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  • 05/21/2018 7:58 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)
    By Doug Claycomb, Outdoor Ethics Chair  

    May is a beautiful month in Minnesota. As the wildflowers pop and the tom turkeys strut, May is the month for morel hunting. It offers a perfect excuse to get out into the spring woods just in the nick of time before the mosquitoes arrive. The morel is a delicious wild mushroom found throughout the state, including the Twin Cities. Of course, a reasonable amount of prudence is necessary when harvesting wild mushrooms. But fear of dying should not be a reason to refrain from mushroom hunting. What are the chances? Besides, it makes for a great introduction to your obituary: “ate the wrong mushroom.”

    Nancy and I are hardly professional mycologists but we do enjoy getting out in the woods after these long Minnesota winters. We hunt morels every spring and we do it right here in Bloomington. There are literally hundreds of little patches of woods in the city and most of them, if searched, will render morels.

    Hunting morels is like fishing--you have to be ready to come back empty-handed, time after time, until you start to figure out how to do it. And even then, you’ll get skunked half the time. If you don’t have the disposition to find enjoyment in the serendipity of the sublime--like a colorful insect, beautiful sunset, ebullient flock of geese, or just the smell of damp leaves and soil--then morel hunting is probably not a good fit for you. Otherwise, keep reading.

    Fear of death keeps many of us from participating in this fantastic outdoor activity--and it shouldn’t. Sure, there are lots of “iffy” mushrooms which you need to be an expert to harvest. But the morel is relatively easy to identify. It is considered a “beginner mushroom” because it is not easily confused with dangerous ones. And it is also one of the most delectable and plentiful mushrooms the woods offers. If you like mushrooms, you will love morels--especially after you find them yourself. Here’s how to do it.

    Morels are available for only a few weeks each year--usually in May in this part of Minnesota. So the most important thing to do is to get out and get looking--don’t let the season pass. There are some natural indicators of morel time. They emerge at about the same time the dandelions first go to seed and the lilacs bloom. Also, morels tend to emerge a day or two after a rain when the nights are warm. If you find morels a few days too late, they’ll be brittle, ugly, bug-ridden and crumbly. Harvest them anyway. They all taste the same.  There is no such thing as a bad-tasting morel. 

    Identification of morels is relatively easy. Purchase a good field guide and use it. Other than false morels, which are easy to distinguish using 100 Edible Mushrooms by Michael Kuo, nothing else looks like a morel in Minnesota in May. A couple rules of thumb: morels are always entirely hollow inside (stem and cap form one continuous hollow chamber), they are never slimy, gooey, or sticky, they grow from the ground (never from a log or stump) and they have a fresh “earthy” mushroom smell (not foul or pungent).

    Where to hunt morels is every mushroom hunter’s secret. Nobody divulges their favorite spots, so you will have to find your own. With persistence, and several outings, you should be able to find success the first year you try. The darned things have a tendency to pop up almost anywhere--sometimes even in suburban lawns. Here are a few tips to get you started. They are almost always found in association with trees--especially recently cut, burned, or disturbed woods.  I often find luck near recently deceased trees--especially diseased elms with bark just beginning to peel. In general, just walk around the woods with your head down, scanning the ground. Eventually, they’ll show up. I promise. When you finally do find one, keep looking in the same area for more. There will usually be more. Morels are almost never solitary. Cut them off at ground level with a sharp knife and carry them home gently in a basket or sack. When bringing your haul out of the woods, conceal the bounty. Nosey people are everywhere. You don’t want competition.

    If you find a hot spot, return every few days. More morels sometimes emerge! After a few years, you’ll have several secret spots. Return to these spots but continue to find new ones. You’ll need new spots as old ones grow cold. Of course, make sure you have permission to hunt mushrooms on private property and consult the rules on public land.

    When done hunting, take them into the kitchen for preparation. Pare away any attached dirt and cut each morel in half lengthwise. Doing this, you not only verify that each one is completely hollow inside (if not hollow, it’s not a morel--throw away), but also allow the multitude of critters (especially pill bugs) to escape. Toss the halved morels into cold water and gently agitate them to release the sand and grit. Washed fresh morels are ready to be either cooked or dehydrated. 

    Unlike store-bought mushrooms, all wild mushrooms must be cooked before eaten. There are hundreds of on-line recipes, but I like it simple. I take clean, cut-up morels and sauté them in butter for maybe a minute at most. Don’t over-cook morels. They release a lot of water in the pan and I use it as the base of a white sauce by adding a milk-flour mixture, cooking another minute until bubbly, then salt and pepper to taste. That’s it! I pour the whole concoction over toast. Mmmm!

    If you have a really good foray and come home with too many morels, dehydrate them. A warm oven will work but a food dehydrator works best. Dried morels will keep for years in an airtight container. This way, you can enjoy morels any time of year. To rehydrate them, soak in a bowl of warm water for an hour or so and they are ready to cook. The water used to rehydrate them will turn to a brown liquor--a delicious base for mushroom gravy, broth or sauce. Enjoy!

