 150 meters wide and plummets about 100 meters, offering gorgeous views of its gorge. The canyon was created by glaciers and magma over a billion years ago. The view from the top of the canyon is an easy one-kilometer loop that leaves the parking area, perfect for the whole family. However, trails to the bottom of the canyon are limited.

Minnesota's North Shore

While Canadian parks are safer to hike during hunting season than U.S. parks, a few exceptions can be found. Everything on the lake side of Highway 61 is within a state game refuge, making it safe to hike, but there is a limited selection of trails.

Most of the state parks along the North Shore allow limited hunting opportunities, with the exception of Grand Portage State Park, which is completely closed to hunters. Gooseberry, Split Rock Lighthouse and

Tettegouche state parks will have hunting during the firearms deer season. At these parks, the public is allowed on the lake side of Highway 61, but are closed to the public on the inland side of the road. At Judge Magney State Park, hunting is allowed everywhere, including the falls area, but closed to hunters on the lake side of Highway 61 and in the campground. Crosby-Manitou State Park is open to hunting east of the Manitou River, but there is no hunting west of the river. Temperance and Cascade state parks are open to hunting above the waterfall areas.

Park Point Duluth

Located along the shore of Lake Superior, Park Point offers a beach path and is great for rock picking. Watch the waves crash to shore and see the old original lighthouse, now designated as a national historic monument. The trail is about a four-mile round trip. To reach Park Point, park your vehicle outside the fence at the Sky Harbor Airport.

While hunting is allowed on most public and private lands, with a little research you can find hunter-free hiking trails. Mink Mountain Resort, Ontario. | KELSEY JOHANSON

Preparing for the snow: A cross country ski and snowshoe gear guide

By Bryan Hansel

It’s time to start thinking about winter, and the epicenter of winter in the northland is Minnesota’s North Shore. It’s a cross country skier’s paradise. It has over 500 kilometers of perfectly groomed cross country ski trails, receives 110 inches of snow annually and an inexpensive ski pass lets you ski all season long. With that in mind, it’s also time to start thinking about new skis. Whatever your level, there’s a ski on the market designed with you in mind. Here are the top picks for 2012-13.

Beginners to cross country skiing often find skinny skis harder to stay on and control than their wider downhill counterparts. To address that Fisher made the entry-level Cruiser wider and shorter than other cross country skis. Jeff and Sarah Lynch, owners of Sawtooth Outfitters in Tofte and some of the groomers of the Sugarbush ski trails, one of the North Shore’s premier cross country skiing destinations, make this a top pick for beginners. They say the combination of width and length make it stable and easy to control, which is especially important for new skiers. Its wax-less base means no hassles at the trailhead. Just drop the ski on the snow, click in and go skiing.

Advanced beginners who have rented for a season or two that want to buy their first pair of skis should look at this year’s Madshus Lillihammer. The Lillehammer features a wax-less base for beginners who aren’t interested in learning the black art of cross country ski waxing. It also comes with a NIS mounting plate that is bonded to the ski so there’s no drilling needed to attach the binding. The NIS mounting plate, which is becoming common on skis, allows easy adjustment of the binding’s position, making it easy to upgrade a binding and most importantly allowing the ski

to flex continuously through the binding position, which is something that doesn’t happen with screw-mount bindings. While fit-in entry-level skis are similar among all brands, that changes at the intermediate level. Madshus’ Birkebeiner is Dave Bartol’s pick for intermediate skiers. Bartol owns Devil Track Nordic in Grand Marais, a shop on the Pincushion Mountain ski trails. The ski features a lightweight core, a P-Tex 2000E base that offers a superb glide and cap technology that provides stiffness. Bartol says “This is probably the Rolls Royce of training/racing skis. It has more flexes to choose from and is narrow enough and fast enough to race on as well as train on from day to day.” Variable flexes mean that you can find the ski that’s going to work best for you.

Other skis to look at this season include Fisher’s Superlite, which comes as a waxable or wax-less ski, for skiers that desire two pairs of the same skis, one for good snow conditions and the other for difficult waxing days. For skate skiers, Rossignol’s Zymax Skating NIS features a side-cut that widens at the tip and that helps during the push-off, a low weight core, a NIS binding system and a Double Groove Guide that enhances tracking. The Zymax doubles as a fitness ski or as a competitive high school racer.

Speaking of high school races, last year some skiers on Grand Marais’ team did well on Peltonen’s Zenith Classic. The ski is back for 2012-13, and is claimed as the lightest ski at its price point while its PRG-4000 graphite base still gives the skier easy kicking and a fast glide on medium to harder track snow conditions. This ski doubles as a training ski for advanced-level racers who want to save their racing skis for the race course and train on something that won’t feel sluggish.

Not a Skier?

Check Out These Snowshoes

By Bryan Hansel

Cross country skiing isn’t for everyone, but that doesn’t mean you should sit at home during the winter. Instead, follow the advice of the ancient Minnesota proverb: “There is no bad weather, only the wrong gear.” and get out on snowshoes. Modern snowshoes combine advanced nylon binding systems, with metal or high-tech plastic frames to make the experience of snowshoeing more fun than the clumsy old wooden and leather shoes of the past – those are best left mounted above a fireplace. These new shoes make snowshoeing as easy as walking, and it’s something you can pick up on in a few minutes.

At the entry level, Tubbs’ shoe makes it easy for beginners to get out. The snowshoe features a single strap binding that’s easy to put on and take off. Its metal frame includes an upturned and rounded tail that reduces muscular skeletal impact by up to 10 percent.

