STATE LINE SUCCESS STORY

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1 Special points of interest: Waterfowlers Expo Event MnDNR and DU Canada Partnership STATE LINE SUCCESS STORY Conservation Club Event Minnesota State Convention Info Inside this issue: Chairman s Chatter Waterfowlers Expo Event State Line Lake Project Ducks Un limited used several of the tools in its enhancement arsenal to make the State Line Lake project a success story. The project sign (photo to left) recognizes the partners who contributed to the success of the project. Project Hall of Fame Minnesota Artist s Corner DNR/DU Canada Partnership Minnesota DU News State Convention Photos Save the Date Convention Reminder This is project sign on the Parnell Brackey tract that was purchased to allow the State Line Lake Enhancement Project to move forward. More about the State Line Lake enhancement on Page 4.

2 Page 2 Summer/Fall 2014 State Chairman s Chatter I hope this addition of the cattails finds you well. This fall is shaping up to be a good one. The reports from fall banquets has been very good for the ducks. I hope you have had a chance to enjoy one of the many fun filled events. To those who have volunteered your time to put on the events thank you. The duck numbers continue to be strong and I have heard many success stories form hunters around the state. We are also anticipating another strong migration from up north. Tim Roble, State Chair Your Minnesota DU State Committee State Chair Tim Roble Frazee, MN tcroble@yahoo.com State Council Chair Dave Flink Hutchinson, MN dflink@mnducksvolunteer.org State Chair Elect Brian Ross Baxter MN bross@mnducksvolunteer.org State Treasurer Dan Scheffler Northfield, MN danielscheffler1@gmail.com State Volunteer Recruitment Coord. Scott Christensen Litchfield, MN lfd116i@yahoo.com State Convention Chairs Kyle and Donna Thaemlitz Lakefield, MN th613@frontiernet.net State Major Gift Chair Jim Demgen East Gull Lake, MN james.demgen@gmail.com I was once again fortunate enough to participate in the MNDU youth waterfowl hunt Mentor program this year. This is a very rewarding experience where you are able to show a kid the great sport of waterfowl hunting. Our morning was spent on slough enjoying the marsh as it woke up. The ducks were plentiful and my youth hunter was able to bag a couple ducks and a goose. The best part of this morning was look and on his face when he shot that goose. It was memory neither of us will soon forget. Taking a kid hunting is the best thing anyone of can do to better our sport. Look for more information about the MNDU Youth Mentor hunt program in this addition and others to come. I also want to congratulate our southeast Minnesota Regional Director, Brad Jensen, who was awarded the Regional Director of the Year Award (see article below). Brad has done a fantastic job with his committees and with recruiting major donors. Congratulations Brad! As the year ends, we are planning the Minnesota Duck Unlimited Convention to be held in Willmar again this year on February 13 th and 14 th. There will be many chapters receiving awards this year so I hope to see you there as we celebrate this year s successes. I hope you are able to get out and enjoy the fall season, Thank you again for supporting Ducks Unlimited. Regional Director Brad Jensen Wins National Award Sept. 16, 2014 Brad Jensen, regional director for Ducks Unlimited (DU), was awarded the Regional Director of the Year award for his outstanding efforts as a staff member of Region 3, an area that encompasses Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. "Receiving Regional Director of the Year was a great honor. It would never have been possible if it wasn't for the great DU volunteers in my Region," Jensen said. "Working together as a team we accomplished many great things. My volunteers are like my extended family because I know their spouses, kids and their dogs. My volunteers deserved the credit for our successes, not me." Here is Jensen with his new granddaughter Hadley Lynn Kurtz Jensen, a resident of Watertown, S.D., covers southwestern Minnesota and works with volunteer committees hosting fundraisers for the 77-year-old conservation organization. The events in his region raised more than $650,000, for DU's conservation mission in the Dave s dog Gabby recent fiscal year ending in June 30. Brad shows off his eight and one-half pound walleye.