    For more information:

    Kuo, Michael. 2007. 100 Edible Mushrooms. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.

    http://minnesotamycologicalsociety.org/

    http://www.myminnesotawoods.umn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/12.-YELLOW-MOREL-1.pdf

    http://www.mykoweb.com/cookbook/part_1.html

    http://www.startribune.com/how-to-find-your-own-morel-mushrooms/255679431/

    https://www.facebook.com/Minnesota-Morel-Hunters-749799028387237/

    https://midwestweekends.com/plan_a_trip/nature/wildflowers/morel_mushrooms.html

  • 02/27/2018 9:23 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    DNR comments due March 6thhttp://www.dnr.state.mn.us/ polymet/permitting/ptm.html   MPCA comments due March 16th:   https://www.pca.state. mn.us/northmet

    See below for comment suggestions!

    The foreign PolyMet Mining Corporation has proposed to dig the first ever copper-sulfide mine in Minnesota on Superior National Forest lands, threatening local water supplies, the Lake Superior watershed, and downstream residents. Communities at risk include some of the largest populations in Northeast Minnesota – Duluth, Cloquet, and the Fond du Lac Reservation.


    500+ YEARS OF TOXIC POLLUTION

            Sulfide mining is highly dangerous and has been called “America’s most toxic industry” by the EPA, carrying much greater risks than iron ore mining, with a 100% track record of pollution. Toxic seepage from PolyMet’s copper-nickel sulfide mine pits, tailings, and other wastes containing sulfate and toxic heavy metals would last for centuries, if not forever. PolyMet's own environmental impact statement concedes that water treatment at the plant site would be required for 500 years.

            Pollution would contaminate Hoyt Lakes’ drinking water, the Embarrass, Partridge & St. Louis Rivers, kill downstream wild rice, and increase mercury contamination of fish.

     

    THREAT TO DOWNSTREAM COMMUNITIES

            The DNR’s draft permit would allow PolyMet to use the same wet slurry tailings storage method that resulted in a catastrophic collapse and devastating pollution at the Mount Polley mine in British Columbia, Canada, even though better and safer technologies are available. A tailings dam failure would threaten downstream populations, including Duluth, Cloquet & the Fond du Lac Reservation.

            The recent tailings basin disasters of Canada’s Mount Polley dam in 2014 and Brazil's Fundao dam in 2015, whose toxic waste flowed over 400 miles downstream, demonstrate that large-scale mine dam failures are not only possible, but likely.

     

    EXTREME EXTRACTION & WASTE

            The grade of the ore is less than 1%, resulting in 99% waste rock and tailings. A sulfide-mining district across Northeastern Minnesota would ultimately destroy and degrade the headwaters of Lake Superior, as well as the Boundary Waters and Mississippi River watersheds.

            The DNR draft permit would allow PolyMet to appropriate 6.175 billion gallons per year of water and drain the headwaters of the Partridge River. DNR draft permits don’t protect surface water, groundwater or the Lake Superior Basin.


    CORPORATE GAIN – PUBLIC LOSS


            The DNR has estimated that mine closure and centuries of water treatment would cost more than$1 billon. But the DNR proposes that PolyMet would get a permit to mine by guaranteeing less than 10% of that amount up front, with almost no insurance for spills or dam collapse.


            Even though mining companies are supposed to provide financial assurance for clean up, the record from other states shows that cleanup costs exceed projections, with taxpayers footing the bill. In addition, financial assurance does not prevent the destruction of forests, wetlands, water quality, wildlife habitat, scenic areas, and biodiversity. Financial assurance does not cover catastrophic mine disasters such as those that occurred at Mount Polley in Canada and the Fundao dam collapse in Brazil which killed 19 people.


    THREAT TO HEALTH, FISH, AND WILDLIFE


            Sulfates directly contribute to the methylation of mercury, with resulting fish consumption advisories. The old LTV taconite property purchased by PolyMet is already leaching sulfates and other metals into the watershed.


            In addition to an acute potential for Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) and the discharge of heavy metals to the St. Louis River watershed, the PolyMet mine would discharge sulfates at a level that could decimate wild rice stands downstream. Wild rice holds critical importance for Minnesota’s Native American tribes, and the St. Louis River watershed flows through tribal lands.

    REVERSE OSMOSIS WON’T SAVE US

            PolyMet is pushing the false narrative that reverse osmosis technology can solve pollution problems. PolyMet cites no example where reverse osmosis has been used at a similar scale to control mining pollution.  


            A 2012 news release by PolyMet noted that in their pilot reverse osmosis test, they did not use actual sulfide mining wastewater.