For trail runners, consider snowshoe running. Atlas Snowshoe Company offers two models. Both models feature Spring-Loaded suspension that helps a toe crampon dig in

for extra push and a simple nylon binding system. The Race model features a 7075 aluminum frame and crampons made from titanium. While more expensive, the change in metal makes the snowshoe ¾ lb. lighter, which is important in a race when seconds matter.

When taking a winter camping trip in the Boundary Waters, adventurers need a sturdy snowshoe with lots of traction, a binding that won’t freeze and a way to increase floatation when breaking trail in deep snow. MSR’s Lightning Ascent features all three, and it has a history of surviving major expeditions. Polar

Weathering the Wolf Hunt

Minnesota hunters can learn from Ontario as they prepare for state’s first wolf hunt

Wolf hunting as a sport is not exactly a tradition in Ontario. Like so many other jurisdictions, Ontario wolves once had a very large price on their heads.

From 1793 until 1972, there were no restrictions on harvesting and the province paid a bounty on wolves. After the bounty was revoked, wolf conservation fell under the Game and Fish Act. It’s only been relatively recently (2005) that a hunter in Ontario was required to buy a tag to shoot a wolf. Wolf hunters are also now required to report their kill.

canadian trails

BY GORD ELLIS

In Ontario, wolves are relatively common. Yet your average Ontario hunter still does not hunt these predators. Most of the people who use the services of northern Ontario wolf outfitters are from the United States or Europe.

Jeff Gustafson, of Kenora, is one of the more well-known wolf outfitters in Northern Ontario. He put a lot of time into preparing and scouting his guided wolf hunts, and because of that, is in high demand. He says wolf hunting is not for the meek or impatient.

“The biggest challenge that wolf hunters face is they are dealing with harsh conditions,” says Gustafson. “We have the best success in early January. Wolves are looking for food and they are on the move every day because it’s usually cold out.”

Gustafson says besides being able to stand sitting in brutal cold, a wolf hunter also has to make sure their scent is under control and they aren’t making any noise. He says wolves are tougher to fool than even deer because they have great eyes, an excellent nose and there is usually several of them coming at you from different angles. “If they feel like something is up, they will not hit the bait,” he says.

And yes, in Ontario baiting for wolves is entirely legal. Gustafson says it is by far the best and most successful tech-

nique for killing a wolf. He saves up deer and moose scraps and then freezes them into the ice or in the ground. Then, Gustafson sets up ground blinds several hundred yards out from the baits.

The wolf hunters then sit and wait. He says you have to freeze the bait or anchor it because if you don’t, the animals will just haul it away.

“It’s easy on the ice because you can drill a hole with any auger, suck up a bunch of water and just freeze everything together,” Gustafson says. “It’s tougher on land and usually involves hauling some buckets of water into these spots.”

Gustafson says his clients are generally looking for a wolf with a good coat. And if given the chance, a wolf hunter is often selective.

“If we are lucky enough to have a pack come out on the ice, then the guys are looking for one that is unique,” says Gustafson. “Whether it is the biggest one or a black- or white-colored animal.” Gustfason says he tells all his clients not to burn their tag on a wolf that has mange because “they are not to pleasant to deal with.”

However, many of these people prefer to remain under the radar as wolf hunting does remain a controversial pursuit, even among hunters. One hunting acquaintance, who asked I keep his name out of this article, has spent hundreds of hours pursuing wolves. So far he has taken just two, but both had mange. Despite his disappointment, this hunter does still hope to take a wolf that he can display as a rug.

“I’m after a black wolf, a white wolf or a quality rug of any description,” he says ”If I can detect mange, I would rather not shoot, but my luck has been lacking in that department.” Like Gustafson, this local hunter says enduring frigid cold while watching a pile of moose bones for hours on end can be very character building. But he says he gets a lot of pleasure from hunting wolves.

“The main thing I’m after is the pursuit,” he says. “The challenge and the maximum peace and quiet that the Northwestern Ontario woods has to offer at -20 C in January, far from skidoo trails and ice fishing lakes.”

Gustafson says there is not much danger wolf hunting will become a super-popular hunting activity. He says there is just too much effort involved with often minimal return.

He says it is often possible to tell a good wolf from a mangy one. “The first thing you should look at is the tail,“ he says. “If the animal has a good, bushy tail, It’s probably a good one. The sure way to tell if an animal has mange is if it has a little ratty looking tail.”

There are a few Ontario hunters that do target wolves.

“The thing about wolves is there is not a lot of pattern to their movements,” he says. “You really just have to put in the time on a spot that is getting some action. That is your best bet for wolf success.”

The wolf hunt may be new to Minnesota, but Ontario already has an established hunt. | WWW.GUSSYOUTDOORS.COM

SizzlingSleds Snomobile Mini-Buyers Guide

By Lee Boyt

It’s that time of year again — the boat pickled for the winter, the lawnmower is lounging in the shed, and thoughts turn to hitting the trails with your snow machine.

But it won’t start. And the track didn’t look this bad when you parked the sled for the summer. The seat’s got a couple more cracks that you remembered. Don’t even think about the faded ‘glass or the windshield’s jaundiced pallor.

It’s gonna cost a huge chunk of change to bring Ol’ Faithful back to life, much less revive the cosmetic issues — more than what that classic is worth, if you think about it.

You need a new snowmobile. You’ll save money in the long run, and a factory-fresh sled will last a long time — and there’s never been a better time to find a great deal — yeah, it’s time.

