YOUR GUIDE TO THE TWIN CITIES
sports
Doug Smith
Even if the fish aren’t biting, the ducks aren’t flying and the pheasants aren’t flushing, Doug Smith says any day spent outdoors is a good day. A Minnesota native, he’s been covering the outdoors for the Star Tribune since 1995. He considers walleyes fried over a campfire to be gourmet cuisine.
resize text 
subscribe via RSS
Boating industry appears to be rebounding, finally
Posted by: Doug Smith Updated: May 16, 2012 - 11:03 AM
The boat industry appears to be on the rebound.
Finally.
Retails sales for recreational boats, accessories and marine services increased 6 percent to $32.billion in 2011 – the first increase in five years -- according to the National Marine Manufacturers Association.
And boating participation increased 10 percent to 83 million.
The association said the new data signals the beginning of a recovery for the boat industry.
Here’s more from an association news release:
Leading a recovery are sales of aluminum power boats (primarily fishing and pontoon boats), which were up 4 percent in 2011. There were 77,150 aluminum power boats sold in 2011. The Top 10 ten states for aluminum power boat retail sales were (in order of highest to lowest): Texas, Minnesota, Michigan, Louisiana, Wisconsin, Florida, Alabama, Missouri, Arkansas and Illinois.
“Pent-up demand for boats following years of diminished willingness to spend by consumers, improved credit availability for buyers and boating businesses, positive shifts in consumer confidence and an overall interest in the benefits of the boating lifestyle are steering the industry toward recovery,” said Thom Dammrich, NMMA president. “Americans’ passion for enjoying the boating lifestyle is taking precedent as they put aside concerns about the economy in favor of creating lifelong memories with loved ones.”
Data from NMMA shows the recreational boating industry continues to be predominantly comprised of small boats, which includes the aluminum power boat segment: 95 percent of the 12.4 million registered boats in the U.S. in 2011 were 26 feet or less in size. Boats less than 26 feet are most often taken by trailer to local bodies of water, in contrast to boats which are 26 feet in length and larger and typically docked at marinas. The size of the boats Americans purchase is relative to boater income: 83 percent of all boat owners in the U.S. in 2011 had an annual household income less than $100,000.
Anticipating what 2012 will bring the association data suggests continued slow growth: A survey, in conjunction with Foresight Research, of 3,100 boaters and non-boaters from December 2011 shows an estimated 15.2 percent of the 237.7 million adults living in the U.S. are actively engaged in shopping/planning to purchase a boat in 2012. This is an increase from 10 percent in 2010.
Wisconsin DNR bans deer baiting, feeding in four northwest counties
Posted by: Doug Smith Updated: May 8, 2012 - 2:41 PMThe Wisconsin DNR is banning baiting and feeding of deer in four northwestern counties because of the recent discovery of a deer that tested positive for chronic wasting disease.
The counties include Barron, Burnett, Polk and Washburn , and the ban goes into effect Thursday.
The 3 ½-year-old infected whitetail was found just outside Shell Lake, about 60 miles east of Pine City, Minn. Later DNA testing confirmed that the deer is from the area.
Barron, Burnett and Polk counties are within a 10-mile radius of the Washburn County property where the deer was found. State law requires that counties or portions of counties within a 10-mile radius of a game farm or free-ranging CWD-positive are included in the baiting and feeding prohibition. With the addition of these four counties, baiting and feeding of deer is banned in 32 Wisconsin counties.
Here’s more from DNR news release:
“While we lament this news, we welcome the positive response we’ve heard from area deer hunters,” said DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp. “We held an informational meeting with local citizens and nearly 200 showed up and stayed for hours asking good questions of our wildlife, law enforcement and wildlife health staff. In the end, my executive assistant Scott Gunderson asked the crowd how they felt about an immediate baiting and feeding ban and it was overwhelmingly supported.”
No changes are planned for the 2012 deer hunting season rules in the affected counties other than the ban on baiting and feeding, said Tom Hauge, director of the DNR Bureau of Wildlife Management. Hunters will be asked to provide tissue samples from deer killed within a 10-mile radius of the CWD positive doe for further surveillance testing. Samples will also be collected from road kills and possibly taxidermists and meat processors. Details of the sampling and testing program will be shared widely in subsequent news releases and on the DNR website dnr.wil.gov keyword CWD, as the details are finalized.
“Baiting and feeding of deer unnecessarily increases the risk of spreading CWD and other diseases,” Hauge said. “Animal health is important to preserving our great hunting tradition and is a foundation of tourism and vital to local businesses.”
Baiting and feeding increase risks of spreading communicable diseases, like CWD, by concentrating deer in one spot. Deer using one spot are more at risk for spreading a disease.
Individuals can still feed birds and small mammals provided the feeding devices are at a sufficient height or design to prevent access by deer and the feeding device is within 50 yards of a human dwelling. This ban does not affect the use of bait for hunting bear or training bear dogs.
Minnesota turkey hunter shot by partner in Kansas
Posted by: Doug Smith Updated: April 30, 2012 - 6:20 PM
With spring turkey hunting in full swing in Minnesota, the case out of Kansas is a poignant reminder to hunters to always positively ID your target before pulling the trigger. A Minnesota turkey hunter was shot twice by his hunting partner on Friday when the shooter thought he was aiming at a wild turkey, according to a Topeka, Kan., TV station.
Here's a link to the story:
DNR extends comment period for deer management
Posted by: Doug Smith Updated: April 30, 2012 - 11:18 AMThe DNR has extended the public comment period for revised deer population goals in southwestern and a parts of northern Minnesota.
People now have until May 10 to take an online survey at mndnr.gov/deergoals.