            Perhaps most important, pollution that seeps into groundwater from mine pits, tailings, and wastes would never be treated. MPCA permits don’t control any pollution that seeps from groundwater into wetlands and streams.


    BOOM-AND-BUST EXTRACTION ECONOMY


            Permitting of the PolyMet mine would open the door to a flood of sulfide mine applications, setting the stage for an extreme extraction economy in Northern Minnesota.


            In the words of former Iron Range mine electrician Bob Tammen, “The coal mining industry is destroying West Virginia from the top down as it goes after dirty coal by mountain topping. The copper mining industry will destroy Minnesota from the bottom up as it degrades our ground water and surface water by mining in our lakes, rivers, and wetlands…. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, mining is less than 1 percent of Minnesota’s economy. Instead of destroying our wetlands, we should diversify our Range economy.”


  • 02/09/2018 1:01 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    by Louise Segreto

    Let’s admit it, sitting down to read “The Compleat Angler” can be very intimidating.  This revered book written by Izaak Walton and first published in 1653 is often cited, but seldom read today.  For good reason, I have over the years tried with solid resolve on severval occasions and given up…until just recently, when I changed my approach and finally did read it.  Now I understand why this literary masterpiece has inspired so many people over the centuries. 

    Here are 10 practical  tips to make your reading “The Compleat Angler” (the “Book”) fun, informative and relevant:

    1.       Say the title: “The Compleat Angler” out loud with authority.  Get over the archaic spelling of “compleat.”  It is just the old English spelling of “complete.” And, for that matter, relax and read or better yet skim at least 20 pages of the book before you put it down in defeat.  It is a lot like reading Shakespeare- go with the flow of the verse and prose.  And, just as you begin to get a bit lost, you will come upon a philosophical thought, a brilliant adage, or a keen observation by the master naturalist, Izaak Walton.   

    2.       Consider the historical context of when Izaak Walton wrote.  Just several years before the book was published, the English King, Charles I, was executed and the monarchy overthrown.  The Puritan movement with its austerity and religious extremism was in full swing.  Walton was about 60 years old when the book was published. He was a royalist (supported the monarchy) and a Christian moderate who took great pleasure in escaping to relax and fish in the English countryside as a relief from what was going on politically.  Today, with the political machinations in Washington,  I think that we all can identify with how Walton must have felt.

    3.       Don’t be daunted by Biblical references.  The Book is full of references to the Bible and unless you are a biblical scholar, my advice is simply understand that many of Walton’s fishing buddies were priests, that Walton was a religious man and that the Book was written during religiously turbulent times.  It is interesting to note that the clergy at that time did not hunt, but fished.  It was believed that the quiet contemplation of angling was more in keeping with the traditional path of religious life. Also, Walton subscribes to a naturalistic theology of sorts—finding God through the contemplation of his creations.

    4.      Select one of the many poems that Walton incorporates into the Book.  Copy it and put it in your tackle-box in a zip lock plastic bag.  I chose the poem about Spring by Sir Henry Wotton which appears in  Part I, Chapter V.  Reading it aloud while sitting on an ice bucket on the Mississippi River in Minnesota one sub zero January day made me feel smart.

    5.       Embrace the Book’s refusal to fit neatly into any one literary niche.  Yes, it is a practical fishing guide for anglers, but the information is presented in a poetical dramatic dialogue between 3 major characters:  Piscator-the Angler, Venator-the Hunter and Auceps -the Falconer.  The names are Latin for what the characters represent.  This style of writing was then common.  Literary scholars refer to such idealized descriptions combined with witty and rhetorical commentaries of the English country and rural life as “pastorals.”

    6.      Compare your favorite fish recipe with one of Walton’s.  Check out his recipes for Chubs in Part I, Chapter III; one for spit roasting and the other for charcoal broiling. Salt, butter and herbs.  Some things never change!

    7.       Highlight passages in which Izaak Walton describes his profound understanding of natural history and eco systems centuries before his time. You will find descriptions of his thoughts on regulating fishing during spawning seasons, the effect of carp as an invasive species to lake ecology, and detailed descriptions of insects and phenology.

    8.      Make a list of all the reasons why Walton believed that angling is an Art and what virtues a good fisherman must possess.

    9.       Find a philosophical musing that resonates with you.  I honed in on: “Angling can prove to be so pleasant, that it proves to be like virtue, a reward to its self.”  Translated:  it doesn’t matter whether or not you catch a fish or not.

    10.   Enjoy the illustrations.  The Book contains 6 small black and white copper plate engravings of different fish species.  The artist’s name is lost to history.

    Lastly, I lied, “The Compleat Angler” is not only the work of Izaak Walton.  Part II of the Book was written by Walton’s dear friend Charles Cotton.  The swashbuckling and adventurous Cotton was 37 years younger than Walton and admired and adored Walton with a fondness as a son for a father.  They fished together.  Cotton picks up Part II with the same characters that Walton began and continues their dialogue about how to stream fish for trout and grayling with great detail about different flies, what they look like and how they are made. It is somewhat tedious unless you are an accomplished fly fisherperson.

