Pelican Lake??

[kittycatcher16]

May be a dumb question but....Anyone else hear that they are draining pelican lake in monticello and turning into a waterfowl refuge/preserve?? I heard they are starting in the spring..?

[kitchy]

Do a search on 'Pelican' and after you weed through the 900 billion posts you might find something about the lake. It tends to get a lot of attention on this site. So much that I think I am slowly going insane.

[kittycatcher16]

Haha. Well Thats why i stated "this might be a dumb question" because I didnt dig into the subject yet and im sure there is a whole forum itself on pelican lake..

[BartmanMN]

http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/areas/fisheries/montrose/pelican_lake_project_schedule.pdf

[kitchy]

kitty, don't take it personally. My little tizy was not directed at you. Just a bit tired of hearing about Pelican. Lately I don't even open up related posts but I couldn't help myself this time.

[kittycatcher16]

I opened up that link. It doesnt say anything about a waterfowl preserve. It just basically says they are gonna restore the lake.

[Gordie]

I belive there was an artical in the wright shopper on this and they said they were goig to draw it down slowly as if there were drought contionms until they reach the level they want to so it can winter kill on its own then after the vegitation has taken back over they will rasie the water back to where they wnat it to be maintained. It also said that this will take time as in like 2015 before its totally drawn down.

As for it being a perserve/refuge not sure of but I think it will be more of a waterfowl production area than anything.

[kittycatcher16]

This lake gets way over populated with hunters the way it is. I personally dont hunt there and dont think if it was a preserve i would hunt there either, I was just wondering. It looks to be great habitat for waterfowl though!

[RiverRunner]

Dropping the levels on the lakes should help create more food for migrating and breeding ducks. The lake does produce a fair amount of ducks now or at least it did in the last five years. Something needs to be done as far as the hunting pressure goes. The DNR should try putting 1p.m closing time on the lake for the first 30 days of the season. Definetly would fix the people shooting well after sunset problem.

[Gordie]

I have a feeling that once this lake is restored to a waterfowl only so to speak area. call it refuge,resting area nesting area,perserve call it what you will. there will be no motors allowed because of of the vegitation they plan to introduce to bring it back to waterfowl habitat. witch is fine with me. That will take a lot of pressure off of that lake and I dont think I have to explain why.

Ithink it will be no differnt that Big Rice Lake near Remer Mn

I maybe totally wrong but thats what I think will happen

[RiverRunner]

I have a feeling that once this lake is restored to a waterfowl only so to speak area. call it refuge,resting area nesting area,perserve call it what you will. there will be no motors allowed because of of the vegitation they plan to introduce to bring it back to waterfowl habitat. witch is fine with me. That will take a lot of pressure off of that lake and I dont think I have to explain why.

Ithink it will be no differnt that Big Rice Lake near Remer Mn

I maybe totally wrong but thats what I think will happen

It will definetly be a refuge of some kind. In my opinion it would be kind of a waste of time and money restoring the lake. If the birds just get kicked off the lake every day by boating and hunting pressure. Not sure if they'll do the non motorized, that lakes almost too big to have no motors. Pressure would be almost non exsistent on a lot of that lake with no motors. Could be kind of fun to hunt. I'd like to see a lot of shallow lakes 200 acres or less made non motorized.

[mudslinger]

Buzzed around it on the snowmobile the other day and the water is WAY high. Not surprised they want to lower it. Elwood, I agree. Many people will be [PoorWordUsage] but that is what I too can see happening. Bummer cause that means more gunners on "my" hunting waters

[strikerlight]

Define refuge?

This has been talked about for several years now, they are finally starting the project. First off its not really a true big lake it is flooded beyond belief, alot of farmers land is under water because of the uncontrolled water levels.(many are p/o) They are projecting to lower it 3-5feet is what I understood.

Too many idiots are buzzing around that lake anyways, invading hunting spots one would sit at for a couple hours, seen guys drive around to chase birds up. As far as Im concerned, it should be closed to waterfowl hunting for the first few weeks, maybe all duck hunting because then the birds will actually stay around. In the end they will lower the water levels for more vegatation to grow which equals more ducks.

It is going to be considered more of a production area, still open to hunting. Hopefully they will add quality management to the area...