OUTDOORS NOTES

Deadline Friday for black bear, bull moose hunt applications

Application deadlines for 2008 black bear and bull moose hunts is Friday, according to the DNR.

This fall's black bear hunt will be Sept. 1-Oct. 12, and the DNR is offering 11,850 licenses spread across 11 permit areas. Hunters also may apply for "preference only" by applying in permit area 99.

Licenses for the no-quota area, the area outside of the 11 permit areas, can be purchased directly via electronic license systems beginning July 1. No previous application is necessary to buy a no-quota area license.

Bear licenses are $39 for residents and $196 for nonresidents. The bag limit will remain at two bears in the no-quota area and one bear in quota permit areas.

Information on the hunt may be found at mndnr.gov/hunting/bear.

This year's bull moose hunt runs Oct. 4-19, with 247 permits available in 30 zones in northeastern Minnesota. Winners are selected by drawing.

Because the moose hunt became a once-in-a-lifetime hunt in 1991, hunters who received permits for the 1991 hunt and later are not eligible to apply for the 2008 drawing.

Moose hunters must apply in parties of two to four and only Minnesota residents at least 16 years old are eligible. Hunters must include a $3 application fee for each individual in the party.

Hunters who have been unsuccessful in getting a permit at least 10 times since 1985 will be placed in a separate drawing for up to 20 percent of the available licenses. Those unsuccessful in this separate selection will be included in the regular drawing that follows.

Hunters chosen for moose permits must pay a license fee of $310 per party and attend a mandatory orientation session. The bag limit is one antlered moose per party.

For additional information, including an interactive map that details boundaries, physical fitness requirements and general ATV regulations for each zone, go to mndnr.gov/hunting/moose.

Applications for the above licenses may be made at one of the nearly 1,800 electronic license system vendors throughout the state or the DNR License Center at 500 Lafayette Road in St. Paul. Applications also may be made by calling (888) MNLicense or via the Internet at mndnr.gov/licenses/hunting.

Area fourth-graders among poster contest winners

Several area fourth-graders were among the winners in the DNR "Help Smokey Bear Look Out for Wildfires" poster contest.

The event was held to raise awareness of the need for vigilance in preventing wildfires and the importance of educating all citizens - especially children - about the issue. In Minnesota, about 90 percent of all wildfires are caused by people.

Fourth-grade students from around the state submitted artwork that focused on wildfire prevention. The winning posters will be used to create the 2009 Smokey Bear Calendar, to be produced later this year.

Each forestry region selected three winners. Each will receive a Minnesota State Parks Vehicle Pass, a $25 Pizza Hut gift certificate and a Smokey Bear T-shirt. The local winners:

Region 1 - Jovante Giro, Eagle View Elementary School, Pequot Lakes; Shauna Greely, Cuyuna Range Elementary School, Crosby.

Region 2 - Kristina Harder and Grace Payne, Longville Elementary School.

Region 3 - Sylvia Norquist and Hailey Sobania, Lincoln Elementary School, Little Falls.

Also, one honorable mention per region will receive a Smokey Bear T-shirt. Local honorable mention choices:

Region 1 - Mikaela Nordlund, Wadena Deer-Creek Elementary School.

Region 2 - Ethan Hendrickson, Rippleside Elementary School, Aitkin.

Artwork from five other students - including Bailey Steadman, Eagle View Elementary School, Pequot Lakes - will be used in the calendar.

One school from each region was awarded a set of Minnesota field guides for use in their media center. All are local schools:

Region 1 - Eagle View Elementary School, Pequot Lakes.

Region 2 - Longville Elementary School.

Region 3 - Lincoln Elementary School, Little Falls.

To see the winning posters, go to www.dnr.state.mn.us/education/wildfire/contestwinners.html.

Educational bus trip around Mille Lacs slated

Minnesota State Parks and the Minnesota Historical Society will host a special bus trip around Mille Lacs Lake.

The tour, titled "Ancient Mille Lacs: A Circle Tour," will be offered from 1-5:30 p.m. Saturday. It will include stops at archaeological sites and interesting geological features that make the Mille Lacs shoreline unique and historically significant.

Leading the tour will be archaeologist David Mather of the Minnesota Historical Society and Dave Kobilka, geology instructor at Central Lakes College.

The tour, offered as part of Minnesota Archaeology Week, is free. Registration is required and will be limited to the first 25 people.

To register, call the Mille Lacs Kathio State Park Interpretive Center at (320) 532-3269 and leave your name, phone number and number of people attending.

The tour will leave at 1 p.m. from Sha Bush Kung Bay Public Boat Access, located between Onamia and Garrison on U.S. Highway 169.

Pathway to Fishing youth program scheduled

The Journey Church of Nisswa will host a Pathway to Fishing youth educational program from 10 a.m.-noon Saturday at The Hot Spot Bait & Tackle Shop in Nisswa.

Pathway to Fishing is a 12-station, one-hour walk-through program that teaches fishing basics, aquatic ecology and angler ethics. It also provides information about local fishing opportunities.

Pathway to Fishing is geared to youth who have little or no fishing experience, but the program can be beneficial to people of all ages. Parents or guardians are encouraged to accompany the children through the program and learn with them.

Youngsters participating in the program each will receive a certificate of completion, ethical angler cards, knot cards, tackle and bait samples, decals, temporary tattoos and other items. Drawings also will be held.

The program was developed as a cooperative effort of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, USDA Forest Service, Berkley and In-Fisherman.

Sponsors are The Journey Church, Hot Spot Bait & Tackle Shop, Lindy-Little Joe, Berkley, Lindner's Angling Edge, Fiber Tech Productions, Northland Fishing Tackle, In-Fisherman and Lund Boats.

For more information, contact Gary Hasse, Pathway coordinator, at (218) 568-5802 or The Journey Church at (218) 963-2663.

DNR question of the week

Q: National Volunteer Week is Sunday through Saturday. Each year, thousands of people volunteer their time to help the DNR and other organizations with a variety of projects. What sort of volunteer opportunities does the DNR offer?

A: Volunteer opportunities vary across the state from assisting with wildlife research to cleaning rivers to playing Smokey Bear at the State Fair - just to name a few.

The DNR is looking for volunteers to help count loons, search for rare wildflowers, catch and identify dragonflies, conduct nighttime listening surveys of frogs and toads, monitor bluebird trails and plant trees at selected state parks, cut back brush on state trails, spread mulch and plant native vegetation as part of a shoreland restoration project and help high school students build wood duck and kestrel nest boxes.

Volunteer positions may be found on the DNR Web site at www.dnr.state.mn.us by clicking on the word "Volunteering" or by calling the DNR Information Center at (651) 296-6157 or (888) 646-6367. Children under 16 years of age must have adult supervision to volunteer. Opportunities are changed on a seasonal basis.