    Challenge yourself and read “The Compleat Angler” this year.  But, read it on your own terms.  Remember you don’t have to read and understand every word of the Book to get a big return on your time.  Perhaps a print copy may be a better choice than an electronic copy for purposes of notating and highlighting.   I’m looking forward to listening to the audio version.  I hope that the above tips help your reading journey. Great journeys are meant to be shared.  Pass your copy of the Book on to someone you know when you’re done. 

  • 01/15/2018 3:54 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    Winter Rabbit Hunting 

    By Douglas Claycomb, Outdoor Ethics Chair

    Winter makes Minnesota special. If you don’t get out and take advantage of the bright white cold, you might as well live in Texas. They have lakes too. But, for those of us who don’t ski, it’s sometimes hard to find a way to get some vigorous exercise in February. Ice fishing is peaceful and fun but sedentary. As for recreational snowmobiling: smoke, noise? Forget it! That is why I am thankful rabbit season lasts until the end of February. Most years, during the months of January and February, I venture out a half dozen times or so into the bright white cold: in pursuit of a rabbit dinner. I usually come home with nothing but numb feet, wind-chapped cheeks, and tired legs. But, you see, while getting a rabbit is the goal, it’s not really the point of it. If you have a moment, I’ll tell you about it.

    The dead of winter is like no other time of year. The woods are stark and twigs snap with a brittle frozen “crack.” The snow squeaks under your boot and, at first, the air stings your nostrils. But after a few minutes, it’s fine: a runny nose is an auto-defensive strategy. The nose knows. This is the only time of year when you can be simultaneously cold and hot. Although fingers and toes are cold, exercise warms your middle. Through trial and error, each hunter learns just the right way to dress, sort of, most of the time.

    There is no “right way” to hunt rabbits, but here are a few tips. First is finding a place to hunt. If you want to hunt private land, get permission. But why kowtow to a landowner when there is plenty of public land? Several units of the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge and numerous nearby Wildlife Management Areas (e.g. Bradshaw Lake WMA in Scott County and Esker WMA in Rice County) are loaded with rabbits—and almost nobody hunts them in winter’s cold. Stepping out with your shotgun, clad in hunter orange, do not expect to see rabbits “hopping about,” frolicking in the snow. They are a prey species and they seem to know that their brown coat offers no camouflage against a white, snowy background. Cleverly, in winter rabbits are nocturnal: feeding at night on buds, twigs, and bark; hiding during daylight (hunting) hours. So, look for their sign: tracks and scat in the snow and saplings with bark stripped near ground level. If you see sign, there are rabbits near.

    Scaring them out of hiding, or “jumping” them, is exercise. Rabbits like to hide in thick tangles if vegetation (especially briars) and under debris. In winter, they especially like tall grasses bent over under the weight of snow, forming snow-cave-like hiding spots. Sometimes you find rabbits completely buried under a new-fallen snow. Unless you have a dog, the only way to jump them is to stomp, kick, and thrash about. Then, when a rabbit jumps, you need to be ready.

    Rabbits go like greased lightning, zig zagging among trees and other obstacles, making it quite a challenge for the shotgunner. You need to be ready. Lead them a little bit—shoot where they will be, not where they are—have luck on your side, and never shoot in your companion’s direction (a way to end a friendship). Unlike tougher critters (e.g. squirrels), it does not take much to kill these soft targets. Hold off if the rabbit is too close (< 20 yds.) or too far (>50 yds.). Too close and the animal is inedible; too far, crippled and lost. Try to hit them in their front half, not the rear. The front is mostly vital organs (the target) and the back is meat and guts: neither of which you want to damage. Use a shotgun with #6-8 lead or, a greener alternative is #4-6 steel (in some places steel is the law- the Bush Lake Chapter Izaak Walton League recommends using lead free shot whenever possible). Steel shot needs to be larger because it is less dense than lead. Although steel is a lot easier on the environment, it is also more dangerous to your teeth. Be extra certain to pluck all the steel out of a rabbit before serving.

    Once you have the rabbit in-hand, remove the guts right away—very carefully. Using a knife to open the abdomen, it is easy to accidently slit the gut. You know what is in guts—and you do not want it associated with food. Cut through the sternum to the neck and remove lungs and heart. To keep the meat clean, leave the skin on until after the hunt. At the end of the day, pull the skin off, wash in cold water, removing any hairs or debris. Rabbit meat spoils quickly, like poultry, so keep it cold. Some people soak rabbit overnight in salt water before cooking; others cook it right away. Some people cut up their rabbit into pieces; others cook it whole. As for recipes—there are hundreds on the internet. I like mine breaded and fried in a skillet, like chicken. Simple.

