Whitetales Spring 2017

WHITETALES Building our hunting and conservation legacy through habitat, education and advocacy

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE MINNESOTA DEER HUNTERS ASSOCIATION

MINNESOTA LAND MANAGEMENT PROJECTS

BY TOM STURSA

FORGET TRACKING DEER IN THE DIRT...

SAY HELLO TO ADVANCED TELEMETRY SYSTEMS!

BY REBECCA FRANKE

HONORING THE HERITAGE

BY JOHN TERTULIANI

SPRING 2017

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About this

Issue

"To Be or Not to Be"

If the above title came from a ‘50s or ‘60s yearbook it would have been “2B or not 2B.” If written in today’s hip-hop style, it would be the same. That is not to say these generations are similar, they are not even close, but the message is universal, it’s about survival.

Now consider the line originated in William Shakespeare’s timeless and powerful 1603 play, Hamlet. In Act III, Scene I, Prince Hamlet says, “To be, or not to be, that is the question: / Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer / The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, / Or to take Arms against a Sea of troubles.” The answer is, of course, it’s all about survival and perpetuation.

Yes, we realize our Spring 2017 Whitetales issue should not be high school English revisited, but when our “prince” of a president, Denis Quarberg, uses Shakespeare in his column title (“From the President’s Stand”) we “groundlings” take notice. As he always has done since becoming involved with MDHA over 30 years ago, just after our inception, Denis takes responsibility and points the finger at all hunters, including himself. For Denis, the future of hunting and MDHA has always been like his title’s message, “If it is to be, it’s up to me.”

Our MDHA Executive Director Craig Engwall agrees, as his title from the “Outlook” is, “More than ever, it is Important for Deer Hunters to Engage.” Even though MDHA and Whitetales magazine concur there is “A sea of troubles” facing deer and deer hunting, we want our readers/members to know we are of the positive “perchance to dream” ilk.

We “perchance to dream” deer hunting will grow and our hunting traditions will perpetuate because MDHA grants benefit habitat and our hunting heritage in Minnesota. In this issue, John Tertuliani’s article, “Honoring the Heritage” questions, “Has hunting with our youth been pushed aside…by a plastic society?”

Other articles in this issue help John answer his question. Take for example, the piece on one of our nation’s greatest youth programs, MDHA’s Forkhorn Camps. Once you read it you will know what MDHA is all about. Add to this the story about how the Brainerd Chapter helped make and prepare a youth to take his first deer and the highlights from chapters and their successful efforts to help mentor young hunters and you will get the gist.

And don’t think MDHA is a single purpose organization focused on big bucks and rack sizes. We are not. Sure, we respect those who choose to let a buck walk and pass on does, but MDHA has steadfastly maintained “hunter choice” when possible.

MDHA has also ascertained from members, that among the many reasons a high number of deer hunters prefer to “choose” what to shoot rather than be “mandated,” is they simply like the hunt, its camaraderie, tradition and the taste of venison (that is why we have a recipes page). They and MDHA also recognize the “fun” aspect of the hunt, especially for the kids, like spring stand repair, scouting and searching for shed antlers. What’s better than a spring foray into deer country for kids and kids at heart? Get out there.

Just so you know, the Bible and Shakespeare are the two most quoted sources in the Western Hemisphere, in that order. We don’t know for sure, but we think Whitetales might be third.

Whitetails Forever, Co-Editors and Founders, Rod Dimich and Ed Schmidt

Whitetales is the official magazine of the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association, a tax-exempt, non-profit organization dedicated to improving Minnesota’s whitetail deer population. The MDHA is exempt under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code. Whitetales effectively communicates MDHA’s chief purpose “building our hunting and conservation legacy through habitat, education and advocacy.” Articles and photographs portray the beauty, value and importance of whitetail deer while relating to the thrill of hunting the species. If you have a service or a product that appeals to deer hunters and enthusiasts, Whitetales is the best advertising medium available.

The Minnesota Deer Hunters Association is pleased to present a variety of views in Whitetales magazine. The intent is to inform readers and encourage healthy discussion of important wildlife and conservation issues. The statements and opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the view of Whitetales or MDHA. Likewise, the appearance of advertisers or their identification as members of MDHA does not constitute an endorsement.

The Minnesota Deer Hunters Association welcomes suggestions and contributions from readers. All materials: manuscripts, artwork and photography must be electronically sent. Send all material to bri@mndeerhunters.com. Letters should be a maximum of 150 words, articles a maximum of 500 – 800 words. If a reprint from a newspaper is submitted, permission must be obtained and an electronic copy must be sent. The publisher assumes no responsibility for unsolicited materials.

2 Whitetales | SPRING 2017

WHITETALES MNDEERHUNTERS.COM

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS PRESIDENT Denis Quarberg > denisquarberg@mndeerhunters.com VICE PRESIDENT Doug Appelgren > dougappelgren@mndeerhunters.com SECRETARY Mark Strege > markstrege@mndeerhunters.com TREASURER Denece Dreger > denecedreger@mndeerhunters.com AT-LARGE DIRECTOR John Erlandson, Sr. > johnsr@ciacambridge.com REGIONAL DIRECTORS REGION ONE Stu Weston >

REGION EIGHT Dustin Shourds >

REGION TWO Scott Foley >

REGION NINE Mark Burley >

REGION THREE Brad Trevena >

REGION TEN Mark Lueck >

REGION FOUR John Edinger >

REGION ELEVEN Gary Thompson >

REGION FIVE Peter Lodermeier >

REGION TWELVE Jim Vogen >

REGION SIX Stephen Ranallo >

REGION THIRTEEN Michael Burley >

stuweston@mndeerhunters.com

dustinshourds@mndeerhunters.com

scottfoley@mndeerhunters.com

markburley@mndeerhunters.com

btrevena@mnpower.com

marklueck@mndeerhunters.com

cedinger@q.com

thompson.gary58@yahoo.com

lodrmr@gmail.com

robvog21@aol.com

steveranallo@mndeerhunters.com

michaelburley@mndeerhunters.com

REGION SEVEN Mark Nohre >

marknohre@mndeerhunters.com

MDHA STAFF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Craig Engwall > craig.engwall@mndeerhunters.com EVENT & PUBLICATION COORDINATOR Bri Stacklie > bri@mndeerhunters.com *Independent Contractor

MERCHANDISE/ MARKETING COORDINATOR Josh Salisbury > josh@mndeerhunters.com PROGRAM COORDINATOR Gabe Gropp > gabe@mndeerhunters.com FINANCE COORDINATOR Renee Thompson > renee@mndeerhunters.com MEMBERSHIP COORDINATOR Kim Washburn > kim@mndeerhunters.com GRANT COORDINATOR Jenny Foley > jenny@mndeerhunters.com OFFICE MANAGER Kim Nelson > kimn@mndeerhunters.com

PUBLISHER > Minnesota Deer Hunters Association 460 Peterson Road | Grand Rapids, MN 55744 800.450.DEER (MN) / p: 218.327.1103 / f: 218.327.1349 CO-EDITORS > Ed Schmidt and Rod Dimich LAYOUT, DESIGN & PRINTING > Brainerd Dispatch, A Forum Communications company www.brainerddispatch.com | Brainerd, MN ADVERTISING > Josh Salisbury josh@mndeerhunters.com / 218.327.1103 x 17

WHITETALES Building our hunting and conservation legacy through habitat, education and advocacy

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE MINNESOTA DEER HUNTERS ASSOCIATION

Contents

SPRING 2017

MINNESOTA LAND MANAGEMENT PROJECTS

BY TOM STURSA

FORGET TRACKING DEER IN THE DIRT...

SAY HELLO TO ADVANCED TELEMETRY SYSTEMS!

BY REBECCA FRANKE

HONORING THE HERITAGE

BY JOHN TERTULIANI

SPRING 2017

ABOUT THE COVER "Forkhorn Campers" Photo by Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center

30

Departments IN EVERY ISSUE

From the President’s Stand .... 4 The Outlook................................ 5 Minnesota Bucksense .............. 6 Capitol Comments .................... 8 Around the State ..................... 20 MDHA Marketplace ................ 28 Deer Hunting Memories ........ 42 What’s Cookin’? ....................... 52 Hidden Object Contest .......... 54 Daylight in the Swamp ........... 56 IN THIS ISSUE

MDHA Grants Benefit Habitat and Hunting Heritage in Minnesota ................................. 18 Jenny Foley

MDHA Forkhorn Camps ........ 38 Tips & Treasures ...................... 48 Rod Dimich, Ed Schmidt

Member Story: Making a Deer Hunter – Brainerd Youth Prepared for the Hunt .................................... 50 Michael Johnson

10 14 30 34 44

FEATURES

Minnesota Land Management Projects

By Tom Stursa

Forget Tracking Deer In The Dirt...

Say Hello to Advanced Telemetry Systems!

By Rebecca Franke

Honoring the Heritage

By John Tertuliani

Shed Hunting for the Fun of it

By Bernie Barringer

Scouting Whitetail Deer Year-Round

By Wes David

MDHA affiliates:

Gizmos, Gadgets, Garments & Gear ........................ 53

MNDEERHUNTERS.COM 3

From the President’s Denis Quarberg / MDHA PRESIDENT

IF IT IS TO BE, IT’S UP TO ME As I write this, I am spending my last day on stand for the 2016 archery season. My normal stands are void of food, the deer have moved so I am in a Wildlife Management Area (WMA) cornfield that is a managed winter food source. A small part has already been harvested. These managed food sources are of great value to wildlife in my area as the majority of food (farm crops) has been harvested and tilled, leaving very little food. Suddenly, to my right I hear stalks rattling. Is it a deer or pheasants?

Before I go on with my story, I would like to point out because MDHA members are dedicated land stewards, it is necessary we have plans well laid out. We also need hunters and their hunting crews to likewise have plans.

Not to take total credit, but recently MDHA has urged the DNR and Minnesota state officials/elected politicians to develop a “deer plan.” The end result is Minnesota is now developing that Deer Plan. A committee was chosen in 2016 and MDHA has two seats.

Meetings will be held monthly. The goal is to have the plan in place for the 2018 hunting deer seasons. Because MDHA has a strong voice in this process and the legislative process, as members, you do as well. Call or email us any time, our communication lines are always open.

On another serious note, finding three positive CWD cases in the Lanesboro area and two more (captive deer) in the Merryville area has led to much concern. We hope no more cases are found, as this disease could be horrific not only for our deer herd, but hunting’s future.

Our hunting future is also dependent on land management and the procurement of more available hunting lands. A step in the right direction is we have another LSOHC project that will increase public hunting lands.

The LSOHC has allocated funds for many purchases. This is very important, but the

4 Whitetales | SPRING 2017

land we do control also needs to be managed.

Simply purchasing it and then sitting on it is not enough.

Look at what our farmer friends have done.

By managing and improving operations they are now feeding more people with fewer acres.

Hunters must do the same. Because our habitat acres are fewer due to CRP land reductions, we need to develop plans to enhance production on the remaining land. If restoring, what do we restore to and how do we improve the land to better utilize each piece or acre?

LSOHC has what is called a “small grant” that can be accessed to improve small partials like current WMAs. Their purpose is to improve and maximize the utilization of that land. The MDHA state office (Jenny Foley) works with these grants and collaborates with the DNR to find projects. These grants are a 10% match. The State Habitat Committee Fund then helps with the cost. By working with us to make improvements, your chapter benefits our wildlife’s future and provides more opportunities to enjoy the outdoors.

Have you had the opportunity this past year to recruit a new hunter or outdoorsman? Yup, the new buzzword is the “3-Rs,” (RecruitmentRetention-Reactivation). This movement is not new for MDHA, however, as we have promoted hunting and the outdoors since our inception in 1980. Remember, education and advocacy and introducing people to the outdoors is our future. Recruit those who have never really been in the outdoors. Where are these people?

They are everywhere, just look to your coworkers, kid’s friends, churches and schools.

If we do not recruit and retain, we lose. We might keep that great hunting spot to ourselves, but not allowing others to experience the outdoor pleasures we have had will result in more losses for hunting. Invite neighbors to attend a chapter meeting, get them involved with the activities. Have them feel the

same excitement of success you feel. Gift a membership to those who have not felt the excitement of doing. Remember, “If it is to be, it is up to ME.” If we don’t get someone new involved, who will?

From the rattling corn stalks that keyed my attention a doe appears upwind. A fawn follows. Nice looking deer, fat and healthy. I cannot see if it is a buck or doe fawn. The doe is walking right past me at around 30 yards. I still have my tag to fill. This would be an easy shot, well within my effective range. Should I take her?

No, I’m going to pass. After that decision, of course, she stops right in my shooting lane at 32 yards. Then, with an all-safe tail-wag she walks off quietly with her fawn in tow. What a wonderful day and awesome way to end the season. I am so grateful I was able to take it all in and now be able to share the experience.

Life is great and the doe will hopefully deliver new life later this spring. Do the same; bring someone new into our wonderful outdoor world and the MDHA.

“Think it’s about time we tell him he was adopted?”

Craig Engwall / MDHA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

MORE THAN EVER, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR DEER HUNTERS TO ENGAGE Like most deer hunters, I prefer to concentrate on pursuing deer in the forests and fields. With the 2016 deer season in the rear view mirror, however, there are events that are ominously threatening Minnesota’s deer hunting future. To combat these threats, two key efforts are in place to protect Minnesota’s deer and deer hunters in a positive way are underway: the development of Minnesota’s first ever deer management plan and the Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) implementation of the state’s chronic wasting disease (CWD) response plan.