3 Page 3 The Waterfowler s Expo was, by all accounts, a huge success. Over 400 people walked through the doors at the IRA Civic Center in Grand Rapids, to view the exhibits, shop for hunting gear, and listen to talks and presentations. There were ten exhibitors and six presentations ranging from information on DU/DNR s local wild rice lake program to duck calling techniques. Reed s Family Outfitters had a large selection of merchandise and special sale pricing for the event. The prices were so good that even some of DU staff bought more decoys. The Expo netted twelve new DU Volunteers. The Expo, which was held on Tuesday evening, August 5, 2014, was mainly designed as a recruiting event for volunteers in the Grand Rapids area. The local chapter had some turnover and was looking for more volunteers to reignite their banquet. This was a free event, with an incentive prize of a Stoeger Semi-Automatic 12 ga., donated by Reeds Sporting Goods, for attendees who registered on line by August 3rd. The large turnout and interest in DU s mission resulted in at least twelve new volunteers being recruited. Look for this event in your area as MN DU recruits more volunteers around the state. Mike Shogren of Shogren Retrievers talks with his dog at his exhibit space. Mike gave a training demonstration with the dog later in the evening. Cory Loeffler of DRC Call Company discusses calls with some hunters. DNR Conservation Officer Sarah Sindelin helps some young waterfowlers with duck wing identification.

4 Page 4 Summer/Fall 2014 State Line Lake Success Story State Line Lake is a 446-acre shallow lake located in Freeborn County, Minnesota. Maximum water depths in State Line Lake are around 4.5 feet, with an average depth of only 3 feet. The shallow nature of State Line Lake makes it very attractive habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife. Unfortunately, this shallowness also makes State Line Lake more vulnerable to the negative ecological effects of sediment and nutrient loading, carp and other rough fish, altered hydrology, and flood events. These factors had caused the lake to become degraded over the years, with turbid water clarity and summer algae blooms that suffocated aquatic life in the lake and caused it to stagnate. The old dam was a fixed crest structure that contributed to the stagnant condition of the lake. To remedy the situation, Ducks Unlimited and Minnesota DNR Section of Wildlife began working with Freeborn County and a local stakeholder group known as State Line Lake Restoration, Inc. in 2009 in an effort to enhance State Line Lake or wildlife, fish, and humans alike. In 2010, Ducks Unlimited began bioengineering efforts to assess management options on the lake. Meanwhile, DU also began negotiating the purchase of a 45-acre parcel adjacent to the outlet of the State Line Lake near Emmons owned by Parnell Brackey. This land included a very old and dysfunctional fixed-crest concrete dam structure on the outlet of State Line Lake, which held the water levels in the lake high and stable, adding to the stagnation of the lake s aquatic ecology. The map below shows why State Line Lake got its name, as it crosses the state line into Iowa a bit. Iowa This photo shows the old fixed crest structure in disrepair, but still holding water back at an high level.

5 Page 5 State Line Lake Success Story (Continued) The first step was to breach the old dam and allow the lake level to drop as seen above. In 2013, DU completed engineering design plans for State Line Lake that included replacing the deteriorated fixed-crest dam with a variable- crest water control structure to provide DNR managers with the ability to conduct temporary water-level draw-downs to enhance water quality and the aquatic ecology of the lake. A high-velocity fish barrier downstream of the new structure was also included in the design. After state and federal permits were secured, DU began construction of the new water 446-acres control structure and fish barrier on the outlet of State Line Lake in March 2014, and completed the project in early July This project was made possible by a strong partnership among the Minnesota DNR, Freeborn County, and State Line Lake Restoration Inc. group, and with funding provided from Minnesota s Outdoor Heritage Fundas recommended by the Lessard - Sams Outdoor Heritage Council and private Major Sponsors supporting Ducks Unlimited s Living Lakes conservation initiative. Thanks to all partners and donors! The State Line Lake project had an amazing group of local supporters who encouraged DU to take on the project. The high velocity fish barrier in action, showing the downstream discharge pool. There are several carp present in the pool, but hard to see because of the turbulence caused by the flow from the barrier culvert. The contractor s excavator is working on armoring the downstream channel with rip-rap. The finished water control structure showing the channel, walkway, fish screens, and outlet bays.

