Elk in Minnesota | Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park | MN Fish Facts | Guide’s Top Picks
Contents
In This Issue 6 From the Office by Erin Hintz
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Guide’s Top Picks For Fishing Gear
presented by Kruger Farms
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Tools of the Trade
LakeLady Custom Fishing Rods Combine Form and Function
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40
by Alicia Underlee Nelson
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Lures of Many Colors Miltona Man Creates Brilliant Baits
by Patrice Peterson
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The Otters - and Others 34 Hit the Lakes High School Fishing on the Rise
by Jen Miller
40 The Fish of Minnesota
by Kristi Coughlon MN DNR Public Information Officer
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Watching the Chickens Dance by Chuck Vukonich
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52 Minnesota’s Majestic Elk
by Kristi Coughlon MN DNR Public Information Officer
Forestville / Mystery Cave 58 Featured State Park Volume 2, Issue 3 • SPRING 2019
62 Business Spotlight Kelp Bay Fish Co. by Andrea Canning
BUSINESS OFFICE
66 Service Directory
118 South Vine Fergus Falls, MN
PUBLISHED BY Compass Media
Publisher Kip Johnson
EDITORS Brent and Jennifer Rogness
Sales manager John Burns
ART DIRECTOR photo by Craig Zlimen
Kip Johnson
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Sales staff Jerry Shea jerry@lakeandhomemagazine.com 218.205.7454 Erin Hintz erin@lakeandhomemagazine.com 218.205.2120 Andy Larson andy@lakeandhomemagazine.com 218.205.1004
WALLEYE
FISHING CONTEST Details on page 33
For advertising rates and information, contact artwork@lakeandhomemagazine.com. Subscriptions available upon request.
MAILING ADDRESS Lake & Home Outdoors 118 South Vine Fergus Falls, MN 56537 artwork@lakeandhomemagazine.com
This winter was a bear. In January, while temperatures were at 34 below, with a 60 below wind chill, we were flying back to Minnesota from Florida. When we arrived at the airport, we asked an employee if there was any chance of cancellation due to the weather, hoping they might give us an out. As a Florida resident, her response was, “It’ll be cold, but the planes still fly. Bring a jacket.” A jacket… Clearly, you’ve never experienced anything close to 30 below. Good for you. To our dismay, our plane did fly. We landed at the St. Cloud Municipal Airport. The air hurt. Our two-year-old was a tired mess. We were worried about our car starting, and travel conditions home. And then they came on the intercom to say, “There are airport employees outside with warm vehicles volunteering to shuttle everyone to their cars.” “Wow,” was the only word I could express.
They did just that. They spent 20 minutes on our car alone, along with a plane full of others until everyone had a plan to get on the road safely. What an amazing testament to the character of the people who live and work in our communities. Just when we were starting to think this tundra was uninhabitable, Minnesotans suit up and show up to help their neighbors. It was a long and trying travel day, but also a well-timed reminder of why we live here. “Minnesota Nice” is real. The people here are good. We had a friend devoting his week to taking care of our pets. Neighbors, friends and family were checking in to make sure we traveled safely, that our house was warm, the snow was moved, and that the package they noticed on the doorstep wasn’t anything that could freeze. I heard stories of business owners out in pickups, volunteering their time to help people who were stalled on the road.
We have officially survived the winter of 2018-2019! Turning our sights to the spring issue of Lake & Home Outdoors, we bring you articles on two Minnesota businesses in the custom fishing gear market, LakeLady Fishing Rods of Breezy Point, Minn., and Renegade Manufacturing of Miltona, Minn. You’ll also find articles on youth fishing, highlighting the increase in high school fishing teams. Additionally, you’ll discover a history and status of elk populations in Minnesota, a feature of an Alexandria business that delivers salmon and halibut directly from the fishermen in Alaska, and so much more. As you get back out on the lakes this fishing opener, check out the details on Underwood Quik-Stop’s fishing contest, listed in this issue, to find out how you can enter your trophy walleye for a chance to win a YETI cooler and a gift certificate to Underwood Quik-Stop. Enjoy your copy of Lake & Home Outdoors!
Our car, along with most everyone else’s, didn’t start. One by one, everyone was shuttled back inside the airport. We were trying to come up with plan B when someone said, “The volunteers are getting jumper cables to start everyone’s vehicles.” Speechless.
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Those are the people you’ll find in the pages of Lake & Home Outdoors. We are proud to have valued partnerships with these stand-up, honest business owners.
Erin Hintz
Marketing Consultant Lake & Home Outdoors
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PHEASANTS Dobyns Sierra Rods
Dobyns Sierra Spinning Rod packs premium components and balance into an affordable middle-of-the-road rod. Kevlar®wrapped high-modulus graphite blank delivers the durability and sensitivity you need to handle hard-fighting fish. Premium Fuji® Alconite® guides increase casting efficiency and smoothness. Fuji reel seat locks your reel in. Portugal AA-grade cork handle provides a sure grip. These technique-specific rods ensure you have the rod you need.
GoPro HERO7 Black
Freakishly smooth footage. Smart-capture superpowers. Battle-tested and waterproof without a housing. This is HERO7 Black, the most advanced GoPro ever. With HyperSmooth stabilization, you’ll get gimbal-like video— without the gimbal. A new intelligent photo mode delivers the best, most brilliant images automatically.
Keitech Swing Impact FAT
Keitech’s revolutionary two-tone injection process uses several different types of salted plastics to achieve perfect balance and action. The most impressive feature of these great swim baits is the ability to maintain a perfect swimming motion at any retrieve speed. The tapered design ringed body distorts the shape to a more natural appearance. The center rigging line provides the perfect position to ensure the bait is rigged correctly. Impregnated with a heavy dose of squid scent as well, the Keitech Swing Impact FAT is sure to become a familiar site in rod-lockers and stowaways everywhere.
Shimano Curado DC 150 XG
Redefining performance, the Shimano Curado 150 DC Casting Reel blends all of the winning attributes of the Shimano Curado 200K with Shimano’s Digitally Controlled braking system, resulting in one of the most dependable and technologically advanced reels on the market. Offering easy, trouble-free, long distance casting throughout a range of conditions and baits, the Shimano Curado 150 DC Casting Reel features an externally adjustable braking system that is measured and controlled by a microcomputer every 1/1000 of a second, so it applies the optimal amount of braking pressure, virtually eliminating backlashes and maximizing casting distance.
Mission Tackle Walleye Slayer Jig
This jig features flash foil finish and realistic 3d eyes plus a premium black nickel Mustad Ultra-Point hook. The Walleye Slayer jig pairs perfectly with Z-Man and Keitech soft plastics or for use with live bait applications.
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Sunline Super FC Sniper Fluorocarbon fishing line
FC Sniper Fluorocarbon line is 100% fluorocarbon that offers anglers the latest generation of fluorocarbon line available today. The low pound-test lines excel for all light line techniques and for any time you DON’T want fish to see your line. You cannot buy better fluorocarbon line than Sunline’s FC Sniper. This is professional level fishing line for anyone that wants the best.
Simms Challenger Ultra Tackle Bag
Any day on the boat is a good day, but having all the right gear at your fingertips helps make for great days. Our Challenger Ultra Tackle Bag organizes a broad selection of tackle without compromising on precious space in the boat. An easy-open lid reveals a spacious main compartment with adjustable dividers to create dedicated zones to keep every lure, hook, leader and weight within reach. Multiple exterior pockets offer quick access to high-use items, and there is a stowable rain cover to protect from waves and weather. A removable shoulder strap helps make carrying your gear to and from the boat easy.
Rapala Deluxe Cordless Fillet Knife
With no cords to get in the way, the Rapala Deluxe Cordless Fillet Knife makes even the toughest filleting chores a quick and easy task. Two removeable and rechargeable battery packs provide the ample power source needed to complete the job. Charger base allows charging of one battery while you put the other to use, or pre-charge both for fast shore lunch preparation in the field. A 6 inch and 7-1/2 inch blade are included. All are neatly packed in a compact carrying case to bring the ease of electric filleting everywhere.
Shimano Ultegra Spinning Reels
Engineered with a focus on smoothness and efficiency, the Shimano Ultegra Spinning Reels boast a range of Shimano’s signature technologies for bolstered performance and durability. To improve casting distance and line management, the Shimano Ultegra Spinning Reels utilize Shimano’s Aero Wrap Oscillation, which layers the line onto the spool in a criss-cross pattern for reduced line-to-line friction.
