Woods & Water by Dick Herfindahl

 

Public invited to talk about deer at area open houses in March/April

Local, open-house-style meetings for discussions about deer and deer management with DNR area wildlife managers have been scheduled for late March and early April. The meetings do not include formal presentations. People can arrive any time during the scheduled meeting times. The meeting for our area will be held from 6-8 p.m. March 26 in Owatonna at the DNR Wildlife Office (Rice Lake State Park) 8584 Rose St., phone: 507-414-6200. For those who prefer to talk on the phone, people are welcome to call their area offices. The address for the Albert Lea area is 19499 780th Avenue, Albert Lea, MN, 56007 the phone number is 507-668-7071.

In addition to discussing general concerns about deer, individuals can ask DNR staff about last year’s harvest data, share observations, get a preview of the updated Chronic Wasting Disease Response Plan that will be formally released in April and discuss potential season changes. Season changes include a proposed statewide youth deer hunting season.

The plan’s eight major goals support a strategic direction that focuses on:

1. Communication, information sharing, public involvement

2. Deer stakeholder satisfaction

3. Population management, monitoring, research

4. Healthy deer

5. Healthy habitat

6. Impacts of deer on other resources

7. Deer management funding

8. Continuous improvement of deer management

Minnesota’s White-tailed Deer Management Plan will guide deer management from 2019-2028.

The plan benefits Minnesotans by outlining strategic direction, DNR responsibilities and new ways for the agency, citizens and stakeholders to address deer management.

The plan was finalized in 2018. It reflects input from a 19-member citizen advisory committee, dozens of public meetings and open houses, more than 1,100 survey comments and official letters from tribal governments, hunting organizations and others.

Minnesota’s White-tailed Deer Management Plan was written with you in mind. It is intended to improve state deer management by increasing agency transparency, citizen trust and stakeholder satisfaction.

It is easy to remain part of the plan. You can be involved by:

Reviewing a copy of the deer plan and our deer plan brochure.

Talking to your local wildlife manager. Office and phones number listed above.

Signing-up for the DNR deer management newsletter that arrives by email. To sign up, just go to the website below and enter your email address at the bottom of the page.

Viewing the interactive deer management map. Updated annually with new information for every deer hunting permit area, the map is a great way to view deer data for your local area.

Emailing or calling the DNR information line at 1-888-646-6367 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday. The information center staff are there to answer your questions or put you in touch with the appropriate person.

More information about this topic can be found on the DNR website: www.dnr.state.mn.us/mammals/deer/management/planning/index.html

 

Boat hosts needed for Governor’s Fishing Opener

Until next time, we are getting closer to our goal, but we are still in need of “fishermen” to sign up as fishing hosts. We haven’t quite reached the number of hosts needed to make this event a success. We really do need more hosts who will be willing to take media guests fishing. I would like to encourage anyone who is a registered boat owner and has been considering being a boat host or knows someone that might be interested in the Governor’s Fishing Opener by being a boat host to sign up online. The easiest way to do that is by going to www.mngovernorsopener.com look for the search box and type in boat host, click on search glass and it will take you to the page. Select boat host information and follow the instructions. You may also stop by the CVB office to pick up a registration form or call me at 507-383-2231 for more information. This is our chance to showcase this great community that we choose to live in and one that we are proud to call home.

Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers during the year 2019. They are the reason we are able to enjoy all of these wonderful freedoms we enjoy today.