The Minnesota Deer Hunters Association (MDHA) and other deer organizations have long strongly requested the MN DNR develop a deer management plan. Late last year, following the urging of the deer groups and the Minnesota Legislative Auditor, DNR initiated developing a deer plan. To assist in the creation of the deer plan, DNR has selected a 20-member Deer Management Plan Advisory Committee (DMPAC) consisting of individuals from the deer groups, agriculture, forestry, government and others who have an interest in deer management.

While some parties with a vested interest in Minnesota’s deer were not on the DMPAC due to size constraints, it is important to remember this is a public process and your voice needs to be heard. There are several avenues to do this: communicate your views directly to committee members, submit your comments, and attend upcoming plan public meetings. The preeminent way to stay abreast of deer management planning is to visit DNR’s deer management webpage (dnr.state.mn.us/mammals/deer/management/ planning) and sign up for the Deer Notes email newsletter. Its webpage features a wide-range of information from scoping documents, to other state deer plans, to committee membership, and the committee’s charter.

The deer management plan’s development in the coming year is vitally important as it presents the greatest opportunity for deer hunters to have their voices heard, providing an opportunity to weigh in on key issues such as population

management and monitoring, data collection and dissemination, DNR communication and transparency, habitat, deer health and more.

The discovery of CWD in deer near Preston and the implementation of DNR’s CWD response plan underscore the importance of good planning. Fortunately, Minnesota has avoided the significant CWD outbreaks our neighboring states have suffered where CWD has now become endemic. Those states recognize any ability to contain the disease is gone.

Minnesota’s situation, however, does not appear as dire. In 2010, when the single wild deer testing positive for CWD was discovered near Pine Island, DNR implemented an aggressive response that included the establishment of a special CWD zone (602), a four-county feeding ban, the taking of nearly 1,200 deer and an aerial survey. None of the deer harvest during the 602 special seasons tested positive for CWD, nor did any deer tested in the following three years. In 2014, zone 602 was dissolved back to the original deer permit areas. Deer populations in the area, and deer hunting, have returned to normal.

Because deer hunting is incredibly and inherently important to Minnesota for both recreational and economic reasons, it is critical we do everything within our power to avoid having Minnesota become a CWD-endemic state. As a case-in-point, a September 2016 study released by the University of Wyoming examined CWD’s effect on a white-tailed deer population in an endemic area revealed alarming results: chronic wasting disease caused a 10 percent annual decline in the white-tailed deer population and localized extinction among infected herds could occur within 50 years. These findings highlight the importance of preventing CWD from spreading into new deer and elk populations.

According to Professor Todd Cornish, director of the study, “We really do not currently have any effective strategies to manage CWD once it becomes established in landscapes and in populations.” In a statement provided by the university, Cornish added, “Now that we know CWD causes populations

to decline once the disease reaches significant levels in deer, this is a disease to be taken very seriously, with more research on control and prevention strategies warranted.”

Minnesota is now at a critical juncture following the discovery of CWD-positive deer in Fillmore County. Many Southeast Minnesota hunters take great pride in the high-quality deer herd that has been developed there and are understandably concerned about the impacts the implementation of an aggressive CWD response plan could have. Yet, we must look at Minnesota’s deer herd as a statewide asset to be protected from CWD and do everything reasonable within our power to prevent CWD from gaining a foothold in the state, as once it is established, there is virtually nothing that can be done to stop it.

At the public meeting held by DNR in Preston in December, a number of attendees were critical of DNR’s proposed response plans to develop CWD zone 603, establish a five-county feeding ban and to remove approximately 900 adult deer through a special season, landowner shooting permits and sharpshooting, if necessary.

Though sad, sometimes the best options are bad ones, like the CWD-positive deer discovery in Fillmore County. When faced with those options, decision-makers are compelled to choose the best of the bad options. The MN DNR, directed by law to make that decision, has done so with its CWD response plan and its plan deserves support.

Minnesota cannot afford and must do everything within its power to avoid having CWD established on its landscape like Wisconsin, Iowa, Wyoming and many other states have. The stakes for Minnesota’s deer and deer hunters are simply too high. The hope, and yes it’s a hope and not a guarantee, is implementation of the MN DNR’s CWD response plan in zone 603 will achieve similar results to those achieved by the response plan implemented in response to the Pine Island CWD-positive deer.

Help us help Minnesota’s deer herd and our rich deer hunting tradition…engage.

MNDEERHUNTERS.COM 5

MINNESOTA Bu Minnesota’s latitude allows for a distinct theater of the four seasons. Most of the time our seasons are nearly equal in length, but lately I am not so sure. Over the past two decades we have been made aware of the threat of global warming or now climate change. Is this phenomenon for real or is it just a political hoax? Our politicians, who represent thousands for people and businesses, have a tendency to cry hoax while on the contrary scientists have made rash statements such as our atmosphere is warming due to human activity. Now, one would ask – what about volcanic eruptions around the world spewing CO2, O3 and ash into the atmosphere interrupting the natural heat exchange or blocking the ozone layer creating the greenhouse effect? Other studies indicate flatulating cows or melting tundra permafrost are releasing tons of methane gases from decaying plant life. How can a few fossil fueled electric generation plant’s emissions be the culprit causing this thing called climate change?

Al Gore sounded the alarm a few decades back when he outlined the warning in "An Inconvenient Truth." It was said he made millions of dollars speaking about, writing about and producing videos focusing on the threat of global warming. He was a staunch Democrat with political aspirations to be president of the United States. He won the national popular vote but lost in a Florida electoral recount. What would this world be like if he had actually won? Coal fired power plants would be closed, automobiles would be ultra-efficient, carbon credits would be the rule of the day, burning firewood, certain fertilizers, and fossil fuels including oil production would be restricted.

In my own direct observations while living in northern Minnesota, weather has become more erratic with summer storms being extremely devastating. Forests feel the brunt of sustaining high winds, uprooting mature trees, which results in more saw timber and firewood than can be marketed. A few years back the BWCAW was hit by such a storm

6 Whitetales | SPRING 2017

…AND WINTER CAME ON A FRIDAY

and my back forty at the deer camp was also ravaged by the same wind shear that caused both environmental and economic issues.

Environmentally, our family was concerned about fire danger and insect invasions. I was able to have the forty logged as part of the Woodland Stewardship Program, but the BWCAW, being in Federal protection, had to be left alone and subject to fire and insects.

Another direct observation was the woodpecker population increased on our tree farm where we watched them pound for bark beetles in our white spruce plantation. Because of warmer summers, mild falls and winters, the insects infested and killed the trees. In Colorado the lodge pole pine was similarly being ravaged by the spruce budworm causing the demise of vast forest landscapes.

The grouse population was on the rebound and our new springer spaniel flushed bird after bird, some grouse, some robins and an occasional red squirrel. Black flies, buffalo gnats, mosquitoes and even deer flies were prevalent late in the season. We waited and waited for the first frost to drop leaves to assist in seeing more birds. The famous northern flight of ducks stayed north allowing us to catch a few ZZZs while nestled in our blinds. Believe it or not, the only thing that decoyed was a yearling moose that could have been driven out of the woods due to those pesky black flies.

Warm reception for a yearling moose PHOTO BY RICK SWEDBERG

Pileated harvesting bugs Weather wise, our fall hunting season was most unique. What in the world is happening to our environment? Summer continued through September, October and then into November including our deer hunting. The temperatures were well above normal and along with the warmth came heavy rainstorms – two to four or more inches at a time. All I could do is think about the road into the deer shack and its tendency to become a greasy quagmire. Because it is a minimum maintenance road we put up a sign saying, “Drive with care – road impassable, hardly jackassable!”

With only two weeks before the firearms deer season, my partner and I opted to put our stands up and get the shack ready. Again, the black flies were gnawing on the flesh behind our ears. Temperatures stayed mild, causing us to plan the deer harvest to include coolers full of ice to pack in the carcass if we were lucky enough to get one. It seemed as if summer was never-ending.

During the first week of deer camp we dressed for the cold that never occurred. By 9:30 a.m. it was too warm to enjoy the hunt.

So we opted to go crappie fishing. Nothing like rowing our PortaBote® across the lake while wearing blaze orange caps and shirts.

The fish didn’t bite and the deer weren’t moving, but who complained?

ucksense Summer weather deer campfire The second week of deer camp lived up to its musical counterpart with enough beverages, grub and, too, all the guys were there. The college boys built a campfire and enjoyed the brilliant night sky. It was still t-shirt weather. Off in the distance wolves could be heard howling over the crackle of the fire as if they were telling the boys to put the fire out because it was already too warm. The next day it rained and the warmth continued. Rain pounded off the metal roof lulling us back to sleep. No sense trekking to the deer stands being water-painted by hazel and tag alder bushes.

Crappie hunter In the middle of the second week it was hot! The boys had to go back to their colleges while the old duffers stayed to finish out the week. Wednesday featured more heat and fishing. Thursday was slightly overcast, but still warm so we again went crappie fishing.

As we drifted the little lake the sky started to darken and the wind provided us a gentle trolling speed. As Gordon MacQuarrie in his book Stories of the Old Duck Hunters says, “The sky became gun metal gray!”

Temperatures began to plummet as we pulled the boat out of the water. Soon a fine mist became skin-tickling ice pellets, then goose down feathers of snow clung to

everything. After building a good fire in the cast iron wood stove, we tuned our hand-held weather-monitoring walkie-talkie to listen to Henry the weather-broadcasting robot. In his electronic voice he warned of an impending winter storm with the possibility of 14” to 18” of snow for our area. That night all hell broke loose with wailing winds and driving wet snow. The three of us had to make a decision either to vacate the camp or tough it out.

Winter came on a Friday. We opted to tough it out until Saturday and try to hunt the white jungle of drooping birch, hazel brush and heavy snow-ladened Norway pine. The three of us came to the same conclusion that deer really like to move during a snowstorm.

We put the youngest duffer on my deer stand while we made drives to him – one to the northeast and the other circled from the southwest with the idea of meeting at the “Bedroom” stand where the younger fellow sat. The howling winds continued while on the trek. What I hadn’t realized, however, was the over night precipitation contained rain, which froze and developed a two-inch crust.

On my final leg of the circle drive I was heading southeast towards the “Bedroom” when I heard a muffled poof as the 30.06’s retort was drowned out by the snow-covered trees. Our circle drive was successful as the kid downed a six-pointer. Upon reaching him I said to myself we have only about an hour to evacuate the area. I, being the ramrod of this hunt, suggested the critter had to be field dressed fast. My role was to make it back to camp to get the ATV to extract the sixpointer from the woods. That was one of the longest hours I have ever spent. Once I got the ATV started, I had to break though the crusted snow to pack a trail back to the guys.

Circle drive in snowstorm pays off The ATV tugged the buck back to the main camp where it was hung up to cool.

This cooling didn’t take long. The extra ice

BY ED SCHMIDT we had packed earlier was now used to keep our beverages chilled.

It was decision time. Do we stay through the storm or attempt to get back home?

Again Henry blurted out travel warnings stating the storm was just starting and no travel was advised. Well, I don’t take advice like that from a radio. The two older duffers decided to blaze a track to get the other vehicle out. On this venture we encountered tree after tree lying across the road. After cutting at least ten large balsam into four foot lengths, limbing each, tossing them off the road we were exhausted. We slowly moved forward in four-wheel drive, with windshield wipers loaded with icy snow and defrosters unable to keep up with the damp snow. It was comparable to being in an igloo with one small porthole sized window.

Road impassable We did make it the three miles to the county road that had not been plowed. The regular radio announced all plows had been pulled from the roads in northern Minnesota.

We then decided to hunker down at the cabin and have a cold one and play dominoes and cribbage. Hauling in wood through knee deep snow was another necessary activity.

To make this winter story short, we called the county grader guy who informed us it would be late on Sunday before he could get to us. Sunday came and so did he with his road grader. We hooked up a long rope and away we went along the three miles to the plowed county road. The following day we all went back after purchasing a set of chains for the other vehicle.

We were experiencing drastic weather fluctuations predicted by climatologists over the past years due to climate change. Now, do I realign my thinking toward what those scientists have been predicting if we don’t conform to steps to alleviate the greenhouse effect? All I know from personal experience is we had a long hot summer, no fall and… winter came on a Friday.

MNDEERHUNTERS.COM 7

CAPITOL COMMENTS

BY CORY BENNETT, MDHA LEGISLATIVE CONSULTANT

For the Republican majority, this session The 2017 Legislative Session was gaveled is a chance to pass legislation that shows in on January 3, 2017 with legislators arriving Minnesotans the party’s vision for the state. to a newly renovated State Capitol.

For Dayton, heading into his final two years Upon their arrival, House and Senate in elected office, the focus may be less on members faced important, unresolved achieving new goals and more on defending issues from prior sessions such as taxes, his accomplishments of the last six years. transportation, and bonding. Included as He’s unlikely to be shy about exercising his yet another top priority is the soaring cost veto authority.This potential tug-of-war will of health care insurance premiums. With certainly have an impact on the 2018 General Republican majorities in both the House and Election and although Governor Mark Senate for the first time in 40 years and a DFL Dayton isn’t seeking re-election, several of governor in Mark Dayton, Minnesotans are the legislative players will consider a run at looking for lawmakers to work through the being the next governor of Minnesota. gridlock that hampered previous sessions and The emphasis for legislators in the 2017 reach resolution on these significant issues.