Built using HAGANE Gearing and X-Ship technology, the Shimano Ultegra Spinning Reels deliver unmatched smoothness and increased power that you can feel with every turn of the handle. Implementing Core Protect as well, the Shimano Ultegra Spinning Reel provides waterresistance without creating a heavy rotation feeling. To the angler, these features work together to make the Shimano Ultegra Spinning Reels respond quickly and positively in a wide-variety of fishing situations.
YETI Tundra Haul
The first-ever YETI cooler on wheels is the answer to taking Tundra’s® legendary toughness and unmatched insulation power the extra mile. Nothing was sacrificed in the making of this cold-holding powerhouse, ensuring the Haul™ lives up to the Tundra name. The Tundra® Haul™ is now the toughest cooler on two wheels.
Z-Man Slim Swimz
This downsized ElaZtech® swimbait delivers the incredible softness, swimming action, and 10X Tough durability of its larger brethren in a smaller package. Featuring Z-Man’s exclusive curved paddle tail, it really shines when walleye, largemouth or smallmouth are keyed in on smaller forage.
30344 County Rd. 18 | Starbuck, MN 56381 | 877-631-0490 Located 2 miles south of Starbuck, Minn., Kruger farms has all your hunting, fishing, and outdoor gear needs in central Minnesota. Knowledgeable staff and the areas largest selection of top brand gear including Rapala, YETI, Simms, G-Loomis, Sitka, Shimano, Avery and more! Every product we sell has been hand-tested on-site by our guides. The only products we carry are those our guides rely on in the fields.
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PHEASANTS FISHING
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K
ris Kristufek was a fisherman first and a craftsman second. A passion for the sport led him from a highpowered sales career to an unexpected second act creating artful, ergonomic fishing rods for anglers all over the world. Many of his customers use their rods on the lakes that dot the Midwest. But others cast out into the waters of New York and New Jersey, Georgia and Alabama. They take their saltwater fishing rods to Florida and fish rugged spots in Wyoming and Colorado. Kristufek’s custom rods can be found as far away as Norway, Portugal and Australia. A military friend took a travel rod to fish in Saudi Arabia. All of these rods started in the same place – the LakeLady Custom Fishing Rods shop on the shores of Pelican Lake. When Kristufek isn’t in his studio in Breezy Point, Minn., he’s got his own line in the water. If he’s not on Pelican Lake, you might find him on Leech Lake or Lake of the Woods, chasing trophy northern pike in northwestern Ontario or seeking out salmon and rockfish in Alaska.
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“I think my customer is a whole lot like me,” says Kristufek. “I enjoy the out of doors. I enjoy fishing. I enjoy being with nature and trying to outsmart the fish long before the catch. Catching is the bonus. Just being out there is total relaxation for me and makes me one with everything that’s going on around me.” The idea for LakeLady Custom Fishing Rods sprang from a simple need. “I’ve spent my life fishing in the United States and many foreign countries, but I never ever felt like I was fishing with a tool that really fit me, that gave me the sensitivity, that gave me the extra punch I needed to outsmart the fish,” Kristufek explains. “I found I could build a much better, more sensitive rod than I found in a sporting goods store.” Kristufek isn’t against the basic rods you find in sporting goods stores, necessarily. He acknowledges everybody needs to start somewhere. But as an angler’s skill and passion for the sport grows, they’ll need to take the next step and select tools that best fit the task at hand. In this way, he says, fishing is just like any other sport.
"I found I could build a much better, more sensitive rod than I found in a sporting goodsstore." Kris Kristufek
LakeLady Custom Fishing Rods
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“A professional golfer would not use golf clubs he got from a sporting goods store,” he explains. “He would have those clubs made for him.” When an angler is ready to take the next step and invest in a fishing rod made specifically for them, Kristufek is ready. Each finished rod is as distinct as the user, but the customization process always starts in the same way. “What we do with custom rods is find the spine or backbone of the rod,” Kristufek explains in the patient, deliberate cadence of a man who has taught the craft of custom rod building to groups of high school students, artists, outdoors enthusiasts and retirees across the Midwest. “It’s inherent in all tubes. And we need to utilize that for strength and flexibility.” The spine is the natural bend in a rod blank. It’s a tangible, tactile thing that a rod maker can feel. This is the backbone of the rod, the element that centers and supports every other part. Working with, not against, the
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backbone helps every element function together elegantly and efficiently. “If the custom rod is built on the spine, it will remain stable in your hand,” explains Kristufek. “It will not twist and turn. You’ll be able to use all of your thought process and energy to focus on the fish.” The location of the spine determines where every other element on a custom rod – from the reel seat to the guide stations – will be placed. LakeLady Custom Fishing Rods uses high quality components, including carbon fiber, bamboo rod blanks, Portuguese cork, lightweight CNC seats and high strength ALPS seats and guides. “We locate the guide stations so that there are no sharp angles and so there is no friction,” Kristufek explains. “Once we reduce the friction in the rod, you can feel more.”
“If the custom rod is built on the spine, it will remain stable in your hand.” Kris Kristufek
LakeLady Custom Fishing Rods
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Kristufek considers a variety of factors when creating a custom rod, including, “Favorite color, hand and arm measurement, where and what species they’re going to fish for, what technique they’ll use, how often they fish.” Kristufek specializes in creating spin, casting, saltwater, fly fishing and ice fishing rods, as well as rods geared toward catching musky and salmon. With all these variables to consider, no two rods are the same.
design. Kristufek explains that most rods in the sporting goods store are made for the average angler – a 5’10” man with a size 9.5 shoe who fishes four times a year.
Each LakeLady rod is ergonomically fitted for its user, which reduces casting fatigue and makes a rod feel almost weightless. A customer’s height, hand size and the length of their arms and forearms are measured and incorporated into the
The end result is a well-constructed tool that’s been customized to suit its user’s build, needs, skills and goals. But when customers and fellow anglers see a LakeLady rod in person, the bells and whistles are sometimes what they notice first.
“I mean, does that sounds like you?” he asks incredulously. “You wouldn’t pick up a pair of shoes and just walk out. We all wear shoes. But mine don’t fit you. You need to measure. It’s the same thing with custom rods.”
“A lot of people think a custom rod has to have all kinds of fancy bling to it, lots of artistic embellishment,” Kristufek says ruefully. “That’s the pixie dust for custom rods. It’s the way the rod is built that makes it special.” That might be true, but that doesn’t mean that Kristufek doesn’t employ a little artistic pixie dust of his own. He has two shops in his Breezy Point home, one for the wood turning and carving and one for wrapping and finishing and a second for packing
and finishing that’s stocked to the gills with rod blanks, dyes and colorful threads. If a customer wants an intricately carved wood handle, Kristufek will create a custom inlay, illustration or checkerboard pattern in the first shop. If the client is after something a little more colorful than stained and carved wood, he’ll dye, wrap and weave designs onto the rod that are as unique as the user themselves. Kristufek uses a variety of artistic techniques to take a client’s vision to the next level.
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“My very favorite technique is crosswrapping,” says Kristufek. “It’s threads that are wrapped on cross point. You can make boxes and squares and circles and hearts. They become allusions based on the way the thread is wrapped on the rod blank and the colors.” Kristufek has wrapped intricate images of fish on rods. He’s inlaid tiny feathers, engraved meaningful dates and honored family members, sports teams and family tartans. He’s also proficient in several dying techniques. “Marbling is fun,” he says. “It’s colored dyes that are applied to the rod blank and manipulated with tools as the rod is turned.” It’s a labor of love. It takes between seven and 10 hours to complete an average rod, but Kristufek has spent up to 40 hours working on one weaving project alone. Carving the segmented wood handles can be equally time consuming, since he has to cut, dry and shape the wood. Many customers choose stabilized burl woods like black ash, maple or box elder, or opt for exotic woods from around the world. Sometimes the wood itself is meaningful to a customer. This can sometimes present new challenge for Kristufek, like when a customer asked him to give a rustic cedar fence post new life as a fly rod handle.