That’s what we thought, too — so we rounded up a big handful of the best snowmobiles around for your window-shopping pleasure. It doesn’t hurt to look, does it?

Be ARCAt 570 Xt

Durable combination of a workhorse utility and a 2-up machine, the Bearcat 570 XT has everything you need – and nothing that you don’t.

eNgIN e: 570 2-stroke type: 565cc, 2-cylinder, fan-cooled, two-stroke Fuel Delivery: 2 carburetors Fuel Capacity (US gAL): 17

SUSpeNSIoN: Front: Independent, A-arm Rear: Full articulating, adjustable

Me ASUR e M eN tS: track W x L x H: 20 x 154 x 1.4 inches Ski Stance (Ct R to Ct R): 40 to 44 inches, adjustable

MSR p: $9,099 www.arcticcat.com

Fe At UR eS Push-button engine reverse, electric start. Extra-tall windshield, dual 4-bulb halogen headlight. High/low hand and thumb warmers, detachable passenger seat

tZ1 tURBo LXR

Long-distance 2-up touring has never been this comfortable.

eNgIN e: 1100 4-stroke type: 1056cc 2-cylinder liquid cooled 4-stroke Fuel Delivery: Throttle body EFI, turbocharged with intercooler Fuel Capacity (US gAL): 10.8

SUSpeNSIoN: Front: Independent, A-arm with sway bar Rear: FasTrack slide-action suspension with coupling blocks

Me ASUR e M eN tS: track W x L x H: 15 x 144 x 1.25 inches Ski Stance (Ct R to Ct R): 42 inches

MSR p: $15,299 www.arcticcat.com

Fe At UR eS: 177 hp turbocharged, intercooled 1100 4-stroke powerhouse. Heated driver seat, heated/removable passenger seat, adjustable back rest. Heated rider grips, heated passenger grips with wind deflectors

e X peDIt IoN Se

Touring Utility Vehicles – sleds having a unique blend of trail touring, off-trail exploring, and workhorse features.

eNgIN e: Rotax E-TEC 600 H.O. type: 594.4cc 2-cylinder liquid cooled 2-stroke Fuel Delivery: Electronic Direct Injection Fuel Capacity (US gAL): 12

SUSpeNSIoN: Front: Dual A-arms Rear: SC5U articulating

Me ASUR e M eN tS: track W x L x H: 20 x 154 x 1.25 inches Ski Stance (Ct R to Ct R): 38.4 or 40.1 inches

MSR p: $12,649 www.ski-doo.com

Fe At UR eS: 2-up modular seat with under-seat storage, adjustable backrest, heated passenger grips. 23-inch windshield with mirrors, console 12V power outlets, multi-function digital gauge. Air Control Suspension (ACS), Pilot 6.9 skis with adjustable ski stance.

Sk ANDIC SW t

eNgIN e: Rotax ACE 600 type: 600cc 2-cylinder liquid cooled 4-stroke with oil cooler Fuel Delivery: EFI Fuel Capacity (US gAL): 12

SUSpeNSIoN: Front: Lynx telescopic Rear: SC5U articulating

Me ASUR e M eN tS: track W x L x H: 24 x 156 x 1.25 inches Ski Stance (Ct R to Ct R): 35.4 inches

MSR p: $11,099 www.ski-doo.com

Fe At UR eS: 2-up modular seat with under-seat storage, backrest. Electric start, mechanical reverse, tongue-type hitch. Heated throttle lever, heated grips, analog gauge with display

gRAND toURINg Se

Stylish, luxurious snow limo for those who prefer the finer side of the great outdoors.

eNgIN e: Rotax 4-TEC 1200 type: 1170.7cc 3-cylinder liquid cooled 4-stroke Fuel Delivery: EFI Fuel Capacity (US gAL): 10.6

SUSpeNSIoN: Front: Dual A-arms Rear: SC-5

Me ASUR e M eN tS: track W x L x H: 15 x 137 x 1 inches Ski Stance (Ct R to Ct R): 42.4 inches

MSR p: $12,999 www.ski-doo.com

Fe At UR eS: 130 hp engine, eDrive 2 drive clutch, SC-5 rear suspension Air Control Suspension (ACS). 24-inch high windshield, side panel deflectors, hand deflectors, heated grips, heated seats.Heated visor outlets, heated boot outlets, Grand Touring tunnel bag, locking side cases

R S veN t UR e tF

CA 151-inch track and lengthened articulated rear suspension ups comfort quotient; wide utility skis spread the load to float over fresh powder.

eNgIN e: 3-cylinder Mid Performance type: 1049cc 3-cylinder liquid cooled 4-stroke Fuel

Delivery: 3 x 41mm fuel injection Fuel Capacity (US gAL): 9.2

SUSpeNSIoN: Front: Independent double wishbone Rear: ProComfort with articulated rails

Me ASUR e M eN tS: track W x L x H: 15 x 151 x 1.25 inches Ski Stance (Ct R to Ct R): 42.8 inches

MSR p: $12,899 www.yamaha-motor.com

Fe At UR eS: Electric power steering, wide utility skis, rider-forward chassis geometry. Extendedlength 151-inch ProComfort CK rear suspension – 7 inches longer than GT model. Adjustable backrest, height-adjustable heated passenger grips, hand and thumb warmers.