Legislative Session will be on creating However, those hopes were dampened the 2018-2019 state budget, tax relief, prior to session as DFL Governor Mark transportation funding, capital investments, Dayton and Speaker of the House Kurt and rising health care costs. Those decisions Daudt (R-Crown) were unable to come to will also have to take into consideration a an agreement on a special session to resolve November economic forecast that predicted rising health care premium costs, tax cuts, and billion budget surplus. Agreements on a bonding bill. Those failed attempts on key ro ”edihemaG“ hathose c$1.4 raepriority S issues have proven evasive to the issues could prove to be a concerning forecast ennegotiations. ilno yub ot ”kciTtwo imparties ilE“ during the past legislative sessions. of this year’s end of session While the governor, legislative leaders and New legislative leaders will also have an influence this legislative lerapsession. pA tneInllethepeR ®dlelegislators ihS tcesare nI pushing their own agendas, the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association Senate, Senator Paul Gazelka (R-Nisswa) mis orf (MDHA) has been actively engaged in our the new Senate Majority Leader. Republicans own legislative priorities. Of particular won control of the Senate for the first time importance, containing and eradicating since 2011. Gazelka, who was then part of a chronic wasting disease (CWD) in the state’s new class of Senators, says the approach will deer herd. be different this time with a narrow one-seat As you are most likely aware, testing advantage. In the House of Representatives, has revealed that three deer harvested in Representative Melissa Hortman (DFLsoutheastern Minnesota were infected Brooklyn Park) is also new to a leadership with CWD, per the Department of Natural role as she was recently elected as the House 1953-762)888( • 73355 NM ,ellivsnruResources B ,evirD p(DNR). puR 124In11response, the DNR Minority Leader.

has imposed a deer-feeding ban in five southeastern Minnesota counties.

CWD is ® contagious among deer, elk and moose, and a ban on feeding wild deer in the counties ® surrounding the disease management zone is part of the state’s fight to stop the disease from spreading. Additionally, a special lateseason deer hunt was held in the disease management zone so that further testing could be conducted to determine how wide spread the disease had infected the deer herd.

The outbreak in southeastern Minnesota marks only the second time the disease has been reported in wild deer in the state.

Most recently, The Minnesota Board of Animal Health has quarantined a herd of farmed deer in Crow Wing County after two of the animals tested positive for CWD. The Board of Animal Health requires CWD testing of all farmed deer or elk that die or are slaughtered and are more than 12 months old.

As always, I encourage the membership to follow MDHA legislative bills of interest online utilizing “MyBills.” This resource allows you to view bills MDHA is tracking in the House and Senate as well as provides timely updates to a bill’s status. To access “MyBills,” visit www.leg.state.mn.us/mybills/ login, enter user name ‘MDHA2017-18’, password ‘MDHA2017-18’ and select “MyBills” from menu.

The constitutional deadline for gnirSession utaeF adjournment of the 2017 Legislative is May 22, 2017.

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Minneso Land Management

BY TOM STURSA,

RETIRED AREA WILDLIFE TECHNICIAN MN DNR

10 Whitetales | SPRING 2017

ota nt Projects Habitat improvement projects can take many forms. Every project, however, will have some impact on the deer and other critters that use your property.

Improvements can be as easy as spreading seed on bare ground sites or very complicated like tree planting with site preparation, seeding planting and several years of seedling protection. This article will cover just a few of the projects that happen in the forested area of Minnesota each year.

Seeding

Forest sites can be completed after timber harvest sales are done or after some other type of soil disturbance has happened.

In the portion of the state I worked in, we normally used a clover seed mixture for all of our sites. The mixture we have used is a combination of medium Red Clover, Alsike Clover and White Dutch Clover that will grow under most weather conditions and on most soil types. Deer will feed on these food sources from the time the shoots come out of the ground in the spring until it’s covered with snow in the fall/winter. Most clovers have very good protein content and some of the specialty clovers are even better yet. Once established, clovers will last 3-5 years without any management.

Besides the forage benefits, clovers are quick to germinate and do a good job of competing with invasive species like thistle and spotted knap weed. Clover is also a very good food and cover source for other animals. I’ve harvested grouse in the fall that have nothing but clover leaves in their crop. Bears will feed in clover blossoms just like a cow munching in a pasture and turkeys will have their broods feeding in clover openings all summer long. Don’t forget to consider some of the pollinator mixes that are out there. Mother nature has provided for lots of native flowering plants in the forest, let’s include some of them in our mixes too. Some of the grasses are good forage, but can be difficult to establish and become invasive, crowding out natural vegetation. Be careful in what you choose and better yet check with your Extension Office for the best local choice.

Brushland Management

MNDEERHUNTERS.COM 11

Both lowland and upland brush should be regenerated from time to time. Some research has indicated brush starts to lose its value to deer after 15 years. Most brush will either grow out of the reach of deer or the quality of browse being produced is very minimal within that time. In forested areas, deer switch from eating herbaceous vegetation to almost exclusively woody vegetation once snow hits the ground. Even with good quality winter browse, most deer live off their fat reserves during the winter months. With that being said, not all brush is created equal. If your lowland area has a nice red color to it, it may be full of red-osier dogwood, prized winter forage for deer.

Even though American hazel and beaked hazel are relatively low quality forage, they will comprise a good share of the diet for a deer during the winter months and is common throughout the state. Hazel grows mostly in upland areas and one of the easiest browse species to manage. Shearing is one of the best ways to winter regenerate woody vegetation. Most upland and lowland areas need about 6-8 inches of frost to support shearing equipment and reduce uprooting of vegetation during the shearing process. I like shearing over mowing when trying to regenerate brush for several reasons. Shearing makes a clean cut, which results in good sprout growth the following spring.

With a sharp blade, shearing can happen fast and in most cases is much cheaper per acre than other forms of mechanical regeneration.

Mowing will shred the brush stem and result in a cleaner looking site, but will also produce fewer stems per acre the following spring.

I like to use mowing or rotary ax cutting if my goal is to reduce the amount of brush per acre. Mowing will stress the brush more and this will allow for more grasses to grow or maybe trees to repopulate some of the site. Whether you are shearing or mowing a brushland area it’s good to remember deer usually don’t venture far from the protection of cover. For that reason none of your management sites should be large in size. A 10-acre open area is almost too large for deer and for that reason we usually leave travel lanes or uncut clumps of brush within the management unit just so deer will feel more secure feeding in the area. Shearing or mowing larger acreages can also result in lower costs per acre for the project. On larger sites greater than 10 acres, you can accommodate deer by leaving several travel lanes or brush islands. By the way, these uncut areas are excellent for your deer stand or blind.

summer treatment of the site with an herbicide or mowing. This can work, but be careful with your herbicide use. Some herbicides, like roundup, will kill all the vegetation allowing annual weeds a perfect seedbed. Most of the maintenance I’ve done in recent years involves cutting of brush during the summer months of July and August. This reduces brush density and vigor and allows grasses and forbs more sunlight and nutrients to flourish. Mowing during the normally hot dry period of summer will set back the re-sprouting of most brush species 2-3 years. If you are working in sandy to sandy-loam soils the warm season grasses will take off growing as soon as the equipment pulls out and by fall you will have warm season grasses 3-4 feet tall without any additional work. I did this a lot in years when the spring was too wet to burn. I liked the grass/forb species diversity with spring burning, but mowing gave me similar grass regeneration results. In the 1970s, ‘80s and early ‘90s, hundreds of acres of forest opening around the state were established by rock-raking with a dozer and then disking to level the site and prepare for seeding each year. This is expensive, time consuming, and doesn’t always turn out satisfactorily.

Prescribed burning of forest openings can be completed too, but because most openings are small in acreage they become expensive and time consuming with varying results. Because forest openings are usually shaded for a portion of the day, drying out is a problem.

When forest openings are dry enough to burn, so is the surrounding landscape and control can be an issue.

Prescribed Burning

Forest Openings

Almost all forest opening enhancement projects will include some type of summer management of the site. I have, however, in the past constructed openings by winter shearing upland brush sites and then

12 Whitetales | SPRING 2017

Prescribed burning is a tool in your toolbox that can be used, but should not be completed by the inexperienced. During my 35+ years of burning with the MN DNR Section of Wildlife, I was qualified at the Burn Boss 2 and Ignition Specialist 2 levels. RX burning was something we took very seriously. Unlike the dozer or rotary mower that has a key to turn them off and on, a fire once lit can be more than one bargained for. During my career several times we decided not to burn for various reasons, although the pressure to light the match was extreme. The gathering of personnel and equipment can be very expensive, schedules changes and those resources may not be available again for days. If you are uncomfortable with any aspect of the burn you are trying to complete, don’t do it. I was lucky in my career, we always had other experienced burners on the crew who I could bounce ideas and problems off. With that being said, burning is a great tool to use for a wide variety of management schemes. Spring burning, some of the most common, is used to set back by top-killing most woody vegetation. Spring burning encouraged cool season grasses and

forbs to grow by reducing woody vegetation competition, recycling nutrients, and warming the soil. Late spring/summer burning is completed to encourage warm season grasses and forbs. The cool season grasses and forbs are almost mature and will have seed heads forming on them, yet they are very susceptible to fire at that time.

Once woody vegetation has leafed out, even a low intensity fire can put a real hurt on that plant. Summer burning will also kill some brush and tree species if the conditions are right, so be careful and know your goals. Most of our site preparation burns for pine regeneration were completed during the late summer/early fall fire conditions. The soils are warm, brush species are stressed due to warm or hot weather conditions and under these conditions some of the largest wildfires happen. I’ve done fall burning as late as November and December and the results were great. The main drawbacks to fall/winter burning are the short burn windows (less daylight), higher humidity, and cooler temperatures (equipment freezing). Many books have been written on burning and burning results, I only touched on a few of the things you need to consider.

Winter Thermal Cover

In northern climates deer will travel many miles to get to winter thermal cover. Some research has indicated deer will move over 20 miles from their summer range to thermal cover areas in the winter.

In northern Minnesota that thermal cover can be in the form of Northern White Cedar, Balsam Fir, Jack Pine or a mixture of all three with other tree species thrown in. Thermal cover is not just planting a tree and they shall come, trees need to be a certain density (trees per acre), a certain height and the right mix of species. From deer yard research we completed in the 1980s and 1990s deer will tolerate a lot of cold temperatures. But, as soon at the temps stay well below freezing for an extended period of time the animals will head for

thermal cover. Deer will head out of the thermal cover areas once the temps start to warm up. Like cold, snow will also send deer packing for thermal cover. Once snow depth gets to 15 inches or more the deer head for cover protection. Snow, unlike cold, will usually stay for the duration of the winter and keep deer confined until spring or until snow levels drop below 15 inches. The deadly combination for deer in the winter is the year where lots of snow comes early and cold is well below normal. Replacement of existing thermal cover areas after harvest in northern climates is a must for local deer populations.

Site preparation, seedling purchase, seedling planting and seedling protection are all management options that need to be considered when trying to reestablish cover areas. There are many agency experts that can lead you through this process and can help you tailor your soil types to the right tree species.

MNDEERHUNTERS.COM 13

FORGET TRACKING DEER IN THE DIRT...

Say Hello to Advanced Telemetry Systems!

BY REBECCA FRANKE,

PROJECT LEAD – STILLWATER AREA HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT

14 Whitetales | SPRING 2017

During 2016, students in Mr. Andy Weaver’s AP Environmental Science class at Stillwater Area High School (SAHS) had the exciting opportunity to assist in the catch and release and subsequent monitoring of a wild urban white-tailed deer. The doe was live trapped using a clover trap in the 55 acre Environmental Learning Center (ELC) located on the school’s campus on April 4th, 2016.

A pair of “muggers” restrained the deer while Peggy Callahan, Founder and Director of the Wildlife Science Center, tranquilized the doe. Blood was drawn to measure health. They lifted the doe in a sling to weigh her: more than 140 pounds. They took a rectal thermometer reading and injected the doe with a small dose of antibiotics to ward off infection. An Advanced Telemetry System’s (ATS) Iridium/GPS collar was securely attached around her neck. The doe was monitored until she regained consciousness and was able to walk away safely. Over the following months, the advanced technology of the collar was utilized to track the doe’s movements to answer the question: How does the home range of an urban deer fluctuate throughout the year?

Trapping:

This study utilized a low-tech collapsible clover trap to catch the doe. A clover trap is comprised of a metal frame covered in netting with a front door that drops down when the deer brushes against a rat trap connected to a string. The advantage of this type of trap is that it collapses which allows for a much safer process of anesthetization of the doe, as she is put into a position where she is unable to harm others or herself until she is calm enough to be removed from the trap.

The process of trapping is much more complex than it seems at first glance. The trap was tied open for several weeks, closely monitored and baited with corn allowing for wildlife to become acclimated to this foreign object in their territory and to not perceive it as a threat. Motion activated trail cameras were also installed to allow for monitoring of the trap.

There are a handful of dangers when it comes to trapping that are important to keep in mind. The most important factor is weather. It is important to not set the trap if it will be too cold or wet because the deer may end up in the trap overnight which can be a hazard to their health. The timing of the days that the trap is set is carefully monitored and considered. It is a hazard to trap too early in the spring when it is too cold and snowy, but it is also tricky when trapping too close to when does are having their fawns because there is a critical period when the fawns are extremely dependent on their mothers.

Deer feeding at the collapsible clover trap.

Advanced Technology:

The collar used in this study was programmed to collect Global Positioning System (GPS) deer locations eight times a day, concentrated during dawn and dusk when the deer is most active. Periodically, the GPS data stored on the collar’s on-board chipset is sent to the ATS Iridium website for safe storage. The data uploads include not only the doe’s location but also the time and date in military and Julian formats.