“I think I counted 110 growth rings in this gnarly fence post from western North Dakota,” says Kristufek. “It took about four hours just to turn the handle of this fly rod just because of the knots. I didn’t want it to explode.” This hands-on process, the focus on the tiny details is part of custom rod making’s appeal. Even though the materials have grown more lightweight and durable over time, the process of crafting a custom fishing rod has changed very little. “Rods are built today much like they were 30, 40 years ago,” Kristufek explains. “The guides and handles and reel seats are all attached to a rod blank by hand. The rod blanks are wrapped by hand. There’s a lot of hand labor involved in the process.” The rod building process attracts skilled craftspeople and individuals interested in working with their hands, people drawn in by a desire to take an old art and make it new, and anglers looking to take their own fishing to the next level. Kristufek has taught the art of rod building to over 400 students, both at North House Folk School and at high schools around the upper Midwest. With such an impressive body of work and deep artistic cultural connections, it’s easy to assume that Kristufek had always been an artist. That assumption couldn’t be further from the truth.
The rod building process attracts skilled craftspeople and individuals interested in working with their hands. Kristufek has taught the art of rod building to over 400 studentS. “I had no idea that I had any kind of artistic ability in me at all,” he says. “I didn’t study art when I was young or in college. I enjoyed artsy things but it really didn’t intrigue me to the point where I studied it. My mother was a charcoal artist. So she had some artistic talent. But none of the others in our family did. This thing just kind of came naturally to me as I got into it and learned how to do these different types of illustrations.
Given his success, Kristufek has been featured on numerous Midwestern television shows and in many magazines and newspapers. He has built custom fishing rods for then-Governor Jesse Ventura and professional anglers, earned Best of Show awards from the Custom Rod Builders Guild and been mentored by rod builders from around the world. You might assume that rod building was a long time dream. Wrong again. Kristufek tumbled headlong into his vocation by accident. After working 60 to 70 hours a week in sales for a major oil company, he retired early and soon found himself at loose ends.
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“The day after retirement I had nothing to do,” he says. “I had no previous outside experience other than work or family. So I went down to our local library in Brainerd and I found two paragraphs in an old “Field & Stream” magazine that talked about building custom rods and what they were. It was enough to intrigue me, and I bought a kit from a component supplier. I built the rod. It had a one-page instruction sheet on how to put this rod together.” And how did that first rod turn out? Kristufek roars with laughter. “It was just atrocious!” he says merrily. “It was terrible. Every once in a while I go look at it and marvel. That got me started.” He kept at it, applying the same dedication to his craftsmanship as he had to his sales career. He improved, picking up and refining the skills he needed as he went. The rods he made for himself began attracting notice. The trickle of commissions grew into a steady stream. “Since then I’ve sold something pretty close to 3,000 rods,” Kristufek says with pride. “They’re being used all over the world. I’ve built rods for governors, senators, four-star generals and everyday fisherman like you and me.”
Every LakeLady rod is inscribed with the owner’s name, signed by Kristufek and numbered like the fine art that it is. Then it’s carefully placed in a custom embroidered rod sock made by Kristufek’s wife Wini to protect it during its travels. Some LakeLady Custom Fishing Rods travel around the world, just like their owners and their maker. But sometimes they don’t go far at all – just a few steps down to the boat on Pelican Lake and out onto the water. So how many rods has Kristufek made for himself? Since he considers himself to be similar to his customers in his quest for superior quality, beauty and function and travels around the world chasing the next great catch, it’s not a random question. He stops for a moment to consider the question. “I think I have somewhere in the range of 40 to 50 rods, from fly rods to boat roads,” he muses, making a quick tally. “I have a couple saltwater rods. Ice, walleye, muskie rods, little tiny ice rods…” He stops and cracks a grin so broad you can almost hear it. “My wife says way too many. So I ask her, ‘How many pairs of shoes do you have?’” He pauses, wryly triumphant. “And that ends the discussion.”
As far as Kristufek and his customers are concerned, custom rods from LakeLady Custom Fishing Rods are even better than shoes. They’re just as practical, but much more durable. And there’s no question that they’re more beautiful. A custom fishing rod is a sophisticated tool that doubles as a work of art, an investment in an angler’s sport and passion that will pay off for years to come.
OUTDOORS
A custom fishing rod is a sophisticated tool that doubles as a work of art, an investment in an angler’s sport and passion that will pay off for years to come.
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C
PHEASANTS
hoosing the right bait when fishing can be challenging, even to the most experienced anglers. The business of designing, manufacturing, painting, and then marketing fishing lures can be even more challenging. The size, shape, detail, and color are just a few of the endless considerations taken into account before a lure can be manufactured, sold and used. Not all anglers would agree on what makes the best lure, of course, but the popularity of custom-painted lures has increased in the past few years as many of those anglers want lures of a specific color for different lakes, different weather or different water clarity.
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One company that is beginning to produce custom coloring for both hard and soft baits is Renegade Manufacturing in Miltona. Owned by Drake Herd, Renegade has been operating as an OEM (original equipment manufacturer) since 2012, producing lures that are labeled and marketed for other companies. In the past six months, Herd has been expanding Renegade, a strictly businessto-business company, and now dealing directly with customers after realizing he had developed an efficient and innovative solution for custom coloring lures.
“While most companies use an airbrushing technique, painting one lure at a time, Herd has created a process that has a high-quality finish, making the paint last longer, plus he can do more than one at a time, faster than anyone else out there,” claims Gary Parsons, professional walleye fisherman, and co-host of The Discovery Channel’s “The Next Bite” TV show with his son Chase.
“Many places can paint crankbaits and hard plastics, but very few places can do what Herd does with soft plastic lures.� Gary Parsons
Professional Walleye Fisherman
“Many places can paint crankbaits and hard plastics, but very few places can do what Herd does with soft plastic lures,” Parsons continues. “When my son and I first saw it, we both thought: ‘Wow, we’ve never seen anything like this, even with the large walleye bait companies.’” Herd’s methodology is proprietary, but he says he can color anything from a Berkley Ripple Shad to Zoom Flukes.
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“We can do all sizes, from little crappie lures all the way up to big musky lures,” he says. “We’ve only started getting the custom coloring business going in the last six months, but we try to come out with a different specialized color every week. If someone wants us to create a specific color of their choice, we can also do that, as long as they order at least 10 lures.”
Growing up on Lake Carlos in Alexandria, Herd started fishing before he started school. He began venturing out on the lake with his younger brother when Herd was strong enough to operate the 14-foot Crestliner with a 9.9-horse motor on the fishing boat. “We had to stay between ‘the points,’ but we were out fishing as much as our parents would let us,” he says. “I entered my first fishing tournament when I was 7 years old, and my dad and I took second place. I thought we were the kings of the world.”
“We can do all sizes, from little crappie lures all the way up to big musky lures.” Drake Herd
Rene gade Manufacturing
As soon as he got his driver’s license at the age of 16, Herd began working as a fishing guide and became fully committed to the fishing industry. “I made my living as a guide until I got out of college,” he says, “and along the way I began meeting so many people in the industry and attending all the sports shows. What I consistently found was a need and desire for more fishing lures. I started a business tying jigs and bucktails
for places like Musky Mayhem in Parkers Prairie, who gave me my first chance.” Although he would meet other manufacturers at those shows, Herd says he didn’t know much about making, packing or shipping the lures. “I didn’t have a clue, so it was a bit of trialand-error when I started out,” he remembers. “In the beginning, it was all musky baits, but now it’s ‘anything and everything.’”
With seven full-time employees at Renegade, Herd says it’s a “really great group,” and all of them are capable of handling each and every aspect of the manufacturing processes, including the molding, custom painting, hooking and packaging. “We sometimes put in 60-80 hours a week – whatever it takes to get it done.” At 31, Herd now fishes on the National Walleye Tour while running his business.
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“Drake is one of the young guns on the national tournaments, and he has gotten to know my son, Chase, who is on the TV show with me,” says Parsons. “He came to us for help in getting some marketing advice and ideas with his custom coloring business, feeling he needed help in speeding up his exposure within the industry. We knew he had been building baits since he was 16, but what he has created with this custom coloring is new and innovative. There’s nothing out there like it. We acted on a consultant basis, using our connections in the industry, and he has a wonderful process and end product that is starting to make some waves out there.”
