The first phase of the study focused on marking walleye fry using oxytetracycline (OTC) to differentiate stocked fry from those naturally produced. The last phase will now focus on determining the growth and survival of these marked fish to catchable size.

“This is a cutting edge fisheries research project,” said Dale Logsdon, DNR fisheries research biologist in Waterville. “It uses technology to better understand biology and to help guide management practices that result in the maximum number of walleyes for the public to catch and enjoy.”

Annually, the DNR collects walleye eggs from 13 different spawning runs as part of a statewide walleye production and stocking program. Lakes supporting these spawning runs represent some of the most prolific walleye fisheries in the state. The importance of assuring that hatchery operations do not have negative impacts on these fisheries has long been recognized.

To compensate for possible impacts of these egg removals, the DNR has historically stocked at least 10 percent of the walleye fry hatch back into those lakes where eggs were removed. However, the effects of these compensatory stockings had never been thoroughly evaluated due to the inability to distinguish between natural and stocked fry. DNR fisheries biologists want to ensure that enough fry are returned to the lakes, but are also concerned that stocking too many fry could result in poor growth and survival of both wild and stocked fish, thus resulting in fewer catchable walleye in the population.

Too many young walleye in the system at one time can result in increased competition for food, reduced growth rates, increased foraging times, and greater vulnerability to predation, according to Logsdon. “We want to optimize fry abundance to help ensure that we are maintaining the health of the walleye fisheries in our egg-source lakes.”

With the advent of the OTC technology, fisheries researchers are able to mark newly-hatched walleye fry by immersing them in a solution of OTC for several hours, just before they are stocked. The fry absorb a small amount of this chemical, resulting in a harmless mark left on the fish otolith, or ear bone, that can be detected years later using a microscope and ultraviolet light.

“This new technology enables us to determine how many walleye in a population originate from stocking versus natural reproduction,” Logsdon said. “If a florescent mark is present, we know we are looking at a stocked fish.”

Four egg-source lakes – Woman, Winnibigoshish, Otter Tail and Vermilion – are included in the study. These lakes were chosen because of their ecological characteristics and the availability of historical fisheries data.

The study’s has two main objectives are to better understand the natural reproductive processes in these lakes, and to use this information to identify the optimal number or replacement fry to stock in relation to natural changes in spawner abundance.

Fisheries personnel stocked marked fry at predetermined levels during the first five years. Gill net surveys will continue the next three years to learn what fry densities maximize survival, growth and abundance. Achieving these target fry densities will likely require adjustments of historical stocking rates.

This study continues the DNR’s history of implementing research projects that aim to improve the understanding and management of the state’s fishery resource. Minnesota, one of the nation’s top five angling destinations, continues to provide some of the nation’s best fishing.

For more information on the walleye fry marking research project, contact the local DNR fisheries office nearest the study lake.

While a new fawn may appear helpless, it is important to stay away and not interfere with the doe’s natural instinct for raising its young.

A doe’s method of rearing offspring is different from a human’s, especially for the first few weeks. Within hours of birth, the fawn is led to a secluded spot and the doe lets it nurse.

With a full stomach, the fawn is content to lie down and rest. If the doe has twins, it will hide the second fawn up to 200 feet away. Then the doe leaves to feed and rest herself, out of sight but within earshot. In four or five hours, she will return to feed her young and take them to a new hiding place. They follow this pattern for two to three weeks, and only then, when the fawns are strong enough to outrun predators, do the young travel much with their mother.

Deer have evolved a number of special adaptations that make this approach to fawn rearing successful. Fawns have almost no odor, so predators cannot smell them. Their white spotted coats provide excellent camouflage when they are lying on the forest floor. For the first week of life, frightened fawns instinctively freeze, making full use of their protective coloration.

Older fawns remain motionless until they think they have been discovered, and then jump and bound away. A deer’s primary protection from predators is its great speed. Newborn fawns are not fast enough to outdistance predators, so they must depend on their ability to hide for protection.

Although these adaptations work well against predators, they don’t work very well with people. For the first few weeks, a fawn’s curiosity may entice it to approach a person who comes upon it.