The advanced technology allows students and other researchers to access the collared doe’s data from anywhere that has web access. A data file compatible with Google Earth is also included which provides eye-opening digital maps of where the doe has traveled.

Once trapped, two drugs were used to induce sleep.

Attaching the GPS collar to the doe.

Antibiotics are given to prevent any infection.

MNDEERHUNTERS.COM 15

The Doe:

Once trapped and safely anesthetized, our doe was estimated to be at least two years old based on a brief dental exam and weighed around 140 lbs. It was also determined that she was pregnant with twin fawns and trail camera footage has since verified that she successfully gave birth to both. When using collars for telemetry it is crucial that does are the ones utilized in studies like this one because during mating season, bucks’ necks will swell making a collar hazardous to their health. Conversely, if the collar is attached too loosely in order to avoid choking the deer, it is much more likely to fall off.

Testing the collar before release.

Bit of Luck:

range proved to be roughly 100 acres as it is roughly twice the size of the 55 acre Environmental Learning Center. This range is smaller than the typical doe home range but this can be attributed to her being an urban deer with resources that are found in a much more compact area.

• It was discovered that the doe’s range had significant fluidity. As the months progressed from April to June, her home range shrunk to nearly a third of its original size. This is believed to be a result of her giving birth to fawns and needing to provide more intensive care for them. However, as her fawns grew more independent, she was able to leave them for longer periods of time, as well as bringing them farther and farther away from where they are nested. The GPS data collected proves this by illustrating a spreading out of GPS data points from the months of July through the present.

• Currently, her range is compressing most likely in an effort to minimize energy output during the strenuous winter months.

• On the scholastic front, the project has generated a multitude of academic benefits to students at SAHS. Students have received an incredible exposure to cutting-edge technology. Using GPStracking data, students have a continual link between the classroom and the natural environment. Students are able to view the seasonal changes of deer location in relation to habitat use. Using GPS deer locations and Google Earth mapping, they are able to visualize, hypothesize and draw conclusions regarding the importance of seasonal fluctuations of an urban deer’s home range.

Collaboration and Thanks:

In addition to having the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association to thank for the ability to conduct this research, there is some luck that goes into creating such a successful project. We were lucky to not only catch a doe in the trap, but lucky that the deer wasn’t strong enough to break out of the trap which had occurred the previous year. Out of the estimated eight does that frequent the ELC, it was a bit of luck that the doe that happened to get captured in the trap is the one whose home range is centered right in the ELC itself. It is wonderful that the school can be used as a reference right next to the home range of the deer being tracked.

There are several organizations to thank for the success of this ongoing study: funding for this project came from the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association (MDHA) State Habitat Fund and from the St. Croix Valley and South Metro Chapters of the MDHA. Many thanks goes out to Peggy Callahan for her expertise and assistance in the safe and ethical trapping and anesthetization of the deer. Finally, a huge shout-out goes to Mr. Weaver and Stillwater Area High School for the opportunity to carry out this study. This has been an incredible learning experience for students and I hope that we will be able to continue with similar projects in the future for the benefit of both the students and the community.

Not So Lucky:

Mr. Weaver and his students have collared and monitored deer in previous years. During one of these earlier studies, the collared deer managed to remain alive for a few weeks only to be hit by a car while crossing a highway.

Her home range consisted of land located on both sides of a highway. This meant that she typically crossed the highway several times a day. She was eventually hit by an automobile near a US Bank - one too many "deerposits" if you ask me!

What Did We Learn?

The preliminary results of the research have expanded researchers' understanding of urban deer behavior: • The most important factor that was tracked throughout the study was the size of the home range of this deer. Her home

16 Whitetales | SPRING 2017

Map showing the GPS data points collected from April 7 - April 17 .

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MDHA Grants Benefit Habitat and Hunting Heritage in Minnesota

BY JENNY FOLEY, MDHA GRANT COORDINATOR

The Minnesota Deer Hunters Association is one of the largest conservation organizations in Minnesota. Your membership to MDHA shows that you are an active conservationist helping preserve our hunting heritage for generations to come.

Hunters are conservationists. Historically, hunters have been the strongest proponents of land stewardship programs across the country. In 2008, Minnesota voters passed the Clean Water Land & Legacy Amendment to the Minnesota Constitution. As a result, a portion of this sales tax increase goes to the Outdoor Heritage Fund to be spent

18 Whitetales | SPRING 2017

“restoring, protecting, and enhancing wetlands, prairies, forest and habitat for fish, game and wildlife.�

MDHA has been approved for three Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Fund grants totaling $6.56M and have been recommended for funding for another $2.4M pending Legislative approval this year. To date, MDHA has also received over $4.2M in Conservation Partners Legacy (CPL) grants on over 65 projects across the state. These conservation projects enhance and protect public hunting land, benefitting hunters and wildlife alike.

What makes MDHA unique is, unlike other national conservation organizations, we are a Minnesota based organization whose money stays on the ground in our local communities. MDHA chapters across the state are able to determine their own projects, and set goals toward specific habitat enhancements that improve habitat for many species of wildlife. MDHA’s grassroots organization style brings fundraising money back full circle to the community where it was raised, and builds great habitat projects specifically benefitting local hunters.

MDHA volunteers raise their part of the

funding through banquets, membership drives, and other chapter events. For a relatively small amount of money, chapters can get involved in helping to protect and enhance wildlife habitat in their area. Just $500 raised and donated by a chapter and matched with MDHA State Habitat Committee funds can turn into $10,000 in hunting heritage projects by leveraging with a CPL grant.

It is common belief that preserving habitat and striving to protect public hunting lands is important for all hunters. MDHA is working hard to continue to build habitat across the state of Minnesota. With your membership dollars, we are accomplishing great things! MDHA members demonstrate their support of hunting conservation in many ways, through active volunteerism, and monetary support of MDHA programs like

the Forkhorn Camp program and our Grant Program. We encourage you to continue to be actively involved in supporting the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association’s mission of “building our hunting and conservation legacy through habitat, education, and advocacy.” As the great Fred Bear once said, “If you are not working to protect hunting, then you are working to destroy it.”

MNDEERHUNTERS.COM 19

AROUND THE State Minnesota Deer Hunters Association

REGIONAL BOUNDARY AND CHAPTER LOCATION MAP

What? No chapter in your area? MDHA is always interested in forming new chapters.

If you live in an area without a chapter and would like more information on forming one, please call 800.450.DEER.

20 Whitetales | SPRING 2017

Region 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 6 6 6 6

Chapter Min-Dak Border Roseau River North Red River Thief River Falls Riceland Whitetails Bemidji Area Itasca County Hibbing/Chisholm Woodland Trails End Carlton County Sturgeon River Arrowhead Wilderness Drop Tine Lake Superior Chapter Lake Vermilion Chapter Smokey Hills Fergus Falls Clay Wilkin Park Rapids East Ottertail Wadena Brainerd Cuyuna Range Whitetails Morrison County Lakes and Pines Bluewater Wahoo Valley Isanti County Wild River Rum River North Suburban

Chapter Code MDB RRC NRR TRF RCL BMJ ITS HCC WLC TEC CCC STR AHC WLDN DTC LSC LVC SMH FFL CWC PKR EOC WDN BRD CRW MCC LPC BLW WAH ICC WLD RMR NSC

Region 7 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 9 9 9 9 10 10 10 10 10 11 11 11 11 12 12 12 12 13 13 13

Chapter Alexandria Chippewa Valley Sauk River Phantom Buck Pomme De Terre Crow River Two Rivers Tri-County River Bottom Bucks Central Minnesota Sherburne County Swampbucks Wright County/ West Metro Whitetails East Central Minnesota Minnesota River Valley Blue Earth River Valley Sunrisers Bend of the River Sioux Trails Deer Hunters Des Moines Valley Jim Jordan McGregor Area Quad Rivers Snake River Southern Gateway Southeast Minnesota Bluff Country South Central Minnesota South Metro Capitol Sportsmen’s St. Croix Valley

Chapter Code ALX CVC SRP PDT CRC TRC TCR CMC SCS WCWMW ECM MRV BEC SNR BOR STD DMV JJC MCG QRC SRC SGC SEM BLF SCC SMC CSC SCV

Did you know... bears are the greatest predator of spring fawns?

FERGUS FALLS CHAPTER DONATES TENTS DES MOINES VALLEY

KILEN WOODS STATE PARK HUNT

BY DENIS QUARBERG

Six kids were selected for the 2nd Hunt at Kilen Woods State Park. The Des Moines Valley Chapter oversees the hunt.

There were four deer harvested, one buck, one doe and two fawns. Three deer were taken on the first day, two in the morning and one in the afternoon. The final one was taken on Sunday afternoon. One hunter decided not to hunt on Sunday.

We are promoting Youth Outdoor Recreation here in Fergus Falls, Minnesota.

We donated six new tents to Boy Scout Troop #305 in Fergus Falls.

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Did you know... antler development is genetically based?

MNDEERHUNTERS.COM 21

22 Whitetales | SPRING 2017

Did you know... the tarsal gland is the whitetail’s “rut gland”?

Did you know... the minimum score for a Boone & Crockett entry is 170?

MNDEERHUNTERS.COM 23

AROUND THE State ITASCA HITS THE TARGET

BY STEVE MAANUM

In August of 2014 I was a member of the volunteer staff that conducted an “Explore Bowhunting” workshop at Itasca State Park.

Itasca may be best known as the Headwaters of the Mississippi River or as Minnesota’s oldest state park, but it is also known for its programming initiatives. The two park naturalists, Connie and Sandra, are knowledgeable, energetic, creative, and very dedicated so I seldom pass up the opportunity to work with them.

The rest of the staff consisted mostly of current or past MDHA members - a retired DNR forester and a retired USDA soil and water conservation specialist who both have decades of experience as firearms safety instructors, two naturalist corps interns, three active DNR wildlife specialists, and a former U of M extension educator with 4-H shooting sports and American Indian youth programming. He also happens to be a NASP certified instructor.

The day’s schedule included a brief history of bowhunting and the changes in equipment, instruction in shooting safety and etiquette, target shooting on an official NASP range, shooting from an elevated stand and from a ground blind. While one group was shooting, another group was instructed in scouting techniques before taking a hike to identify food sources and

24 Whitetales | SPRING 2017

search for deer trails, tracks, rubs, scrapes, and beds. Because it was early August, we had to enhance the area with a mock scrape, a rub on a sapling, and even a fake blood trail. As the participants walked in search of deer sign, we talked about the value of trail cameras as we inventoried the trees along the trail. We let them select a good location and then attached a camera so they could see how to set the proper height and angle. As we continued our walk and they found the rub and scrape, they stopped to photograph them with their digital cameras and smart phones. I discussed how their camera can be an effective scouting tool. By photographing such things as deer droppings, rubs, scrapes, and beds hunters can draw detailed maps of their hunting areas. It helps make wise choices for placing deer stands.

Being a photographer has made me a better hunter and being a hunter has made me a better photographer. A photographer becomes a student of nature. Paying attention to the habits of my photo subject – what they eat, when they eat, where they rest, and when and where they migrate is important in planning a successful camera outing. Hunters understand the value of the same information in planning a successful gun or bow hunt.

We followed up with an archery workshop for girls and women in the outdoors.

QUAD RIVERS MDHA FORKHORNS ADOPT-A-HIGHWAY PROJECT

Pictured above are (left to right): Levi Mikrot, Garrett Peterson, Morgan Langhorst, Natalie Mikrot, Kyra Heaton, Kyle Youngberg, Chance Lunde and Sarah Christy The Quad Rivers Forkhorn’s section of the Adopt-A-Highway is from the junction of Highway 27 and 73 to the city of Kettle River, Minnesota. Along with member chaperones, the Quad Forkhorns pick-up the litter along highway 73 in the spring and fall. Their reward, aside from doing a good deed for their community, is a tasty lunch that follows the pickup.

Not only does this program keep the highway section clean, it also promotes community involvement and opportunities for the Forkhorns and chapter members to get to know one another. It also teaches the Forkhorns not to litter.

Every time Forkhorns participate in the “Highway Pick-up,” their names are entered in drawing for a .22 rifle.

Did you know... for shots over 250 yards the .270 & .30-06 are most effective?

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AROUND THE State KUDOS MDHA BRAINERD CHAPTER

BY JOHN MATTSON

I have been meaning to write you and your members for several months regarding my experience with the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association and, in particular, the Brainerd Chapter of MDHA. My background as a deer hunter is fairly unique. At the time of this writing I am just a week away from my 14th year as a deer hunter, which is rather odd when taking into account the fact I am 54 years old. Yes, I was a late hunting bloomer.

My background is I grew up on a small farm in central Minnesota and, while we were not an antihunting family, deer hunting just wasn’t something our dad pursued. To be honest, I spent much of my life mocking those who would be “foolish” enough to go sit in a tree on a cold November morning hoping to see a whitetail deer in the center of my rifle scope.

My eldest brother became a deer hunter after moving away from home. For over two decades I was well aware of his hunting activities, but it never really caught my interest. It did, however, catch the interest of my son as he approached his pre-teen years. This interest was fostered not only by my brother, but also by my son’s cousins in my wife’s family. Year by year it became quite evident my son wanted to hunt, so I finally took the dive when he was 11 years old.

How could I know opening day on November 8, 2003 would arrive with blowing snow and wind chills in the single digits above zero! It was the very weather I had always dreaded and on my first day ever in a deer stand!

