DNR Release: Bovine Reduction

[HD]

News Releases
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Aerial deer removal operation to begin March 16 in bovine TB area –forest roads, trails, and WMAs to be temporarily closed

As part of ongoing efforts to eradicate bovine tuberculosis in the state, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) contractors will conduct aerial deer removal operations starting on Monday, March 16. Aerial sharpshooters will work within the bovine TB core area in northwestern Minnesota for about two weeks.

An aerial survey in January resulted in an estimate of about 660 deer in the core area, down about 18 percent from 2008.

All wildlife management areas (WMAs), state forest roads, and recreational trails within deer permit area (DPA) 101 will be temporarily closed to ensure public safety during the operation.

WMAs to be closed:

Golden Valley
Grygla
Hayes
Marbel
Mickinock
Moose River
Skime
Wannaska
Wapiti
portions of Palmville, Red Lake and Thief Lake
Recreational trails to be closed:

All trails within DPA 101
State forest roads to be closed:

Blacks Winner (beginning at Palsburg junction)
Morehouse
Neheim
Penturen
North Moose River Dike
River Road (beginning at Thomson Rd junction)
Snow
Stotts
Summer
West Moose River
Winner
WMAs, roads, and trails will be signed and closed beginning March 16 and will be reopened as soon as safety permits. Flights will begin in the northern portion of the TB core area, where forest road closures are involved, so that roads can be reopened as quickly as possible.

A limited number of motorized road use passes will be issued to residents and cabin owners affected by the road closures. Permits may be obtained from the DNR at the Warroad
Area Forestry office, 804 Cherne Dr. NW, Warroad, or the Wannaska workstation, 16945 St. Hwy 89, Wannaska.

Contracted aircraft and sharpshooters, with DNR ground support, will conduct the deer removal operation, which is part of Minnesota’s ongoing bovine TB eradication efforts. The aerial operation is intended to supplement sharpshooting efforts that have been taking place on the ground since late February.

Sharpshooting is only being conducted on public lands and on private lands where the landowner has given permission.

People interested in obtaining field-dressed venison that show no signs of infection must place their name on a waiting list by contacting Thief Lake Wildlife Management office at 218-222-3747.

For more on DNR’s TB eradication efforts go to www.mndnr.gov/hunting/deer/tb.

For more on the Minnesota Board of Animal Health’s overall coordination of the state bovine TB response, go to www.bah.state.mn.us/tb.



You can sign up for the free venison that has been tested and found not to be infected.
I guess this is a good way to prevent the spred of the desease.


Hunter

[HUNTER2]

Wasn't the TB brought into the area from a cattle farmer?

[HD]

I thought it was Elk.....but, you could be right.

Does anybody have any facts on this?


Hunter

[kenhuntin]

  I guess this is both good for the herd to eliminate Tb. and bad for the great hunting camps I know on the Morehouse trail. Those people hold Deer camp as high as religion in their hearts. One other thing to consider is What the heck are the wolves going to eat with the deer all gone?

[kenhuntin]

I thought it was Elk.....but, you could be right.

Does anybody have any facts on this?


Hunter

It was introduced through a special breed of cattle that came from Mexico and were not properly tested. The cattle farmer is a real nice guy but is not very popular up there anymore. I don't think any deer tested positive last year. It sounds like it would be a fun job to be a hired sharpshooter from a helicopter over bait piles. On an  evening drive you used  to spot 100-150 deer up there. last fall you were lucky if you saw three.

[stevejedlenski]

thats probably why it spread so fast into the deer population is because of the high numbers of deer there. i agree that it should be done but it does suck for the people in that area. however when and if they stop culling then the population will spring back in a few years. but that population will be disease free hopefully and the deer that are around will be very healthy since they will have all that forage and no competition for it. i bet a few nice bucks will be taken a couple years after they let the population reproduce.

[kenhuntin]

That is right. After the winter kill of '96 when they rebounded the bucks that have shown up since had different rack frames then the little baskets that were so common up there before. New blood.

[HUNTER2]

I used to hunt up there by and in the Agassiz wildlife area. That is where I  shot my biggest buck. A nice 15 point. Years ago we used to see more moose then deer.