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Action Needed to Save Moose Herd, DNR Told

admin — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 16:55:49 +0000

by John Myers
published in the Duluth News Tribune, August 19, 2009

Minnesota wildlife managers should keep deer numbers to a minimum in Northeastern Minnesota but probably can continue holding a limited moose hunting season for the near future, the state’s moose advisory committee reported Tuesday.

The 18-member committee, which for nine months has studied the state’s declining moose population, presented its findings to Minnesota Department of Natural resources officials Tuesday in Duluth.

The state’s Northwestern moose herd collapsed from thousands of animals to just a few dozen in the 1990s, and now mortality rates in Northeastern Minnesota’s moose herd have biologists worried the state may lose the big animal altogether. More moose are dying, and often for reasons not clear to biologists, than is considered safe to continue the population.

Warmer summer and winter temperatures, parasites spread by deer, disease and likely other factors have combined to thwart moose at the southern edge of their natural range, said Rolf Peterson, chairman of the advisory committee and renowned moose researcher at Michigan Technological University.

Peterson said the state’s roughly 7,500 moose are hanging on but that there are “no guarantees’’ they will be around in years to come and “no silver bullet’’ to solve their decline.

Even “the tip of the Arrowhead won’t be such a hospitable place for moose a couple decades down the road,’’ he said.

Moose don’t eat on warm summer days and are left in poorer condition to make it through winter. The trend to warmer winters allows more parasites like ticks to survive and hurt moose. Warmer winters also encourage more deer to live farther north.

Among the recommendations in the advisory committee’s 45-page report:

* Keep deer numbers in Cook, Lake and eastern St. Louis County to fewer than 10 per square mile.

* Continue to allow very limited moose hunting, but end the moose season immediately if low hunter success indicates the population has dropped to critical levels.

* Ban all deer feeding in Northeastern Minnesota.

* Preserve wetlands as sanctuaries from heat stress.

DNR officials said they will consider all options suggested in the report, hold public meetings and form a moose survival or management plan over the next 12 months.

Peterson said if moose numbers continue to decline that deer numbers should be trimmed even farther, eradicating as many deer as possible in the moose’s primary range in the Minnesota Arrowhead.

The recommendations were clear that the few bull moose shot each fall by hunters is not a factor in the downward population trend.

“The committee didn’t see a problem with the continued, very conservative harvest of bulls,’’ he said. “If moose continue to decline, it won’t be because of hunter harvest.’’

Minnesota moose by the numbers

Moose in Northeastern Minnesota: About 7,500

Moose in Northwestern Minnesota: Fewer than 100 (down from 4,000 20 years ago.)

Northeastern Minnesota moose mortality rate in recent studies: 21 percent

Sustainable moose mortality rate: 15 percent.

Moose shot in Minnesota 2009: About 150 (DNR and tribal licenses.)

DNR moose licenses in 2008: 246

DNR moose licenses in 2009: 225, down 10 percent.

Applicants for DNR moose licenses: About 6,000.

Odds of getting a once-in-a-lifetime moose license: As low as 1-in-40 in some areas.

field reports

admin — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 18:12:15 +0000

From the Duluth News Tribune
published Nov. 2, 2008

About half of Minnesota moose hunters successful

Minnesota’s moose hunters took 111 bull moose in this fall’s Northeastern Minnesota moose season, which ran Oct. 4 to 19.

Tags were issued to 237 parties hunting in 30 zones. Hunting success was 47 percent. Last year, moose hunters took 115 moose for a 50 percent success rate. For the second year, the hunt was for bulls only.

Several thousand parties apply for Minnesota moose licenses each year. Since 1991, the hunt has been a once-in-a-lifetime hunt. This year, 2,706 parties applied for moose hunting permits. Minnesota’s moose population is estimated at 7,600.

Corn coming out slowly

Wet weather slowed Minnesota’s corn harvest from Oct. 21 to 27, according to the U. S. Department of Agriculture’s Minnesota crop report. That’s important to the state’s pheasant hunters, for whom hunting improves as more corn is harvested and pheasants move into grasslands.

As of Monday, 30 percent of the state’s corn had been harvested, about half as much as last year and half as much as the recent five-year average. Weather has been good this past week, and farmers have been able to make more progress in the fields.

Another USDA crop report will be released on Monday.

Bowhunters do well at Ripley

Archers took a record 325 deer during the first of two two-day bow hunts held Oct. 19-20 at Camp Ripley Military Reservation near Little Falls, Minn.

