Almanac: Bill means dollars for outdoors

Big money for parks, trails, wildlife management areas and wetland restoration were included in the Minnesota's $717 million bonding bill, signed into law last week by Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

Pawlenty trimmed more than $200 million from the bill, but the outdoors missed most of those cuts. The Department of Natural Resources will get more than $100 million for an assortment of projects.

"It's the best we've done in a long time; we're very pleased," said Judy Erickson of the Parks and Trails Council of Minnesota.

Among the outdoor-related projects:

• $19 million for state park and recreation-area acquisition and development. Included are new visitor and trail centers at Tettegouche State Park on the North Shore and a new campground at Split Rock Lighthouse State Park.

• $25 million for the RIM Reserve program, which restores wetlands and grasslands on private lands. The program improves water quality, reduces soil erosion and provides wildlife habitat. The $25 million will allow the state to tap another $35 million in matching federal dollars. The $60 million total should secure about 20,000 acres.

• $15 million for state trail development, including $2 million to complete the Paul Bunyan State Trail to Bemidji and $1.5 million for the Minnesota River State Trail from Appleton to Milan.

• $5 million for wildlife management areas, one of the smallest amounts the DNR has received in recent years under an accelerated WMA program.

• $4 million for native prairie restoration.

• $3 million for forest reforestation and $3 million for forest conservation easements.

Under the bonding bill, the state borrows money for construction projects by selling bonds to investors.

Gobbler season begins

Minnesota's spring wild turkey season opens Wednesday, and it's uncertain whether the recent winter-like weather will hurt early-season hunters. But the forecast calls for sunny, spring-like weather this week, which should be ideal for turkey hunters.

Expectations are high.

"Our birds came through the winter very well," said Bill Penning, DNR farmland wildlife program leader. "I think we'll have a pretty good season."

About 51,000 hunters applied for 38,000 available licenses this year. Hunters bagged 9,381 birds last spring, easily breaking the state-record harvest of 8,432 set in 2004.

Stamp celebration

Gov. Rudy Perpich signed the Minnesota pheasant stamp into law 25 years ago Tuesday. Since then, more than 2.6 million stamps have been sold, raising over $14.6 million for habitat enhancement affecting about 200,000 acres.

So Tuesday, the stamp and those who pushed for it will be celebrated at the Prom Center in Oakdale. Pheasants Forever and the DNR are hosting the banquet, which is open to the public. Speakers will include Roger Holmes, former DNR Division of Fish and Wildlife director; Dennis Anderson, Star Tribune outdoors columnist and PF's principal founder; Howard Vincent, Pheasant Forever's president and CEO; and Steve Novak, a former state senator.

Cost for the event is $40 and is limited to 250. Attendees will receive a 25th anniversary special collector's poster featuring all 25 pheasant stamps. For more information, contact Matt Holland at 320-894-5391 or at mholland@pheasantsforever.org.

S.D. nixes longer season

South Dakota's Game, Fish and Parks Commission decided against a proposal to lengthen the pheasant season to the end of January. They cited concerns from landowners and sportsmen's groups.

The 2008 season will run from Oct. 18 to Jan. 4. The commission did expand the youth pheasant season to five days.

Did you know?

• A bald eagle was killed near Aurora when it flew into a Hoyt Lakes ambulance.

• Anglers were catching kamloops and coho salmon recently on Lake Superior.

• Some Lake Mille Lacs anglers had limits of crappies from Wahkon and Isle bays, and the sunfish were biting, too.

• Nearly 40 Minnesota financial advisors, accountants and insurance agents have formed the first chapter of Pheasants Forever formed specifically for financial professionals. Based in the Twin Cites, the chapter will be known as the Minnesota Financial Advisor Chapter of PF. For more information, call Anthony Kosobud at 612-805-6081 or e-mail at akosobud@aol.com.

Doug Smith • dsmith@startribune.com