RS vI k INg pRoFeSSIoNAL

Ample storage, and an enthusiastic tow monster, thanks to a wickedly aggressive track and new dual shock/torsion spring rear suspension.

eNgIN e: 3-cylinder Mid Performance type: 973cc 3-cylinder liquid-cooled 4-stroke Fuel

Delivery: 3 x 40mm carburetors Fuel Capacity (US gAL): 10.6

SUSpeNSIoN: Front: Independent double wishbone Rear: ProComfort w/ articulated rails

Me ASUR e M eN tS: track W x L x H: 20 x 154 x 1.375 inches Ski Stance (Ct R to Ct R): 38.4 inches

MSR p: $12,199 www.yamaha-motor.com

Fe At UR eS: Twin shock/torsion spring rear suspension enhances ride quality, prevents bottoming out under load. Dual-range Hi/Lo and reverse transmission – low for heavy loads, high for light running. Vast under-seat storage compartment and a cargo rack.

Be Your Own Butcher

Process your own deer with these simple steps

By Shawn Perich

Last November I taught a deer-processing class at the North House Folk School in Grand Marais. The students who showed up to take the class surprised me. Three quarters of them were women. Not all were hunters. A couple of them even professed to be former vegetarians. What brought them to the class was a collective appetite for lean, free-range meat — venison.

Autumn deer and moose hunting is as much a part of the northern culture as walleye fishing and picking blueberries. Deer hunting is about spending time with friends and families, getting outside and reconnecting with the primal side of life, including procuring a winter supply of venison.

Upon shooting a deer, more than a few hunters ask, “Now what?”

You can bring a deer to a commercial processor or butcher it yourself. Deer processing isn’t difficult and can be completed in four hours or less. All you really need is a work space (a folding table set up in the garage will suffice), sharp knives, a meat saw and wrapping paper or a vacuum sealer. One person can get the job done, though two or three will work more efficiently.

You don’t need to be a professional butcher to do a good job. Instructional videos or books can guide you through the process

or you can seek assistance from an experienced friend. Even if you “wing it,” you’ll do just fine; provided you keep the following points in mind:

keep the carcass clean — when you skin the deer, be sure to keep hair and forest debris off the carcass.

Always cut across the grain —cut steaks and roasts across the grain of the muscles to avoid stringy, hard-to-chew meat.

Cut away and discard blood-shot meat —generally found near the wound, this meat is discolored from blood leakage. It may contain stray lead fragments. Don’t fret “mistakes”—a bad cut can always be ground for hamburger or sausage. trim all tallow and membrane careful trimming takes time, but results in good-tasting venison.

Always hang a deer carcass with the hide left on until you are ready to process it. If you remove the hide, the meat will begin to dry out. Some folks like to hang carcasses for a few days to age the meat. Others cut them up as soon as they can. What’s most important is to hang the carcass where it stays cold but doesn’t freeze. A frozen carcass is no fun to process.

People Make Smart Choices About Their Money

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218-625-2433 or toll-free 877-261-5612

There are different methods for skinning a deer. I prefer to hang the carcass from the hind legs and skin to the head. Avoid getting deer hair on the meat. Once it is skinned, cut off the head at the neck. Next, trim away the heavy layer of tallow. Then you can begin to cut away the quarters, the back straps (muscles on either side of the spine, and neck meat.

The actual butchering is easy. Cut up the quarters, separating the muscles as best you can. Then slice across the grain to cut steaks (some call them chops) and roasts. Whatever is left can be saved for grinding. The back straps are easy. Just cut across the grain. This is one of the best cuts on a deer. I usually save neck meat for grinding.

The most time-consuming task is trimming. Use a sharp knife—a filet knife works well—to trim away all fat and mem-

brane. The cleaner the cut, the better it will taste. When you are done, you are ready to package the meat for freezing. Be sure to mark the date and contents of each package.

A small electric or hand-turned grinder will suffice to grind up the meat. If you choose, you can go on to make sausage with it. Most years, we save ours to use as very lean burger or to use in tacos, casseroles, etc. If you mix in beef suet or some pork, you can make venison hamburgers.

In a lifetime of hunting, I’ve processed all of the game animals I’ve killed, including moose and caribou. It may take a few hours to complete the task, but the satisfaction of doing so is worth the effort. The final product seems to taste better, too.

You don't need to be a professional butcher to process your own deer. | KATE WATSON

Smitten with Saw-Whets

Shelby Gonzalez

By 10 p.m. I concluded that, despite my down jacket and fuzzy hat, I was underdressed. Not in the wearing-cutoffsat-a-cocktail-party sense. More like the if-my-teeth-chatter-any-harder-theymight-crack sense.

It was a clear, cold night last October. I huddled in a wooded backyard in Tofte along with half a dozen women from Wisconsin, whom I mentally dubbed the Eau Claires.

The women had signed up for Bill Lane’s owling field session through North House Folk School. I dropped in to report on the saw-whet owl migration for Outdoor News.

Lane, nicknamed “Owlman,” is a certified Master Bander and has been conducting owl surveys for 25 years. We joined his nightly vigil in hopes of meeting Aegolius acadicus, widely known as the northern saw-whet: Minnesota’s smallest owl.

Saw-whets wing south each fall from their boreal hunting grounds. They nosh

on mice and other small rodents. Fully grown, they tip the scales at 4 ounces, like a stick of butter but cuter.

Lane’s backyard sits amidst a bustling owl flight path from the Sawtooth Mountains down to the Lake Superior shore. For his research, he thinned an aerial corridor through the woods and strung mist nets across it, making a sort of surprise checkpoint on the Saw-whet Expressway.