What’s the right way to handle an encounter with a fawn? Never try to catch it. If it’s hiding, admire it for a moment and then quietly walk away. Enjoy the memory, but don’t describe the location to others. If the fawn tries to follow, gently push on its shoulders until it lies down, and then walk away. That’s what its mother does when she doesn’t want the fawn to follow. Leaving fawns alone gives them the best chance for survival. Even most orphaned fawns are best suited to survive without human intervention.

Never feed or place a collar on a fawn or other wild animal. Collaring a wild animal sets it apart from others and increases the likelihood for harm to the animal. Collared wild animals are not protected from hunting or animal control activities by law enforcement.

Conditioning any wild animal to seek human-provided food will cause them to stop seeking their natural food sources. Feeding deer can be especially problematic because it encourages the transmission of animal disease such as chronic wasting disease (CWD). CWD can be spread through saliva when multiple deer eat from the same food source – such as feeders or piles of feed left on the ground.

Feeding deer can concentrate animals in feeding areas, which makes them more susceptible to predation, vehicle collisions or other unwanted human interactions. What begins as a good intention to help the animal, ultimately promotes disease and lessens the animal’s ability to survive independently.

Not all animals survive, and some mortality is a natural occurrence. For more information about an interacting with a wild animal, contact a local DNR area wildlife office for suggestions. In most cases, letting nature take its course is the best advice.

“We expect this to be a seamless transition,” said Don Del Greco, Maplewood State Park manager. “This fulfills a long-term Park Master Plan goal, and more importantly, promotes a simpler, safer and more streamlined traffic flow pattern through this beautiful section of the park.”

Since 1963, this park drive has been a highly-traveled, two-way gravel road. The conversion will provide improved traffic flow, creating a safer trip for visitors to enjoy the forests, multiple lakes and wildlife in the park. Visitors will now enter through the main entrance at the park office and travel to the western access of the park to begin the trip along Park Drive.

Throughout the year, the 4.5-mile scenic drive provides a unique and spectacular window tour through the park, Del Greco said. Visitors find opportunities to observe 150 bird species, 50 mammal species, and a variety of wild flowers and prairie grasses as they wind through the heart of the park. In the fall and spring, thousands of guests tour the park to take in the colors offered by the park’s diversity of hardwood tree species.

“This is a great opportunity for park visitors to explore the many natural resources of Maplewood,” Del Greco said. “In the future, we envision providing improved staging and parking areas along the drive for visitors to stop and enjoy the views of the park valleys and lakes, or to access hiking trails and interpretive walks that highlight the park’s unique geology and landscape.”

Maplewood State Park is located near Pelican Rapids on a series of high tree-covered hills with striking vistas of small, clear lakes nestled in deep valleys. The park is known for its hardwood trees, including sugar maple, basswood and oak, which provide a stunning display of fall colors. Red cedar and tamarack are also found in the park. And spring through fall, wildflower lovers will find colorful displays of blooming flowers and grasses of both the prairies and forests.

For more information on, call Maplewood State Park at 218-863-8383, or visit the DNR website.

On May 16, burning restrictions will be lifted in Beltrami, Cass, Clearwater, Itasca, Kittson, Koochiching, Lake of the Woods, Mahnomen, Marshall, Pennington, Polk, Roseau and St. Louis counties. On May 21, burning restrictions will be lifted in Lake and Cook counties.

This will remove the spring seasonal open burning restrictions throughout the state. However, special burning restrictions continue in portions of Pine County because of large amounts of fuel from the blowdown storm in July 2011.

Although the DNR is lifting seasonal state burning restrictions, other restrictions may apply.

Local counties or municipalities may have specific regulations or restrictions that affect burning operations. People should check with local authorities to obtain proper permits before burning.

The DNR may need to control open burning through the burning permit system when conditions warrant, which could occur if there is a dry, windy day where fires could start easily and burn quickly. People should check the fire restrictions page on the DNR website for information on daily changes to burning permits.

Restrictions will continue in the St. Croix Valley blowdown area of Pine County. Restrictions in that area are likely to remain for an extended period of time due to the large amount of dead fuel in the area. Blowdown information is available online.

The DNR advises anyone conducting open burning to keep burn piles small, have a water supply nearby and stay with the fire until it is completely out. If the fire escapes, homeowner is responsible for any damage and suppression costs.

