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Dayton set to open pheasant hunting season in Luverne this weekend
With an optimistic outlook, Minnesota's pheasant hunters will look to Luverne this weekend as the city hosts the Minnesota Governor's Pheasant Hunting Opener.
Minnesota hunters are hoping for good fortune in the field after the 2018 roadside survey found a 19 percent increase in the pheasant index.
Gov. Mark Dayton will lead the opening weekend festivities, which highlight the many community assets Luverne has to offer. It is the eighth and final year Governor Dayton will attend as governor, who inaugurated the event in 2011.
"I thank the people of Luverne for graciously hosting the 2018 Governor's Pheasant Hunting Opener," said Dayton. "The Pheasant Opener has become a special Minnesota tradition, made possible by our tremendous host communities. I look forward to another fantastic opener in Luverne this year."
On Friday afternoon, a dedication of the Rooster Ridge Wildlife Management Area will take place at 4 p.m. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources worked with Pheasants Forever to make the WMA a reality.
On Friday evening, the public is invited to join Dayton and other dignitaries at a community banquet at Grand Prairie Events. The event will run from 5-8:30 p.m., with social hour, dinner and a program featuring the governor as well as local community leaders. Tickets are $40 and available by calling the Luverne Area Chamber of Commerce & CVB at 507-283-4061.
On Saturday, hunters will take to the field for the pheasant hunt, followed by an afternoon dog parade and "Pheasant Phiesta."
Luverne has a population of 4,658 and is the county seat of Minnesota's southwestern-most county, Rock County. It is located at the junction of Interstate 90 and U.S. Highway 75, approximately 15 miles from the South Dakota and Iowa state lines. The city actively promotes hunting, travel opportunities and outdoor recreation.
Hunters spend $725 million each year in Minnesota in direct hunting-related expenditures like equipment, food and lodging. That is an average of $1,412 per hunter. Travel and tourism generate $15 billion in leisure and hospitality gross sales in Minnesota.
Explore Minnesota and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources are assisting the Luverne Area Chamber of Commerce & CVB in planning the event.
More information and updates on the Governor's Pheasant Hunting Opener can be found at exploreminnesota.com/mngpho.
Public invited to Rooster Ridge WMA dedication Oct. 12
The public is invited to attend the dedication of Minnesota's newest public hunting land, Rooster Ridge Wildlife Management Area at 4 p.m. on Friday as part of the Minnesota Governor's Pheasant Hunting Opener.
The dedication ceremony will include comments from Gov. Mark Dayton, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Tom Landwehr, and Explore Minnesota Director John Edman among other local leaders.
Rooster Ridge WMA was made possible by Pheasants Forever and the Outdoor Heritage Council fund.
"We're excited and honored that we could help with this project," said Rock County Pheasants Forever President Darin Kindt. "We hope the public will enjoy this parcel for generations to come."
The new WMA features 93 acres of rolling hills and wetlands. Restoration work was conducted by more than 40 volunteers who gave their time over three organized work days. In addition to the Rock County Pheasants Forever chapter, Beaver Creek Sportsmen and the Luverne High School trap team members pitched in to make this new parcel a reality.
"The community involvement has been impressive," Kindt said. "We had volunteers from several different groups around Rock County, including the Luverne High School trap shooting team. Through their generosity and the support of local land owners, a large project like this was made possible."
Rooster Ridge WMA is located 1 mile southwest of Beaver Creek in Rock County, or about 10 miles southwest of Luverne.
The dedication is part of the 2018 Minnesota Governor's Pheasant Hunting Opener. Governor Dayton leads the weekend festivities, which feature many hunting, recreational and travel opportunities the Luverne area has to offer visitors. More information and updates on the event can be found at exploreminnesota.com/mngpho.
Another chance to get Minnesota United tickets that benefit water habitat
Fans of Minnesota United, the professional soccer team nicknamed the Loons, have an additional chance to support the state's water habitat through a special ticket offer online -- this time for a 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 13, home match against the Colorado Rapids.
Tickets are $15 and through the offer, $1 from each ticket sold will go toward the state's water habitat. Due to high demand, seating is available by purchasing tickets online in advance on a first-come, first-served basis. Only orders purchased together will be seated together.
