Ice fishing season has arrived, bringing danger with it

The winter fishing season is shifting into high gear, though ice conditions vary dramatically around the state and officials warn anglers to check ice thickness before venturing out. Recent snow also could slow ice-making and make for some dangerous conditions.

Tread carefully.

DNR conservation officer Joe Stattelman of Detroit Lakes recently checked the first ice angler of the season, who was standing on 1.5 inches of ice. When asked if he had any safety equipment, such as ice picks, a whistle or life jacket, the angler responded: "I'm very careful. I always carry my cell phone in case something happens."

Sit up and take notice of these major ice fishing regulation changes:

• Only ice fishing shelters left unattended overnight must be licensed. In the past, all shelters had to be licensed. The change primarily will affect portable shelters, which usually aren't left unattended overnight. Also, under new provisions of the statute, residents and nonresidents are treated the same. The change was made late and isn't in the 2007 DNR regulation booklet. It will save some anglers $11.50 annually.

• Owners of shelters that need to be licensed now can buy a three-year license rather than just a one-year license.

• You won't have to worry about buying another fishing license in the middle of winter anymore. Shelter and angling licenses now will run 14 months, from March 1 to April 30. They used to be valid from March 1 to Feb. 28.

• This change goes into effect Monday. It allows anglers fishing on waters with size restrictions, such as Lake Mille Lacs, to cook a meal of the restricted fish while on the ice. Previously anglers couldn't do that because they had to leave the fish whole so it could be measured. Cooked and eaten fish count toward the daily limit.

Minnesota hunters have donated about 2,000 deer to the state's new venison donation program, which covers the processing costs of venison that ends up at food shelves around the state.

The response was underwhelming. The DNR had funds to pay for more than 4,000 deer. But apparently many hunters weren't aware of the program, though it was well-publicized and included in the 2007 hunting regulation booklet.

"For the first year of a program that a lot of people apparently didn't know about, 2,000 deer isn't so bad,'' said Lou Cornicelli, DNR big game program leader. "I think it will grow.''

Officials aren't sure yet exactly how many deer have been donated; the 2,000 is an estimate. Hunters also contributed about $51,000 to the program in donations. The Legislature appropriated $160,000, and $120,000 more came in from nonresident license fee increases. Processors were paid $70.

The remaining money will be used next year.

Randy Richert of Andover read last week's Almanac about the flock of wild turkeys that died apparently after falling through thin ice. A DNR official told me turkeys can, indeed swim, and Richert sent me a note saying he has witnessed just such a feat while smallmouth bass fishing on the Mississippi River near Dayton in August.

Wrote Richert:

"I was drifting with the current casting tube jigs for bass and heard a commotion coming from a lone oak tree clinging to the steep gravel bank near the water's edge. I had disturbed a roosting flock of wild turkeys, and they began to fly across the channel to the island in twos and threes until only one bird remained.

"The last turkey finally decided to join the others, but as it left the oak tree it appeared to either be unsure of itself or to briefly catch a wingtip on a branch. It splashed clumsily into the river about halfway across the channel, which was about 100 yards wide.

"It calmly folded its wings against its body and swam strongly across the rest of the channel until it reached the opposite shore, walked a few steps up the bank, flapped its wings a couple of times and flew off.''

• And then there was the fawn found lying in the middle of a lake on 3 inches of ice. DNR conservation officers Bret Grundmeier of Hinckley and Dustie Heaton of Willow River pushed the fawn across the ice to shore, where it was able to get up and run off.

• Waterfowl hunters told officer Doug Lage of Marshall that it was one of the poorest seasons on record.

• A cougar was sighted recently just outside Waseca.

• The DNR is offering a special deer hunting season beginning later this month in northwestern Minnesota to further reduce deer densities there because of bovine tuberculosis. To read a full story on the hunt, see www.startribune.com/outdoors.

Doug Smith • dsmith@startribune.com