Burning permits are available through state and federal forestry offices, from local fire wardens, or online by paying a $5 fee per calendar year. Online permits need to be activated on the day of the burn and are available online.

“The weather warms up, school is out, and it’s the time of the year that most ATV accidents happen,” said 2nd Lt. Leland Owens, DNR’s recreational vehicle coordinator.

ATV accidents claimed 82 Minnesotans from 2007-2011. More than one-half of the fatal accidents involved an ATV rolling over. Four in 10 fatalities involved alcohol. Ages of those fatally injured ranged from 7 to 94 years old.

“ATVs are not babysitters,” Owens said. “If you allow a youth to operate an ATV, make sure the person is trained, fits the ATV, and is constantly supervised by an adult.”

Owens said the public’s perception is that most ATV fatalities and accidents involve youths, but that’s really not the case. Recent DNR statistics show a decline in youth-involved incidents, largely due to safety training requirements for those ages 15 and under.

“It’s the adults – those who have not completed DNR ATV safety training – who are most at risk,” Owens said.

More than 95 percent of those who died had not taken ATV safety training. State ATV laws require youth ages 12-15 and anyone born after July 1, 1987, who is 16 or older, to take ATV safety training before operating on public lands.

Owens encourages people to be defensive drivers while operating an ATV, since more than 65 percent of fatal ATV accidents took place in the road right-of-way. Another 25 percent of ATV fatalities happened on private property.

Owens urges caution to ditch riders as well. Ditches can be full of hazards such as telephone and power poles, guy wires, electrical and phone boxes, survey markers, culverts and mailboxes. Ditches along state and county roads are closed to ATVs in the agricultural zone from April 1 to Aug. 1. Owens suggests trailering machines to a designated ATV trail.

“When riding, stay on designated trails,” Owens said, “Don’t trespass on private property where you don’t have permission to ride. And slow down, since ATVs become less stable at increased speeds.

“Always keep safety in mind,” he said. “It just may save a life and ensure that each and every ATV rider returns home safely and ready for another ride.”

More information on ATV regulations is available online.

Starting in May, which is National Bike Month, these free rides will introduce cyclists of all ages and abilities to the scenic, traffic-free, relatively flat, paved trails that helped earn Minnesota the distinction of “Best Trails State” in the country.

Riders should bring their own bicycles and helmets. Rides are two hours long. The pace will be moderate to accommodate riders of all abilities.

The “Shift Gears Saturdays” series, planned and organized by the Department of Natural Resources Parks and Trails Division, will kick off with a ride at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 19, on the Gateway State Trail in the Twin Cities.

Dorian Grilley, executive director of the Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota, will guide the ride with a naturalist from Fort Snelling State Park. They will stop along the way to point out wildflowers and other signs of spring, discuss the history of the Gateway State Trail and provide safety tips.

Riders will also have the opportunity to cruise over two newly constructed trail bridges at Manning Avenue and Century Avenue.

To reserve a spot and find out where to meet, call 612-725-2724. Those who arrive early can receive assistance with helmet fitting and minor bicycle adjustments.

The “Shift Gears Saturdays” series will include 17 guided rides on eight of Minnesota’s 25 state trails this spring and summer. Rides will all take place from 10 a.m. to noon on the following Saturdays:

• May 19: Gateway State Trail (St. Paul).
• June 2: Gateway State Trail (St. Paul).
• June 2: Central Lakes State Trail (Alexandria).
• June 16: Great River Ridge State Trail (Elgin).
• June 16: Central Lakes State Trail (Fergus Falls).
• June 16: Willard Munger State Trail (Sandstone).
• July 7: Central Lakes State Trail (Alexandria).
• July 7: Willard Munger State Trail (Carlton).
• July 14: Minnesota Valley State Trail (Shakopee).
• July 21: Central Lakes State Trail (Fergus Falls).
• July 21: Douglas State Trail (Douglas).
• Aug. 4: Heartland State Trail (Dorset).
• Aug. 4: Central Lakes State Trail (Alexandria).
• Aug. 4: Willard Munger State Trail (Carlton).
• Aug. 18: Central Lakes State Trail (Fergus Falls).
• Aug. 18: Root River State Trail (Whalan).
• Sept. 1: Central Lakes State Trail (Alexandria).