That was a 41 percent increase from last year and is 160 percent above the long-term average harvest, according to a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources news release. Hunter success was about 15 percent (7 percent higher than the long-term average of 8 percent).

Be careful in tree stands

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources urges hunters to follow safety procedures when using tree stands. Five tree-stand accidents occurred during the early antlerless season Oct. 11-12.

Here are some safety tips:

* Follow the three-point rule: Always have three points of contact to the steps or ladder before moving (two arms and one leg or one arm and two legs).

* Be cautious when rain, frost, ice or snow cause steps to become slippery.

* Never carry equipment with you while you are climbing. Use haul lines to raise or lower gear. Make sure guns are unloaded and broadheads covered before moving them.

* Always wear a safety harness when you are in a tree stand, as well as when climbing into or out of a tree stand.

* A safety strap should be attached to the tree to prevent you from falling more than a foot.

* Always inspect the safety harness for signs of wear or damage before each use.

* Check permanent tree stands every year before hunting from them, and replace any worn or weak lumber.

* Inspect portable stands for loose nuts and bolts before each use.

reports from minnesota conservation officers

admin — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 02:16:43 +0000

From the Duluth News Tribune
published Sept. 16, 2008

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources conservation officer reports for Tuesday, Sept. 16

District 5 – Eveleth area

CO Darrin Kittelson (International Falls) spent time on wetland issues within the station. Checked grouse hunters and archery deer hunters, very little activity with the rainy weather. Bear hunting activity starting to slow a bit. Handled an injured eagle complaint, the eagle was captured and later sent on a plane to Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota.

CO Lloyd Steen (Ray/Kabetogama) reports checking grouse hunters on the opener. Very few hunters seen in the drizzling rain and fewer grouse. Violations for juvenile hunters under 14 years of age, unaccompanied by adults, juveniles illegally operating ATVs, juveniles on ATVs without helmets, juveniles without ATV safety certificates, and adults allowing illegal operation of ATVs by juveniles were addressed. Also checked experimental regulation lakes of Kabetogama and Namakan where citations for illegal length walleyes, transporting filleted walleyes on the water, and reducing fish to more than two fillets were handled. Also investigated camper trailers left on state land for more than several weeks unattended with litter.

C0 Troy Fondie (Orr) reports assisting Ely conservation officer with work project monitoring boating and angling activities and working on various equipment up keep issues.

CO Brad Schultz (Cook) reports following up on a fire from last week, dealing with a problem bear and mink, requests for bear meat, bear hunting questions, deer hunting questions, grouse hunting questions, internal DNR questions, and checking for hunting activity.

CO Don Bozovsky (Hibbing) finished field training with COC Vollbrecht. Officers worked early goose hunters, the opening of the small game seasons, ATV’s, and bear hunting activity. An illegal fire investigation was completed with a citation issued, along with enforcement action for littering for another individual in the case. Enforcement action was taken on no federal duck stamp, no state duck stamp, operate a motor vehicle on a state trail, fail to register bear bait station, careless or negligent fires, and fail to display ATV registration.

CO Matt Frericks (Virginia) spent time checking bear hunters and their baits. Some unmarked bait stations are being watched. Unfortunately, while looking for bear baits, CO Frericks found some active deer baiting. CO Frericks located a fisher set from last season. The trap had the remnants of a large fisher in it. The conibear trap still had the trap tag on it and an investigation is underway for a trap tending violation.

CO Mark Fredin (Aurora) checked fishing activities on area lakes and found fishing to be slow, the fall bite hasn’t started yet. Bear hunters are having some success and report bait stations are just starting to get hit. Officer Fredin also gave a law presentation for the Moose Orientation in Ely, many questions were answered, good luck to all of them.

District 6 – Two Harbors area

CO Brandon McGaw (Babbitt) spent time in the woods and on the water. The fish bite has picked up a little since temperatures are dropping. Bear hunters are having mixed results and most have called it a season. Time was also spent in Ely giving a moose orientation class to some of this falls moose hunters. Grouse hunters hit the woods on Saturday and had trouble seeing birds due to the thick foliage.

CO Dan Thomasen (Two Harbors) kept an eye on bear hunting activity throughout the week. Opening of deer archery and small game seasons were greeted with some soggy weather, which dampened the outing for many. Angling pressure has slowed some after Labor Day, however many are still catching fish both on Lake Superior and inland. Officer Thomasen would like to remind people to give extra consideration to wearing PFD’s as the weather and waters become colder. It could save your life.