I endured the weather that day, despite never having a chance to put a deer in my sights. In addition, I endured several more days through the course of that nine-day season, ending it without any rack for the wall or meat for the freezer. But, my mother often called my dad “the stubborn Swede,” and I guess I may have inherited a bit of that stubbornness so I chose

ENDOWMENTS & DONATIONS: October 20, 2016 - January 17, 2017 ENDOWMENT FUND

to hunt with my son again the following HONOREE’S NAME CONTRIBUTOR’S NAME Mark Nohre year. And because of that perseverance I Mark Strege was rewarded with a nice 4-point buck. It Scott Osland Bruce & Bernie Gross was an incredible experience that made the Steve Ranallo time spent and all of the weather challenges EDUCATION & GENERAL DONATIONS worthwhile.

CONTRIBUTOR’S NAME As the years have passed, I have become Melanie Maneval much more aware of MDHA and the Bernie Goergen wonderful work it does for deer and deer Dick Neider Paul Rice hunting. Since I became a deer hunter, all of Jon Hawkinson my hides that weren’t being processed by my Denis Quarberg brother for making his own clothing always Troy Felton ended up in an orange MDHA Hides-forIzaak Walter League Truist Habitat drop-box. Still, I never really felt Patrick Park If we inadvertently left you driven to join up. I guess that it just didn’t Peter Lodermeier off the list or any corrections realize how big of a deal it really was, until Shawn Carlson to the above list are needed, Stewartville Sportsman's Club please contact us and we this year, that is.

Dan Sartell will make the appropriate As she approached the age of 12, it was Loren Abel corrections. Thank you. time this year for our 3rd and youngest child I finally realized how important the excellent work to become a part of the hunting crew. She done by the members of the Brainerd Chapter was in had been around deer hunting her entire short life and my daughter’s firearms safety training. They are truly greatly desired to be a part of it. So last spring, off to unsung heroes. I know there are many other chapters Firearms Safety Training we went. across the state doing a fine job as well, but, if they She and I attended training sponsored and taught aren’t, they should take lessons from the Brainerd crew! by members of the Brainerd chapter of MDHA, and Many times I hear people express concerns about was I impressed! I sat in for at least part of each of the the declining numbers of hunters and the future of sessions and was extremely happy with what I saw and hunting. I also believe that it is a good thing to be heard. The instructors were firm, but pleasant. They paying attention to. Yet, there is always the chance that were thorough, informative and fair. They did awesome some guy, a guy like me, will come along and become outdoor demonstrations of tree stands and other a hunter at the ripe old age of 40 and that following activities that had not been a part of the training when behind him will be another generation of hunters and, my son took it years before. I was overwhelmed and hopefully, more after that. There is always that hope. greatly appreciative by how much more had been added Keep up the good work, MDHA and may your for my daughter’s experience. members always have safe and prosperous hunting So last summer, my 14th year as a hunter, I became seasons! a member of MDHA for the first time. Why? Because

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Office: (218) 246-9895 Cellular: (218) 244-3365 26 Whitetales | SPRING 2017

Did you know... the average treestand height for a bowhunter is 15’-16’?

Spring

WHITETALES Puzzler

Minnesota Deer Hunting Quiz

BY ROD DIMICH AND ED SCHMIDT

>> True or False! << By Mike Roste 1. It is an enjoyable task to train another member of your own family to be a deer hunter.

2. Deer are epicures.

Answers on page 54.

3. Getting in good physical conditioning before deer hunting season starts is important.

4. A whitetail deer while feeding becomes placid.

5. The top of a whitetail’s tail is white.

6. Comfort in a deer stand can mean different things to different hunters.

7. Cover up scents completely hide all humanrelated odors.

8. All deer travel into the wind.

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The movement of birds from south to north To first appear from soil The sweet liquid as a result of boiling maple sap Early melting result A term relating to spring time Nitrogen rich grass; good luck Sticky liquid under bark of trees; basis of Maple syrup Camouflage on fawns Place for birds to lay eggs and raise their young Small undeveloped frog To spread germination material from one plant to another When plants begin to grow

Wild River Chapter Banquet at the Lent Town Hall in Stacy. Contact Karen Tuelseth at 651.357.7150.

20 Lake Superior Chapter Banquet at the AAD Shriners Facility in Hermantown. Contact Wayne Suronen at 218.389.6246.

18 Pomme De Terre Chapter Banquet at the Morris National Guard Armory. Contact Rick Carlson at 320.589.3389.

21 Trails End Chapter Banquet at the Backus Community Center in International Falls. Contact Bobbi Bernath at 218.283.8196.

25 East Ottertail Chapter Banquet at Playtime Sports Bar in Perham. Contact Mark Strege at 218.849.7453.

29 Jim Jordan Chapter Banquet at Grand Casino in Hinckley. Contact Scott Peterson at 320.372.0300.

29 Smokey Hills Chapter Banquet at the Frazee Event Center. Contact Lowell Bradbury at 218.849.6059.

29 Woodland Chapter Banquet at Quadna Mountain Ski Chalet in Hill City. Contact Jim Bjerkness at 612.618.2074.

Cuyuna Range Whitetails Chapter Banquet at the Hallet Community Center in Crosby. Contact Grant Gibson at 218.820.3142.

Did you know... during a heavy snowstorm still-hunting is the best?

1. True: Shooting and hunting offers another opportunity for some genuine family togetherness.

11

Thief River Falls Chapter Banquet at the Thief River Falls Eagles Club. Contact Al Newton at 218.681.1237.

2. True: Deer have sensitive and discriminating tastes, as they will nip here and there taking only choice items of food.

3

3. True: Whether you walk all day or sit 10 hours in a stand, you need to be in good physical condition.

Being in shape may result in more hours in the field and more venison in the frying pan.

Snake River Chapter Banquet at the Grant Event Center in Mora. Contact Denny Udean at 320.679.9034.

4. False: Deer are superb survivalists because it is a bundle of nerves. Notice that their heads go down for only a few seconds while feeding.

4

5. False: The top of a whitetail’s tail is brown while the name “whitetail” refers to the underside of the tail and that is all you see after discharging all the shells in one’s beloved gun.

APRIL 1 Crow River Chapter Banquet at the McLeod Co. Fairgrounds in Hutchinson. Contact Eugene Putzier at 651.247.3936.

6. True: Some hunters can sit in extremely cold weather all day while other hunters need all the comforts of cabin living.

MARCH 3 North Suburban Chapter Banquet at the Kraus-Hartig VFW in Spring Lake Park. Contact Stephen Ranallo at 763.574.0195.

1

Answers

7. False: A good cover scent may hide many human odors, but they cannot completely mask human scent.

Calendar of EVENTS

APRIL 1 Fergus Falls Chapter Banquet at the Fergus Falls Eagles Club. Contact Richard Tompave at 218.739.9413.

10. The delicately flavored, fairly lean meat of a deer should be cooked for a long time.

8. False: If all deer traveled into the wind, I would only hunt in the extreme northern part of each Minnesota county with a prevailing north wind.

The angle or orientation of the sun in relation to the Earth To plant seeds Fruit, nuts and seeds of woody plants eaten by wildlife The first process of leafing out The act of fertilizing fish eggs The sticky substance in evergreen trees To naturally lose antlers A small tube put in a tree to gather sap New growth of a fern The process of going from a liquid to a gas Light spring rain A new born bird ready to fly To melt March 21 first day of spring

9. True: Toil and hardship won’t always guarantee one a deer and even the best hunters don’t get off a shot some years.

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10. False: Overcooking dries out the meat.

ACROSS

9. It is possible for a veteran hunter to spend the entire deer season in the woods without getting a shot at a deer.

MNDEERHUNTERS.COM 27

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These zip-up bottle koozies feature the popular “Bonz” camo pattern, showing deer antlers/ skulls. They also feature the MDHA logo and are a great fit at any function to keep your beverage cool.

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28 Whitetales | SPRING 2017

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Be ready to sit around the fire with this nice MDHA camp chair that features the MDHA logo on the back of the chair and on the carrying case, two cup holders and a 275 lb. weight rating.

Did you know... a deer track’s width is the best indicator of its size?

When you purchase MDHA merchandise you support MDHA’s programs and mission.

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The 2017 Mug of the Year, "The Rambler™" 10 oz. Lowball, is the ideal drinking companion in deer country or around the campfire. Whether it replaces your morning coffee cup or serves as your beverage glass, the Lowball's double-wall vacuum insulation will keep your hot drinks hot and your cold drinks cold far longer than standard drinkware. And unlike your favorite glass, this Lowball will never shatter or leave a ring on your coffee table, thanks to its 18/8 stainless steel construction and No Sweat™ Design.

Become an MDHA member today...

$15 An updated classic, the Pocket Tool is a modern interpretation of the traditional, minimal multitool. The basic components – large fine-edge blade, bottle opener, Phillips head driver, small and medium flat driver – are housed within a tough rubberized handle, perfect for gripping in the elements, with or without gloves on.

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MNDEERHUNTERS.COM 29

Honoring the Heritage

BY JOHN TERTULIANI

30 Whitetales | SPRING 2017

Has hunting with our youth been pushed aside? Or worse yet, frowned out by a plastic society? No wonder our interest has faded, the desire to go disappears a little more with each piece of land that closes. Abundant land open to hunting has given way to NO HUNTING signs and leases.

Hunting was an important tradition for American families; it was how people put fresh meat on the table. Not just any meat, the healthiest meat in the country, no growth hormones, no antibiotics, and no Mad Cow disease, purely organic for those so inclined.

This does not seem to matter if you can buy an unlimited supply of fresh meat with a credit card.

A privilege of the rich in other countries, we take our hunting for granted, although the family tradition is still deeply ingrained in some parts of the United States. Social distractions are becoming a problem as well as kids have an endless array of electronics and interactive outlets to idle their hours away indoors, outlets that can be fertile

ground for anti-hunting sentiment.

Hunting is passed on by people who want to include their friends and family while spending and enjoying time with them, especially in the outdoors. The bonds forged while hunting are unlike any other and the thought of having to recruit and retain hunters did not exist a generation ago. The tradition was passed on to the next generation without giving it a second thought, mostly because it was so easy; this is not the case today.

These are the best of times for white-tailed deer, but not so for the hunting tradition.

What once used to be a natural progression of passing on the tradition now needs an organized effort to start the momentum, even more to keep it going. The notion of taking our youth hunting comes to us with a sense of urgency. If we want hunting to stick around, if we want to preserve of a way of life that has shaped many of us to what we are today, we have to take action.

WHY THE DECLINE? The Minnesota DNR through a group of stakeholders drafted an executive summary of hunter recruitment and retention in 2002, ranking the possible causes for the decline in the numbers of hunters. The top four were: lack of access to hunting land; not enough mentors; public sentiment (hostility) toward hunting or guns; and lack of time.

The top four recommendations: mentoring programs; public relations and marketing programs; more public land with walk-in access and shooting ranges; and special (youth) hunts.

RECRUITMENT The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service conducted a national survey of recruitment and retention from 1990 to 2005. The survey was divided by geographic region. The west north central region that includes Minnesota showed a 15% rate of initiation for hunting.

Only one other region had a higher rate (16%).

Mentors are as important as the land to hunt.

MNDEERHUNTERS.COM 31

Hunting is not the only pursuit in decline, fishing has fallen off in a similar fashion.

The Minnesota region showed the least decline in the initiation rate from 1990 to 2005. Household income was indirectly related to initiation rate, households with lower incomes tended to have greater declines in initiation.

The report emphasized the importance of youth, 67% of the first-time hunters were under the age of 20. Of those living in rural areas, 38% started at age 12 or younger. Of those living in urban areas, 26% started at age 12 or younger. Where they lived was not as important as that they lived at home with their parents.

RETENTION Hunting retention declined rapidly among teenagers. The rate of decline stabilized after age 25. The Minnesota region had the highest retention rate (50%). Retention rate was found correlated to income; higher income families had higher retention rates.

Another U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service survey in 2006 found 12% of Minnesota residents 16 years of age and older went hunting.

32 Whitetales | SPRING 2017

TARGET PRACTICE Surveys aside, target practice is necessary to become a safe and effective hunter.

Repetition with a firearm builds familiarity and skill. If recruiting starts at a young age, supervised target practice should be included in the process. Shooting skills require motor sensory development and muscle strength to take careful aim. Proper-gun handling can be learned through target practice. Target practice that is fun is effective, although it can be challenging for a shooter who is very young.

Clay targets thrown in the air are a blast for an experienced shooter. Not so for the inexperienced shooter who is unable to hit the targets. Hand-thrown targets are especially difficult to hit as no two fly the same. A youngster may not have the strength to swing a shotgun more than a few times.

Then there is the kick from a shotgun.

Putting up with the kick over and over is asking a lot. A .410 is softer to shoot, but much harder to use on moving targets.

Paper targets with a .22 rifle may be the way to go with the youngest shooters.

Shooting at targets is more fun if they can see their hits. Coated targets make hits easier to see. Impact targets that flip or spin when hit will keep the interest alive. Shooting with siblings or friends brings companionship to the bench. A friendly shooting contest is always fun and excellent practice.

SMALL GAME Small game provides the first chance to get out before the deer gun season, a chance to share an experience. What a young hunter does not need is a crash course in stalking techniques and shooting skills. Shooting skills are developed long before season and stalking skills develop with time and hunting experience.

Squirrel and dove are ideal game because a shot or two will go a long way; just seeing game makes all the difference. A 20-gauge shotgun is all that is needed. Squirrel hunting is like deer hunting in that you can sit among oak trees and fencerows that border a cornfield.