Advance registration is required for some of these events. Participants should bring their own bike and helmet (or check online for nearby rental options).

Anyone traveling from out of town and seeking overnight accommodations can get information about campsites and cabins at nearby Minnesota state parks and recreation areas online or by calling 866-857-2757 (TTY 952-936-4008) between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. daily.

More information is available online by calling the DNR Information Center at 651-296-6157 or toll-free 888-646-6367 (TTY 651-296-5484 or 800-657-3929) between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Nearly 150 lots of items will be sold including heavy equipment, dump box pick-ups with snowplows, pick-ups, automobiles, ATVs, snowmobiles, tractors, lawnmowers, mountain bikes and more.

Photos and a complete listing of items will be posted 10 days prior to the sale at online. On-site inspection of items will be available only on Saturday, June 2, from 8 to 9:30 a.m.

To avoid standing in line the day of the sale, bidders are encouraged to preregister for the auction online.  It only takes a few minutes and also provides access to information on other auctions conducted by the state of Minnesota.

The sale is being conducted by the state of Minnesota, Department of Administration, Fleet and Surplus Services Division. Auctioneer will be Benoit Auction Service of Dassel.

The auction will be held at the Brown County Fairgrounds, 1200 North State St. in New Ulm.

“We are setting the expectation of the angling and boating public that they will follow the laws to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species, that they will be checked for AIS violations, and that they will cited if a violation is found,” Smith said.

The increased patrols will begin with the walleye opener on Saturday, May 12, and continue through the Memorial Day weekend and into the summer.

Minnesota law prohibits the possession or transport of any AIS in Minnesota. Conservation officers and peace officers may stop and inspect motorists pulling boats or other marine equipment upon a “reasonable belief” that AIS are present. AIS include zebra mussels, Eurasian watermilfoil and spiny waterfleas.

To help prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species, anglers and boaters are required by law to:

• Drain bait buckets, bilges and live wells before leaving any water access.
• Remove aquatic plants from boats and trailers to prevent the spread of invasive species.
• Pull the plug on their boat, and drain all water when leaving all waters of the state; drain plugs must remain out while transporting water-related equipment on roadways.

Smith said check stations will also be conducted this summer near public waters, public water accesses, resorts and private water access landings where the transpiration/trailering of watercraft or water-related equipment occur.

“To be compliant with the law, a boater must simply pull the plug, drain the water, and remove any weeds from the boat and trailer,” said Smith.

Smith said that stopping the spread of AIS is a DNR priority. “Anglers and boaters can expect to be checked and cited by a conservation officer if found in violation of AIS laws.”

Citations range from $50 to $1,000.

More information on aquatic invasive species and how to prevent their spread is available online.

• 1.4 million licensed anglers.
• 2 million people fish.
• Minnesota has 11,842 lakes, 5,400 of which are managed by DNR fisheries.

Participation and the economy

• Fishing contributes $4.7 billion to the state’s economy.
• Minnesota ranks fourth among states with the highest number of anglers. The top three states are Florida, Texas and California. Wisconsin is fifth. 1
• As a percentage of population among those states, Minnesota boasts the largest number of resident anglers at 28 percent and is tied nationally with Alaska for the largest participation of resident anglers.
• Anglers spend $2.8 billion on fishing each year in Minnesota. 2
• Dollars directly spent on fishing in Minnesota create an additional $1.9 billion in economic activity, boosting angling’s total statewide economic impact to $4.7 billion. 2
• Equipment (rods, reels, line, boats, trailers, etc.) accounted for $1.2 billion of the $2.8 billion spent. Trip-related expenses accounted for $860 million. Other expenses such as bait and equipment rental accounted for $646 million. 1
• Salaries, wages and business earnings directly related to fishing total $1.3 billion. 2
• Fishing creates Minnesota 43,812 jobs. 2
• Minnesota angling generates $350 million in federal tax revenues and $342 million in state and local tax revenues. 2

Who goes fishing?

