Lakeville artist wins walleye stamp contest

Lakeville artist Stephen Hamrick won the Minnesota Walleye Stamp contest. Judges selected his painting from among 11 entries for the annual contest that the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources sponsors.

The 2019 walleye stamp will feature Hamrick’s painting of a walleye swimming at night under a full moon near an angler’s leech-baited hook and slip bobber. Hamrick has won a DNR stamp contest 11 times; he also has won the waterfowl, pheasant, wild turkey, trout and salmon, and walleye stamp contests.

The voluntary walleye stamp validation costs $5 but the DNR does not require anglers to buy it to fish for or keep walleye. For an extra 75 cents, the DNR will mail the pictorial stamp to purchasers. The DNR also sells a pictorial collectable stamp without the validation for $5.75, and sells walleye stamps year-round. Customers can purchase walleye stamps at any time, even if they already have a fishing license.

Judges also selected Stuart Nelson of Cloquet and Josh Evan of Mapleton as finalists in the Oct. 25 contest at DNR headquarters in St. Paul. The DNR offers no prizes for the stamp contest winner, but the winning artist retains the right to reproduce the work.

The DNR uses revenue from stamp sales to purchase walleye for stocking in Minnesota’s lakes. All license vendors still have the 2018 walleye stamp available for purchase. The DNR website at mndnr.gov/stamps has more information about stamps.

Archers take 237 deer at Camp Ripley

Mild, windy and wet weather greeted archers at this year’s Camp Ripley bow hunts near Little Falls, and hunters took 237 deer during the four-day event from Oct. 18-19 and Oct. 27-28.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources issued 2,883 permits, and the 2,365 participating hunters had above average success of 9.7 percent.

The Central Lakes College Natural Resources Program coordinated morning check-in and provided deer registration services at the hunts.

“We have a strong partnership with Central Lakes College,” said Beau Liddell, DNR wildlife manager at Little Falls. “They did a great job managing traffic and registering deer. The event is a worthwhile opportunity to train students pursuing careers in wildlife management.”

The archery hunt at Camp Ripley is an annual event. The DNR coordinates the hunts in collaboration with Central Lakes College Natural Resources Department, and the Department of Military Affairs, which manages the 53,000-acre military reservation.

Parks and Trails Legacy Advisory Committee seeks applicants

The Department of Natural Resources, the Metropolitan Council and the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission are seeking qualified applicants to serve on the Parks and Trails Legacy Advisory Committee.

“The Parks and Trails Legacy Advisory Committee plays a critical role in helping us achieve the vision Minnesotans have for use of the Parks and Trails Legacy funds and creates an accessible and equitable, integrated system of state and regional parks and trails in Minnesota,” said DNR Commissioner Tom Landwehr.

The purpose of the Legacy Advisory Committee is to promote and coordinate implementation of the 25 Year Parks and Trails Legacy Plan. Funding recommendations for individual projects is not a part of this committee’s work. The plan can be found at legacy.leg.mn/funds/parks-trails-fund/plan.

The deadline for applications is Friday, Nov. 30.

The committee is made up of 17 members, including, to the practical extent possible, diverse geographical and demographic representation. The committee has a mixture of park and trail professionals and Minnesota residents. Among the skills desired for the committee are backgrounds in youth programs, natural resource education, resource management, marketing, new technology, tourism, and business. Committee members should have expertise in two or more of the four strategic pillars of the plan:

Connect people and the outdoors.

Acquire land and create opportunities.

Take care of what we have.

Coordinate among partners.

Terms are two years with the option of being reappointed for a maximum of three terms. Meetings are scheduled every two months around the state, with an option to attend remotely.

Interested candidates may complete the application form online at legacy.leg.mn/ptlac/member-application or print it out and return it to Paul Purman, Department of Natural Resources, Box 39, 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN 55155. Questions should be directed to Purman via phone at 651-259-5643 or email at paul.purman@state.mn.us.

The year 2018 marked the 10th anniversary of the passage of the Legacy Amendment by Minnesota voters, and 2019 is 10 years since the first Legacy-funded projects. The committee hosted a series of regional events during 2018 to celebrate Legacy accomplishments and engage Minnesotans on the question “What’s Your Legacy?” A final report on the regional events will be available in January.

Construction work set to begin at Hurricane Lake Wildlife Management Area

Construction work will begin soon at Hurricane Lake Wildlife Management Area in Cottonwood County, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The DNR is working with Ducks Unlimited and other partners to modify a water control structure on Hurricane Lake that was installed in 2010.

The water control structure was built to enhance wildlife habitat and water quality by allowing wildlife managers to alter water levels. While the management of water levels has accomplished its goals of improving habitat and water quality, an odor issue has developed in the spring or when oxygen levels in the lake are low.

Structural modifications to address the issue include an alternative outlet structure with improved ventilation. Other management alternatives may also be considered to help address this situation.

Water levels have been temporarily lowered 1-1.5 feet on Hurricane Lake during the month of October. Not only will this partial drawdown help facilitate construction, but it will also provide spring storage, which will help prevent anoxic sulfur smelling water from discharging down the outlet pipe prior to ice out.

Construction efforts may also interfere with hunting or other recreational activities on Hurricane Lake WMA this fall. However, the lower water levels can sometimes enhance waterfowl use, according to wildlife managers.

For more information about Hurricane Lake contact DNR Area Wildlife Supervisor Brian Nyborg at 507-831-2900, ext. 226, brian.nyborg@state.mn.us or DNR Wildlife Lake Specialist Josh Kavanagh at 320-354-0207, 398 Sibley Park Road NE, New London, MN 56273, joshua.kavanagh@state.mn.us