Information about purchasing tickets is available at mndnr.gov/mn-united. For questions or orders of 10 tickets or more, call 763-476-2237 or email tickets@mnufc.com.
The promotion between Minnesota United and the Department of Natural Resources also includes a home match on Sunday, Oct. 21, against the L.A. Galaxy, that sold out after organizers aimed to sell enough tickets to pack TCF Bank Stadium with 50,000 fans for the last regular season match. The team plans to play next year in its new stadium in St. Paul.
Anyone looking ahead to the 2019 season and interested in season tickets can join The Preserve -- the Allianz Field waiting list -- and a portion of the cost to join goes back to the DNR's loon habitat program. Learn more at mnufc.com/tickets/allianz-field-waiting-list.
Blue Mounds State Park Prairie and Bison Tours continue through Oct. 21
An autumn prairie view is stunning enough, but add a herd of Minnesota bison and that view becomes spectacular. Ninety-minute weekend-only prairie and bison tours continue through Oct. 21 at Blue Mounds State Park in southwestern Minnesota. A special tour truck will take visitors into the prairie to see the bison.
Same-day tickets can be purchased at the Park Office until 15 minutes before the tour starts. Reservations are recommended. Visitors are reminded that October days can be chilly and that the tour truck is open air, so dress for the weather.
The tours take place at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults and teens age 13 and older, and $6 for children age 4to 12. Children under four years of age are not permitted on the tour truck due to safety restrictions. A vehicle permit is needed to enter Minnesota state parks. The cost is $7 per day, or $35 per year for unlimited visits to all the state parks.
In the event of severe weather, rain or poor trail conditions, the tour will be canceled. Check the park website for visitor alerts the day of the tour.
For more information on the tour and the park, go to mndnr.gov/bluemounds. To make a reservation, call 866-857-2757.
DNR recognizes firearms safety instructors for decades of volunteer service
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Enforcement Division recently recognized two volunteers who between them have taught firearms safety in the state for 110 years. Carl Ireland, of Apple Valley, has been an instructor for 60 years, while Del Haverly, of New London, has been an instructor for 50 years. Minnesota has offered firearms safety training since 1955.
"Volunteers are an essential part of our firearms safety program," said Jon Paurus, DNR Enforcement education program coordinator. "The commitment these men have made to training others in the safe handling of firearms and ethical conduct afield is inspiring."
Ireland, who'd been in the U.S. Army Reserve, began his firearms safety career in 1958 after learning about a Boy Scout group in Richfield that wanted to provide its scouts the opportunity to be certified in firearms safety. He's been the lead instructor of the Apple Valley firearms safety class since 1976 and intends to continue on as long as he's able. DNR Southeast Metro Regional Training Officer Chelsie Leuthardt and Conservation Officer Joe Kulhanek presented Ireland with his award.
Haverly began his volunteer instructor career in 1968 when a neighbor needed help with class instruction. Since then, he's touched the lives of many students from a variety of backgrounds. It's apparent he still has a passion for teaching hunter education and firearms safety, according to Jen Mueller, southwest regional training officer. Mueller and Conservation Officer Shane Vernier presented Haverly with his award.
More than 4,000 volunteer instructors teach DNR firearms safety courses across the state, certifying annually an average of about 24,000 adults and youth. Since the firearms safety program began in 1955, more than 1.3 million students have been certified. DNR firearms safety certification is required of anyone born after Dec. 31, 1979 to buy a hunting license in Minnesota. Youth age 11 and older can attend a firearms safety certification course and receive their certificate, which becomes valid at age 12.
DNR announces 16 parcels for fall 2018 land sale
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will offer 16 parcels for sale in three public oral bid auctions in October and November. Property information, auction instructions and a map of the parcels can be found on the DNR's land sale webpage.
The properties include unimproved recreational land in Beltrami, Benton, Big Stone, Fillmore, Hennepin, Houston, Itasca, Kanabec, Lake, Mille Lacs, and Wadena counties. More information about the parcels can be found on the DNR's land sale webpage.
Public auction details, parcel information and the latest updates are available online mndnr.gov/lands_minerals/landsale/. People can also call 651-259-5432, 888-646-6367 or email min.landsale@state.mn.us for more information.