Here’s more from DNR news release:
“A number of people have already provided us input using the online survey since April 16,” said Steve Merchant, DNR Wildlife Population Program manager. “Extending the date from May 1 to May 10 assures we have provided adequate time for public comment.”
Earlier this year, DNR worked with three stakeholder teams to help re-determine deer population goals in 12 permit areas in the southwest and 10 permit areas in north-central Minnesota.
The teams represented such interests as deer hunters, landowners, businesses, counties and conservation/environmental groups, and met to recommend if deer populations should be increased, decreased or stabilized for each of the selected permit areas.
The online survey allows the public to react to team recommendations and inform the DNR on their point of view regarding deer populations.
This information, along with the stakeholder team recommendations, will be used to set the 2012 deer season. Deer population goals for the remainder of the state will be revaluated in the next year or two.
Once public input is complete and results are analyzed, a decision on deer populations will be made for each permit area and the 2012 deer season harvest strategies will be adjusted accordingly.
Written comments may be mailed to: Steve Merchant, DNR, Box 20, 500 Lafayette Road, Saint Paul, MN 55155.
Early fishing opener likely dead; fee increase approved
Posted by: Doug Smith Updated: April 27, 2012 - 1:46 PMMinnesota anglers can relax: The fishing opener won’t be moved up a week.
But hunting and fishing license fees are likely to be raised. That’s if a bill approved early Friday by a House-Senate conference committee is passed by the Legislature. A vote in the House could come today.
A provision to open the fishing season on May 5 was rejected by the committee. Rep. Tom Hackbarth, R-Cedar, argued to retain the provision, saying it simply gives anglers an extra week to fish. “We’re not asking the governor to change his opener,’’ he said.
But Sen. John Carlson, R-Bemidji, called the idea “a logistical nightmare’’ for businesses in his area and said it was simply too late to change the opening date. “It’s a bad idea,’’ he said.
Conference committee members eventually agreed with Carlson and deleted the provision.
The bill would raise the cost of a fishing license, now $17, to $22. A small game license would increase from $19 to $22, and a deer license would increase from $26 to $30. Fees haven’t been increased in 11 years.
The bill also establishes a wolf hunting season next fall. A license would cost $30 for residents and $250 for nonresidents. And it funds the state’s fledgling walk-in hunter access program, without a $15 fee to hunters that had been proposed.
The conference committee hammered out differences between separate bills in the House and Senate, finishing their work around 12:20 a.m. Friday. The committee’s bill can’t be changed on the House or Senate floors; it can only be voted up or down or returned to the conference committee.
BOAT INSPECTIONS
Earlier Thursday night, a conference committee approved a policy bill that affects Minnesota’s 800,000 boaters.
The bill gives the DNR authority to require mandatory boat inspections for invasive species. It also requires boat owners to pass a course on how to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species before they could trailer their boats anywhere. Those hauling other water-related equipment, such as docks or boat lifts, also would have to pass the course.
Those passing the course would get a trailer decal that would allow them to transport their boat. Though the decal would be mandatory, a violation would be punishable only by a warning, under the bill.
The bill gives the DNR authority to establish regional inspection stations at or near water accesses. And it doubles the fines for those caught violating invasive species laws.
The fine for failing to remove a drain plug from a boat, or transporting a boat or trailer with aquatic invasive plants attached, now $50, also would jump to $100. Those caught “placing or attempting to place’’ into waters equipment with invasive plants attached would pay a $200 fine. Those possessing or transporting invasive animals, such as zebra mussels, could be fined $500.
A provision was removed that would have required the state to sell hunting and fishing licenses even if the government is shut down.
ADVERTISEMENT
recent posts
- Smith: Boating industry appears to be rebounding, finally
- Wisconsin DNR bans deer baiting, feeding in four northwest counties
- Minnesota turkey hunter shot by partner in Kansas
- DNR extends comment period for deer management
- Early fishing opener likely dead; fee increase approved
- Another bighead carp found in St. Croix River
- Earlier fishing opener is unlikely; Senate approves fee increases
- Eagan fifth grader wins national endangered species art contest
- High school target league continues to grow
- Early fishing opener definitely contentious
- $2.6 million in Legacy grants will restore 3,500 acres
- Large numbers of Asian carp netted in Iowa lake
- House OKs Minnesota wolf hunting season
- Bear hunt applications available now
- Leaders say loss of CRP will hurt Minnesota wildlife
- See peregrine falcon nest on live webcam
- DNR head Landwehr says trouble ahead without fee increase
- DNR announces temporary, seasonal fishing closures
- Big fish kill in Pelican River near Orr is unusual
Post By Category
| Fishing (2) | Bait (1) |
| Bass (1) | Northerns (1) |
| Panfish (1) | Walleye (1) |
- Is Justin Morneau back, at least as a HR hitter?
- Gophers picked No. 1 in one very early preseason hockey poll
- Stu's Hunt Down: Ex-Twins pitcher Ramon Ortiz
- TFD: Yahoo contributor says A.J. Pierzynski was a better Twins catcher than Joe Mauer
- Granlund contract details; Is Coyle or Granlund Wild's top prospect?
- Postgame: L.A. coach says 3-0 Lynx measuring stick for WNBA
- First NFL odds from Vegas: Vikings' over-under is six wins
- Lynx show flaws -- and overcome them
ADVERTISEMENT
inside the StarTribune
-
425 Portland Av. S.
Minneapolis, MN 55488
(612) 673-4000
- Company
- Subscriber Services
- Website
- Buy Ads
- Store
- Connect with Us
© 2012 StarTribune. All rights reserved.
StarTribune.com is powered by Limelight Networks
Newspaper Subscriptions
eEdition
RSS
Newsletters