    For me, rabbit hunting is a much better way to waste a day than sitting on a couch watching playoffs, eating chips, getting fat. The exercise, winter air, and white woods refreshes the soul. I always seem to see something unexpected—a coyote, grouse, otter, etc.—and I usually have exciting tales to tell. If not, I make one up, I lie—nobody knows the difference. Every now and then, I feed my family a rabbit dinner. In truth, I could not say if any of them like rabbit. They say they do. Would they tell me otherwise?

    If you decide to give it a try, buy a license, read the rules, and be safe. Let me know if you have a good recipe.


  • 01/15/2018 3:44 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    IKES’ PLEDGE

    By Louise Segreto, Chapter Historian

    Every Bush Lake Chapter Board Meeting begins by our reciting aloud, in unison, the Izaak Walton League of America’s Pledge Statement:

    “To strive for the purity of water, the clarity of air, and the wise stewardship of the land and its resources; to know the beauty and understanding of nature and the value of wildlife, woodlands and open space; to the preservation of this heritage and to our sharing of it, I pledge myself as a member of the Izaak Walton League of America.”

    Reciting our Pledge before each meeting is an excellent reminder of the ideals that we as a Board need keep in mind as we conduct Chapter business. A “pledge” is a solemn promise or undertaking according to Webster’s Dictionary. And, solemnly pledging to defend our environment can often feel to me to be overwhelming. It seems a promise only a super hero could hope to fulfill. But, in a way, I think that every one of our members is a caped super hero, each making individual contributions to our Chapter and the League. Imagine 43,000 caped crusaders dressed in tight bright Lycra from 240 Chapters nationwide fighting for the future of our planet!


    The Ikes’ Pledge (Izaak Walton League members are known as “Ikes”) serves as a mission statement that is much broader than any other environmental organization in the U.S. Our Pledge is not limited to protecting a specific plant or animal species or habitat, but encompasses the earth’s triumvirate: water, air, and soil. It challenges us to consider and share the intangible benefits of nature such as beauty. And, it asks us to value both the intrinsic and economic values of wildlife, woodlands and open space. This almost overwhelmingly broad mission speaks in large part to how long the Izaak Walton League of America (IWLA) has been on the scene. The IWLA was established almost 100 years ago when idealism was high and people were boundlessly optimistic about what they might accomplish. I am not so sure that if the IWLA was being organized today, a non-profit board charged with writing our mission statement, would dare to reach so far and broad.

    That being said, the IWLA has stayed true to its mission and has been very successful on so many fronts. Over the years, the IWLA has been involved in almost every major national conservation program in the U.S. Ikes have effected change and influenced public policy in five major areas.

    Here are just some examples of the League’s accomplishments:

    • Clean Water: IWLA has been in the forefront of almost every major clean water battle in the U.S.
    • Public Lands: IWLA led the charge to form our Federal Land & Water Conservation Fund which is used to acquire public land. In Minnesota, the League was very instrumental in creating the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife & Fish Refuge, Superior National Forest, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Isle Royale National Park and Voyagers National Park.
    • Farm Policy: IWLA has supported many state and federal regulatory policy changes to reduce erosion and regulate the use of toxic agricultural chemicals. It paved the way to set aside marginal farmland into “conservation reserves” and influenced federal/state subsidy programs linked to conservation practices that protect our soil and water quality.
    • Clean & Renewable Energy: IWLA promotes renewable energy resources, advocates for the decrease in greenhouse gas emissions, and has been a proponent of Federal regulations on coal-fire power plants to reduce emissions.
    • Community Based Conservation: IWLA through its Chapters across the U.S. has been involved in innumerable conservation projects, fish and wildlife habitat restorations, trail building, fish breeding, tree planting and outdoor skill building and youth programs.

    When I reflect upon the IWLA Pledge and what it has accomplished since it was formed in 1921, I am inspired to continue the League’s legacy of environmental work and activism. Thinking back to when I was young, I loved the adventures of DC Comic’s Justice League superheroes: Superwoman, Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman. And so, refusing to be resigned into thinking that I cannot make a difference, I put on my imaginary caped crusader outfit and try to fight for the purity of water, the clarity of air, and the wise stewardship of the land and its resources. Together we can make a difference. Perhaps it is time for you too to find your super power and consider becoming more active in our Chapter’s good work. Capes and Lycra are of course optional!


  • 12/09/2017 12:51 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    Study to Be Quiet- by Louise Segreto, Chapter Historian

    Think of the noise in your life. We are bombarded by man-made sounds that intrude upon our thoughts causing stress and fatigue. Have you ever considered what the long term effect of living in such a noisy world might be?

    The phrase “Study to be Quiet” was one of Izaak Walton’s favorite mottos. It embodied Walton’s philosophy and way of life. So important to him was the tranquility and solace that he found in angling that he chose to end his most famous book “Compleat Angler” with these final four words: “Study to be Quiet”.