With the custom color painting getting off the ground this year, Herd is optimistic that the two separate aspects of his Renegade Manufacturing will both continue to thrive, allowing him the “luxury” of maintaining his livelihood in the fishing industry, where his passion has never wavered. He and his family live near Lake Ida in Alexandria, and his wife Ivy also loves to fish, of course. She works as a nurse, but is also a “huge part” of the Renegade business. Hudson, the older of their two sons, already shares his dad’s passion for fishing at the age of 3. “He will spend hours and hours with me in the boat, just going through the lures,” he says, “and when we head back over to Lake Carlos, he will sit on the dock fishing with grandpa for hours.”
“By adding this custom coloring to the business, it’s a chance to grow my own brand and be nationally recognized.”
Drake Herd
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Majoring in business management and economics at Hamline University, Herd always had it in his mind to someday start his own business. “I knew when I graduated in 2011 that I wanted to remain in the fishing industry,” he adds, “and I also knew I wanted to be my own boss. By adding this custom coloring to the business, it’s a chance to grow my own brand and be nationally recognized, plus still be able to participate in the walleye tournaments. I think I’ve found my fishing niche.”
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PHEASANTS FISHING
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The fastest growing school sport doesn’t take place in the gym or out on the field. It isn’t played with a ball, nor does it require a helmet. The fastest growing school sport takes place out on the lake.
A
s ice melts off the lakes, let’s talk about the fastest growing school sport to sweep across the Land of 10,000 Lakes. But be warned: Before you finish this article, you may find yourself digging through your tackle box. The fastest growing school sport doesn’t take place in the gym or out on the field. It isn’t played with a ball, nor does it require a helmet. The fastest growing school sport takes place out on the lake. It requires a fishing rod and tackle. “It is something that’s new to the school, but 36 Lake & Home Outdoors SPRING 2019
a pastime that people have enjoyed for a long time,” Fergus Falls Otters fishing team coach Ethan Soland commented. He went on to say, “I was fortunate to have a dad that took me fishing basically since I could walk. I had the opportunity to learn a lot from him and my uncles and grandpa. I realize as a teacher there are a lot of kids that don’t get this opportunity, so we thought a school fishing league would be a good fit for our school.” Hawley school fishing team coach Phil Jensen agreed, “We feel this is a great opportunity to get kids interested in a
lifetime sport and to give them an opportunity to learn about the sport of fishing.” Coach Jensen started fishing with his dad and granddad when he was 3 years old and went on to compete in fishing tournaments and guiding in his teen years. “I took the position as coach because I wanted to share my passion for the sport with others, and help get the younger generation interested.” But it was the students in the Perham school district that brought up the idea of a fishing league. “A bunch of students put the idea together. We as a district followed suit,” Perham School fishing league coach Randin Olson stated. He continued to share that, “About seven percent of the students on the league hadn’t been or weren’t in high school sports, so it was nice to offer this opportunity, and the feedback has been positive.” Coach Olson also started fishing at a young age. “There’s nothing that swims that I don’t like to catch,” Coach Olson added. The Fergus Falls Otters, Hawley Nuggets and Perham Yellow Jackets are preparing to launch into their second season with the Heart O’ Lakes Fishing League. “We are very excited. We’ve had lots of students asking about it since the start of the year,” Coach Soland commented and went on to say, “Last season, we had 45 kids in the league ranging from seventh to 12th grade, and considering it was our first year, we were pretty excited to have that many kids in the league.”
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PHEASANTS The Heart O’ Lakes is split up into two divisions. The North consists of students from Hawley, Ulen-Hitterdal-Norman County East, Pelican Rapids, Barnesville, Detroit Lakes, Perham, New York Mills, and Rothsay. The South consists of students from Alexandria, Bertha-Hewitt, Breckenridge, Minnewaska, Parkers Prairie, and Fergus Falls. The Heart O’ Lakes Fishing League drops their fishing lines in the water at the beginning of June and fish until August. Student anglers are required to register through their local school, and if they’re
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required by the DNR to have a license, then they must follow those rules. Student anglers are encouraged to use their equipment, but the league will equip those who are unable to supply fishing rods and tackle. Like any school sport, the season starts with practice. The Otters like to meet out on lakes scattered all around Otter Tail County such as Ten Mile Lake and Pelican Lake while the Perham Yellow Jackets like to troll Star Lake and Big Pine. “The cool thing about this is you can be pretty mobile,” Coach Soland mentioned.
The Heart O’ Lakes is a multi-species fishing league, in other words, they’re reeling in walleye, bass, northern, crappies and sunfish. “We fish with everything from tried and true live bait to artificial, which allows a fisherman to fish a lot of different ways,” Coach Soland commented. “It depends on the time, day, lake and what I’m fishing for,” student angler Cameron Lunde explained, as he dug through his tackle box. “When I’m fishing for largemouth bass, I like to use my frog lure.” While the students troll the lake, they learn fishing skills, boater safety, and topics related to fisheries and aquatic invasive species. “The league teaches kids how to fish on their own, but it also teaches them
While the students troll the lake, they learn fishing skills, boater safety, and topics related to fisheries and aquatic invasive species. life lessons such as patience and learning to go after something they want to find or do. The kids also help obtain sponsorships and are involved with fundraising. There is a lot of good that comes out of it,” Coach Olson said. For some student anglers, it is their first time baiting a hook. “Some students throughout the league had never fished before, and it went very well for them. One example is a girl from Pelican Rapids who had never fished nor ever been in a boat before and the first night that she fished, her boat finished in the top eight,” Coach Jensen explained. The Heart O’ Lakes Fishing League rules state two league members and a boat captain to a boat, and boats must be operated by the boat captain. The coaches and boat captains are all volunteering both their time and their boats. “The volunteers are the
best part of the league. We have dads, granddads, uncles, and people from the community bringing their boats out and volunteering their time to take kids fishing. I thought it was going to be tough to find people willing to volunteer, but we ended up having a lot of extra boat captains and the feedback from the boat captains has been awesome,” Coach Soland explained. The Heart O’ Lakes is a multi-species catchrecord-release league where each fish is measured and recorded and returned to the lake in an attempt to keep the fish healthy by getting them back in the water as soon as possible. “The anglers in each boat are then allowed to score their top five fish for the day. The length of each fish is converted to a point system for their score. The top eight teams for each league night are awarded tackle pack prizes,” Coach Jensen commented.
The three schools expect the number of student anglers to increase as they prepare for the upcoming season. The excitement is there, and there are over 10,000 lakes to choose from. The only thing missing is a set of floating bleachers for family and friends to come out and cheer the league on. “My two favorite things are teaching and fishing, so coaching a school fishing league was a perfect fit for me. I grew up in the Ottertail area and developed a passion for fishing and its fun sharing that passion with my students. I hope the school fishing leagues continue long into the future,” Coach Soland concluded.
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FISHING The black crappie is one of the most popular sport fish in the U.S. It is in the sunfish family, along with the white crappie. Black crappies prefer clearer water than white crappies. Crappies are nest builders. Spawning occurs in the nest, which is built and defended by the male who guards the nest and young. Their populations are cyclic and unpredictable.
Bluegills are one of the most common and easiest to catch freshwater fish in North America. They can be found in schools of 10-20 in shallow water. “Gills” bite year round, put up quite a fight when caught and are a go-to favorite for getting kids hooked on fishing! Breeding males are the most colorful. Males build the nest during spring spawning, and once the female drops her eggs, the male chases her out and guards the eggs until they hatch (five days).
The rainbow trout is a member of the salmon family. It gets its name from the beautiful, shiny colors of its skin - a pinkish stripe down their middle and a silvery belly. Rainbows are native only to the rivers and lakes of North America west of the 40 Lake & Home Outdoors SPRING 2019
Rocky Mountains. They were stocked in Minnesota a century ago. The rainbows of Lake Superior and the North Shore streams have a distinctive spawning behavior. The young will live in the streams where they were hatched until they reach spawning age (around 3
years). Adults will spend their lives in Lake Superior and then during spawning season, migrate from the lake up the same tributary where they were hatched. Rainbows that live in a lake and move into streams to spawn are known as “steelheads.”