CO Tom Wahlstrom (Tofte) worked anglers on Lake Superior. People need to review their salmon and trout identification before heading on the water. Stealhead are to be immediately released. Officer Wahlstrom checked bear hunters and their baits; overall compliance was good. A few grouse were bagged during the small game opener. The hunters enjoyed the changing leaves but found it frustrating to see the birds.

CO Darin Fagerman (Grand Marais) reports that a bear guide stopped him on the road and showed him some digital pictures of garbage and furniture dumped onto Forest Service land. The CO recognized a recliner that he had seen at another bear camp a few days before. The CO made some phone calls and fingers were pointed in the direction of a suspect and the case was turned over to the U.S. Forest Service Law Enforcement Officer. A citation was issued and the mess was cleaned up. The CO issued more citations this week for garbage in bear baits and for baiting with mammal bones. The majority of bear hunters do things right.

District 7 — Grand Rapids area

CO Thomas Sutherland (Grand Rapids) and COC Paurus spent the week on fishing and small game enforcement. They completed a dumping investigation where a large amount of garbage and vehicle parts were illegally left on public land. The officers also investigated wanton waste of some Canada geese.

CO Randy Patten (Northome) worked bear hunting activity, checked anglers, finished a required defensive driving training session, attended a trails meeting, and issued a cease and desist for a potential wetland violation.

CO Jeff Koehn (Grand Rapids – OHV Specialist) presented an enforcement report to the Itasca County Trails Task Force. CO Koehn helped train COC Vollbrecht in OHV enforcement efforts. They patrolled by ATV along trails and in known ATV use areas. Numerous deer stands were located and checked prior to the archery deer hunting opener. CO Koehn and COC Vollbrecht checked campgrounds common to ATV users. Enforcement activity for the week included, operate ATV with youth passenger no helmet, fail to display ATV registration, operate ATV without headlights, allow illegal juvenile operation of an ATV.

CO Gary Lefebvre (Pengilly) worked fishermen, watercraft, ATV’s, small game and archery deer hunters. He also checked bear hunters and handled several complaints during the week.

District 8 — Cloquet area

CO Randy Hanzal (Brookston) despite the rainy weather lots of sportsmen were contacted this weekend for the opener of small game and archery seasons. A district meeting was attended where current law updates and other issues were discussed. Bear hunters are reporting more activity at bait stations. A few ATV violations involving juveniles were encountered during the week. An informational visit was made to a local Game Farm and some of its neighbors.

CO Scott Staples (Carlton) attended a district meeting with other conservation officers and also spent time working on wetland cases in the area. One citation was issued to a person for failing to comply with a Wetland Conservation Act Restoration Order. Other time was spent checking small game and bear hunters in the area. Success rates are slow in the area. One hunter harassment case was worked and is still under investigation. CO Staples and CO Humphrey assisted with and taught the law portion of a trapper’s education class in Cromwell.

CO Jeff Humphrey (Kettle River) worked small game and archery deer opener and investigated complaints of trespass and deer shining. Officer Humphrey attended a district enforcement meeting and assisted at a Trapper Education class in Cromwell. Inclement weather put a damper on opening weekend activities in the area.

CO Kipp Duncan (Duluth) spent time working small game opener over the weekend. Several people were out chasing grouse, but the weather didn’t cooperate for most of opening weekend. Contact was also made with several archery deer hunters. All were excited about being in the woods again for another year. Some time was also spent checking goose hunting and fishing enforcement. Several calls have been taken during the week, with some requiring time and follow-up with possible enforcement action needed when completed.

CO Sarah Sindelir (Duluth) continued to investigate a dock complaint this past week. She also attended a district meeting in Cloquet. She spent time working early goose, bow, small game, and bear hunting activity. Enforcement action was taken for no license in possession.

Duluth Marine Unit

CO Troy Ter Meer (Marine Unit) attended a district meeting, worked on reports and paperwork from some past cases, and performed equipment maintenance. He checked boaters and anglers and assisted in area stations with early goose, small game, bear and archery deer hunters. Enforcement action was taken for a bear hunter who did not have his license in possession and investigation is ongoing into another possible violation.

CO Matt Miller (Marine Unit) checked anglers near Silver Bay and Tofte. The salmon and lake trout are cooperating with anglers much better now. Equipment maintenance issues were handled, and work areas were scouted for the beginning of hunting season. Enforcement action was taken for angling, boating, and controlled substance violations.

C.O. Keith Olson (Marine Unit) checked muskie anglers on the St. Louis River. One fish of +50″ was seen. Moved the Lake Superior boat for repairs. Attended a District 8 meeting. Calls of the upcoming deer season are on the increase. Small game hunters and ATV’s were checked over the wet and rainy weekend.