    Walton died December 15, 1683 at the age of 90 and was buried in Winchester Cathedral, England. Winchester is about seventy miles south east of London. The Cathedral’s south transept contains a small simple chapel with a stained-glass window. Funded by English and American fishermen in 1914, it is a memorial to Izaak Walton. The window depicts Walton sitting quietly reading, his fishing rod beside him. Below the image, written in stained glass: “Study to be Quiet”. Fisherman’s Chapel at Winchester Cathedral has become a place of pilgrimage for anglers from all over the world.

    The phrase “Study to be Quiet” is Biblical in origin (1 Thessalonians 4:11). While Biblical scholars attribute the verse to the virtue in being humble in spirit, word and action, Walton appropriated and expanded the phrase to extol the spiritual benefits gained by quiet contemplation immersed in nature angling in his beloved trout streams.

    Walton lived during turbulent times in England. A bloody civil war raged across England for almost ten years (1642-1651). Additionally, Walton suffered profound personal losses in the deaths of two wives and eight young children. Angling and writing offered Walton a place of respite for peace and emotional healing. He found the close friendships and insights into nature formed during angling to be far more compelling than the number of fish that he hooked.

    I find that the phrase “Study to be Quiet” is as relevant today as when Izaak Walton lived. During these trying times of political turmoil, heightened reliance on technology, and increased detachment from our natural world, all of us would do well to heed Izaak Walton’s favorite motto.


  • 08/06/2017 5:55 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    by Louise Segreto, Chapter Historian

    Izaak Walton (1594-1683) was an English author and fisherman-philosopher who wrote the book “The Compleat Angler”. This inspirational forward thinking book, first published in 1653, is much more than just a fishing and natural history manual. It is a timeless philosophical guide on how to live in harmony with nature. Walton approached fishing as an environmental, social and spiritual experience. He believed that the natural world is so precious and complex that all of us have a moral duty and obligation to work together to understand and preserve it. Walton was an early idea leader for conservation and environmental justice. His strong environmental ethic espoused in “The Compleat Angler” is as relevant today as it was over 364 years ago. Free eBook downloads of “The Compleat Angler” are available at: www.gutenberg.org

    Watch our Newsletter for an upcoming Chapter event to discuss this influential book sometime in the Fall of 2017!


  • 08/06/2017 5:44 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    By Douglas Claycomb, Outdoor Ethics Chair

    In the final decades of the twentieth century, remarkable progress was realized in the reduction of lead in our environment. Prior to the 1970s, lead was ubiquitous; it was in our house paint, gasoline, pottery, and plumbing. We were not only poisoning our environment, but also ourselves--and we knew it. So we rolled up our sleeves, found non-toxic alternatives, and regulated lead.

    Because of these efforts, very little lead is being released into our environment through these routes any more. Lead pipes, for example, have been replaced by copper and plastic, and solder is lead-free. Instead of lead, zinc and titanium are used to produce pigments in today’s house paint and ethanol serves in place of tetraethyl lead to boost octane levels in our gasoline. In each case, viable alternative materials and techniques were developed in conjunction with lead regulations so that the environment was protected and livelihoods and economies were not up-ended in the process--a win-win.

    So, what next? Where is progress feasible? Where are there both a lead contamination problems and viable alternatives? Fishing and hunting. Nearly all fishing sinkers and the large majority firearms projectiles are still lead. This would not be a problem except for the fact that almost every time an angler loses his or her rig and darn near each time a hunter shoots, lead ends up strewn on the bottom of a waterway, littering the forest, or lodged in the flesh of wounded game. This “lost lead” is an inevitable part of fishing and hunting.

    This is a lot of lead. And it does not break down. It persists, accumulating in our environment year after year. Furthermore, lead is highly toxic. One does not need to be a scientist to conclude that scattering it across our woods and waters is a bad idea. And, although the hazards posed by this “lost lead” to humans and to the environment are multiple, birds are the most vulnerable to its toxic effects.

    Lost lead has a nasty habit of showing up in birds’ digestive systems. Birds eat it. Ducks and other birds mistake it for grit--thinking they are getting sand and pebbles for their gizzards. They are just birds, and cannot tell the difference between a pebble and a fishing sinker. Eagles and other scavengers ingest lead too, but for another reason; they inadvertently consume lead-contaminated carrion. How does this carrion become contaminated? It is the residue of animals which have either consumed lead themselves or have been “peppered” by a hunter’s lead projectile and the lead stayed in them.