The walleye is the state fish of Minnesota and the most sought-after by anglers. It is mostly nocturnal and avoids bright sunlight. It gets its name from its opaque, cloudy-looking eye that helps it see and capture prey in low light. It also has a prominent white tip on the lower fin of
the tail. Lake walleyes spend their days in deep, cool waters between 20 and 60 feet where they hang out in weed beds, submerged trees or other structures. River walleyes prefer drop-offs or holes away from the sunlight. They take advantage of their visual acuity to feed at dusk, dawn
and night, moving to shallower waters to feed on small fish (such as perch), large invertebrates and insects. They can travel up to 50 miles in one night. Females live longer and are larger than males and both can live up to 20 years. Walleye have taste buds in their lips.
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The largemouth bass is the largest species of the sunfish family. It is a solitary fish that hides between rocks, sunken trees and vegetation and strikes at its prey from the shadows. Its forward-facing mouth is very large and when closed, the lower jaw extends behind the eyes. Largemouth fry (young under 2 inches) will stay in a school, called a “brood swarm,” for three to four weeks while guarded by the male bass. Bass need to consume four pounds of forage to gain one pound of body weight.
Brook trout are native to the state. Although it is called a trout it is actually a char, joining the Dolly Varden and lake trout (also native to Minnesota) as native North American chars. Brookies can inhabit a wide range of waters, but are mostly found in the northern streams of the state. They are sensitive to poor oxygenation and acidity and as such, are indicators of clean water. This trout has been hybridized with other species to form new species, such as the tiger trout (hybrid between brown trout and brook trout) and splake (hybrid between lake trout and brook trout).
The wary and wily brown trout is not native to North America, but to Germany. It is the hardiest of the trout species and can tolerate warmer, less clear water than the brook or rainbow trout. Browns are fast growing and can occasionally exceed 10 pounds. Freshwater forms of brown (and rainbow) trout that migrate from lakes into rivers or streams to spawn are known as “potamodromous,” meaning they migrate within fresh water. 42 Lake & Home Outdoors SPRING 2019
The pumpkinseed can be distinguished from its close relative, the bluegill, by the bright orange spot at the tip of the ear flap and the lack of a dark blotch on the soft portion of the dorsal. Like the bluegill, it is fond of shallow waters and easy to catch from shore. Pumpkinseeds and other shore-dwelling fish are affected by shoreline development that may cause destruction to the spawning grounds, such as when sites become covered with silt and sand. Pumpkinseeds have a small mouth and eat aquatic insects and other invertebrates. It uses its specially adapted teeth to feed heavily on snails.
The sauger, sometimes called the sand pike, is in the same family as the walleye. The dorsal (top) fin on the sauger has black spots whereas the walleye does not. It is smaller and slower growing than the walleye with a more acute vision than the walleye. Unlike its cousin, it feeds aggressively during the day. They are also more typical of rivers and more tolerant of high turbidity (muddy water) and strong current. In Minnesota, they are found mainly in lakes along the Minnesota-Wisconsin border and in Lake of the Woods, Rainy Lake and other large northern lakes. Walleye and sauger will sometimes interbreed producing a saugeye.
The common carp is a large omnivorous fish with large scales, a long dorsal fin base and two pairs of long barbels (whiskers) in its upper jaw. Although native to Europe and Asia, it was intentionally introduced into Midwest waters as a game fish in the 1880s. The common carp is considered one of the most damaging aquatic invasive species in
Minnesota. Its feeding behavior tears up shallowly rooted plants and muddies the waters which impacts shallow lakes and wetlands. Its feeding behavior can cause the release of phosphorus that increases algae abundance, which can cause declines in aquatic plants needed by waterfowl and fish. SPRING 2019 Lake & Home Outdoors 43
The northern pike, also known as a pike or northern, is one of the fastest growing freshwater fish and can live for more than 20 years. It is a voracious predator and ambushes its prey from beds of aquatic vegetation and stumps in shallow water. Pike are exciting to catch, eat about anything and will readily attack all different types of lures. They have a mouth full of sharp teeth and an attitude to go with them. What’s up with the slimy body? This slime reduces friction as the pike accelerates (up to 8-10 miles per hour) through the water.
Get out the ice fishing rod for this fish. Yellow perch are one of the most commonly caught and highly sought after fish in winter. Their taste rivals that of their larger cousin, the walleye. The largest yellow perch recorded in Minnesota was caught in Lake
Plantagenet (Hubbard County) and weighed 3 pounds, 4 ounces. Yellow perch spawning is unique in that female yellow perch lay their eggs in long gelatinous strands, usually floating or hanging from vegetation or some other structure.
The white sucker, or just plain sucker, has fleshy lips, no teeth and soft fins. It is a bottom feeder that slurps up organic matter from the bottoms of rivers, streams and lakes. It is one of the most common fish in Minnesota and considered an important forage and
bait species. When they are younger and smaller, suckers are preyed on by northern pike, muskellunge, bass, walleyes and sauger. Young suckers, or sucker minnows, are reared as a bait species for anglers.
The two largest species of catfish in Minnesota are channel and flathead. The channel catfish is distinguished from flathead catfish mainly by its forked tail. Channel cats are wide ranging, living in large, slow rivers and smaller waters. They can tolerate turbid water and temperatures in the high 90s. In spring, they move many miles upstream, then migrate downstream in fall. Over the course of several years, they can move more than 100 miles, even through locks or over dams. Channel cats nest in hollow logs, log jams and undercut banks that provide reliable flows of welloxygenated water. Channel cats can feed in the dark or in murky water, by smell, touch or sensing vibration. The Red River of the North has a worldclass channel catfish fishery.
The smallmouth bass, or “smallie,” is one of the strongest fighting freshwater fishes by weight. It gets its name because the rear end of the lower jaw doesn’t extend past the eye, while the jaw on a largemouth bass does. It is regarded as the most trout-like bass because it prefers clean, cold rivers and lakes and is relatively intolerant of pollution. This intolerance makes it an indicator of a healthy environment. Unlike its lazier counterpart, the largemouth bass, it can often be found in fairly swift currents feeding on insects, baitfish and crayfish. Smallies are known to have distinct home ranges and males have been observed to build nests within 65 feet of the previous year’s nest.
The yellow bullhead is a member of the catfish family and is found throughout the state. It’s white or yellow chin whiskers (barbels) distinguish it from its black and brown relatives. Bullheads are most prevalent in warm, fertile rivers and lakes in western and southern Minnesota. They are bottom dwellers, preferring backwaters of slow moving rivers and streams and shallow areas of lakes and ponds. Bullheads can also live in polluted waters with low levels of oxygen. Contrary to popular belief, the fish’s whiskers (called barbels) do not sting. It is the sharp spine at the leading edge of the dorsal (top) fin, that can puncture careless anglers. No poison is released by the fish.
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PHEASANTS PRAIRIE CHICKENS
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When I read these historical accounts of prairie chickens and other wildlife during the early years of Midwestern agriculture, I can only imagine what living in that era and seeing such abundance must have been like. The birds were obviously remarkably plentiful and provided sustenance and sport hunting to many. Ever since seeing prairie chickens on a college field trip near Lawndale, Minn., in 1972, I have developed affection for native prairie grasslands and the wildlife associated with them, especially prairie chickens. Through the years I have helped census their numbers and have shared the experience of viewing the chickens dance on their traditional spring
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booming grounds with many others. A special morning spent with friends this past May reaffirmed my enjoyment of seeing these birds as it must have been in the days of old. My headlights pierced through dense fog as we arrived at the old hayshed and parked the truck. Joined by my wife and two friends we walked the full half mile across soggy prairie sod to a previously well positioned blind mounted atop an old wagon frame. In the darkness laden with thick fog, finding and following the widely spaced guiding reflectors was definitely a challenge and our going was slow.
photo by Alan Schulz
“The roar that followed my shot, occasioned by the beating of innumerable wings, was astonishing. So large were these flocks that came together at times in late autumn and early winter that the sudden and simultaneous rising would make the earth tremble beneath the shooter’s feet.” -American Field, 1883
By the time we all climbed inside our spy platform and settled in it was 5:20 a.m. Within minutes, even before I could pour a cup of good egg coffee, came the unmistakable sounds of “Old Muldoon” welling up from the prairie grass in front of us. Slowly the shroud of the dark morning released the first glimpse of dark silhouettes, barely discernible to our straining eyes.
photo by Beau Liddell, ImagesByBeaulin.com
With the increasing light the vocalizations intensified. “I see three, I see six� we offered. In total, during the next three hours we were captivated by fifteen booming male prairie chickens, one sharp-tail grouse and one sharp-tail/prairie chicken hybrid bird. In the center of the group the spirited dominate birds were at close quarters. Off to the sides and from a distance less active subordinate birds looked on warily to the lively animations of their kin.