Mist nets are like volleyballs net woven of ultra-fine filament and striped with long pouches. They are virtually invisible.

To make the netted area extra-enticing, Lane broadcasted a looped recording of saw-whet mating hoots, which sound like beeps. (“If you’re out in the woods,” said Lane, “and you hear what sounds like a truck backing up, that’s a saw-whet looking for love.”) Initially I mistook the recording for some sort of radar device.

He had already shown us his work table and explained the banding process. Now we waited. The woods around us were dark and deep and, presumably, lovely. Stars littered the sky like spilled diamonds.

At last a net check yielded two sawwhets. The Eau Claires and I hung back as Lane extricated them, but when he returned to the work table with empty hands and lumpy pockets, we hovered eagerly, the bitter cold forgotten. He unzipped his pocket and withdrew the first owl of the night.

The saw-whet was the size of a bratwurst bun. It clacked its beak—a token objection to the proceedings—but did not struggle; just batted long lashes over its big yellow eyes. My latent maternal instincts lurched to life.

“Awww,” I squealed, voice three octaves higher than usual. If you don’t say “Awww” when you see a saw-whet, you probably don’t have a soul.

I was smitten. Rather than release this owl into the clutches of nature red in tooth and claw, I wanted to smuggle it home, christen it Oliver, and love it forever and ever.

Lane checked the owl’s itty-bitty legs for

Story and photo by

Our Other Forest Grouse — The Spruce Grouse

I wasn’t surprised to find him there. But I was pleased.

I was walking across an island, a typical small, steep, rocky canoe country outcrop in the middle of a large lake. I made my way through a dense stand of spruce and jackpine trees, walking gingerly atop soft mosses, careful to not tear them up. And as I walked, the grouse flushed from behind a deadfall, flew but a short distance, and landed in a black spruce, from which it stared down at me.

t hrough my l ens

BY MICHAEL FURTMAN

I wasn’t surprised because, during my 40-plus years of canoeing the Boundary Waters and Quetico, I had, on several occasions, found grouse on just this type of island.

I can only guess that they are there not only because there is abundant food, but because islands are safe havens from most predators. In fact, a few times I’ve run across hens with broods, apparently utilizing isolated islands to nest safely.

But what pleased me was that the bird I flushed was not the more familiar ruffed grouse, but instead the scarcer spruce grouse, as had been the case in nearly every other island encounter.

Just about everyone in Northern Wilds country has seen a ruffed grouse, a bird the size of a small chicken, garbed in gray or brown feathers, and living in mostly aspen forests. But there are many who have lived or vacationed here for years that have never seen its cousin, the spruce grouse, and for pretty good reason.

We live on the southern edge of the range of this species, which prefers coniferous boreal forest. Because that type of habitat is

limited here, so is our opportunity to come across a spruce grouse.

On top of that, such forests are thick and difficult to walk through, so fewer of us venture into them. This combination explains why so few of us actually have had an encounter with this “other forest grouse.”

If you do decide to seek spruce grouse, I’ll give you a tip. Despite its name, I’ve found that jackpines are at least as important to them as is its namesake tree — while watching them feed on needles (their main food source) they have always passed up spruce needles whenever jackpine was present. Hard to imagine, but I guess pine needles are tastier than spruce needles! I’ve also watched them gorge themselves on blueberries until their crops were bulging.

Find an area with a combination of spruce and jackpine, and you’re more likely to find spruce grouse than in habitat made up of just one or the other tree species.

Unlike the ruffed grouse, in which sexes are virtually identically colored, spruce grouse males and females differ in coloration.

While both sexes are darker than the ruffed grouse, the female spruce grouse can be mistaken for a ruffed grouse if you only get a brief look, since she is primarily a reddish brown bird.

However, there’s little chance you’ll confuse the male spruce grouse for a ruffed grouse. He has a stunning black chest with black and white barring beneath to the

belly, a dark grey head, a bright red comb above the eye, and white arcs beneath it. His tail is a solid brown color with a rusty orange band at the tip of each tail feather. He fans this tail when displaying during mating season, and while ruffed grouse males “drum” on a log to declare a mating territory, the spruce grouse male instead claps his wings.

I tried eating a spruce grouse once. Only once. Hunting near Isabella, I flushed a hen and, mistaking it for a ruffed grouse, dropped it. Of course, I took it home and cooked it up.

While ruffed grouse are excellent ta-

"I tried eating a spruce grouse once. Only once."

ble fare, because of its diet, the spruce grouse is not particularly palatable. Still, the Minnesota DNR estimates that over 10,000 are harvested each year (a number that seems very high to me). I guess those hunters have different tastes than I do!

Each time I see a spruce grouse I am thrilled. I like the fact I’m seeing a bird whose range extends far to our north, stretching to the taiga of Canada and Alaska. I like the kind of habitat in which they are found, which seems primeval in nature compared to the young aspen forests preferred by ruffed grouse.

And since these grouse rarely see people, they are often tame enough to allow me to sit and watch them go about their daily business, something ruffed grouse almost never permit. This tameness led to them being called “fool hens” by early settlers of our area.

Perhaps animals and birds that trust us are indeed foolish. Most species that have, haven’t fared well.

However, as a wildlife photographer, I always consider this trust a gift.

If you’ve never seen a spruce grouse, I hope you make it a point to try to locate this beautiful bird. Find a large area of spruce and jackpine, grab your compass or GPS, and strike out. If you do, I wish you luck in stumbling upon our “other” grouse of the woodlands. It will be worth the hike.