Dove hunting is fast, a passing dove is extremely hard to hit; do not expect to bag

Outdoor mentoring does not have to extravagant. Simple activities provide lasting memories. Activities need to be geared to the ages of the participants. many doves; this will not be a problem. Who does not enjoy watching for birds on a late summer afternoon? Find a spot to sit near a fencerow or the edge of a field, close to a large dead tree if possible, where the doves will fly in at various times during the day to perch on the bare limbs. Gravel near a pond is another place to try; doves will fly in looking for gravel and water.

Be careful how hard you try for rabbit and pheasant, too much walking with a weighty shotgun can bring interest to a halt and the game can be few and far in between unless you have a good dog. Sitting in a duck blind before sunrise is great if the birds are flying.

BIG GAME The white-tailed deer is the grandest game of all. As thrilling as deer hunting is, a young hunter still needs individual attention from a parent or mentor. End the hunt as soon as necessary to retain interest and avoid the impression that sitting in the woods is boring.

YOUTH HUNTS Youth hunts are the best idea yet for the parent and the mentor. Making a day memorable is far more likely done during a youth hunt. More game is likely to be seen and few, if any other hunters will be in the area.

Coping with a sea of orange during the regular gun season is a difficult day for any hunter.

The simple experience of going on a hunt is what matters most to the new hunter. If you keep them comfortable, take them out more than once, get them a shot at any game, and you will soon have a friend for life. And when they get old and grizzled they will think back to you and the difference you made.

MNDEERHUNTERS.COM 33

SHED HUNTING It can be a mistake to read too much into where you find sheds in relation to where you might have a chance to shoot the buck that dropped them. The fun of shed hunting is enough.

FOR THE FUN OF IT

BY BERNIE BARRINGER

I found my first shed by accident in the late 1970s. That shed kindled a spark in me that would grow through time. I have had some great fun shed hunting with family and friends and I can tell some rather bizarre stories to accompany some of the sheds I own. Here’s just one from a few years ago.

My buddy and I were driving a north woods road pulling my boat.

I was in the passenger seat as we headed home after a day of fishing.

Out in a field, 60 yards from the road, I saw three white points sticking up above the grass. I didn’t say anything at first, because it seemed too crazy there could be a shed whitetail antler laying right there. But as I thought about it, I asked myself, “What else would have three evenly spaced points sticking up above the grass”? It had to be an antler. And it had to be huge.

Finally, I said, “Gary we have got to turn around. I think I saw a big shed antler and I’m not sure but it’s driving me crazy. We gotta go back.” We were more than five miles from the spot. But it was worth the trip back.

34 Whitetales | SPRING 2017

It was a weather-whitened 5-point shed that scored 79 inches.

Incredibly, the matched set was lying right beside it. It scored 76 inches. Give them a 20-inch spread and you do the math. I had just found my first set of matched Boone & Crockett sheds. And to think we almost didn’t turn around.

You don’t have to hunt shed antlers with the goal of gathering information about a particular buck in order to shoot that buck.

Hunting shed antlers is a sport unto itself. It’s just plain fun and good exercise. I consider any information I gather purely a bonus. Allow me to offer some tips from a lifetime of experience that will help you find and appreciate the amazing shed antler.

FORGET ABOUT HOME RANGES

Because I started hunting shed antlers for the sake of the antlers themselves, I didn’t have any preconceived notions about their importance to my deer hunting. If you have read any articles about shed antler hunting, you have noticed they all seem to relate back

to how to shoot the buck that shed them. Frankly, I believe the connection between where you find the buck’s sheds and where you are likely to shoot that buck the following deer season is way overrated. This is particularly true in Minnesota, where winter weather and available food dictate deer behavior and location.

The second largest matched set I found was found in northern Iowa, more than five miles from where a friend shot the buck the following year. It missed making the Boone & Crockett book by less than an inch.

Deer need to eat every day and they will go where the food is. In the winter when the antlers are dropping, the food may be miles away from where that buck spends the majority of his time in the fall. This leads us to #2.

CONNECT THE DOTS

Of course the deer need to travel between the bedding areas and the food. Trails will develop between these areas and the obvious sign is easy to find and follow. The more snow the better. Get out early before the snow melts and find these trails for later use. A lot of sheds can be found on these connecting trails. Pay special attention to the areas where they have to jump over fences or downed logs, climb steep creek banks, etc. These areas tend to jar the sheds loose.

FIND THE FOOD

Wintering whitetails need high carbohydrate foods and they need them every day. Find the food and you will find the sheds. Remember the mantra that finding sheds is all about the food. Figure out where the deer are feeding and then spend the majority of your time divided between their feeding and bedding areas. The antlers are more likely to fall off when they are feeding because they are moving about. Corn, soybeans, milo, turnips and other food plots are key to the winter whereabouts of whitetails. Anywhere acorns have not been cleaned up by late winter can be golden.

Pay special attention to the windswept hilltops both in farm areas and in the hardwoods. Snow blows off the hilltops and any lost grain from farming operations will be more accessible there. The big set of matched Iowa sheds I mentioned earlier? I found one side on top of a hill in the soybean stubble and the other side in a thick farm grove 200 yards away.

The deer cannot hide what they are doing. Connect the dots between the food and the bedding area and put on the miles walking.

It’s all about the food. Find the high-carb foods deer crave in the winter and you will find the sheds.

WINTER BEDDING COVER: THERMAL AND SOLAR

There are two kinds of areas in which bucks tend to bed during the winter. Solar bedding areas are the south sides of slopes that are somewhat open and allow the deer to bed in areas where the sun can warm them during the day. Thermal cover is the thickest, nastiest stuff they can find which they will use during cold, cloudy, windy and stormy weather. If you find these types of bedding areas within a short distance of a good food source and you have a good number of bucks in the area, finding sheds could be like picking up Easter eggs. You’ve hit the jackpot.

LOOK FOR THE OTHER SIDE

Antlers occasionally fall of together, but that’s somewhat rare. I do believe, however, that the buck will put quite a bit of effort into dislodging the other side because of the lopsided feeling he has with one antler. He will shake his head, rub the antler on trees and push it on the ground to work it off. If you find a nice shed, put an exhaustive effort into finding the other side. It’s probably close by.

“NO HUNTING” DOESN’T ALWAYS MEAN NO SHED HUNTING

Some of the best shed hunting I found back 30 years ago when I started collecting bone was found in state, local and county parks where hunting was not allowed. Where these parks bordered crop

MNDEERHUNTERS.COM 35

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It’s a good idea to pay special attention to places the deer are likely to dislodge the antlers. Fence crossings, creek and ditch jumps, and where they walk through heavy overhead branches.

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fields on private land were often gold mines for shed antlers. The deer would feed in the fields but bed in the safety of the park. Most parks have laws against picking any kind of plant, but nothing about collecting shed antlers. The deer would be bunched up there in great numbers during the winter, which made them very fertile ground for shed hunting.

GET THERE EARLY

In the 1980s I was really putting on the miles looking for antlers.

There were very few people collecting sheds. That’s not the case anymore. Back then, I would wait until late March when the antlers were all cast, and the snow was melting before I would go shed hunting. Then one day I was walking a deer trail in a park and I came over a hill face to face with another shed hunter. In his hand was the match to the shed I held in my hand. This was the “beginning of the end” for the way I shed hunted. Now I must get there early and often if I’m going to collect sheds. It’s become a popular sport.

scouting camera photos of then and appreciate the knowledge I am helping the deer get through a tough winter in good condition.

Another bonus is the way I sometimes feed them. I find a windfall or a pile of dead branches and dump the feed right into it. When the sheds are ready to fall off, they fall right there. Bucks must push their noses down into the brush to get to the feed and the sheds are often found right in the feed.

At times, hunting shed antlers can provide information that will help you with your deer hunting, mostly in the form of an inventory of the bucks that survived the previous hunting season. But even more important than that, it’s good exercise, great family fun and a way to enjoy one of the most remarkable things in nature; the amazing antler.

USE A LITTLE CREATIVITY

While it is unlawful in Minnesota to construct or place a device that would cause the sheds to dislodge, there are ways to encourage the deer to drop their antlers where you can more easily find them. You can place feed in areas where it’s needed and the deer will congregate around these feeding areas, dropping their sheds at the feeding site, in nearby bedding areas and on the trails that connect it all. If you feed whitetails, please do so responsibly, using a mix of quality feeds and do not introduce or cut off feed supplies during harsh winter conditions.

I enjoy feeding whitetails from fall through spring. I love collecting

36 Whitetales | SPRING 2017

Feeding deer in a brush pile is one way to cause the sheds to drop right where you want them.

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SCOUTING

Whitetail Deer YEAR-ROUND

BY WES DAVID

44 Whitetales | SPRING 2017

The author and the buck that brought his doe.

It was 7:30 am on the opening day of firearms season and I was sitting at the edge of a field watching several does feed on the alfalfa that lay beneath a fresh blanket of snow. In less than 30-minutes I expected a buck to walk onto the field and begin pestering the does.

I had been watching the buck I was waiting for for two years and this was the year he would come home with me for the winter. I know his patterns like the back of my hand and the only reason I didn’t take him during the archery season is because he always seemed to be just out of bow range. However, I knew where he would be during the November rifle season and it was now just a matter of minutes before my whitetail deer tag would be filled.

Forty-five minutes later the buck I was waiting for walked onto the field as I anticipated. I raised my rifle to my shoulder and placed the crosshairs of my scope on his vitals.

I squeezed the trigger and the tell-tale sound of my bullet finding its mark indicated my whitetail season was over for another year. I credit my 45-minute rifle hunt to my pre-season deer scouting that started many months earlier that helped me understand what the deer want and where they will be during the hunting season.

The end of November and in many states, the end of December, signals the end of the whitetail deer hunting season. Many hunters will have been successful maybe

even having their best season ever. Others would go home empty handed hoping for a better season next year. Some unsuccessful hunters will make excuses like it was too hot or too cold and the game wasn’t moving. The rut was early this year. The rut was late this year.

Or, I just wasn’t lucky. It’s true luck has helped every hunter at one point or another and if it hasn’t helped you yet, give it time and it will.

But have you ever caught yourself wondering why luck always blesses those precious few that always seem to get their deer year after year? What are they doing differently?

Hunters that always seem to get their deer, and we all know one or two of them, put in the

MNDEERHUNTERS.COM 45

time to scout well before the hunting season ever gets underway. But when should we start scouting the areas we plan to hunt? While some diehard whitetail hunters start their scouting shortly after the season has ended, the majority of whitetail hunters start scouting during the summer months well before many hunters even begin to think about the season opener.

to the area. By this time, you should have a good idea of the deer in your area, their movements, and where they are, especially if this isn’t your first season hunting the area. Many hunters start scouting the closer it gets to their hunt. However, I believe too many visits to your area in a short period of time alerts the game that something’s going on. Putting too much pressure on the deer you plan to hunt will cause the deer to change their patterns and pattern changes is not something you want just before the season opens when you plan to hunt.

For this reason, I like to put up my treestands, ground blinds, or build my natural blinds a month in advance of when I plan to hunt.

That way the deer have time to get used to something new in their area. And believe me, they know when something has changed on their home turf.

The author sets up a game camera in July along a well-traveled deer trail.

Summer

Even though I’ve been scouting my whitetail areas during my spring shed hunting adventures, the bulk of my scouting begins during the months of June and July. I start to focus on the deer’s summer feeding areas and watering sources, paying close attention to the amount of tracks at the water and how fresh the tracks are. I also pay attention to the freshness of the deer tracks. This helps me tell when and how often the deer come to that particular watering spot. I also take note of the tracks leaving the watering area. Are the tracks spread out indicating the deer are running from the water or are they calmly walking away indicating they are comfortable with the area? And not all watering places are created equal. Whitetail deer don’t like to leave the safety of cover unless they absolutely have to. Look for feeding and watering areas close to the safety of cover. Once you locate the prime areas walk the perimeter of the area and take note of the game trails leading onto the field or to the water.

Topographical maps of your hunting areas can help you target the prime feeding and watering areas before you ever leave the house. If you don’t have a map of the area, draw a map as you see the area when you’re scouting being sure to mark the most beaten down game trails.

Many whitetail hunters including myself like to personalize their hunting area by naming the trails. It also gives you a quick reference when planning a hunt taking in wind direction or choosing stand location. During your scouting trips, stay well enough away from the game trails so you don’t interfere with the deer’s routines. Sit and watch the area through your optics a few times until you can pattern the deer and the prime trails they’re using. It’s not uncommon for deer to use one trail to enter an area, and another to exit the area. This is valuable information as it will aid you in a treestand or ground blind placement.

August

I usually leave my trail cameras up year-round, but if I need to put some up or move some around, August is when I start focusing on my trail cameras, especially if I’m archery hunting the area in September.

However, the closer the hunting season gets, I begin to limit my visits

46 Whitetales | SPRING 2017

The closer it gets to the author’s hunt, he starts to limit his time in his hunting area and scouts from a distance.

September & October

The bowhunting season is now underway and naturally, whitetail bucks begin to change their patterns and routines. Bucks in bachelor groups will begin sparring and the friendly sparring matches will increase in intensity and get more aggressive throughout September.

Even yearling bucks are sensing a change in their bodies and in the deer around them. The small herd of does that a yearling buck followed and took care of him a month earlier have now pushed him out of the herd and the mature bucks are bullying him out of the area.