When settlers advanced across the vast original prairies of the Midwest, their farming activities methodically changed the land into a blended mix of prairie grass, farm fields, hay land, and pastureland. This transformation of the landscape created ideal habitat for prairie chickens and the birds responded dramatically. So abundant were the game birds in their prime Midwestern range that they were hunted and trapped by the hundreds of
photo by Lee Kensinger
Slowly the shroud of the dark morning released the first glimpse of dark silhouettes, barely discernible to our straining eyes.
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thousands. Many were sent by rail car to eastern restaurants and it was said that in some places they were measured by the cord or ton. The prairie chicken lives hidden in the prairie grass for most of the year but come spring its ostentatious grand dance receives first billing on the prairie. They gather and compete with each other in an awesome visual and audible display. The animated birds extend their wings backward and rapidly stomp their feet. With tail feathers raised to expose a white rump and with stiffened neck feathers called pinnae pointed high they twist, jump, and cackle for good measure while launching their trademark booming sound. In Minnesota the current estimated minimum population of prairie chickens is somewhat over 3,100 birds that are confined to a mere handful of counties in the northwestern part of the state. Past journal worthy entries of mine chronicle frequent times standing at dawn in the still air of a new day listening and searching to find a new booming ground of displaying male birds.
photo by Craig Zlimen
The booming oratory they make can be heard for over a mile on a still day and is produced as males inflate and expend air from two large orange air sacs on the side of the neck. When I was involved in their annual spring census there were mornings when upon hearing the birds, the distance to where they were was challenging to establish. Sometimes it would take nearly a mile of sloshing through soggy prairie grass to finally find them.
The booming oratory they make can be heard for over a mile.
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photo by Alan Schulz
photo by Bill Keown
photo by Jane L Eastes
Sitting in the middle of that large flat prairie watching the prairie chickens photo by Mike Lentz
Historically, the display areas known as booming grounds, or more formally lek sites, were typically located in places of short vegetation that had been mowed, grazed, or matted down by heavy winter snow. Many lek sites today are located in agricultural fields adjacent to a grassland area. Booming occurs between late March and early April, with April being the peak time. Booming begins about a half hour prior to sunrise, peaks at sunrise then tapers off over the next hour or so. As the prairie was being settled, most of the bison herds had already been decimated. It’s been noted that at that time prairie chickens supplied more food to the pioneers than buffalo ever did. “They came in from the prairie to feed with tame hens, alighted on the roofs of the shack before daylight, followed the plow and dusted in the furrows, watered in the horse troughs and scratched in the gardens like veritable brown leghorns.” -Game Bird Shooting, 1931 With the settlement of Minnesota north and westward, the prairie chickens followed the farmers who proceeded
squawk and dance at close quarters will never grow old and trustingly never go silent. to break sod and till the soil. When the crosscut saw felled the vast northern pine forests the birds followed there too, all the way to the North Shore and up nearly as far as canoe country. They had become so abundant in places, that it even caused significant crop loss. It was written that after a fire, old timers talked of not being able to walk through the unburned portions without crushing eggs with nearly every step. Those days are now only a distant memory, just words in a book. As the native prairies were plowed and as forests regenerated, prairie chicken numbers have steadily declined to the small remnant populations of today. Our last remaining birds are surviving on the protected grasslands near Foxhome, from there up toward Rothsay, and northward to Crookston.
On that early morning in May with my wife and friends, we shared together a now rare and awe inspiring pageant of nature. Sitting in the middle of that large flat prairie watching the prairie chickens squawk and dance at close quarters will never grow old and trustingly never go silent. Being there presents to this observer a marked sentiment of just how life must have been and must have looked when prairie chickens were booming on nearly every corner of every farm. To save prairie chickens requires the continual protection and addition of more grassland acres. Prairie chicken need grass, there is no other substitution to that fact. To learn more about the history, biology, and management of prairie chickens the book “Booming from the Mists of Nowhere” by Greg Hoch is a wonderful read.
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ELK
by Kristi Coughlon MN Department of Natural Resources
They roam amid tens of thousands of acres of publicly-owned woodlands and private farmland in northwestern Minnesota. Yet few Minnesotans know about this captivating member of the deer family – the elk.
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The elk, or wapiti (a Shawnee term for “white rump”), is larger in size than whitetailed or mule deer and can weigh up to 900 pounds. Their huge antlers have a prominent tine over the brow and can top 40 pounds at age 5. Elk are primarily grazers, preferring grasses and forbs, but will browse on willow, aspen and other woody vegetation as well as agricultural crops. They prefer open brushlands and grasslands for foraging and forested areas for winter cover. Elk are a rather noisy bunch. Their breeding season, known as the “rut,” begins in late September. Bulls compete for and defend cows that they gather into “harems.” As part of the breeding ritual, bulls let out loud grunts, screams and whistles. This behavior is called “bugling.” Bulls bugle to challenge other bulls, defend their harems and stake out a territory. Practice makes perfect so the older dominant bulls usually do most of the breeding. A popular time to view elk is during the rut when they can be seen (and heard) in openings around dusk or dawn.
Three distinct herds roam portions of northwestern Minnesota. The Caribou-Vita herd is the largest and migrates between northern Kittson County and Manitoba, Canada.
Elk are social animals. Cows, calves and yearlings will live in loose herds; bulls live alone or in bachelor groups. During the breeding season, called the “rut,” one or two bulls will join cows and calves to form a harem.
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history Minnesota’s elk have a fascinating history.
Prior to 1840, elk ranged throughout most of Minnesota. Market and subsistence hunting for elk occurred into the early 1890s, and by 1900, elk existed only in the extreme northwestern corner of the state in a few isolated pockets.
and on the prairies and in the more open woodlands associated in bands, often of considerable size. It is said that it frequently accompanied herds of buffaloes.” But that wasn’t the end of wild elk roaming Minnesota. Years earlier in 1913, the Minnesota Legislature allocated $5,000 for a plan to bring them back to the state. In 1914 and 1915, the state acquired 70 elk from Jackson Hole, Wyo., and a private farm in Ramsey County and introduced them into a holding facility in Itasca State Park.
The intrinsic value of maintaining elk on Minnesota’s landscape is significant. The aspen parkland and tallgrass prairie ecosystems in northwestern Minnesota offer an abundance of wildlife species, including elk, which offer great opportunity for outdoor recreation. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ Strategic Management Plan for Elk envisions a healthy, self-sustaining, managed elk population that affords recreational opportunities, such as hunting and viewing, for all citizens.
The Itasca elk were intended to be a source-herd for future translocations into other areas of Minnesota. However, only 13 elk survived that first year in the park. As the years went by, the Itasca herd grew to 25 animals. In 1929, the state moved eight elk from the herd to the Stony River Ranger District in Superior National Forest where they eventually disappeared from the area. In 1935, the state brought 27 elk to the Red Lake Game Preserve in northern Beltrami County. These animals rapidly established themselves and did extremely well, thanks to a little help from the game wardens. An article in the Park Rapids Enterprise, April 2, 1936, reported that “game wardens would be stationed near the Red Lake refuge during the deer season to warn hunters that they may encounter elk that have strayed from the refuge. Employees of the state forest service had recently counted 31 elk in territory outside the northwest corner of the refuge.”