Top: A male spruce grouse perched in a conifer. Bottom: A female spruce grouse.

Was there a Nuke in the North?

Was there a nuclear weapon aboard the American B-47 that crashed northeast of Thunder Bay in 1956?

On Nov. 30, 1956 – 11 years into the Cold War (19451991) - a United States Air Force B-47 Stratojet, perhaps armed with a nuclear bomb, crashed into the Seagull Lake area north of Port Arthur (now Thunder Bay), the impact creating a deep water-filled crater where none existed before. The pilot Maj. Robert Slane (later a colonel) survived, while the other three crewmen did not: co-pilot Lt. Richard Martin, navigators Lt. Donald Petty and Lt. Max Workman. Their remains are presumed to be in the B-47 now 30-50 feet underwater.

Slane’s B-47 was part of a flight formation that originated from Louisiana, went up the eastern seaboard, refuelled over the Atlantic Ocean, flew to the Arctic Circle and then headed back home to Louisiana. However, while over Northwestern Ontario, his B-47 ran into a problem with its aileron power unit and when they couldn’t regain control of the plane, Slane ordered the crew to bail out.

According to the next day’s newspaper report, “The B-47 was heard and sighted at 7 p.m. last night over Great Lakes bush camp No. 24. The aircraft engine was full throttle as it skimmed over the tree tops and the vibrations shook the camp huts. A search party from the camp reported they reached the site of the crash, but saw only a crater and debris scattered 300 feet above it.”

Slane ejected from the plane, landed about 19 miles south of the actual crash site, spent the night in the Canadian bush and was rescued after daybreak the next morning by an American helicopter.

The crash story disappeared from public attention until 1972, when Herb Schafer of Thunder Bay was moose hunting in the Ray Lake area and found the remnants of a parachute, unopened survival rations and 22-caliber rifle. After a friend told him about Slane’s crash, he traced the pilot’s address through old newspaper clippings, phoned him and mailed him a piece of the parachute. The two men became friends, remaining in contact until Slane’s death on March 16, 2011.

» Owls continued from page 23

bands (nada), weighed it using a handheld scale dangling a Crown Royal bag, measured wing chord and tail length, and noted molt patterns on its feathers. (Older feathers show fading and wear.) Lastly, he fitted the sawwhet with a size-4 band. Bird bands bear serial numbers, phone numbers and Web addresses for reporting.

One of the Eau Claires released the first saw-whet. My chance came later.

strange tales

BY ELLE ANDRA-WARNER

In 2005, Thunder Bay’s Fred Johnson became interested in the B-47 story when a friend asked him if he knew anything about a nuclear bomber crash north of Thunder Bay. He didn’t but said he would look into it. “So began this research project,” said Johnson, a retired major in the Canadian militia.

Since then, Johnson has done extensive research on the B-47 incident, even located and visited the crash site though for good reason won’t reveal the exact coordinates.

main as an undisturbed memorial, ” said Johnson. At a lecture of Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society on Sept. 25, Johnson spoke publicly for the first time about his detailed research into the B-47 crash. Included in his presentation were photographs taken in 1956 at the crash scene, as well as his own video from the site.

Was the B-47 that crashed near Thunder Bay carrying a nuclear bomb? The official answer remains elusive.

As expected, Slane always insisted there were no nuclear weapons on his plane. However, Johnson noted in his presentation that U.S. Colonel (retired) Sigmund Alexander in his book, B-47 Aircraft Losses published in 2005, makes specific reference to the Thunder Bay area crash, “... at the time it was standard operating procedure for units flying an ORI to carry nuclear weapons. Though no official records made mention of it, a reconnaissance pilot from the 91st SRW, who located the crash site, stated that they were looking for the remains of the aircraft and the weapons that they were carrying.”

“This site is very remote these days and almost inaccessible. I do not want anyone to get hurt or lost in an attempt to duplicate this project. Nor would I want anyone to take material from the location. Three people died there. The site should re -

Just as Lane had showed us, I held the saw-whet like an ice-cream cone, immobilizing its wings and legs. Big yellow eyes gazed at me. Blink. Blink.

My heart constricted. This wasn’t a wild animal; this was a Muppet.

This was Shirley Temple in owl form.

“Cute” didn’t begin to cover it.

The presence of onlookers scuttled my sneak-the-saw-whet-home plan.

I scanned the surrounding trees for barred owls—who will prey on sawwhets given the chance—then, reluctantly, opened my hand.

The saw-whet lay there a moment. Blink. Then it realized it was free. Feathers and feet scrabbled on my palm. In a hubbub of wings, the sawwhet flitted into the blackness.

I smiled. Farewell, Oliver.

As far as is publicly known, the site has never been tested for nuclear activity.

Thunder Bay's Fred Johnson, who researched the 1956 crash, visited the site in 2009

The B-47 Stratojet was a medium-range bomber that could fly at subsonic speeds and was the first line of America’s strategic nuclear deterrent.

Planning next year’s plot

BY JOAN FARNAM

Believe it or not, October is probably the best time to plan next year’s garden.

The harvest is in (mostly), you can see what grew really well this year and what didn’t, what varieties you liked and those that were pretty much failures and didn’t taste very good, either.

And all the details about the struggles and triumphs you had in your garden are clear in your head now, too.

Take advantage of it.

Get out that gardening journal, or pull up a new file on your computer, and make notes and plans for next year.

i’ve already started.

First off, I’ve taken a hard look at my garden to see what’s growing where and if it did well.