The yearling may find himself all alone. This is all new to the yearling buck but instinctively, the young buck is also looking at the does much differently.

Towards the end of September and into the month of October, bucks, especially, dominant bucks, will remove themselves from their bachelor groups and begin to spend more time with the does and paying more attention to their scrape lines. Bucks are now preparing for the anticipated rut. During this time and during the rut itself, bucks that are rarely seen often expose themselves as they pester the does. Hunters can setup on scrape lines, entry and exit locations on and off fields where the deer are feeding, and watering holes. At this time of the year, getting in and out on these deer undetected is extremely important. Hunters do not want to change the deer patterns, especially the doe’s patterns. In a few weeks, the does will be all the bucks care about so you don’t want them disturbed.

Set up for the does and hunt the bucks.

Hunt the Does

It’s not always important to see the buck or bucks during your scouting trips, although seeing the buck or bucks during your scouting trips does ease your mind. However, if you plan to hunt the pre-rut or the rut, you will need to know where the does are. I always get excited when I see the does during my scouting tips, especially during pre-rut and rut hunting trips. Common knowledge tells us that during the rut bucks are looking for procreation. Many trophy bucks have been taken by setting up and paying close attention to the female gender and their patterns at this time of the year. During the breeding season, does continue with their daily routines. It’s the bucks that are on the move looking to reproduce. Mature bucks that were once secluded and secretive will throw caution to the wind during the rut trying to impress the does. Bucks will put on several miles looking for so you need to know where the does are. During the rut, knowing where the does are and setting up on them can give you the edge you need to take your trophy buck. How many times have you heard a whitetail hunter say? “I’m not interested in the does. I’m looking for a buck”?

However, if you have patterned the does prior to the rut, I promise you will find the bucks.

During last year’s hunting season, I was fortunate enough to have been drawn for an antlerless whitetail tag in the same area I hunt whitetail bucks. I was hunting my antlerless tag when the buck that I was watching since mid-June and a mature whitetail doe came out of the trees in front of my hidden location. Naturally, I placed the crosshairs on the buck’s vitals first and squeezed the trigger. The buck fell to the ground, but to my surprise, the doe wouldn’t leave him. She was ready to mate but didn’t understand why the buck wouldn’t stand up. I chambered another round and placed the crosshairs on the vitals of the doe and squeezed the trigger a second time. In less than 10 seconds both my whitetail tags were filled and both deer lay less than 10 yards from each other.

Other positives to scouting your hunting areas early, is it gives you a better understanding of your hunting area and the lay of the land.

That shallow dip in the land or that cluster of trees just out of the deer’s sight that you found while scouting may be the ideal ambush

Scouting year-round and understanding the buck to doe ratio in the author’s hunting area led to the author’s son’s first whitetail deer and was the driving force for his son’s love for whitetail deer hunting. location. And over time, you may even get a better idea of your buck to doe ratio in your area and start harvesting a doe for the freezer.

In one of my hunting areas that I’ve been scouting and hunting for the last ten years, I can tell you what buck I plan on taking each year and that my buck to doe ratio is roughly 11 does to every buck. My son’s first whitetail deer was a doe out of the area and she made for some amazing table fair and was the driving force for my son’s love of whitetail deer hunting.

Putting the time into scouting during the summer months well in advance of the whitetail season will allow you more time to hunt whitetails during the season and less time looking for deer during the season.

MNDEERHUNTERS.COM 47

MDHA TIPS

BY ROD DIMICH AND ED SCHMIDT

TIP

#1

“Food for thought” If you have ever planted a garden we are sure you didn’t just grab some seeds and throw them pell-mell like you were feeding chickens. The same goes for selecting seed for food plots no matter the size. Like with most endeavors, the key is research, not trial and error. Jump on the computer and google the type of plot in which you are interested.

Another good method is to search your family and friend trees for those in the know. They most likely will be glad to share their good, bad and ugly experiences. Finally, remember what Rudyard Kipling said, “Gardens are not made by singing ‘Oh, how beautiful,’ and sitting in the shade.”

TIP

#2

“‘Rust’ is more than disuse” Have you ever lost or left something in the garage or shed, then found it or retrieved it, but it is locked up like the “The Tin Man” in the Wizard of Oz? We all have, that’s why rust-away and other such lubricants were invented as form follows function. Sometimes the items are small, like an eight-inch crescent wrench. Other times it could be that muzzleloader you left in your garage or shed thinking it would be okay because it was stainless. When you pulled it out in midsummer, however, you found it was not stainless and it was rusted.

Remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Lubricate your firearms and “rustables” before the high humidity season.

TIP

#3

“Metal rusts, wood rots”

As you might have found out the hard way, metal rusts and wood rots. In this vein, be sure to check your deer stands and steps/ladders for wear and accessibility. Believe it or not the leading cause of deer hunters visiting emergency rooms in the preseason and during the hunt is falling from or through a deer stand or its ladder. Cuts are second. While scouting your deer country this spring for sheds or trails, make sure to pull some maintenance on your stands, carefully checking what’s rot and what’s not. It is also a good idea to fix what needs to be fixed in the spring rather than fall so the deer will have time to adjust. Also remember when in doubt throw it out.

48 Whitetales | SPRING 2017

TREASURES Dennis Petrick and his Stipple Art

For a little over two decades, Dennis Petrick, aka the “Gentle Giant,” a Viet Nam vet, motorcyclist and the late member of the Aitkin County’s Riceland Chapter, provided his artwork for MDHA’s Whitetales magazine, banquet placemats, silent and live auction items starting in the early 1990s. His artwork, called “stipple” art, utilized a pen, India ink and paper. By patiently visualizing wildlife, Denny would begin placing dot after dot in a pattern resulting in a unique portrayal of deer or moose or other woodland critters.

Denny was a very avid bear, deer and antelope hunter as well as a proficient trap shooter. His early days were spent in the Sandy Lake area where the family cabin is still located. He scored hundreds of sets of antlers while being active with the MOM group (Minnesota Official Measurers). Among the many sport shows Denny worked, his favorites were the Deer Classic and MDHA State Habitat Banquets. In addition to the Minnesota Official Measurers, he belonged to the Boone & Crocket Measurers, Pope & Young Measurers, Long Hunter Society, North American Shed Hunters Club, and the MDHA. Denny also helped with the MAC Bird Busters and was a firearm safety and conceal and carry instructor. He was an avid hunter and outdoorsman, loved motorcycles, and antiques.

Shown below are some examples of his artistry:

MNDEERHUNTERS.COM 49

MEMBER Story

MAKING A DEER HUNTER Brady Toensing pointing out his bulls-eye at Forkhorn camp where he spent a week earning his firearms safety certification.

BRAINERD YOUTH PREPARED FOR THE HUNT

During the 2016 Governor’s Deer Hunting Opener, held in the Pequot Lakes/Breezy Point area, the hosting MDHA Bluewater Chapter members served as mentors to a recent Forkhorn Camp graduate, Brady Toensing. Each year during the Governor’s Deer Hunting Opener media representatives are paired with hunters and hosts to capture their experiences in the field during opening weekend. This year we had a unique opportunity to follow Brady’s story which was documented before, during and after the hunt by Michael Johnson of the Brainerd Dispatch.

Most deer hunters never lose the feeling of excitement that fills opening morning to the brim. That excitement is often maxed out in first-year hunters coming face-to-face with the deer they’ve dreamed about. That excitement was evident in the eyes of 12-yearold Brady Toensing of Brainerd as he walked the trails to the deer stand he would be hunting from just weeks before the opening of the rifle season for Minnesota white-tailed deer. His eyes were eager to see a deer. His mind was focused on making the shot. And his hopes were high as the tree tops.

Earlier in the day, Brady was sighting in the rifle he’d be using. The .243 rifle was borrowed as Brady didn’t have one of his own yet. Giving him tips on shooting was his mentor for the hunt, Jim Stetler of Pequot Lakes. At his side was another member of the hunting party, Brian Evenson, Jim’s brother-in-law. Both men are members of the local Bluewater Chapter of the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association, located out of the Pequot Lakes area. Evenson is President and Stetler is Treasurer. Both are keenly focused on getting youth like Brady in the outdoors.

Just off Evenson Road, in rural Pequot Lakes, Brady lined up his shot, breathed easy and fired. Even though a crowd of others were standing behind watching, including his proud

50 Whitetales | SPRING 2017

mom, he hit the bullseye from 100 yards.

“Now you can go out there with confidence,” Stetler said as he walked back with Brady, who proudly held his target in hand.

Planning: Hunters for the Future

Getting to that point of confidence took time. Brady has always had an interest in hunting thanks to his grandpa, but he’s never had the access that some hunters enjoy. His grandpa, Dave Hall, has been a member of the Bluewater Chapter since its beginning and his stories of deer hunting intrigued young Brady to get out and see what it was all about. “I’ve been looking forward to it for a long time,” Brady said.

Brady’s mom Kathy Toensing said he’s been looking forward to it for most of his life.

While Kathy, a single mom, never got into hunting, she knew it was important to Brady and has been the driving force of getting him outdoors. She was pleased to find out that members of the Bluewater Chapter of MDHA were eager to mentor Brady and pass on a tradition to him that has been a lifelong passion for them.

Evenson said the chapters were asked to look at ways to get more youths involved in hunting. He immediately knew the veteran deer hunters needed to mentor youth and

provide a quality hunting experience in order to keep future generations involved. They just needed to find a youth who was interested, but didn’t have the resources to do it. Hunting land and a willing adult can be hard to come by. “Brady fit the bill,” Evenson said.

Stetler has been hunting outside Pequot Lakes for over 30 years and Evenson’s family has been deer hunting there since the early 1900s. While the busyness of life has worked to pull family time away, the in-laws agreed that deer hunting was always a family gathering. Some years have been lean, others plentiful. But no matter what, at the end of the day, the potluck commences and stories start in force.

Preparing: Practice Makes Perfect

Brady and seven others from the chapter attended an MDHA-sponsored week-long Forkhorn Camp at Deep Portage to earn their firearms safety certification. Sponsored by the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association, these camps provide participants with basic knowledge necessary to become an ethical, responsible and successful deer hunter. To understand deer, they study white-tailed deer biology, habits and habitat needs.

Campers then learn hunting skills, including marksmanship and field to feast game care

ry

BY MICHAEL JOHNSON, BRAINERD DISPATCH

and preparation. Students who do not yet have their Minnesota DNR Firearms Safety Certificate (required to hunt in Minnesota) are trained by DNR Firearms Safety instructors and can test to receive their certificate as part of the camp experience.

Those leaving the camp can feel confident about hunting deer. The only thing missing perhaps is how to exaggerate a hunting story.

But those things take practice.

While Brady’s mom was eager to go along side Brady on his hunt, she soon found that as a county employee in the elections department, she would have to work due to the upcoming election. So instead, Brady joined Stetler in what some family members call the “Taj Mahal,” a 4-by-12-foot deer stand, fully enclosed with heater and a view to-die-for. “This is home for a weekend,” Stetler said.

After showing him where they would hunt, Stetler and Evenson took the time to show Brady some areas where deer sign could be found in abundance. Tracks were crisscrossed through the plots planted into greens. Fresh buck rubs were evident in areas where the leaves were pushed aside and antler scratches were clear in the wet sandy soil. The group spoke of a big buck that’s been around for several years. “He’s been going incognito,” Stetler said. Brady hoped to put his skills to the test Saturday morning and have a story to tell at deer camp now and the rest of his days.

Celebrating: Toensing Successful in Mentored Hunt

First-time deer hunter Brady Toensing came away with a buck and a desire to continue hunting.

He described the waiting and anxious feelings of buck fever as he spotted not one but six deer near his stand shortly after sunrise. About a half hour after it began to get light, Brady tuned in on a young buck. He waited for about 20 minutes for the deer to step into a clearing for a shot. With hunting mentor Jim Stetler at his side, he finally fired and made a killing shot at 270 yards.

“I was getting really excited and anxious,” Brady said.

After getting his deer, they took it back

First-time deer hunter Brady Toensing came away with a buck and a desire to continue hunting. to deer camp to get it cooling down as temperatures were on the rise.

His mentor, Jim Stetler, was also successful.

“Brady and Jim took care of the deer and hung it up in the shop,” Brian Evenson said.

“On the way back out to the stand Jim shot a nine-pointer.”

Evenson, who was also part of the deer camp and President of the MDHA Bluewater Chapter with Stetler, was very pleased Brady was successful in his first hunt. He is hopeful this will lead to a lifetime of hunting for Brady. Brady confirmed that he is hooked on deer hunting and looks forward to next year.

MNDEERHUNTERS.COM 51

What’s Cookin’?

Recipe from The Sporting Chef - Scott Leysath - originally published on Modern Carnivore at modcarn.com

Roasted Wild Turkey

So you’ve got that bird thawing from your last hunt, but you’re not sure about the best way to prepare it. Here’s a tried and true recipe for roasted wild turkey.

Ingredients: • • • • • • • • • • • • •

1 wild turkey, skin intact salt and freshly ground black pepper 4 strips smoked bacon, diced 1 lemon, sliced and diced 1/2 cup finely diced onion 3 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 cup fresh herbs, your choice – minced (or substitute 2 T dried Italian seasoning) 3 carrots, whole 3 celery stalks, whole 2 medium potatoes, cut into 4 wedges 1 medium onion, cut into 4 wedges 2 cups dry white wine or chicken broth large piece heavy-duty aluminum foil

52 Whitetales | SPRING 2017

Instructions:

• First, you have to carefully separate the skin from the body without tearing the skin. If you do poke through the skin once or twice, you’re still fine. Start at the neck and put a hand inside, working towards the top of the breast. Feel where the skin connects to the breast and begin working your fingers in between, separating skin from breast. Continue working your hands down the breast towards the back of the bird.

