Almanac: Novices get a shot in mentored hunts

Forty women and 125 kids hunted ruffed grouse, woodcock and pheasants Saturday around the state in special mentored upland hunts.

The event was the former Youth Pheasant Hunt, which last year was broadened to include women hunters and this year to include hunting of other upland species. Members of Pheasants Forever and Woodcock Minnesota lead the hunts.

The idea is to give youths and women who have little or no hunting experience a chance to learn how to hunt upland birds.

"People want to take that first step," said Mike Kurre, Department of Natural Resources mentoring program coordinator. "As hunters, we have to take them by the hand and teach them how to do it. There are a lot of people looking for opportunities."

The number of participants is down 20 percent from last year, which Kurre said likely is because information about the mentored hunts wasn't included in the 2011 hunting regulation booklet because of the state shutdown last summer.

For more information, see www.dnr.state.mn.us/discover or contact Kurre at michael.kurre@state.mn.us.

Pheasant stamp sales A 15 percent decline in Minnesota pheasant stamp sales so far this season doesn't surprise Dennis Simon.

The season got off to a slow start, based on most reports, though there were reports of hunters shooting their two-bird bag limits.

Simon said he believes pheasant hunters who go afield will find better hunting as crops are harvested. So far about half the corn and nearly all the soybeans has been harvested.

"Once the corn comes down the birds will show up," he said.

Leech Lake walleyes The walleye population at Leech Lake looks strong, based on DNR fall test netting. There was an abundance of walleyes from 14 to 26 inches. The lake's walleye population is above the long-term average and similar to the 2009 and 2010 averages.

"There is a nice distribution of walleye within and outside of the protected slot limit of 18 and 26 inches," said Doug Schultz, large lake specialist in Walker.

Did you know? • Hunting dog encounters with raccoons can be problematic. Officer Ed Picht of Montevideo encountered a hunter who came out of a wetland and told him his dog was fighting with a raccoon and wouldn't come back. Picht put on his waders and found the dog biting the raccoon in the belly. The raccoon had wrapped itself around the dog's head and was pulling the dog underwater. Picht was able to break up the fight. "The hunter was happy to have his dog back with only a few bites and scratches," Picht reported.

• Some grouse hunters are finding more success now that leaves are down in northern Minnesota. DNR grouse specialist Ted Dick said he and his pointer flushed 10 grouse and five woodcock in 11/2 hours Thursday in the Grand Rapids region.

• An 8-year-old girl, hunting with her father, told officer Chris Vinton of Perham that she shot her first duck. She described the hunt as "pretty cool" but said that when a bald eagle tried to take one of their decoys, that was even "cooler."

• Minnesota fishing legend Al Linder is being inducted into the International Game Fish Association Hall of Fame on Tuesday. It is just another in a long list of honors: He also has been inducted into the National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame, the Minnesota Fishing Hall of Fame and the Normark Hall of Fame.

• The DNR had sold 82,542 state waterfowl stamps as of last week, about 1,800 more than at the same time last year.