I did a little experiment this year, for example, just to see if the experts were right. I planted some winter squash in the same space this year as last. But I also put a few other hills of the same squash in a new spot to see if there would be a difference.

Whoa. The squash in the new spot is a lot more vigorous and about twice the size of the squash in the old plot.

Lesson learned.

And I made some mistakes.

Last spring, for example, I was so overwhelmed by all the choices in the

seed catalogs that I totally gave up and just ordered stuff. I didn’t make a list -- I just ordered. I know what I like to grow, I said to myself.

Come planting time, I realized I forgot to order Detroit Red beet seeds and Blue Lake bush beans, two favorites. It was scramble time when I couldn’t find them locally.

I found some seeds for an heirloom variety, Dragon Tongue bush beans, at our local co-op, so I bought a package and stuck them in the ground.

That turned out to be a lucky choice. They’re really beautiful and are fantastic raw, which is a plus if you’re not into canning beans.

The beets are a sorrier story.

Someone gave me a bunch of Detroit Red seeds in mid-season and I planted them as a second crop next to those yummy Dragon Tongues, figuring the beans would be out of the ground in plenty of time.

Ooops. Didn’t happen. I’m still picking the Dragon Tongues and the beets are languishing in the shade.

The most incredible thing about our gardens in the northern wilds this year is the bumper crop of tomatoes we’re

getting. It’s totally amazing for those of us who, in the past, have had to wait until late August until our tomatoes started ripening.

We’ve been eating cherry tomatoes since early July this year.

So I’m doing some seed saving on the heirlooms, and making notes on which hybrids I like best. And I’m also getting a huge, tasty heirloom from Del Rosenquist so I can save the seeds from it and try them next year.

Let me give you a little background on Mr. Rosenquist.

He always wins purple ribbons at the Cook County Fair for everything from the biggest vegetable to the most beautiful basket of vegetables, and everything in-between.

I don’t think he’d mind if I said he was fiercely competitive, because he is. He loves to garden and is proud of it.

So when he offered me one of his favorite tomatoes so I could save the seeds and plant them next year, I was honored.

And I already know where they will go.

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This isn’t the first book published by the fatherand-son duo from Two Harbors. Agate pickers of all experience levels should find this 161page field guide appealing and useful, with color pages and clear descriptions of the many types of agates, which are perhaps Lake Superior’s most appreciated gem.—Javier Serna

Catching Canoe Country Walleyes:

Quetico and Boundary Waters Jig Fishing Secrets

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Finns in Minnesota

By Arnold R. Alanen

MINNESOTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY PRESS, $16.95

There are some colorful tales told in this comprehensive book, which highlights the history, contributions and culture of Finnish Americans, who first arrived in the Minnesota at Red Wing in 1864. Finnish Americans have made their mark here, especially in parts of Northeast Minnesota, who are not overlooked by the author.—Javier Serna

Best Tent Camping: Minnesota

By Tom Watson

MENASHA RIDGE PRESS, $15.95

This guide book handpicks the best tent campgrounds around the state. Several camping spots in Northeast Minnesota made the book. —Javier Serna

This self-published 80-page paperback is a quick read and, as the title suggests, focuses on catching walleyes in Minnesota and Ontario’s canoe country wilderness. Zarley, who is based in Rhinelander, Wis., notes that much of the available walleye information out there concerns fishing from a boat. The approach is a little different from a canoe, and Zarley talks mainly about using jigs, which are one of the most effective ways of catching walleyes. He shares secrets and tips, such as reading the wind and current, and stresses that anglers shouldn’t let the walleyes come to them.—Javier Serna

Northern Pike: Ecology, Conservation and Management History

By Rodney B. Pierce

MINNESOTA

DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, $40.00

Northern pike may play second fiddle to walleye in Minnesota, but they are still a popular sportfish. Rodney B. Pierce, Minnesota DNR’s leading pike biologist, focuses on the toothy predator, combining scientific literature with his own research. This colorful, 224page book seeks to be the definitive reference on northern pike. It will likely appeal more to pike researchers than average pike anglers, but there is plenty for fishermen, too.—Javier Serna

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U NIVERSITY OF M INNESOTA STARWATCH october-November

Autumn belongs to Pegasus and the water constellations, which float through the southern sky after nightfall.

Reigning supreme high in the south are the Great Square of Pegasus and, stretching from its northeast corner, a string of three stars in the constellation Andromeda. Above the middle star, you may see a faint oval smudge; this is the Andromeda galaxy, the Milky Way’s largest close neighbor.

Below the Great Square is the Circlet of Pisces. Moving southwest from the Circlet, the Y-shaped Water Jar is the centerpiece of spidery Aquarius, the water bearer. The water bearer refers to Ganymede, a handsome youth whom Zeus (Jupiter) made cupbearer to the gods; now, it’s also one of Jupiter’s four Galilean moons.

Southwest of Aquarius is unobtrusive, chevronshaped Capricornus, the sea goat. And the lonely star far to the south is Fomalhaut, brightest in Piscis Austrinus, the southern fish.

A dim Mars manages to stay above the sun’s afterglow, but the evening sky’s real planetary presence is Jupiter. As October opens, the brilliant planet rises around 9:45 p.m. CDT, but as November ends it will be up in the east by nightfall. All season long Jupiter sticks close to Aldebaran, the eye of Taurus.

In the morning sky, a crescent moon visits Venus, a beacon in the east, Oct. 12 and Nov. 11. Our sister planet also has close encounters with Regulus, the brightest

star in Leo, on Oct. 3 and Saturn Nov. 26-27.