In 1893, elk became protected in Minnesota. Unfortunately in 1932, the last recorded native wild elk sighting occurred in the Northwest Angle. That same year, a book titled “The Mammals of Minnesota,” written by Thaddeus Surber, Minnesota Game and Fish, included a chapter, “Vanished Mammals of Minnesota,” written by Thomas S. Roberts, Director of the Museum of Natural History. Roberts writes: “The American Elk, or Wapiti, is another large game animal that was once abundant in Minnesota but which has now entirely disappeared in the wild state. It occurred throughout the state,
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And expand they did. The herd grew to over 100 by the 1940s. But with their success came issues. The first documented crop and haystack damage occurred in 1939. Ten years later, crop damage became severe. Soon after, the state issued permits to affected farmers to shoot the elk. By 1976, the state drafted its first elk management plan (a new, updated elk management plan now exists). In 1985, landowners from the Grygla area successfully lobbied the Minnesota State Legislature to mandate that the state relocate all of the elk. Only nine elk were captured and relocated to the Red Lake Indian Reservation when a lawsuit was filed by the Sierra Club that stopped the elk capture effort. Two years later Minnesota lawmakers passed legislation to compensate landowners for crop damage and to limit the size of the elk herd. Periodic hunts would be held to control the herd size. The first modern era Minnesota elk hunt occurred in 1987. Today, three distinct but small elk herds totaling approximately 100 animals roam northwestern Minnesota near Grygla, Lancaster and the Minnesota-Manitoba border. The herds are currently managed
at low levels to reduce human-wildlife conflict. Each winter, the MN DNR uses fixed-wing aircraft to conduct aerial elk population surveys of these herds.
management The MN DNR conducts intensive management on state lands to improve elk habitat. It partners on elk habitat acquisition and management projects with organizations including Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Minnesota Deer Hunters Association, The Nature Conservancy, as well as with landowners, crop producers and other agencies.
Elk use forested areas for cover in winter. They are less encumbered by heavy snow and more tolerant of the cold than deer. In the winter when grasses are less available, elk will turn to browsing on willow, aspen and other shrubs. They may scrape the bark of trees like aspen with their lower front teeth, creating a permanent scar on the tree.
Current management efforts include burning and mechanically treating brush, as well as harvesting timber to maintain aspen and provide young forest habitat
A prescribed burn on Beaches Lake Wildlife Management Area in Kittson County in 2018 (left) and the lush vegetation growing one week after the burn (right). Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ wildlife managers conduct a variety of intensive management efforts on public lands in elk range to improve habitat for the benefit of elk and other native wildlife species. Efforts are aimed at setting back plant succession through prescribed burning and mechanical treatment of brush.
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Three elk restoration areas are being considered as part of a study investigating the feasibility of restoring elk to parts of northeastern Minnesota. The study is being conducted by the University of Minnesota, in partnership with the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.
for elk. The goal is to attract elk to nonagricultural land. Wildlife food plots have also been a significant component of elk management. Food plots are established to encourage elk to remain on public or private lands away from productive agriculture. Hunter harvest is the principal tool used to manage elk population growth and maintain more natural, wary behavior in elk, which further encourages them to avoid croplands.
hunting Hunting elk in Minnesota is a once-in-alifetime opportunity and the herds have drawn national attention for their trophysized bulls. Elk hunting is limited to two zones in Kittson County. Hunting in the Grygla zone has been closed since 2013 because the herd is below its population goal. Hunts occur during the elk breeding season (Sept. – Oct.) when hunters have the opportunity to interact with bull elk when they are bugling.
research In 2016, the MN DNR and Minnesota State University-Mankato began studying Minnesota’s free-ranging elk population in Kittson, Roseau and Marshall counties. The research was funded by the Minnesota Environment and Natural
Molly Tomfohrde of Roseau, Minn., stands with her bull elk harvested on the Caribou Wildlife Management Area in Kittson County in 2017. Minnesota elk hunts are a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, famous for producing trophy-sized bulls. Hunter harvest has been the principal tool used by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to manage elk population growth in northwestern Minnesota.
Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR), MN DNR and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. It was first of its kind in the state aimed at tracking elk movements and determining habitat use. Researchers collected baseline ecological data that can provide a foundation for future research and management. They estimated the annual and seasonal home ranges of female elk for two years. Data from this study are in the process of being analyzed. This information will help MN DNR managers improve management strategies and reduce elk conflicts with local landowners. In 2016-2017, the Minnesota Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit at the University of Minnesota surveyed landowner attitudes toward elk in northwestern Minnesota. Results showed that a majority of landowners within and outside elk range had favorable attitudes toward the elk. About half of the respondents believed that the elk population was too low and preferred increasing it in northwestern Minnesota.
Currently, the University of Minnesota, in partnership with the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, is conducting a two-part research study funded by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund. Researchers are looking at the feasibility of restoring elk to parts of northeastern Minnesota. They hope to determine the amount and quality of suitable elk habitat and levels of public support for elk in southern St. Louis and northern Pine and Carlton counties. They expect results in June, 2019, and if favorable, lawmakers will have to decide whether to take the next steps toward restoration. While support for expanding Minnesota’s elk population appears to be growing among Minnesota citizens, local agricultural producers remain unconvinced. Ultimately, the future of elk populations in Minnesota will be determined by a balance. In the meantime, the herds will continue to roam and a few lucky Minnesotans may even get a chance to marvel at their majesty.
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Featured state park
There are many different tours offered at Mystery Cave, from a shorter, scenic tour exploring cave formations, pools and linear passageways, to a Two-hour, rugged flashlight tour focusing on cave geology, to a FOUR-hour, challenging wild caving tour. Located in the southeastern part of the state near Preston, Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park offers visitors 3,400 acres of natural wonders–above and below ground. Below ground, from mid-April through Labor Day, visitors can explore Minnesota’s longest cave. Mystery Cave, discovered in 1937, spans 13 miles and is a fascinating network of natural passages created by moving water. The cave remains at a constant 48 degrees and its stalactites, stalagmites, fossils and underground 58 Lake & Home Outdoors SPRING 2019
pools are a captivating treat during the summer heat. There are many tours to choose from, such as a scenic tour to see cave formations and pools, a geology or photography tour, or more rugged tours for those who want to explore by lantern or crawl and squeeze through undeveloped portions of the cave. Reservations are recommended and some tours are reservation only. Above ground at the center of the park is the historic townsite of Forestville. Founded in 1853, this restored village is situated
along the South Branch of the Root River. It is operated by the Minnesota Historical Society. Guided tours of the buildings run Thursday through Sunday and offer a glimpse into what life was like in the 1800s. Outside of posted hours, visitors can explore the grounds on their own to view the well-preserved general store and homestead, as well as the site where the gristmill, distillery, cemetery and school houses once existed.
Other Park Features Sheer limestone cliffs rise above the South Branch of the Root River, providing breathtaking views for hikers, skiers, snowshoers, snowmobilers and horseback riders. Down cutting of stream valleys by powerful glacial meltwater created the steep hills and bluffs. This bluffland topography creates a wide variety of localized climate conditions resulting in a mosaic of plant communities, including prairie, savannah, oak woodland, maple/
basswood forest and some white pine and fir. This mixture of habitat types supports a wide array of wildlife and excellent viewing and photography opportunities. At least 175 species of birds have been recorded in the park, ranging from turkeys to turkey vultures, as well as several important neotropical migrants (scarlet tanager, oven bird, red start).
Turquoise Lake is one of the highlights of Mystery Cave. It is a 12-foot deep subterranean pool that casts a brilliant shade of blue on the eyes of its visitors. The blue and green reflection occurs when calcium carbonate minerals are dissolved in the water.
Mystery Cave, discovered in 1937, spans 13 miles and is a fascinating network of natural passages created by moving water.
Many features make up Mystery Cave, including dramatic linear passageways, stalactites, stalagmites, flowstone, fossils and beautiful underground pools. This cave was formed over the course of many thousands of years from rainwater that percolates through the soil, becomes slightly acidic and is able to dissolve the limestone and dolomite rocks in the area.
A variety of park trails traverse the ridge tops and stream valleys and provide access to the South Branch Root River. Along the journey visitors can observe remarkable geologic features, bold fall colors and the soft pastels of spring wildflowers. The Big Spring Trail passes a scenic bridge over the river and ends at the impressive Big Spring, where cool algific (cold air) slopes provide the perfect place to rest on a hot day. Algific slopes are very rare, fragile ecosystems that escaped the last glacial event about 12,000 years ago and only occur in portions of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and Illinois. In winter, ice forms in the slope fractures then slowly melts during the warm seasons, keeping the slopes cool year-round.
The Meighen store (right) and attached residence (left). Built in 1857, the general store was the center of the Forestville community until it closed in 1910. In 1963, the Minnesota State Legislature established Forestville State Park, which dedicated the area and former town site for public use. In 1978, the Minnesota Historical Society began operations at Historic Forestville and continues to interpret the history of the town through guided and self-guided tours.