• Season the turkey inside and out with salt and pepper.

• Combine 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper with the bacon, lemon, onion, garlic and herbs. Spread mixture in the area you’ve created between the skin and the breast.

• Place turkey, breast side down, in a roasting pan. Arrange carrots, celery, potato and onion under each side of the breast to keep it from falling over. If it still won’t stay up, it’s no big deal. Just flip it over to the other side after about 45 minutes of cooking time.

• Pour wine or broth into pan and cover pan with foil. Place into a 350ºF. preheated oven.

• Depending on the size of your turkey, cooking time will average between 1 and 1 1/2 hours. Remove when breasts are 155ºF. Allow to rest for 5 – 10 minutes before carving. Legs will not be tender! Remove them and use for soups and stocks.

Gizmos GADGETS Garments GEAR About Ravin Crossbows

Ravin was started by a group of hard-core hunters and world-class product designers with one goal in mind – to create the world’s best crossbow. Over the past 20 years this group has had an incredible track record of design and product development. With a wide range of archery products to their credit, they moved their focus to the crossbow industry.

This top-notch design and engineering group set out to produce the most accurate crossbow in the world. This was accomplished with the invention of HeliCoil™ technology.

The revolutionary technology has several industry-changing advantages that all work

together to create the most accurate crossbow ever designed. Helicoil™ technology creates an incredibly efficient, compact crossbow with rifle-like downrange accuracy not seen in any other crossbow.

The R15 zips arrows through the chronograph at a full 425 feet per second and pummels the target with 160 foot pounds of kinetic energy. According to Ravin Executive

Vice President Mike Weinkauf, “Patented HeliCoil technology is the foundation of the R15, giving it perfectly balanced cams, straight nock travel and friction-free arrow delivery.

By combining HeliCoil with new limb innovation, we developed the fastest, flattestshooting, hardest-hitting Ravin ever built.”

For more information visit www.

RavinCrossbows.com

OZONE SCIENCE

DESTROYS

ODOR IN THREE WAYS Water, food and cover are crucial for animals to survive.

With surrounding food and bedding your H2O Whole will create the ideal location for viewing deer and a wide variety of wildlife. Bucks, does and fawns will pattern around the H2O Whole, creating an added level of excitement and anticipation for your hunt. With a ramp and steps, the H2O Whole provides easy access for all types of animals and birds of any size regardless of the water level.

Constructed with ultra high molecular weight polyethylene and 10 year UV protection, the H2O Whole can withstand punishment from harsh winters, hot summers, and animals of any size stepping in it. It is lightweight yet large enough to hold 150 gallons of water.

Along with being easy to handle, the H2O Whole will also allow you control and change the path of wildlife by bringing them directly to your water source. Rutting bucks need to drink water in order to stay healthy. Placing a H2O Whole near their bedding and feeding areas will dramatically improve your chances or harvesting a mature trophy buck.

Bring the buck of your dreams right to you with the H2O Whole. For more information, go to www.jenlisinc.com or contact them at 877-356-6455.

Take control.

Start out your very best.

FITS PEET DRYERS

IN SHOES & BOOTS

MODULE

3 WAYUsability DESTR

YS

HUMAN ODOR IN BOOTS

SMALL SPACE AREAS

H U N T S C E N T- F R E E “The moment of truth” won’t happen unless human odor that invades a whitetailer’s habitat is non-existent.

Find out more at www.peetdryer.com 800-222-7338

MNDEERHUNTERS.COM 53

HUNT

Spring

WHITETALES Puzzler

it down!

ANSWERS

Look for an icon shaped like the one above in this issue of Whitetales and, when you find it, send us the page number, along with your name and address. If you are correct, your name will be entered in a prize drawing from MDHA. Email bri@mndeerhunters.com Submission deadline: April 1, 2017

Winner of the Fall “Hunt It Down”

Spencer Fischer of the Snake River Chapter found the hidden antler mount on page 12 of the winter issue and was the lucky winner of a Whitetail Deer Folding Knife. Congrats Spencer!

PLEASE REVIEW Your Membership Information Today.

The magazine label indicates your membership status. Please check it to see if your address is correct and when your membership expires. To renew your membership or make corrections, call the MDHA State Office at 800.450.DEER. Address changes are a major concern and we need your help to correct them. On occasion, the office gets calls because a household is getting duplicate magazines or shouldn’t be getting a magazine at all. What may be the reason for this?

54 Whitetales | SPRING 2017

Across Answers 1.

4.

5.

6.

9.

10.

12.

16.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

POTENTIAL REASONS:

• Renewal forms or banquet tickets are illegible and get entered incorrectly.

• J.J. Jones is Jerry Jones, same person with multiple memberships.

• A life member passes away and the state office is not notified.

SOLUTIONS:

• Call the office to inquire at 800.450.DEER. • Check with your chapter officers or regional director.

• Check your magazine’s mailing label to see if it is accurate.

Azimuth Sow Mast Budding Spawning Pitch Shed Tap Frond Evaporation Showers Fledgling Thaw Equinox

Down Answers 2.

3.

4.

7.

8.

11.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

20.

Migration Emerge Syrup Runoff Vernal Clover Sap Spots Nest Tadpole Pollinate Sprout

Questions, concerns, thoughts?

Address letters to: Minnesota Deer Hunters Association Attention: Letter to the Editor 460 Peterson Rd. Grand Rapids, MN 55744 or email: bri@mndeerhunters.com

Daylight IN THE Swamp As our talk progressed, my friend and I noted we all pretty much have selective memories about the tranquility of our yesteryears as they really weren’t all that placid and pure. Sure, we didn’t have the drugs and gangs and turmoil, but we also did not grow up in the inner city or projects or the mean streets. We then celebrated the strength of the “Greatest Generation,” those grand people who were born in the early 1900s, survived the devastating flu pandemic of 1916-19, WWI, the Great Depression of the 1930s, WWII, Korea, and then had their sons endure Vietnam, escalating drug use and social acrimony.

Before my friend continued his story about his basketball epiphany, he strangely fastforwarded years, recounting how recently he had been at his family’s deer shack gate twelve hours after leaving the city he called “The Big Strange,” not looking back. His city (Chicago) was definitely not as impressive on the leaving as it had been on the arriving years ago.

My friend told me he had driven north all night to get to his special little footstool of the Earth, his family’s deer shack. There, he said, was where his grand plan to salvage his life would be accomplished. Even though he was certain that devastating chapter of his life was over, he could not shake the feeling of being like the Wizard of Oz’s “man behind the curtain,” a fake, a charlatan.

Even though that curtain was now closed, my friend said he was still a sad tale told by a storm. He was broke, not only financially, but also emotionally. Because his “American Dream” had become a nightmare, torrents of uncertainty rushed through him like spring streams into Lake Superior.

As he had hoped, his trek to the big swamp created great memories. At the “Popple Point,” he once again saw the red fox jump two feet in the air as he shot at it. He loved how he remembered rationalizing his shooting was not foolish. Because he had the “silver tongue,” he told the veteran hunters how he had heard one of the drivers holler, “Here he comes!” so he figured it was the fox and blasted. After all, there was some money for the hide. As you might have surmised, it wasn’t the fox, but a nice buck they had kicked

up, which obviously disappeared after he had commenced firing. He never quite lived that down and the name “Foxy” still lingers.

As he got closer to his little brother’s old stand at the west edge of the balsams, he thought he smelled the acrid aroma of burned socks. He laughed out loud as he visualized his little brother stomping around in the snow like he had hornets in his socks.

There were no hornets, of course, just a couple of smoldering socks (with feet in them) that had gotten a bit too close to the warming campfire.

A hundred paces later, a stone’s throw before the balsams gave way to a tag alder swamp so dense the old-timers described it as being “as thick as fleas on a dog’s back,” he stopped. As he traditionally did, he broke off a sprig of balsam, sniffed it deeply, put it in his pocket and then stepped into the big swamp.

Upon entering, he remembered how at twelve the first two words he had thought of as he felt the big swamp in the heavy darkness for the first time: “scary” and “awesome.”

This time he wasn’t entering the swamp for the first time. This time it was more of a mysterious “going through the looking-glass” type of happening. In fact, as he swished through ankle deep water, my friend said he was sure he heard Rod Sterling’s rich iconic voice from the old Twilight Zone television series narrating his swamp trek, “What you are about to see is a journey, a portrait of a man who once had big dreams, but who is now maneuvering the trail back from the ashes of a failed dream to the light of childhood. As of late, his life has been one lived in the shadows. He has been traveling a trail signposted by fear and guilt and uncertainty and he feels he is the only traveler. He is at the edge.”

In a matter of minutes he reached the “Lighthouse,” a lone regal tamarack, perched high above the lowland. Again, before leaving it, as per another of his traditions, to honor the ancient mysteries of the hunt, their prey and deer shack hunters present and past, he touched the tamarack like one touches a religious icon, looked skyward and said, “Thank you.”

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 56

After the tamarack, on the big island, my friend told me how he found the remnants of he and his buddy’s old “lean-to” fort.

Although the needles had long ago fallen off the windblown balsam, remarkably, the tree’s frame was still there. In his mind’s eye, he remembered that night those many years ago when he and his buddy, after not having seen a deer hair, readied their supper while silverdollar snowflakes fell so quickly the night seemed “pitch-white.”

He visualized the roaring campfire, the tasty pork and beans and the piping hot chicken noodle soup. He relived the view from inside the lean-to when the fire’s sparks reached into the black and snowflake night in an extraordinary blend of orange and white and black. He also felt the maelstrom of uncertainty, that battle between reality and spirituality. It was a night where they were equally afraid and fearless.

With that dichotomy in mind, my friend told me how he got up, looked at the camp he and his buddy had made and remembered how their simple “crosses to bear” were actually very complex. He told me how when he awakened that night after the snow and saw the bright moon and the stars, everything seemed so righteous and orderly and at peace.

After a heavy sigh, he told me, “As I was about to leave the big swamp, out of the spring blue sky, like a house arriving from a Kansas tornado, my dad appeared in my mind, telling me not to worry, I would soon meet the ‘man in the mirror.’”

With that, my friend held his right hand palm up to his face like a mirror and with a reassuring smile whispered to the makeshift “man in the mirror,” “I’m ready to re-open the doors I let strangers shut those many years ago.”

To conclude, my friend’s initial epiphany came after he “swore” upon missing a shot in a scrimmage game against the alumni. To this day, he does not know why it affected him so much for so long or why or how he lost the vision and now regained it.

Such is the mystery of our mystical marvelous world. Such is the power of nature, especially deer country…

MNDEERHUNTERS.COM 55

Daylight IN THE Swamp

BY ROD DIMICH

OUR MYSTICAL MARVELOUS

WORLD

Many of us have experienced epiphanies, some religious, some simply enlightening.

Sadly, more than a few emanated from tragic and trying times; others, happily (whew), just happen. Recently, for example, I had a nice talk with a long time MDHA member and friend who is about my age.

We did the “glory days” thing (thanks Bruce Springsteen), regarding sports, social life and back in the day memories of fantastic fishing and hunting.

Going back in time is almost always fun as we can pick and choose what to remember.

This is called “selective memory.” What surprised me about our chat, however, was when he talked about how as a high school sophomore playing varsity basketball and while practicing during Christmas vacation, his life changed dramatically in a very positive way. If you played basketball, hockey or wrestled, you will remember high school Christmas vacation was the time the selfdeclared incredibly talented alumni came back to their alma maters to strut their stuff.

If quotes had been printed on their rag-tag high school t-shirts from their glory days, the quote, “The older I get, the better I was,” would have been prominent. And speaking of t-shirts, if you were a b-baller, you will remember the “shirts” and “skins” teams.

Hockey and wrestling had more decorum as they wore clothes. If you played basketball, you know “skins and shirts” were the worst, especially when the alums arrived thinking “ripped” meant “rippling.”

Speaking of “skins,” when I first met my lovely bride in college (I was in love at first sight and she didn’t even remember distinguishing me from a fire extinguisher), even though I was a couple years older, I was not wiser, so I made a few gaffes. As she was from the south (Alexandria, Minn.)

56 Whitetales | SPRING 2017

PHOTO BY NIK DIMICH

and I from the far north, Minnesota’s “Iron Range,” the melding of two opposite worlds seemed impossible. Add to this we were from different ethnic and religious backgrounds; she was Lutheran and I was not and back then these colliding worlds tended to end relationships. Kristin, in fact, had never heard of a “Serbian” or “Croatian,” of which I am both. When I told her of my ethnicity, she thought I was of “Siberian” descent.

I thought I was okay referencing when we Iron Rangers went to junior high and high school, because the mining companies took care of their public schools, we had swimming pools in both junior and senior high schools. After I added how we guys did not wear swimming suits (obviously not

co-ed and the girls did) and we often got spanked bare-butt with a paddle or swim fin, though, I sensed a bit of uneasiness on her part.

We made it through that, however. After I rode her family’s stubborn mule of a horse, “Gypsy,” as she walked around the same oak tree for 30 minutes and I ducked under the one lone branch (while Kristin and her dad gallivanted the beautiful hilly countryside) and I then did the most back-breaking work I have ever done (collecting hay bales), I was finally accepted into the family. Plying her mother with nice plants and heaping presents on her younger brother and sister might also have helped.

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