• Most resident anglers – 755,000 of them in fact – are from the seven-county metropolitan area. The remaining 388,000 resident anglers live outside the Twin Cities. 1
• Men account for 69 percent of resident anglers. Woman account for 31 percent. 1
• The highest percentage of participation comes in the 35-44 year old age group. Most of the remaining participants come from the 45-64 year old age group, with those 16-24 years old accounting for only 12 percent of the people who fish. 1
• An estimated 40 percent of Minnesota anglers have household incomes of $50,000-$100,000. Households that make less than $50,000 annually account for 27 percent of Minnesota anglers. 1
• An estimated 388,000 children ages 6-15 go fishing each year, with Twin Cities-area kids accounting for 76 percent of the total. Although close, more girls (52 percent) went fishing than boys (48 percent). Participation among age groups (6-8 years, 9-11 years and 12-15 years) remained fairly constant. 1

Fishing habits

• Significantly more time is spent fishing on lakes rather than rivers and streams. 1
• The average Minnesota angler spends 20 days fishing each year, with 86 percent of resident anglers never fishing anywhere else but Minnesota. 1
• Only 3 percent of Minnesota anglers try their luck on Lake Superior. 1
• Most sought-after fish species (in order): walleye, bluegill, northern pike, crappie, bass. 1
• Most resident anglers spend nearly half their time fishing for walleye and bluegill. 1

1 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

2 Sportfishing in America, American Sportfishing Association

New regulations for 2012 are listed below along with the page number in the regulations booklet where anglers can find more detail.

Angling methods

• A change permitting multiple hooks on a single line allows anglers to use a crawler harness (page 9).
• A change allowing artificial lures/bait to have an additional hook (page 9) allows anglers to use a stinger hook (page 9).
• A new specific prohibition on noodling clarifies an existing provision that prohibits taking fish by hand (page 10).

Fish identification

• When size restrictions are in place for a specific body of water and a fish is consumed on a watercraft docked or moored to shore and anglers are physically on the water, anglers must retain the fish carcass with head, dorsal fin and tail intact. Even after consumption, the fish must be counted as part of the possession limit.

Aquatic Invasive Species

• Labeling from purchased dead bait must be retained (www.mndnr.gov/bait and page 12).
• Bait buckets must be drained or have water exchanged if bait is kept prior to leaving any water body (page 12).
• Drain plugs must be removed from all boating-related equipment prior to transporting (page 13).
• A new list of waters infested with invasive species is provided (pages 16-25).
• New restrictions on using fish taken from Lake Superior and its tributaries as bait are listed (page 33).
• Catfish anglers may harvest bait in an infested waterbody and use that bait in the same water body, effective July 1.

The Minnesota Legislature repealed a requirement that watercraft display an aquatic invasive species (AIS) information sticker to avoid confusion when provisions of a new law go into effect in 2015. Although no longer required, placement of stickers on boats is still encouraged as a reminder about important AIS information.

The new law will require operators of trailers transporting watercraft or water-related equipment to complete an online AIS training course, beginning in 2015. When completed, trailer operators will receive a trailer sticker certifying their completion of the course.

Without repeal of the existing AIS sticker requirement, which was approved by the Legislature in 2011, display of both decals would have been required.

New experimental and special regulations were added or modified on six lakes and one stream with quality walleye, sunfish, crappie, brook trout or bass regulations (pages 34-54). Length-based regulations on northern pike were dropped on 21 lakes.

Lakes with key changes include:

• Lake Vermilion (St. Louis County), walleye slot limit modified.
• Long Lake (Kandiyohi County), largemouth bass slot limit modified.
• Splithand, Little Splithand and Dixon lakes (Itasca County), panfish bag limits added.
• Lester Lake (Hubbard County), catch and release for all species added.
• Lawndale Creek (Wilkin County) catch and release for brook trout added.

Mille Lacs Lake walleye regulations were tightened. All walleye 17 to 28 inches must be immediately released. The possession limit is four fish, with only one longer than 28 inches.

A night fishing closure on Mille Lacs begins at 10 p.m. on Monday, May 14, and lasts from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily through Sunday, June 10. Night fishing on Mille Lacs begins at 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday, June 11.

Anglers are reminded to check online for the latest additions or corrections.