    We know that lead from hunting and fishing is a problem and fortunately the solution is right before us. Lead has been outlawed for waterfowl hunting nationwide since 1991 and it is prohibited in California’s condor country. Lead fishing tackle is prohibited in many National Parks and in Maine--to protect loons. And it works out just fine because there is a multitude of viable, non-toxic alternatives. Tin, steel, and tungsten fishing sinkers are offered at most tackle shops. Non-toxic pellets (of steel, tungsten, bismuth) for shotguns have been around since the 1970s and copper bullets are widely available for centerfire rifles. Even shotgun slugs are offered in copper and other non-lead options. These options are every bit as effective as lead (sometimes even more so) and they cost only a little bit more. Given these perfectly viable, affordable, effective and available non-toxic alternatives, we seem to have an easy fix. Right?

    Wrong! Since lead was prohibited for waterfowl in 1991, no significant wide-reaching progress has been realized in the U.S. So, what is the hold-up? Part of the problem is that hunters and anglers, by and large, resist lead regulations. Why is this? Surely hunters and anglers know that good hunting and fishing are found in healthy, uncontaminated woods and waters. And surely they know lead is poisonous. So why would hunters and anglers want to contaminate the very environment upon which their pursuits depend? Why would hunters eschew lead paint in their homes yet willingly season their own family’s table fare with it, especially when non-toxic options are right there on the store shelf?

    Hunters and anglers are not the problem. They are victims like the rest of us, of a system where public opinion is swayed by moneyed interest groups and their slick use of media to distort facts, to produce wedge issues which encourage tribalism, and then to exploit the very cleavages they create for their own benefit. In the case of lead, three factors have conspired to make the problem seem intractable. First, the NRA has successfully misled hunters by conflating lead regulations with gun-rights. Second, the biggest economic beneficiaries of fishing and hunting, manufacturers and retailers represented by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) and American Sportfishing Association, have exaggerated the cost of non-toxic alternatives--saying lead regulations would make fishing and hunting too expensive, pricing common people out. And third is the fact that most hunters and anglers already live in rural, government-regulation-averse, America.

    In the waning days of the Obama administration, Interior Secretary Dan Ashe idealistically (but naively) issued Order 219, phasing out lead projectiles for hunting on National Wildlife Refuge lands. Although scientists and environmentalists knew it was a common-sense step in the right direction, it never stood a chance. The current Interior Secretary revoked it immediately and was congratulated by the NRA for it and then heralded as a “true friend of the American Sportsman” by the NSSF.

    Lead is cheap and plentiful and the manufacturers of ammunition and fishing tackle hope to keep production rates growing and to protect their profit margins by continuing to use it. By aligning with the NRA and the various trade groups who oppose lead regulations, hunters and anglers are hurting the environment and undermining the long-term viability of the very same woods and waters upon which their pursuits rely. And they are possibly sickening themselves by eating their lead-laced game to boot. But here is the worst part: the NRA and the industry trade groups are duping hunters and anglers into advocating against regulations which would be in their own best interest--playing them for chumps.

    Although sweeping regulation like the 1991 waterfowl lead ban are not in the offing at the moment, a number of states are taking small steps. For example, in the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, the lead shot is extended beyond waterfowl to also include turkeys and small game. And it has worked. Hunters still bag game and lead contamination is held in check. Currently, there is another small, but positive, proposal. The Minnesota DNR has convened a Nontoxic Shot Advisory Committee and is considering requiring hunters to use non-toxic shot for small game hunting in all Wildlife Management Area except those in the northeastern “forest zone.” This would not apply to private land but at least it is something. For now, in this current political circumstance, we are fortunate to be discussing it at all.

    Hunters and anglers are uniquely positioned at the moment to be the agents of progress on lead in the environment. They could be the force that re-establishes the lead-reduction momentum of the 1970s and 80s and they would also reap the benefits--better fishing and hunting and healthier fare for their families’ supper tables.

    Further Reading:

    https://undark.org/article/lead-ammunition-bullets-hunting-copper/

    http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/nontoxic_shot/

    http://www.maine.gov/ifw/fishing/pdfs/leadlaw.pdf

    https://www.raptor.umn.edu/our-research/lead-poisoning

    http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/48420.html

    http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/hunting/ammo/lead.html

    http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/mcvmagazine/issues/2013/sep-oct/copper.html

    http://dnr.state.mn.us/hunting/ammo/nts.html

    http://dnr.state.mn.us/hunting/ammo/nts.html

    https://www.pca.state.mn.us/living-green/nontoxic-tackle-lets-get-lead-out-0


  • 06/22/2017 1:19 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    By Doug Claycomb, Outdoor Ethics Chair

    Greetings, Ikes! I am honored to have been appointed by the Board to be our chapter’s first Outdoor Ethics Chair. Since this role is brand-spanking new, and there is no established position description, I get to figure it out as I go. The first thing I want to do is to write, on a somewhat regular basis, about local outdoor opportunities (usually related to fishing, hunting or foraging). I envision these “outdoor opportunity” pieces to be entirely apolitical, “light” reading. Later, I anticipate writing on relevant environmental issues. These “issue” pieces will address controversial environmental topics from an advocacy standpoint. But for now, I’ll keep it light. Here goes:

    If you have never gone fishing, living in Minnesota, you owe it to yourself to give it a try. The easiest way to get started is to pursue Minnesota’s most frequently caught fish--the “sunny.” The term “sunny” is used to refer to several similar species including the pumpkinseed, bluegill, and sunfish. Although sometimes a bit on the small side, sunnies are plentiful in nearly every waterway in Minnesota (including Bush Lake), are almost always eager to bite and are really great to eat.