Both the Root River State Trail (42 paved miles) and the Root River State Water Trail are near the park, where hikers, bikers, skiers and canoers can experience historic, rural and small town Minnesota while enjoying scenic blufflands, wildlife viewing and camping along the trails. Horseback riding through the hilly terrain and along meandering streams makes this park a top destination for equestrian enthusiasts. Trails are typically open early May to late October. Trails are surfaced with crushed rock and there are 55 horse camp sites with amenities such as electric hookups and hitching rails. Three of Minnesota’s blue-ribbon trout streams converge in the park. These spring-fed streams provide habitat for a rich variety of stream life and brown trout fishing opportunities. Trout angler parking is available year-round in several locations.
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The South Branch of the Root River runs through the park, meandering near the Forestville townsite. Trails provide access to the river and other streams. Along the trails, visitors will enjoy breathtaking views of sheer limestone cliffs. Big Spring Trail passes a scenic bridge over the river and ends at Big Spring, where cool slopes provide a nice retreat on a hot day.
An old horse-drawn carriage sits in front of the wagon barn built in 1897. Behind the barn sits the granary, built in 1859, which provided storage for the Meighen family’s crops and grains. By the time Minnesota became a state in 1858, Forestville was a growing community with a blacksmith shop, a cabinet shop, sawmills, farms, stores, gristmills and multiple hotels. Like many state parks, Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park also offers a variety of camping experiences, five cart-in camper cabins, naturalist programs, a picnic area/shelter, a warming house, heated restrooms and showers. For more information on this or other Minnesota state parks or for Mystery Cave reservations, visit www.mndnr.gov/state _ parks.
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Three of Minnesota’s top trout streams converge in the park. Anglers and fly fishers have a unique chance to catch brown trout year-round.
Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park is located at the edge of two biomes - the tallgrass prairie to the west and the eastern deciduous forest. These biomes support remarkably different wildlife habitats. Visitors will find at least 175 species of birds, rare glacial snails and several species of reptiles and amphibians, among other wildlife.
PHEASANTSSpotlight Business
Discovering your life’s passion often takes you on a journey to a career that you never could have imagined possible. For Charley Speed of Alexandria, Minn., the dream of being a part of the Alaskan fishing industry was pressed upon his heart as he spent his summers from 20 years old to his early 30s, navigating the waters of Alaska working on fishing boats and in fish-processing plants. As he spent more time in southeast Alaska, a dream of connecting the state’s wilderness and oceans to his home in central Minnesota began to grow. As Charley was in Alaska working summers during the fishing season, his wife Jessie would make visits. They both fostered a desire to preserve the culture of Alaska while promoting environmental care of the fish and waters that had captured their hearts. From their shared experiences, Kelp Bay Fish Co. would be born.
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What is the origin story of the Kelp Bay Fish Company? When I was 20, on summer break from North Dakota State University (where I was studying for a degree in civil engineering), I went to Alaska for the first time. One of my best friends and I loaded up a pickup camper and drove from Ottertail Lake to Sitka, Alaska. It was our biggest fishing expedition we had ever made to date. We worked in a fish processing plant there. It was a landbased processor that first introduced me to the business side of the fish industry. The following year I went to work at a remote lodge called Baranof Wilderness Lodge. There I worked as a fishing guide and really fell in love with the beauty of Alaska. I could see firsthand how my clients developed the same passion I had for the fish, and the natural wonders of Alaska during our time together. As they ate their freshly caught fish, I could see them understand the difference between wildcaught fish and what they may have eaten at home that may have been farm raised.
When I was a guide, it felt like I was a million miles away from Minnesota, yet I somehow wanted to give that same experience of enjoying freshly-caught fish to my friends and neighbors back home. I wanted to find that link to connect the Midwest and the lower 48 to Alaska… Not only to deliver high quality seafood, but to also connect them with the people, cultures, and the environment that we cherish so much. Purchasing seafood that is caught in a sustainable way makes an impact all the way back to the source it
came from, in both positive and negative ways. It also gives more meaning behind your source of food with every bite and makes it taste better! Two summers ago, I was back in Alaska and a good friend of mine, Adam Hackett, who is now a commercial fisherman, suggested I begin selling his fish. This idea he tossed out while we were relaxing at base camp became the incentive I needed to get the ball rolling on the dream I had years before. My wife and I created this company in January 2018, with the sole purpose to sell sustainably-sourced salmon, halibut, and other Alaskan seafood fish and crustaceans to central Minnesotans.
What sets the products you sell apart from other companies? The salmon–and some of the other fish–we sell, is flash frozen while it is still at sea. Adam brings the fish onboard his vessel where he processes each fish to be free from bacteria and cleansed, then it is glazed and flash frozen at minus60F. The colder temperature at which a fish is frozen, guarantees the meat stays intact and is fresh and near perfect and consistent every time it is served. Because our salmon is frozen at minus-60, it is sushigrade salmon. Our process of glazing the whole fish after it is headed and gutted protects the salmon from freezer burn. We process the fish throughout the year into fillets, which results into fresh tasting fish
year round, no matter what time of year you order. A majority of fish gets processed overseas in Asia. All of our fish is processed in America. Our goal is to sell high-quality, sustainablycaught seafood and deliver it to our customers in central Minnesota and throughout the lower 48 states. We also want to promote the fishing industry and the protection of the environment in Alaska, while fostering the next generation to develop a passion for fishing.
How does Kelp Bay give back to the community both locally and in Alaska? In Alaska, our main goal is to help promote and protect the rivers that the salmon spawn in. This is the source that they all need to continue the wild journey of the salmon. The mining and logging industries both intersect with the fishing along the rivers and streams, and we want to be a part of successfully protecting the waters we love. We also want to promote fishermen and women in Alaska who use methods to fish in a sustainable way that protects the ocean ecosystem, while they capture their bounty with very minimal bycatch. Locally, our main goal is to bring awareness of organizations that promote sustainable fishing or environmental protection and
connect them with the communities where we deliver fish. Through education we can share the importance of knowing where your fish comes from, who is catching it, and how it is impacting the environment. We want to work with local youths where we deliver fish to get connected to the outdoors. We want to get them involved and excited to go fishing, connecting them with the outside planet around them. In the local areas we deliver seafood, we will be having a fishing rod drive very soon. Get out those dusty fishing rods you don’t use anymore, and as long as they are in working order, we will discount your seafood order per rod The biggest key in cooking any fish is to not overcook. It should be delicate and moist. It’s such a good healthy option for a busy weeknight dinner. It’s also rich and full of flavor for fancy dinners.
How are you living your dream with Kelp Bay Fish Company?
donated, and repurpose them to a youth in the community. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, or get on our email list at the website to stay up to date on fun projects like this.
What are your long-range goals with Kelp Bay Fish Company? We are planning on adding to our team with the addition of Josh Jones, a very good friend from my fishing guide days, who is earning his master’s degree in marine biology from Scripps Institution of Oceanography in California. His role will be to keep us informed on the worldwide impact of commercial fishing and helping us keep our vision of Kelp Bay Fish Company at the forefront of our business. As our business expands, our goals and dreams will as well.
What is your favorite way to prepare salmon? I cook fish a lot, and it is so simple to prepare. It thaws very quickly and is good for a quick dinner. I keep it easy and light with olive oil or butter, and a bit of seasoning. I like to use lemon pepper, or I like to use ‘Rub with Love’ salmon rub by Chef Tom Douglas that we sell on our website. It has the perfect combination of flavor that compliments the fish. My favorite is to warm up a little butter in a dish, then add olive oil, rock salt, little bit of pepper, fresh minced garlic, and rosemary. Stir this all together, then coat the fish, then squeeze a little lemon on top. Cook on the grill, oven, or frying pan.
Jessie and I desire to leave a lasting legacy for our three children, Grady, Hayden, and Chatham. We want them to not only follow their dreams as we have, but to leave them a beautiful environment to enjoy for generations to come, aiding the movement to allow them the same opportunities in the outdoors we have been gifted in our generation. I want them to understand that hard work throughout your entire life, being a good person, and helping those you meet along the way, can open the door to opportunities down the road. I had no idea the dreams I had in my 20s would come to fruition years later with this company... and the friends I made then would be helping my dreams come true today.
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ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR
FLOORING
ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR
HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING
GARAGE DOORS
LUMBERYARD
INSULATION
RADON TESTING & MITIGATION
MARINE / WATERCRAFT REPAIR
CABINETS
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