Outdoor notes

This year's annual banquet sponsored by the Brainerd Chapter of the Ruffed Grouse Society raised $11,200. This money can be earmarked for youth education projects or any habitat development project.

One of the projects this year will be a habitat development project at Brainerd High School farm on south Highway 25. Plans for the project are being made with Rick Horton, the RGS biologist for Minnesota.

Next year's banquet is scheduled for Aug. 7, 2001.

Confidence Learning Center to host fishing event

Confidence Learning Center is partnering with Angling Horizons to host a unique fishing weekend on Sept. 15-16.

Angling Horizons is a non-profit organization dedicated to increased access to outdoor recreational opportunities for persons with disabilities. Using the medium of fishing, Angling Horizons brings together persons with and without disabilities in a specially designed program to instill a rewarding fellowship in the outdoors.

Located on Sylvan Lake, Confidence Learning Center will be the site for the second annual event. Activities will include a fishing clinic and safety seminar on Friday evening and a full day of fishing on Saturday. Prizes will be awarded after a fish fry on Saturday evening.

Pre-registration is required. Space is limited to the first 100 persons. The $30 fee includes all meals, equipment, fishing and more. Volunteers are needed to provide on-shore services as well as fishing assistance. Call 828-2344.

Waterfowl seasons similar to 1999

Minnesota's waterfowl season is scheduled to open at noon Saturday, Sept. 30 and continue through Tuesday, Nov. 28 except for the Canada goose seasons in Lac qui Parle and West Central zones, which run Oct. 7-Nov. 5. The season in the West Goose zone and Northwest Goose zone is Sept. 30-Nov. 8. The snow goose daily bag limit increases from 10 to 20.

Except for opening day, shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to 4 p.m. daily through Oct. 7 and then from one-half hour before sunrise to sunset beginning Oct. 8 and continuing through the close of the season.

Daily bag limits will be six ducks of which four can be mallards. Only two of the mallards can be hens. The daily bag also cannot include more than three scaup, two wood ducks, two redheads, one black duck, one pintail and one canvasback. Possession limits are double the daily bag limit.

This will be the second year of the expanded December Canada goose season. The regular goose season begins Sept. 30 except in the areas noted above, which also have a daily bag limit of one goose. The remainder of the state will have a 70-day goose season from Sept. 30-Dec. 8 with a daily bag limit of two.

The season for light geese (snow, blue, Ross, white-fronted and brant) is Sept. 30-Dec. 24. The only exception is in the Lac qui Parle zone, where the season for all geese closes the same day as the Canada goose season. The daily bag limit will be 20 light geese, two white-fronted geese and one brant.

Money shortfall means reduction in services at campgrounds

The DNR's Division of Forestry will reduce grass cutting and garbage collections, require visitors to remove their own garbage, stop providing firewood and will clean toilets and campsites less frequently at some state forest campgrounds and day-use areas. The reduction in services is due to a lack of money.

Some campgrounds and day-use areas will receive no maintenance after Labor Day and before Memorial Day. Security patrols will remain at the current level. Signs will be posted to explain what changes have been made.

"It's well known the DNR received several million dollars in the last legislative session," said Steve Simmer, state forest recreation coordinator. "However, these funds were directed to the Parks and Recreation and Trails and Waterways divisions. The Division of Forestry was not included in the appropriations."

Preliminary designs for OHV park to be discussed

Preliminary designs for the 3,500-acre Virginia addition to the Iron Range Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation area will be discussed at a public meeting Monday, Aug. 21 at 6:30 p.m. at Virginia City Hall, 327 S. First St.

Results of an investigation by a site design sub-committee will be presented, along with recommendations from the DNR. Project planners will present an overview of the site designs and planning process and the public is invited to ask questions and make comments and suggestions. The public review process continues through Sept. 15. For a copy of the draft site designs, call (888) 646-6367 or call up the DNR website at www.dnr.state.mn.us.

DNR to host meetings about Con-Con lands

The status of the Consolidated Conservation lands in Marshall, Roseau and Beltrami counties will be the topic of an open-house meeting Aug. 21 from 6:30-9 p.m. at DNR headquarters at 500 Lafayette Road in St. Paul. The meeting is one of four intended to provide the public with a chance to review the designation and management of approximately 100,000 acres of Con-Con lands in those counties.

The meetings will consist of short presentations, conversations with DNR staff and a chance to comment. The other meetings are scheduled for Aug. 15 in Grygla at the Community Center, Aug. 16 at a town hall at the junction of C.R. 15 and Town Hall Road north of Bemidji, and Aug. 17 in Roseau at the City Auditorium. Written comments can be mailed to Wayne Edgerton, agricultural policy director, Minnesota DNR, 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN 55155-4013 or e-mail to wayne.edgerton@dnr.state.mn.us.

Firearms safety training begins Sept. 11

Youth firearms safety training begins Sept. 11 at the Moose Lodge in Brainerd. There will be six night classes lasting two-and-a-half hours each. Any youth who will be 12 by Nov. 4 can take the class. Some adults will also be accepted. The class is limited to 30 students.

To register call Clarence Aune at 764-3261.

Another three-week class will also take place in Brainerd from Sept. 7 through Sept. 26. The class will meet on three Thursdays and three Tuesdays from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. A final range day will take place on a Saturday. Openings are limited so students are encouraged to enroll early. Call one of the following four phone numbers and leave a message: 829-7582, 829-1159, 828-8153, 829-6180.

Steinbauer wins bass club tournament

Chuck Steinbauer won the Baxter Bass Snatcher club tournament Aug. 13 on Fish Trap Lake with an 18 pound, 12 ounce catch. Dixon Esary took second with 16 pounds and Guy Henkenslefken was third with 15 pounds. The big fish of the tournament was a 4 pound, 15 ounce bass caught by Esary.

Twenty six fishermen took part in the tournament. A total of 111 fish were caught and released.

Dennis Lothspeich leads the club in total points and is followed closely by Steinbauer, Brandon Cizek, Henkensiefken, Ron Mehta, Tom Swanson and Mick Ziebell.

Two tournaments remain on the schedule, with the next set for Aug. 26 at Little Boy/Wabedo lakes.