Full moons fall on Oct. 29 and Nov.28. For best viewing, look for October’s around sunset, and November’s an hour or so before sunrise.

The Orionid meteors peak around 11 p.m. Oct. 20, the Leonids at 4 a.m. Nov. 17. We may also see a “swarm” of Northern Taurid meteors between late October and mid-November. The Taurids radiate from near the Pleiades, which rise in the east ever earlier during evening hours.

The Value of Long Handled Drawers

He was already a legend before I got to know him.

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2 Blocks West of Blackwoods Restaurant, across from the Edgewater Hotel and Waterpark

The reason Norman Rasmussen was a boyhood legend stemmed from a couple of things.

One was where he lived. When I was a boy, my sister’s family lived in what was then called the Lake View Apartments. Now people refer to the old building on Second Avenue and Camp Street as the Castle, or Tanner Hospital.

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arts, history, and culture

campfire stories

Norman Rasmussen took care of the building for the Ahola Family, and as part of the deal, he lived in the building’s north turret in a place called the Crow’s Nest.

To my understanding, Norman Rasmussen was the essential bachelor living a life that looked pretty darn good to a boy just dying to get a look at the lake and mines from one of the windows that looked out from the Crow’s Nest. My sister told me that living in the Crow’s Nest was not all that it seemed. She told me that during the winter, if Norman left water standing in a pan on the stove for the morning coffee, it would be frozen darn near solid when he got up to start his day.

Despite my sister’s cold reality intruding on my boyhood dream, I will always remember the day when several of Us Boys were playing around the Old Castle, and Norman Rasmussen asked us if we would like to see his bachelor pad.

I can still remember looking out on Shagawa Lake from one set of the tower’s windows, and then walking to the other side of the turret and watching a train of iron ore being loaded by a steam shovel.

I will always remember him telling us about Dr. Tanner who built the hospital, and how the Crow’s Nest

was the place where people would come after surgery to recover. Norman told us how Doc Tanner figured people would heal faster if they were in a beautiful place that offered a nice view.

The second reason Norman Rasmussen stood out, was that in a town where everyone else looked more or less the same, he set himself apart from the rest. Norman Rasmussen was an old town character of the best kind. There was always an understated elegance about him. In a town where many old bachelors tended to let themselves go seedy and smell gamy, at least on non Steam Bath nights, Norman Rasmussen was always band box neat, and always with the touch of the eccentric.

There he was, puttering through town with his odd-shaped glasses, straight briar pipe, and walrus mustache, topped by a one of a kind navy blue sailors cap with its short brim.

I got to know him better sitting around the horseshoe coffee bar at the old Ely News store.

Sometimes the conversation would get cranked up like someone had put a quarter into the place, and the home town people, men and women, would start talking about the old times.

Some of the best stories I ever heard about Ely and its history came from those wonderful evenings sitting with people like Norman Rasmussen.

Some of the things I learned either from him when he was there, or from the other old settlers when he wasn’t, was that he had come to town years ago with his mother from the State of Virginia.

Norman Rasmussen never left Ely. He spent some time as a trapper. I remember him telling me of trips from Kekekabic Lake with a load of furs he

hiked down the entire Fernberg Trail to cash them in and pick up more supplies. Then it was back home to the cabin often all in the same day hiking dark-to-dark.

One of the things Norman Rasmussen was known for was his incredible run of good health while he ran the area portage crews for St. Louis County.

One night we were sitting around the horseshoe counter talking about nothing in particular when I asked him to what he attributed his good luck and good health.

He fired up his briar pipe, and then with a smile and wink he answered: Long Handled Drawers. I thought he was kidding, but then he told me that the thing that kept him healthy was the two pairs of long underwear he always took with him when he ran the portage crews, one light and the other heavy. “Those Long Handled Drawers kept the bugs and ticks off better then all the bug dope in the world. Lots of boys got sick from black fly bites, but they couldn’t chew through my Long Johns. Long underwear kept me cool on hot days, and warm on the days when it was wet, windy and cold. No colds or sickness for old Norman.”

It’s been a long time since Norman Rasmussen gave me that sage advice about maintaining good health while out roughing it up country, and whenever I go out into the woods, I always have my Long Handled Drawers with me.

They might not always be on, but they are always with me. Don’t know if long underwear is all there is to it, but it’s been a long time since I’ve had a cold or even been sick, knock on wood.

So if you’re heading out in the country, take some advice from Old Norman Rasmussen and don’t forget to pack the Union Suit.

IRON MIKE HILLMAN

Welcome to Golden Eagle Lodge, a family oriented, year-round resort located on the historic Gunflint Trail of Northeastern Minnesota. We are on the north shores of Flour Lake surrounded by the Superior National Forest; as we are the only residents on the lake, you can look forward to the quiet and solitude offered only from the true wilderness setting. We offer modern, housekeeping cabins to ensure comfort during your stay in the North Woods.

Each season has something special to offer; excellent fishing and canoeing in Summer and nationally-renowned Nordic Cross-

Country Skiing in Winter. Our 4 Seasons page will describe in detail how each season can help shape your vacation.

Try our 9-site campground which offers a quiet and personal service; each site comes equipped with water and electric hookups. We go out of our way to ensure every aspect of your visit will convince you to come back and see us again.

We know much time, effort, and expense is invested in a vacation, and we would be honored if you considered us as your vacation destination. You won’t be disappointed!