DNR informational meeting statewide April 28!!

[redhooks]

Hey waterfowlers!!!-

The DNR is holding informational meetings in 18 locations statewide on Thurs April 28th from 7-9 pm. The purpose of the meetings are to take a public survey on the declining numbers here in MN to see how we can remedy the situation. Here's a chance for everyone who cares about bringing our ducks back to voice an opinion that might help bring about the good old days of duckhunting in MN!!

Check out the MN DNR HSOforum news releases for more details and locations. http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/news/releases/index.html?id=1113427924

redhooks

[magnumthunder]

AnyOne in the Rochester Area planning on going? I wouldnt mind going.

[Quackaddict9]

anywhere there are interpreters provided? Would make it to one of them if there was a sign language interpreter.

[FlyingV]

Anybody that can't make the meetings be sure to write to:

[email protected].

He wants to hear your opinion. Make your voice heard!

[IceHawk]

I plan on attending the meeting at the American Inn in St Cloud MN. Hopefully see a few others there also?

[redhooks]

Anyone else go at any other locations? If so how'd it go?

I went to the Grand Rapids meeting and here's my take.

I just got back from DNR meeting in Grand Rapids and found it very informative, unfortunately it still raised many more questions than I think we have answers for but at least it's been brought out in the light and is being looked at. I'll try my best to summarize but if anyone else has any corrections or additions please feel free.

The forum started out w/ a 30 min video about the root of our duck problem-great video that shows that basically we need more habitat and food, alot more. There were handouts that covered statistics about the duck counts in the last decades, how our limit/seasons are determined, and a survey for everyone to fill out for future studies.

After that there was a lively Q & A session, F&G director John Guenther was there to answer some questions so it was good to hear the perspective from the head decision maker. Some of the concerns brought up were problems w/ predators,spinning wing regs, youth season/early goose on water pushing birds out, regulation of local dams/water levels, and season changes. Basically this is a huge problem that is going to require alot of effort on everyone's behalf to fix. It's become apparent that changing the season or lowering the limit won't bring the birds back to MN but some of the things that we can do to help the situation is to: control the exploding beaver population which will bring water levels down and increase wild rice up here, we also need to increase spring predator trapping and protect the existing woodduck boxes/nesting boxes from predators, manage existing waterfowl habitat and continue eliminating problem rough fish that compete w/ ducks for food/habitat.

This year the fed gov't gave MN roughly $10,000,000 to purchase new land for WMA's but, as Guenther said, even if given that much $$ each year it isn't going to be enough to fix the problem for appx. 400 yrs (uugh)... so what we really need to do is to get together in cooperation with the private landowners to help expand CREP grasslands for buffer zones in nesting areas and aim at promoting more and better water quality statewide.

The venue was full tonight which was encouraging to see and I learned alot at this forum, it sounds like there may be more public forums in the future if the information gained tonight throughout the state proves useful. I'm just glad it's being worked on here in MN 'cuz I can't afford to hunt the dakotas. Tightlines and cupped wings,

redhooks

[Fowlguy]

At the meeting in Marshall there were thirteen of us.Most were old guys like me and all they talked of was the good old days.We need some young guys to come to the meetings.

[mwktrapper]

Redhooks, I was at the Grand Rapids meeting also. Shoot me an email, I want to talk to you about some things. mwkeller_jc at hotmail dot com

I'm not so sure what I thought about the meeting. I didn't quite get out of it what I went there for but at least it was nice to see that there are hunters with concerns.