    To fish in Minnesota, a license is necessary--with a few exceptions I describe here. First off, children (15 and under) who reside in-state do not need a license. Also, in most Minnesota State Parks, fishing privileges are included in the admission fee--without a license. And then there is “take a kid fishing weekend” (June 9-11, 2017) during which an adult may fish without a license if accompanying a child who is also fishing. Everybody else needs a license.

    Now for the hardest part of any fishing trip: catching fish. First of all, no angler is ever assured a fish. For those who want certainty, there is a seafood section at the CUB foods. Nonetheless, it does not take an expert to land a dozen or so sunnies from shore. The most rudimentary “kiddie” rod, a few worms from the garden, a hook, and maybe a small bobber is all you’ll need. Experiment a little bit, watch others who are catching them, and soon enough you’ll be catching them too.

    Did I tell you that sunnies make excellent table fare? Well, they do. Although even the smallest sunnies are delicious, most anglers consider 6 or 7 inches to be the minimum size “keeper” and anything over 8 inches is a “nice one.” The really good news: in most waters, an angler can keep up to 20 sunnies per day, year-round.

    Although some fishing purists practice strict “catch-and-release,” there is no reason to feel guilty for taking home a bucketful of sunnies for the fry pan. The limit on sunnies is set by the DNR at 20 because they reproduce prolifically. In fact, because many lakes in Minnesota are over-populated with sunnies resulting in stunted (abnormally small) fish, taking them home to eat can sometimes actually help the fishery!

    Cleaning and cooking sunnies is a snap. All you need to do is scrape the scales away, cut off the head (optional), slice open the belly and pull the guts out. That’s it. Then rinse it and it’s ready for the kitchen. Sure, you can try all sorts of fancy recipes, but with a fish as tasty as a sunny, less is more. I like to sprinkle them with a little salt and pepper, coat them with flour, and fry them for just a few minutes in butter--until they’re brown. Easy, tasty, and nutritious!

    Be warned, eating sunnies the way I suggest requires a bit of patience and practice because the bones are left in. The best way to go at them is gently with a fork, lifting the meat off the bones, inspecting each morsel visually, then occasionally plucking a stray bone from your mouth. Although a bone is sometimes unpleasant, you cannot actually choke on a fish bone. They are too small.

    If you absolutely cannot bare the prospect of a fish bone in your mouth, then you probably should just practice catch-and-release. The other solution is to fillet them. Although filleting sunnies is technically possible, especially if the knife is in skilled hands, it is uncommon. This is because filleting works best on larger fish, not sunnies.

    So, if you are interested in giving it a try, find yourself with some spare time this summer, or you want to try something “outdoorsy” with a child, consider sunny-fishing. Be sure to consult the DNR website about specific regulations (don’t take my word for it), always be safe near water, and leave nothing behind but footprints.


  • 03/24/2017 12:16 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    By Paul Erdmann, Bush Lake Chapter Conservation Director

    Most of us know that pollinators need our help. Starting a honeybee hive is not the answer!

    What’s the issue?

    Honeybees are not native to North America, they were introduced from Europe. They are now one of the most abundant and widespread insects on Earth. Honeybee populations have increased 45% worldwide over the last 50 years and there is no risk of this bee species going extinct. Honeybees are important pollinators of agricultural crops but do not belong in areas providing critical habitat for native bees and other pollinators.

    What’s wrong with honeybees in natural areas?

    • Honey bees compete with native pollinators for floral resources (food)
    • Honey bees may spread disease and parasites to our native insects
    • Honey bees prefer non-native plants and can contribute to the spread of invasive plants
    • Honey bees can interfere with the reproduction of native plants

    Want to help bees? Plant native plants and create habitat! This will help our native bees and honeybees!

    Our native bees and other pollinators (butterflies, moths, flies, and other insects) are in severe decline. Habitat loss, overuse of pesticides, industrial agriculture, and the loss of flowering plants have all contributed to this loss. By introducing honeybees, we add another stressor to our native bees that can have negative consequences. Help get the word out about native bees and their critical interdependent relationship with the natural world. All bees need adequate habitat that includes flowering plants. Introducing more populations of non-native bees when food is already scarce is counterproductive and has little to do with native pollinator conservation. Please, for the bees- think twice about introducing honeybees!

    Spread the word! Check out this factsheet!

    For further reading, go to: https://www.insidescience.org/news/how-bees-you-know-are-killing-bees-you-don’t


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