6 Page 6 Summer/Fall 2014 PROJECT HALL OF FAME SPINK WPA The emergent vegetation was flourishing as this clump of bulrush shows. This is a view from the west end of Jones Lake showing the vegetation. Ducks Unlimited has been conserving habitat in Minnesota since There are literally hundreds of DU projects scattered across Minnesota. In fact, many of the water control structures on federal waterfowl production areas (WPAs) and state wildlife management areas (WMAs) were designed and built as Ducks Unlimited projects. This column is a regular feature devoted to describing some of these older projects. The Spink WPA project was one of Ducks Unlimited s first projects in the state. Spink WPA is located in central Grant County, west of Barrett. The project location was surveyed in 1985 and the structure designed in The project was built in the fall of 1987 in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. It was a small project by DU standards, only consisting a large ditch plug and a 48-inch diameter corrugated metal pipe riser with 30-inch diameter outlet pipe; however, it restored 147 acres of wetland know as Jones Lake. (see map). The project was visited this past July and was in partial drawdown status. Jones Lake was in fantastic condition with thick emergent vegetation stands around the margins and interspersed in the shallow areas. There were several hundred ducks scattered around the lake, likely young birds from this years production and some molting adults. DU is also working on another project at Spink WPA; that being the Hibrooten Lake project where an outlet was constructed last year. Look for an article about Hibrooten Lake in a future issue of, Control Structure This map shows the 1.5-mile long Jones Lake before it was restored. Several egrets were present, working the shallows for minnows and frogs. This photograph shows the west lobe with several mallards and teal using it for molting and early staging.

7 Page 7 Minnesota Artists Corner Rollie Brandt Rollie Brandt knew, as a child, what she wanted in life to pursue a career in art. How fitting her exceptional talents are now realized nationally in endearing portrayals of children exploring their world and interacting with nature. Known as the artist throughout her school days, young Rollie revealed an uncharacteristically mature dedication to developing her artistic skills. For many teenagers standard course work is enough, but Brandt sought advanced training in art through college correspondence courses. She furthered her formal training and accelerated her artistic growth with the entrepreneurial launching of a sign-painting business in her sophomore year. Currently, Brandt is enjoying the benefits of her diligence. Meticulous detail and a vibrant pallet are her trademarks. Those signature traits work together allowing her active scenes to capture the innocence and energy of her subjects. Artwork provided courtesy of Rollie Brandt and Wild Wings, LLC, Lake City, Minnesota Detailed bird paintings are another common subject of hers; this piece named Mothering Mallards reveals Rollies attention to detail. Many of Brandt s paintings are barn scenes, such as this example titled, A Century of Autumns. This is the type of painting Brandt is known for, a young person interacting with nature and animals, and titled: Out with the Boys Black Labs.

8 Page 8 Summer/Fall 2014 Minnesota DNR and DU Canada Partnership The Minnesota DNR and DU Canada have an important partnership that results in habitat work in Canada funded by Minnesota hunters. The partnership generated work on five projects in the Saskatchewan River Delta (SRD) during 2013/2014. Periodically, DU Canada staff invite MnDNR staff to Canada on a tour to view the work and projects funded by the program. This year the editor was also invited to join the trip (at his own expense) and learn about the MnDNR and DU Canada partnership. The trip began at the Winnipeg airport, where Paul Telander, MnDNR Wildlife Section Chief, Bob Welsh, MnDNR Wildlife Habitat Coordinator, Ricky Lien, MnDNR Wetland Coordinator, David Brakhage, DU Director Great Lakes Atlantic Regional Office, David Kostersky, Manager State Grants DU Canada, and Brian Ross, MNDU volunteer, boarded a plane bound for The Calm Air flight lived up to its name with a very smooth ride from Winnipeg to The Pas. The Pas, Manitoba. The flight was on Calm Air Airlines, yes, that is correct, Calm Air Airlines based in Thompson, Manitoba. The first stop of the tour was the DU Canada field office (left) just outside of The Pas, located. The field office has been there since the 1970s, when DU Canada ramped up work in the delta. The office was like a huge piece of history about DU with pictures, maps, and files (see photo below). DU s The Pas field office is like a step back in time as it is filled with DU history and memorabilia. The file storage area reflected the wide variety of work and years the work has been directed from The Pas field office.

