Outdoors

Staff with Voyageurs National Park Saturday began removing hazard markers and regulatory buoys.
In addition, VNP staff remind hunters that hunting and trapping of any type or manner are prohibited on national park lands and all waters within the boundary of the park. Park rangers enforce the hunting and trapping prohibition under federal regulations, which carry a maximum penalty up to $10,000 and/or six months in jail for misdemeanor violations and $20,000 and/or five years in jail with forfeiture of hunting equipment for felony violations.

Effort underway to designate city, county roads for ATV access

As restrictions on riding off-road vehicles are tightened in many parts of the state, local riders see an opportunity to expand recreational opportunities as well as give a boost to the local economy.
More than 70 all-terrain vehicles and their riders took part in the Fourth Annual Russell Kelly Run last weekend near Littlefork.
The turnout for the event indicates a strong interest in off-road vehicle riding, not just locally, but statewide, according to Rosie Klemetsen and Betsy Jensen.

A research tool developed by engineers with the International Rainy Lake Board of Control will be helpful for a variety of uses, including when the rule curves that guide lake level management are reviewed in 2015.
The Rainy River hydrology model is a new mathematical research tool that provides raw data to help develop statistics on water flow, elevation and duration.
The data model pools daily trace water basin measurements to develop hydrological statistics from the eastern basin tributaries near Lake Superior to the westward end at Lake of the Woods.

As of Tuesday, the Koochiching County Sheriff’s Boat and Water Patrol will be pulling the hazardous markers from Black Bay and the waters within Koochiching County’s jurisdiction.
The sheriff urges all boaters to use caution when traveling in these areas. The channel markers and all other markers within Voyageurs National Park will be pulled at a later date.

Joe Chlebecek says he’d be lying if he said he didn’t love the feel of adrenalin rushing through his body when an animal he’s hunting comes into the clear.
But for Chlebecek, hunting is an opportunity to harvest meat for his family while at the same time enjoying the sport of the hunt.
Chlebecek harvested a 280-pound bear Sept. 14 in the Littlefork area.

DNR Staff Report

With many duck hunters anxiously preparing for the Oct. 4 Minnesota opener, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reminds people to make sure they pack the one thing that could save their lives - their life jackets.
“The lack of flotation devices is still one of the most common law violations among waterfowl hunters and the most common cause of duck hunter deaths,” said Tim Smalley, DNR boating safety specialist. “It’s been that way ever since 1988, when life vests were first required on duck boats.”

By Outdoor News

RAINY LAKE
Look for crappies at the mouth of the Rat Root River in Black Bay. You’ll also find crappies scattered and suspended off the main-lake reefs. The east-end reefs are kicking out walleyes in 34 to 36 feet and a jig and minnow has worked best. Northern pike are hitting minnows in the bays and on most reef tops.

LAKE WINNIBIGOSHISH

New superintendent sets goals for Voyageurs

Mike Ward wants the people who live around Voyageurs National Park to be proud of it, not angry about it.
Ward took the job of park superintendent about five weeks ago and says already he’s seen a lot of the park and talked to a lot of people in the community about the park.
Ward calls himself “just a regular guy with a family” and believes people will find him easy going and easy to talk to.
Ward says he’s traveled from Kabetogama Lake to Crane, and into the Namakan River area and onto Kettle Falls.

The final two events of the 2008 season of the Rendezvous Yacht Club will be the Fall Cruise and the Commodore’ Ball.
The Fall Cruise will be Sept 27– 29 and could ring fair winds and sunny skies.
The Commodore’s Ball will be on October 25th at Little Beaver Snow Park in Fort Frances.
The October Meeting will be October 3, tentatively at Woody’s 7:30 p.m.
The Pumpkin Cup was canceled due to a lack of wind.

DNR Staff Report

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Mark Holsten announced new restrictions for off-highway vehicles to be in effect during part of the 2008 deer hunting season.
The Commissioner’s Order effects recreational riding on DNR forest trails but does not impact OHV use for big game hunting. Vehicles affected by the restrictions include all terrain vehicles, off road motorcycles, and off road vehicles such as jeeps and four-wheel-drive trucks that are not being used in conjunction with deer hunting by a licensed deer hunter.