9 Page 9 MnDNR and DU Canada Partnership (continued) The tour started at The Pas field office with a presentation about the Saskatchewan River Delta, DU s work in the SRD, and the SRD s importance to nesting waterfowl. The SRD is one of the largest inland deltas in North America and encompasses over two million acres. As seen in the chart to right, the top 10 waterfowl species include nearly half a million nesting birds, with mallards, blue-winged teal, scaup, widgeon, and ringneck ducks being the most common. It is incredibly productive for ducks, especially for those that migrate through Minnesota. The State of Minnesota has been sending funds to DU Canada since 1972, with over $1.5 million being contributed to date. The DNR restricts the funds to be used only on projects in Manitoba because of the number of ducks from Manitoba that migrate through Minnesota. In Fiscal Years 2014 and 2015, MnDNR agreed to provide $100,000 per year toward DU Canada s conservation efforts, which is matched by DU and the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA). These funds were used on projects in the SRD. North Reader Root Lake South Reader Reader Root Complex include 25,000 acres of shallow emergent wetlands stretching 5 miles north of the Saskatchewan River. The water levels in the Reader Root complex are controlled by several dikes, ditches, and water control structures built by DU to improve the habitat in the complex. The tour included stops at several of the control structures. The Pas Partners MnDNR DU NAWCA Total Over half a million waterfowl nest in the SRD The next part of the tour was on an airboat across the Reader Root Marshes located just north of The Pas. (see map to the left). It was quite a sight to see the reactions of the ducks when the airboat came up on them at 25 mph. The marshes of the The reed beds on South Reader marsh stretched nearly to the horizon as a black tern cruises above its nest. December strategic planning session Contribution $100,000 $100,000 $200,000 $400,000

10 Page 10 Summer/Fall 2014 MnDNR and DU Partnership (continued) Boating up the Saskatchewan River Shawn Greer (center) of DU Canada discusses the Elm Creek Outlet structure, which was underwater due to spring runoff conditions. The Plane! The Plane! The next day the tour continued with a boat run up the Saskatchewan River, which is major river, stretching from the Rocky Mountains to Lake Winnepeg. as large as the Mississippi at Winona. The airboats were waiting for us at the channel to the Birch River for our trek into the Carrot River Triangle, a particularly productive part of the SRD. The rain began as we airboated up the channel, with pairs of ring-necks and mallards taking flight at regularly spaced intervals dependent on their breeding territories.. This day included a visit to DU projects funded by the partnership, including the Elm Creek Inlet and Outlet, which will allow drawdown of Elm Lake. The Elm Creek structures were being replaced because the 1960s-era structures were needing repairs. Other projects funded included nearby Rae Lake and Roberts Marsh. After the visit to the projects., we headed back east across the sprawling Saskeram Marsh, a 28,000 acre shallow lake surrounded by shallow wetlands and backwaters of the delta. Saskeram Marsh from the air shows the vast expanse of the delta. The last day of the tour included an aerial overflight of the areas visited by airboat the previously days. The float plane picked up us at Clearwater Lake and first took us over the southern SRD, an area known as the Summerberry Marshes, which border the Summerberry River. DU Canada has been doing research in the Summerberry Marshes, to understand how to make the marshes more productive (See Summer-Fall 2012 ). The flight then continued north over the Saskeram Marsh and Elm Lake. The vastness of the SRD is hard to imagine, with marsh after marsh connected by innumerable channels, within a mosaic of wet meadows, fens, and bogs. Even more innumerable are the numbers of ducks and other waterfowl which use the SRD for breeding and rearing their young. This is why DU Canada and MnDNR focuses their funding into the SRD and why the partnership is so important to resource. Minnesota is one of 42 states that provide funding to DU Canada. These partnerships between DU Canada and state agencies provide invaluable funding to the breeding strongholds of North American waterfowl. Many states provide more funding than Minnesota, with Illinois providing $500,000 and Missouri providing a quarter million dollars. These funds are hugely important to DU Canada s mission of restoring and conserving waterfowl breeding habitat in Canada. The MnDNR and DU Canada partnership is conserving critical habitat in the SRD. The Birch River Dam is one of large structures maintained by DU Canada; it holds back water into the Saskeram Marsh. Tour attendees included from left David Brakkage (DU Inc.), Brian Ross, MNDU, Ricky Lien, (MnDNR), Bob Welsh (MnDNR), Paul Telander (MnDNR), with the tour guide Shawn Greer (DUC) on right.

11 Page 11 Conservation Club has First Event Thirty-five business executives, company presidents, and CEO s attended the first ever Critical Conservation Club gathering at Legends Golf Club in Prior Lake on July 23, Each plate cost $500 and every table of six had a chance at winning a CZ Ringneck side-by-side 28 gauge. A Pebble Beach golf outing went on live auction for over $6,500. In total, the event netted over $23,000. The event was the idea of DU volunteer and Wells Fargo Vice President, Don Ford. The Duck Man, Patrick Patterson, and DU Regional Director John Marks, were also key players in this new event format. Besides supporting the Ducks Unlimited mission, the attendees had a chance to network and meet Ducks Unlimited Chief Conservation Officer, Paul Schmidt. Mr. Schmidt flew directly from Washington DC after testifying on behalf of the price increase to the Federal Waterfowl Stamp to be with the group. He delivered a key-note address and performed major sponsor recognitions. The event was so successful that it will become an annual event. Expect to see other similar events around the state as well. This new event format was a big hit for conservation. Ducks Unlimited s Chief Conservation Officer, Paul Schmidt, presents TE Connectivity Vice President, Jaxon Lang, with his Diamond Heritage plaque. Volunteer Spotlight Todd Berghuis Todd was born in Prinsburg, MN and started duck hunting when his family moved to Alexandria. He grew up duck hunting around there, on many different water bodies between Alex and Fergus Falls. It was a great area to grow up in as a duck hunter, as there was lots of habitat and the birds, at least to me, seemed unending. I was able to get a morning hunt in before I was off to school and was known for coming to school in camo and facepaint. Todd was also able to hunt the famous Delta Marsh in Manitoba at a lodge his father partially owned. The sheer number of birds, meeting people who loved ducks like the great Jimmy Robinson, and being treated as one of the men cemented my love for waterfowl and the places they live. I had many great experiences there including leaving our boat and walking into the landing at the Delta due to a storm with high winds and waves, watching what I consider to be one of the most beautiful ducks, late season canvasbacks, work the decoys and bagging a silver bull can, and seeing tornadoes of geese settling into the famous marsh with my Dad all played a part in the love I have for this sport. It s easy to see that these experiences fueled Todd s passion for preserving and expanding wetlands and waterfowl habitat. Along with being a Ducks Unlimited member since his teens, Todd became a DU volunteer 8 years ago. The experience I have had as a DU volunteer has been one of the most fulfilling and rewarding I have had. I have meet great people, heard great stories, and I see the results from the dollars DU raises. I once had a Pheasants Forever chapter chair tell me that DU does as much for pheasants as PF does. This is really saying something for the impact the funds we raise has on all wildlife. It s extremely important to me to continue DU s efforts and have more success stories as I have a son who loves this sport as much as I do. Todd has been the chair of the Paul Bunyan chapter for the last 4 years. At the time he took this role, the chapter had lost its chair and was experiencing a significant downturn in attendance. Over the years he has been the chair, the chapter has seen resurgence in their growth, so much so that they have been a top 25 chapter for the last two years and will likely be there again this year. Their annual banquet now attracts over 300 attendees and has been sold out for the last two years. It has become one of Brainerd s must attend events. Todd currently lives near Brainerd with his wife Candy and their just retired black lab, Molly. They have two children, both of whom help out with the Brainerd dinner banquet. December strategic planning session

12 Page Minnesota DU State Convention The MN DU State Convention was held in Willmar for the first time ever. Chef Mike Brown s presentation on wild game cooking was a big hit at the convention. DU Canada s CEO, Greg Siekaniec, gave the keynote address at the Saturday Convention Banquet. The bartenders in The Blind The Saturday night Convention Banquet was a well attended, lively affair with many raffles and unique live auction items. The Volunteer Award winners for the Central Region show their pride in volunteering for Minnesota Ducks Unlimited. Kathy and Dale Struffert and Mark and Chuck Haus enjoy the Saturday evening events with a bunch of high fives!!

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14 You are Ducks Unlimited MINNESOTA DUCKS UNLIMITED 6101 Kaymar Drive Edina, MN Phone: Ducks Unlimited is the world's largest non-profit organization dedicated to conserving North America's continually disappearing waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has conserved more than 12 million acres, thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent. Guided by science and dedicated to program efficiency, DU works toward the vision of wetlands sufficient to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever. ducks.org For articles and inserts, please send to Editor: Another example of the Minnesota DNR and DU partnership is shown as DNR Division of Wildlife staff work with DU Canada and DU, Inc. staff to get the airboat unstuck and off the dike at the Elm Creek project in the Carrot River Triangle, Northern Manitoba, Canada. Yes, the partnership was successful and the project tour continued. Brian Ross Memorywood Drive Baxter, MN Phone: bross@mnducksvolunteer.org VOLUNTEERVOLUNTEER